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NHL Preview: New Jersey Devils (22-11-2) at Pittsburgh Penguins (19-10-6)

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NHL Preview: New Jersey Devils (22-11-2) at Pittsburgh Penguins (19-10-6)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Boston Bruins 3 New Jersey Devils 1
(28-4-3—59 PTS) (22-11-2—46 PTS)
Three Stars: 1. L. Ullmark 2. P. Bergeron 3. N. Hischier

Goals:
BOS: T. Frederic. P. Bergeron, P. Zacha (ENG)
SCORE 1
ST 2
ND 3
RD OT SO FINAL
Boston 0 1 2 – – 3
DEVILS 0 0 1 – – 1
New Jersey Devils: Media Notes
NJD: N. Hischier

INJURIES/ILLNESS
PLAYER INJURY OUT SINCE GAMES MISSED
Jonathan Bernier – LTIR Lower-body, hip 2021-22 35
Ondrej Palat I.R. Lower-body Retro-active to Oct. 24 29
Nate Bastian Upper-Body Nov. 27 12
John Marino Upper-body Dec. 21 3
Ryan Graves Lower-body Dec. 22 2
2022-23 Total Man-Games Lost to Injury/illness: 104

TRANSACTIONS
DATE PLAYER ACTION
12/22 Nate Bastian Placed I.R. retro to Nov. 26 Nikita Okhotiuk Recalled from Utica
12/28/22 Tyce Thompson Tyler Wotherspoon Recalled from Utica
12/28/22 Ryan Graves John Marino
Placed on I.R. retro to Dec. 21
Placed on I.R. retro to Dec. 20
12/28/22 Andreas Johnsson Placed on Waivers

WHAT TO KNOW
The Devils aim to snap a two-game skid and not only visit Pittsburgh for the first time this season, but face-off with the Steel City for the first of four matchups in 2022-23. Jersey’s team is 12-2-1 on the road this season, which is tied with Carolina for the second-most road wins in the NHL (Vegas, 14), per Dec. 29. Keep in mind that the Devils were 11-26-4 on the road last season. The Devils have earned 57 goals for on the road and allowed 36. The 36 goals allowed on the road are the fewest surrendered in the NHL, per Dec. 29. Boston and Minnesota ranked second for this matter with 38 goals allowed on the road. The Devils are 17-0-1 when leading after the second period this season. Only Boston entails more wins (19-0-1) when leading after the second period for 2022-23. The Devils fell to 15-10-2 when outshooting an opponent this season, while Jersey is 6-1-0 when outshot in a game for the 2022-23 campaign. Tonight’s contest vs Pittsburgh marks New Jersey’s final game for the month of December (3-7-2). Yet, the Devils entered the month of December with a share of first place, or sole possession, atop the League standings for the first time in franchise history. Jersey’s team is 20-3-2 when scoring three-or-more goals in a game this season. At Dec. 25 last season, the Devils earned 10 wins compared to the team’s 22 wins this season. The Devils logged 21 missed shots in their last game on Dec. 28, which tied a season-low (Nov. 12, vs ARI). New Jersey’s 22 wins after 35 games played from the start of a season ranks as the third most in franchise history:

2009-10: 26 wins
1997-98: 23 wins
2022-23: 22 wins

1998-99: 21 wins
2017-18: 21 wins
2008-09: 21 wins

2002-03: 20 wins
1996-97: 20 wins
1993-94: 20 wins

The team clinched a playoff berth in all of the seasons listed above – excluding this season. The Devils are 12-10-1 vs the Eastern Conference and 5-5-1 vs the Metropolitan Division for 2022-23. Jersey’s team is 18-3-2 when Nico Hischier recorded a point in a game this season and 10-4-1 when Jack Hughes scored a goal in a game for 2022-23. The Devils have allowed 1, or fewer, goals against nine 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.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS NOTES:

LAST 2 GAMES
Dec. 30: Detroit 5, Pittsburgh 4 (OT) – PPG Paints Arena
PIT Goals: Zucker (2), O’Connor, Carter (PP)
Multiple Points: Zucker (2G), Carter (1G-1A), Kapanen (2A),
Rust (2A)
Goalie: DeSmith (41 saves/46 shots)
Key Stats: Jason Zucker notched his first multi-goal effort of the season as Pittsburgh fell in overtime.
PP: 2-2
PK: 2-4

Dec. 27: NY Islanders 5, Pittsburgh 1 – UBS Arena
PIT Goals: Joseph
Multiple Points: None
Goalie: Jarry (38 saves/43 shots)
Key Stats: P.O Joseph scored the lone goal for Pittsburgh, establishing a new career high with his second goal of the season.
PP: 0-1
PK: 3-3

