No. 9 St. John’s and No. 24 Creighton will compete for the Big East lead on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Both teams have been reminded this week how quickly things can change between joy and disappointment, as they both look to bounce back from rare losses.
The Red Storm’s 10-game winning streak ended with a 73-71 loss at Villanova on Wednesday. The Bluejays had won nine straight before falling 70-66 to UConn at home on Tuesday.
Creighton’s loss (18-7, 11-3 Big East) ensured that St. John’s (21-4, 12-2) would stay on top of the conference heading into the weekend. But the Bluejays’ visit to New York will highlight how small the margin of error is for the Red Storm, whose four losses have all been by a total of just seven points.
One of those losses was a close 57-56 game at Creighton on Dec. 31, meaning a win on Sunday by the Bluejays would give them the tiebreaker for Big East tournament seeding.
St. John’s had a rare poor defensive showing on Wednesday, which reminded them of the challenges of sticking to their traditional style of play. According to KenPom.com, the Red Storm entered Friday with the second-ranked defense in the nation but just the 80th-ranked offense.
The Red Storm shot 44.3 percent and 29.7 percent from three-point range on Wednesday, exceeding their Big East averages. But Villanova shot 53.1 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from behind the arc.
“We weren’t there defensively, and that’s our identity,” St. John’s guard Aaron Scott said. “I don’t know (why). They have some good players on their team, but we just weren’t there defensively.”
St. John’s will need to fix their issues on both ends of the court without guard Deivon Smith, who is out indefinitely with a neck injury.
No. 12 St. John (NCAAB)
“He’s just not the same player he was a month ago and we’ve got to get him healthy,” coach Rick Pitino said about Smith, who also missed three games last month with a bruised right shoulder.
RJ Luis Jr. is St. John’s leading scorer with 17.4 points per game, followed by Zuby Ejiofor with 13.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Kadary Richmond is the team’s top assist man, averaging 5.2 assists and 12.3 points per game.
The loss to UConn was extra frustrating for Creighton, which had moved from the NCAA Tournament bubble into the Top 25 during their winning streak, with five of those wins coming by double digits.
Creighton led 37-23 with three minutes left in the first half, but UConn scored the next 13 points to start a 37-15 run, taking a 60-52 lead with 6:46 left.
The Bluejays tied the score at 65-all on a free throw by Fedor Zugic with two minutes left but missed two opportunities to take the lead over the next 91 seconds. UConn hit three of its last five free throws to seal their first win in Omaha, Neb.
“When you’re playing a team as good as UConn, you’ve got to be a little bit more perfect than we were tonight,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. “Had a real chance at the end of that first half to create some separation.”
Ryan Kalkbrenner leads Creighton with 19.0 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game, while Steven Ashworth, who averages 16.7 points per game, leads the team in assists with 6.8 per game.
Super Bowl LIX is over now — the beers have been drunk and the light poles climbed — so we can start looking ahead to Super Bowl LX.
One NFL team can feel really good about where they are (once the celebration ends), while the other 31 teams will be trying to figure out what went wrong and how to improve.
Today, let’s see the players who will shape the 2025 offseason in fantasy football. The scouting combine is only two weeks away, and free agency starts in a month, so we don’t have much time to think about how the pieces will fall into place before things start moving.
Tee Higgins
Higgins is the biggest player to watch this offseason when it comes to how other players’ fantasy value will change. If he stays with Cincinnati — which might be what he wants — Joe Burrow becomes a top-five fantasy quarterback with a chance to win MVP in real life. Higgins is a physically powerful player who can improve any offense and quarterback he plays with. The quarterback he teams up with is likely to become much better once Higgins joins the team.
Every team would love to have a player like Higgins at the peak of his career, so there will be a lot of competition if the Bengals can’t or won’t re-sign him. The Patriots, Commanders, and Chargers are among the teams that need a receiver and have a lot of cap space. It’s easy to picture Higgins ending up in a situation where he gets more chances than he did in Cincinnati. If he gets over 140 targets, he will be one of the top receivers in fantasy.
Deebo Samuel
After a tough season statistically, mostly due to injuries, Samuel asked the 49ers for a trade, and his agent has been allowed to explore possible teams for him. It looks like he will likely be moving on. Even during a disappointing season for him, Samuel still managed 93 touches and was targeted 81 times; his exit would open up more chances for Jauan Jennings and give more opportunities to Ricky Pearsall in fantasy football.
