Tag: New York

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Struggling Islanders look to begin new win streak against slumping Golden Knights in New York

Adin Hill prepares to face Dallas with solid career stats against the Stars (Golden Knights)

How many players can the New York Islanders lose and still keep winning? They hope they didn’t find out the hard way on Sunday night.

The Islanders, already dealing with injuries, will play their final home game before the 4 Nations Face-Off break on Tuesday when they host the Vegas Golden Knights in Elmont, N.Y.

Both teams had a day off on Monday after losses on Sunday. The Islanders’ seven-game winning streak came to an end with a 6-3 defeat to the Florida Panthers, while the Golden Knights’ struggles continued with a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers.

The loss to Florida ended New York’s longest winning streak in nearly four years, which had put them back in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Islanders are now four points behind the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, who are tied for the two wild-card spots. Just two weeks ago, on January 17, they were eight points out of a wild-card position.

But the Islanders will finish their final three games before the midseason break without several key players. On Monday, they announced that first-line center Mathew Barzal will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Defenseman Scott Mayfield, who also suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday, is listed as day-to-day.

Barzal and Mayfield are the latest injuries for the Islanders, who have already lost defensemen Noah Dobson (lower body) and Ryan Pulock (upper body), as well as backup goalie Marcus Hogberg (upper body). All four are expected to be out until after the 4 Nations Face-Off.

New York Islanders (NHL)

In addition, defenseman Mike Reilly (heart procedure) and backup goalie Semyon Varlamov (lower body) are also unavailable. With both goalies out, Jakub Skarek made his NHL debut on Sunday, recording 27 saves but allowing five goals.

“Injuries are unfortunately part of the game,” said Islanders coach Patrick Roy.

Roy referenced the Colorado Avalanche’s 2001 Stanley Cup run, where they played the final 13 games without Hall of Fame defenseman Peter Forsberg.

“It was a moment for other guys to take the lead and it’s the same right now,” Roy said.

Marc Gatcomb, Kyle MacLean, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each scored for the Islanders on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are struggling to find consistency as they try to break a nearly month-long slump that began with a 4-0 loss to the Islanders on January 9. Vegas lost their third straight game on Sunday (0-1-2) and has gone 3-7-3 in their last 13 games.

Vegas will enter Tuesday’s game tied with the Edmonton Oilers atop the Pacific Division with 68 points, though the Oilers have a game in hand. The Golden Knights were six points ahead of the Oilers entering play on January 9.

Vegas has been struggling to score lately, having scored three or fewer goals in nine of their last 13 games after doing so 17 times in their first 40 contests.

Jack Eichel scored twice on Sunday to give the Golden Knights a pair of one-goal leads before the Rangers scored three times in the third period.

“Some guys have been offensively in a slumber for us for a while and they need to get going,” said Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “Every night it’s got to be different people. (The Rangers’) top guys were all over the scoresheet in the third period and that’s going to happen – that’s what they are paid to do and our guys will certainly do that.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Raptors aim to avoid second consecutive season sweep by Knicks in New York

Toronto Raptors (NBA)

The Raptors will try to keep their momentum going and avoid being swept by the New York Knicks when the teams meet on Tuesday night in Toronto.

The Knicks have won the first three games between the two teams this season and have defeated the Raptors in the last seven matchups. Toronto’s last win against New York was on January 22, 2023.

After struggling with a 1-16 record, the Raptors have won eight of their last 10 games, including a 115-108 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Coach Darko Rajakovic agreed that it was probably one of their best performances this season.

“Yeah, to be honest with you,” he said. “Every player that stepped on the floor contributed.”

The Knicks could be vulnerable after a tough home win against the Houston Rockets, 124-118, on Monday. They were down by 11 points heading into the fourth quarter when Jalen Brunson stepped up, scoring 17 of his 42 points in the final period.

“We know what we’re capable of,” Brunson said. “We put ourselves in those positions. We knew that we were at fault and obviously we knew they were not going to quit, so we had to step it up. Just having the confidence in each other knowing, knowing we’re not going to quit.”

The Knicks were without former Raptor OG Anunoby (right foot) on Monday. He was part of the trade last season that brought RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto.

Anunoby had played every game until Monday, when he got injured during the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday with what Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau called a mild sprain.

New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs

The coach wasn’t sure if Anunoby would be able to play on Tuesday.