INJURIES
Position Player Status Consecutive Games Missed Total Games Missed
D Jeff Petry Upper-Body 7 7
F Josh Archibald Lower-Body 4 5
F Ryan Poehling Upper-Body 3 5
D Chad Ruhwedel Upper-Body 1 1
2022-23 Total Regular-Season Man-Games Lost: 54
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Date Transaction
Dec. 28 D Ty Smith and F Drake Caggiula recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Dec. 28 F Josh Archibald and F Ryan Poehling placed on injured reserve.
Dec. 27 D Mark Friedman recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Dec. 23 D Mark Friedman re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)

Pittsburgh’s All-Time Record vs. Devils: 114-112-27
In Pittsburgh: 64-51-10
In New Jersey: 50-61-17
OT Record vs. New Jersey: 8-10-11
Shootout Record vs. New Jersey: 2-1
2021-22 Results: Pittsburgh went 2-2-0.

Penguins All-Time Point Leaders vs. DEVILS:
Mario Lemieux- 74GP, 135 PTS (47G, 88A)
Sidney Crosby- 78GP, 87 PTS (38G-49A)
Evgeni Malkin- 61GP, 58 PTS (24G-34A)

TONIGHT’S GAME

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New Jersey Devils tonight at PPG Paints Arena for their first meeting of the 2022-23 season (TV: AT&T SportsNet; Radio: 105.9 The X).
  • Last season, Sidney Crosby led the team against the Devils with three assists in four games played.
  • In the last 11 games played versus the Devils, the Penguins are 8-2-1. Here at home, Pittsburgh is 4-2-1 in its last seven games against New Jersey.
  • Pittsburgh has gone 10-3-4 at home thus far this season.
  • Pittsburgh is 5-2-2 against Metropolitan Division opponents.

NHL Preview: Nashville Predators (14-14-5) at Anaheim Ducks (10-22-4)

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NHL Preview: Nashville Predators (14-14-5) at Anaheim Ducks (10-22-4)

NASHVILLE PREDATORS NOTES:

ALL-TIME vs. ANAHEIM
OVERALL (80 GP) 36-31-(2)-11
HOME (41 GP) 25-11-(2)-3
ROAD (39 GP) 11-20-(0)-8

PLAYOFFS (3-0) Last: 2017 WCF (W, 4-2)
− The Predators are 36-31-(2)-11 all-time against the Ducks, including an 11-20-(0)-8 record on the road.

− This is the second of three matchups between Nashville and Anaheim in 2022-23; it is the first of two at the Honda Center.

− Nashville 1-0-0 against Anaheim this season, earning a 2-1 overtime victory at home on Nov. 29. Roman Josi scored the OT winner for the Predators.

− The Predators are 4-1-0 in their last five games against the Ducks; they are 6-2-2 in their last 10; and 2-1-2 in their last five on the road.

− Nashville has earned at least a point in 13 of its last 15 games against Anaheim (10-2-3).

− Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history after defeating Anaheim, 4-2, in the 2017 Western Conference Final.

NOTABLES vs. ANAHEIM
− Filip Forsberg has 20 points (7g-13a) in 20 career games against Anaheim, including five multi-point outings. He became the first player in Predators history to record multiple five-point games when he notched two goals and three assists on March 21, 2022 at Anaheim.

− Roman Josi scored his first career NHL goal on Dec. 10, 2011 vs. Anaheim. He has 21 points (6g-15a) in 28 career regular-season games and posted a five-game point streak (1g-6a) against the Ducks from Nov. 25, 2018-Jan. 16, 2020.

− Matt Duchene has 12 points (6g-6a) in his last nine games against the Ducks, including two three-point performances in
2021-22.

− Colton Sissons has nine points (4g-5a) in 16 career meetings with Anaheim.

− Jeremy Lauzon made his Predators debut on March 21, 2022 at Anaheim.

LAST TIME OUT
− Dallas Stars 3, Nashville Predators 2 – Dec. 27 (Bridgestone Arena)

− NSH goals: Forsberg (10), Trenin – SH (3)

− DAL goals: Benn (14), Hintz – PP (17), Hintz – GWG (18)

− Goaltenders: NSH – Saros (L, 30/33); DAL – Oettinger (W, 26/28)

− Power plays: NSH 0-3; DAL 1-6

− Notes: Nashville moved to 8-6-3 at home in 2022-23… The Predators are now 0-3-0 against the Stars this season… Nashville battled back to tie the game twice after trailing 1-0 and 2-1… Nashville’s penalty kill went 5-for-6 and was on the ice for 10:31… Yakov Trenin scored Nashville’s second shorthanded goal of the season… It was Trenin’s first goal since Dec. 10 vs. Ottawa… Filip Forsberg opened the scoring for Nashville with his 10th goal… The Predators now have three players with at least 10 goals this season (Niederreiter, Forsberg, Duchene)… Jeremy Lauzon tallied an assist for his first point since Nov. 3 at Calgary.