Samuel seems like a perfect match for the Denver Broncos, who are looking for a versatile player. If Deebo is interested and the Broncos are willing to offer him a contract, the trade could happen.
Tyreek Hill
Hill appeared to use Super Bowl media week as a way to clarify his stance, telling almost every outlet that he would prefer to stay in Miami. Maybe that’s the case, and maybe the Dolphins are fully committed to keeping Tyreek.
However, Hill is a complex player who will turn 31 soon, and he was clearly unhappy at the end of the regular season. It’s important not to assume that Miami won’t be open to offers. Hill could be an attractive option for any team that misses out on Higgins.
Sam Darnold
It’s not completely clear whether Darnold is the best of the bad quarterbacks or the worst of the good ones, but we’ve learned that he can support two great fantasy receivers (before falling apart in a big way during the most important weeks of the season). If he stays in Minnesota, Justin Jefferson will remain a top-five fantasy pick, Jordan Addison will be a strong WR2, and Darnold will be a quarterback worth considering with potential.
If Darnold ends up in a team with less talent, he’s likely only a Superflex quarterback, and Minnesota’s receivers will depend on an interesting but unproven 22-year-old quarterback who is recovering from multiple knee surgeries. As much as we might like the idea of a J.J. McCarthy-led offense, he’s still an unknown. Darnold, however, just had a 35-touchdown season with a 14-win team.
Michael Hoecht celebrates after sacking Sam Darnold in the 2nd half
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is not at his best anymore, but he’s not completely done either. At 41, he likely still wants to play professional football, but we know it won’t be with the Jets.
A big game of quarterback musical chairs is about to happen across the league, involving Rodgers, Darnold, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and others. When the music stops, Rodgers could end up in a somewhat exciting place, maybe with the Steelers or Giants, or he could land in a less attractive location, like the Titans or Browns.
It’s also possible that the music will stop and Rodgers will be relaxing in a sensory deprivation chamber, disconnected from the idea of continuing his NFL career. He’s a free spirit, not tied to traditional ideas or expectations. Shrug.
Devante Adams
Adams and Rodgers keep ending up together, but it’s not certain that will happen this offseason. After a season where Adams gained 1,063 yards and scored eight touchdowns over 14 games, he’s sure to get attention if or when the Jets let him go.
He’s said to be interested in the Rams and Chargers, teams that would keep his fantasy value strong but could make things uncertain for players like Puka Nacua or Ladd McConkey. Adams is about to turn 32, but he’s far from finished. Every team that is competing for a championship and needs a receiver will at least check his price.
Chris Godwin
Let’s remember that when Godwin injured his ankle and ended his season in Week 7, he had been competing for the top WR1 spot for the year. At that point, he was one of the best options in fantasy. We shouldn’t be too worried about his recovery, either, since he and the Bucs had mentioned a possible return in the postseason if the team made a deep run.
Godwin is entering free agency at 29, after a half-season where he averaged 82.3 receiving yards per game and caught 80.6% of his targets. He’s been one of the most dependable players at his position since joining the league in 2017. A return to Tampa would be of interest to everyone involved, but it would certainly limit the recent excitement around Jalen McMillan.
If he stays healthy, Godwin is definitely the kind of receiver who can boost his quarterback’s fantasy value.
Chris Godwin (NFL)
Ashton Jeanty
Yes, there are a few reliable, older running backs who will be available in free agency, but this year’s draft class isn’t as strong as last year’s. Jeanty is the running back most likely to shake up fantasy draft boards this offseason. No matter where Aaron Jones or Najee Harris go, we won’t be thinking about those players at the end of the first round.
Jeanty just had one of the best individual seasons in college football history, rushing for a huge 2,601 yards while averaging 7.0 yards per carry and scoring 30 touchdowns.
He also caught 80 passes for 862 yards over three college seasons, showing he can be used in the passing game. If Jeanty ends up in Dallas — where he is often mocked to go — or in Chicago — where he is openly hoping to play — then someone in every fantasy draft will be picking him in the first two rounds.
Matthew Stafford
On one hand, it doesn’t make much sense for the Rams to trade a quarterback who just led the team to the divisional round, where they gave the eventual Super Bowl champions their toughest challenge in the playoffs. But maybe this is a case of a team trying to get rid of an aging star while his value is still high. There has been too much talk about a possible Stafford trade to just ignore it.
