DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored his NHL-leading 26th goal and added an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 on Saturday night for their 11th straight home win.

MacKinnon, who has scored in six straight home games, leads the league with 55 points.

Jack Drury, Victor Olofsson and Valeri Nichushkin also scored for Colorado, which is 13-0-2 on home ice this season. The 11 straight wins matches the second-longest in franchise history, previously accomplished Jan. 31-March 27 of last season.

The longest home winning streak is 18 games set during the 2021-22 Stanley Cup season.

The Avalanche’s 53 points through 32 games is tied for third all-time and they have just two regulation losses this season. They have earned at least a point in 23 of their last 24 games.

Jonathan Marchessault and Tyson Jost scored for Nashville and Justus Annunen stopped 38 shots against the team that traded him to the Predators at the start of the 2024-25 season. Nashville had won six of its last eight games, including a 4-3 shootout win over Colorado on Tuesday night.

Scott Wedgewood, the player the Avalanche got in exchange for Annunen, made 27 saves and tied Dallas’ Jake Oettinger for the most wins with 14.

MacKinnon put the Avalanche ahead 1:27 after the opening faceoff, the ninth time this season they have scored in the first 1:30. Drury’s fifth off the season, which deflected off defenseman Nicolas Hague’s knee, made it 2-0 at 11:47.

Marchessault cut the lead in half with a power-play goal 50 seconds later.

The Predators carried the play to start the second period but Colorado go the only goal when Olofsson scored on a delayed penalty at 9:57.

Nichushkin scored an empty-net goal with 3:31 remaining in the third.

Predators: At St. Louis on Monday night.

Avalanche: at Seattle on Tuesday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Corinne Stoddard and Kristen Santos-Griswold are back on the U.S. short track speedskating team for the Milan Cortina Olympics, part of an eight-athlete squad introduced Saturday night at halftime of the No. 10-ranked BYU men’s basketball team’s game against UC Riverside.

In addition to Stoddard and Santos-Griswold, the other women on the roster for the Feb. 6-22 Winter Games are Kamryn Lute, Julie Letai and Eunice Lee. The men are Andrew Heo, Brandon Kim and Clayton DeClemente.

Short track will be held Feb. 10-20 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Unlike ahead of other recent Olympics, there were no U.S. trials to select the short track team. Instead, skaters were picked based on recent results. The U.S. long track speedskating team will be determined by the results at Olympic trials in Milwaukee in early January.

Like Stoddard, a 24-year-old from Washington state, and Santos-Griswold, a 31-year-old from Connecticut, Letai, Lee and Heo are headed to their second Olympics.

Stoddard grabbed 12 medals over the four ISU Short Track World Tour stops this season. Santos-Griswold was the world champion last year at 1,000 meters.

Letai, a 25-year-old from Massachusetts, and Lee, a 21-year-old from Washington state, both earned a relay silver at last year’s world championships.

Heo, a 24-year-old from Pennsylvania, won a mixed relay bronze at the 2024 worlds.

Lute is a 21-year-old from New York who goes to the University of Utah, Kim is a 24-year-old from Virginia studying at Stanford, and DeClemente is a 26-year-old from New York.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Melvin Council Jr. hadn't hit much of anything from behind the arc this season for No. 19 Kansas. So N.C. State was more than willing to let him keep trying Saturday.

Only, Council responded with a performance that his Hall of Fame coach could only describe as “unbelievable.”

The 6-foot-4 senior had career highs of 36 points and nine made 3s, and the Jayhawks needed every bit of it to hold off the Wolfpack 77-76 in overtime — particularly with freshman star Darryn Peterson exiting late in regulation with lingering hamstring trouble.

“We had one guy that was probably the best performer that I think that I've had on the road in my 23 years at Kansas,” coach Bill Self said. "He was unbelievable. Made hard shots. They dared him to shoot, and then when he made a couple, he started looking at a big basket.

“I'm happy for our team, but especially happy for him because he put us on his back tonight.”

Council was averaging 10.7 points in his first 10 games with the Jayhawks since transferring from St. Bonaventure, with his season high being a 17-point showing against Tennessee in the third-place game at the Players Era in Las Vegas.

But beyond the scoring, the stunning part of Saturday's performance was how he did it — by time and time again hitting from 3-point range.

Council had made just 27.3% of his 3-pointers in Division I since leaving the junior-college ranks before the 2023-24 season. That included missing his first 10 3s of the season for Kansas and sitting at 5 of 27 (18.5%) entering Saturday.

The Wolfpack knew that, with first-year coach Will Wade and his staff being heavy into analytics and opting to flat-out leave Council largely unguarded on the wings to start this game. And it was nothing new to Council, who said he had even gotten a pep talk from former KU star Mario Chalmers — who hit the unforgettable 3-pointer to force overtime in the Jayhawks' 2008 NCAA championship win against Memphis — in recent weeks.

“You know, my scout team will do that to me in practice," Council said. “My guys and coaches are just telling me just to be confident in your shot and just take it. ... (Chalmers) was telling me: ‘Be aggressive, shoot the ball.’”

