NHL roundup: Atkinson's OT goal caps wild win for Jackets
By The Sports Xchange
OTTAWA -- Cam Atkinson's second goal of the game 1:09 into overtime gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a wild 7-6 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Place on Sunday.
The goal was Atkinson's 23 of the season. Nick Foligno, Scott Harrington, Zach Werenski, Lukas Sedlak, Matt Calvert also scored for Columbus. Alexander Wennberg had three assists.
Zack Smith scored twice and added an assist for the Senators, while Mike Hoffman also notched a pair of goals and Mark Stone and Kyle Turris had the others.
Making his 22nd consecutive appearance and 13th straight start, Mike Condon stopped 22 shots. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves in the Blue Jackets net.
Rangers 1, Red Wings 0 (OT)
DETROIT -- Henrik Lundqvist maintained his mastery over Detroit, leading New York to victory.
J.T. Miller converted Mats Zuccarello's feed on a two-on-none breakaway at 1:56 of overtime for his 15th goal of the season.
Lundqvist, who made 21 saves in posting his second shutout of the season and his second straight win since ending a personal three-game losing streak, is now 6-1-1 with four shutouts in his last eight games against the Red Wings.
Penguins 5, Bruins 1
PITTSBURGH -- Collecting two goals for the third time in four games, Conor Sheary sparked Pittsburgh past Boston at PPG Paints Arena.
Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Patric Hornqvist also scored for the Penguins while Matt Murray made 44 saves.
David Krejci scored the lone goal got the Bruins.
Flyers 3, Islanders 2 (OT)
NEW YORK -- Claude Giroux scored with 1:40 left in overtime as Philadelphia topped New York at Barclays Center.
Wayne Simmonds and Ivan Provorov also scored for the Flyers and Steve Mason stopped 36 of 38 shots.
Nick Leddy and Alan Quine scored for the Islanders, who had a three-game winning streak snapped as they lost for the first time under interim head coach Doug Weight. Thomas Greiss recorded 44 saves.
Blackhawks 4, Canucks 2
CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews scored a goal and had three assists and scored with 1:18 remaining to lift Chicago over Vancouver at the United Center.
Marian Hossa, Richard Panik and Patrick Kane also scored and Corey Crawford made 26 saves for the Blackhawks.
Troy Stecher and Bo Horvat scored and Ryan Miller finished with 31 saves for the Canucks.
Predators 4, Wild 2
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Filip Forsberg scored twice in the third period as Nashville rallied from an early deficit to cap their long road trip with a win over Minnesota.
James Neal and Ryan Johansen also scored and Pekka Rinne overcame a rough start to stop 21 shots as the Predators won four out of five on their road swing.
Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville scored for the Wild.
By The Sports Xchange
OTTAWA -- Cam Atkinson's second goal of the game 1:09 into overtime gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a wild 7-6 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Place on Sunday.
The goal was Atkinson's 23 of the season. Nick Foligno, Scott Harrington, Zach Werenski, Lukas Sedlak, Matt Calvert also scored for Columbus. Alexander Wennberg had three assists.
Zack Smith scored twice and added an assist for the Senators, while Mike Hoffman also notched a pair of goals and Mark Stone and Kyle Turris had the others.
Making his 22nd consecutive appearance and 13th straight start, Mike Condon stopped 22 shots. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves in the Blue Jackets net.
Rangers 1, Red Wings 0 (OT)
DETROIT -- Henrik Lundqvist maintained his mastery over Detroit, leading New York to victory.
J.T. Miller converted Mats Zuccarello's feed on a two-on-none breakaway at 1:56 of overtime for his 15th goal of the season.
Lundqvist, who made 21 saves in posting his second shutout of the season and his second straight win since ending a personal three-game losing streak, is now 6-1-1 with four shutouts in his last eight games against the Red Wings.
Penguins 5, Bruins 1
PITTSBURGH -- Collecting two goals for the third time in four games, Conor Sheary sparked Pittsburgh past Boston at PPG Paints Arena.
Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Patric Hornqvist also scored for the Penguins while Matt Murray made 44 saves.
David Krejci scored the lone goal got the Bruins.
Flyers 3, Islanders 2 (OT)
NEW YORK -- Claude Giroux scored with 1:40 left in overtime as Philadelphia topped New York at Barclays Center.
Wayne Simmonds and Ivan Provorov also scored for the Flyers and Steve Mason stopped 36 of 38 shots.
Nick Leddy and Alan Quine scored for the Islanders, who had a three-game winning streak snapped as they lost for the first time under interim head coach Doug Weight. Thomas Greiss recorded 44 saves.
Blackhawks 4, Canucks 2
CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews scored a goal and had three assists and scored with 1:18 remaining to lift Chicago over Vancouver at the United Center.
Marian Hossa, Richard Panik and Patrick Kane also scored and Corey Crawford made 26 saves for the Blackhawks.
Troy Stecher and Bo Horvat scored and Ryan Miller finished with 31 saves for the Canucks.
Predators 4, Wild 2
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Filip Forsberg scored twice in the third period as Nashville rallied from an early deficit to cap their long road trip with a win over Minnesota.
James Neal and Ryan Johansen also scored and Pekka Rinne overcame a rough start to stop 21 shots as the Predators won four out of five on their road swing.
Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville scored for the Wild.
Preview: Kings (22-20) at Rangers (30-16)
Date: January 23, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
Is Henrik Lundqvist back?
It's a question that's been asked throughout this season, as the perennial Vezina Trophy candidate has struggled for stretches, appeared to turn a corner only to falter again. But as the New York Rangers prepare to host the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, Lundqvist looks like his old self again.
The Rangers defense in front of him has helped, too.
Lundqvist has allowed two goals over his past two starts and is coming off a shutout of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. He faced just 46 total shots in those two games -- a stark contrast for a team that had allowed at least 30 shots in four of their previous five games -- but you won't hear him complain after he allowed seven goals Tuesday to a Dallas Stars club that had its way against the Rangers.
"For me personally, it's nice to get two games here where, sure I've changed my mindset a little bit and tried to be a little bit better, but I think the biggest change is just the way we play in front of me with the structure and not giving up the big chances right in front of me," Lundqvist said to the Daily News.
"You've got to take a step back sometimes. I know I can be better, and the last two with the help from the guys, I feel like I've been better."
For the Kings, putting the puck into the net has been a bigger problem that keeping it out of their net. They are in the bottom-third of the league in goals per game, which has left them toiling in mediocrity despite having the fifth-best defense without starting goaltender Jonathan Quick for almost the entire season.
The Kings fell behind the New York Islanders early and couldn't bury enough chances to complete a comeback.
"Yeah. I mean, I thought we had a really good start to the game," the Kings' Jeff Carter said to L.A. Kings Insider. "Did a lot of good things except put the puck in the net. That's been an issue for us all year. You know, we get one or two in that first it could be a different game, right? Showed a lot to battle back but we come up with nothing so it's tough.
"I think we did a lot of good things but at the end of the day you've got to win games and last night we lost ground. I don't know what happened tonight but we've got to get these next three games. We're starting to drop back too much so we've got to keep her going."
The Kings are three points out of a playoff spot entering Monday.
"We've got to play desperate hockey right now," Carter said. "We need all the points we can get. We're going to need all hands on deck here and we've got to get rolling. We've got to clean up a few things and start putting up some points."
It won't be easy against the Rangers, who have been an offensive juggernaut all season and now may be getting their all-world goaltender back at an all-world level.
"I think every athlete and hockey player obviously goes through stretches where it's just a lot harder to get it done, especially at this level," Lundqvist said to the Daily News. "All it takes is you lose five, six percent and that's the difference between being OK and being great."
Date: January 23, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
Is Henrik Lundqvist back?
It's a question that's been asked throughout this season, as the perennial Vezina Trophy candidate has struggled for stretches, appeared to turn a corner only to falter again. But as the New York Rangers prepare to host the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, Lundqvist looks like his old self again.
The Rangers defense in front of him has helped, too.
Lundqvist has allowed two goals over his past two starts and is coming off a shutout of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. He faced just 46 total shots in those two games -- a stark contrast for a team that had allowed at least 30 shots in four of their previous five games -- but you won't hear him complain after he allowed seven goals Tuesday to a Dallas Stars club that had its way against the Rangers.
