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MBB-D3: Bridgewater Eagles (8-6) at Hampden-Sydney Tigers (11-4)

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HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. — Hampden-Sydney College welcomes Bridgewater College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball action on Saturday afternoon, January 14, at 2 p.m. in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House. H-SC has won nine of its last 10 games, and is 11-4 overall, 6-1 in the ODAC, while BC has won six of its last seven games and is 8-6 overall, 3-2 in the ODAC. It’s free admission for all regular season home contests and the game can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin’ Country 92.9 FM, and will also be available worldwide on the Internet at wvhl.net or via the TuneIn Radio App, while available to watch as well on the Tiger Sports Network live video stream at hscathletics.com, pregame airing at 1:30 p.m.

Hampden-Sydney (11-4, 6-1 ODAC) vs. Bridgewater (8-6, 3-2 ODAC)

Location: Fleet Gym | Hampden-Sydney, VA
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023
Time: 2 p.m.
Radio/Tiger Sports Network: Frank Shanaberger, Richard LeSueur

Head Coach Caleb Kimbrough
H-SC is led by the fourth-year head coach who took over the program on April 4, 2019. The former head coach at Huntingdon (AL) College from 2016-19, Kimbrough is the 19th head coach in the 113-year history of the storied Hampden-Sydney program. He is no stranger to the ODAC, having played four years at Guilford (NC) College and coached six years with the Quakers, and one year at Washington and Lee University. Caleb is 41-32 overall at the College, including 23-20 in ODAC games.

Scouting Hampden-Sydney
The Tigers, getting votes (32) in this week’s D3hoops.com Top 25, have won two-straight and nine of 10, including their most recent game vs. conference member Ferrum, 94-74, on Jan. 11 in Fleet Gym. H-SC has three players averaging in double-figure scoring among its five starters that are each scoring at least 8.4 points per game. The Tigers are led by junior forward Davidson Hubbard (Charlotte, NC) with his 12.7 points and 6.9 rebounds, followed by senior guard Ryan Clements (Conyers, GA) (12.4 points, 4.6 rebounds), junior guard and team captain Adam Brazil (Mooresville, NC) (10.2 points, 3.7 assists, 28 3FGs), junior guard DJ Wright (Greensboro, GA) (9.7 points, 24 3FGs) and junior guard/forward Josiah Hardy (Ashburn) (8.4 points, 6.0 rebounds). H-SC is shooting 47% (440-946) from the field, including 37% (132-354) on three-point field goals, and 73% (165-226) at the free throw line. The Tigers average 78.5 points, and allows 66.7 points, for a +11.7 scoring margin.

Scouting Bridgewater
The Eagles are coached by fourth-year head coach Steve Enright. BC has won three-straight and six of seven, including its most recent game vs. Randolph, 73-71, on Jan. 11. The Eagles are led by sophomore guard Shod Smith-last year’s ODAC Rookie of the Year-averaging 13.2 points, 5.2 assists and 2.6 steals, followed by sophomore forward Landon Hawes (12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 22 3FGs) and junior forward Alec Topper (11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds). BC shoots 42% (338-814) from the field, including 31% (103-331) on three-pointers, and 67% (183-274) at the line; scoring 68.7 points, and yielding 69.7 points, for a -1.0 scoring margin.

ODAC Series History
H-SC and BC are playing for the 84th time as ODAC opponents since the 1976-77 season, and the Tigers lead the conference series at 51-32. The two programs split a pair of games last season, each winning on the other’s home floor … H-SC by a score of 70-50 on Jan. 15, 2022 in Bridgewater and the Eagles by a score of 75-65 on February 14, 2022 in Fleet Gym.

Chasing 1,000 Career Points
Ryan Clements is seeking to become the first Tiger to surpass the magical 1,000 career point plateau since 2016 (Mike Murray, 1,178). He entered this season with 767 career points in 58 career games, needing to average approximately nine points per game. Clements’ career scoring average through three seasons is 13.2, and he is currently averaging 12.4 points through 15 games and now totals 953 career points. Ryan has scored in double figures in 12 of 15 games this season, and would become the 44th 1,000-point scorer at H-SC.

Tigers Take Down No. 1
Davidson Hubbard scored a game-high and career-high 26 points, adding a game-high nine rebounds, to lead H-SC to an 85-70 non-conference upset win on the road at nationally-ranked No. 1 Christopher Newport on Dec. 13 in Newport News. Ryan Clements added 15 points for the visiting Tigers, who trailed 38-37 at halftime, before outscoring top-ranked CNU 48-32 in the second half. Adam Brazil and Josiah Hardy each had 10 points for the visitors. The host Captains fell for the first time this season and had their 22-game home winning streak stopped.

H-SC Impressive At Music City Classic
The Tigers won two games at the Music City Classic on Dec. 19-20 at Welch College in Gallatin, Tennessee, defeating Transylvania (KY) 82-54 on Dec. 19, before taking an 83-64 victory past Berry (GA) on Dec. 20. H-SC was led by Adam Brazil (14.5 points, 3.0 assists, 7 3FGs), Ryan Clements (13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals) and Davidson Hubbard (10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds). The Tigers took control of each contest early, leading 38-17 at halftime vs. TU, and 41-23 at halftime vs. BC. Fellow ODAC member Roanoke participated in the event, as well, defeating Transylvania 75-67 and Berry 82-76 in overtime.

Up Next
H-SC will play two games on the road next week, beginning with an ODAC contest at Randolph College on Wednesday night, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Lynchburg, followed by a non-conference game at Salisbury (MD) University on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. in Salisbury, Maryland.

WBB-D2: Seattle Pacific Falcons (10-4) at Montana State Billings Yellowjackets (11-4)

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WBB-D2: Seattle Pacific Falcons (10-4) at Montana State Billings Yellowjackets (11-4)

SEATTLE – Things came down to crunch time for the Seattle Pacific Falcons last week.
 
And crunch time is just going to keep on coming.

After a big game-ending run to secure a victory at Western Oregon and a 13-point come-from-behind effort to pull one out at Saint Martin’s, SPU is back on the road this week, visiting Montana State Billings on Saturday for a crucial Great Northwest Athletic Conference women’s basketball game.
 
The Falcons and Yellowjackets tip off at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time in Alterowitz Gymnasium.
 
At WOU, the host Wolves roared all the way back from a 23-point first-quarter deficit to go up by one midway through the fourth before Seattle Pacific finished on a 14-4 run for a 70-61 decision. At Saint Martin’s, the Falcons were down 43-30 early in the fourth, then outscored the Saints by a 22-7 count the rest of the way to prevail, 52-50.
 
Saturday’s contest in Billings will match the top two defensive teams in the conference. SPU (10-4, 5-1 GNAC) allows just 56.6 points per game. MSUB (11-4, 4-2) is right behind at just 57.0 allowed.
 
FOLLOW IT LIVE
This week’s game and all remaining GNAC games will have free live Webcasts on YouTube, and also will have live stats available. The appropriate links can be found at the top of this story.
 
HOW MUCH CLOSER CAN THEY BE?

Not only are Seattle Pacific (second place) and Montana State Billings (third) right next to each other in the standings, they also are close in some of the season statistical categories among GNAC schools.

Points allowed – 1, SPU 56.6; 2, MSUB 57.0. 

Opponents with 50 or fewer points – SPU 5, MSUB 5. 

Field goal percentage – 5, SPU .404; 6, MSUB .403. 

3-point FG percentage – 5, MSUB .324; 6, SPU .319. 

Rebounds allowed – 2, SPU 30.7; 3, MSUB 32.2. 

