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NHL Preview: Minnesota Wild (24-14-4) at Washington Capitals (24-16-6)

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NHL Preview: Minnesota Wild (24-14-4) at Washington Capitals (24-16-6)

MINNESOTA WILD NOTES:

SERIES NOTES
All-Time Wild Record: 12-13-2 (8-5-1 at Xcel Energy
Center, 4-8-1 at Washington)

2021-22: Minnesota went 2-0-0 against Washington…The Wild earned a 3-2 shootout win at Xcel Energy Center (1/8) and a 5-1 win at Capital One Arena (4/3)…C Joel Eriksson Ek (2-1=3), LW Marcus Foligno (2-1=3) and RW Jordan Greenway (0-3=3) led the Wild with three points each…G Kaapo Kahkonen made 27 saves in the first meeting…G Cam Talbot made 25 saves in the second contest…C Evgeny Kuznetsov (1-1=2) and LW Alex Ovechkin (0-2=2) led the Capitals with two points each…G Zach Fucale made 20 saves in the first meeting…G Vitek Vanecek made 14 saves in the second contest.

WILD LEADERS: D Alex Goligoski leads Minnesota with 11 points (1-10=11) in 24 games against Washington…RW Mats Zuccarello has 11 points (3-8=11) in 26 contests…Foligno owns nine points (3-6=9) in 22 games.

WILD GOALIES: G Marc-Andre Fleury is 26-14-2 with a 2.65 GAA, a .911 SV% and four shutouts in 44 games (43 starts) against Washington…G Filip Gustavsson made 12 saves in relief in his lone appearance against the Capitals (10/25/21).

CAPITALS LEADERS: Ovechkin leads Washington with 31 points (17-14=31) in 19 games against Minnesota…RW T.J. Oshie has 23 points (11-12=23) in 31 contests…C Nicklas Backstrom owns 20 points (2-18=20) in 18 matches… RW Marcus Johansson has 13 points (4-9=13) in 14 games.

CAPITALS GOALIES: G Darcy Kuemper is 3-5-1 with a 2.89 GAA, a .902 SV% and one shutout in 10 career starts against Minnesota…G Charlie Lindgren is 0-1-0 with a 2.06 GAA and a .941 SV% in one career start (11/9/17).

FAST FACTS: Minnesota’s series sweep in 2021-22 marked the second time in franchise history the Wild has won two games against Washington in the same season (2002-03)…Seven of Minnesota’s 13 games played at Washington have been decided by one goal (3-3-1)…Ovechkin netted three PPG on March 28, 2017, the most ever by a Wild opponent.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Jan. 7, 2023 – Jan. 16, 2023
1/16/23 Signed F Matt Boldy to a seven-year contract
1/12/23 Placed F Joseph Cramarossa on unconditional waivers
1/9/23 Reassigned G Zane McIntyre to Iowa

ON THE POWER PLAY
• The Wild have converted 30.3 percent (20 of 66) of power-play opportunities at home this season, third-best in the NHL.

• Minnesota recorded a power-play goal in a season-high six consecutive games from Nov. 23 – Dec. 4, going eight-for-19 (42.1 pct.) during that span. The streak tied for the fifth-longest in franchise history.

PENALTY KILLERS
• Since Nov. 8, Minnesota is ninth in the NHL with a 81.3 penalty kill percentage (87 for 107).

• Minnesota is seventh in the NHL with a 83.1 penalty-kill percentage (59 of 71) on the road this season

WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Washington 4, New York Islanders 3 (OT)
January 16, 2023 * UBS Arena * Elmont, NY
Shots: WSH: 35; NYI: 30
Power Plays: WSH: 0/1; NYI: 0/1
Three Stars: 1. Orlov (WSH), 2. Wilson (WSH), 3. Martin (NYI)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Loaned forward Joe Snively to AHL Hershey, 1/8
Loaned forward Aliaksei Protas to AHL Hershey, 1/7

INJURIES/ILLNESSES
Carl Hagelin: 10/12/22-1/16/23 (46 games)
Connor Brown: 10/20/22-1/16/23 (42 games)
John Carlson: 10/31/22-11/9/22, 12/27/22-1/16/23 (16 games)
Dmitry Orlov: 11/7/22-12/9/22 (16 games)
Washington Capitals: Media Notes
Erik Gustafsson: 12/11/22 (1 game)
Lars Eller: 12/13/22 (1 game)
Sonny Milano: 12/15/22 (1 game)
Darcy Kuemper: 12/5/22-12/17/22 (7 games)
Nic Dowd: 12/17/22 (1 game)
Hunter Shepard: 12/17/22 (1 game)
Alex Alexeyev: 12/11/22-12/19/22 (5 games)
Beck Malenstyn: 11/3/22-12/27/22 (26 games)
Martin Fehervary: 12/5/22-12/29/22 (12 games)
T.J. Oshie: 10/31/22-11/19/22, 12/19/22-12/31/22 (17 games)
Nicklas Backstrom: 10/12/22-1/6/23 (42 games)
Tom Wilson: 10/12/22-1/6/23 (42 games)
Man Games Lost: 276

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Jan. 19, 9 p.m. ET at Arizona (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 21, 10 p.m. ET at Vegas (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 24, 9 p.m. ET at Colorado (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 26, 7 p.m. ET vs. Pittsburgh (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 29, 5 p.m. ET at Toronto (NBCSW, NHLN, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)

TONIGHT’S GAME
The Capitals host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at Capital One Arena for the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Capitals and Wild will complete their season series on March 19 in St. Paul. Washington is 15-10-0-2 all-time versus Minnesota and 9-2-1 in their last 12 games against the Wild dating back to the 2014-15 season. In 2021-22, Washington dropped the season series with Minnesota 0-1-1. Alex Ovechkin (2a) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (1g, 1a) led the Capitals with two points in two games against the Wild last season.

