Tag: Boston

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NHL (National Hockey League)

NHL Recap: Vegas Edges Boston with Late Goal in Boston

Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)

Tomas Hertl scored the game-winning goal on the power play with 1:10 left as the visiting Vegas Golden Knights came back from two two-goal deficits to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.

Hertl fired a wrist shot from the left circle past Boston’s Jeremy Swayman to win the game. Earlier in the same power play, Pavel Dorofeyev had a goal taken away due to interference on Swayman.

Mark Stone, Zach Whitecloud, and Dorofeyev also scored, and Shea Theodore had two assists for Vegas, who went 2-for-4 on the power play in their second straight win heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Boston captain Brad Marchand reached 20 goals for the 14th time in his career, while Nikita Zadorov and Morgan Geekie also scored for Boston.

Rangers 4, Blue Jackets 3

Will Cuylle scored two goals in the third period to help the visiting New York Rangers beat Columbus.

Cuylle intercepted a clearing pass from Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov and scored the game-winning goal with 1:39 remaining. Mika Zibanejad scored a goal and added an assist, Arthur Kaliyev scored a goal, and Vincent Trocheck had two assists in the win.

Jonathan Quick stopped 22 shots for the Rangers, while Elvis Merzlikins made 36 saves, but it wasn’t enough for Columbus. Kent Johnson, Justin Danforth, and James van Riemsdyk scored for Columbus.

Predators 6, Sabres 4

Filip Forsberg and Brady Skjei each scored twice as Nashville won against visiting Buffalo.

Ryan O’Reilly had four assists, Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and three assists, and Justus Annunen made 25 saves for the Predators, who ended a six-game losing streak.

Alex Tuch scored a goal and added two assists, and Rasmus Dahlin and Bowen Byram each scored a goal and had an assist for Buffalo, who saw their four-game winning streak end. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves.

Blues 6, Blackhawks 5 (SO)

Radek Faksa scored in the 10th round of the shootout to give St. Louis a victory over visiting Chicago.

The Blues outshot the Blackhawks 40-20 through overtime, but had to win in a long shootout to get just their second victory in eight games (2-5-1). Jordan Binnington made 15 saves during the game and eight more in the shootout for the win.

Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks while Arvid Soderblom, who lost the game, made 35 saves during regulation and overtime and eight more in the shootout.

Kraken 3, Flames 2 (OT)

Matty Beniers scored a power-play goal at 2:58 of overtime to give Seattle a win against Calgary.

Shane Wright and Andre Burakovsky scored in the final 6:48 of regulation as Seattle won for the seventh time this season after coming back from multiple goals down. Beniers’ goal, on a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle, came when Calgary’s Morgan Frost was in the penalty box for holding. Goaltender Joey Daccord made 27 saves for the Kraken, ending a three-game winless streak (0-2-1).

Seattle Kraken (NHL)

Frost and Nazem Kadri scored for Calgary, who lost their fourth straight at home. Dustin Wolf stopped 25 of 28 shots.

Stars 8, Sharks 3

Matt Duchene scored two goals and added an assist as Dallas crushed host San Jose.

Thomas Harley, Jamie Benn, and Wyatt Johnston each scored and added an assist for Dallas, who won for the sixth time in eight games. Jason Robertson, Mason Marchment, and Mavrik Bourque also scored for Dallas, who ended a two-game losing streak. Mikael Granlund, who was traded to the Stars from the Sharks on Feb. 1, had two assists in his return to the Bay Area. Lian Bichsel had two assists, and Casey DeSmith made 24 saves.

William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund, and Walker Duehr scored for the Sharks, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves.

Panthers 5, Senators 1

Matthew Tkachuk scored a goal and had two assists during Florida’s four-goal second period to help the Panthers win against Ottawa in Sunrise, Fla.

Aleksander Barkov, Gustav Forsling, and Sam Bennett also scored during a big second period for Florida, who have won eight of 11 — including five straight at home. Tkachuk extended his goal streak to six games and has 13 points during that stretch.

Matthew’s brother, Brady, scored for Ottawa, who went 0-3-0 at Tampa Bay and Florida after winning five straight. Linus Ullmark made 43 saves for the Senators, who allowed a season-high 48 shots on goal.

Flyers 3, Penguins 2

Travis Konecny scored a goal and added an assist to help Philadelphia beat visiting Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia snapped a five-game losing streak with 31 saves from Samuel Ersson and goals from three players. Scott Laughton and Garnet Hathaway also scored for the Flyers, while Andrei Kuzmenko had an assist in his team debut.