Stafford still has an incredible arm and is one of the most creative (and also immobile) quarterbacks in the game. If he is up for trade, he would be the best option available for 2025. Malik Nabers has already shown interest on behalf of the Giants.
The New York Yankees are preparing for spring training, but they still have a few things they want to accomplish before the season starts.
It has been a busy offseason for the Yankees. Despite making it to the World Series last year, the 2025 team will look quite different.
While losing Juan Soto wasn’t ideal, the Yankees have done a good job filling in some areas of need. If they had signed Soto to the big contract he received, it’s hard to say if they could have added some of the other pieces they brought in this winter.
Recently, New York addressed one of their needs in the bullpen by re-signing Tim Hill. The left-hander was a strong addition to the team last season, and keeping him was important because they didn’t have another lefty in the bullpen.
With Hill back in the bullpen, the Yankees now have two main areas left to address: backup catcher and the infield. However, with New York close to the luxury tax threshold, they likely want to shed some salary to make these moves.
At this point, former All-Star Marcus Stroman seems like the most likely player to be traded.
Marcus Stroman looks up before the start of the game
After the Yankees signed Max Fried this winter, Stroman became the odd man out in the rotation. Even though he had a 10-9 record with a 4.31 ERA last season, which isn’t bad, he is set to earn $18 million in 2025.
Despite a solid season, Stroman struggled in the second half of the year and lost his spot in the rotation as the season went on. Though he’s been an All-Star, consistency has been an issue for the right-hander.
For the Yankees to trade him, they may need to cover a large portion of his salary in 2025. However, this could be worth it to free up money. If they can do this, they could address their infield need while staying under the luxury tax threshold.
With several teams still needing starting pitching this offseason, finding a trade partner shouldn’t be too hard. The biggest challenge will be how much of Stroman’s contract the Yankees are willing to absorb.
Philip Tomasino’s goal that broke the tie stood out in a three-goal second period as the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing without superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, managed a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Friday night.
Blake Lizotte and Rickard Rakell also scored, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 saves for the Penguins, who extended their unbeaten streak to 3-0-1 in the last four games.
Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist, and Adam Fox also scored for the Rangers, who were aiming for a third consecutive win. Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves.
Malkin (lower-body injury) missed his fifth straight game, while Crosby (upper-body injury) saw his streak of 229 regular-season games played end. This was the first time since November 13, 2021, that the Penguins played without both Crosby and Malkin in the same regular-season game.
Jets 4, Islanders 3
Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 32 shots as Winnipeg won its eighth straight game, beating the New York Islanders.
This eight-game streak matches the longest in the team’s history, dating back to the 1999-2000 season with the Atlanta Thrashers. The Jets also went 8-0-0 in their first eight games this season.
Alex Iafallo and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for Winnipeg, and Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each recorded two assists. Simon Holmstrom, Marc Gatcomb, and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders, who lost for only the second time in their last 10 games. Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves.
Avalanche 5, Oilers 4
Martin Necas scored with 4:22 left in the third period to give Colorado a 5-4 win over Edmonton after the Avalanche had lost a 4-2 lead.
Cole Makar scored twice and assisted on another, while Nathan MacKinnon added a goal and three assists for the Avalanche, who have won four of their last five games. Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist, Devon Toews had two assists, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves.
Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry each scored twice for Edmonton, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins earning two assists. Stuart Skinner allowed three goals on 12 shots in the first period, and Calvin Pickard made 17 saves in the last two periods.
Blackhawks 6, Predators 2
Ryan Donato scored two goals and had two assists to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 6-2 victory over Nashville.
Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, and Seth Jones each had a goal and an assist, while Patrick Maroon also scored for the Blackhawks, who ended a three-game losing streak. Teuvo Teravainen and Alex Vlasic each had two assists, and Petr Mrazek stopped 31 shots.
Colton Sissons and Tommy Novak scored for the Predators, who lost their sixth straight. Juuse Saros made 24 saves.
The New York Rangers will look to bounce back quickly after a short rest when they travel to play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
The Rangers are aiming for redemption after a 3-2 loss on Friday to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were missing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
New York had 1-0 and 2-1 leads, thanks to goals from Vincent Trocheck and Adam Fox, but the Penguins scored twice in the second period and held on for the win.
Trocheck also got an assist in the loss, and Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced.
Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, who didn’t record any points in the game, said after the match, “I think it’s just in general our first two periods are not very good and we dig ourselves a bit of a hole and then we have to try to climb out of it again in the third. We were unable to do that today, so (we) can’t just rely on the first and third period to win the game.”