"For me personally, it's nice to get two games here where, sure I've changed my mindset a little bit and tried to be a little bit better, but I think the biggest change is just the way we play in front of me with the structure and not giving up the big chances right in front of me," Lundqvist said to the Daily News.
"You've got to take a step back sometimes. I know I can be better, and the last two with the help from the guys, I feel like I've been better."
For the Kings, putting the puck into the net has been a bigger problem that keeping it out of their net. They are in the bottom-third of the league in goals per game, which has left them toiling in mediocrity despite having the fifth-best defense without starting goaltender Jonathan Quick for almost the entire season.
The Kings fell behind the New York Islanders early and couldn't bury enough chances to complete a comeback.
"Yeah. I mean, I thought we had a really good start to the game," the Kings' Jeff Carter said to L.A. Kings Insider. "Did a lot of good things except put the puck in the net. That's been an issue for us all year. You know, we get one or two in that first it could be a different game, right? Showed a lot to battle back but we come up with nothing so it's tough.
"I think we did a lot of good things but at the end of the day you've got to win games and last night we lost ground. I don't know what happened tonight but we've got to get these next three games. We're starting to drop back too much so we've got to keep her going."
The Kings are three points out of a playoff spot entering Monday.
"We've got to play desperate hockey right now," Carter said. "We need all the points we can get. We're going to need all hands on deck here and we've got to get rolling. We've got to clean up a few things and start putting up some points."
It won't be easy against the Rangers, who have been an offensive juggernaut all season and now may be getting their all-world goaltender back at an all-world level.
"I think every athlete and hockey player obviously goes through stretches where it's just a lot harder to get it done, especially at this level," Lundqvist said to the Daily News. "All it takes is you lose five, six percent and that's the difference between being OK and being great."
Preview: Hurricanes (21-18) at Capitals (31-9)
Date: January 23, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals continued their high-scoring ways during a three-game road trip. Now, they'll make a quick stop home before heading back out on the road for three more.
The Capitals (31-9-6) bring a 13-game point streak into Monday night's matchup against a Carolina Hurricanes team that has lost three straight.
Washington is 11-0-2 during its streak and has outscored opponents 59-27. The Capitals completed a 2-0-1 road trip with 4-3 overtime win Saturday night at Dallas, a place where the Capitals hadn't won since Oct. 25, 2008.
Washington trailed 3-1 before getting two third-period power-play scores. Jay Beagle netted the winner just 19 seconds into overtime and the Capitals remained atop the Metropolitan Division.
"It was obviously huge. Our power play got some chances and got two big goals," Beagle told NHL.com. "It was just never a doubt. We're playing good right now, we're playing confident and we came into here in the second intermission and we said we're taking this game over and we're going to win. So, that's the kind of confidence you've got to play with."
Backup goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped 32 shots to improve to 9-1-2 with 2.05 goals-against average.
The Capitals appeared headed for yet another Lone Star state loss until Alex Ovechkin notched his 22nd goal and linemate T.J. Oshie followed with his 17th.
"Sometimes, those games where you don't play very well but you gut one out anyways, those are big team-builders," Matt Niskanen told the Washington Post. "I think that's going to be a big one for us in the future."
Carolina (21-18-7) outshot Columbus 37-20 on Saturday night, but Scott Hartnell of the Blue Jackets scored the game-winner midway through the third period.
Sebastian Aho and Justin Faulk scored and backup goalie Michael Leighton made 17 saves for the Hurricanes, who were coming off a 7-1 loss to the Penguins on Friday.
"We wanted a good bounce back. I thought we did that," Jordan Staal told NHL.com. "We played the way we wanted to play. Sometimes you don't get the results."
Despite the three straight losses, Carolina currently sits just outside of playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes have split their first two meetings with Washington, earning three points in the process.
Washington continues to be generous with the power play, giving Dallas six chances on Saturday. The Hurricanes, however, have not been capitalizing on such opportunities.
Carolina was 0-for-15 in the seven games before Saturday and now is 2-for-42 in the 16 games since Dec. 16. The Hurricanes rank 23rd in the NHL on the power play, scoring at 16.5 percent.
"Having a strong power play is huge," Elias Lindholm told the Raleigh News & Observer. "Pretty much every game is a one-goal game. As it is now, we don't create enough. We need to at least get some momentum off the power play but in a lot of games we haven't even gotten that."
On the flip side, Carolina's penalty killers are tops in the NHL.
Ovechkin will be happy to welcome Carolina to Verizon Center. He has 32 goals and 45 assists in 67 games versus the Hurricanes, while Nicklas Backstrom has 14 goals and 37 assists in 47 games.
Justin Williams has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in his last 14 games overall while Ovechkin has 12 points in his last seven.
Braden Holtby is 9-4 with a 1.90 goals-against average against the Hurricanes, while Carolina's Cam Ward is 17-15-5 with a 2.59 GAA versus the Capitals.
Jeff Skinner has 11 goals and 11 assists in 31 games against Washington.
Date: January 23, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals continued their high-scoring ways during a three-game road trip. Now, they'll make a quick stop home before heading back out on the road for three more.
The Capitals (31-9-6) bring a 13-game point streak into Monday night's matchup against a Carolina Hurricanes team that has lost three straight.
Washington is 11-0-2 during its streak and has outscored opponents 59-27. The Capitals completed a 2-0-1 road trip with 4-3 overtime win Saturday night at Dallas, a place where the Capitals hadn't won since Oct. 25, 2008.
Washington trailed 3-1 before getting two third-period power-play scores. Jay Beagle netted the winner just 19 seconds into overtime and the Capitals remained atop the Metropolitan Division.
"It was obviously huge. Our power play got some chances and got two big goals," Beagle told NHL.com. "It was just never a doubt. We're playing good right now, we're playing confident and we came into here in the second intermission and we said we're taking this game over and we're going to win. So, that's the kind of confidence you've got to play with."
Backup goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped 32 shots to improve to 9-1-2 with 2.05 goals-against average.
The Capitals appeared headed for yet another Lone Star state loss until Alex Ovechkin notched his 22nd goal and linemate T.J. Oshie followed with his 17th.
"Sometimes, those games where you don't play very well but you gut one out anyways, those are big team-builders," Matt Niskanen told the Washington Post. "I think that's going to be a big one for us in the future."
Carolina (21-18-7) outshot Columbus 37-20 on Saturday night, but Scott Hartnell of the Blue Jackets scored the game-winner midway through the third period.
Sebastian Aho and Justin Faulk scored and backup goalie Michael Leighton made 17 saves for the Hurricanes, who were coming off a 7-1 loss to the Penguins on Friday.
"We wanted a good bounce back. I thought we did that," Jordan Staal told NHL.com. "We played the way we wanted to play. Sometimes you don't get the results."
Despite the three straight losses, Carolina currently sits just outside of playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes have split their first two meetings with Washington, earning three points in the process.
Washington continues to be generous with the power play, giving Dallas six chances on Saturday. The Hurricanes, however, have not been capitalizing on such opportunities.
Carolina was 0-for-15 in the seven games before Saturday and now is 2-for-42 in the 16 games since Dec. 16. The Hurricanes rank 23rd in the NHL on the power play, scoring at 16.5 percent.
"Having a strong power play is huge," Elias Lindholm told the Raleigh News & Observer. "Pretty much every game is a one-goal game. As it is now, we don't create enough. We need to at least get some momentum off the power play but in a lot of games we haven't even gotten that."
On the flip side, Carolina's penalty killers are tops in the NHL.
Ovechkin will be happy to welcome Carolina to Verizon Center. He has 32 goals and 45 assists in 67 games versus the Hurricanes, while Nicklas Backstrom has 14 goals and 37 assists in 47 games.
Justin Williams has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in his last 14 games overall while Ovechkin has 12 points in his last seven.
Braden Holtby is 9-4 with a 1.90 goals-against average against the Hurricanes, while Carolina's Cam Ward is 17-15-5 with a 2.59 GAA versus the Capitals.
Jeff Skinner has 11 goals and 11 assists in 31 games against Washington.
Preview: Flames (24-22) at Maple Leafs (21-14)
Date: January 23, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be out to salvage a split in their four-game homestand on Monday at the Air Canada Centre after two losses in a row.
They will be playing the Calgary Flames, who are seeking some redemption after losing 7-3 on Saturday night to their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, with a poor effort.