Steals – 6, MSUB 8.4; 8, SPU 7.8. 

Individual free throw shooting – 5, Natalie Hoff (SPU) .857; 6, Cariann Kunkel (MSUB) .851. 

SO WHAT’S THE STORY THIS WEEK?
— SPU’s current four-game winning streak is its longest of the season.
— The last time the Falcons won five in a row was Feb. 17-March 2, 2018 – the last three games of the regular season and the first two rounds of the GNAC Tournament.
— Seattle Pacific is 7-3 overall out of town: 6-1 in true road games and 1-2 on neutral courts.
— During decisive fourth-quarter runs at Western Oregon and at Saint Martin’s last week, the Falcons had a combined 36-11 scoring advantage: 14-4 against the Wolves and 22-7 against the Saints.
— While SPU and Montana State Billings rank 1-2 among GNAC schools for fewest points allowed, they are way up on the national list, as well: 28th for the Falcons, 32nd for the Yellowjackets, among 294 NCAA Division II programs.
— The Falcons also rank high in blocked shots, at No. 38 with an average of 3.8 per game (53 total, led by Natalie Hoff’s 16).
— Chiara De Virgilio  and Schuyler Berry both pushed past scoring milestones last Thursday at Western Oregon. De Virgilio logged her 900th point and comes into this week with 902. Berry put her 200th point into the book, and now has 213.
— While De Virgilio is closing in on 1,000 points, Ashley Alter has a very reasonable chance of getting there, too. She has 860, with 12 regular-season games (plus any potential postseason games) left to tally the remaining 140.
— In the battle of the boards, Seattle Pacific is now 12-1-1. The tie came last Saturday at Saint Martin’s, 38-38. The only team that managed to pull down more than SPU was Regis on Nov. 25 in Denver, 37-36.
— The SPU-Billings series usually goes back and forth, but the Yellowjackets took both contests last season: 81-55 in Montana, and 56-53 in Seattle.
— In Alterowitz Gymnasium, the Falcons were within five points at halftime, 34-29. But MSUB went on a 29-14 tear during the third quarter, part of a 47-26 second-half scoring advantage.
— Ashley Alter is No. 6 in the GNAC scoring race at 15.7 points per game. She also is No. 11 in rebounding at 6.6 and No. 6 in steals at 1.9.
— Hunter Beirne is No. 6 in assists at 3.4 per game.
— Coach Mike Simonson is 2-4 all time against MSUB, including 1-2 on the road.

SCOUTING THE MONTANA STATE BILLINGS YELLOWJACKETS: 13-4, 4-2 GNAC (3rd)
All-time series: SPU leads, 30-25.  Current series streak:  MSUB won 3.  Last time: MSUB 56, SPU 53 (Feb. 19, 2022 at Seattle).  Last SPU series win: SPU 69, MSUB 63 (Jan. 23, 2020 at Billings).  Yellowjackets on the Web.
Yellowjackets in a nutshell: After a string of three straight losses – including a two-pointer and a one-pointer – Billings got back on track last week with road victories at Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon, the WOU victory coming thanks to a rally from seven points down inside the final five minutes; Cariann Kunkel, a senior 5-foot-10 forward, and Dyauni Boyce, a sophomore 5-11 forward, both average in double-digit scoring for the Yellowjackets, Kunkel at 11.4 points per game and Boyce at 11.0. Boyce also is the team’s leader on the boards at 6.8 per contest. Senior 6-3 forward Taryn Shelley, who led the team in scoring and rebounding last year at (15.4 points / 8.4 rebounds per game) and hit 50 percent from the field, returned to action coming out of the holiday break after missing the first two months of the season. In four games with limited minutes so far, she already has a pair of double-digit outings and is averaging 9.5 points on .486 shooting.
 
HALFTIME REPORT
Last Saturday’s game at Saint Martin’s brought the Falcons to just beyond the midpoint of their 26-game regular-season schedule..
Here’s how they compare statistically after 14 games this season vs. 14 games last season.
 
STAT                               2021-22                 2022-23
Record              7-7          10-4
Scoring offense    60.4          62.8
Scoring defense    58.9          56.6
Rebounds           39.0          40.3
Assists            14.4          13.6
Steals              7.2           7.8
Blocked shots       3.3           3.8
FG shooting        .403          .404
3-point shooting   .304          .319
FT shooting        .674          .646
 
SIMO SAYS …

(On Montana State Billings)

“I think Billings’ signature is they are really sound fundamentally on offense and defense. Against a team like that, we have to match that on our end of the floor, because they will not beat themselves, and we have to make sure we don’t beat ourselves, either.”
 
(On the significance of the game)
“This is getting fun. Our conference is so competitive. We’ve had some hard-fought games already and Saturday is gong to be another one. We’re getting to the midpoint of the conference schedule and that’s when the cream rises to the top. This will be important for both of us, because we and Billings have the same schedule. This will be important going forward.”
 
POLLING PLACE
Seattle Pacific has climbed a notch to No. 9 in the D2SIDA West Region top 10 that was announced on Tuesday. The Falcons made the rankings last week for the first time this season.
 
The poll is compiled by a group of sports information directors for the three West Region conferences: GNAC, California Collegiate Athletic Association, and Pacific West.
 
Western Washington is a unanimous No. 1, with undefeated Cal State Dominguez Hills at No. 2. Other GNAC schools in the top 10 are No. 5 Montana State Billings and No. 6 Central Washington.
 
AROUND THE WEST
Western Washington had road games against two of the GNAC’s toughest teams last week and won both, 82-70 at Central Washington and 86-70 at Northwest Nazarene. The Vikings (11-1, 5-0 GNAC) are all alone at the top of the standings, half a game ahead of Seattle Pacific (10-4, 5-1 GNAC) as they get ready to host Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon this week. Western has won 11 in a row.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills just keeps winning in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Toros, who are the only remaining undefeated team in the West Region, are 14-0, with an 8-0 conference record. That’s one game ahead of Cal State San Marcos (10-2, 7-1 CCAA), which was hit with its first CCAA loss last Saturday, 68-65 at third-place Cal Poly Pomona (9-3, 6-2 CCAA). That ended an eight-game Cougars win streak.
 
It’s still tight atop the Pacific West Conference. Concordia Irvine (11-4, 8-1 Pac West) has won six in a row and is half a game ahead of Azusa Pacific (12-3, 7-1 Pac West). Hawaii Pacific is just 7-6 overall, but is 5-1 in conference play, sitting in third place. Dominican (9-7, 7-2 Pac West) is on a six-game roll and visits HPU on Wednesday as part of a three-game Hawaii road trip.
 
AROUND THE GNAC
Click on this link for a look at this week’s GNAC notebook. Click on this link to see how GNAC teams and players stack up nationally in NCAA Division II.
 
UP NEXT
Seattle Pacific wraps up the first half of the GNAC schedule next week when it welcomes Western Washington and Simon Fraser to Brougham Pavilion. The Vikings, currently ranked No. 6 nationally, are in on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The Red Leafs come to town on Saturday with a 4:15 p.m. tip-off.
 