Kevin Hayes and Erik Karlsson scored for Pittsburgh, who played their second straight game without Sidney Crosby (upper-body injury). Joel Blomqvist made 17 saves for Pittsburgh, who had won three of their previous four games.

Lightning 6, Red Wings 3

Brandon Hagel scored two goals and had two assists to help Tampa Bay end Detroit’s seven-game winning streak.

Dylan Duke, who played for the University of Michigan last season, scored in his NHL debut for the Lightning. He was called up from Syracuse of the American Hockey League on Friday.

Erik Cernak had a goal and two assists, and Brayden Point scored his 30th goal of the season for Tampa Bay, who are 4-0-1 in their last five games. Nikita Kucherov had three assists to bring his career points total to 955, passing Martin St. Louis for the second-most in Lightning franchise history, behind Steven Stamkos, who has 1,137 points.

Devils 4, Canadiens 0

Jake Allen made 34 saves, including one on a penalty shot, to help visiting New Jersey beat Montreal.

Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had a goal and an assist for New Jersey, who won at Montreal for the 10th straight time. Montreal had a chance to break the shutout with 15.7 seconds left in the third period when the Canadiens were awarded a penalty shot after Hughes pulled Owen Beck from behind, but Allen stopped Beck’s wrist shot.

New Jersey Devils (NHL)

Sam Montembeault made 18 saves for Montreal, who lost for the seventh time in eight games (1-6-1).

Hurricanes 7, Utah Hockey Club 3

Seth Jarvis scored two goals and added two assists as Carolina avoided a season-worst four-game losing streak by defeating Utah in Raleigh, N.C.

Sebastian Aho scored two goals and had an assist, Jalen Chatfield scored a goal and added an assist, Jordan Martinook and Jack Roslovic scored late, and Andrei Svechnikov and Jackson Blake had two assists each for the Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov made 36 saves to earn his 20th victory of the season.

Carolina scored at even strength, on a power play, and short-handed in a four-goal second period, which started with the teams tied at 1 and gave the Hurricanes a big lead.

Clayton Keller scored two goals and Josh Doan had one for Utah, who never led. Karel Vejmelka made 31 saves.

Canucks 2, Maple Leafs 1

Brock Boeser scored the go-ahead goal at 8:56 of the third period to lift host Vancouver over Toronto.

With his team on the power play, Filip Chytil was unmarked as he skated in from the blue line and passed to Boeser in the slot for an easy goal. Filip Hronek had a goal and an assist, and Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves for Vancouver, who have won three in a row.

Defenseman Morgan Rielly scored late in the second period, and Joseph Woll made 23 saves for the Maple Leafs, who saw their three-game winning streak end in the last game of their four-game road trip.

Wild 6, Islanders 3

Matthew Boldy scored two goals and added an assist to help Minnesota defeat New York in St. Paul, Minn.

Marco Rossi, Frederick Gaudreau, Yakov Trenin, and Marcus Foligno also scored for the Wild, who have won seven straight against the Islanders. Jared Spurgeon had two assists and Filip Gustavsson made 31 saves. Minnesota scored three times in the last 6:39 of the second period to take a 4-3 lead and added two more in the third.

Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist, and Anders Lee also scored for New York, who played their second game in as many nights. Maxim Tsyplakov had two assists, and Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves.

Ducks 2, Kings 1 (SO)

Lukas Dostal made 43 saves through regulation and overtime, and stopped every shot in the shootout to help visiting Anaheim beat Los Angeles.

Brian Dumoulin scored in regulation, and Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson scored in the shootout for the Ducks, who have won six of seven.

Los Angeles’ Adrian Kempe scored the equalizer late, and David Rittich made 25 saves, starting for the second straight night because Darcy Kuemper was unavailable for personal reasons. The Kings had won three in a row after a season-long four-game losing streak.

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NFL (American Football)

Aaron Hernandez’s brother receives time served sentence in shooting threat case, Boston

Dennis Hernandez, the brother of the late New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, stands with his public defender Sandra Crowell during his arraignment

Dennis Hernandez, the brother of late New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, was sentenced on Friday to 18 months in prison, which he had already served, for making threats to carry out a shooting at the University of Connecticut and to kill three people, including a judge, in 2023.