INJURY REPORT
Player Designation Dates Missed Games Missed
Mark Borowiecki Upper body – IR Oct. 27-Dec. 27 26
Michael McCarron NHL/NHLPA PAP Dec. 12-27 8
Matt Duchene Birth of child Dec. 27 1
Total man-games lost: 61
Borowiecki – 27; McCarron – 9; McDonagh – 7; Trenin – 5; Carrier – 4; Glass – 3; Lauzon – 3; Jankowski – 2; Duchene – 1

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
− Dec. 29: Recalled defenseman Roland McKeown from Milwaukee (AHL).
− Dec. 27: Recalled forward Tommy Novak from Milwaukee (AHL).
− Dec. 24: Reassigned forward Tommy Novak to Milwaukee (AHL).
− Dec. 21: Activated defenseman Ryan McDonagh from IR.
− Dec. 20: Reassigned defenseman Jordan Gross to Milwaukee (AHL).
− Dec. 19: Recalled forward Tommy Novak from Milwaukee (AHL).
− Dec. 18: Reassigned defensemen Kevin Gravel and Roland McKeown to Milwaukee (AHL).

ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES:

LAST ANAHEIM DUCKS GAME
DEC. 28, 2022 – ANAHEIM 3 vs. VEGAS 2 – OT
The Ducks earned a point for the second straight game with a 3-2 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights Wednesday night at Honda Center. The Ducks killed all five Vegas power play opportunities and have now killed 10 straight penalties dating to Dec. 21 vs. MIN. John Gibson stopped a season high 49 shots to pick up his sixth win, tied for the fourth-most saves he has made in a single game. Gibson 49 saves were tied for the third most by a goaltender this season, trailing only Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg (53) and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevsky (52). Adam Henrique scored both of Anaheim’s goals (10th and 11th), his second multi-goal game of the season and 25th of his career. Trevor Zegras recorded his 100th and 101st career points with assists on each of Anaheim’s goals (36-65=101 in 135 GP), becoming the third player in Ducks history to reach the milestone, joining Paul Kariya (45-56=101 in 98 GP) and Bobby Ryan (55-45=100 in 126 GP). Zegras also scored his league-tying fourth shootout goal this season while he also leads the NHL with 10 shootout goals since the start of 2021-22, four more than the next best skater (6, Kirill Kaprizov). Troy Terry recorded two assists, his ninth multi-point game of the season (tied with Zegras), and also scored the game-deciding goal in the shootout. Cam Fowler skated in a game-high 31:41 TOI, his third highest career total and most since his career-high 35:11 TOI Jan. 9, 2022 vs. DET. PP: 0-5 PK: 5-5 SF: 27 SA: 51 TOI: Cam Fowler (31:41)
Three Stars: 1. J. Gibson 2. A. Henrique 3. M. Stone

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (PT) TV / AUDIO
Jan. 2 Philadelphia Honda Center 7 p.m. BSW / Ducks Stream
Jan. 4 Dallas Honda Center 7 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream
Jan. 6 San Jose Honda Center 7 p.m. ESPN+ / Ducks Stream
Jan. 8 Boston Honda Center 7 p.m. BSW / Ducks Stream
Jan. 11 Edmonton Honda Center 7 p.m. BSSC / Ducks Stream

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Dec. 6 Claimed C Jayson Megna on waivers from Colorado. Activated LW Max Comtois from Injured Reserve (IR) and placed C Isac Lundestrom on IR.
Dec. 9 Activated D John Klingberg from Injured Reserve (IR).
Dec. 10 Recalled G Lukas Dostal from San Diego (AHL). Placed C Derek Grant on Injured Reserve (IR).
Dec. 14 Recalled G Olle Eriksson Ek from San Diego (AHL). Placed G Anthony Stolarz on Injured Reserve (IR).
Dec. 19 Acquired D Michael Del Zotto in a three-team trade. Detroit acquires C Danny O’Regan from Anaheim while Florida receives RW Givani Smith. Assigned D Colton White to San Diego (AHL) on a Conditioning Loan.
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).