New York was outshot 26-17 in the first two periods, but despite not allowing any shots in the third period and getting seven shots of their own, they couldn’t find the equalizer.
The loss ended a two-game win streak for New York, and they will look to head into the 4 Nations Face-Off break with a win in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets come into this game after three straight losses (0-2-1), following a three-game win streak. Their most recent loss was 4-3 to the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday, when Dylan Guenther scored in overtime.
Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov scored for the third game in a row, while Justin Danforth scored his first goal in 19 games.
Columbus Blue Jackets players celebrates after a goal
“There’s no excuses for us,” Danforth said after the game. “We pride ourselves on being a consistent team. I felt like we were there for most of the night but just not good enough.”
Before Thursday, the Blue Jackets had won five straight games at home. They have had one of the best home records in the NHL this season, with a 17-5-4 mark.
A big reason for this success has been the play of Zach Werenski. With an assist against Utah, Werenski extended his home point streak to 20 games (13 goals, 24 assists), making him just the fourth defenseman in NHL history to do this.
In addition to extending his point streak, Werenski also set a new club record for points in a season by a defenseman with 58 points (17 goals, 41 assists). He had 57 points (11 goals, 46 assists) last season, matching the club record set in 2017-18 by Seth Jones (16 goals, 41 assists).
The Rangers have won six of their last eight games against the Blue Jackets. In their only meeting this season, New York defeated Columbus 1-0 in a shootout on Jan. 18.
The New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild are both coming off close games as they prepare for their match on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.
This will be the last game for both teams before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will take place from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.
The Wild ended a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 home win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, while the Islanders lost 4-3 to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night but have won eight of their last 10 games (8-2-0).
The Islanders were up 2-1 after the first period on Friday, with goals from Simon Holmstrom and Marc Gatcomb. However, the Jets came back with three goals in the second period.
Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders in the third period. Ilya Sorokin, who lost for the first time since Jan. 16, made 23 saves.
“We did a lot of good things tonight,” New York center Bo Horvat said after the loss. “I thought we fought back. But at the end of the day, we couldn’t get the job done tonight. I thought in the first we were good. We let our foot off the gas for a minute in the second. We knew they would come, and they did. We fought back in the third period to make it a close game.”
Islanders coach Patrick Roy agreed with Horvat.
“We played really well in the first and third periods. Played very well, took a lead,” Roy said. “I think in the second period, we lost coverage, and that cost us two of the three goals.”
Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Filip Gustavsson made 37 saves for Minnesota.
“Whether it’s lifting sticks, shot blocking and not allowing second efforts,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I thought we also did a good job. If the puck was in those areas or below the goal line, we had five players tight. And then when they did get some looks, because they’re going to, I thought ‘Gus’ (Gustavsson) really competed tonight in scrums and battles, and it was going to be one where your goaltender has to compete in traffic tonight, and he did a nice job.”
Yakov Trenin and Vinnie Hinostroza scored for the Wild. Hinostroza played his first game for Minnesota after being claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.
“Yeah, (I) felt really good,” Hinostroza said after the game. “Obviously, a lot of emotions. Entering a new locker room sometimes can be hard to do, but this group couldn’t have made it easier for me today. So I’m just happy to be a part of this. Got in late last night, so I’ll go back and get some sleep tonight, and then back at it tomorrow. So it’ll be nice to see a little bit of down time.”
Minnesota forward Ryan Hartman will serve the third game of his 10-game suspension for using his forearm to slam the head of Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle to the ice last Saturday.
Hartman has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 48 games. The NHL Players Association has filed an appeal on Hartman’s behalf.
Saquon Barkley runs for a touchdown in the 1st half
Saquon Barkley’s remarkable season has been a major topic during Super Bowl week.
From Hall of Fame running backs like Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Thurman Thomas to Falcons star Bijan Robinson, everyone has praised Barkley’s incredible performance.
Barkley has helped the Philadelphia Eagles reach the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, where they’ll aim to stop the Chiefs from winning a third straight championship.
Barkley was named the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 2,005 yards in the regular season, which ranks as the eighth-best in NFL history. He skipped Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he was just 101 yards short of breaking Dickerson’s single-season record.