HOME vs. MINNESOTA WILD
Record Goals For Goals Against Streak
9-4-0-0 32 24 2 MIN wins (3/22/19-4/3/22)

CAPITALS vs. MINNESOTA WILD (Career Totals)
Games Goals Assists Points
Oshie (31) Ovechkin (17) Backstrom (18) Ovechkin (31)
Irwin (21) Oshie (11) Ovechkin (14) Oshie (23)
Ovechkin (19) Five Players (4) Oshie (12) Backstrom (20)

Back-to-Back

  • Tuesday’s game against Minnesota marks the second half of Washington’s sixth back-to-back set of the season.
  • The Capitals are 1-3-1in the second of back-to-back games this season and 1-2-0 following a win.

NHL Preview: Florida Panthers (21-20-4) at Toronto Maple Leafs (26-11-7)

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NHL Preview: Florida Panthers (21-20-4) at Toronto Maple Leafs (26-11-7)

FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:

BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT

  • F Anthony Duclair | Games Missed: 45
  • F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 20
  • G Spencer Knight | Games Missed: 4
    Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 134

LAST GAME
Panthers 4, Sabres 1 – Jan. 16 – KeyBank Center
FLA Goals: Montour (8), Bennett (10), Lundell (5), Verhaeghe (20)
BUF Goals: Tuch (21)
FLA Goalie: Bobrovsky (W) – 28 Saves
BUF Goalie: Luukkonen (L) – 30 Saves
FLA Shots: 34
BUF Shots: 29
Notes: Matthew Tkachuk notched three assists to extend his point streak to a season-long seven games (5-8-13)…Carter Verhaeghe recorded two points (1-1-2)…Aleksander Barkov registered an assist, extending his point streak to four games (2-3-5)…Sam Reinhart logged an assist to extend his point streak to four games (1-3-4)…Gustav Forsling notched an assist for the second consecutive game (0-2-2)…Brandon Montour scored a goal for his 2nd point in as many games (1-1-2)…FLA PP: 0-3, FLA PK: 3-3 RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

  • Jan. 16: F Grigori Denisenko recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
  • Jan. 15: F Zac Dalpe loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
  • Jan. 11: D Casey Fitzgerald claimed off waivers from BUF | D Matt Kiersted loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
  • Jan. 10: G Alex Lyon recalled from Charlotte (AHL)

PANTHERS vs. MAPLE LEAFS
ALL-TIME vs. TOR: 42-39-7-6
ALL-TIME ROAD vs. TOR: 17-23-2-3
2021-22 vs. TOR: 2-1-0

CATS STATS

  • Aleksander Barkov has produced 24 points (10-14-24) over 28 career games against Toronto.
  • Sam Reinhart has logged 19 points (8-11-19) over 25 career games vs. the Maple Leafs.

ROAD WARRIORS
Following their game Jan. 16 at BUF, the Cats had played 25 road contests which trailed only ARI (28) for the most among NHL teams. This season the Panthers average 34.6 shots on goal away from FLA Live Arena, the third highest in the NHL.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 3 at Boston 4
Date: Saturday, January 14, 2023
TOR Goals: Bunting (PP), Engvall, Matthews
BOS Goals: Bergeron, Pastrnak, Greer, Grzelcyk
TOR Goaltender: Murray, 30/34, .882 SV%
BOS Goaltender: Ullmark, 18/21, .857 SV%
TOR Power Play: 1-for-2
TOR Penalty Kill: 2-for-2
Player Notes: – Michael Bunting scored on a Toronto power play opportunity at 4:45 of the first period and posted the primary assist on Auston Matthews’ goal. Bunting recorded his seventh multi-point game of the season.

  • Pierre Engvall scored for the Maple Leafs at 2:43 of the second period. Engvall posted his ninth goal of the season, marking an NHL career second-best.
  • Auston Matthews scored his 21st goal of the season at 3:17 of the third period. Matthews has posted eight points (4G, 4A) through his last six games played.
  • Mitch Marner recorded two assists during Saturday’s game. Marner has posted 11 points (3G, 8A) through his last eight games. Marner posted his sixth multi-assist game of the season and 13th multi-point game of the season. Two of Marner’s six multi-assist outings this season have been registered against Boston. Per NHL Stats, “Marner recorded the 85th multi-assist game of his NHL career and moved within one of tying Dave Keon (86) for the fourth most in franchise history.”
  • With an assist during Saturday’s game, John Tavares extended his point streak to six games where he has posted 10 points (5G, 5A). Tavares has recorded an assist in four-consecutive games (5A).
  • Dryden Hunt skated in his 200th career NHL game.

TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Florida: First of Four
2021-22 Record vs. Florida: 1-0-2
Toronto Season Record: 26-11-7
Toronto Home Record: 15-3-4

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs will face-off against the Florida Panthers tonight in the first of four matchups between the clubs this season. The next meeting between the teams will be played on March 23rd at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Toronto went 1-0-2 against the Panthers during the 2021-22 season, winning their lone matchup played on home ice by a 5-2 score. The Maple Leafs have posted a 15-3-4 record at home this season, currently tied for the third-best home record in the league.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Sportsnet Ontario RADIO: TSN 1050

NEXT GAME

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
January 10, 2023 The Maple Leafs recalled forward Bobby McMann from the Toronto Marlies
(AHL). Defenceman TJ Brodie has been placed on injured reserve.
January 2, 2023 The Maple Leafs loaned forward Joey Anderson to 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. FLORIDA PANTHERS:
First Matchup between Clubs: October 21, 1993 (Toronto 4 at Florida 3 – OTW)
All-Time Record: 45-35-7-7 (94 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 26-16-2-1 (45 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 19-19-5-6 (49 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: March 27, 2022 (Toronto 5 vs. Florida 2)

THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2022-23
Power Play: 24.7%
Power Play Goal Leader: 9 – Matthews
Power Play Point Leader: 21 – Tavares (8G, 13A), Marner (5G, 16A)
2021-22 Power Play: 63/231 (27.3%)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 78.5%
Shorthanded Goal Leader: 1 – Giordano, Järnkrok, Kerfoot, Liljegren, Marner
Shorthanded Point Leader: 3 – Järnkrok (1G, 2A)
2021-22 Penalty Kill: 192/234 (82.1%)

FAST FACTS
Tuesday games 8th of 13 (6 home, 7 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 8th of 14 (10 home, 4 road)

NHL Preview: Anaheim Ducks (12-27-5) at Philadelphia Flyers (18-19-7)

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NHL Preview: Anaheim Ducks (12-27-5) at Philadelphia Flyers (18-19-7)

ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES:

LAST ANAHEIM DUCKS GAME
JAN. 16, 2023 – ANAHEIM 3 @ PITTSBURGH 4 OT
The Ducks earned a point as they began a season-long six-game road trip with a 4-3 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. Trevor Zegras scored his 14th goal of the season and recorded his 20th assist, his 10th multi-point game (1-1=2). Troy Terry earned two assists, tying Zegras with his 10th multi-point effort to extend his team-lead in points (12-24=36) and assists. John Klingberg scored his sixth goal of the season (PPG) as he continues to pace Anaheim blueliners in goals. Adam Henrique netted his 14th goal of the season (PPG), matching Zegras for the team lead in goals. Mason McTavish earned an assist on Henrique’s goal, his 18th of the year and team-leading 11th power-play point (4-7=11). Ryan Strome also earned an assist. John Gibson stopped 41 shots, his sixth game with 40-plus saves, tied for the NHL lead with Stuart Skinner (EDM).
PP: 2-4 PK: 4-4 SF: 29 SA: 45 TOI: Cam Fowler (27:33)
Three Stars: 1. J. Guentzel 2. B. Rust 3. T. Zegras

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (PT) TV / AUDIO
Jan. 19 Columbus Nationwide Arena 4 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
Jan. 21 Buffalo KeyBank Center 9:30 a.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
Jan. 24 Arizona Mullet Arena 6 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
Jan. 26 Colorado Ball Arena 6 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
Jan. 28 Arizona Honda Center 7:30 p.m. BSW / Ducks Stream

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Jan. 1 Reassigned G Lukas Dostal to San Diego (AHL). Activated G Anthony Stolarz from Injured Reserve (IR).
Jan. 2 Recalled D Colton White from a Conditioning Loan in San Diego (AHL).
Jan. 5 Assigned D Nathan Beaulieu to San Diego (AHL) on a Conditioning Loan.
Jan. 10 Placed C Justin Kirkland on Injured Reserve (IR).
Jan. 11 Activated LW Max Jones from Injured Reserve (IR).
Jan. 15 Recalled D Nathan Beaulieu from a Conditioning Loan in San Diego (AHL).
ANAHEIM DUCKS INJURIES
Man-Games Lost: 231

PLAYER INJURY/ILLNESS EXPECTED ABSENCE GAMES MISSED
John Moore Upper-body Indefinite 44
Jamie Drysdale Torn labrum (shoulder) 4-6 months 36
Isac Lundestrom Broken finger 6 weeks 20
Derek Grant Lower-body Day-to-day 19
Justin Kirkland Car accident Day-to-day 4

ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Anaheim Ducks continue a season-long six game road trip tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center (4 p.m. PT, TV: Bally Sports SoCal AUDIO: Ducks Stream). Tonight concludes the Ducks’ sixth set of back-to-back matchups, posting a 1-8-2 record overall (0-5-0 in the second contest). The Ducks enter tonight’s contest having killed 30 of the last 35 penalties (85.7%) dating to Dec. 21 (spanning 11 games). Anaheim is in the midst of a 13-game January schedule (2-4-1), consisting of seven home and six road contests. All-time, Anaheim is 164-144-38 in the month of January. Since the start of 2013-14, Anaheim is 60-43-10 in January, picking up points in 70 of the 112 contests (.625%). Following tonight’s game, the Ducks will travel to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, Jan. 19 (4 p.m. PT). The road trip also includes visits to Buffalo (Jan. 21, 9:30 a.m. PT), Arizona (Jan. 24, 6 p.m. PT) and Colorado (Jan. 26, 6 p.m. PT).

DUCKS-FLYERS: Anaheim and Philadelphia conclude a two-game season series tonight at Wells Fargo Center. Anaheim has picked up points in six of the last 10 meetings between the teams (4-4-2). The Ducks have also won eight of their last 10 road contests against the Flyers, posting an 8-2-0 mark dating to the 2009-10 season. The Ducks own a 20-12-9 all-time record vs. the Flyers, including a 10-6-3 mark in Philadelphia. The Ducks fell 4-1 in the season series opener in Orange County 15 days ago, with Ryan Strome scoring the lone goal at Honda Center. Anaheim swept the two-game 2021-22 season series, earning a 4-1 win Jan. 4, 2022 backed by Troy Terry’s first career hat trick (3-0=3) and a 27-save performance by John Gibson. Anaheim also earned a 5-3 win at Wells Fargo Center on Apr. 9, 2022 behind Trevor Zegras’ two-goal effort (2-0=2) and multi-point games from Derek Grant (1-1=2) and Jamie Drysdale (0-2=2). Gibson leads all-time Anaheim goaltenders in wins against the Flyers (5-2-2), posting a 2.43 GAA and .926 SV%. Adam Henrique (14-9=23 in 32 GP) leads active Ducks skaters in career points and goals vs. the Flyers, while Ryan Strome (3-14=17 in 32 GP) leads in assists.