"It's embarrassing," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. "Our resolve to stick to it wasn't there.
"I don't talk to the guys after the game. Win or lose, I talk to them the next day. But certainly in the coaches' room, emotions are high."
The Oilers swept the four-game season series against the Flames.
The Maple Leafs' 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday was more frustrating than embarrassing. The Senators tied the score on a power play with 1:11 left in the third period and won in a shootout.
Shootouts have been a problem this season for the Maple Leafs (21-14-9). The loss Saturday left them at 1-6 in games decided in shootouts.
"Maybe the other goalies are good, maybe we're not any good at it," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "We work on it every single pregame skate. It's just something we'll have to get better at obviously because we've left points - I think we're 1-6, or something, aren't we? So we'll just keep working on it like we do as a special team.
"We do the same thing with our power play and our penalty kill and our faceoffs. We'll work at it. We're not as good at faceoffs as we'd like to be either, so we have lots of work to do and we'll just keep doing it."
Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri said, "It's almost like going to the judge. It's a bit of a tough way to lose, but nothing you can do about it."
After winning the opener of their four-game homestand 4-3 on Tuesday over the Buffalo Sabres, the Maple Leafs lost 5-2 to the New York Rangers on Thursday.
During the first period on Tuesday, Toronto's top defenseman, Morgan Rielly, left with a knee injury. He continues to be listed as day to day and is not expected to play Monday.
"The first sign of adversity we've had all year is Morgan going down with a bit of an injury," said Matt Martin, who scored Toronto's second goal on Saturday. "And we need to find a way to win games without him.
"I mean, we've been pretty fortunate all year to be healthy. ... Every team loses great players and stars. And you have to find ways to win."
The Maple Leafs did get defenseman Martin Marincin back on Saturday. He suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 10 and missed 18 games.
A major problem for the Flames (24-22-3) recently has been falling behind early in games. They have allowed the first goal in seven consecutive games, going 2-4-1.
"That's a bunch of games in a row now where we've fallen behind and haven't been able to get any pushback, Flames captain Mark Giordano said Saturday. And in our rink, it's unacceptable.
"The stuff in the third, at the end of games, when you're down 6-1 ... those are easy. You just go all out. That's not the sign of a good team. The sign of a good team is to push back when we get down one or two and stick with our game plan, and I don't think we've been good enough at that."
Date: January 23, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be out to salvage a split in their four-game homestand on Monday at the Air Canada Centre after two losses in a row.
They will be playing the Calgary Flames, who are seeking some redemption after losing 7-3 on Saturday night to their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, with a poor effort.
"It's embarrassing," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. "Our resolve to stick to it wasn't there.
"I don't talk to the guys after the game. Win or lose, I talk to them the next day. But certainly in the coaches' room, emotions are high."
The Oilers swept the four-game season series against the Flames.
The Maple Leafs' 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday was more frustrating than embarrassing. The Senators tied the score on a power play with 1:11 left in the third period and won in a shootout.
Shootouts have been a problem this season for the Maple Leafs (21-14-9). The loss Saturday left them at 1-6 in games decided in shootouts.
"Maybe the other goalies are good, maybe we're not any good at it," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "We work on it every single pregame skate. It's just something we'll have to get better at obviously because we've left points - I think we're 1-6, or something, aren't we? So we'll just keep working on it like we do as a special team.
"We do the same thing with our power play and our penalty kill and our faceoffs. We'll work at it. We're not as good at faceoffs as we'd like to be either, so we have lots of work to do and we'll just keep doing it."
Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri said, "It's almost like going to the judge. It's a bit of a tough way to lose, but nothing you can do about it."
After winning the opener of their four-game homestand 4-3 on Tuesday over the Buffalo Sabres, the Maple Leafs lost 5-2 to the New York Rangers on Thursday.
During the first period on Tuesday, Toronto's top defenseman, Morgan Rielly, left with a knee injury. He continues to be listed as day to day and is not expected to play Monday.
"The first sign of adversity we've had all year is Morgan going down with a bit of an injury," said Matt Martin, who scored Toronto's second goal on Saturday. "And we need to find a way to win games without him.
"I mean, we've been pretty fortunate all year to be healthy. ... Every team loses great players and stars. And you have to find ways to win."
The Maple Leafs did get defenseman Martin Marincin back on Saturday. He suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 10 and missed 18 games.
A major problem for the Flames (24-22-3) recently has been falling behind early in games. They have allowed the first goal in seven consecutive games, going 2-4-1.
"That's a bunch of games in a row now where we've fallen behind and haven't been able to get any pushback, Flames captain Mark Giordano said Saturday. And in our rink, it's unacceptable.
"The stuff in the third, at the end of games, when you're down 6-1 ... those are easy. You just go all out. That's not the sign of a good team. The sign of a good team is to push back when we get down one or two and stick with our game plan, and I don't think we've been good enough at that."
Preview: Ducks (26-14) at Jets (22-23)
Date: January 23, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ondrej Pavelec is hoping to take the Winnipeg Jets where they have yet to go this season -- on a three-game winning streak.
Eight times thus far in 2016-17, the Jets have won two consecutive games and eight times they have come up short in the next game.
The veteran goalie is now the toast of the town, having won his first two starts since being recalled from the Manitoba Moose last week. But he could enter let's-build-a-statue-of-him territory if he can manage a third against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
A fourth might net him a key to the city and a fifth, well, we're getting into some serious crazy talk for a team that has been consistent in only one area this season -- inconsistency.
Pavelec broke his club record for saves in a period in a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon. He stopped all 25 shots directed his way in the second period, outdoing his 24-save performance against Ottawa in 2009, when the team was still the Atlanta Thrashers.
The 29-year-old Czech wasn't in any danger of throwing out a shoulder from patting himself on the back, though.
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, to be honest. I don't ask, I don't want to know," Pavelec said. "I'm just going to show up and whatever they tell me do, I'm going to do it."
Pavelec was also empathetic toward fellow netminders, Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson, whose inconsistent play this month in particular was the catalyst for his recall.
During the World Cup of Hockey last summer, he was the third goalie for the Czech team.
"I've been there. It's a tough situation, that's for sure," Pavelec said. "For the third guy, they don't see a lot of shots at practice. It's like training camp, there are usually more than three goalies in training camp. We know each other, we're all pros. We can handle it, we know how to handle it. A few teams do that around the NHL and that's the way we're going to do it, I guess."
It's unclear if rookie Finnish sniper Patrik Laine will rejoin his teammates against the Ducks. He had another full-contact practice on Sunday a couple of days after having had all physical restrictions removed in the wake of his concussion suffered two weeks ago against Buffalo.
The Ducks come to town having lost 5-3 to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, which ended their three-game winning streak. They also had a five-game winning streak earlier in the month plus a six-game losing streak in December, so the Ducks have had consistency issues of their own.
Anaheim will be without forward Jakob Silfverberg, who had been playing on the top line with Ryan Kesler and Andrew Cogliano but didn't make the road trip.
Silfverberg was left at home after landing on his head following a hard check along the glass from Colorado's Nikita Zadorov. He was on pace for a career year with 13 goals and 16 assists in 48 games.
Replacing him won't be easy, but it looks like fourth-liner Logan Shaw will give it a shot on Monday.
"You don't replace players that make that type of contribution easily," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told the Los Angeles Daily News. "So we're going to look at other people now. And when somebody goes down and somebody's missing from your lineup, it expands the role and gives the opportunity for somebody else to step into a larger role."
Date: January 23, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ondrej Pavelec is hoping to take the Winnipeg Jets where they have yet to go this season -- on a three-game winning streak.
Eight times thus far in 2016-17, the Jets have won two consecutive games and eight times they have come up short in the next game.
The veteran goalie is now the toast of the town, having won his first two starts since being recalled from the Manitoba Moose last week. But he could enter let's-build-a-statue-of-him territory if he can manage a third against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night.
A fourth might net him a key to the city and a fifth, well, we're getting into some serious crazy talk for a team that has been consistent in only one area this season -- inconsistency.
Pavelec broke his club record for saves in a period in a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon. He stopped all 25 shots directed his way in the second period, outdoing his 24-save performance against Ottawa in 2009, when the team was still the Atlanta Thrashers.
The 29-year-old Czech wasn't in any danger of throwing out a shoulder from patting himself on the back, though.