ANAHEIM DUCKS INJURIES
Man-Games Lost: 189

PLAYER INJURY/ILLNESS EXPECTED ABSENCE GAMES MISSED
John Moore Upper-body Indefinite 36
Jamie Drysdale Torn labrum (shoulder) 4-6 months 28
Isac Lundestrom Upper-body 6 weeks 12
Derek Grant Lower-body Day-to-day 11
Anthony Stolarz Lower-body Day-to-day 8
Max Jones Upper-body Day-to-day 7

ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES
TODAY’S GAME: The Anaheim Ducks conclude their 2022 calendar year and continue a franchise record 10-game homestand today vs. the Nashville Predators at Honda Center (2 p.m. PT, TV: Bally Sports SoCal AUDIO: Ducks Stream). The Ducks enter today’s game with points in back-to-back games (1-0-1), three of the last five (2-2-1) and five of their last 10 overall (4-5=1). Today marks Anaheim’s sixth of 10 matinee contests in 2022-23 (three home, seven road), where the club is 1-3-1 in day games. Anaheim’s upcoming matinee contests include Jan. 21 @ BUF, Feb. 12 @ VGK, Feb. 20 @ FLA and Apr. 8 @ ARI. Anaheim wraps up its 14-game December schedule, consisting of six home and eight road contests. All-time, Anaheim is 156-145-49 in the month of December. Since the start of 2013-14, Anaheim is 63-35-20 in December, picking up points in 83 of the 118 contests. Following tonight’s game, the Ducks begin 2023 when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, Jan. 2 at Honda Center (7 p.m.).

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 1-1-1-0, 3 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-PREDATORS: Anaheim and Nashville hit the midway point of a three-game season series today with the first matchup of 2022-23 at Honda Center. In the lone contest between the clubs this season Nov. 29 at Bridgestone Arena, the Ducks fell 2-1 with Troy Terry netting Anaheim’s lone goal in the opening contest of a four-game road trip. The Ducks own a 42-29-9 all-time record vs. the Predators, including a 28-8-3 mark in Anaheim. The Ducks’ .756 home win percentage against the Predators is the club’s highest home win percentage against an NHL opponent. John Klingberg (1-24=25 in 36 games) leads Ducks skaters in in career scoring and assists vs. the Predators, while his 24 assists are the fifth-most by a defenseman in NHL history vs. Nashville, trailing Nicklas Lidstrom (42), Duncan Keith (39), Keith Yandle (27) and Chris Pronger (26). Adam Henrique (8-3=11 in 19 games) leads the Ducks in career goals against the Predators. These two clubs will conclude the season series Mar. 12 in Orange County (6:30 p.m. PT).

ANA-NSH SEASON SERIES:
DATE LOCATION TIME / RESULT TV / AUDIO
Nov. 29 Bridgestone Arena 2-1 NSH OT win
Dec. 30 Honda Center 2 p.m. PT Bally Sports SoCal / Ducks Stream
Mar. 12 Honda Center 6:30 p.m. PT Bally Sports SoCal / Ducks Stream

ANA-NSH ALL-TIME SERIES:
Overall @ Anaheim @ Nashville
All-Time Series: 42-29-9 28-8-3 14-21-6
Current Streak: Four NSH wins One NSH win Three NSH wins
Last ANA Win: Jan. 16, 2020 (4-2) Jan. 5, 2020 (5-4 SO) Jan. 16, 2020 (4-2)
Last NSH Win: Nov. 29, 2022 (2-1 OT) Mar. 21, 2022 (6-3) Nov. 29, 2022 (2-1 OT)
ANA Last 10: 4-5-1 8-2-0 2-6-2

NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (20-16) at Toronto Raptors (15-20)

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NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (20-16) at Toronto Raptors (15-20)

The Phoenix Suns will continue to learn how to cope with the absence of All-Star Devin Booker on Friday night when they visit the struggling Toronto Raptors.

Before losing 127-102 to the host Washington Wizards on Wednesday, the Suns announced that Booker would have his groin injury re-evaluated in four weeks.

Booker, who is averaging 27.1 points and has scored more than 50 points twice this season, has missed seven of the past 10 games with hamstring and groin injuries. He played just four minutes Sunday in a 128-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets that opened a six-game road trip.

The Suns came back with a 125-108 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

The Raptors will be playing the second half of back-to-back games. They lost their fifth straight home game Thursday, 119-106 to the Grizzlies. Toronto has lost eight of its past 10 games overall.

As for the Suns, Deandre Ayton scored 31 points against the Wizards, while Chris Paul added 20 points and Mikal Bridges scored 17.

“They attacked us,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Close-outs weren’t great. And in that third quarter and beginning of the fourth, it was just one close-out after another and they were getting to the rim.”

Williams said he does not want Bridges, Ayton and Paul to feel as if they have to “try save the world” during Booker’s absence.

The Suns also have been dealing with injuries to Cameron Payne (foot), Landry Shamet (Achilles) and Cam Johnson (knee).

In their loss to the Grizzlies, the Raptors got 25 points and 10 rebounds from Pascal Siakam.

The Raptors were without Fred VanVleet (back) Thursday, though he is day-to-day. Precious Achiuwa (ankle) could return Friday.

NHL Morning Skate – Dec. 30, 2022

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NHL Morning Skate – Dec. 30, 2022

* Aleksander Barkov made a splash with five points in his return to the Panthers’ lineup and was one of three players across the NHL to post a hat trick Thursday – Mark Scheifele and Kyle Okposo also did so for their respective clubs.

