Jeremiah Donati is introduced as TCU’s athletic director during a press conference
South Carolina has chosen Jeremiah Donati from TCU as its new athletic director. The university’s board of trustees approved the decision, and Donati will begin on January 2, with his contract running through June 30, 2031.
In his first year, Donati will earn $1.9 million, with a $100,000 increase each following year of his contract.
“We’re going to have fun. We’re going to work hard,” Donati said to the board. “I will not disappoint you.”
Donati, 47, replaces Ray Tanner, who has been the athletic director since 2012. Tanner will now serve as a special advisor to university President Michael Amiridis.
Amiridis said Donati’s “principles and personality made him the perfect candidate.”
This is the second time since 2005 that South Carolina has hired someone from TCU to lead its athletic department. Eric Hyman was hired from TCU in 2005, and after Hyman left for Texas A&M in 2012, Tanner was named the athletic director.
Donati takes over an athletic department that seems to be improving. The women’s basketball team, coached by Dawn Staley, won its third national title last year, with two of those wins coming since 2017.
South Carolina players celebrate in the 2nd half
Under third-year coach Lamont Paris, the men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament last March for the first time in seven years.
South Carolina’s football program, led by coach Shane Beamer, finished the regular season with a 9-3 record, winning six straight games, including four wins against ranked teams.
Donati faces some challenges, including improving the area around Williams-Brice Stadium, which is mostly industrial and could be developed to look better.
The university has already planned upgrades to the stadium, including adding more premium seating and luxury boxes to make it more like other stadiums in the Southeastern Conference.
Donati has worked at TCU since 2011 and became the athletic director in 2017. During the 2022-23 season, TCU athletics had one of its best years. The football team made it to the College Football Playoff title game, the men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament, and the baseball team played in the College World Series.
In that season, 10 of TCU’s 21 sports were ranked in the national top 25.
Before TCU, Donati worked at Leigh Steinberg Sports and Entertainment as general counsel and director of player representation. He has also held college fundraising roles at Arizona, Washington State, and Cal Poly.
Eric Bieniemy’s time at UCLA lasted just one season. The Bruins decided to part ways with Bieniemy on Thursday after struggling with one of the worst offenses in the country this year.
Head coach DeShaun Foster quickly found a replacement. Tino Sunseri, who was the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator at Indiana, will become the new offensive coordinator for UCLA, according to a source familiar with the decision. The person spoke anonymously since the announcement had not yet been made.
Sunseri spent only one season at Indiana after following Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison. Cignetti and Sunseri worked together for four years, including three years at James Madison, where the Dukes made a successful transition from FCS to FBS.
Bieniemy was hired as UCLA’s associate head coach and offensive coordinator in February after Foster became head coach. Bieniemy had also worked at UCLA as a running backs coach from 2003-2005.
Bieniemy’s agent, Jason Fletcher, said in a statement that Bieniemy had planned to stay just one season at UCLA and described the parting as “mutual.” Despite signing a two-year contract, Bieniemy had a retention bonus if he stayed through the 2025 season.
Eric Bieniemy speaks with the reporters
Fletcher explained, “After interviewing for head coaching jobs last year, he wanted to stay active and busy, so he decided to go help out Deshaun Foster, who is like his little brother, at UCLA instead of sitting out a year.”
This season, UCLA ranked 117th in total offense (328.8 yards per game), 126th in scoring (18.4 points per game), and had the fifth-worst rushing attack in the country (86.6 yards per game). The Bruins finished 5-7 in their first year in the Big Ten, failing to qualify for a bowl game after three straight appearances. The team also became the sixth Power Five school since 2000 to fail to score 20 points in their first six games.
Players mentioned early in the season that Bieniemy’s playbook was difficult to understand and that his play calls were often too long.
Bieniemy was a two-time Super Bowl champion offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his recent coaching positions have not gone well. He served as the offensive coordinator for Washington in 2023 but was not kept after Ron Rivera’s firing.