“We’ll see how he responds to the treatment,” Thibodeau said. “It would be premature to say. You deal with the reality of it. It’s good that it’s a mild sprain. Just work your way through the treatment and get ready to go. … Next guy get in there and get the job done.”

Precious Achiuwa, who also came to the Knicks in the trade, started in place of Anunoby on Monday. He scored seven points, grabbed nine rebounds, and had two steals.

The Raptors are a different team than the one that lost 112-98 at New York on January 8, during a five-game losing streak. The return of injured players has helped, and they’ve been able to finish games stronger.

“There’s so much change with our roster in the past couple weeks, with guys coming back,” said Gradey Dick, who scored 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting on Sunday.

“I think it’s just knowing in our heads we don’t need to change really anything. We just need to go out there and play hard.”

It also helped that the Raptors shot 51.8 percent (44-for-85) from the field on Sunday, and were even better from 3-point range, making 52.0 percent (13-for-25).

The Raptors are slowly moving up in the standings, entering Monday just 4 1/2 games out of the last play-in spot. However, Rajakovic said this won’t change his approach.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but I do not look into the standings at all, I really don’t,” Rajakovic said at practice on Monday. “That’s not going to change anything on how we go about the business. That’s not going to change our preparation. That’s not going to change our motivation.”

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MLB (Baseball)

Umpire Pat Hoberg was dismissed by MLB in New York for sharing his sports betting accounts with a friend who placed baseball bets

Umpire Pat Hoberg in the game

Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball (MLB) on Monday for sharing his sports betting accounts with a friend who placed bets on baseball games, and for intentionally deleting messages related to the league’s investigation.

MLB started looking into the situation last February after the sportsbook reported it, and Hoberg did not umpire during the last season. MLB said that while no evidence was found showing that Hoberg personally bet on baseball or tried to influence games, Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, recommended firing Hoberg on May 24.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said he agreed with Hill’s decision. Hoberg, one of the top-rated umpires for judging the strike zone, can apply to return to the league no earlier than spring training in 2026.

MLB reported that the friend placed 141 bets on baseball games between April 2, 2021, and November 1, 2023, for a total of almost $214,000, with a net win of nearly $35,000.

“Enforcing MLB’s rules on sports betting is crucial for protecting the integrity of the game,” Manfred said in a statement. “The investigation found no evidence that Hoberg bet on baseball or tried to influence games. However, his poor decision to share his betting accounts with a professional poker player, who he knew or suspected was betting on baseball, along with deleting messages, created at least the appearance of misconduct.

This warrants serious punishment. Therefore, Hoberg’s firing stands due to his failure to meet the high standards of personal conduct required to maintain the integrity of the game.”

Hoberg, now 38, started as a professional umpire in 2009. He made his MLB debut as a call-up on March 31, 2014, and officially joined the major league staff in 2017. During Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, he achieved an “umpire’s perfect game” by correctly calling every pitch, a feat recognized by Umpire Scorecards.

Home plate umpire Pat Hoberg gestures during the fifth inning of the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates

“I take full responsibility for the mistakes mentioned in today’s statement,” Hoberg said in a statement. “These mistakes will always be a source of shame for me. MLB umpires are held to high standards, and I fell short of those standards. To be clear, I have never and would never bet on baseball. I have never provided any information for betting on the game.

Protecting the integrity of baseball has always been my priority. I apologize to MLB and the baseball community for my mistakes. I am committed to learning from this and becoming a better person.”

Hoberg was informed of his firing on May 31 for violating Article 9 (A) of the umpires’ collective bargaining agreement, which states that umpires must “conform to high standards of personal conduct” and “maintain the integrity of the international game of baseball.”

The labor contract gave Hoberg the right to appeal Hill’s decision, so MLB hired a neutral fact-finder who then submitted a report to Manfred.

MLB said the sportsbook notified it that Hoberg opened an account in his name on January 30, 2024. The investigation found that one of Hoberg’s devices used an account in another person’s name, which had placed bets on baseball.

Hoberg’s devices were used to place 417 bets with one sportsbook between December 30, 2020, and January 15, 2024, totaling $487,475.83, resulting in a loss of $53,189.65. The devices also placed at least 112 bets with another sportsbook totaling $222,130, losing $21,686.96. Most of the bets were on sports other than baseball, including football, basketball, hockey, and golf.