* The Lightning, Kings, Flyers, Senators and Coyotes each earned third-period comeback wins, raising the NHL’s total in 2022 to 252 – tying the League mark for most in a calendar year (regular season & playoffs combined).

* A number of defensemen collected multi-point outings Thursday, including Erik Karlsson who became the first blueliner to reach the 50-point mark in 2022-23 and joined elite company in the process.
 



BARKOV MAKES HIS RETURN TO LINEUP KNOWN WITH FIVE-POINT PERFORMANCE
Aleksander Barkov (3-2—5) found his name all over the score sheet in his return to Florida’s lineup Thursday, posting a five-point performance that included a first-period hat trick as the Panthers netted seven goals against the Canadiens at FLA Live Arena. It marked his second career five-point outing, the second most in Panthers history behind Jonathan Huberdeau (5 GP).

* Barkov recorded his fourth career hat trick and matched Olli Jokinen for the third most in Panthers history, trailing only Pavel Bure (10) and Ray Sheppard (5).

* Barkov became the sixth different player in franchise history to net three goals in a single period and just the second skater with as many in the opening frame, joining Steve Reinprecht (Oct. 30, 2009) – Barkov’s hat trick was also the fastest to start a game in club history (15:22), 27 seconds faster than Reinprecht (15:49).

Photo courtesy of @FlaPanthers


THE “YEAR OF THE COMEBACK” ISN’T OVER JUST YET
The “Year of the Comeback” added more victories to the tally as the number of third-period comeback wins in 2022 rose to 252 – tied for the most ever in a calendar year (also 252 in 2013; regular season & playoffs) – with five such decisions Thursday:


* Brayden Point (1-0—1) potted his 20th goal of the season to erase Tampa Bay’s third-period deficit before going on to score in the shootout en route to a Lightning win. Point scored a goal in his seventh straight game at AMALIE Arena and tied Nikita Kucherov (7 GP in 2021-22) for the longest home goal streak in Lightning history.



* Alex Iafallo (1-1—2) and Sean Walker (1-0—1) each scored in the final frame to send the game beyond 60 minutes where Los Angeles prevailed in a shootout, marking its third multi-goal, third-period comeback win of the season. The Kings recorded their seventh victory past regulation in 2022-23 to equal the Jets (7-1), Avalanche (7-3), Golden Knights (7-2), Canadiens (7-3) and Ducks (7-4) for the most among all teams.

* Tony DeAngelo (1-2—3) factored on three Flyers goals, including an assist on the game-tying tally as well as scoring the winner in overtime, as Philadelphia earned its first multi-goal, third-period comeback win of the season. DeAngelo became the fourth defenseman in franchise history with multiple points in three consecutive road games following Shayne Gostisbehere (3 GP in 2017-18), Joni Pitkanen (3 GP in 2005-06) and Mark Howe (2x: 3 GP in 1987-88).


* After tying the game with 5:34 remaining in regulation, Alex DeBrincat (2-0—2) netted the overtime winner as the Senators erased two multi-goal deficits en route to victory. The winner marked the 10th overtime tally of DeBrincat’s career – since his NHL debut in 2017-18, only Connor McDavid (12) has more.

* Trailing by one heading into the final frame, Toronto-native Jack McBain (2-0—2) netted two of Arizona’s four third-period goals – including his first NHL game winner – against his hometown team to help the Coyotes complete the comeback at Mullett Arena. The four markers in the final frame are the most Arizona has scored in any period this season.



HIGH-SCORING SABRES PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF BEFORE BREAK

After having two games postponed due to severe weather in Buffalo, the Sabres returned to the rink for the first time in 10 days and proceeded to grab a 5-0 lead en route to their fifth consecutive victory. Players young and old contributed to the win as rookies Owen Power and JJ Peterka each tallied two assists to go along with a hat trick by 34-year-old captain Kyle Okposo.

* Power and Peterka became the first set of Sabres rookies to each post multiple assists in the same game since Nov. 12, 1991 (Kevin Haller, Ken Sutton & Brad May), while Okposo became the second-oldest player to net a hat trick for the club.

* Buffalo has scored at least four goals in four of five contests during its five-game winning streak and paces the NHL with 4.00 goals-per-game this season (excluding shootout-deciding goals). Thursday was the sixth consecutive home victory in which the Sabres scored six or more goals (dating to Halloween).
 

TRIO OF DEFENSEMEN SPOTLIGHTED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Thursday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured a number of notable performances, including multi-point outings by Colorado’s Cale Makar (1-2—3), Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey (0-2—2) and San Jose’s Erik Karlsson (0-2—2).