It wasn't uncommon in the first half to see Council getting the ball on the wing and Wolfpack defenders sagging heavily into the paint, basically a dare to take the shot.

He made his first 3 just 2 1/2 minutes into the game, made another about three minutes later and had four made 3s in the first 15 minutes, matching his career high for any game in the Division I ranks.

Wade said the Wolfpack adjusted their approach to defend him more aggressively. But the damage was done, with Council building confidence on the way to having a game that Wade said would have Council “telling his grandkids about that one.”

“We adjusted after he hit the third 3, but he was in rhythm and got going," Wade said, adding later: “You look at everything when somebody scores 36 on you.”

Council scored the last 13 points of regulation for Kansas, including three 3s. That proved vital considering Peterson checked out abruptly with 2:15 left in regulation; the top-flight NBA prospect had recently returned from missing seven straight games due to a hamstring strain and Self said afterward Peterson was dealing with tightness.

Council later exploited a soft switch early in overtime to launch a 3 off the dribble — N.C. State's Tre Holloman had gone under the screen and teammate Darrion Williams tried to recover from near the elbow as Council made the gather — to bury a 3 and push Kansas to a 69-68 lead.

He eventually fed big man Flory Bidunga's dunk with 51.9 seconds left in OT to put the Jayhawks ahead for good.

Council made 13 of 27 shots for the game, including 9 of 15 3-pointers, to go with seven rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes.

“Man, we have a dog right here with us," Bidunga said, adding: “That’s a bad man right here, I’m really impressed.”

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Josh Hart got asked a question Saturday night after the New York Knicks reached the NBA Cup championship game about where Jalen Brunson ranks as a scorer. Hart smiled. Brunson cringed.

And then, as typically happens when those two share a postgame podium, comedy happened.

“He’s barely a 6-foot guard," Hart began, with Brunson sitting about two feet to his left. "Not physically impressive, not athletic, but he’s able to manipulate defenses. Big head, so he has a big brain. He’s able to figure out those angles and find himself in position to be successful. So, inch for inch, I think he’s probably the best one.”

Brunson — listed at 6-foot-2, perhaps a bit generously — tried to interject a few times during Hart's answer, to no avail. Hart couldn't stop talking, much in the same way that Brunson couldn't stop scoring. He had a game- and season-high 40 points in New York's 132-120 win over Orlando in the NBA Cup semifinals, giving the Knicks a shot at the title on Tuesday against Oklahoma City or San Antonio.

Hart's point, in his own way, was clear: Brunson is playing at an elite level right now. And Knicks coach Mike Brown was more direct, walking into the postgame interview room Saturday and hammering home a specific point he's been making in recent weeks — that Brunson, even this early in the season, belongs in the MVP conversation.

“He makes the game easier for everybody,” Brown said. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do, and he definitely did that tonight. ... At the end of the day, he carries you home. It’s beautiful to be able to see him do what he’s more than capable of doing on a national stage like this, in an environment like this. Hopefully you guys as media and the fans out there can continue talking about him as an MVP of this league because that’s exactly what he is.”

Brown later made this clear: He's not campaigning. The way he sees it, he's just offering facts. And if Brunson — now averaging 28.8 points per game — keeps playing this way, the MVP case is going to get even more compelling.

This is also clear: Brunson isn't going to lobby for individual honors. And he has his reasons, starting with his parents — one of whom is a Knicks assistant coach.

“Sandra and Rick Brunson, first and foremost, how they raised me,” Brunson said when asked why he doesn't outwardly seek recognition. “My family, my wife, my inner circle, everybody that I have been involved with. My inner circle keeps me humble, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

He was 16 of 27 from the field on Saturday, adding eight assists to the 40 points. He and Orlando guard Jalen Suggs both had 25 points at halftime; Suggs was slowed by a nagging hip injury and had only one point in the second half. The game was tied at 90-90 late in the third, and the Knicks went ahead for good with a 9-2 run — Brunson scoring seven of those points and getting the assist on the other basket.

“He constantly finds a way,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “He gets you in tough positions. He knows how to use his footwork, knows how to use his leverage, knows how to get calls, stepping into shots. He plays those long minutes early on, being able to find matchup situations. Again, he hit some tough, timely shots. I think that’s what you have to credit him for. He’s one of those guys who continues to do that, and that’s what he’s proven to do in this league.”

Brunson was the NBA's clutch player of the year last season, so it's not like he's been ignored by voters. Brown just wants him to have a different trophy.

“You see a lot of other great candidates that are well-deserving but I don’t ever hear Jalen’s name,” Brown said. “When you’re first or second in either conference, and you’re putting up the numbers that he’s putting up, his name’s got to be one of the first names coming out of somebody’s mouth.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Melvin Council Jr. had career highs of 36 points and nine made 3-pointers to help No. 19 Kansas edge N.C. State 77-76 in overtime on Saturday.

Council had made just 5 of 27 3s coming into the game, but took advantage of open looks early then largely carried the Jayhawks (8-3) down the stretch — including scoring Kansas' last 13 points of regulation and feeding Flory Bidunga's go-ahead dunk with 51.9 seconds left in the OT.