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No. 12 St. John’s faces No. 11 Marquette, aiming to extend their streak in New York

No. 12 St. John (NCAAB)

No. 12 St. John’s will look to extend three important streaks and strengthen its lead in the Big East when it takes on No. 11 Marquette on Tuesday evening in New York.

The Red Storm (19-3, 10-1 Big East) are on an eight-game winning streak, including seven consecutive wins at Madison Square Garden, and they’ve won all 14 home games this season.

St. John’s moved into first place in the Big East on Saturday after a 68-66 win over Providence, combined with Marquette’s 77-69 loss to No. 25 UConn.

Marquette (18-4, 9-2), tied for second place with Creighton (16-6, 9-2), will face the Bluejays on Saturday.

Kadary Richmond led St. John’s with a season-high 24 points, hitting the game-winning jumper with three seconds left against Providence.

“It felt very good. The coaches, my teammates, they believed in me to give me the ball at the end of the game,” Richmond said, according to the New York Post. “We executed the play, and I made a big-time shot.”

Richmond has been in great form recently, going 10-for-14 from the field against Providence, making him 30-for-45 in the last four games.

“I think he’s playing really good basketball. We were going to win it or lose it with Kadary’s shot or his pass,” Red Storm coach Rick Pitino said. “He made a terrific shot. He was shooting the ball well all game. I’m really, really happy for him.”

No. 25 UConn and No. 9 Marquette

RJ Luis added 19 points and eight rebounds, helping St. John’s win its eighth straight Big East game, their longest league winning streak since February 1992.

Luis (17.5), Zuby Ejiofor (14.4), and Richmond (11.9) are all averaging double-digit points for St. John’s. Ejiofor leads the team with 8.1 rebounds, while Richmond leads in assists (4.8) and steals (2.0).

While St. John’s has been improving, Marquette faced a setback on Saturday.

Kam Jones scored 22 points, and Chase Ross added 19, but the rest of the team struggled, making only 9 of 30 shots against UConn. Marquette also fell behind by 22 points in the first half.

“Defensively, it was a roller coaster for us,” Ross said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We had great stretches, and we had other stretches where we could have done better. So I feel like if we just negate negative stretches, we’ll be fine.”

Marquette head coach Shaka Smart believes it’s more complicated than that.

“We have to have an understanding that beating Marquette is a quality win, and there’s a level of desperation that the other teams have when they play us,” Smart said. “Whether that’s UConn, Butler, Villanova, it doesn’t matter.

“We talk about that a lot. Acceptance only works 100 percent. So if you 75 percent accept that, it ain’t going to work.”

Jones leads Marquette in points (19) and assists (6.2), while David Joplin contributes 14.5 points and a team-high 5.2 rebounds per game.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Rangers come from behind to defeat Knights, Jonathan Quick earns career win No. 400 in New York

New York Rangers and Vegas Golden Knights

K’Andre Miller scored the go-ahead goal with 8:28 left as the New York Rangers made a rare third-period comeback to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Sunday night, giving Jonathan Quick his 400th career regular-season win.

With the victory, Quick became the first American-born goalie to reach this milestone and joined Sergei Bobrovsky and Marc-Andre Fleury as the only active goalies with 400 wins. He is the 15th goalie in NHL history to achieve this feat, finishing the game with 34 saves.

The Rangers snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 8-3-3 in their last 14 games. They are now 2-20-1 this season when trailing after two periods.

Mika Zibanejad tied the game with 14:56 left, then assisted Miller’s game-winner. J.T. Miller’s shot was saved by Vegas goalie Adin Hill with 8:50 remaining, but the Rangers kept the puck in play. Zibanejad retrieved the puck behind the net and passed it to K’Andre Miller, who fired a shot past Hill’s right shoulder and under the crossbar.

Earlier in the game, Zibanejad played a key role in the Rangers’ tying goal during a power play. He prevented Jack Eichel from clearing the puck, then crashed the crease to tap in a loose puck behind Hill, making it 2-2.

Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)

Alexis Lafreniere also scored, and Artemi Panarin scored on the power play and tallied two assists. J.T. Miller added two assists in his second game since being traded from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

For the Golden Knights, Eichel had two goals, including one on a power play with 19 seconds left in the first period, using Tomas Hertl as a screen to beat Quick from the right circle. Hill made 24 saves in a losing effort as Vegas dropped their third straight game and fell to 3-7-3 in their last 13 outings.