* Makar, who recorded his 30th career multi-assist game and surpassed Rob Blake for the third most in Avalanche/Nordiques history among defensemen, collected his 15th career three-point outing – two shy of tying Tyson Barrie (17 GP) for the most by a defenseman in franchise history.



* Morrissey posted the 23rd multi-assist game of his career and surpassed Jacob Trouba (22 GP) for the third most by a defenseman in Jets/Thrashers history, behind only Dustin Byfuglien (52 GP) and Toby Enstrom (39 GP).

* Karlssonextended his point streak to 11 games, moving within one of Jonathan Cheechoo (12 GP in 2005-06) and Rob Gaudreau (12 GP in 1992-93) for the longest in Sharks history, while becoming the first defenseman to reach the 50-point mark this season (13-37—50 in 37 GP). The 2022-23 campaign marks the fifth season in which Karlsson has been the first blueliner to hit 50 points, following 2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 (outright or tied) – the third most by any defenseman in NHL history behind Bobby Orr (7x) and Paul Coffey (7x).



QUICK CLICKS

* Matt Grzelcyk, Charlie Coyle, Brian Dumoulin share Winter Classic connection to Fenway Park

* Vince Vaughn, Michael Phelps cheer on Coyotes at Mullett Arena
*Sam Gagner honored by Jets, teammates for 1,000th NHL game

* Linus Ullmark of Bruins selected Unmasked Goalie of the Year
* NHL congratulates Sidney Crosby on his recognition as an Officer of the Order of Canada
 

McDAVID EYES ANOTHER CALENDAR YEAR WITH 140 POINTS

Oilers captain Connor McDavid (56-82—138 in 85 GP) travels to Seattle three points shy of 70 this season (31-26—67 in 36 GP) and two shy of his second consecutive calendar year with at least 140 regular-season points (52-105—157 in 2021). Only two players in NHL history have recorded consecutive calendar years with as many points: Wayne Gretzky (10 from 1980-89) and Mario Lemieux (2 from 1988-89).
 

NBA Preview: Utah Jazz (19-18) at Sacramento Kings (18-15)

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NBA Preview: Utah Jazz (19-18) at Sacramento Kings (18-15)

The Sacramento Kings needed just three players to score in double figures to beat the top team in the Western Conference in their most recent outing, but they cannot expect to keep up that kind of distribution and keep winning.

The Kings host the Utah Jazz on Friday night, two nights after three Sacramento players scored at least 31 points against the Nuggets. Malik Monk led the way with 33 points as his free throw with 0.7 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in the 127-126 victory.

De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis each scored 31 and recorded double-doubles, as Fox dished out 13 assists and Sabonis hauled in 10 rebounds.

Their outings helped Sacramento overcome a 19-point deficit late in the third quarter and a 40-point showing by Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer.

The rest of the Kings combined for only 32 points, as Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter – all of whom average double-figure scoring – made just six of 20 shots and combined for 19 points. Still, Sacramento managed to win for the first time in three games, beating a Denver team that had defeated them 113-106 the previous night.

Friday’s game will be the first of four this season between the Kings and Jazz, who play again on Tuesday in Utah.

While the Kings were pulling off their nice win, the Jazz were blowing a double-digit lead and suffering a disappointing 112-107 defeat at Golden State. The Warriors didn’t have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson or Andrew Wiggins.

Jordan Poole led Golden State over Utah with 26 points.

Utah managed just 13 points in the fourth quarter on a night when Lauri Markkanen amassed a 29-point, 16-rebound double-double but went scoreless in the fourth quarter. Jordan Clarkson added 22 points, but Utah shot just 40.7 percent from the field for the game – including 16 percent (4-for-25) in the fourth quarter as Golden State reversed a 94-88 deficit.

It was the second ugly loss in a row for Utah, which fell at San Antonio on Monday night in another winnable game.

The game in Sacramento wraps up a three-game road trip for the Jazz, who return home to play immediately on New Year’s Eve against Miami.

NBA Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (18-16) at Golden State Warriors (18-18)

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NBA Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (18-16) at Golden State Warriors (18-18)

The NBA’s best home team will encounter one of its winningest road clubs Friday night when the Golden State Warriors host the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco.

This edition of the twice-a-year Damian Lillard homecoming occurs as his Trail Blazers have lost some of their road magic. Portland has lost three in a row on the road, but at 10-10 remains one of only three teams in the NBA with double-digit road wins through Thursday.

This will be the first of four meetings this season between these Western Conference playoff hopefuls. The Warriors have won three straight at home over the Trail Blazers over the past two seasons, each victory coming by at least 10 points.

A product of Oakland High, Lillard has just three wins in 15 regular-season return visits to the San Francisco Bay Area in his career. He has topped 30 points six times in those 15 games.