ANA-PHI SEASON SERIES:
DATE LOCATION TIME / RESULT TV / AUDIO
Jan. 2 Honda Center 4-1 PHI win
Jan. 17 Wells Fargo Center 4 p.m. PT Bally Sports SoCal / Ducks Stream

ANA-PHI ALL-TIME SERIES:
Overall @ Anaheim @ Philadelphia
All-Time Series: 20-12-9 10-6-6 10-6-3
Current Streak: One PHI win One PHI win One ANA win
Last ANA Win: Apr. 9, 2022 (5-3) Jan. 4, 2022 (4-1) Apr. 9, 2022 (5-3)
Last PHI Win: Jan. 2, 2023 (4-1) Jan. 2, 2023 (4-1) Dec. 17, 2019 (4-1)
ANA Last 10: 4-4-2 5-2-3 8-2-0

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS NOTES:

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

UPCOMING GAMES
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME BROADCAST INFO.
Thur., Jan. 19 Chicago Blackhawks Wells Fargo Center 7 p.m. NBCSP, 93.3 WMMR
Sat., Jan. 21 Detroit Red Wings Little Caesars Arena 7 p.m. NBCSP, 93.3 WMMR
Sun., Jan. 22 Winnipeg Jets Wells Fargo Center 7 p.m. NBCSP, 97.5 The Fanati

CURRENT INJURIES
PLAYER INJURY DATES GAMES MISSED
Cam Atkinson IR-upper body 9/25-present 44
Sean Couturier IR-back 9/19-present 44
Ryan Ellis LTIR-groin/hip/back 10/11-present 44
Tanner Laczynski IR-lower body 12/7-present 18
2022-23 TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 241

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
1/5 – Recalled F Kieffer Bellows from Lehigh Valley (AHL); Loaned G Felix Sandstrom to the Phantoms on a conditioning assignment
1/4 – Activated G Carter Hart from Injured Reserve

FLYERS VS. DUCKS: HEAD-TO-HEAD
FLYERS DUCKS
16-15-10 ALL-TIME RECORD 20-12-9
6-8-5 HOME 10-6-6
10-7-5 ROAD 10-6-3
3-2-0 LAST 5 MEETINGS 2-2-1
6-3-1 LAST 10 MEETINGS 4-4-2
122 GOALS SCORED 121
22.9% POWER PLAY 19.1%
80.9% PENALTY KILL 77.1%
Hayes: 9 pts (4-5=9) in 15 GP
van Riemsdyk: 9 pts (0-9=9) in 17 GP
Konecny: 7 pts (3-4=7) in 11 GP
TEAM SCORING LEADERS Henrique: 23 pts (14-9=23) in 32 GP
Strome: 17 pts (3-14=17) in 32 GP
Kulikov: 12 pts (2-10=12) in 31 GP
Hart: 2-1-0, 2.03 GAA, .941 SV% in 3 GP
Ersson: 1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .966 SV% in 1 GP
TEAM GOALTENDERS Gibson: 5-2-2, 2.43 GAA, .926 SV% in 9 GP
Stolarz: 1-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .909 SV% in 1 GP

2022-23 SEASON SERIES (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
January 2 Honda Center PHI (4), ANA (1)
January 17 Wells Fargo Center 7 p.m

TEAM NOTES
QUICK HITS

  • Philadelphia is 7-2-0 in their last nine games, outscoring their opponents, 32-24, and outshooting their opponents, 280-270, since Dec. 29. The Flyers rank T-3rd in the NHL in wins and T-8th in goals in that span.
  • The Flyers have earned points in 12 of its last 19 games (10-7-2), including a season-high four-game win streak, Dec. 29-Jan. 5.
  • Philadelphia has outscored its opponents, 45-37, in the last 12 overall games and are 8-4-0 since Dec. 20. Philadelphia ranks T-4th in the NHL in wins and goals in that span.
  • The Flyers have scored three-plus goals in 13 of their last 19 games, posting a 9-3-1 record when scoring three-plus goals since Dec. 5.
  • Philadelphia scored a season-high six goals Jan. 5 vs. ARI, the team’s first six-plus goal game since April 21, 2022 at MTL. Five of the six goals were netted during the second period to mark the 66th time in franchise history the Flyers have scored five-or-more goals in a single period, last, Dec. 3, 2019 vs. TOR (5 in the 3rd).
  • The Flyers netted three goals in the third period Dec. 11 vs. WSH – the team’s sixth time this season they have recorded three-plus goals in a single period, done four times in the last nine games: Jan. 11 vs. WSH (3g in 3rd), Jan. 9 at BUF (3g in 1st), Jan. 5 vs. ARI (5g in 2nd) & Dec. 23 at CAR (3g in 3rd).
  • Philadelphia has outscored its opponents 21-15 in the third period in the last 16 games. The Flyers’ 21 third period goals rank T-5th in the NHL since Dec. 11.
  • The Flyers have allowed the opposing team to score first in 29 of its 44 games this season. Philadelphia ranks third in the NHL with 11 wins when trailing first in a game. They rank T-3rd in the NHL in wins (4) when scoring first since Jan. 2.
  • Philadelphia set a season-high 41 shots Dec. 11 at ARI and have outshot their opponents in 12 of the last 22 games, posting a 7-4-1 record in those 12 contests.
  • The Flyers recorded a franchise-best 59 hits Nov. 12 vs. OTT. The 59 hits are tied for the ninth-most in a regular season game in NHL history.
  • Philadelphia leads the NHL with 1,288 hits and ranks third with 762 blocked shots.

BACK-TO-BACKS

  • Monday’s and Tuesday’s games mark the Flyers’ eighth back-to-back set of 15 this season.
  • The set marks the second of four road-to-home back-to-backs this season:
  1. Oct. 22 at NSH (3-1 W); Oct. 23 vs. SJ (3-0 L)
  2. Jan. 16 at BOS (6-0 L); Jan. 17 vs. ANA
  3. Jan. 21 at DET; Jan. 22 vs. WPG
  4. April 8 at NYI; April 9 vs. BOS
  • The Flyers are 2-5-1 in the first game of a back-to-back this season and 1-6-0 in the second.

NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 17, 2023

NHL Editor
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NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 17, 2023

* One night after Brock Boeser scored the second-latest game-tying goal in a win in franchise history, Jack Hughes achieved the exact same feat with the Devils to extend their road winning streak to seven and move within one point of the Metropolitan Division’s top-seeded Hurricanes.