 
GNAC STANDINGS
                                                      GNAC                Overall
Western Washington        5-0         11-1
Seattle Pacific           5-1         10-4
Montana State Billings    4-2         13-4
Simon Fraser              3-2          5-4
Central Washington        3-3         11-4
Northwest Nazarene        3-3          7-7
Alaska Anchorage          2-3         10-4
Western Oregon            1-4          7-6
Alaska Fairbanks          1-4          4-8
Saint Martin’s            0-5          4-9

NHL Preview: Edmonton Oilers (22-18-3) at San Jose Sharks (13-22-8)

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NHL Preview: Edmonton Oilers (22-18-3) at San Jose Sharks (13-22-8)

EDMONTON OILERS NOTES:

DMONTON OILERS AT SAN JOSE SHARKS
8:30 p.m. MT at SAP Center
BROADCAST INFO: 630 CHED Radio, Sportsnet
22-18-3 – 47 PTS RECORD 13-22-8 – 34 PTS
Div. – 5th Conference – 8th RANK Div. – 7th Conference – 13th
1st –31.0% (49/158) POWER PLAY 20th – 20.7% (25/121)
25th – 73.3% (115/157) PENALTY KILL 2nd – 84.8% (106/125)
ALL-TIME RECORDS vs. SAN JOSE GP RECORD HOME (66) AWAY (65) GF GA
OILERS ALL-TIME vs. SAN JOSE 131 58-53-12-8 32-24-7-3 26-29-5-5 391 400
OILERS vs. SAN JOSE – 2022-23 0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0 0

QUICK FACTS
• Friday’s game will mark Edmonton’s first of four games against the Sharks this season and the first of two games in San Jose. The next time these teams will meet is March 20th in Edmonton.

• The last time these teams met was on April 28th, 2022 in Edmonton, with the Oilers winning 5-4 in overtime.

• Connor McDavid leads the Oilers with 30 career points against the Sharks and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has played in a team high 35 career games against San Jose.

LAST 10 GAMES vs. SAN JOSE
Record: 5-5-0
GF: 32 GA: 36
2021-22 4/28/22 @ EDM 5-4 W (OT)
2021-22 4/5/22 @ SJS 2-1 W (OT)
2021-22 3/24/22 @ EDM 5-2 W
2021-22 2/14/22 @ SJS 3-0 W
2019-20 2/6/20 @ EDM 6-3 L
2019-20 11/19/19 @ SJS 5-2 W
2019-20 11/12/19 @ SJS 3-6 L
2018-19 4/4/19 @ EDM 2-3 L
2018-19 2/9/19 @ EDM 2-5 L
2018-19 1/8/19 @ SJS 2-7 L

SAN JOSE SHARKS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Game 43 – 1/11 – SJS 3 at LAK 4…Alexander Bararbanov (0g, 1a) extended his career-best point streak to six games with an assist
on San Jose’s final goal of the contest and Erik Karlsson (0g, 1a) became the ninth defenseman in NHL history to record a doubledigit road assist streak (10 games), but the San Jose Sharks fell 4-3 at Los Angeles. James Reimer made 21 saves in the opening
frame, the most in a period for the Sharks this season, and Timo Meier netted his team-best 24th goal of the season, a power play
strike. Nick Bonino (1g, 0a) and Tomas Hertl (1g, 0a) also found the back of the net in the tilt.
SJ Goals: Bonino (5), Meier (24 pp), Hertl (14)
SF: 30
SA: 37
SJ PP: 1/2
SJ PK: 2/2
W: Copley
L: Reimer

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
1/6 Claimed F Mikey Eyssimont off waivers; placed D Radim Simek on IR
1/5 Recalled D Nick Cicek from the San Jose Barracuda
1/4 Assigned D Nick Cicek to the San Jose Barracuda
1/1 Recalled D Nick Cicek from the San Jose Barracuda

TONIGHT’S OPPONENT – EDMONTON OILERS
Paced by the NHL’s two leading scorers in Connor McDavid (79 points) and Leon Draisaitl (63 points), the Edmonton Oilers enter San Jose on the heels of a Wednesday win over Anaheim looking to close out their California swing on a high note. The game is the front end of a Friday-Saturday back-to-back, with the latter contest coming Saturday at Vegas. The Oilers rank fourth in the NHL at 3.56 goals per game and are tops in the league on the power play, clicking at 31.0-percent. They are eighth in the NHL with a .625 road points percentage and have scored 3.65 goals per road contest.

STORYLINES
DEFENSE TO OFFENSE…With an assist provided by Marc-Edouard Vlasic on Oskar Lindblom’s second period goal at DAL on Dec. 31, San Jose became the first NHL team to have their defensemen reach 100 points on the season. San Jose blueliners then added five points (1g, 4a) on Jan. 1, with four of the six in the game finding the score sheet, and another three helpers on Jan. 6 at Anaheim. Most recently, Sharks defensemen combined for three points against Boston on Jan. 7 with Mario Ferraro scoring a goal and Matt Benning and Vlasic adding assists, a goal from Jaycob Megna and a helper from Erik Karlsson on Tuesday and another Karlsson helper on Wednesday. The Sharks lead the league in assists (94) and points (114) from defensemen this season. Last campaign, the Sharks finished 23rd and 25th in the League with 151 points and 117 assists, respectively, from defensemen. Below is a breakdown of San Jose’s defensive scoring this season.

NHL Preview: New Jersey Devils (26-12-3) at Anaheim Ducks (12-26-4)

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NHL Preview: New Jersey Devils (26-12-3) at Anaheim Ducks (12-26-4)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS NOTES:

LAST GAME
New Jersey Devils 5 Carolina Hurricanes 3
(26-12-3—55 PTS) (25-9-7—57 PTS)
Three Stars: 1. D. Mercer 2. S. Aho 3. M. McLeod
Goals:
CAR: J. Kotkaniemi (SHG), M. Pacioretty, S. Aho (SHG)
SCORE 1
ST 2
ND 3
RD OT SO FINAL
Carolina 1 2 – – 3
DEVILS 1 2 2 – – 5
New Jersey Devils: Media Notes
NJD: J. Siegenthaler, D. Mercer, J. Boqvist, D. Mercer, N. Hischier (ENG)

INJURIES/ILLNESS
PLAYER INJURY OUT SINCE GAMES MISSED
Jonathan Bernier – LTIR Lower-body, hip 2021-22 41
Nate Bastian I.R. Upper-Body Nov. 27 18
John Marino Upper-body Dec. 21 9
2022-23 Total Man-Games Lost to Injury/illness: 126

DATE PLAYER ACTION
1/1/23 Ryan Graves Activated from I.R.
1/1/23 Tyler Wotherspoon Reassigned to Utica
1/5/23 Tyce Thompson Reassigned to Utica
1/5/23 Akira Schmid Recalled from Utica
1/5/23 Ondrej Palat Activated off I.R.
1/6/23 Akira Schmid Reassigned to Utica
1/10/23 Nolan Foote Recalled from Utica

The Devils enter Friday’s contest vs Anaheim on a two-game winning streak, which marks the first time since Dec. 3-Dec. 6, 2022, that Jersey’s team won consecutive games. Jersey’s team embarks on a season-long five-game road trip:

1/10 at CAR, 5-3, W
1/13 at ANA
1/14 at LAK
1/16 at SJS
1/19 at SEA

WHAT TO KNOW
The Devils enter Friday’s contest with a 15-2-1 road record. As of Jan. 12, Jersey’s 15 road victories were tied with Vegas for the most in the NHL, but the team’s .861 points percentage on the road ranked first in the NHL. The most road wins in a single season overall for franchise history is 28, which was earned in 1998-99 (28-10-3). The Devils are 19-0-1 when leading after the second period this season, which is tied with Toronto for the second most wins in the NHL behind Boston (21), per Jan. 12. The Devils are 17-11-2 when outshooting an opponent this season, while Jersey is 8-1-1 when outshot in a game for the 2022-23 campaign. New Jersey is 1-0-0 when shots are even against an opponent this season. After Tuesday night’s contest vs Carolina, the Devils earned their fifth multi-goal comeback in a game this season. As of Jan. 12, the five multi-goal comebacks ranked first in the NHL. The Devils also surrendered two shorthanded goals in a game for the first time this season, which also marked the second time in franchise history that the team earned a win when allowing two SHG in a game: Last: Jan. 27, 2020, at Ottawa, 4-3 shootout win. The last time the Devils allowed two SHG in a game was on Apr. 21, 2022, vs Buffalo in a 5-2 loss. Jersey’s team is 24-4-3 when scoring three-or-more goals in a game this season. The Devils have allowed 1, or fewer, goals against 10 times this season in a game. Jersey’s team allowed one, or fewer goals against, in a game just eight times all of last season.