Bieniemy stated in an email to ESPN that he wasn’t fired by Washington and received offers from the NFL to coach running backs or be a passing game coordinator. However, when asked about those offers during UCLA’s spring practice, he declined to give more details.
Bieniemy wasn’t kept by new Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who replaced Rivera.
Despite his success in Kansas City, Bieniemy has not landed a head coaching position, despite interviewing with more than half of the NFL teams. Fletcher said, “The plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025, and he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead.”
Dan Quinn in a news conference
Sunseri’s immediate task will be to limit further transfers out of the program. Quarterback Justyn Martin and running back T.J. Harden have already entered the transfer portal.
At Indiana, Sunseri worked closely with Kurtis Rourke, a transfer from Ohio, who had a standout season. Rourke helped Indiana break single-season records for wins and conference victories. Indiana, ranked No. 9, is on track to make its first College Football Playoff appearance.
Sunseri, like Cignetti, has coaching experience at Alabama. He worked as a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide in 2019 and 2020 after coaching at Florida State and Tennessee. The 35-year-old also spent three seasons with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning a Grey Cup title as a rookie in 2013 after playing college football at Pittsburgh.
Ashton Jeanty breaks away from the defense in the 1st half
There’s more at stake than just school pride and bragging rights in the discussions about which teams will make college football’s first 12-team playoff.
Over $115 million will be distributed to the conferences at the end of the season, depending on which teams make it in and how far they advance.
According to the College Football Playoff website, each of the 12 teams that make the bracket will earn their conferences $4 million. If a team makes it to the quarterfinals, their conference gets another $4 million. Teams that make it to the semifinals earn their conferences $6 million, and another $6 million goes to the teams that play in the championship game.
Most of this money comes from ESPN, which is paying $1.3 billion per year to broadcast the new postseason. Some of this money is already set aside for conferences like the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference, which get more money than the Big 12 or Atlantic Coast. However, a lot is still up for grabs in the 11 games that will be played from Dec. 20 to Jan. 20.
Nico Iamaleava looks to pass in the 1st half
In total, the teams that make it to the title game will bring $20 million to their conferences. These conferences distribute this money, along with other revenue, in different ways. For example, in fiscal 2022-23, the Big Ten earned almost $880 million and gave out about $60.5 million to most of its members.
The large amount of money involved may explain why there’s so much lobbying in the lead-up to Sunday’s final rankings, which will determine the playoff bracket.
Earlier this week, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark criticized the selection committee, noting that no team from the Big 12 is ranked higher than 15. This puts the Big 12 at risk of only having one team make it into the playoff. The champion of the conference — either Arizona State or Iowa State — could end up being the fifth-best among the conference champions who get automatic bids. Only the top four of those teams get byes, and this could cost the Big 12 a spot in the quarterfinals, which means losing $4 million.
“The committee continues to show time and time again that they are paying attention to logos versus resumes,” Yormark said this week, criticizing the ranking of teams with two losses in his conference compared to teams with three losses in the SEC.
The ACC is also facing a one-bid situation, with only No. 8 SMU projected to make the bracket this week. Miami’s loss last week likely ended their playoff hopes, which left ACC commissioner Jim Phillips “incredibly shocked and disappointed.”
Dominic Lovett in the 2nd half
“As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the committee will reconsider and put a deserving Miami in the field,” Phillips said in a statement.
The lobbying and arguments affect the campuses and, of course, social media.
One of the more entertaining moments this week involved athletic directors from Iowa State and SMU arguing about which team deserved a spot more.
There are a few stray millions the selection committee can’t control, such as a $3 million payout to conferences that have a team in the playoff.
Also, a reminder that the student-athletes are in school: Conferences get $300,000 per football team that meets academic requirements to participate in the postseason. (This includes most teams).
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland in Ann Arbor
Michigan extended athletic director Warde Manuel’s contract for five more years on Thursday, following the Wolverines’ surprise victory over Ohio State and a strong start to the basketball season. Manuel, who has been in his position since 2016, is now signed through June 30, 2030, according to the university.
Manuel also serves as the chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee.