He has followed up his regular-season success with 442 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs. In total, Barkley has accumulated 2,447 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, including seven scores of over 60 yards. He is just 30 yards away from surpassing Terrell Davis’ 26-year-old record for the most rushing yards in a season, including playoffs.
Here’s what others are saying about Barkley:
Eric Dickerson:
“Saquon and that offensive line, they’re awesome. I’m glad to see him go to a team like that. He deserves that. I heard him say it and it reminded me of myself: ‘I’m having fun again.’ He’s loving it again because it’s no fun when you’re getting hit in the backfield and you’re getting 30 yards. What happens is they start blaming you. But there’s nowhere to go, nowhere to run, they don’t have a quarterback, the offensive line is terrible. So for him, I’m really happy. I talked to him, I congratulated him. He seemed like a really nice young man.”
Saquon Barkley leaves the field after the game
Marshall Faulk:
“Just consistency. He’s been able to elevate his game in the biggest moments when they needed it most. Patience, attention to detail and really trusting the guys up front. The guy is a generational talent and, obviously, year one of the Giants, we got to see it. They didn’t put the right pieces around (him), which we need. We need that in this game. Philly had all the right components for him to show us and remind us of the generational talent he has.”
Thurman Thomas:
“I’ve seen actual growth. He’s a captain on his team. He’s a leader on his team. He’s been in the spotlight just by being on the Giants. He knows how to handle everything. He’s been the perfect football player, the perfect person since he’s come into the league and even back when he was at Penn State. He’s brought a toughness to the City of Brotherly Love. I just like his overall game. He can do it all. He can block. He can run, catch passes. This could be a trend for the Philadelphia Eagles for the next three or four years depending on how they use him.”
Bijan Robinson:
“It’s been some of the most special stuff to watch not just for running backs but for all NFL fans. Just the things he’s been doing has been spectacular. You can just see last year people saying he was done, he was out, he was a bust, he doesn’t deserve money, all that type stuff. Then you can fast forward a year later and he’s the best running back in the league this year so it’s pretty special to watch. Me and him talk a lot. We’ll probably train together this offseason so having a guy like that and supporting a guy like that is pretty cool.”
Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman stands on the field before an NFL football game
Rick Spielman helped the New York Jets find their new coach and general manager, and now he will be joining their revamped front office.
The former general manager of the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins announced on his CBS Sports podcast on Thursday that he will take on the role of senior football adviser for the team.
Spielman, along with former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, assisted New York owner Woody Johnson in searching for a new coach and GM over the past few months. Both were part of The 33rd Team, a media, analytics, and consulting group founded in 2019 by Tannenbaum, which helped identify and interview potential candidates.
The Jets recently hired Aaron Glenn as their new coach and Darren Mougey as their GM, both of whom were introduced last Monday.
“Right now, my biggest project is trying to rebuild the football operation side of things,” Spielman said on the “With The First Pick” podcast. “There’s a lot of changes going on up there. I kind of feel honored and privileged that they called me to be part of it going forward.”
In his new role, Spielman will act as “a sounding board” for Glenn and Mougey. Phil Savage, who previously held the senior football adviser position and served as the interim GM after Joe Douglas was fired in November, will stay with the Jets as a consultant.
New York Jets players celebrate after his touchdown in the 2nd half
“I don’t need to make the decisions,” Spielman said. “I don’t want to make the decisions anymore, I really don’t. I had my day in the sun, the good and the bad. What I enjoy the most is sharing experiences.”
Spielman, 62, was the Vikings’ general manager from 2012 to 2021 after spending six years as their vice president of player personnel. He was also the Dolphins’ GM in 2004 and served as an adviser last year to the Washington Commanders during their GM and coaching searches.
Spielman is the older brother of Chris Spielman, the former NFL linebacker and current Detroit executive who was one of the 15 candidates interviewed for the Jets’ GM job. Chris Spielman has been the special assistant to the president, CEO, and chairperson for the Lions since 2021.
First baseman Pete Alonso will stay with the New York Mets, agreeing to a two-year contract worth $54 million.
The deal was confirmed on Wednesday night, with the agreement, still subject to a successful physical.
Alonso will receive a $10 million signing bonus and a salary of $20 million this year, plus $24 million in 2026. He has the option to opt out after the 2025 season to become a free agent again.
New York had also offered Alonso a $71 million, three-year deal, which included salaries of $27 million in 2025 and $22 million in each of the next two seasons, with the ability to opt out after each of the first two years, according to the source.