LIGHTING THE LAMP
Jersey is one of seven teams that hasn’t been shut out this season. Last season, the Devils suffered their first shutout in the team’s eighth game, which occurred on Nov. 2, 2021, at Anaheim (4-0, L). The franchise record in a single season is 80 consecutive games without being shut out, which occurred in 1987-88. The Devils were not shut out for the duration of the 80-game regular season in 1987-88. The current streak is the longest stretch of games from the start of a season without being shutout since 2012-13, when the Devils experienced 36 games without being shut out. The Devils are 10-2-1 vs the Western Conference and 7-0-0 vs the Pacific Division.

ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES:

LAST ANAHEIM DUCKS GAME
JAN. 11, 2023 – ANAHEIM 2 vs. EDMONTON 6
In the penultimate game of their franchise-record 10-game homestand, the Ducks fell to the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 Wednesday night at
Honda Center. Sam Carrick opened the scoring for the Ducks with his third goal of the season at 8:52 of the first period. Simon Benoit
scored his first goal of the season and second of his career 48 seconds into the third period. Max Comtois earned his first two assists
of the season on Anaheim’s two goals, his first multi-point game of the season and third career multi-assist effort. Brett Leason also
recorded an assist in the contest. John Gibson stopped 31 shots in 40:00. Anthony Stolarz stopped all 16 shots faced in relief.
PP: 0-3 PK: 1-3 SF: 23 SA: 53 TOI: Cam Fowler (23:19)
Three Stars: 1. C. McDavid 2. K. Kostin 3. S. Carrick Game Summary | Event Summary | Game Recap
UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (PT) TV / AUDIO
Jan. 16 Pittsburgh PPG Paints Arena 4 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
Jan. 17 Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center 4 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
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

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Dec. 20 Recalled C Justin Kirkland from San Diego (AHL). Placed LW Max Jones on Injured Reserve (IR).
Dec. 29 Reassigned G Olle Eriksson Ek to San Diego (AHL).
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).

ANAHEIM DUCKS INJURIES
Man-Games Lost: 221

PLAYER INJURY/ILLNESS EXPECTED ABSENCE GAMES MISSED
John Moore Upper-body Indefinite 42
Jamie Drysdale Torn labrum (shoulder) 4-6 months 34
Isac Lundestrom Broken finger 6 weeks 18
Derek Grant Lower-body Day-to-day 17
Justin Kirkland Car accident Day-to-day 2

ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Anaheim Ducks conclude a franchise record 10-game homestand tonight vs. the New Jersey Devil at Honda Center (7 p.m. PT, TV: ESPN+ AUDIO: Ducks Stream). Anaheim enters tonight’s game with wins in two of the last four games (2-2-0). The Ducks enter tonight’s contest having killed 25 of the last 29 penalties (86.2%) dating to Dec. 21 (spanning nine games). Anaheim is in the midst of a 13-game January schedule (2-3-0), consisting of seven home and six road contests. All-time, Anaheim is 164-143-37 in the month of January. Since the start of 2013-14, Anaheim is 60-42-9 in January, picking up points in 69 of the 110 contests (.627%). Following tonight’s game, the Ducks will begin a season-long six-game road trip on Monday, Jan. 16 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena (4 p.m., Bally Sports SoCal). The road trip also includes visits to Philadelphia (Jan. 17, 7 p.m. PT), Columbus (Jan. 19, 7 p.m. PT), Buffalo (Jan. 21, 9:30 a.m. PT), Arizona (Jan. 24, 6 p.m. PT) and Colorado (Jan. 26, 6 p.m. PT).

RECORD HOMESTAND: The Ducks are in the midst of a franchise record 10-game homestand with the stretch of contests at home spanning 24 days (Dec. 21 through Jan. 13). The homestand is tied for the third-longest in NHL history, trailing 12 straight at home by Tampa Bay (2010-11) and California (1975-76). The 24 days during the stretch are the third most, trailing Winnipeg (22 days, 2017-18) and Vancouver (22, 1981-82). Anaheim’s longest prior homestand was eight games (three times), including Dec. 28, 2014-Jan. 16, 2015 (6-2-0, 12 pts.), Mar. 2-18, 2007 (6-1-1, 13 pts.) and Oct. 28-Nov. 14, 2001 (2-4-2, 6 pts.). Anaheim begins the homestand tied for the most road contests in the NHL this season (21, also Arizona). The Ducks will also host an eight-game homestand from Mar. 12-27, 2023. Below is a list of the longest homestands in NHL history:

SEASON TEAM GAMES DATES DAYS RECORD (W-L-T-OT, PTS.)
2010-11 Tampa Bay 12 Jan. 23, 2011 – Feb. 25, 2011 34 7-3-0-2, 16 pts.
1975-76 California 12 Nov. 26, 1975 – Dec. 28, 1975 33 4-7-1-0, 9 pts.
2022-23 Anaheim 10 Dec. 21, 2022 – Jan. 13, 2023 24 3-5-1-0, 7 pts.
2017-18 Winnipeg 10 Jan. 30, 2018 – Feb. 20, 2018 22 6-3-0-1, 13 pts.
2005-06 Phoenix 10 Jan. 28, 2006 – Mar. 4, 2006 36 3-5-0-2, 8 pts
1981-82 Vancouver 10 Jan. 13, 1982 – Feb. 3, 1982 22 4-3-3-0, 11 pts.

DUCKS-DEVILS: Anaheim and the New Jersey Devils conclude a two-game season series tonight at Honda Center. The Ducks have won six of the last seven matchups vs. the Devils in Anaheim (6-1-0) and have earned points in eight of the last 10 (7-2-1). All-time, Anaheim owns an 18-18-5 mark against New Jersey, including a 12-7-2 record in Orange County. The Devils opened the 2022-23 season series with a 4-2 win Nov. 2 at Prudential Center, with Jakob Silfverberg netting both goals. In the 2021-22 season series, Anaheim earned points in both games (1-0-1), picking up a 4-0 shutout win Nov. 2 in Orange County and falling 2-1 in a shootout in the Garden State Mar. 12. In seven career appearances vs. New Jersey, John Gibson is 5-2-0 with one shutout, a 1.75 GAA and .936 SV%, including a 28-save shutout last season (Nov. 2). Anthony Stolarz, a Jackson, N.J. native, has a 2.22 GAA and .935 SV% in five career appearances against the Devils (2-0-1). Ryan Strome paces active Ducks skaters in career scoring, goals and assists vs. the Devils (15-15=30 in 36 GP). Troy Terry has scored four goals in four prior meetings vs. New Jersey (4-1=5).