“During Warde’s time as director, Athletics has built a structure where our student-athletes compete for Big Ten and national titles, excel in academics, and proudly graduate with their University of Michigan degrees,” said university President Santa J. Ono.
Michigan’s football team had a disappointing season, finishing 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten), but the 13-10 victory over then-No. 2 Ohio State helped relieve some pressure on the program. The Buckeyes were favored by 21 points, the largest point spread for the rivalry since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles looks to throw as he scrambles during the first half of an NCAA college football game
The Wolverines won the national championship last year in their final season under coach Jim Harbaugh, whose tenure involved multiple NCAA investigations for recruiting and sign-stealing allegations. Manuel stood by Harbaugh during these investigations.
In basketball, the women’s team made its season debut at No. 23 in the AP Top 25 this week. The men’s team is 7-1, following the firing of coach Juwan Howard after a season where Michigan finished last in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967.
Since 2020, Michigan has won 52 Big Ten championships.
“Every day, I am thankful to work at this great institution and to represent Michigan Athletics,” Manuel said. “I especially want to thank the student-athletes, coaches, and staff who compete for each of our teams and who have helped us achieve unparalleled success athletically and academically.
I am excited to continue giving back to a university that has provided me with so much over my career.”
Bill Belichick’ talks to the reporters in the NFL football news conference
North Carolina has interviewed Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots and six-time Super Bowl champion, for its head coaching position, according to two people familiar with the situation. These individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because the school has not made a public statement about its search.
The interview with Belichick, first reported by Inside Carolina, comes one week after the school parted ways with its most successful coach, Mack Brown, who is a College Football Hall of Famer. The school announced on November 26 that Brown would not return for a seventh season in his second term. Brown remained with the team to coach during last weekend’s rivalry loss to N.C. State.
Freddie Kitchens, the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, is currently serving as the interim coach for the upcoming bowl game as UNC continues its search for a new head coach.
Hiring the 72-year-old Belichick would be a significant change for UNC, as he has never coached at the college level but achieved tremendous success in the NFL, mostly working with quarterback Tom Brady during his 24 years with the Patriots, which ended last season.
Bill Belichick’ talks to the reporters in the NFL football news conference
Since then, Belichick has been connected to various NFL coaching roles, including a potential position with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this year.
UNC’s coaching search comes at a time when college athletics is rapidly changing, with more player movement through the transfer portal and players able to earn money through endorsements.
Additionally, a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, which includes revenue sharing, is expected to be implemented soon. This settlement received preliminary approval from a judge in October.
After the loss to N.C. State, Brown mentioned, “I think it’s a great time for me to get out. This isn’t the game that I signed up for. It’s changed so much.”
In a podcast earlier this week, athletic director Bubba Cunningham said that all the coaches UNC is considering for the position are currently coaching, as college football is in the middle of its conference title games and preparing for the 12-team College Football Playoff and bowl assignments.
Cunningham emphasized that the most important factor in selecting a new coach is “fit.” He stated, “There’s a certain person that’s best suited at the right time, at the right place. And right now, that’s what we’re looking for: Where are we today, who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years?”
Ashton Jeanty cuts away from Tyrice Ivy Jr. in the 1st half
Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty confirmed on Thursday that this will be his final season at the university.
Jeanty, who leads the nation in rushing with 2,288 yards on 312 carries and 28 total touchdowns, has long been expected to enter the NFL Draft after his record-breaking season.
Jeanty, who is 341 yards away from breaking Barry Sanders’ all-time single-season rushing record, will have at least two more games to set the record.
Friday’s Mountain West title game will be Jeanty’s last chance to make a case for the Heisman Trophy.
“I feel like I’m the best player in the country,” Jeanty said at the Mountain West Conference championship press conference.
“I’ve put that on notice every single week, and it’s just the same thing. I take it week by week. If I’m picked to win (the Heisman), I win. But my focus right now is going out and playing my best football for my teammates and coaches and winning a championship.”