N.C. State (7-4) had one final possession to win it, inbounding from near halfcourt with 1.0 seconds left. But Darrion Williams' fading 3 on the catch missed everything to end this one.

Kansas freshman star Darryn Peterson had 17 points, five rebounds and four assists. But he abruptly checked out of a tight game with 2:15 left and didn't return, watching from the bench in an exit coming shortly after he missed seven games with a hamstring strain.

Council finished 13 of 27 from the floor and 9 of 15 from behind the arc to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

Quadir Copeland scored 19 points to lead the Wolfpack, while Williams finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Kansas: The Jayhawks return home to face Towson on Tuesday.

N.C. State: Texas Southern visits the Wolfpack on Wednesday.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Ryan Conwell had 17 points and reserve Adrian Wooley scored 15 as he and Kasean Pryor alternated making six of Louisville's seven consecutive 3-pointers during a first-half surge that rocketed the No. 11 Cardinals past Memphis 99-73 on Saturday.

The Cardinals (9-1) converted 18 of 35 attempts from long range, second to their 20 made 3s against NJIT on Nov. 26. Their total included 12 of 22 from deep before halftime, during which Wooley (5 of 8) and Pryor (3 of 3, 11 points) took turns knocking down shots to break the game open.

Hasan Abdul Hakim had 18 points and Dug McDaniel 16 for the Tigers (4-5), who had won four in a row. Memphis missed nine consecutive shots during one first-half drought that opened the door for Louisville to pull away.

Conwell made 5 of 11, including 3 of 7 from deep and consecutive 3s early in the game to put Louisville ahead for good at 11-7. That set the tone for Wooley to make all four attempts from behind the arc in between Pryor's shots.

Mikel Brown Jr. (16 points) capped a 20-11 run with a 3 that made it 50-30, and the Cardinals eventually led 99-69 with 1:14 remaining.

Louisville made 30 of 54 attempts and 21 of 25 free throws in the first meeting since December 2017 against its onetime rival. Memphis made just 28 of 68 shots, but outscored the Cardinals 40-24 in the paint.

Louisville retired the No. 10 jersey of late Cardinals great Junior Bridgeman in a halftime ceremony that recognized the Cardinals' 1975 Final Four squad. Bridgeman, 71, who died on March 11, led that squad and is the sixth player to have his jersey retired by the program.

Louisville: Visits No. 20 Tennessee on Tuesday night.

Memphis: Hosts No. 15 Vanderbilt on Wednesday night.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Looking for right-handed bats, the New York Yankees agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract to retain utilityman Amed Rosario, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

New York acquired Rosario from Washington on July 26 for right-hander Clayton Beeter and minor league outfielder Browm Martinez. Rosario hit .303 with one homer and five RBIs in 33 at-bats over 16 games. He became a free agent after the World Series.

Rosario played shortstop, second base, shortstop, third base and right field last season and manager Aaron Boone could platoon him at third with Ryan McMahon, obtained from Colorado on July 25.

Rosario hit .302 with an .819 OPS against lefties last season and .231 with a .614 OPS against righties. McMahon, a left-handed batter on the lefty-heavy Yankees, hit .184 with a .534 OPS versus lefties and .223 with a .739 OPS versus righties.

“I definitely want to give Aaron Boone some legitimate choices so he can match up when we’re facing the left-handed starter,” general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday, “'cause obviously we’re so left-handed that it’s a vulnerability right now.”

Rosario turned 30 on Nov. 20. A nine-year major league veteran, he has a .273 average with 69 homers and 389 RBIs for the New York Mets (2017-20), Cleveland (2021-23), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-24), Tampa Bay (2024), Cincinnati (2024), Washington (2025) and the Yankees.

Yankees starting shortstop Anthony Volpe will begin the season on the injured list while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 14 to repair the labrum in his right shoulder. José Caballero, obtained from Tampa Bay on July 31, likely will see a lot of time at shortstop until Volpe returns, likely no earlier than May.

“Do I believe in Anthony Volpe? The answers is yes,” Cashman said. “Do I believe Caballero’s got a lot of talent? The answer is yes. I think Trent Grisham is an example last year. Did I think Trent Grisham was going to be the player he turned out to be? Before the season started last year, he was supposed to be a role player for us and became a prominent impact player for us.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Daniel Hankins-Sanford scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, K'Jei Parker added a career-high 24 points, and UMass rolled past Florida State, 103-95 on Saturday in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic.

Hankins-Sanford scored 18 of his points in the second half as the Minutemen (8-3) rallied from a 47-43 halftime deficit to lead by as many as 18 points.

Leonardo Bettiol added 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds for UMass, and Marcus Banks also had 18 points. Danny Carbuccia led his team with eight assists.

The Minutemen took the lead for good on Bettiol's and-one with 14:10 remaining, and a late 10-0 run put the game out of reach. A 12-2 run for FSU to end the contest wasn't enough to complete the comeback.

The Seminoles (5-5) were paced by Robert McCray V's 21 points (9-of-16 shooting), 11 assists, and eight rebounds. Martin Somerville added 15 points, but struggled from the field (3 for 11). Kobe Magee and AJ Swinton each scored 12 points.