Vegas took the lead again in the second period when Eichel used Vincent Trocheck as a screen and scored with a wrist shot that went through Trocheck’s legs and into the net. The Rangers evened the score 1:18 into the second period when Lafreniere scored on a wrist shot to the open side of the goal.

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Jonathan Quick praised by Rangers teammates in New York after reaching 400 career wins

Jonathan Quick protects the net in the 2nd quarter

As the buzzer rang Sunday night, Jonathan Quick’s New York Rangers teammates rushed to celebrate with him in the crease.

The 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights marked Quick’s 400th career victory, making him the first U.S.-born goaltender to achieve this milestone. The victory was also significant as it ended New York’s three-game losing streak.

After the game, Quick immediately credited his teammates for the win.

“Great effort up and down the lineup,” the 39-year-old goaltender said. “Everybody competed. … That was a gutsy effort.”

Quick, a lifelong Rangers fan from Connecticut, had 370 wins with the Los Angeles Kings before joining New York for his second season. He was asked about the personal meaning behind the win.

“It means I have been lucky enough to play with a lot of great hockey players who value winning and put that above all else,” Quick said. “I’m just grateful that I have been on some great teams over the course of my career, this one included here.”

Quick is now the 15th goalie in NHL history to reach 400 wins, and the third active one, joining Marc-Andre Fleury (572) and Sergei Bobrovsky (418). He is also the fourth goalie to have played for the Rangers, following Henrik Lundqvist, Terry Sawchuk, and Jacques Plante. Lundqvist reached the 400-win mark eight years ago.

Chris Osgood is next on the list with 401 wins, and Grant Fuhr is at 403. Lundqvist, who spent his entire career with the Rangers, finished with 459 wins, placing him sixth all-time.

Jonathan Quick warms up before the game

Quick had been 0-1-2 since his 399th win against Boston on January 2. He is 7-5-2 for the current season, after earning 18 wins last year.

Quick, who won Stanley Cups with the Kings in 2012 and 2014, was also part of the Vegas Golden Knights’ championship team in 2023. He has been a finalist for the Vezina Trophy twice and topped 30 wins six times with Los Angeles.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette praised Quick’s veteran leadership as a backup to Igor Shesterkin, saying it has had a positive impact on the whole team.

“If you watch him on a daily basis, it’s not hard to figure out why he’s reached that number,” Laviolette said. “It’s his work ethic, it’s the teammate that we get to see on a daily basis. He’s a great person, works hard, total professional.”

Defenseman K’Andre Miller, who scored the go-ahead goal in the Rangers’ three-goal third period against the Golden Knights, highlighted Quick’s contributions off the ice.

“Opening up the door for guys… putting up waters, just doing anything he can to be a part of the team and make sure the energy is up and we’re staying locked into games,” Miller said.

Artemi Panarin, the Rangers’ leading scorer, who had a goal and two assists in the win, shared his excitement for Quick’s milestone.

“Happy for him, congratulations,” Panarin said. “I’m hoping he gets more.”

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Islanders aim for eighth straight win in a visit to the Panthers in Florida

New York Islanders (NHL)

The New York Islanders will aim for their eighth consecutive win when they visit the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

New York continued its push for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference by defeating Tampa Bay 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, closing the gap to just three points behind the Lightning for the second wild card.

Florida, on the other hand, will look to secure its third straight win after a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon.

Tony DeAngelo scored just 33 seconds into overtime to give the Islanders the win. It was DeAngelo’s first goal since joining the Islanders as a free agent on January 24.

“Everybody’s dialed in. Obviously, it’s a four-point game if it goes the other way,” DeAngelo said. “Everyone knows where the standings are at and we have a long way to go, but these games mean a lot.”

Adam Boqvist and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Islanders, while Simon Holmstrom had two assists. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 28 saves. Boqvist was playing in his first game for the Islanders after being claimed off waivers on Friday.

“The new guys, since they’ve been here, they’ve brought a lot of energy,” said forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, referring to Boqvist and DeAngelo. “They seem to fit in really well and they want to be part of it to help us win.”