Ashton Jeanty runs into the end zone for a touchdown
Jeanty and No. 10 Boise State (11-1, 7-0 MW, No. 10 CFP) will have the spotlight in front of a nationally-televised audience on Friday when they host No. 19 UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 20 CFP) for the Mountain West title and the Group of Five spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.
Jeanty, who is now No. 5 all-time in single-season rushing yards, only needs 55 yards to surpass USC legend and 1981 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen.
The Broncos, whose only loss was in September to No. 1 Oregon on a last-second field goal, defeated UNLV 29-24 on Oct. 25 in Las Vegas. Jeanty was limited to his second-lowest rushing total of the season, with 128 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries.
Dillon Gabriel and Evan Stewart celebrates after a touchdown
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel arrived in Indianapolis in July with a goal in mind. He wanted to get a feel for what Lucas Oil Stadium was like before hopefully returning in December.
Now, on Saturday, he will be back on that same field.
A lot has changed for Gabriel and the Ducks since their first visit for the Big Ten media day months ago. No. 1 Oregon is leading the playoff rankings, remains the only undefeated team in major college football, and Gabriel has earned the title of Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
It’s been an ideal season for the nearly 24-year-old Gabriel, especially as he leads the Ducks into the conference championship game he had hoped for.
“If we didn’t think we’d be there, I wouldn’t have attended,” Gabriel said. “But I just felt really good about it. I was glad we were able to go see it (Lucas Oil), feel it, smell it. It was a good experience. Now that we’re going back with the whole squad, everyone’s excited.”
Winning a conference title in his final season—and Oregon’s first season in its new league—would be a perfect ending for Gabriel, especially since both teams are almost guaranteed a spot in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.
Makell Esteen and Dillon Gabriel speak after the match
The winner of the game will likely earn a first-round bye, while the loser will probably host a first-round game. There is a lot of money on the line: The Big Ten will get $4 million for each school that makes the CFP, with the payouts rising to $6 million per school starting with the semifinals. A school that makes it all the way to the title game could earn $20 million. The CFP also provides millions to cover expenses.
While Oregon (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) was expected to be back in Indianapolis this weekend, No. 3 Penn State wasn’t supposed to be there after losing to then-No. 4 Ohio State.
However, the Nittany Lions (11-1, 8-1, No. 3 CFP) bounced back by winning their last four games and got some help when Michigan beat the Buckeyes last weekend. This is the first time Penn State has made it to the Big Ten championship since they won against Wisconsin in 2016, and they don’t plan to leave without the title this time.
“Being from Pennsylvania, seeing that game from 2016, like I always imagined being in these shoes, being in that moment, trying to win a Big Ten championship,” running back Nick Singleton said. “Being in that moment right now feels good, but we’ve got to go out there and win it.”
Gabriel agreed.
“When you walk in that building everyone is excited to do stuff and ready to go,” he said. “So it’s about execution, playing clean and being who we are.”
Charles Leclerc steers into a turn in the U.S. Grand Prix auto race
Charles Leclerc’s grid penalty puts Ferrari’s chances of beating McLaren to the Formula 1 constructors’ title in jeopardy.
Ferrari announced on Friday that the team had to replace the battery pack on Leclerc’s car during the first practice session in Abu Dhabi. As a result, Ferrari expects Leclerc to receive a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race.
Leclerc was the fastest in the first practice session, with a time .221 seconds quicker than McLaren’s Lando Norris. Lewis Hamilton was third fastest for Mercedes. Leclerc’s brother, Arthur, took over Carlos Sainz Jr.’s car and finished in 18th place.
In the second practice session, Norris was the fastest, .234 seconds ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri. Nico Hulkenberg surprised everyone by finishing third fastest for Haas, .462 seconds behind Norris. Sainz was the fastest Ferrari driver in fourth.
McLaren heads into the race with a 21-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings.
Oscar Piastri took pole at Interlagos for the Sprint
Leclerc’s teammate, Sainz, said on Thursday that either he or Leclerc would need to win the Abu Dhabi race, with the other finishing on the podium, for Ferrari to have a chance at the title, unless something “very disastrous happened” to McLaren.