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, to be honest. I don't ask, I don't want to know," Pavelec said. "I'm just going to show up and whatever they tell me do, I'm going to do it."
Pavelec was also empathetic toward fellow netminders, Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson, whose inconsistent play this month in particular was the catalyst for his recall.
During the World Cup of Hockey last summer, he was the third goalie for the Czech team.
"I've been there. It's a tough situation, that's for sure," Pavelec said. "For the third guy, they don't see a lot of shots at practice. It's like training camp, there are usually more than three goalies in training camp. We know each other, we're all pros. We can handle it, we know how to handle it. A few teams do that around the NHL and that's the way we're going to do it, I guess."
It's unclear if rookie Finnish sniper Patrik Laine will rejoin his teammates against the Ducks. He had another full-contact practice on Sunday a couple of days after having had all physical restrictions removed in the wake of his concussion suffered two weeks ago against Buffalo.
The Ducks come to town having lost 5-3 to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, which ended their three-game winning streak. They also had a five-game winning streak earlier in the month plus a six-game losing streak in December, so the Ducks have had consistency issues of their own.
Anaheim will be without forward Jakob Silfverberg, who had been playing on the top line with Ryan Kesler and Andrew Cogliano but didn't make the road trip.
Silfverberg was left at home after landing on his head following a hard check along the glass from Colorado's Nikita Zadorov. He was on pace for a career year with 13 goals and 16 assists in 48 games.
Replacing him won't be easy, but it looks like fourth-liner Logan Shaw will give it a shot on Monday.
"You don't replace players that make that type of contribution easily," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told the Los Angeles Daily News. "So we're going to look at other people now. And when somebody goes down and somebody's missing from your lineup, it expands the role and gives the opportunity for somebody else to step into a larger role."
Preview: Sharks (29-16) at Avalanche (13-29)
Date: January 23, 2017 9:00 PM EDT
The San Jose Sharks had a surprising tough time putting away the worst team in the NHL at home on Saturday night.
They get a chance for a more convincing win when they take on the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Monday night.
The Sharks (29-16-2) are second in the Pacific Division but have two games in hand on first place Anaheim. San Jose's road record is only 12-10-1 but the good news is Monday's game is at Pepsi Center, where the Avalanche are 5-16-1 and have lost 12 of their last 13.
Still, after Saturday's 3-2 overtime win against Colorado, the Sharks aren't taking this one lightly, especially with the congestion at the top of the division.
"Tight division. Points are at a premium," Dave Schlemko, who scored the overtime goal on Saturday, said after the game. "We have a couple games in hand on (Anaheim and Edmonton). We have to turn those into wins and points so we can keep it going here on the road."
The Sharks have won four in a row and six of their last eight to get within a point of the Ducks. The news could be even better if they get center Thomas Hertl back from his sprained right knee. Hertl skated hard Saturday morning and if he doesn't return Monday he could be back within the week.
"I think it's almost day-to-day now," Hertl told The Mercury News. "I think I'm pretty close but we'll see how it goes the next couple days. I believe it'll be playing soon now."
Hertl, who has four goals and five assists in 17 games, hasn't played since Nov. 17.
"He's getting very close," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer told The Mercury News. "We're starting to talk about him on a daily basis, which is a good sign."
San Jose probably won't need him against the Avalanche (13-29-2), who have an NHL-low 28 points and come into Monday 2-14-1 in their last 17 games. With the playoffs not a realistic option the talk has surrounded trades. Most often mentioned are center Matt Duchene and forward Gabriel Landeskog, but as of Monday the duo is still on the roster.
So are Tyson Barrie and Rene Bourque, but neither one played Saturday because of lower-body injuries. They are considered day to day and even without those two Colorado picked up a point in San Jose.
"We're playing real good hockey against real good teams right now and we're fighting and in all the games," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said after Saturday's loss. "We want to make sure we don't have those games where we lay an egg, that we're in every game and we give ourselves a chance to win. And we've been doing that here lately even though we haven't been getting the results."
The Avalanche will be without goaltender Semyon Varlamov until after the All-Star break due to a groin injury. Calvin Pickard has played well in his absence and rookie Spencer Martin had 27 saves in his NHL debut Saturday.
"I think it's very good to get the first one out of the way without doing terribly, so it's a confidence boost and I'll use it," Martin said after the game.
Colorado has lacked Confidence for two months, but San Jose is brimming with it, and last year's Stanley Cup runner-up is gearing up for another deep playoff run.
Monday's game will be the Sharks' fifth in eight nights but they've played through the grind leading up to the All-Star break, including Saturday's game.
"I feel the fatigue and I haven't played a game. I'm just coaching," DeBoer said. "We found a way to win, it was ugly, but we found a way."
Date: January 23, 2017 9:00 PM EDT
The San Jose Sharks had a surprising tough time putting away the worst team in the NHL at home on Saturday night.
They get a chance for a more convincing win when they take on the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Monday night.
The Sharks (29-16-2) are second in the Pacific Division but have two games in hand on first place Anaheim. San Jose's road record is only 12-10-1 but the good news is Monday's game is at Pepsi Center, where the Avalanche are 5-16-1 and have lost 12 of their last 13.
Still, after Saturday's 3-2 overtime win against Colorado, the Sharks aren't taking this one lightly, especially with the congestion at the top of the division.
"Tight division. Points are at a premium," Dave Schlemko, who scored the overtime goal on Saturday, said after the game. "We have a couple games in hand on (Anaheim and Edmonton). We have to turn those into wins and points so we can keep it going here on the road."
The Sharks have won four in a row and six of their last eight to get within a point of the Ducks. The news could be even better if they get center Thomas Hertl back from his sprained right knee. Hertl skated hard Saturday morning and if he doesn't return Monday he could be back within the week.
"I think it's almost day-to-day now," Hertl told The Mercury News. "I think I'm pretty close but we'll see how it goes the next couple days. I believe it'll be playing soon now."
Hertl, who has four goals and five assists in 17 games, hasn't played since Nov. 17.
"He's getting very close," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer told The Mercury News. "We're starting to talk about him on a daily basis, which is a good sign."
San Jose probably won't need him against the Avalanche (13-29-2), who have an NHL-low 28 points and come into Monday 2-14-1 in their last 17 games. With the playoffs not a realistic option the talk has surrounded trades. Most often mentioned are center Matt Duchene and forward Gabriel Landeskog, but as of Monday the duo is still on the roster.
So are Tyson Barrie and Rene Bourque, but neither one played Saturday because of lower-body injuries. They are considered day to day and even without those two Colorado picked up a point in San Jose.
"We're playing real good hockey against real good teams right now and we're fighting and in all the games," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said after Saturday's loss. "We want to make sure we don't have those games where we lay an egg, that we're in every game and we give ourselves a chance to win. And we've been doing that here lately even though we haven't been getting the results."
The Avalanche will be without goaltender Semyon Varlamov until after the All-Star break due to a groin injury. Calvin Pickard has played well in his absence and rookie Spencer Martin had 27 saves in his NHL debut Saturday.
"I think it's very good to get the first one out of the way without doing terribly, so it's a confidence boost and I'll use it," Martin said after the game.
Colorado has lacked Confidence for two months, but San Jose is brimming with it, and last year's Stanley Cup runner-up is gearing up for another deep playoff run.
Monday's game will be the Sharks' fifth in eight nights but they've played through the grind leading up to the All-Star break, including Saturday's game.
"I feel the fatigue and I haven't played a game. I'm just coaching," DeBoer said. "We found a way to win, it was ugly, but we found a way."
Preview: Panthers (20-19) at Coyotes (14-26)
Date: January 23, 2017 9:00 PM EDT
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This wasn't the trail the Florida Panthers or Arizona Coyotes expected to blaze this season. For one team, there is still time to get back on track.
Coming off their first Atlantic Division title last year, and just the second division title in franchise history, Florida had an active offseason, signing free agents Keith Yandle, James Reimer, Jason Demers and Jonathan Marchessault, among others.
Instead of taking another step forward, the Panthers fired coach Gerard Gallant, a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2015-16, after an 11-10-1 start.
The team has also been ravaged by injuries. Center Aleksander Barkov has been out since Dec. 30 with an upper-body injury. Center Nick Bjugstad has been out since Jan. 7 with a groin injury, and also missed time with a broken hand earlier this season.