Dennis, 38, known as “DJ” when he played quarterback and wide receiver for UConn football in the mid-2000s, was experiencing serious mental health issues at the time of the threats. His public defender, Josh Ewing, explained that Dennis has been receiving treatment and taking medication since then.

U.S. District Judge Sarala Nagala in Hartford also sentenced Dennis to three years of supervised release. During this period, he must continue with his mental health and substance abuse treatment, allow probation officers to monitor his electronic devices, and stay away from UConn and other places he had threatened.

Dennis, who apologized for his actions in court, was expected to be released from custody later that afternoon. Federal Bureau of Prisons records confirmed that he was no longer in custody by Friday evening.

State criminal charges in Connecticut and Florida in other cases, including one involving allegations that he threw a brick with a media-criticism note onto property in Bristol, are expected to be dropped due to the federal case. Ewing noted these incidents occurred during the same mental health crisis.

Ewing did not respond immediately to messages after the sentencing. However, in court documents, he stated that Dennis was “horrified” by how his actions scared others, felt remorseful, and was committed to maintaining his mental health.

Dennis Hernandez during his arraignment

In December, Dennis pleaded guilty to the felony charge of transmitting interstate communications with a threat to injure.

Authorities said that in July 2023, Dennis drove to UConn and to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he had once been a quarterbacks coach, to plan a shooting. Court filings revealed he was facing financial problems, was upset about other people being hired as football coaches, and felt entitled to a job at UConn.

That same month, prosecutors said Dennis made several Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three individuals from other states, including a state court judge.

Dennis’s mother, Terri Hernandez, told police during his 2023 arrest in Bristol that he had mental health issues, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. When he was arrested, he was shocked with a Taser after he came out of his sister’s house, arms raised, shouting “shoot me” and threatening to harm officers.

Terri Hernandez and other family members and friends wrote letters supporting Dennis’s release from detention.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

NHL recap: Rangers complete comeback with short-handed goal to beat Bruins in Boston

New York Rangers (NHL)

Chris Kreider scored a go-ahead short-handed goal with 8:06 left, helping the New York Rangers complete a third-period comeback for a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.

The Rangers earned their third victory this season after trailing through two periods and won their second straight game. Kreider’s short-handed goal was his third of the season, and the Rangers improved to 9-3-3 in their last 15 games.

Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin also scored for New York. Mika Zibanejad recorded two assists, and Igor Shesterkin made 15 saves.

David Pastrnak scored his 11th goal during a 12-game points streak, and Elias Lindholm added a goal for the Bruins, who lost for the first time in regulation (16-1-4) when leading entering the third period. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 19 shots.

Oilers 4, Blackhawks 3 (OT)

Zach Hyman scored in overtime on a power play, and Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist to lead the Edmonton Oilers past the Chicago Blackhawks.

Calvin Pickard made 29 saves for Edmonton, which also got a goal from Viktor Arvidsson. This win came in overtime, marking the second straight night the Oilers won in extra time, following a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Chicago Blackhawks players in the 2nd half

Ryan Donato had a goal and an assist late in regulation to help Chicago erase a two-goal deficit. Alec Martinez tied the game with 3:44 left. Lukas Reichel also scored, Teuvo Teravainen had two assists, and Arvid Soderblom made 34 saves.

Kings 6, Canadiens 3

Kevin Fiala scored twice in the third period to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens at home.

Vladislav Gavrikov and Warren Foegele each had a goal and an assist, Quinton Byfield had three assists, and Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves. The Kings have now won two straight after a rough four-game losing streak (0-3-1). Brandt Clarke and Trevor Moore also scored for Los Angeles.

Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier, and Logan Mailloux scored for Montreal, while Jakub Dobes made 31 saves. The Canadiens have lost six of their last seven (1-5-1).

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NHL (National Hockey League)

David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins aim to secure crucial points against the New York Rangers in Boston on Wednesday

David Pastrnak- Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins had a strong showing on Saturday, beating the New York Rangers with a dominant performance, and followed it up with another solid home game. The Rangers, after a tough loss to Boston, managed a rare comeback in the third period in their last game.

Now, both teams are fighting for one of the wild-card spots in the crowded Eastern Conference and will face off for the third time this season on Wednesday night when the Bruins visit the Rangers.

The first two matchups were quite different. The Rangers won 2-1 at home on January 2, scoring twice early in the first period. However, in their most recent game on Saturday, the Bruins cruised to a 6-3 win with two power-play goals and a hat trick from David Pastrnak.