Lillard scored 34 when Portland lost 120-107 at Denver in its most recent road game last Friday, then made just 1 of 10 3-point shots — but had nine assists — Monday in a 124-113 home triumph over the Charlotte Hornets.

Jerami Grant (32 points, 10 rebounds) and Jusuf Nurkic (28 points, 15 rebounds) led the way against the Hornets in Portland’s last outing four days ago.

Even in the presence of Lillard, the most popular Trail Blazer in San Francisco on Friday figures to be Gary Payton II, even though he will not play. The son of another Oakland prep legend, Payton was a key defensive force in Golden State’s championship run last season before becoming a free agent and signing with the Trail Blazers.

He has yet to make his Portland debut following offseason core-muscle surgery, but he’s returned to practice and could see game action soon. Portland ruled him out for Friday’s game.

Also missing this game is Stephen Curry, who has missed the last seven games with a slightly separated left shoulder.

But Golden State could be getting Andrew Wiggins back from a 12-game absence that began with a strained adductor and has more recently been the result of an illness.

Like Payton, Wiggins has returned to the practice floor this week, yet Warriors coach Steve Kerr declared Wiggins doubtful.

Without Curry and Wiggins, the Warriors have opened an eight-game homestand with wins over the Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz, getting surprise contributions while improving to 15-2 in San Francisco.

Ty Jerome chipped in with 14 points in the Christmas Day victory over Memphis. Jonathan Kuminga made key plays at both ends of the floor Tuesday in a narrow victory over Charlotte. Patrick Baldwin Jr., a rookie who had totaled just 37 points previously, mostly in blowout losses, provided a spark with 11 in Wednesday’s 112-107 triumph over Utah.

NBA Preview: Miami Heat (18-17) at Denver Nuggets (22-12)

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NBA Preview: Miami Heat (18-17) at Denver Nuggets (22-12)

The Miami Heat have fought much of the season to reach .500, and now that they have attained a winning record, they are taking it on the road for their longest trip of the season — five games through the Western Conference.

The first stop is Denver to face the Nuggets, who are tied with New Orleans atop the Western Conference. Denver had a five-game winning streak snapped Wednesday night in a 127-126 loss at Sacramento, the second of back-to-back games in Sacramento.

The Nuggets played Wednesday without Jamal Murray (knee management), Aaron Gordon (right shoulder strain) and Bruce Brown (right ankle sprain). Murray will likely play against the Heat while the status of Gordon and Brown is uncertain.

Brown sprained his ankle in Tuesday’s win at Sacramento and Gordon suffered his injury in his seven-dunk performance against Phoenix on Christmas. Denver is also without Jeff Green for a month since he sustained a fractured right hand against Portland last week.

Green’s absence opened an opportunity for Zeke Nnaji. The third-year forward scored 14 points in 31 minutes in Wednesday’s loss after totaling just 10 points in his previous nine games. Wednesday was the most minutes he has played this season.

His importance is more on the defensive end than scoring.

As coach Michael Malone put it, “I just want to feel Zeke’s energy out there.”

Miami has its own young player in Caleb Martin, who is starting to make his mark this season. Now in his fourth year out of Nevada, Martin began his career with Charlotte and has been with the Heat the past two seasons.

He is averaging a career-best 10.7 points and has played good defense despite playing out of position much of the time as a 6-foot-5, 205-pound power forward.

Martin’s ability to contribute in different ways has helped when the Heat are dealing with absences. He scored 13 points against the Lakers with Kyle Lowry out for personal reasons and center Dewayne Dedmon nursing a foot injury.

Lowry could play Friday but Dedmon did not make the trip and will miss all five games.

Dedmon’s absence will make the job of stopping Nikola Jokic that much harder. Jokic, the two-time league MVP, is averaging 30 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10 assists a game in his 13 December games.

Jokic has scored 40 or more points in four of his past eight games.

The Heat enter their extended trip with an 18-17 season record and a respectable 7-9 mark on the road after sweeping their recent four-game trip in the Midwest. Overall, they have won six of their past eight, including a 112-98 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (20-13) at New Orleans Pelicans (22-12)

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NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (20-13) at New Orleans Pelicans (22-12)

When New Orleans trailed the Minnesota Timberwolves by five points with less than three minutes remaining Wednesday night, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum gave a message to star forward Zion Williamson.

Williamson scored New Orleans’ last 14 points in the final 2:44, producing a 119-118 victory. The Pelicans will seek their fifth consecutive victory when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

Williamson, who missed the last three games before Wednesday because of COVID-19 protocol, has helped the Pelicans forge a tie with Denver atop the Western Conference even though second-leading scorer Brandon Ingram has missed the last 15 games because of a toe injury.

Williamson, now a fourth-year pro after missing all of last season because of a foot injury, is averaging 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists as well as shooting 60.7 percent from the floor.