Left winger Jonathan Huberdeau hasn't played this season due to an Achilles injury and defenseman Alex Petrovic is still week-to-week with an ankle injury.
As a result, the Panthers found themselves two points off the Eastern Conference playoff face before Saturday's games.
"Everybody has injuries and we're not using it as an excuse -- we're not going to let anybody use it -- we just have to be more consistent from coaches to veterans to young kids," Florida coach Tom Rowe said Sunday after the Panthers practiced at Gila River Arena, a day before their game against the Coyotes on Monday. "We had a real good discussion today of keeping things positive. When things are going great, it's easy to be positive, it's easy to be happy; everybody's patting each other on the back. The real test of a good team, a real-high character team is how you handle the adversity."
While Bjugstad could return soon, the Panthers know they can't rely on the return of Barkov and Huberdeau, two-thirds of their top line, as they try to stay in the postseason picture.
"You can't expect or wait for guys to come back," said center Vincent Trocheck, who leads the team in goals (17), points (32), and is averaging the most ice time among Florida's forwards (21:40) and the third-most among all NHL forwards behind Chicago's Patrick Kane and Anaheim's Ryan Kesler.
"You never know when guys will get healthy, or if they'll get healthy. We have the team that we have so we have to play our hardest with the guys we have. We've got to be the ones to make a push for the playoffs."
The goals are more modest for the Coyotes. Arizona is going to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season. The Coyotes trailed the final Western Conference wild-card spot by 17 points on Saturday. Coach Dave Tippett is just hoping to see the type of progression from his youth-laden roster that has been evident in the play of recent American Hockey League call-ups Brendan Perlini (seven goals in 21 games) and Christian Fischer, who had a goal in his NHL debut on Saturday, a 5-3 win over Tampa Bay.
"To make sure we are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to win on a given night, that's what we have to do," Tippett said. "Some nights it's going to work out, and some nights it's not, but the other team has got to know that we're a hard, hard opponent. If we do that, it'll be interesting to see how many more wins we get here."
Coyotes right winger Jordan Martinook missed Saturday's game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day to day. Left winger Max Domi (hand) is out until after the All-Star break and center Brad Richardson (broken right tibia and fibula) is out of his cast but the team still has not set a timeline for his return.
Mike Smith is expected to start in goal for Arizona; Roberto Luongo is expected to start for Florida.
Date: January 23, 2017 9:00 PM EDT
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- This wasn't the trail the Florida Panthers or Arizona Coyotes expected to blaze this season. For one team, there is still time to get back on track.
Coming off their first Atlantic Division title last year, and just the second division title in franchise history, Florida had an active offseason, signing free agents Keith Yandle, James Reimer, Jason Demers and Jonathan Marchessault, among others.
Instead of taking another step forward, the Panthers fired coach Gerard Gallant, a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2015-16, after an 11-10-1 start.
The team has also been ravaged by injuries. Center Aleksander Barkov has been out since Dec. 30 with an upper-body injury. Center Nick Bjugstad has been out since Jan. 7 with a groin injury, and also missed time with a broken hand earlier this season.
Left winger Jonathan Huberdeau hasn't played this season due to an Achilles injury and defenseman Alex Petrovic is still week-to-week with an ankle injury.
As a result, the Panthers found themselves two points off the Eastern Conference playoff face before Saturday's games.
"Everybody has injuries and we're not using it as an excuse -- we're not going to let anybody use it -- we just have to be more consistent from coaches to veterans to young kids," Florida coach Tom Rowe said Sunday after the Panthers practiced at Gila River Arena, a day before their game against the Coyotes on Monday. "We had a real good discussion today of keeping things positive. When things are going great, it's easy to be positive, it's easy to be happy; everybody's patting each other on the back. The real test of a good team, a real-high character team is how you handle the adversity."
While Bjugstad could return soon, the Panthers know they can't rely on the return of Barkov and Huberdeau, two-thirds of their top line, as they try to stay in the postseason picture.
"You can't expect or wait for guys to come back," said center Vincent Trocheck, who leads the team in goals (17), points (32), and is averaging the most ice time among Florida's forwards (21:40) and the third-most among all NHL forwards behind Chicago's Patrick Kane and Anaheim's Ryan Kesler.
"You never know when guys will get healthy, or if they'll get healthy. We have the team that we have so we have to play our hardest with the guys we have. We've got to be the ones to make a push for the playoffs."
The goals are more modest for the Coyotes. Arizona is going to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season. The Coyotes trailed the final Western Conference wild-card spot by 17 points on Saturday. Coach Dave Tippett is just hoping to see the type of progression from his youth-laden roster that has been evident in the play of recent American Hockey League call-ups Brendan Perlini (seven goals in 21 games) and Christian Fischer, who had a goal in his NHL debut on Saturday, a 5-3 win over Tampa Bay.
"To make sure we are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to win on a given night, that's what we have to do," Tippett said. "Some nights it's going to work out, and some nights it's not, but the other team has got to know that we're a hard, hard opponent. If we do that, it'll be interesting to see how many more wins we get here."
Coyotes right winger Jordan Martinook missed Saturday's game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day to day. Left winger Max Domi (hand) is out until after the All-Star break and center Brad Richardson (broken right tibia and fibula) is out of his cast but the team still has not set a timeline for his return.
Mike Smith is expected to start in goal for Arizona; Roberto Luongo is expected to start for Florida.
Grand Salami - January
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 - - -
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 - - -
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
NHL
Monday’s games
Rangers lost eight of last ten games with Los Angeles; last four series games went over total. Kings won four of their last five visits to Manhattan. LA lost its last three games overall, scoring total of five goals; their 1-4 in last five road games- over is 4-1-2 in their last seven games. New York won last two games but were outscored 15-9 in losing last three home games. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games.
Washington won seven of last ten games with Carolina; three of last four series games went over total. Hurricanes were outscored 14-7 in losing last four visits here. Carolina was outscored 14-4 in losing its last three games; they also lost last three road games. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Capitals won nine of last ten games- they outscored foes 21-2 in last four home tilts. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games.
Home side won last six Calgary-Toronto games; Flames were outscored 15-7 in losing last four visits here. Three of last four series games went over total. Calgary lost four of last five games; they were outscored 8-3 in losing last three road games. Flames’ last three games all went over. Maple Leafs lost 5-2/3-2 in their last two games, after a 9-2 run; seven of their last nine games went over the total.
Ducks won nine of last ten games with Winnipeg; Anaheim won their last five visits to Manitoba. Over is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Anaheim won five of last seven games but is 4-5 in its last nine road tilts. Under is 8-1-1 in their last ten games. Jets won three of last four home games but lost four of last six games overall. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games.
Sharks won six of last eight games with Colorado; San Jose is 2-3 in its last five visits to Mile High City. Over is 5-0-1 in last six series games. Sharks won last four games, allowing total of seven goals- they won two of last three road games. Over is 4-2-3 in their last nine games. Avalanche was outscored 18-10 in losing their last five games; under is 5-1-2 in their last eight games.
Home side won last five Florida-Arizona games; Panthers were outscored 9-3 in losing last three visits to desert. Under is 7-1 in last eight series games. Florida was outscored 11-6 in losing last three games, all on road; four of their last five games went over total. Coyotes lost four of last five games but won three of last four at home; their last three games went over total.
Monday’s games
Rangers lost eight of last ten games with Los Angeles; last four series games went over total. Kings won four of their last five visits to Manhattan. LA lost its last three games overall, scoring total of five goals; their 1-4 in last five road games- over is 4-1-2 in their last seven games. New York won last two games but were outscored 15-9 in losing last three home games. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games.
Washington won seven of last ten games with Carolina; three of last four series games went over total. Hurricanes were outscored 14-7 in losing last four visits here. Carolina was outscored 14-4 in losing its last three games; they also lost last three road games. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Capitals won nine of last ten games- they outscored foes 21-2 in last four home tilts. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games.
Home side won last six Calgary-Toronto games; Flames were outscored 15-7 in losing last four visits here. Three of last four series games went over total. Calgary lost four of last five games; they were outscored 8-3 in losing last three road games. Flames’ last three games all went over. Maple Leafs lost 5-2/3-2 in their last two games, after a 9-2 run; seven of their last nine games went over the total.