Pastrnak has been on fire, scoring 10 goals in his last 11 games and recording 24 points during an 11-game point streak.

Boston has gone 7-3-1 over their last 11 games, following a rough six-game losing streak from December 31 to January 9. They’ve scored at least three goals in seven of those 11 games and are looking to win three straight for the second time this season.

The Bruins are coming off a 3-0 win against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, where defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward Trent Frederic scored in the second period, and Jeremy Swayman recorded a 35-save shutout. McAvoy has two goals in three games since returning from injury.

“Everyone’s fighting for points and it’s our job to rise to the occasion and make sure we’re getting important points down the stretch,” Swayman said.

New York Rangers (NHL)

The Rangers are also trying to get back on track. After a 10-game points streak (7-0-3), they’ve been outscored 15-7 in a three-game losing streak. They turned things around with a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, scoring three goals in the third period.

The Rangers are also welcoming J.T. Miller, who practiced for the first time after being traded from the Vancouver Canucks. Miller assisted on power-play goals by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin in the comeback win.

“He’s a great player,” said Panarin. “He actually goes pretty hard on the forecheck, battles hard in front of the net, so it’s really important for our team.”

Miller will join a Rangers lineup that will be missing Adam Edstrom for at least two and a half months due to a lower-body injury. Edstrom, who had been a regular in the lineup, was injured on Saturday. His physicality, speed, and size will be missed, but coach Peter Laviolette said it’s a good opportunity for others to step up.

“It’s his size, it’s his physicality, it’s his speed,” Laviolette said. “You take that out, you’re going to miss it, but it’s a great opportunity for anybody else who steps into the lineup.”

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Bruins look to find consistency at home against the Wild in Boston

Boston Bruins (NHL)

The Boston Bruins are looking for more consistency as they begin a three-game stretch against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, just before the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off break.

The Bruins have had a mix of good and bad results recently, including a 5-1-1 stretch and back-to-back losses by a combined 13-4 score. They hope to build on their 6-3 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday.

“That’s the question for our guys, right? Can we build off what we did last game and continue to move in the right direction?” said Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco. “Our power play was better, I thought our game management was good for the most part. … I think we can take and build on (those details).”

There were a lot of positive signs in the win, such as David Pastrnak scoring a hat trick, and Charlie McAvoy returning from injury to score. The Bruins’ power play went 2-for-3, marking only their third game this season with multiple power-play goals.

“Any time you can get your offensive guys feeling good about themselves (is important),” Sacco said. “The power play is where they get their touches and it can also boost their 5-on-5 game.”

Pastrnak’s hat trick came just hours after being named the NHL’s First Star of January, after leading the league with 11 goals and 24 points. He’s on a 10-game point streak for the eighth time in his career.

Minnesota Wild (NHL)

“The sky’s the limit when I’m on my game and I’m focused,” Pastrnak said. “So yeah, definitely never satisfied but I set my standards high, which sometimes can be tough, but that’s just the player I became and that’s the pressure you have to face and I’m fine with that.”

Sacco mentioned that forward Mark Kastelic (undisclosed injury) should be available on Tuesday, while defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower-body injury) is unlikely to return before the break.

Minnesota, currently third in the Central Division, has struggled recently with a 4-6-0 record in their last 10 games, including a 6-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

In that game, forward Ryan Hartman was ejected for a head-first hit on Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle. Hartman could face a suspension after being offered an in-person hearing by the Department of Player Safety.

“I think that situation is what it is,” said Minnesota coach John Hynes. “I don’t want to get into any … The game was the game. … That’s not the crux of what happened in the game.”

Despite the penalty, Minnesota’s loss was mainly due to their own struggles. “Even without that (incident), we’re not even close,” forward Mats Zuccarello said. “I haven’t seen us like this in a while, so this is not good enough, and hopefully (Saturday) was a one-off.”

The Wild may make changes to their lineup on Tuesday, with defenseman Jonas Brodin (lower-body injury) and forward Marcus Johansson (concussion) returning to practice after missing 12 and nine games, respectively. Hynes expects both players to return soon.

Leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov was placed on long-term injured reserve on Sunday after undergoing successful surgery for a lower-body injury.

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NBA roundup: Celtics rally from 26-point deficit to defeat 76ers in Boston

Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)

Jayson Tatum scored 35 points and recorded 11 assists as the Boston Celtics came back from a 26-point deficit in the second half to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-110 on Sunday.