Either McLaren or Ferrari will win the F1 constructors’ title on Sunday. McLaren hasn’t won the title since 1998, and Ferrari’s last win was in 2008.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said, “I think even with the penalty, I wouldn’t be surprised if we can see [Ferrari] very rapidly fighting for the front. So nothing changes. We keep remaining calm, focused, and full of energy.”
Tension has also been growing in the paddock. Two of Formula 1’s top drivers, Max Verstappen and George Russell, have been exchanging personal attacks. Verstappen secured his fourth driver title two weeks ago in Las Vegas, but he is still at the center of attention due to a feud with Russell.
Russell called Verstappen a “bully” and accused him of threatening behavior following a dispute during qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen was pushed off pole position by Russell and claimed that his rival lied to get him penalized.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said on Friday, “Max is a very straight shooter. He just tells you exactly how he sees it. And obviously, he had a large amount of frustration last weekend, the way things played out in a scenario that we haven’t seen before and a subsequent grid penalty.”
Verstappen was only 17th fastest in his only practice session on Friday as he aims for his 10th race win of the season in Abu Dhabi.
Lewis Hamilton in Brazil qualifying
The weekend is also a long goodbye for Hamilton, who is leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton is driving in Abu Dhabi with the names of 150 fans on his car as part of Mercedes’ “Thank you, Lewis” campaign.
Hamilton admitted on Thursday that the prolonged farewell has been harder on his emotions than he expected. He has struggled with form and was pessimistic about finishing his career with Mercedes on a high, after penalties and a puncture ruined his race in Qatar.
Next year, F1 will see the largest influx of young drivers in years due to changes in teams and driver retirements. One of the new faces in Abu Dhabi is Jack Doohan, who is replacing Esteban Ocon for the final race of the season. Doohan, a 21-year-old Australian and the son of motorcycle legend Mick Doohan, was 19th fastest in both practice sessions on Friday.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands leads the field after the start of the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix race
The new Cadillac F1 team will be led by experienced motorsports executive Graeme Lowdon, according to TWG Global and General Motors, who made the announcement on Thursday.
Lowdon has been named team principal of the two-car team, which is set to join Formula 1 in 2026 as the sport expands to 11 teams to make room for the American team.
“I would like to thank everyone involved for placing their trust in me,” Lowdon said. “I believe that Formula 1 is the greatest team sport in the world, and teams are all about people. This is a team with a real love for, and desire to go, racing, and we have the experience and expertise to do just that.”
Lowdon has been advising the project for the last two years as Michael Andretti worked to get an Andretti Global entry with General Motors approved for F1. After Andretti stepped aside last month, the expansion was confirmed last week.
Lowdon brings a lot of experience in team management, engineering, and operations in top-level motorsports, including F1 and the World Endurance Championship. He’s also attended many F1 races over the past two years, advocating for the American team.
Arthur Leclerc in action in the 1st free practice
“His experience on both the technical and managerial sides of Formula 1 and other motorsports ventures will serve him well as he builds the Cadillac Formula 1 team,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global’s motorsport business.
Lowdon has also worked closely with GM, which will partner with the team under its Cadillac brand. However, Cadillac F1 will not have its own engine for competition until 2028, so they will likely lease engines from Ferrari for the first two years.
“Graeme has been a pleasure to work with over the past two years, and we’re excited he will lead our journey to the 2026 Formula 1 grid as team principal,” General Motors President Mark Reuss said. “He has great racing expertise, he knows how to assemble a high-performing team, and he embodies the values the Cadillac Formula 1 Team will represent in all its endeavors, on or off the track.”
Cadillac F1 will be the first new team to join F1 since 2016. Lowdon has already led efforts in aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software, and vehicle dynamics simulation. The team has operations in Fishers, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; Warren, Michigan; and Silverstone, England.
Charles Leclerc and his younger brother Arthur drove together in matching Ferraris at the end of the first practice session on Friday for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“Just saying hello to my brother,” Arthur said over the team radio after Charles waved at him during their cooldown lap at the Yas Marina Circuit.