UMass has won five straight and Florida State dropped its fourth straight. The Minutemen evened the all-time series, 5-5. Florida State won its last meeting, 92-59 on Nov. 24, 2024.

Florida State visits Dayton on Tuesday.

UMass hosts Kent State to begin Metro Athletic Conference play on Dec. 20.

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue guard Braden Smith wasted no time achieving another milestone on Saturday, becoming the second men's basketball player in Division I history to produce 1,500 points, 850 assists and 550 rebounds in his career.

Smith did it on his first assist of the game against Marquette, a pass to Fletcher Loyer for a 3-pointer just 12 seconds in to give the sixth-ranked Boilermakers a 3-0 lead. He entered the game with 1,508 points, a school-record 849 assists and 574 rebounds.

The only other player to achieve the feat was D.J. Cooper, who logged 2,075 points, 934 assists and 620 rebounds while playing at Ohio from 2009-13.

Smith ranks second on the Big Ten's career assists chart. Only Cassius Winston, who had 890 from 2017-20 while playing at Michigan State, has more.

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BURNLEY, England (AP) — United States left back Antonee Robinson was handed his first Premier League start of the season by Fulham on Saturday as he returns to full fitness after knee surgery.

Robinson had right knee surgery on May 27, two days after Fulham’s Premier League finale. He has experienced pain in his knee since, limiting him to four matches this season — three as a substitute in the league and one start in the English League Cup.

His most recent appearance was against Aston Villa on Sept. 28.

Making Fulham's starting lineup for the match at Burnley on Saturday will boost his prospects of being available for next summer's World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting. He hasn't played at all for the Americans in their international matches this season.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

St. Francis (PA) at Temple — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

St. Francis (PA) at Xavier — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

Pittsburgh at Clemson — ACCNX

Penn State at South Carolina — ESPN, ESPN app, Fubo Sports

Philadelphia at Atlanta — FDSN SE Atlanta, NBCS Philadelphia, NBA League Pass

Las Vegas at Philadelphia — FOX, NFL Sunday Ticket, Fox Sports App, Fubo Sports, NFL+

Utah at Pittsburgh — Arizona 61, SportsNet Pittsburgh, Utah 16, ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Western Michigan at Iowa — BTN, Fox Sports App, Fubo Sports

Eastern Michigan at Indiana — Big Ten Plus

Valparaiso at Western Michigan — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

Michigan State at DePaul — FS1, Fox Sports App, Fubo Sports

Detroit at Los Angeles — FOX, NFL Sunday Ticket, Fox Sports App, Fubo Sports, NFL+

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Maryland Eastern Shore at Virginia Tech — ACCNX

East Tennessee State at Virginia Tech — ACCNX

Baltimore at Cincinnati — CBS

Washington at New York — FOX

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Buffalo at New England — CBS

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

DETROIT (AP) — Isaiah Stewart scored 17 points to lead a balanced scoring attack as the Detroit Pistons beat the Atlanta Hawks 142-115 on Friday night.

Detroit, which has won five of six, had seven players in double figures and 12 with at least seven points, tying an NBA record held by the 2018-2019 Bucks and 2021-22 Spurs. Cade Cunningham had 15 points and seven assists.

Jalen Johnson recorded his third straight triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. It was his fifth triple-double of the season, breaking Bill Bridges’ franchise record from 1969-70, and the seventh of his career, tying Mookie Blaylock’s team record.

Johnson also became the fifth NBA player to have 15 straight games with at least seven points, rebounds and assists, joining Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 22 points for Atlanta, which has lost four of five.

BULLS 129, HORNETS 126

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Josh Giddey had 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, Zach Collins added 16 points off the bench and Chicago erased a 13-point, second-half deficit to beat Charlotte and snap a seven-game losing streak.

Coby White had 20 points including two free throws to seal the game as all five Chicago starters finished in double figures in scoring.

Kon Knueppel had a career-high 33 points and nine assists for the Hornets, who have lost four of their last five. Miles Bridges added 32 points.

The Hornets had a chance to tie with 10 seconds left when Knueppel launched a 3-point attempt from the top of the key. Officials initially called Collins for a foul, but then overturned the call after watching the replay and awarded the Bulls the ball ruling that Collins had not made contact with Knueppel.

White was then fouled and made two free throws with 8.2 seconds left.

CAVALIERS 130, WIZARDS 126

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 of his 48 points in the fourth quarter, leading Cleveland back from a 15-point deficit in the final period to a victory over Washington.

The Cavaliers went 15 of 53 from 3-point range, with Darius Garland going 0 for 11, but Mitchell connected from long range to tie the game at 122. Then he put Cleveland ahead to stay, scoring inside with 60 seconds remaining.

With the Cavaliers still up 124-122, Washington’s Marvin Bagley III rebounded a miss, but Mitchell tied him up, forcing a jump ball. The 6-foot-11 Bagley has 8 inches on Mitchell, but both players mistimed their jumps and Lonzo Ball came up with possession for Cleveland. He made two free throws with 30.9 seconds left.