Boston outscored Philadelphia 54-20 in the last 14 minutes of the game, taking control after the 76ers had dominated early on. With the win, the Celtics bounced back from a loss to the Sixers on Christmas Day and improved to 2-0 on their three-game road trip.

Jaylen Brown contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists for Boston, while Kristaps Porzingis added 18 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks. The Celtics hit 21 3-pointers, including 14 out of 22 attempts in the second half.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 34 points, while Guerschon Yabusele, playing against his former team, scored 21 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger) for the game.

Cavaliers 144, Mavericks 101

Sam Merrill came off the bench to score a career-high 27 points, including nine 3-pointers, as the Cleveland Cavaliers easily defeated the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas had a rough start to a new chapter, as the team traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis just hours before the game. Davis didn’t play due to the trade and an abdominal strain, and Max Christie, who was also part of the deal, was not available.

Cleveland quickly turned the game into a blowout, hitting 9 of 11 3-pointers in the first quarter to take a 50-19 lead by the end of the period. It was Cleveland’s highest-scoring quarter of the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)

Pistons 127, Bulls 119

Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons with 22 points and 15 assists as they defeated the Chicago Bulls at home.

Jalen Duren added 21 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists for Detroit, while Malik Beasley contributed 19 points, five assists, and three steals. Detroit ended Chicago’s 18-game winning streak against them in their last 20 matchups.

Coby White led the Bulls with 22 points. Nikola Vucevic posted a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Josh Giddey finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Raptors 115, Clippers 108

RJ Barrett scored 20 points and had seven assists as the Toronto Raptors used a strong third quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers at home.

The Raptors broke a halftime tie with a 31-16 third quarter, fueled by 19 fastbreak points. This gave Toronto a split in the season series against the Clippers. Gradey Dick added 18 points, and Scottie Barnes had 15 points and seven rebounds.

James Harden led the Clippers with 25 points, and Ivica Zubac added 18 points. Former Raptor Kawhi Leonard contributed 14 points for Los Angeles, who finished their road trip with a 2-2 record.

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In Boston, the Celtics rallied from a 26-point deficit to shock the 76ers

Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers

Jayson Tatum scored 35 points and dished out 11 assists as the Boston Celtics came back from a 26-point, second-half deficit to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-110 on Sunday.

Boston outscored Philadelphia 54-20 in the last 15 minutes, taking control of a game that the 76ers had dominated early. This win helped the Celtics get revenge for a home loss to the Sixers on Christmas and improved their record to 2-0 on their road trip, which ends with a game against the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Jaylen Brown contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists for Boston, while Kristaps Porzingis added 18 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks. The Celtics hit 21 3-pointers, including 14 of 22 in the second half.

Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 34 points, and Guerschon Yabusele scored 21 points against his former team. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Sixers, who were missing Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger).

Maxey made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping Philadelphia take a 29-21 lead.

Jayson Tatum celebrates in the 2nd half

The Sixers pushed their lead to 43-28 on Maxey’s 3-pointer midway through the second, but Boston cut it to seven points before Philadelphia went into halftime with a 61-44 lead.

Philadelphia maintained a lead of at least 14 points throughout the third quarter, even leading by 26 after Ricky Council IV’s layup made it 90-64 with under three minutes left. However, Boston ended the quarter with a 16-4 run. Derrick White started the surge with two 3-pointers, followed by long-range shots from Sam Hauser and Tatum. Brown’s layup in the final seconds cut the gap to 94-80.

Hauser hit two more 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter, and Tatum added three in just 2 1/2 minutes, putting the Celtics up 101-100. White hit two more 3-pointers in the final five minutes, both after the Sixers got within one point. A 3-pointer from Holiday with 51.6 seconds left sealed the win for Boston.

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Rangers look to improve defense in matchup against the Knights in New York

Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller waits for a face off during the second period of an NHL hockey game

J.T. Miller’s debut was successful on a personal level on Saturday, but his two goals weren’t enough to fix the New York Rangers’ defensive issues in their 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins.

The Rangers are now on a three-game losing streak after a 10-game point streak (7-0-3), and they hope Miller’s first home game back with the team will bring a better result when they host the struggling Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

The Rangers have been outscored 15-7 during their losing streak, after a stretch where they allowed more than three goals only twice. Miller will play his first home game as a Ranger since February 25, 2018. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning and then spent over five seasons with the Vancouver Canucks before being traded back to New York on Friday.