While brothers have raced in F1 before, like Michael and Ralf Schumacher, F1 stated that the Leclerc brothers from Monaco were the first to be teammates in an official session as part of a championship race weekend.
Arthur Leclerc, 24, who previously raced in Formula 2, was driving Carlos Sainz Jr.’s Ferrari because of a rule that requires teams to give practice time to younger, less experienced drivers at least twice per season.
Charles Leclerc shared that his family was flying in to Abu Dhabi to watch them. “It will be a very special moment,” he said in a team statement on Thursday. “Because to a certain extent, it means that all the sacrifices my family made will have served a purpose.”
Arthur Leclerc in the garage before his debut
At one point, the family reportedly had to pause Arthur’s racing career when he was a teenager because of the financial demands of supporting Charles as he rose through the ranks toward F1.
Charles was the fastest in the first practice, but his session started with a big issue. Ferrari had to replace the battery pack on his car, which led to an expected 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race, damaging the team’s chances of beating McLaren for the constructors’ title.
Arthur spent the early part of the session driving with a car fitted with an “aero rake,” a frame with sensors that measure air flow. By the end of the session, he was 18th fastest of the 20 drivers, 1.858 seconds behind his brother.
As the final race of the season, Abu Dhabi is a popular choice to test younger drivers since teams are usually more familiar with car setups for various conditions, regardless of driver feedback.
Five other teams also gave practice time to drivers who won’t be racing on Sunday, including F2 driver Isack Hadjar in Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and former F2 champion Felipe Drugovich, who drove Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin.
Alpine driver Jack Doohan is also set to make his race debut on Sunday.
Brandon Hagel scored twice in 23 seconds during Tampa Bay’s five-goal outburst in the first period as the Lightning trounced the visiting San Jose Sharks 8-1 on Thursday.
Cam Atkinson and Conor Geekie had a goal and an assist each before Hagel added his two goals. Jake Guentzel, who finished with two points, scored to cap the explosive frame, giving the Lightning a chance to improve to 8-0-1 in their past nine games against San Jose.
Brayden Point tied a career-high with four assists in his 600th NHL game.
Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 shots to improve to 8-2-0 all-time against San Jose and won for the second time in his last five starts.
Oilers 6, Blue Jackets 3
Zach Hyman made the most of his return to the ice, scoring twice to lead Edmonton past visiting Columbus.
The left wing missed the Oilers’ last five games due to an unspecified injury. Even before missing time, the 32-year-old, who scored 54 goals last season, was struggling with just three goals through 20 games.
The Oilers’ top players joined Hyman in the scoring. Leon Draisaitl also scored twice, tying Florida’s Sam Reinhart for the league lead with 19 goals, and Connor McDavid had a season-high four assists.
Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets
Blues 4, Flames 3 (OT)
Colton Parayko scored the overtime winner, and Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists as St. Louis continued its strong play by beating host Calgary.
Zack Bolduc and Pavel Buchnevich also scored for the Blues, who are 4-0-1 since Jim Montgomery became the coach after Drew Bannister’s firing on Nov. 24. Philip Broberg had two assists, and Jordan Binnington made 36 saves.
Jakob Pelletier, Matt Coronato, and MacKenzie Weegar scored for the Flames, who are 1-3-2 in their last six games. Goalie Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots. Calgary’s six-game home winning streak was broken.
Canadiens 3, Predators 0
Sam Montembeault made 29 saves, and Patrik Laine scored his second power-play goal in as many games to lead Montreal past struggling Nashville.
Montembeault stopped all 13 shots in the third period to preserve his third shutout of the season and fourth of his career. Captain Nick Suzuki and rookie defenseman Lane Hutson each had an assist, extending their point streaks, as the Canadiens improved to 2-0-0 on their five-game homestand.
Nashville’s Justus Annunen made 27 saves in his first start since being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche but received no offensive support, as the Predators lost their sixth straight game (0-3-3).
Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators
Hurricanes 5, Avalanche 3
Andrei Svechnikov’s empty-net goal and three earlier assists gave him the first four-point game of his seven-year career in Carolina’s victory over Colorado in Raleigh.