Mitchell’s layup with 5.9 seconds to play put the Cavaliers up by six.

Cleveland attempted 34 3-pointers in the first half. The Cavaliers didn’t shoot well but were still up 62-60 after two quarters. The third period was a fiasco for Cleveland that included Ball hitting nothing but glass on a breakaway layup attempt, and Nae’Quan Tomlin fouling out with 2:24 left in the period. Tomlin accumulated his six fouls in just 10:05 of playing time.

Washington led by as many as 17 points and was up 100-85 after three.

76ERS 115, PACERS 105

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored a season-high 39 points, Paul George had 23 and Philadelphia beat Indiana.

VJ Edgecombe added 22 points for the 76ers, who played without Tyrese Maxey — the NBA’s third-leading scorer (31.5 points per game) sat out with an illness.

Pascal Siakam had 20 points for the defending Eastern Conference champion Pacers, who dropped to 6-19.

Siakham’s jumper with 8:24 remaining gave Indiana a 100-95 lead, but the Pacers missed nine consecutive shots — including three 3-pointers — after that as the 76ers went on a 13-2 run. The spurt was capped with Embiid’s offensive rebound and follow basket. The 2023 MVP was fouled on the play and made the free throw to push Philadelphia’s lead to 108-102.

Embiid, the seven-time All-Star who has been beset with injuries the last 1 1/2 seasons, came in averaging 18.2 points while playing in just nine of Philadelphia’s 23 contests due to left and right knee issues. However, he looked more like himself on Friday, hitting a step-back 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer to give him 14 points inn the second quarter.

JAZZ 130, GRIZZLIES 126

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Keyonte George scored a career-high 39 points, including the final six points for Utah, as the Jazz beat Memphis in Ja Morant’s return to the Grizzlies’ lineup.

The score was tied at 126 with just under a minute left when George hit a 22-footer to put Utah ahead for good. He converted two more free throws with 6.8 seconds left for the final margin as the Jazz snapped a two-game skid.

Lauri Markkanen had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Kevin Love added 20 — including 13 in the third quarter — as the Jazz stayed within striking distance. George also had eight assists.

Santa Aldama scored 22 points to lead Memphis, and Morant — who missed the previous 10 games with a right calf sprain — added 21 points and 10 assists. Cam Spencer finished with 20, including making all six of his 3-pointers.

MAVERICKS 119, NETS 111

DALLAS (AP) — Anthony Davis scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half to go with 14 rebounds and three blocks, and Cooper Flagg had 22 points and eight assists as Dallas rallied to beat Brooklyn.

The Mavericks (10-16) have won five of their last six games and two straight at home for the first time this season. Naji Marshall scored 17 points.

Michael Porter Jr. had 34 to lead the Nets (6-18), who had won three of four following a 3-16 start. Porter has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games for the first time in his seven-year NBA career.

Brooklyn rookie Danny Wolf added 17 points, 12 in the second half. Nic Claxton had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Chicago star Connor Bedard was injured on a last-second faceoff in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night and will miss the Blackhawks' game the following day.

With 0.8 seconds left, Bedard attempted to win the draw to give Chicago one last chance, but he was knocked down by Blues center Brayden Schenn. He grasped at his right shoulder and immediately headed to the locker room, accompanied by a trainer, while his teammates remained on the ice and the bench.

“He won't play tomorrow,” Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said of the team's game at home against Detroit on Saturday night. “I won't know more info tomorrow, so don't ask me tomorrow. At some point through the weekend, I'll know more, so I'd probably have more info come Monday.”

Asked whether Bedard's injury would only be short-term, Blashill offered few details.

“I'd hate to say that without knowing the information,” he said. “Until we get the information, again, he's not going to play tomorrow.”

Bedard ranked fifth in the NHL in points heading into the game, and he assisted on both of Chicago's goals in the loss. He now has 12 goals and 25 assists.

He was pushed into desperation mode when the Blues iced the puck and a half-second was put back on the clock. Blashill said he'd have to see the play again, but his initial impression was that nothing dirty occurred on the play.

“Honestly, I think it's a freak accident," Blashill said, "to be honest with you.”

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

DALLAS (AP) — Anthony Davis scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half to go with 14 rebounds and three blocks, and Cooper Flagg had 22 points and eight assists as the Dallas Mavericks rallied to beat the Brooklyn Nets 119-111 on Friday night.

The Mavericks (10-16) have won five of their last six games and two straight at home for the first time this season. Naji Marshall scored 17 points.

Michael Porter Jr. had 34 to lead the Nets (6-18), who had won three of four following a 3-16 start. Porter has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games for the first time in his seven-year NBA career.

Brooklyn rookie Danny Wolf added 17 points, 12 in the second half. Nic Claxton had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Mavericks outscored the Nets 66-44 in the paint despite Davis playing center instead of power forward with Dallas missing pivotmen Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford because of injuries.

The Nets shot a season-best 43.6% from behind the arc, hitting 17 of 39. Porter was 6 of 10 on 3-pointers.