ANA-NJD 2022-23 SEASON SERIES:
DATE LOCATION TIME / RESULT TV / AUDIO
Oct. 18 Prudential Center 4-2 NJD win
Jan. 13 Honda Center 7 p.m. PT Bally Sports SoCal / Ducks Stream

ANA-NJD ALL-TIME SERIES:
ANA RECORD @ ANAHEIM @ NEW JERSEY
All-Time Series: 18-18-5 12-7-2 6-11-3
Current Streak: Two NJD wins One ANA win Two NJD wins
Last ANA Win: Nov. 2, 2021 (4-0) Nov. 2, 2021 (4-0) Jan. 19, 2019 (3-2)
Last NJD Win: Oct. 18, 2022 (4-2) Mar. 1, 2020 (3-0) Oct. 18, 2022 (4-2)
ANA Last 10: 5-4-1 7-2-1 4-4-2

NHL Preview: Winnipeg Jets (27-14-1) at Pittsburgh Penguins (21-13-6)

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NHL Preview: Winnipeg Jets (27-14-1) at Pittsburgh Penguins (21-13-6)

WINNIPEG JETS NOTES:

Scene Setter
The Winnipeg Jets finish a three-game road trip on Friday night when they play their second game in as many nights when the tangle with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Jets have split the first two game of the trip after a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Winnipeg is back at Canada Life Centre on Sunday to face the Arizona Coyotes before playing their following five games on the road.

Last Game
Winnipeg Jets 4
Buffalo Sabres 2
Jets Scorers: Samberg (2), Morrissey (8), Connor (21), Kuhlman (2)
Sabres Scorers: Olofsson (16), Jost (4)
Jets Goaltender: Connor Hellebuyck (39 sv, 2 ga)
Sabres Goaltender: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (23 sv, 3 ga)
Jets PP: 0-for-2
Jets PK: 5-for-5
Recap: The Winnipeg Jets scored twice in the third period to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 on Thursday night at KeyBank Center. Kyle Connor tallied a goal and an assist, while Nikolaj Ehlers contributed a pair of assists. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 39 shots to earn the win in goal.

Top 10
The Jets are eight in the NHL with a .655 points percentage, which ranks second in the Central Division and fourth in the Western Conference…
Winnipeg’s best points percentage in franchise history was in 2017-18 when the team finished at .695… The franchise has finished a season with a points percentage better than .600 four times.

Four or More
The Jets reached the four-goal mark once again on Thursday and are 19-2-0 when scoring four goals or more in a game… The Jets have scored at least four goals in five of their past seven games.

The January Upon Us
After playing 16 games in 30 days in December, the Jets play 15 games in 28 days from Jan. 2-30, but opened the month with two games in the first seven days… Seven of the 15 games are at home… Winnipeg’s eight road games in January come in the form of a three-game road trip and five-game road trip… The Jets are 16-17-3 in January during the past four seasons.

Back-2-Back
The Jets are playing their seventh of 13 back-to-back sets on their schedule this season, having gone 8-5-0 so far… The Jets were 6-4-2 in the first game of a back-to-back last season and 5-5-2 in the second game for an overall record of 11-9-4.

Road Record
The Jets are 11-8-1 on the road this season… Winnipeg is 2-4-0 in their past six road games after starting the season 9-4-1 away from home… Defenceman Josh Morrissey (2G, 19A) leads the Jets in scoring on the road with 21 points… Pierre-Luc Dubois has a team leading eight goals.

On the PK
Winnipeg is sixth in the NHL with a penalty kill successful 83.2% of the time… The Jets are 26-for-28 (92.9%) on the penalty kill in their past eight games… The last time the Jets had a penalty kill better than 82% was in 2013-14 when they finished the season at 83.2%… The franchise record for penalty kill percentage in a season is 85.2%, which occurred in Atlanta during the 2003-04 season.

Tale of the Tape
WPG Stat PIT
42 GP 40
27 W 21
14 L 13
1 OT 6
55 PTS 48
141 GF 133
112 GA 121
23.4% PP 21.3%
83.2% PK 84.5%

Next Five Games
Date Opp TV Radio
Jan. 13 At PIT SN CJOB/Power 97
Jan. 15 ARI TSN CJOB/Power 97
Jan. 17 At MTL TSN CJOB/Power 97
Jan. 19 At TOR TSN CJOB/Power 97
Jan. 21 At OTT SN CJOB/Power 97

Recent Five Games
Date Opp SC Res Streak
Jan. 2 CGY 3-2 W 3W
Jan. 6 TBL 4-2 W 4W
Jan. 8 VAN 7-4 W 5W
Jan. 10 At DET 7-5 L 1L
Jan. 12 At BUF 4-2 W 1W

Broadcast Information
TV: Sportsnet
Play-By-Play: John Barlett
Analyst: Garry Galley
Rinkside: Sean Reynolds
Radio: 680 CJOB/Power 97
Play-By-Play: Paul Edmonds
Analyst: Jamie Thomas
Host: Derek Taylor

Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Jan. 13
Jets at Pittsburgh Penguins 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14
Day Off
Sunday, Jan. 15
Morning Skate 9:30 a.m.
Jets vs. Arizona Coyotes 6:00 p.m.

Jets vs. PIT Notes
Season Series
The Jets and Penguins square off twice this season… Winnipeg was shut out 3-0 by Pittsburgh at home on Nov. 19.

Recent History
Winnipeg is 1-6-1 in their past seven games against Pittsburgh… The Jets have three overtime or shootout losses in their past 11 games against the Penguins.

In Pittsburgh
The Jets have points in four of the past five trips to Pittsburgh, going 1-1-3… Winnipeg’s only win in Pittsburgh was on Oct. 8/19 by a 4-1 score.

Player Notes
Blake Wheeler has 26 points (11G, 15A) in 36 games against the Penguins to lead the team… Mark Scheifele has a point per game during his career against Pittsburgh with 16 points (5G, 11A) in 16 games… Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers are the only two Jets players to have game-winning goals against the Pens in their careers… Despite being 3-5-3 during his career against the Penguins, Connor Hellebuyck has a .927 career save percentage against Pittsburgh

Jets vs. PIT Past 10 Games
Date Opp Res G GA S PPO PPG PIM SA PPOA PPGA PIMA
03/08/2017 Pit L 4 7 35 5 0 36 32 5 3 37
10/26/2017 @Pit OTL 1 2 31 2 0 10 36 4 0 6
10/29/2017 Pit W 7 1 24 3 1 22 32 3 1 22
11/27/2018 Pit L 3 4 27 2 0 2 30 1 0 4
01/04/2019 @Pit L 0 4 33 1 0 6 33 3 1 2
10/08/2019 @Pit W 4 1 22 0 0 4 38 2 0 0
10/13/2019 Pit L 2 7 29 6 1 4 28 2 1 12
11/22/2021 Pit L 1 3 31 2 0 4 36 2 0 4
01/23/2022 @Pit SOL 2 3 29 1 1 13 38 4 0 9
11/19/2022 Pit L 0 3 32 2 0 4 32 2 0 4

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS NOTES:

LAST 2 GAMES
Jan. 10: Pittsburgh 5, Vancouver 4 – PPG Paints Arena
PIT Goals: Malkin (2), Crosby, Zucker, Rakell
Multiple Points: Malkin (2G-2A), Rust (2A), Smith (2A), Zucker
(1G-1A)
Goalie: DeSmith (2/5 shots), Tokarski (18/19 shots)
Key Stats: Evgeni Malkin’s 28th career four-point night helped Pittsburgh win its second-straight game.
PP: 2-5
PK: 5-5

Jan. 8: Pittsburgh 4, Arizona 1 – Mullet Arena
PIT Goals: Guentzel (2), Zucker, Carter
Multiple Points: Crosby (2A), Guentzel (2G)
Goalie: DeSmith (23 saves, 24 shots)
Key Stats: Jake Guentzel’s second multi-goal game of the season helped snap a six-game winless streak (0-4-2).
PP: 0-6
PK: 2-2

INJURIES
Position Player Status Consecutive Games Missed Total Games Missed
D Jeff Petry Upper-Body 12 12
F Josh Archibald Lower-Body 9 10
D Kris Letang Lower-Body 5 11
F Ryan Poehling Upper-Body 4 9
G Tristan Jarry Lower-Body 3 3
2022-23 Total Regular-Season Man-Games Lost: 77

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Date Transaction
Jan. 12 D Taylor Fedun recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Jan. 11 D Mark Friedman re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Jan. 11 G Tristan Jarry and F Ryan Poehling placed on injured reserve.
Jan. 3 G Dustin Tokarski recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL
Jan. 3 D Kris Letang’s status changed to non-roster.