* A number of top performers who are up for selection in the 2023 NHL All-Star Fan Vote presented by Guaranteed Rate, including David Pastrnak, Mika Zibanejad,Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nathan MacKinnon, all made strong final pushes before voting ends.

* David Krejci tallied three points while skating in his 1,000th NHL game and joined a franchise legend in the process as the League-leading Bruins (34-5-4, 72 points) padded their lead atop the standings.


HUGHES TIES GAME IN FINAL 10 SECONDS AS DEVILS STAY HOT ON THE ROAD
Jack Hughes (1-0—1) sent the Devils into overtime by scoring with 10 seconds remaining in regulation and Vitek Vanecek made 29 saves to extend his winning streak to six games as New Jersey (29-12-3, 61 points) moved within one point of idle Carolina (27-9-8, 62 points) for first place in the Metropolitan Division. New Jersey extended its road winning streak to seven games, matching Seattle for the NHL’s longest active run, and earned its 18th win as visitors this season – tops among all teams.


* Vanecek extended his winning streak to six games, the second time he has posted a run of that length in 2022-23 (also 6 GP from Oct. 25 – Nov. 8, 2022). Only one other goaltender in franchise history has recorded multiple winning streaks of six-plus contests in a single season: Martin Brodeur (2x in 1997-98, 1997-98 & 1997-98).
 
* Hughes (29-26—55 in 44 GP) moved within one of his first 30-goal season with a marker that stood as the second-latest game-tying goal in a win in franchise history behind only Travis Zajac (59:59 on Oct. 8, 2009).
 

NHL ALL-STAR FAN VOTE ENTERS FINAL DAY

Monday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates was loaded with notes about top scorers who are up for selection in the 2023 NHL All-Star Fan Vote presented by Guaranteed Rate, which ends Tuesday, Jan. 17.

* Fans can vote at NHL.com/Voteto select 12 additional All-Stars to complete the four divisional rosters for All-Star Weekend in Sunrise, Fla. (Feb. 3-4). Fan selections will be announced by NHL national rightsholders ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA during broadcast windows on Thursday, Jan. 19.

* David Pastrnak (2-1—3), a two-time NHL All-Star, notched multiple goals for the 51st time in his regular-season career, with four of those instances coming in his past six outings (since Jan. 5). His 51 multi-goal performances rank third in the NHL since the start of 2014-15, behind Alex Ovechkin (80) and Auston Matthews (55), and just ahead of Leon Draisaitl (50).

* Mika Zibanejad (1-0—1), who was voted into his first NHL All-Star game last season, opened the scoring at Nationwide Arena and reached the 20-goal mark for the sixth straight season with New York. Only four players in Rangers history have had a longer run: Jean Ratelle (8x), Andy Bathgate (7x), Rod Gilbert (7x) and Vic Hadfield (7x).

* Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves for his 20th win of 2022-23 – a plateau he has reached in seven straight seasons dating to 2016-17. The only active goaltenders (min. 1 GP in 2022-23) with as many are Marc-Andre Fleury (8x), Frederik Andersen (7x) and Connor Hellebuyck (7x). Through that span, Vasilevskiy has played in four NHL All-Star games (2018, 2019, 2020 & 2022).

* Nathan MacKinnon (2-2—4) recorded the 14th four-point game of his career to help Colorado (22-17-3, 47 points) claim a 6-3 win on the heels of a 7-0 victory Saturday and climb within four points of Calgary (21-15-9, 51 points), which occupies the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot. MacKinnon has played in an NHL All-Star Game three times.

KREJCI GETS 3 POINTS IN 1,000TH GAME, BRUINS NAB ANOTHER WIN AT THE GARDEN

After receiving a standing ovation in the early stages of his 1,000th NHL game (all with the Bruins), David Krejci (0-3—3) joined franchise legend Johnny Bucyk as the second player in club history to record at least three points during his 1,000th NHL contest. Krejci’s performance helped Boston extend its home point streak against Philadelphia to 19 games – one of six runs of at least that length over the past 34 years.

* Krejci, who is back with the Bruins following a one-season hiatus, became the ninth player in League history to record three or more points in his 1,000th NHL game (of the 374 skaters to hit the milestone).

QUICK CLICKS

* Martin Jones, Lucas Raymond, Nikita Kucherov named ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

*Matt Boldy signs 7-year, $49 million contract with Wild

*Willie O’Ree to be honored with portrait in New Brunswick hometown Wednesday
* Color of Hockey: 7-year-old turns heads with play on ice, fashion flair

* Women in Hockey: Danielle Marmer

ALL EYES ON CANADIAN TEAMS HEADING INTO TUESDAY

The Jets (29-14-1, 59 points) and Maple Leafs (26-11-7, 59 points) each can hit and surpass the 60-point mark in the standings, while Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (26-42—68 in 43 GP) is within reach of the 70-point benchmark during an eight-game night in the NHL.

 
* Winnipeg can open its lead atop the Western Conference standings, where the top five teams are separated by just three points. The Jets can also match their fewest games to reach the 60-point mark in franchise history, achieved in 2018-19 (29-14-2, 60 points) – the fewest contests that the original Winnipeg Jets required to hit the plateau was 51 in 1986-87 (28-18-5, 61 points).

* Toronto returns from its two-game road trip to take on Florida at Scotiabank Arena, where Mitchell Marner (7-19—26 in 18 GP) has found the score sheet in each of his last 18 contests dating to Nov. 2, 2022. Marner, who was named to the Atlantic Division roster with Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk for the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend at FLA Live Arena, can establish a new franchise record for longest home point streak.

* Edmonton can become the first team with multiple 70-point scorers within its first 46 games in a season since 1996-97, when Mario Lemieux (30-50—80 in 45 GP) and Jaromir Jagr (41-32—73 in 45 GP) achieved the feat with Pittsburgh. Lemieux and Jagr were the first two NHL players to reach the 70-point mark that season, followed by Wayne Gretzky, Teemu Selanne and Mats Sundin.

NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (20-24) at Milwaukee Bucks (28-16)

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NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (20-24) at Milwaukee Bucks (28-16)

The Milwaukee Bucks welcome the Toronto Raptors to town on Tuesday for the second half of a back-to-back for both teams.

Milwaukee rallied past Indiana by outscoring the Pacers 39-21 in the fourth quarter on Monday afternoon to pick up a 132-119 victory. With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined for a third consecutive game due to knee soreness, the Bucks recovered from back-to-back losses in Miami and a 13-point deficit against the Pacers thanks to Jrue Holiday’s 35-point, 11-assist performance.

Monday marked Holiday’s third consecutive game with a double-double, and his 35 points were a season high.

Bobby Portis also gave Milwaukee a double-double on Monday with 21 points and 11 rebounds, Brook Lopez scored 19 points and Grayson Allen scored eight of his 17 points in the decisive fourth period.

George Hill, who had not played since Jan. 6, came off the bench to score nine points and provide pivotal defense late in the fourth quarter.

Toronto is coming off its own Monday matinee win, escaping New York with a 123-121 overtime triumph over the Knicks.

The Raptors surrendered an RJ Barrett dunk as time expired in regulation to go to the extra frame, then weathered a furious Knicks rally in the final minute of overtime.

Fred VanVleet scored 33 points and distributed eight assists, Scottie Barnes scored 26 points and Pascal Siakam approached a triple-double with 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in Toronto’s fourth win over the last five games.

The victory also kicked off a stretch for the Raptors in which they play 10 of their next 12 games on the road. Tuesday’s trip to Milwaukee is the second of three straight away from home.

The Raptors were 0-3 in overtime games on the season coming into Monday’s win, including a 104-101 loss to Milwaukee on Jan. 4. VanVleet posted a double-double of 28 points and 12 assists along with eight rebounds in that matchup, but Toronto could not overcome Antetokounmpo’s 30 points and 21 rebounds.

Siakam had his worst scoring performance of the season in the last meeting with Milwaukee, scoring 11 points on just 4-of-18 shooting from the floor.

Siakam leads Toronto in scoring, rebounding and has the most assists per game this season, and his field-goal percentage for the campaign is tops among the Raptors’ primary starters.

For Barnes, the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year, Monday marked his third consecutive game scoring at least 21 points and fourth such outing in his last five games.

MBB-FBS: Nevada Wolfpack (15-4) at Boise State Broncos (14-4)

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MBB-FBS: Nevada Wolfpack (15-4) at Boise State Broncos (14-4)

After earning a massive 85-70 comeback victory over Utah State this past Friday to move to 15-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play, the University of Nevada Men’s Basketball will travel to Boise, Idaho to take on Boise State Tuesday evening at 6pm (PST).

Tuesday night’s contest will be the second tilt between the two programs, with the Pack earning a thrilling 74-72 victory over the Broncos previously, courtesy of a Kenan Blackshear layup with just over three seconds left in the game. 

The Pack had a stellar offensive performance in the first matchup against Boise State, shooting 46.0 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from behind the arc, and 78.3 percent from the free throw line. 

Nevada also had six different players score at least seven points in the game, led by a 20-point outing from Blackshear. 

Defensively, the Pack did an excellent job of defending the 3-point line, as they held the Broncos to an abysmal 5-16 shooting mark from behind the arc.

Nevada is coming off of another comeback victory over Utah State, in which the Pack outscored the Aggies 48-28 in the second half and ended the game on a 23-6 run over the final eight minutes and six seconds of game time, as they went on to earn the 15-point victory. 

The Pack’s offense was immaculate during the game, particularly in the second half, where they shot 62.1 percent from the field (18-29) and 60 percent from behind the arc (3-5). 

Nevada also had a stout defensive performance, limiting Utah State to 38.6 percent shooting from the field throughout the game. Nevada was brilliant on that end of the floor over the final 20 minutes, holding the Aggies to 28.6 percent shooting from the field (8-28) and 18.2 percent from behind the arc (2-11).

Kenan Blackshear was phenomenal against Utah State, turning in one of the best performances of his career. The senior scored a career-high 28 points on 9-15 shooting from the field, in addition to tallying five assists and recording a career-high five steals. Blackshear was particularly impressive down the stretch, as 19 of his 28 points came in the second half, including scoring 10 in the final 8:06, fueling Nevada’s 23-6 run over that stretch.

Blackshear has reached double figures in scoring in ten straight games, and in 16 of 19 games overall this season. He has also recorded at least three assists in 18 of 19 games for the Pack.

Blackshear continues to rank in the top 10 of the Mountain West in a multitude of individual statistical categories. He currently ranks first in both total assists (91) and assists per game (4.8), seventh in free throw percentage (81.5%), and ninth in both points per game (14.7) and steals per game (1.6).

Will Baker also had one of the best performances of his career against Utah State, pouring in a career-high 24 points on 10-14 shooting from the field and 3-6 from behind the arc while pulling down a team-high six rebounds in the game.

Baker is now third on the team and 18th in the conference in points per game (12.9), and he ranks second overall in the Mountain West in free throw percentage, knocking down 86.2 percent of his attempts at the line. 

Jarod Lucas eclipsed the 20-point scoring mark in Nevada’s win over Utah State, dropping 21 points on 7-14 shooting from the field and 3-6 from behind the arc. Lucas also matched a career-high by dishing out four assists, and he recorded a game-high plus/minus of +16 in 39 minutes of action.

Lucas has now scored in double figures in 17 consecutive games, and he has accomplished the mark in 18 of 19 games this season. Lucas has also hit three or more 3-pointers in 10 contests and two or more 3-pointers on 17 games. 