NHL points leader Martin Necas added a goal and an assist for Carolina, which ended a three-game losing streak. Pyotr Kochetkov made 16 saves for his first win since Nov. 20.
Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals for Colorado after Artturi Lehkonen opened the scoring. Scott Wedgewood made 30 saves. Wedgewood, acquired from Nashville on Saturday, made his first start for Colorado.
Jets 3, Sabres 2 (OT)
Adam Lowry scored late in overtime as Winnipeg ended its four-game losing streak with a road win over Buffalo.
Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist, Kyle Connor also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for Winnipeg, which had been 3-7-0 after a strong start. The Jets also got two assists each from Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele.
Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens scored for Buffalo, which is 0-3-2 since winning seven of its previous nine games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves.
Senators 2, Red Wings 1
Josh Norris’ second goal of the game, scored with 43 seconds left, gave Ottawa a narrow win over Detroit.
Norris, a Michigan native, beat Red Wings goalie Ville Husso with a wrist shot from the high slot for his 11th goal of the season.
Drake Batherson had two assists, and Linus Ullmark made 19 saves for Ottawa, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Detroit lost its fourth straight game.
Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings
Panthers 7, Flyers 5
Sam Reinhart scored the go-ahead goal with 1:59 left, and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and four assists in Florida’s thrilling road win over Philadelphia.
Carter Verhaeghe set up Reinhart’s goal, sending a no-look backhand pass to Reinhart, who fired a slap shot into the net to give Florida a 6-5 lead. Reinhart and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl are tied for the league lead in goals with 19.
Owen Tippett scored twice, and Matvei Michkov had three assists for Philadelphia, which saw its three-game win streak end. Florida’s Spencer Knight made 29 saves, helping the Panthers win for the fourth time in five games.
Kraken 5, Islanders 2
Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists as Seattle defeated New York in Elmont, N.Y.
Tye Kartye, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Shane Wright also scored for the Kraken, who won the first two games of their four-game road trip. Goalie Joey Daccord carried a shutout into the third before finishing with 27 saves.
Noah Dobson and Maxim Tsyplakov scored for the struggling Islanders, who have lost 10 of their last 13 games (3-5-5). Ilya Sorokin made nine saves before being replaced by Marcus Hogberg, who stopped all 11 shots he faced in his first NHL appearance since April 28, 2021.
Zach Hyman had a strong return to the ice, scoring two goals to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
Hyman had missed the Oilers’ last five games because of an injury. Before that, he was struggling, with only three goals in the first 20 games, despite scoring 54 goals last season.
Along with Hyman, other key players for the Oilers contributed to the win. Leon Draisaitl scored twice, tying Florida’s Sam Reinhart for the most goals in the league with 19, while Connor McDavid had a season-high four assists. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist, and Evan Bouchard, Adam Henrique, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each assisted on two goals.
Kevin Labanc gave Columbus an early lead, scoring just 2:31 into the game. Hyman’s first goal tied the game midway through the period.
Edmonton took control in the second period, scoring four goals. Draisaitl put the Oilers ahead with 17:38 remaining, assisted by Bouchard and McDavid. A failed Blue Jackets challenge led to a delay-of-game penalty, which Mattias Ekholm took advantage of with a power-play goal, making it 2-1.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders (NHL)
Columbus has allowed a power-play goal in 11 consecutive games.
Hyman made it 4-1 less than three minutes later, with assists from McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins.
Damon Severson and Cole Sillinger scored for Columbus.
Edmonton, which went 2-for-5 on the power play, took 37 shots, while Columbus had just 22.
Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard made 19 saves, and Columbus’ Daniil Tarasov, playing for the first time since November 16, stopped 31 shots.
McDavid now has 49 regular season games with three or more assists and holds the record for most four-assist games among active players.
Additionally, McDavid became just the fourth player in NHL history to record 120 assists in a calendar year, including the postseason. Wayne Gretzky did this 11 times, and Adam Oates and Mario Lemieux did it once each.