Palmieri has scored in back-to-back games after going 14 games without a goal. Holmstrom extended his point streak to three games with five points (three goals, two assists) during that span.

Florida Panthers (NHL)

Scott Mayfield left the game in the second period with an injury and did not return, while Mathew Barzal went to the locker room in the final minute of regulation after blocking a shot. Coach Patrick Roy didn’t have any updates on the two players after the game.

Florida, in its second game in six days, found itself down 1-0 just seven seconds into the game after Landon Slaggert scored the quickest opening goal in Blackhawks history.

“Sometimes it gets you out of wading into a game,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said about the early deficit. “We were pretty good after that. Strong first period for us. Pretty good start to finish.”

Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists, while Carter Verhaeghe scored a goal and had an assist for the Panthers. Captain Aleksander Barkov recorded two assists, marking his 200th career multi-point game. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves.

“It was nice to get the win,” said Verhaeghe. “We like where our game is at. We’re trying to build something here and get to our identity a little bit. We played pretty well the past couple of weeks and weren’t getting the results. But we’ve been sticking to our game.”

Reinhart became the first player in Panthers history to score at least 30 goals in four straight seasons.

Maurice, with the win, became just the fourth head coach in NHL history to reach 900 regular-season victories, joining Scotty Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (969), and Barry Trotz (914).

In their first meeting this season, the Panthers came back from a three-goal deficit to defeat the Islanders 6-3 on October 26. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, and Sam Bennett netted the game-winning goal in the third period.

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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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Finland names Jokiharju and Vaakanainen as replacements for the 4 Nations in Helsinki

Henri Jokiharju (NHL)

Finland is adding two defensemen, Henri Jokiharju from the Buffalo Sabres and Urho Vaakanainen from the New York Rangers, to their roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

On Sunday, the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation announced that Jokiharju and Vaakanainen will replace Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa due to injuries. Finland had only four defensemen left to choose from to fill those spots, as only 11 Finnish defensemen have played in the NHL this season; the other seven were already on the roster.

Jokiharju and Vaakanainen had the most experience out of the four remaining options. Ville Heinola from Winnipeg has played just 51 games, and Nikolas Matinpalo from Ottawa has played only 19 games since joining the NHL.

“It’s great to have Henri and Urho on board,” coach Antti Pennanen said when announcing the decisions. “Both are very motivated and looking forward to the tournament and the chance to represent their country.”

Finland had already ruled out Hakanpää on Saturday. He had played only two games for Toronto this season and has been sidelined since mid-November with a lower-body injury.

Heiskanen would have been Finland’s top defenseman, but he was injured after a hit by Mark Stone in Dallas’ game against Vegas on Tuesday.

New York Rangers (NHL)

The Stars listed Heiskanen as week-to-week with a lower body injury, and Finland confirmed he won’t be playing in the 4 Nations.

“He’s the kind of player every team would want,” Finland’s captain Aleksander Barkov said Thursday about Heiskanen. “He’s a leader on defense and is really good offensively, so he’s a huge part of Team Finland’s success. All the best to him, and we hope he gets back as soon as possible and fully healthy. Health is the most important thing.”

Finland’s first game is against the U.S. on February 13. They will play Sweden on February 15 and finish the round-robin against Canada on February 17.

Sweden has some injury concerns as well. Vegas’ William Karlsson and Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin are still out, while Boston’s Hampus Lindholm is close to returning.

Canada is still looking for a replacement for Alex Pietrangelo, the two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2014 Olympic gold medalist, who withdrew to focus on recovering from an ailment and preparing for the rest of the regular season, according to the Golden Knights.

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In Los Angeles, Mark Leiter Jr. and Dennis Santana lose their salary arbitration cases, while Alex Vesia reaches a deal with the Dodgers

Mark Leiter Jr. throws to the base in the 8th inning

New York Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr. and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana lost their salary arbitration cases on Saturday.

Leiter will earn $2.05 million this season instead of his $2.5 million request. The decision was made by arbitrators Allen Ponak, Robert Herzog, and Scott Buchheit, who heard the case on Friday.

Santana will receive $1.4 million, lower than his $2.1 million request, following a decision from arbitrators Brian Keller, Richard Bloch, and Margaret Brogan, who reviewed his case on Wednesday.