Ducks won nine of last ten games with Winnipeg; Anaheim won their last five visits to Manitoba. Over is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Anaheim won five of last seven games but is 4-5 in its last nine road tilts. Under is 8-1-1 in their last ten games. Jets won three of last four home games but lost four of last six games overall. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games.
Sharks won six of last eight games with Colorado; San Jose is 2-3 in its last five visits to Mile High City. Over is 5-0-1 in last six series games. Sharks won last four games, allowing total of seven goals- they won two of last three road games. Over is 4-2-3 in their last nine games. Avalanche was outscored 18-10 in losing their last five games; under is 5-1-2 in their last eight games.
Home side won last five Florida-Arizona games; Panthers were outscored 9-3 in losing last three visits to desert. Under is 7-1 in last eight series games. Florida was outscored 11-6 in losing last three games, all on road; four of their last five games went over total. Coyotes lost four of last five games but won three of last four at home; their last three games went over total.
NBA roundup: Lakers take worst-ever loss
By The Sports Xchange
DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks blitzed Los Angeles in the second quarter Sunday and handed the Lakers the worst loss in franchise history, 122-73.
Dallas rode a 31-9 surge in the second quarter that built upon its 29-22 lead after one quarter.
Seven Mavericks finished in double figures, but with no player totaling more than Justin Anderson's 19 points. Seth Curry had 14 points, and Dirk Nowitzki and Wesley Matthews each scored 13 points. Matthews left with a minor hip injury.
Only two Lakers players scored in double figures -- Lou Williams with 15 points and Jordan Clarkson with 10.
Warriors 118, Magic 98
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Stephen Curry scored 27 points, and Golden State won its seventh consecutive game by overwhelming Orlando.
Curry hit 7 of 13 3-point attempts to score at least 20 points for his 10th consecutive game. He had 16 points in the third quarter when the Warriors sealed the victory. Klay Thompson scored 21 points and hit 7 of 9 3-pointers, and Kevin Durant added 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Golden State.
Eldrid Payton led the Magic with 23 points and 10 assists. Bismack Biyombo had 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Suns 115, Raptors 103
TORONTO -- Eric Bledsoe scored 40 points and added 13 assists as Phoenix defeated Toronto. It was the second win in a row for the Suns, who won both games of the season series with Toronto. The Raptors lost a third straight game for the first time this season.
Devin Booker added 20 points for the Suns. Tyler Chandler had 16 points and nine rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan had 22 points for Toronto, while Jonas Valanciunas contributed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Timberwolves 111, Nuggets 108
MINNEAPOLIS -- Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and he hit a go-ahead jump shot with 42.5 seconds left as Minnesota came from behind to beat Denver.
Shabazz Muhammad came off the bench to score 20 for Minnesota, which also pulled out a last-minute comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers in its last game. Andrew Wiggins had 24 points for the Timberwolves, who have won five of their past seven games and four in a row at home.
Gary Harris returned from an ankle injury to score 22 points and Nikola Jokic had 18 points and eight rebounds for Denver. The Nuggets won four of their previous five games.
By The Sports Xchange
DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks blitzed Los Angeles in the second quarter Sunday and handed the Lakers the worst loss in franchise history, 122-73.
Dallas rode a 31-9 surge in the second quarter that built upon its 29-22 lead after one quarter.
Seven Mavericks finished in double figures, but with no player totaling more than Justin Anderson's 19 points. Seth Curry had 14 points, and Dirk Nowitzki and Wesley Matthews each scored 13 points. Matthews left with a minor hip injury.
Only two Lakers players scored in double figures -- Lou Williams with 15 points and Jordan Clarkson with 10.
Warriors 118, Magic 98
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Stephen Curry scored 27 points, and Golden State won its seventh consecutive game by overwhelming Orlando.
Curry hit 7 of 13 3-point attempts to score at least 20 points for his 10th consecutive game. He had 16 points in the third quarter when the Warriors sealed the victory. Klay Thompson scored 21 points and hit 7 of 9 3-pointers, and Kevin Durant added 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Golden State.
Eldrid Payton led the Magic with 23 points and 10 assists. Bismack Biyombo had 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Suns 115, Raptors 103
TORONTO -- Eric Bledsoe scored 40 points and added 13 assists as Phoenix defeated Toronto. It was the second win in a row for the Suns, who won both games of the season series with Toronto. The Raptors lost a third straight game for the first time this season.
Devin Booker added 20 points for the Suns. Tyler Chandler had 16 points and nine rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan had 22 points for Toronto, while Jonas Valanciunas contributed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Timberwolves 111, Nuggets 108
MINNEAPOLIS -- Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and he hit a go-ahead jump shot with 42.5 seconds left as Minnesota came from behind to beat Denver.
Shabazz Muhammad came off the bench to score 20 for Minnesota, which also pulled out a last-minute comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers in its last game. Andrew Wiggins had 24 points for the Timberwolves, who have won five of their past seven games and four in a row at home.
Gary Harris returned from an ankle injury to score 22 points and Nikola Jokic had 18 points and eight rebounds for Denver. The Nuggets won four of their previous five games.
Preview: Wizards (23-20) at Hornets (23-21)
Date: January 23, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
If there were any doubts about Charlotte being a viable threat in the Eastern Conference, those questions were erased after the Hornets' past two games.
On Friday, guard Kemba Walker led the Hornets to a 113-78 rout of the Toronto Raptors, one of the Eastern Conference's elite teams.
Walker had 32 points, four rebounds and eight assists in 29 minutes while matched up against Toronto's All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan and his running mate, Kyle Lowry, who has a good chance of being named to the All-Star squad this week.
On Saturday, seven players scored in double figures in 112-105 victory over Brooklyn in what was arguably one of Charlotte's best overall performances despite playing the team with the worst record in the league.
The win over the Nets was the Hornets' third straight and ninth in its last 10 appearances at Spectrum Center.
Charlotte will get an even better indication of where it stands in the NBA power strata this week when the Washington Wizards invade the Spectrum Center on Monday followed by the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Sure, the Warriors will provide a sound measuring stick, but the Wizards?
The Wizards are one of the NBA's hottest teams despite losing 113-112 Saturday on a last-second shot to the Detroit Pistons, only their second defeat in the last nine outings.
And with guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Washington backcourt doesn't take a backseat to anyone in the East.
In the loss to the Pistons, Wall finished with 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. He's averaging 23 points, 4.5 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Beal is at 21.7 points per game but is mired in a slump.
After Beal missed all seven shots from beyond the arc Saturday, his futility streak has stretched to 0 of 19 in three games. Beal was asked about his slump.
"What's a 'miss?'" Beal told The Washington Post in mock confusion. "A 'miss' is a lady."
"I don't know what a miss is."
Like any good shooter, Beal has little conscience and knows he will regain his stroke as long as he keeps shooting. He still is averaging career highs in scoring, overall shooting (.456) and 3-point percentages (.394).
"I've been around Brad," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. "He's diligent in his work. He gets his shots in. He doesn't change his routine. I think that's the best way to get out of some missed shots. He's getting good looks. He just has to keep believing in it because I do and his teammates do."
There's no shortage of belief in the Hornets' locker room, especially when it comes to the diminutive Walker.
"It's not a question of 'Is he playing like an All-Star?' He's an All-Star-caliber guard, there's no question about it. He's playing great," Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters.
For his part, Walker is more focused on the Hornets' 21-21 record and says he doesn't deserve an All-Star nod, despite career bests in shooting percentage, 3-point shooting percentage and points per game.
"I really don't care honestly. It's starting to get old hearing about it," Walker said. "If my name is called, of course, I would be super excited. But if not I'm just going to move forward."
And moving forward for Walker means moving the Hornets up in the standings during his breakout season. Through his first four years in the league, Walker was a 39 percent shooter from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range.
This season, he's at 46.3 from the field and 41.1 from beyond the arc.
"I'm six years in now. It is a lot different when I'm out there," Walker said. "It's everything, my pace, my pick-and-roll game, of course my shot, I'm just able to score in many different ways now."
Date: January 23, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
If there were any doubts about Charlotte being a viable threat in the Eastern Conference, those questions were erased after the Hornets' past two games.
On Friday, guard Kemba Walker led the Hornets to a 113-78 rout of the Toronto Raptors, one of the Eastern Conference's elite teams.