The Mavericks outscored the Nets 29-19 in the fourth quarter, with Brooklyn shooting 28.6% in the period — including 2 of 9 from 3-point distance. With the score tied at 110 with three minutes left, Dallas’ Brandon Williams hit a second-chance 3 following Flagg’s rebound, and Davis followed with a floater following a turnover by Porter.

It was the Mavericks’ first game since Wednesday’s announcement that the oft-injured Lively will miss the remainder of the season following foot surgery. Gafford missed his third consecutive game because of a right ankle injury.

Nets: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Mavericks: At the Utah Jazz on Monday.

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AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Logan Mailloux and Matt Luff each scored his first goal of the season, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Friday night.

Justin Faulk also scored and Robert Thomas had two assists for the Blues, who won for the third time in five games. Joel Hofer stopped 27 shots.

Wyatt Kaiser and Andre Burakovsky scored for Chicago, and Connor Bedard had two assists. Spencer Knight finished with 23 saves as the Blackhawks lost for the third time in four games.

Mailloux opened the scoring with a wrister 3:41 into the game, and later engaged in his first NHL fight, exchanging punches with Colton Dach.

With Hofer pulled because of a delayed Chicago penalty, Mailloux received a pass from Thomas in the left circle and beat Knight on his glove side. It was the third career goal for the defenseman acquired in an offseason trade.

Chicago's Connor Murphy also tangled with the Blues' Dylan Holloway in the second meeting this season of the longtime rivals.

Luff, an offseason signing who was recalled from the minors last week, scored from the slot for a 2-0 lead with 8:12 remaining in the first.

Kaiser cut the deficit to 2-1 with 4:10 to go in the opening period. Bedard brought the puck into the zone and drew the attention of three defenders as he headed to the front of the net, making room for Kaiser to unload his shot.

Faulk, a defenseman, answered with his seventh goal of the season at 8:57 of the second as he pinched in and found himself unguarded against Knight as the goalie knelt to protect the near post. Faulk banked the puck in off Knight for a two-goal lead.

Burakovsky pulled the Blackhawks back within one with 5:52 left in the third, but that was as close as they got.

Knight was pulled for an extra skater with just over 2 minutes remaining, but Chicago could not get a shot on goal in the closing stretch.

Blackhawks: Host Detroit on Saturday.

Blues: Host Nashville on Saturday.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Edwin Díaz pulled on a different blue cap and a white jersey with an unfamiliar number Friday when he formally left the New York Mets for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

One of the best relievers in baseball has changed teams and coasts for a landmark free-agent contract, and the Dodgers are confident Díaz's usual dominance will allow him to stabilize their chaotic bullpen by becoming their first true closer in five years.

And Díaz's famous, heraldic entrance music? That's also staying exactly the same.

“It’s going to be super exciting when the trumpets sound in Los Angeles,” Díaz said in Spanish. “It’s going to be special.”

Díaz left the Mets after seven years for a $69 million, three-year contract with the back-to-back World Series champions, who have a deep roster and even deeper pockets.

“It wasn’t easy (to leave),” Díaz said in English while speaking down the hall from his new clubhouse at Dodger Stadium. “I was playing seven years in New York. They treated me really good. They treated me great. I chose the Dodgers because they’re a winning organization. I’m looking to win, and I think they have everything to win, so picking the Dodgers was pretty easy.”

Díaz was already the highest-paid reliever in the majors last season in Queens, where the slender right-hander nicknamed Sugar became a fan favorite for his talent and competitive grit — and for his signature bullpen walkouts to “Narco,” a stirring, trumpet-laced dance track.

The Dodgers loved all of it — even the music. General manager Brandon Gomes was already musing about a trumpet-themed bobblehead.

“As we were looking to add impactful players to what we felt like was already a championship-caliber club, we felt like Edwin was the perfect fit,” Gomes said.

Gomes called Díaz “a selfless superstar (who) fits right into our clubhouse culture. He’s proven this time and time again. In the playoffs, he’ll take the ball in the fourth, fifth inning, take down multiple innings to finish a game. And it’s somebody that we feel like is exactly what we need.”

Díaz was outstanding for the Mets last season, posting a 1.63 ERA and recording 28 saves in 31 chances along with 98 strikeouts over 66 1/3 innings. His departure along with the exits of Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo this offseason has stoked serious fan discontent.

There's absolutely no discontent around the Dodgers, who are still basking in the glow of a second straight title won in spite of their bullpen.

Los Angeles' relievers stumbled to a 4.27 ERA that ranked 21st of 30 teams in MLB. High-priced veterans Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen were mostly ineffective, while several relievers missed large chunks of the season with injuries.

In the bigger picture, nobody has lasted long as the Dodgers’ dedicated closer in the four seasons since they parted ways with Kenley Jansen. No reliever has recorded more than now-departed Evan Phillips' 24 saves in a season for Los Angeles in that stretch, and last year’s profound struggles put bullpen help atop the champs’ winter priority list.

“We have a high bar to name someone the closer,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “You have to be one of the best. You have to be elite and dominant at what you do. Sugar is that.”