Pittsburgh’s All-Time Record vs. JETS: 52-13-3
In Pittsburgh: 28-4-1
In Winnipeg: 24-9-2
OT Record vs. Jets: 9-1-2
Shootout Record vs. Jets: 3-2

2022-23 Results: Pittsburgh is 1-0-0.
Penguins All-Time Point Leaders vs. JETS:
Sidney Crosby: 41 GP, 59 PTS (18G-41A)
Evgeni Malkin: 37 GP, 53 PTS (20G-33A)
Kris Letang: 34 GP, 29 PTS (5G-24A)

TONIGHT’S GAME

  • The Penguins conclude a brief two-game homestand as they take on the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena (TV: AT&T SportsNet, NHL Network; Radio: 105.9 The X).
  • The Penguins are 16-3-0 in their last 19 meetings with the Jets.
  • Here at home, Pittsburgh is 19-1-0 in their last 20 games against the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise dating back to Mar. 24, 2007.
  • The Penguins are 7-0-0 versus Central Division opponents this season.
  • The Penguins are 7-1-0 at home against Western Conference opponents this season.
  • The Penguins have won nine of their last 10 games versus Western Conference opponents. They are 11-6-0 versus the West this season.

Cubs agree to terms with infielder Eric Hosmer on a one-year contract Major League contract

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Cubs agree to terms with infielder Eric Hosmer on a one-year contract Major League contract

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today agreed to terms with first baseman Eric Hosmer on a one-year major league contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. To make room for Hosmer on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. has been designated for assignment.

Hosmer, 33, is a four-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner (2013-15, 2017), was named the 2016 All-Star Game MVP and earned a 2017 Silver Slugger Award across his 12-year major league career with Kansas City (2011-17), San Diego (2018-22) and Boston (2022). In 1,658 career major league games, Hosmer owns a .277 average (1,731-for-6,255) with 319 doubles, 20 triples, 196 home runs, 879 RBI and 556 walks, contributing to a .336 on-base percentage and a .764 OPS. From 2011-21, Hosmer ranked second among major league first basemen in hits (1,629), games played (1,554) and stolen bases (76).

The six-foot four-inch Hosmer split the 2022 season between Boston and San Diego, batting .268 (102-for-380) with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 44 RBI in 104 games. In April, he batted .389 (28-for-72), the eighth-highest mark all-time by a Padres player during the month (min. 75 PA) and through May 13, he led the major leagues with a .377 average (43-for-114). On August 2, Hosmer was acquired by Boston from San Diego in a four-player trade and played in 14 games for Boston before being placed on the injured list August 21 and missing the rest of the season with low back inflammation.

Hosmer made his major league debut in 2011 with Kansas City, finishing third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. During his inaugural major league campaign, the left-handed hitting first baseman led all qualifying major league rookies in average (.293), go-ahead RBI (26) and game-winning RBI (13), while leading all A.L. rookies in hits (153), runs (66) and multi-hit games (42). He was named the A.L. Rookie of the Month for both July and September.

In 2015, Hosmer helped guide the Royals to their first World Series title since 1985, becoming the first A.L. first baseman since Rafael Palmeiro (1997-99) to win a Gold Glove in three-straight seasons. He finished the campaign tied for the A.L. lead among first basemen with a .997 fielding percentage, while finishing among the league leaders in runs (T-8th, 98) and RBI (T-12th, 93). In the postseason, Hosmer recorded 17 RBI in 16 games, including at least one RBI in 11 of his final 13 postseason games.

Hosmer in 2016 and 2017 batted a combined .292 (353-for-1,208) with 55 doubles, two triples, 50 home runs and 198 RBI in 320 games for the Royals. During the 2017 campaign, Hosmer set career highs in hits (192), average (.318), on-base percentage (.385), slugging percentage (.498), OPS (.882) and total bases (300), en route to his first career Silver Slugger award.

A native of South Miami, Fla., Hosmer graduated from American Heritage High School (Fla.) and was selected in the first round (third overall) by Kansas City in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

Leiter, 31, signed a minor league contract with Chicago in December of 2021 and last season was 2-7 with a 3.99 ERA (30 ER/67.2 IP) and three saves in 35 games for the Cubs, including four starts.

NBA Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder (19-23) at Chicago Bulls (19-23)

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NBA Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder (19-23) at Chicago Bulls (19-23)

Scuffling much of the season, the Chicago Bulls can’t afford to overlook anyone.

The Bulls have suffered a handful of losses this season to teams missing their biggest pieces, including Wednesday in their most recent game, when Washington – without Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis – knocked off Chicago.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have made a habit of pushing teams well ahead of them in the standings to the brink, pulling off their share of surprising victories, including Thursday’s 133-114 win in Philadelphia.

Friday in Chicago, the Bulls and Thunder meet with Chicago still trying to put things together and Oklahoma City trying to continue heading in a strong direction.

The Bulls have lost back-to-back games and four of their last seven.

The Bulls have failed to reach 100 points in just four games this season. Two of those have been their most recent losses.

The Thunder have won four of their last six and are averaging 126 points per game during that stretch.

In addition to the 76ers, Oklahoma City has beaten Boston and Dallas in recent games.

Thursday’s win snapped a six-game road losing streak for Oklahoma City.

Friday’s game is the second of two meetings between the teams this season.

The Thunder won the first, 123-119, in overtime on Nov. 25 in Oklahoma City with Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 30, including hitting five consecutive free throws in the final minute of overtime. Giddey narrowly missed a triple-double.

Friday, it could be the Bulls who could be short-handed.

DeMar DeRozan, who missed his first game of the season Wednesday, is listed as doubtful with a right quadriceps strain.

Zach LaVine, who hasn’t missed a game since early November, is listed as probable with a right hand contusion.

The game is the first of consecutive home games for the Bulls and the third of a four-game road trip for the Thunder.

MBB-FBS: Utah State Aggies (14-3) at Nevada Wolfpack (14-4)

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MBB-FBS: Utah State Aggies (14-3) at Nevada Wolfpack (14-4)

RENO, Nev. – After suffering their first conference defeat of the season on the road against San Diego State, the University of Nevada Men’s Basketball team will return home to face Utah State Friday evening at 8pm. 

Friday night’s game will be sponsored by America First Credit Union and will serve as Nevada’s Night of Recognition and Inclusion. Athletes with special and additional needs from the Hoop Camp Foundation will be participating in in-game events throughout the night.

The Pack will enter Friday night’s contest with an impressive overall record of 14-4, including a mark of 4-1 in conference play. Nevada is yet to lose at the Lawlor Events Center this season, as they hold a perfect record of 9-0 at home.