So far, teams have won three of the four arbitration decisions. Right-hander Jovan Oviedo lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates and will earn $850,000. Outfielder Mickey Moniak won against the Los Angeles Angels and will earn $2 million.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $2.3 million.

Leiter, who turns 34 in March, had a 4-5 record with a 4.50 ERA in 60 relief appearances last season for the Chicago Cubs and Yankees, who acquired him on July 30. He posted a 2-1 record with a 4.98 ERA for the Yankees and made six appearances in the postseason. Leiter’s salary last season was $1.5 million.

In Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against Cleveland, Leiter replaced Clay Holmes in the seventh inning with two on and one out. He retired Jhonkensy Noel on a flyout and struck out Andrés Giménez to preserve a 6-5 lead. Leiter allowed a tying single to David Fry in the eighth, but the Yankees went on to win 8-6, giving him credit for the win.

Leiter also pitched three scoreless innings over four games in the World Series against the Dodgers.

Dennis Santana pitches in the 7th inning

He became the first player to go to arbitration with the Yankees since pitcher Dellin Betances lost his case in 2017.

Santana, 28, posted a 3-1 record with a 3.89 ERA in 62 relief appearances last year for the Yankees and Pirates, who claimed him off waivers on June 11. Santana has a career 11-15 record with a 4.76 ERA in 204 relief appearances and one start over seven seasons with the Dodgers (2018-21), Texas (2021-22), New York Mets (2023), Yankees, and Pirates.

Vesia’s new deal will pay him $2.25 million this year, with a team option for 2026 worth $3.55 million, along with a $50,000 buyout. The option price can increase by $175,000 depending on games played in 2025, with $50,000 added for 60 and 65 games, and $75,000 for 70 games.

Vesia, who was 5-4 with a 1.76 ERA in 67 relief appearances last year, didn’t allow a run in seven postseason appearances for the World Series champions. He had requested $2.35 million and had been offered $2.05 million when the salary exchange took place last month.

Five players are still scheduled for arbitration hearings through February 14, including St. Louis Cardinals outfielder/infielder Brendan Donovan, outfielder Lars Nootbaar, and right-hander Andre Pallante. Washington first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and Angels infielder Luis Rengifo are also set for hearings.

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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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LeBron James hits his 2,500th 3-pointer, records a triple-double, and watches Bronny score in another unforgettable game

LeBron James looks to pass in the 2nd half

LeBron James reached a major milestone on his 31st trip to Madison Square Garden, hitting his 2,500th career 3-pointer and recording his 10th triple-double of the season. He finished with 33 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-112 win over the New York Knicks.

This victory improved his record at MSG to 23-8, and it was a special game for his son, Bronny, who was playing at the arena for the first time.

LeBron has played in some amazing games at MSG, from 50-point performances to triple-doubles, but this one felt different, as it marked Bronny’s debut in the building. “I understand the history of this building,” LeBron said.

“So many people that’s come through this building, so many athletes, so many musicians, so many artists, whatever the case may be. And I’ve been part of Madison Square Garden for my 20-plus years, so just try to give back to it.”

In the final minutes, the crowd switched from cheering for LeBron to chanting “We want Bronny! We want Bronny!” Bronny finally got his chance to play, entering with 1:50 left in the game. He made a left layup on his only shot attempt.

Before the game, Bronny had heard his father talk about his love for MSG, but as a rookie, he didn’t feel anything special when he first walked into the arena. It wasn’t until the place was filled with celebrities and fans cheering for him that he understood its significance. “Getting a bucket in here … it’s insane,” Bronny said.

LeBron James in the 1st half

LeBron’s first 3-pointer of the night made him the seventh player in NBA history to reach 2,500 career 3-pointers. He had already passed Kyle Korver to take the seventh spot after making his 2,450th on Dec. 4. Next in line is Reggie Miller, who has 2,560 career 3-pointers. LeBron expressed pride in how much he’s improved over his 22 seasons, becoming just as tough to guard beyond the arc as he is in the paint.

But for LeBron, the most meaningful part of the night was being able to play with his son. “It’s probably the greatest thing I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. The two spent time together in New York on Friday with family and friends before sharing the court on Saturday.

LeBron reflected on how much he missed during Bronny’s childhood, including watching his games in AAU and high school. “For me to be able to see all the buckets he’s had as an NBA player with us, to be here with him is just special,” he said.