On Saturday, Miller scored a tying goal midway through the first period and added a power-play goal 35 seconds into the third.

“It’s obviously exciting, the talent he has and the player he is, a player with experience and skill,” said New York center Mika Zibanejad. “It’s exciting to have him here. We’re excited to have him.”

Miller shares the same excitement.

“I couldn’t be happier to be here now,” said Miller, 31. “It’s been one of the best teams in the league. I’m excited about trying to get them back in the playoff picture here.”

Boston Bruins Win Over Capitals (NHL)

The Golden Knights are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Rangers on January 11, part of a rough 3-6-3 stretch. Before that, Vegas had a strong 13-2 run in 15 games.

On Thursday, Tomas Hertl scored early in the game, but the Golden Knights couldn’t add more and lost 2-1 in overtime to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Two nights earlier, they took a 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars after holding a two-goal lead early.

Vegas has been held to fewer than 30 shots on goal in four straight games.

“We just got to find ways to generate more offense, more looks, and just get back to the way it was at the beginning of the year, which is a lot of traffic, point shots, tips, things like that,” said defenseman Noah Hanifin. “We’ve got a big, big group up front, and we’ve got some D that can move.”

After the loss to Columbus, the Golden Knights signed forward Brandon Saad to a one-year contract after he left the St. Louis Blues. Saad, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the 2013 and 2015 Chicago Blackhawks, had seven goals and 16 points in 43 games for St. Louis before joining Vegas.

If Saad plays on Sunday, he will join a Golden Knights team missing William Karlsson, who has been out for the past five games with a lower-body injury. The team has also seen captain Mark Stone score just twice in his last 12 games.

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In his return to the team in New York, J.T. Miller scores in the first period just one day after being traded to the Rangers

Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller waits for a face off during the second period of an NHL hockey game

J.T. Miller made a quick impact in his return to the New York Rangers, scoring two goals in a 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, just a day after being traded from the Vancouver Canucks.

The Rangers sent center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini, and a 2025 conditional draft pick to Vancouver for the 31-year-old Miller and a pair of defensemen.

“It’s kind of like a numb feeling,” Miller said after the game, packing up his old Canucks gear. “It’s definitely been a long 24 hours.” He mentioned arriving in Boston around 3 a.m.

Originally drafted by the Rangers in 2011 before being traded to Tampa Bay in 2018, Miller scored his first goal with the Rangers midway through the first period. He received a pass from Artemi Panarin in the slot and fired a shot past Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman to tie the game at 1-1.

“It feels nice to chip in,” Miller said of his two goals. “I’ve been pretty snakebit for most of the year, especially lately. I guess to see one go in is nice, and obviously first game back was a little extra special, for sure.”

Miller added a power-play goal early in the third period, receiving a pass from Mika Zibanejad and scoring in front to cut the Bruins’ lead to 4-2.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette praised Miller’s abilities: “He’s a power forward that can play the game hard. He can score goals and make plays. He’s got an edge to his game and plays different positions, so it’s a big piece.”

J.T. Miller takes the puck forward

Miller joined a Rangers team that was battling for a playoff spot, entering the day sixth in the Metropolitan Division. Laviolette gave him simple advice before the game after Miller had flown in from Dallas, where he was a late scratch in Vancouver’s 5-3 loss the previous night: “At the end of it, I just said, ‘Take it all in.

You now have a starting point of information but focus on just going out and playing hard and having fun,’” Laviolette said. “Don’t think too much. Play first, think second.”

Miller wore No. 8 for the Rangers, a number that was available to him because No. 9 (his number in Vancouver) was retired in honor of former player Andy Bathgate. He started the game on the team’s top line.

Zibanejad believes Miller’s experience and skill will be a great asset to the team: “A player with experience and the skill, we’re excited to have him.”

In his second year of a seven-year, $56 million contract, Miller was acquired to strengthen a Rangers team that had struggled after winning the Presidents’ Trophy and reaching the Eastern Conference Final last season.

“I couldn’t be happier to be here now,” Miller said. “It’s been one of the best teams in the league. … I’m excited about trying to get them back in the playoff picture here.”

Miller had recorded nine goals and 26 assists in 40 games with Vancouver this season.

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NBA (Basketball)

NBA roundup: Jayson Tatum’s game-winner lifts Celtics past Pelicans in Boston

Boston Celtics players celebrates after scoring

Jaylen Brown scored 28 points and Jayson Tatum added 27, including a go-ahead jumper with 0.2 seconds left, as the visiting Boston Celtics beat the New Orleans Pelicans 118-116 on Friday night.