The Pack got off to a slow start against San Diego State; but, the team battled back from a double-digit deficit and outscored the Aztecs 38-30 in the second half. Unfortunately, Nevada’s strong second-half performance was not enough, as they dropped their first conference game of the season by a final score of 65-74.

For the second consecutive game, redshirt freshman Nick Davidson led the Pack in scoring, pouring in 17 points on 5-10 shooting from the field throughout the contest. Davidson also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, four of which came on the offensive glass. Over Nevada’s past three games, Davidson is averaging 14.7 points per game on 51.9 percent shooting from the field and 93 percent at the free throw line, while also pulling down 6.3 boards per contest. Davidson now ranks fourth overall on the team in both scoring (8.6 PPG) and rebounding (4.3 RPG). 

Fellow freshman Darrion Williams had another strong outing against the Aztecs, scoring 10 points on 4-8 shooting from the field and 2-5 from behind the arc, while also pulling down six rebounds and recording a career-high four steals throughout the game. Williams continues to lead the Pack in rebounding this season, and he currently ranks sixth overall in the Mountain West, averaging 7.2 boards per game. Williams has scored at least nine points and pulled down at least six rebounds in each of Nevada’s past three games.

Freshman guard Trey Pettigrew had one of his best offensive performances this season, scoring seven points on a perfect 3-3 shooting from the field in 13 minutes of action off the bench. 

The freshmen trio of Davidson, Williams, and Pettigrew are averaging a combined 31.5 points and 17.5 rebounds per game over the Pack’s past two games.

Kenan Blackshear scored 12 points, pulled down five rebounds, and dished out a game-high five assists against the Aztecs. The senior guard has now reached double figures in scoring in nine straight games, and he has recorded at least three assists in 17 of Nevada’s 18 games this season. Blackshear continues to rank in the top-15 of the Mountain West in an abundance of individual categories. Blackshear is currently tied for first in total assists (86 assists), second in assists per game (4.8 APG), eighth in free throw percentage (8.4%), 10th in steals per game (1.4 SPG) and minutes per game (31.8 MPG), and 12th in points per game (14.0 PPG). 

Jarod Lucas also eclipsed double figures in scoring against San Diego State, putting up 11 points during the game. Lucas has now scored in double figures in 16 straight games and 17 of 18 contests this season. Lucas ranks second in the conference in total points (300), points per game (16.7 PPG), and made 3-pointers (48), while also ranking third in free throw percentage (85.4%), and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (37.8%). 

As a team, Nevada has continued to maintain one of the best free throw percentages in the country, as they currently rank seventh in the nation at 79.3 percent. The Pack also ranks first in the country in made free throws (322) and 17th in free throw attempts (406). 

The Pack has excelled on the defensive end of the court throughout the season, as they rank in the top-five of the conference in almost every defensive statistical category. Nevada is currently third in the Mountain West in opponent points per game (64.4 PPG), third in opponent field goal percentage (40.2%), fifth in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (32.1%), fifth in turnovers forced (233), and fifth in defensive rebounding (26.8 per game).

Nevada has been exceptional coming off of a loss this season, as they own a 3-0 record, winning by an average margin of 6.7 points in those contests.

The Pack will need a strong performance Friday to move to 4-0 following a loss this season, as they will host a high-powered Utah State team.

Scouting Utah State

Utah State enters Friday’s matchup with an overall record of 14-3 and a mark of 3-1 in conference play. 

The Aggies earned impressive victories over Utah Valley, Santa Clara, San Francisco, LMU, and Washington State this season, with their three losses coming against Weber State, SMU, and Boise State. 

Utah State has been lethal from behind the arc this season, as they rank first in the country in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting a sensational 42.3 percent from three this season. 

The Aggies rank second in the Mountain West in points per game (81.9 PPG), second in field goal percentage (49.0%), and third in free throw percentage (73.5%). 

Individually, junior guard Steven Ashworth has led the way for Utah State, averaging 15.6 points per game on an incredible 51.3 percent shooting from behind the arc, which ranks first in the country. Ashworth also leads the conference and ranks 11th in the nation in made 3-point field goals per game, as the junior is averaging 3.4 makes from behind the arc each time out.

Graduate student Taylor Funk is also having an exceptional season on offense for Utah State, as he is averaging 14.1 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting from three, in addition to ranking second on the team in rebounding, grabbing 5.7 boards per contest. 

Max Shulga and Dan Akin are also averaging double figures in scoring for the Aggies, putting up 12.2 and 12.1 points per game, respectively. Akin also leads the team in rebounding, pulling down an impressive 7.4 boards per contest this season.

Nevada will look to slow down the pace of the game and prevent Utah State from getting open 3-pointers in transition throughout the contest. The Pack will need to protect the 3-point line and have one of their best defensive performances of the season in order to earn their 15th victory of the year and move to 5-1 in Mountain West play.

Series History

Nevada and Utah State have faced off 38 times throughout history, with the Aggies holding a 22-16 record in the all-time series. Nevada won the most recent contest between the two squads, earning an 85-72 victory over Utah State in Logan last February. 

NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 13, 2023

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NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 13, 2023

* The Kraken blanked the Bruins to capture their seventh straight victory and become the first team to earn a regulation win at TD Garden since April 14, 2022 while also halting their 14-game point streak overall.

* Connor McDavid, who dazzled fans one last time before his 26th birthday today (including Ducks legend Teemu Selanne), enters the NHL’s three-game Friday the 13th schedule just one point shy of 80 on the season. The slate also features Jack Hughes and Trevor Zegras squaring off on HULU and ESPN+.

* Just over a week after Connor Bedard’s MVP performance at the 2023 World Junior Championship, NHL Central Scouting will release its mid-season rankings presented by BioSteel on Friday at 11 a.m. ET, listing the top draft-eligible players for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
 


KRAKEN BLANK BRUINS, HAND NHL-LEADERS THEIR FIRST HOME LOSS OF 2022-23

Eeli Tolvanen scored for the fourth time since debuting with the Kraken on Jan. 1 and Martin Jones turned aside all 27 shots he faced as Seattle (25-12-4, 54 points) became the first team to defeat Boston (32-5-4, 68 points) in regulation at TD Garden since Ottawa on April 14, 2022 – ending a stretch of 29 consecutive home games (regular season and playoffs).

* The Kraken, who improved to 6-0-0 on their seven-game road trip, have won seven consecutive games overall since Jan. 1 and matched the club’s longest-ever win streak (7-0-0 from Nov. 17 – Dec. 1, 2022). They are just one of two expansion franchises in NHL history with multiple seven-game win streaks within their first two seasons of existence following the Golden Knights (8 GP in 2017-18 & 7 GP in 2018-19).



* Jones, with back-to-back shutouts for the first time since Oct. 10-13, 2015 (w/ SJS), became the first Kraken goaltender to record consecutive shutouts and the first goaltender to blank the Bruins at TD Garden in nearly a full calendar year (Frederik Andersen: Feb. 10, 2022 w/ CAR). 

RANGERS, LIGHTNING EACH RALLY TO COLLECT YET ANOTHER COMEBACK WIN

The Rangers (24-12-7, 55 points) and Lightning (26-13-1, 53 points) are two of five teams who earned comeback wins Thursday to maintain their place in their respective division standings. Both clubs rank among the top teams in comeback victories this season.



* K’Andre Miller scored the tying goal in the final second of regulation, paving the way for a New York victory against Dallas courtesy of Adam Fox’s winner in overtime. Miller matched the latest game-tying goal in Rangers history (59:59), first set by Doug Robinson on Feb. 21, 1965 and then tied by Darren Turcotte (Feb. 17, 1992) and Brian Leetch (Dec. 1, 1998).