The Sixers have been doing a lot of winning themselves, though their eight-game winning streak came to an end with a 116-111 loss at Washington on Tuesday.

Philadelphia lost despite Joel Embiid scoring 48 points and James Harden adding 26 points and 13 assists.

The Sixers trailed by 111-108 when Embiid lost a turnover with 1:29 left. The score was the same when Embiid drove to the basket and Deni Avdija blocked his layup attempt.

After the Wizards extended the lead to six, Embiid did make a 3-pointer to cut the deficit in half, but Philadelphia, which trailed by as many as 16 points, didn’t score again.

It was the third consecutive game in which the Sixers fell behind by double digits in the first half, though they had rallied to defeat the Clippers and the Knicks.

The 76ers upgraded guard Tyrese Maxey to probable for the New Orleans game. Maxey has missed the past 18 games with a foot fracture. He was averaging 22.9 points to go with 4.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 15 starts prior to the injury.

NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (16-19) at Milwaukee Bucks (22-12)

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NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (16-19) at Milwaukee Bucks (22-12)

Two teams looking to end four-game losing streaks will meet when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

Milwaukee is returning home following a 1-4 trip that concluded with a 119-113 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. The Bucks lost despite getting 45 points, 22 rebounds and seven assists from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Minnesota fell victim on Wednesday to New Orleans star Zion Williamson, who scored a career-high 43 points in the Pelicans’ 119-118 victory. Wolves guard Anthony Edwards scored 27 points but missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer that sealed his team’s fate.

Edwards is averaging 28.8 points over the past six games to help keep the Wolves afloat minus center Karl-Anthony Towns, who is out indefinitely with a calf strain.

Minnesota is looking to even the season series against Milwaukee after losing 115-102 on Nov. 4. Bucks guard Jrue Holiday had 29 points to lead all scorers.

Holiday missed Wednesday’s game because of a non-COVID illness and is listed as day-to-day. The Bucks also could be without forward Khris Middleton, who has missed the past six games due to a sore right knee.

Milwaukee is in danger of losing five straight for the first time since February of the 2020-21 season.

Milwaukee was 9 of 44 (20.5 percent) from 3-point range in the loss to Chicago, continuing the team’s recent struggles from beyond the arc. Grayson Allen missed 11 of his 14 shots from 3-point range on Wednesday.

The Bucks squandered a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Bulls, but Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said his team needs to stay positive.

Minnesota hopes to have Kyle Anderson available after the forward missed the past five games due to back spasms.

With Anderson sidelined, the Wolves have leaned heavily on third-year pro Jaden McDaniels. The forward had 19 points and seven rebounds in the loss to New Orleans and is averaging 5.6 rebounds over his past six games.

With Towns out, Minnesota is looking for more consistent production from center Rudy Gobert.

In his first season with the Wolves since being acquired from the Utah Jazz, Gobert is averaging 13.8 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He has 10, 10 and eight points, respectively, in his past three games.

NBA Preview: Detroit Pistons (9-28) at Chicago Bulls (15-19)

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NBA Preview: Detroit Pistons (9-28) at Chicago Bulls (15-19)

The Chicago Bulls will look to ride the momentum of a victory over one of the NBA’s top teams into Friday night’s home game against the cellar-dwelling Detroit Pistons.

DeMar DeRozan had a huge hand in rallying the Bulls to their fourth win in five games on Wednesday night. He scored 10 points in overtime and finished with 42 overall in Chicago’s 119-113 victory against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bulls showed resolve by rallying from an 11-point deficit with less than three minutes to play in regulation.

The Bulls should take that to heart, considering they lost 133-118 to the Houston Rockets — one of the worst teams in the NBA — on Monday.

On Wednesday, Zach LaVine made four 3-pointers for the second time in his last three games. Two of those came during the final minutes of regulation.

The Bulls have won 11 straight contests against the Pistons. Detroit’s most recent victory over Chicago was on March 10, 2019.

The Pistons snapped a six-game skid overall with a 121-101 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Alec Burks made his first 10 shots from the floor and sank six 3-pointers to highlight his season-best 32-point performance. Saddiq Bey also drained six shots from beyond the arc to finish with a season-high-tying 28 points.

Hamidou Diallo collected 11 points and five rebounds off the bench before he joined teammate Killian Hayes and Orlando’s Moritz Wagner in being ejected for their roles in an ugly skirmish in the second quarter.

Before the game, Detroit coach Dwane Casey praised Diallo for the enthusiasm he brings when asked about the contributions of Diallo and former Kentucky teammate Kevin Knox II.

Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic, who is averaging a team-leading 20.7 points, was limited to 14 on 4-of-14 shooting Wednesday. He is shooting just 35.1 percent from the floor over his past four games (20 of 57).

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