Tatum also had 10 assists, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White scored 16 points each, and Luke Kornet scored 11 points off the bench for the Celtics, who won three of their last four games.

Trey Murphy III scored a season-high 40 points, Jose Alvarado added 20, and CJ McCollum scored 17 for New Orleans, which lost its fifth straight game.

Pelicans starting point guard Dejounte Murray had to be helped off the court after injuring his lower right leg in the first quarter. He did not return, and postgame reports said he tore his Achilles tendon.

Nuggets 137, 76ers 134

Nikola Jokic scored 28 points, made 13 assists, and grabbed 9 rebounds to help visiting Denver beat Philadelphia.

Jokic made the important plays in the final minutes, while Jamal Murray led Denver with 31 points and 11 assists. Michael Porter Jr. added 24 points to help the Nuggets end a three-game losing streak.

Tyrese Maxey scored 42 points, and Guerschon Yabusele scored a career-high 28 for Philadelphia, which was still without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger). The Sixers had won four straight games before this. Yabusele’s half-court shot at the buzzer missed.

Clippers 112, Hornets 104

Norman Powell scored 27 points and Kawhi Leonard added 21 points as Los Angeles won in Charlotte.

Ivica Zubac (14 points, 11 rebounds) and James Harden (14 points, 10 assists) each had double-doubles as the Clippers won their fourth game in five tries.

Miles Bridges scored 27 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, while Vasilije Micic scored 20 points for the Hornets, who lost their fifth game in the last six.

Spurs 144, Bucks 118

Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead San Antonio to an impressive win over visiting Milwaukee, ending a four-game home losing streak.

Keldon Johnson added 24 points for San Antonio, which won just its second game in the last seven. Stephon Castle scored 20 points, Harrison Barnes had 16, and Devin Vassell and Chris Paul each scored 12 points in the win.

San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Damian Lillard added 22 points, Khris Middleton scored 21, and Taurean Prince had 13 points for the Bucks.

Suns 130, Warriors 105

Devin Booker led six Phoenix players in double figures, while Stephen Curry was limited to just 14 points as Phoenix dominated Golden State in San Francisco.

Booker finished with a game-high 31 points and 11 assists, Bradley Beal scored 21 points off the bench, and Kevin Durant added 19 for the Suns, who won for the ninth time in their last 12 games.

Andrew Wiggins and Moses Moody each scored 17 points for the Warriors, as Curry shot only 1-for-6 from 3-point range.

Bulls 122, Raptors 106

Coby White scored 25 points and made 6 assists, helping visiting Chicago end Toronto’s five-game winning streak with an easy victory.

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic had 12 points and 6 rebounds in the first quarter and finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Josh Giddey added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Chicago also got solid bench production, with Jalen Smith scoring 17 points, Matas Buzelis adding 12, Patrick Williams scoring 11 points and grabbing 9 rebounds, and Dalen Terry contributing 10 points.

Scottie Barnes scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Raptors, and RJ Barrett had 19 points and 9 boards. Immanuel Quickley returned from injury to score 13 of his 14 points in the first half. Jacob Poeltl had 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots.

Pistons 117, Mavericks 102

First-time All-Star Cade Cunningham scored 40 points, and host Detroit ended a three-game losing streak by beating Dallas.

Tobias Harris scored 17 points, and Jalen Duren added 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. Marcus Sasser contributed 10 points.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 28 points. P.J. Washington scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Daniel Gafford added 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Klay Thompson scored 13 points.

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NBA (Basketball)

Jayson Tatum’s clutch shot leads Celtics to win over Pelicans in Boston

Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans

Jaylen Brown scored 28 points, and Jayson Tatum added 27, including a game-winning jumper with 0.2 seconds left, as the Boston Celtics beat the New Orleans Pelicans 118-116 on Friday night.

Tatum also had 10 assists, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White scored 16 points each, and Luke Kornet came off the bench to score 11 points for the Celtics.

Trey Murphy III had a season-high 40 points, Jose Alvarado added 20, CJ McCollum scored 17, and Brandon Boston Jr. had 10 points for New Orleans, which lost its fifth consecutive game. Pelicans starting point guard Dejounte Murray had to leave the game after injuring his lower right leg in the first quarter and did not return.