* Nikita Kucherov (1-1—2) factored on two of his team’s five goals and became just the third player to reach the 60-point mark in 2022-23 (17-44—61 in 40 GP) as Tampa Bay extended the NHL’s longest active home winning streak to nine games. Kucherov hit the benchmark for the eighth time in his career, tied with Vincent Lecavalier for the third-most 60-point seasons in Lightning history behind only Martin St. Louis (11x) and Steven Stamkos (9x).



OFFENSE FROM THE DEFENSE LIFTS BRIND’AMOUR TO 200TH CAREER WIN
Defensemen Brett Pesce (2-0—2), Jaccob Slavin (1-1—2), Brent Burns (1-0—1) and Jalen Chatfield (1-0—1) scored five of Carolina’s six goals as Rod Brind’Amour collected his 200th career win as head coach and the Hurricanes (26-9-7, 59 points) opened a four-point cushion on the idle Devils (26-12-3, 55 points) atop the Metropolitan Division.

* The Hurricanes, who had four different defensemen score in the same game for the first time in franchise history, are the first team to accomplish the feat since the Panthers on April 2, 2022 (4). Additionally, Carolina is the second team to have defensemen combine for five goals in a game this season following the NY Islanders on Oct. 15, 2022 (Robin Salo: 2-0—2, Scott Mayfield: 2-0—2, & Noah Dobson: 1-0—1).



AROUND THE RINKS #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
It was a busy Thursday across the NHL with many notes to choose from posted in #NHLStats: Live Updates. A few examples include:

* Quinn Hughes (22-179—201 in 242 GP) recorded his 200th career point and became the third-fastest active defenseman to hit the mark behind only Cale Makar (195 GP) and Adam Fox (241 GP). Hughes required the sixth-fewest games among U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history to reach 200 points, trailing only Brian Leetch (211 GP), Phil Housley (212 GP), Mark Howe (216 GP), Gary Suter (219 GP) andFox(241 GP).

* Lucas Raymond opened the scoring with his 35th career goal and tied Gordie Howe for the third most by a Red Wings skater before age 21 behind only Steve Yzerman (83) and Dylan Larkin (40). Raymond helped the Red Wings defeat the Maple Leafs in regulation for the first time since Dec. 15, 2017.

* In a contest that witnessed the Canadiens celebrate P.K. Subban in a pre-game ceremony, Cole Caufield scored his 24th and 25th goals of the season (42 GP) and required the fewest games to hit the 25-goal mark by a Canadiens skater since Stephane Richer (39 GP) in 1987-88. It marked the sixth multi-goal performance of 2022-23 for Caufield – only Bo Horvat (9) and Alex Ovechkin (7) have more.

* Flames forward Walker Duehr scored his first career goal (3 GP), and in the process became the first player born in South Dakota to ever score in the NHL.



QUICK CLICKS

* P.K. Subban adored by Canadiens fans before game against Predators

* Predators receive send-off from own youth hockey team in Montreal

* Sidney Crosby hopeful Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin can join him at All-Star Game

* 14-year-old Slovakia forward scores Michigan goal at Women’s U-18 Worlds

* NHL prospects looking to impress in AHL after leaving college early


TVA SPORTS DOUBLEHEADER ON FRIDAY THE 13TH FEATURES BIRTHDAY BOY McDAVID
Friday the 13th features a TVA Sports doubleheader, with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins (21-13-6, 48 points) playing host to the Jets (27-14-1, 55 points) at PPG Paints Arena followed by the Oilers (22-18-3, 47 points) squaring off with the Sharks (13-22-8, 34 points) at SAP Center as NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid (35-44—79 in 43 GP) celebrates his 26th birthday.
 


* Crosby (538-919—1,457 in 1,148 GP) needs one point to pass Teemu Selanne (684-773—1,457 in 1,451 GP) on the League’s all-time list. Selanne scored 306 of his 1,457 career points with the original Winnipeg Jets, including 132 during his NHL record-setting rookie season in 1992-93.

* McDavid (274-502—776 in 530 GP) recorded the fifth-most points by a player before age 26 in League history, behind four Hockey Hall of Fame members. McDavid’s 776 career points were 111 more than the next-closest active skater, which was Crosby.
 


HUGHES, ZEGRAS SET TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD ON ESPN+, HULU
Two of the League’s young stars are set to go head-to-head for the third time in the NHL as Jack Hughes and the Devils (26-12-3, 55 points) take on Trevor Zegras and the Ducks (12-26-4, 28 points) at Honda Center. The two prior meetings between Hughes and Zegras, who went No. 1 and No. 9, respectively, in the 2019 NHL Draft after skating together with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, were on March 12, 2022 and Oct. 18, 2022.

* Hughes was named to the Metropolitan Division roster for the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend at FLA Live Arena, while Zegras is one of the players eligible to be selected in the 2023 NHL All-Star Fan Vote presented by Guaranteed Rate. The 12 additional All-Stars will be announced by ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA during broadcast windows on Jan. 19.

* Hughes and Zegras stole the show during the 2022 adidas NHL Breakaway Challenge at T-Mobile Arena, with the former performing a magic trick to summon a smaller version of himself and the latter channeling his inner Peter LaFleur by reenacting the final scene from the 2004 movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.

NBA Preview: Houston Rockets (10-31) at Sacramento Kings (22-18)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Houston Rockets (10-31) at Sacramento Kings (22-18)

Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun gets a rare encore performance on the road when he and his mates duel the host Sacramento Kings in a rematch Friday night.

While most in attendance were watching Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis pursue a 22nd career triple-double, Sengun snatched a very first of his own with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the Rockets’ 135-115 loss in the California capital on Wednesday.

Sabonis failed on his bid to triple-up, going for 25 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists, but joined with Sacramento’s own surprise contributor — Trey Lyles — to rally the Kings from a fourth-quarter deficit to a win not nearly as one-sided as the final score might indicate.

Paced by Sengun, the Rockets led by as many as eight and 101-100 with 8:44 to go before Lyles had 12 points in the Kings’ 35-14, game-ending flurry.

While the defeat went down simply as an eighth straight for the Rockets, it proved historic for Sengun, who at age 20 became the youngest in franchise history to record a triple-double.

He also was the first Rockets center to post a triple-double since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1997.

The most surprising aspect of the triple-double was the assist total. The second-year Turkish import had never had more than eight in an NBA game.

His teammates helped out by shooting 45.8 percent as a team and connecting on 16-for-41 from beyond the arc. Jalen Green had 26 points, while KJ Martin (9-for-13, 21 points) and Eric Gordon (6-for-12, 19 points) combined for 40 points on 15-for-25 shooting.

It wasn’t enough to offset a huge disparity in free-throw attempts. The Kings outscored the guests 26-11 at the line, getting 14 more attempts (31-17).

Sabonis led the way to the charity stripe, going 7-for-9. He got his biggest support in the scoring column from De’Aaron Fox with 24 points and Lyles with 20.

Sabonis, who is tied for third in the NBA in triple-doubles with three, missed another by one assist for the second time this season. He’s also come up one rebound short on another occasion.

He insisted afterward that he wasn’t bothered by it.

The Rockets would be happy to get Kevin Porter Jr. back for the rematch. He had five points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal in just 10 minutes before suffering a bruised left foot in Wednesday’s game.

He wasn’t around for the Kings’ late rally, and remains questionable for Friday.

Porter was coming off a 25-point outing in a loss Sunday to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Sacramento played the opener of the set without Kevin Huerter, out with an illness. The Kings hope to have him back for the rematch.

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