Lucas continues to rank at the top of the conference in numerous offensive statistical categories. He currently ranks second in the Mountain West in both total points (321) and made 3-pointers (51), third in free throw percentage (85.1%), third in 3-point field goal percentage (38.3%), and fourth in points per game (16.9).

Freshman forward Darrion Williams had another solid all-around outing for the Pack against Utah State, scoring four points, dishing out four assists, pulling down five rebounds, and recording two blocks. Williams continues to lead Nevada in rebounding this season, as the freshman is pulling down an impressive 7.1 boards per contest, good for sixth best in the Mountain West. Williams also ranks eighth in the conference in steals per game (1.6). 

Redshirt freshman Nick Davidson maintained his recent exceptional play against Utah State, scoring eight points on 3-5 shooting from the field and 2-2 from behind the arc off the bench for the Pack. Davidson also pulled down four rebounds in the game, two of which came on the offensive glass.

As a team, Nevada shot a sensational 55.4 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from three, and 83.3 percent at the free throw line in against the Aggies. The 55.4 percent from the field marked the Pack’s best shooting percentage in a game this season, and Nevada’s mark of 47.1 percent from three was their second-best clip from behind the arc this year. 

The Pack also had an outstanding effort on the defensive end of the court, holding the Aggies to 70 points on just 38.6 percent shooting from the field. Utah State entered the contest averaging 81.9 points per game on 49.0 percent shooting. 

After their strong defensive outing, Nevada continues to rank in the top-five of the Mountain West in almost every defensive statistical category. Nevada is currently second in the league in opponent field goal percentage (40.2%), fourth in opponent points per game (64.7 PPG), fifth in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (32.3%), fifth in defensive rebounding (26.7 per game), and fifth in turnovers forced (245).

Nevada will face another difficult test, as they will take on a Boise State team that is on a four-game winning streak since losing to the Pack in late December as Nevada looks to earn their 16th victory of the season.

Scouting Boise State

Boise State enters Tuesday’s contest with an overall record of 14-4, including a mark of 4-1, with their lone loss coming to Nevada. 

The Broncos have claimed four straight victories, taking down San Jose State, Utah State, UNLV, and most recently Wyoming.

Boise State has been one of the best defensive teams in the Mountain West throughout the entire season, as they enter Tuesday’s game ranked first in the Mountain West in both opponent points per game (60.5 PPG) and opponent field goal percentage (39.0 %), as well as second in opponent 3-point field goal percentage.

Boise State’s scoring defense not only ranks first in the conference, but also 18th in the nation, and their opponent field goal percentage of 39.0 percent is good for 20th in the country.

Offensively, the Broncos have been stellar from behind the arc, entering Tuesday’s game shooting 37.1 percent from three this season which ranks as third best in the conference. 

Individually, Marcus Shaver Jr. has led the way for the Broncos, currently ranking first on the team in points (14.2 PPG), rebounds (6.6 RPG), assists (4.7 APG), and steals (1.9 SPG).

2021-22 Mountain West Freshman of the Year honoree, Tyson Degenhart, has also had a strong season for Boise State, as he currently ranks second on the team in scoring (13.6 PPG), rebounding (5.8 RPG), and assists (2.2 APG).

Chibuzoa Agbo and Max Rice are also averaging double figures in scoring for Boise State, as they each average 12.2 points per game. Agbo is shooting an incredible 46.1 percent from behind the arc while Rice is knocking down 39.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Nevada will need to have another strong offensive performance and do an exceptional job of defending the 3-point line on Tuesday if they hope to improve to 16-4 overall and 6-1 in Mountain West play.

Series History

Nevada and Boise State have faced off 83 times throughout history, with the Pack holding a 52-31 advantage in the series. Nevada won the most recent contest between the two squads, earning a 74-72 victory on December 28, 2022.

MBB-FBS: Northern Illinois Huskies (5-12) at Miami-Ohio Redhawks (7-10)

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MBB-FBS: Northern Illinois Huskies (5-12) at Miami-Ohio Redhawks (7-10)

DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team is back on the road for a pair of games this week, beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 17, when the Huskies travel to Oxford, Ohio, to face Miami. Game time against the RedHawks is slated for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+, along with 94-9 WDKB and The Varsity Network app.

NIU is coming off an 84-67 setback to Toledo last time out. Darweshi Hunter (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill.) both scored career-highs against the Rockets, Hunter netted 22 points while Thornton had 21, both went 5-of-7 from three-point range in the contest.

Thornton also recorded seven assists, five rebounds and four steals in the contest. Including last Tuesday’s victory over Central Michigan, the Bolingbrook, Ill., native averaged 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game last week, while shooting 55 percent (11-of-20 from the field and 70 percent (7-of-10) from three-point range. Thornton currently ranks sixth in the MAC with 3.4 assists per game and ninth in the conference with a 1.46 assist/turnover ratio.

David Coit (Columbus, N.J.) is averaging 15.7 points per game over the last six contests. Coit ranks seventh in the league with 2.4 three-point field goals per game and is tied for sixth with 1.5 steals per contest. Oluwasegun Durosinmi (Lagos, Nigeria) is currently fifth in the MAC with 1.0 blocks per game.

The RedHawks bring a 7-10 overall record into Tuesday’s matchup, including a 1-3 mark in

MAC play. Miami is 6-5 at home this season and the RedHawks are coming off a 75-61 setback at Ball State last time out (Jan. 14). Three players score in double figures for Miami, led by 17.5 points per game from Mekhi Lairy. Morgan Safford adds 14.2 points, and a team high 5.9 rebounds, per contest while Anderson Mirambeaux is averaging 12.9 points per game.

Miami leads the MAC, and is ranked eighth in the country, in free throw shooting at 79.4 percent.

Four of the last five meetings between NIU and Miami have been decided by five points or less, including both meetings last season as the RedHawks claimed an 85-82 overtime decision in Oxford (Jan. 22, 2022) and a 78-75 victory in DeKalb (Feb. 19, 2022).