New Orleans trailed by five points after three quarters, but Alvarado hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth. The Pelicans got within two points five times, with the Celtics responding to the first three. On the fourth occasion, Murphy made a jumper to tie the game at 114 with 1:37 remaining.

Brown and McCollum exchanged baskets before Tatum dribbled down the clock and hit the game-winning shot from 21 feet.

The Celtics opened the third quarter with a 9-6 run, increasing their lead to 68-59. Murphy made two 3-pointers, and Alvarado and Karlo Matkovic each made one as the Pelicans took a 77-75 lead.

Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown stand in the game

Brown scored eight points, and White and Payton Pritchard added three points each as Boston took a 91-86 lead into the fourth quarter.

Murphy scored 16 points, helping New Orleans take a 34-31 lead at the end of the first quarter.

New Orleans led by five points twice early in the second quarter, but Kornet made two baskets in a row to complete a 6-0 run, putting Boston ahead by one. The Pelicans regained the lead briefly, but Tatum hit two consecutive 3-pointers to start an 8-0 run, giving the Celtics a 47-42 lead.

New Orleans closed within one point twice, but White and Tatum each hit a 3-pointer, helping Boston extend their lead to nine points. Murphy’s 3-pointer cut New Orleans’ deficit to 59-53 at halftime.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

In the 4 Nations Face-Off, Sidney Crosby leads Canada while Auston Matthews captains the U.S., both taking on major roles in the tournament

Sidney Crosby Scores Milestone 1,500th Career Point in Penguins’ 5-1 Win Over Red Wings
Sidney Crosby Scores Milestone 1,500th Career Point in Penguins’ 5-1 Win Over Red Wings

Fifteen years after scoring the “Golden Goal” that helped Canada win an Olympic gold medal in Vancouver, and 11 years since captaining his country to another victory in Sochi, Sidney Crosby is taking on a familiar role in an international tournament.

Crosby will be Canada’s captain once again for the 4 Nations Face-Off next month in Montreal and Boston. He previously held the role in the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Auston Matthews is the captain for the U.S. for the first time after recently taking on that role with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Matthews doesn’t plan to change his leadership style, while Crosby, who has been the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2007, understands that short international tournaments are very different.

“There’s always a learning curve,” Crosby said in a video call with reporters on Friday. “When you have a new group and you’re in a situation like that, the learning curve’s quick, so, you’ve got to take in as much information as you can. But everyone’s picked for a reason, they’re selected for what they bring, so you’ve got to be able to bring that and just find a way to be at your best right away.”

Since the World Championships take place every spring while the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs are ongoing, and because the league didn’t participate in the past two Olympics, the 4 Nations will be the first international tournament featuring the best players since 2016. Even that World Cup had the unique addition of Team North America, with young stars like Matthews, Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon.

This time, Crosby, McDavid, and MacKinnon will all be on the same roster for the first time.

“With our team, just the collection of guys, there hasn’t been much opportunity for this group to be together,” Crosby said. “Getting excited to get the guys together, to be in the same place, to practice and build.”

Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs

The first practices are set for February 10, with games following shortly after. There’s no official training camp, so Matthews plans to stick with what works for him in Toronto.

“I don’t need to step in there and be this rah-rah guy that maybe I’m not,” Matthews said. “That’s not really my style. I think I’m just going to approach it the same way I would approach it here (with the Maple Leafs) and be myself and support guys, encourage guys and just try to be the best that I can be out there.”

Crosby has already achieved it all, winning the Stanley Cup three times and Olympic gold twice. He would love to add a third gold next year in Milan, but for now, his focus is on this tournament.

The timing of the break is good for Crosby, as he and the Penguins are in last place, with the trade deadline coming up on March 7.

“Whether you’ve won five in a row or you’re grinding to put wins together, this is something that for a long time we haven’t been able to do this, so I think everyone’s excited for that,” Crosby said. “Personally, I am, not specifically because we’ve been trying to grind ourselves here.

That’s part of it, but if anything, hopefully that urgency and desperation and situation that we’re in will help going into the 4 Nations as far as just being at my best.”

The U.S. hasn’t won a major international tournament since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, which was a year before Matthews was born. While the pressure is not all on Matthews, as captain, he has the important job of putting his team in the best position to succeed.

“It’s just important to build that chemistry, come together as a team,” Matthews said. “And it’s not going to be easy. Each team’s got some special players, and it’s going to be highly competitive. I think everybody has a lot of honor representing their countries, as well. I think everybody’s looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity that this presents.”