Walker had 32 points, four rebounds and eight assists in 29 minutes while matched up against Toronto's All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan and his running mate, Kyle Lowry, who has a good chance of being named to the All-Star squad this week.
On Saturday, seven players scored in double figures in 112-105 victory over Brooklyn in what was arguably one of Charlotte's best overall performances despite playing the team with the worst record in the league.
The win over the Nets was the Hornets' third straight and ninth in its last 10 appearances at Spectrum Center.
Charlotte will get an even better indication of where it stands in the NBA power strata this week when the Washington Wizards invade the Spectrum Center on Monday followed by the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Sure, the Warriors will provide a sound measuring stick, but the Wizards?
The Wizards are one of the NBA's hottest teams despite losing 113-112 Saturday on a last-second shot to the Detroit Pistons, only their second defeat in the last nine outings.
And with guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Washington backcourt doesn't take a backseat to anyone in the East.
In the loss to the Pistons, Wall finished with 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. He's averaging 23 points, 4.5 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Beal is at 21.7 points per game but is mired in a slump.
After Beal missed all seven shots from beyond the arc Saturday, his futility streak has stretched to 0 of 19 in three games. Beal was asked about his slump.
"What's a 'miss?'" Beal told The Washington Post in mock confusion. "A 'miss' is a lady."
"I don't know what a miss is."
Like any good shooter, Beal has little conscience and knows he will regain his stroke as long as he keeps shooting. He still is averaging career highs in scoring, overall shooting (.456) and 3-point percentages (.394).
"I've been around Brad," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. "He's diligent in his work. He gets his shots in. He doesn't change his routine. I think that's the best way to get out of some missed shots. He's getting good looks. He just has to keep believing in it because I do and his teammates do."
There's no shortage of belief in the Hornets' locker room, especially when it comes to the diminutive Walker.
"It's not a question of 'Is he playing like an All-Star?' He's an All-Star-caliber guard, there's no question about it. He's playing great," Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters.
For his part, Walker is more focused on the Hornets' 21-21 record and says he doesn't deserve an All-Star nod, despite career bests in shooting percentage, 3-point shooting percentage and points per game.
"I really don't care honestly. It's starting to get old hearing about it," Walker said. "If my name is called, of course, I would be super excited. But if not I'm just going to move forward."
And moving forward for Walker means moving the Hornets up in the standings during his breakout season. Through his first four years in the league, Walker was a 39 percent shooter from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range.
This season, he's at 46.3 from the field and 41.1 from beyond the arc.
"I'm six years in now. It is a lot different when I'm out there," Walker said. "It's everything, my pace, my pick-and-roll game, of course my shot, I'm just able to score in many different ways now."
Preview: Kings (16-27) at Pistons (21-24)
Date: January 23, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
The final seconds of their last game left the Sacramento Kings infuriated. The final second of the Detroit Pistons' last game produced euphoria.
Those two teams come into their meeting at The Palace on Monday night in very different moods.
A questionable foul call against center DeMarcus Cousins with the score tied proved pivotal in the Kings' 102-99 loss at Chicago on Saturday night. That nullified a fast break for the Kings and the Bulls' Dwyane Wade hit one of two free throws with 14 seconds remaining.
"It's deflating," Kings guard Darren Collison told the media afterward, including ESPN.com. "It's hurtful. We felt like we played a great game throughout the whole game, we played hard. We played together as a team. And the way the game ended, the way it (was taken) away from us, it hurts."
Cousins, who sarcastically praised the officials afterward, saw his huge night go to waste. He erupted for 42 points and 14 rebounds, but the Kings (16-27) lost their fifth straight.
"He keeps getting better and better," coach Dave Joerger said. "He's hard to guard. Guys love him, we love him, and he's made major strides in a lot of areas. And I think he still has room in his game to keep adding things."
The problem for Joerger and the Kings is finding other options to complement their star player. They lost their No. 2 scorer, small forward Rudy Gay, for the season on Wednesday when he ruptured his left Achilles tendon.
Cousins was the only Kings player in double figures against the Bulls. Garrett Temple and Arron Afflalo started at the wing positions and combined for 17 points while going 6 of 18 from the field.
Sacramento's lone win in the last nine games came against the Pistons. The Kings erased an 18-point deficit and Cousins sank two late 3-pointers in a 100-94 victory at Golden 1 Center on Jan. 10.
That began a three-game losing streak for Detroit, but it has since rebounded to win three in a row, including a 113-112 victory over Washington on Saturday. Marcus Morris' putback with two-tenths of a seconds remaining rescued the Pistons (21-24), who gave away a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.
"Even at halftime, I said the reason we were ahead was we were playing really hard," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I thought our energy was really, really good. I don't think we played real well, obviously, with 20 turnovers and 33 fouls. But you have to win some games like that."
Van Gundy doesn't expect much of a carryover into Monday's game.
"It's just one more in the left-hand column," he said. "Statement games, emotional wins -- it's a win, it's one game. I have been at this too long (to think otherwise). It moves you on to the next game."
Van Gundy's club survived an off-night from its top player, center Andre Drummond, who played just 18 minutes and scored three points because of foul trouble.
Drummond also struggled against Cousins in the first meeting, scoring just nine points.
The Pistons are getting healthier. Power forward Jon Leuer, who missed that game with a bone bruise on a knee, returned Saturday and scored 10 points off the bench.
Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remained sidelined for the third straight game with a rotator cuff strain. He's questionable to play on Monday.
Date: January 23, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
The final seconds of their last game left the Sacramento Kings infuriated. The final second of the Detroit Pistons' last game produced euphoria.
Those two teams come into their meeting at The Palace on Monday night in very different moods.
A questionable foul call against center DeMarcus Cousins with the score tied proved pivotal in the Kings' 102-99 loss at Chicago on Saturday night. That nullified a fast break for the Kings and the Bulls' Dwyane Wade hit one of two free throws with 14 seconds remaining.
"It's deflating," Kings guard Darren Collison told the media afterward, including ESPN.com. "It's hurtful. We felt like we played a great game throughout the whole game, we played hard. We played together as a team. And the way the game ended, the way it (was taken) away from us, it hurts."
Cousins, who sarcastically praised the officials afterward, saw his huge night go to waste. He erupted for 42 points and 14 rebounds, but the Kings (16-27) lost their fifth straight.
"He keeps getting better and better," coach Dave Joerger said. "He's hard to guard. Guys love him, we love him, and he's made major strides in a lot of areas. And I think he still has room in his game to keep adding things."
The problem for Joerger and the Kings is finding other options to complement their star player. They lost their No. 2 scorer, small forward Rudy Gay, for the season on Wednesday when he ruptured his left Achilles tendon.
Cousins was the only Kings player in double figures against the Bulls. Garrett Temple and Arron Afflalo started at the wing positions and combined for 17 points while going 6 of 18 from the field.
Sacramento's lone win in the last nine games came against the Pistons. The Kings erased an 18-point deficit and Cousins sank two late 3-pointers in a 100-94 victory at Golden 1 Center on Jan. 10.
That began a three-game losing streak for Detroit, but it has since rebounded to win three in a row, including a 113-112 victory over Washington on Saturday. Marcus Morris' putback with two-tenths of a seconds remaining rescued the Pistons (21-24), who gave away a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.
"Even at halftime, I said the reason we were ahead was we were playing really hard," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I thought our energy was really, really good. I don't think we played real well, obviously, with 20 turnovers and 33 fouls. But you have to win some games like that."
Van Gundy doesn't expect much of a carryover into Monday's game.
"It's just one more in the left-hand column," he said. "Statement games, emotional wins -- it's a win, it's one game. I have been at this too long (to think otherwise). It moves you on to the next game."
Van Gundy's club survived an off-night from its top player, center Andre Drummond, who played just 18 minutes and scored three points because of foul trouble.
Drummond also struggled against Cousins in the first meeting, scoring just nine points.
The Pistons are getting healthier. Power forward Jon Leuer, who missed that game with a bone bruise on a knee, returned Saturday and scored 10 points off the bench.
Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remained sidelined for the third straight game with a rotator cuff strain. He's questionable to play on Monday.
Preview: Spurs (34-9) at Nets (9-34)
Date: January 23, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The San Antonio Spurs may be slightly shorthanded but Kawhi Leonard is hardly lacking in the scoring department.