Following Tuesday’s trip to Miami, the Huskies will return to the road on Saturday, Jan. 21, when they visit Eastern Michigan. Game time against the Eagles is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT.

NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (27-15) at San Antonio Spurs (13-31)

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NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (27-15) at San Antonio Spurs (13-31)

The Brooklyn Nets will be out to prove they can win again without Kevin Durant when they travel to San Antonio to play the struggling Spurs on Tuesday night.

The Nets will make their only trip of the regular season to San Antonio after a 112-102 loss at home to Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Brooklyn dropped its second straight game since Durant went down with a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for at least another week. The team also played without Ben Simmons, who has a sore back.

Seth Curry paced the Nets with 23 points off the bench in the loss while Nic Claxton added 17 points and 13 rebounds to record his team-leading 13th double-double. Kyrie Irving scored 15 points and Royce O’Neale tallied 11 for Brooklyn.

The Nets were up 80-75 heading to the final quarter but immediately surrendered a 15-6 run and never regained the lead. Brooklyn was doomed by 29.3 percent shooting from 3-point range.

Tuesday’s contest will be the first in a five-game trip for the Nets that also will take them to Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Philadelphia over a nine-day span.

The Spurs are just trying to find any way to win. San Antonio has dropped five straight games and eight of its past nine, including 132-119 at home to Sacramento on Sunday.

Jakob Poeltl led the Spurs with 23 points while Josh Richardson added 21 and Keldon Johnson scored 20. Key reserve Doug McDermott missed the game with upper-back tightness.

San Antonio led 64-63 at halftime but couldn’t slow the Kings in a pivotal third quarter and trailed 102-90 heading into the fourth. San Antonio clawed to within four points in the final quarter but could not get over the hump.

The Spurs have not won consecutive games since they captured three straight from Dec. 8-12.

NBA Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (21-22) at Denver Nuggets (30-13)

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NBA Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (21-22) at Denver Nuggets (30-13)

The altitude in Colorado has always given the Denver Nuggets an extra edge when playing at home, and this year they are taking full advantage.

Denver has risen above its opposition after winning 13 consecutive home games and will go for No. 14 when it plays host to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

The 13-game winning streak on their home court has helped vault the Nuggets atop the Western Conference standings halfway through the season. They have won 16 of 19 overall and last lost at home to Dallas on Dec. 6.

Denver had won four straight games by double digits until Sunday night when Orlando rallied from 15 down to take a four-point lead in the fourth quarter. Nikola Jokic bailed out his team by hitting a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left to win it 119-116.

As stressful as it was, coach Michael Malone said the close victory was a positive.

One negative that came out of the win was a sprained ankle for backup point guard Bones Hyland. The injury happened in the first half, and he didn’t return to the game. Malone said Monday on Altitude Radio that Hyland is day-to-day.

If Hyland can’t go, it might mean more minutes for rookie Christian Braun, who has played well when given the chance. Malone has admitted he needs to find more playing time for Braun.

Denver will try to win the season series against Portland on Tuesday when the Northwest Division rivals play the last of four games against each other. The Trail Blazers won the first game at home, but the Nuggets have taken the last two, including a last-second win at Portland on Dec. 8 thanks to a Jamal Murray 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left.

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard scored 40 points in that loss and 34 in Denver’s 13-point win on Dec. 23. Lillard is averaging 35 points in the three games against the Nuggets and 28.8 points per game overall.

Lillard has dropped 50 points and 40 points in two of his last three games and is averaging 38 points over the last five games.

Lillard has been carrying the Blazers, but reinforcements have arrived. Gary Payton II returned after missing the first two-plus months of the season and Nassir Little is also back.

Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic, who played three seasons with the Nuggets before a 2017 trade to the Blazers, has averaged 15.2 points and 9.2 rebounds in 16 games against his former team.

NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (27-16) at Los Angeles Clippers (23-22)

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NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (27-16) at Los Angeles Clippers (23-22)

Undefeated on the road since the start of the new year, the Philadelphia 76ers will be in a slightly different travel scenario when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night in a game that will pit Sixers coach Doc Rivers against his former team.

On Sunday, the Sixers picked up their third road victory in three tries this month, this one against the Los Angeles Lakers. Afterward, there was no postgame travel itinerary as the team was able to stay put in rainy Southern California.

Using a new-look starting lineup, Philadelphia went down to the wire against the much-improved Lakers, earning a 113-112 victory after Joel Embiid provided an insurance basket with 45.7 seconds remaining.

Embiid then disrupted a potential game-winning shot by the Lakers’ Russell Westbrook in the final seconds.

In his fourth game since missing a handful of contests because of left foot soreness, Embiid had 35 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes. It was his second game of a back-to-back after he scored 30 points in 36 minutes of a victory at Utah on Saturday.

James Harden added 24 points for Philadelphia on Sunday, a day after he scored 31 against the Jazz, with 18 coming in the fourth quarter of another one-point victory, 118-117.

Tyrese Maxey used a rare game off the bench to score 16 points, including seven in the decisive fourth quarter as the Sixers moved a season-high 11 games over .500. It was just Maxey’s third game off the bench, and the first two were in his return from a fractured foot.

Rivers said Maxey suggested the lineup change, and Maxey confirmed his willingness to have a role in the second unit. Rivers was known for having Lou Williams anchor his second unit when he was the Clippers’ coach.

The Clippers enter Tuesday’s game off a much-needed 121-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday, just their second win in nine games. Without Paul George (hamstring) for the fifth consecutive game, Terance Mann scored a career-best 31 points for Los Angeles.

After seven seasons with Rivers as their head coach, the Clippers are in their third season with Tyronn Lue, who has been challenged with finding an effective mix of players in a season when the team has been crushed by injuries.

Kawhi Leonard, who has missed 24 games this season in a rocky return from knee surgery, had 30 points for Los Angeles on Sunday.

After the Clippers gave up 63 points in the first half, they held the Rockets to 10 in the fourth quarter.

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