Alonso, who turned 30 on December 7, took longer than other top players to sign. Among other free-agent first basemen, Christian Walker signed a $60 million, three-year deal with Houston, while Paul Goldschmidt (New York Yankees) and Carlos Santana (Cleveland) agreed to one-year deals.
Mets owner Steve Cohen expressed frustration last month, stating that negotiations for Alonso were tougher than those for a record $765 million, 15-year contract with Juan Soto, who, like Alonso, is represented by agent Scott Boras.
Pete Alonso celebrates after his home run
“I don’t like the structures that are being presented to us,” Cohen said. “It’s highly asymmetric against us and I feel strongly about it. I will never say no. You know, there’s always a possibility. But the reality is that we’re moving forward and we continue to bring in players. And as we continue to bring in players, the reality is, it becomes harder to fit Pete into what is a very expensive group of players that we already have.”
Previously, Alonso rejected a $158 million, seven-year offer in 2023 from his former agency that would have covered 2024-30. After the 2023 season, he switched to Boras and agreed to a $20.5 million, one-year deal that avoided arbitration.
Alonso has hit 226 homers over six seasons with the Mets and became a four-time All-Star, but his strikeouts increased to a career-high 172 last year while his OPS dropped to a career-low .788.
Nicknamed the Polar Bear, Alonso became a fan favorite at Citi Field as a home-grown member of the Mets.
He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2019, when he hit .260 with a major-league-high 53 homers—setting a rookie record—and 120 RBIs. He had a career-high 131 RBIs in 2022.
Alonso batted a career-low .217 in 2023, hitting 46 homers and driving in 118 runs, then hit .240 with 34 homers and 88 RBIs this year. His three-run, ninth-inning homer off Devin Williams helped the Mets beat Milwaukee in the decisive third game of their NL Wild Card Series.
After losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series, the Mets added Soto and right-handers Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes, and Griffin Canning, along with left-hander A.J. Minter. They also re-signed left-hander Sean Manaea, right-hander Ryne Stanek, and outfielder Jesse Winker.
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).
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.”
Simeon Wilcher and Kadary Richmond in the 2nd half
It’s been a while since St. John’s has had this much success, and fans are beginning to feel the excitement.
“We want UConn! We want UConn!” some of them chanted during the final seconds on Tuesday as the 12th-ranked Red Storm defeated No. 11 Marquette 70-64 in their Big East matchup at Madison Square Garden.
The win marked a strong start to a key week for Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino’s team, which remained in sole possession of first place in the conference and moved to 1-1 against ranked teams this season.
Next up is a game Friday night at No. 19 UConn, the two-time defending national champions.
“It’s a nice feeling. It’s good to enjoy it. But we know we’re not done,” said guard Kadary Richmond.
Richmond, a transfer from Seton Hall, had an impressive all-around performance with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists.
Leading scorer RJ Luis Jr. contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds as St. John’s (20-3, 11-1) won for the 15th time in 16 games. The Red Storm has now won nine straight regular-season Big East games for the first time since the 1984-85 season, when the program reached the Final Four under legendary coach Lou Carnesecca.
“We put in a lot of hard work in the preseason. You guys can see it now,” said Luis. “I think we’re having a great season. We have a lot to accomplish yet. And the guys are hungry and we’re going to go after it.”
Zudy Ejiofor celebrates after scoring
Zuby Ejiofor added 13 points and 13 rebounds to help St. John’s improve to 15-0 at home in front of a roaring crowd of 16,521. The crowd included New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, former Mets closer John Franco, and former Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.
With their highest ranking in 25 years, St. John’s is off to its best start since 1985-86. The last time the program was 11-1 or better in Big East play, the Johnnies opened 14-0 in 1985 during the glory days led by Carnesecca and star player Chris Mullin.
“Seeing St. John’s come back is so much fun,” said the 72-year-old Pitino, now in his second season at St. John’s. “I’m having a blast coaching these guys. I’m having a blast seeing The Garden explode like this. I’m so happy for the fans and so appreciative of everybody coming out and being supportive of us.”
Marquette (18-5, 9-3) lost its second straight game and is now 3-3 since a six-game winning streak. The Golden Eagles had won the previous six meetings between the teams.
“That was a heck of a game by St. John’s,” said Marquette coach Shaka Smart. “Hats off and much respect to coach Pitino, their whole program, and all their guys. I thought they played with incredible violence. They were just the more aggressive team for the majority of the game.”