Fresh off his stellar performance Saturday in Cleveland, Leonard and the Spurs visit the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.
Leonard is averaging 25.5 points per game this season and is putting on an outstanding display of late. Leonard has been in double figures for 75 straight regular-season games and it includes 14 games with at least 30 points, which is four more than his career total before this season.
The latest big performance occurred during Saturday's nationally televised 118-115 overtime victory at Cleveland. Leonard topped 30 points for the sixth straight game by getting a career-best 41 on 15-of-30 shooting and enjoying his matchup against LeBron James.
"I'm just having fun out there playing against him," Leonard said. "We've been through battles in the Finals, and always when I'm playing somebody on a great team, it just pushes your energy and you're just having the most fun at that time. You can't be out there being lazy or scared. You've just got to go out there and compete and hopefully get a win."
Leonard played a career-high 45:59. He scored 10 points early in the fourth quarter and had the game-clinching dunk in overtime.
Leonard, whose scoring averages were 16.5 and 21.2 in the previous two seasons, is averaging 34.8 points and shooting 60.2 percent in the last six games. He also is playing 35.8 minutes per game, shooting 48.3 percent from 3-point range and getting to the line 9.7 times per game in his streak.
"I'm just in a groove," Leonard said after playing 40 minutes for the 15th time in the regular season.
Talk about an understatement for someone who is the first Spurs' player to get 30-plus points in six straight games in the same season since Mike Mitchell March 8-18, 1986.
Leonard's latest showing occurred as the Spurs played without Pau Gasol and Tony Parker.
Gasol underwent surgery Friday to repair a fracture of his left fourth metacarpal. He injured his hand during warmups of Thursday's game in Denver and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.
Parker returned to San Antonio for an MRI exam on his bothersome left foot. Parker is expected to miss miss his third straight game with a foot injury and 12th overall due to injury or rest.
Rookie Dejounte Murray started the last two games for Parker and produced efficient stat lines. On Thursday, he scored a career-high 24 points on 7 of 11 shooting and Saturday, he added 14 points while shooting 7 of 10.
David Lee will start at center until Gasol returns and so far has recorded consecutive doubles-doubles. He finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds Saturday after getting 10 and 16 rebounds Thursday and has a double-double in three of five starts this season.
The Nets will not take a lengthy losing streak into Monday's game since they stopped an 11-game losing streak with Friday's 143-114 win at New Orleans. Brooklyn was unable to win again Saturday as it could not overcome an early deficit in a 112-105 loss at Charlotte.
Brooklyn lost for the 12th time in the last 13 games since Dec. 26 by falling into a 28-11 hole at the outset. Then the Nets took a one-point lead in the fourth but gave up 10 straight points to obscure the positives of overcoming the early deficit.
Among them were season highs of 30 assists and 17 3-pointers. It was the third time the Nets made 17 3-points and each time has been a loss.
"I think we are all a little upset with how we came out in the first half," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I don't think that's what we're looking for. At halftime we challenged them to come out with more physicality, more energetic, more physical. I was happy the guys came out in the third quarter and responded and got themselves back in the game and had a chance at the end. That's what you want on the road. Too bad we couldn't close it out."
Brook Lopez scored 24 points Saturday and it marked his seventh straight game with at least 20 points. During those games, Lopez is averaging 23 points and shooting 48.3 percent.
"We were definitely out there fighting," Lopez said. "I think what we've got to take away from this one, and last night's game as well, is the simple fact that we gave ourselves an opportunity to win, we really did. We came in and we were exhausted from last night and had a bad first quarter, but we responded to that. We came in the second half and definitely made it a game, and that's the way we've got to play every night."
The Nets will likely play without Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring), who will miss his 14th straight game since reinjuring it in the third quarter Dec. 26. He also missed 17 games with the injury Nov. 4 through Dec. 10, a game with a back injury Dec. 14 and Brooklyn is 6-25 when he does not play.
Lin did not play in the first meeting in San Antonio when Leonard scored 30 points and shot 10 of 18 in a 130-101 win on Dec. 10. It was the first time since 1985 San Antonio scored 130 points against the Nets and it was the Spurs' 24th win in the last 27 meetings.
Date: January 23, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The San Antonio Spurs may be slightly shorthanded but Kawhi Leonard is hardly lacking in the scoring department.
Fresh off his stellar performance Saturday in Cleveland, Leonard and the Spurs visit the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.
Leonard is averaging 25.5 points per game this season and is putting on an outstanding display of late. Leonard has been in double figures for 75 straight regular-season games and it includes 14 games with at least 30 points, which is four more than his career total before this season.
The latest big performance occurred during Saturday's nationally televised 118-115 overtime victory at Cleveland. Leonard topped 30 points for the sixth straight game by getting a career-best 41 on 15-of-30 shooting and enjoying his matchup against LeBron James.
"I'm just having fun out there playing against him," Leonard said. "We've been through battles in the Finals, and always when I'm playing somebody on a great team, it just pushes your energy and you're just having the most fun at that time. You can't be out there being lazy or scared. You've just got to go out there and compete and hopefully get a win."
Leonard played a career-high 45:59. He scored 10 points early in the fourth quarter and had the game-clinching dunk in overtime.
Leonard, whose scoring averages were 16.5 and 21.2 in the previous two seasons, is averaging 34.8 points and shooting 60.2 percent in the last six games. He also is playing 35.8 minutes per game, shooting 48.3 percent from 3-point range and getting to the line 9.7 times per game in his streak.
"I'm just in a groove," Leonard said after playing 40 minutes for the 15th time in the regular season.
Talk about an understatement for someone who is the first Spurs' player to get 30-plus points in six straight games in the same season since Mike Mitchell March 8-18, 1986.
Leonard's latest showing occurred as the Spurs played without Pau Gasol and Tony Parker.
Gasol underwent surgery Friday to repair a fracture of his left fourth metacarpal. He injured his hand during warmups of Thursday's game in Denver and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.
Parker returned to San Antonio for an MRI exam on his bothersome left foot. Parker is expected to miss miss his third straight game with a foot injury and 12th overall due to injury or rest.
Rookie Dejounte Murray started the last two games for Parker and produced efficient stat lines. On Thursday, he scored a career-high 24 points on 7 of 11 shooting and Saturday, he added 14 points while shooting 7 of 10.
David Lee will start at center until Gasol returns and so far has recorded consecutive doubles-doubles. He finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds Saturday after getting 10 and 16 rebounds Thursday and has a double-double in three of five starts this season.
The Nets will not take a lengthy losing streak into Monday's game since they stopped an 11-game losing streak with Friday's 143-114 win at New Orleans. Brooklyn was unable to win again Saturday as it could not overcome an early deficit in a 112-105 loss at Charlotte.
Brooklyn lost for the 12th time in the last 13 games since Dec. 26 by falling into a 28-11 hole at the outset. Then the Nets took a one-point lead in the fourth but gave up 10 straight points to obscure the positives of overcoming the early deficit.
Among them were season highs of 30 assists and 17 3-pointers. It was the third time the Nets made 17 3-points and each time has been a loss.
"I think we are all a little upset with how we came out in the first half," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "I don't think that's what we're looking for. At halftime we challenged them to come out with more physicality, more energetic, more physical. I was happy the guys came out in the third quarter and responded and got themselves back in the game and had a chance at the end. That's what you want on the road. Too bad we couldn't close it out."
Brook Lopez scored 24 points Saturday and it marked his seventh straight game with at least 20 points. During those games, Lopez is averaging 23 points and shooting 48.3 percent.
"We were definitely out there fighting," Lopez said. "I think what we've got to take away from this one, and last night's game as well, is the simple fact that we gave ourselves an opportunity to win, we really did. We came in and we were exhausted from last night and had a bad first quarter, but we responded to that. We came in the second half and definitely made it a game, and that's the way we've got to play every night."
The Nets will likely play without Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring), who will miss his 14th straight game since reinjuring it in the third quarter Dec. 26. He also missed 17 games with the injury Nov. 4 through Dec. 10, a game with a back injury Dec. 14 and Brooklyn is 6-25 when he does not play.
Lin did not play in the first meeting in San Antonio when Leonard scored 30 points and shot 10 of 18 in a 130-101 win on Dec. 10. It was the first time since 1985 San Antonio scored 130 points against the Nets and it was the Spurs' 24th win in the last 27 meetings.