The Dodgers assuaged their bullpen woes this fall by frequently using their starting pitchers in relief. Prized rookie starter Roki Sasaki returned from a long injury absence and effectively became Los Angeles’ closer, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto secured the World Series MVP award by earning the victory in Game 6 as a starter and in Game 7 as a reliever.

Scott and Treinen are expected back, along with a group of solid-when-healthy relievers including Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer. That wasn’t nearly enough for the Dodgers, who went out to get arguably the top closer in the game. Manager Dave Roberts' bullpen now is likely to be the most expensive in the majors in 2026.

“Adding an elite closer like Edwin is going to make any bullpen better,” Gomes said. “Now it allows Doc and our coaching staff to put guys into spots leading up to that knowing that it doesn’t really matter who’s (batting) in the ninth, that we’re going to like the matchup.”

Díaz, who will turn 32 shortly before next season begins, is wearing No. 3 with the Dodgers because his customary No. 39 is retired in honor of beloved catcher Roy Campanella. Díaz said he chose his new number to honor his three sons.

“Adding talent on talent is always exciting to do,” Gomes said. “One of the bigger things with Edwin is just the positivity. Everything we’ve heard is this guy is just an incredible human being, but also is going to work his tail off, mentor younger guys, set good habits. He’s going to settle into the clubhouse culture and also make everyone better.”

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PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Washington State hired Kirby Moore as head football coach, interim athletic director Jon Haarlow announced on Friday.

Moore agreed in principle to a five-year contract to become the 36th head coach in program history. He replaces Jimmy Rogers, who after a season at Washington State agreed to become the head coach at Iowa State.

The Prosser, Washington, native is the younger brother of New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore, and also played at Boise State. Kirby spent the past three seasons serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri for head coach Eli Drinkwitz.

“Today is a great day for Cougar Football and we are thrilled to welcome Kirby, his wife Kayla, and children, Sutton, Cohen and Crew to the Cougar family,” Haarlow said. “Kirby Moore is regarded as one of the top young coaches in college football with proven success throughout multiple levels of his coaching career. He has an innovative offensive mind and a team-oriented approach that will resonate with and elevate our student-athletes.

"Throughout the process, his energy and commitment to holistically developing our student-athletes, on the field and off, along with his ties to eastern Washington and familiarity with Washington State University make him the right leader for Cougar Football."

After a five-year career at Boise State as a wide receiver, Moore started his coaching career at Idaho, where he worked with the Vandals' wide receivers in 2014. He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Washington as an offensive graduate assistant.

He was hired as the wide receivers coach at Fresno State in 2017, and promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2022 season. This is the first head coaching job for Moore, whose father, Tom, was a longtime head coach at Prosser High School.

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss at least one week with a mildly strained left calf.

Reaves will miss at least the Lakers' next two games, according to the timeline set out by the team Friday.

Reaves is the NBA's ninth-leading scorer this season with 27.8 points per game during a breakout start. The former undrafted free agent has played his way into genuine stardom during his five seasons with the Lakers, and he is earning All-Star buzz this year while forming a prolific backcourt with Luka Doncic, who is averaging 35.0 points.

Reaves is also contributing 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game for the Lakers, who are off to a 17-7 start despite injury absences for all three of their best players.

LeBron James missed the first 14 games of his unprecedented 23rd NBA season due to sciatica. Doncic has missed six games with minor injury management and a quick trip to Europe for the birth of his second child, while Reaves missed three games earlier this season as well.

The Lakers' next game is at Phoenix on Sunday, and they don't play again until Thursday at Utah.

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TORONTO (AP) — Sidearm right-hander Chase Lee was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Detroit Tigers on Friday for minor league left-hander Johan Simon.

Lee made his big league debut April 22 and the 27-year-old went 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA in 32 relief appearances, striking out 36 and walking nine in 37 1/3 innings.

Simon, 24, was 3-3 with a 3.42 ERA in this year for Class-A Dunedin, High-A Vancouver and Double-A New Hampshire in 31 relief appearances. He struck out 79 and walked 29 in 71 innings.

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Kyle Whittingham, who with 177 victories is the most successful coach in the history of the Utah football program, will be stepping down after the Utes’ appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31.

“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Whittingham said in a statement Friday. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the program for the past 21 years and I’m very grateful for the relationships forged with all the players and assistant coaches that have worked so hard and proudly worn the drum and feather during our time here."

Whittingham has been the head coach at Utah since December 2004 and a member of the Utes’ coaching staff since 1994.

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was voted the Babe Ruth Award winner as postseason MVP by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge won his fifth Sid Mercer/Dick Young New York Player of the Year Award.

Yamamoto was 5-1 with a 1.45 ERA in five postseason starts and one relief appearance, helping the Dodgers become the first repeat World Series champions since the 1998-2000 Yankees. He pitched a three-hitter in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against Milwaukee for the first postseason complete game in eight years and then threw a four-hitter against Toronto for the first World Series complete game in a decade.

Judge led the major leagues with a .331 average and 1.145 OPS, hitting 53 homers with 114 RBIs, earning his second straight AL MVP award and third in four years. He also won the Mercer/Young award in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Awards will be presented during the chapter’s 101st dinner on Jan. 24.

Pete Alonso, who is leaving the New York Mets after seven seasons to join the Baltimore Orioles, will receive the Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town Award. Alonso set the Mets career record with 264 homers, 12 more than Darryl Strawberry.

The 1986 Mets rotation of Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, Bob Ojeda and Sid Fernandez will receive the Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the team's last World Series title.

Jesse Orosco, who had 21 saves that year and struck out Marty Barrett for the final out of Game 7, will get the Casey Stengel You Could Look It Up Award for his record 1,252 games pitched.

Ron Guidry and Willie Randolph, Yankees teammates from 1976-88 who won a pair of titles, will receive the William J. Slocum/Jack Lang Award for Long and Meritorious Service. Don Mattingly, who starred for the Yankees from 1982-95, will get the Arthur and Milton Richman You Gotta Have Heart Award.

Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón and wife Ashley Rodon will be honored with the Joan Payson/Shannon Forde Award for Community Service. Their foundation assists couples facing infertility and pregnancy loss.

Clay Holmes, who joined the Mets for the 2025 season after four years with the Yankees, receives the Ben Epstein/Dan Castellano Good Guy Award for helping reporters do their jobs.

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt underwent surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung and his status for Monday's visit by Miami is uncertain.

J.J. Watt, T.J. Watt's older brother, posted on X that T.J. had the surgery on Thursday and was expected to be released from the hospital sometime Friday.

The younger Watt was hospitalized on Wednesday after reporting what the club described as “discomfort” while being treated by Steelers medical staff at the team facility. J.J. Watt said T.J. was having a dry-needling session at the time.

A seven-time Pro Bowler and the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the 30-year-old Watt has seven sacks this season for the Steelers (7-6), who hold a one-game lead over Baltimore for the AFC North lead with four weeks remaining.

Pittsburgh has struggled historically without Watt in the lineup, most notably in 2022 when the Steelers went 1-6 while he recovered from a pectoral injury.

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EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State's Tom Izzo is getting a $1 million raise in his 5-year contract that automatically renews annually, a boost that makes him the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten with a salary of about $7.2 million.

The school said Friday that its Board of Trustees had approved the raise as recognition of the 70-year-old Izzo's “Hall of Fame legacy and demonstrates a shared commitment to achieving continued success.”

Izzo is in his 31st season with the Spartans, who are ranked ninth with an 8-1 record this season. His teams have made eight Final Four appearances and won the 2000 national championship.

The Spartans have made 27 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances after missing in each of Izzo's first two seasons. He has a 745-303 record without a losing season.

“Coach Izzo is the ultimate Spartan — someone whose work ethic and devotion to our student-athletes, this university and the broader MSU community are unmatched,” Michigan State President Kevin M. Guskiewicz said. “We believe deeply in his ability to uphold our values, develop champions, and continue building one of college basketball’s premier programs.”

Kansas coach Bill Self has a similar contract structure. The school announced a lifetime contract for Self two years ago. His annual salary is more than $10 million. Self, who is in his 21st season with the Jayhawks, has led them to four Final Fours and two championships.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson each had a goal and an assist, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the struggling Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Thursday night.

Zach Benson also scored for the Sabres and Alex Lyon stopped 29 shots as Buffalo won its second straight following a three-game skid.

Kiefer Sherwood and Max Sasson scored for the Canucks, and Thatcher Demko made 12 saves in his return from a lower-body injury he suffered on Nov. 11. Vancouver has lost six of its last seven (1-5-1).

Sasson gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead 6:15 into the second, but Thompson tied it nearly 3 minutes later and Benson’s power-play goal with 5:14 to go in the period gave the Sabres the lead.

Vancouver fell to 1-13-0 when trailing after two periods.

Dahlin got the the Canucks on the scoreboard first, scoring 7 1/2 minutes into the game.

Sherwood tied it with 11 seconds remaining in the first to snap his 10-game goal-scoring drought with his team-high 13th of the season.

The Canucks were without star center Elias Pettersson, who missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury.

The Sabres were missing offensive powerhouse Alex Tuch due to illness. The right wing was tied with Thompson for the team lead in points (26) heading into the game. Trevor Kuntar slotted into the lineup, making his NHL debut one day after signing a one-year, two-way contract with Buffalo.

Sabres: At Seattle on Sunday night.

Canucks: At New Jersey on Sunday to open a five-game trip.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jordan Poole scored 22 points in his return from a left quadriceps injury that sidelined him for 18 games, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 143-120 victory over the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.

Trey Murphy III had 24 points and Bryce McGowens hit all five 3-pointers he took on his way to tying a career high with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting for New Orleans.

The Pelicans won for just the second time since James Borrego took over as coach after Willie Green was fired on Nov. 15.

Shaedon Sharpe scored 21 points for Portland, which had just 10 players available and lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Six players scored 15 or more points for the Pelicans, including rookies Jeremiah Fears (19) and Derik Queen (17). New Orleans also set a franchise record with 86 points in the paint.

Sidy Cissoko scored 20 points for the Blazers, while Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija each had 16.

BUCKS 116, CELTICS 101

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points and Bobby Portis added 27 points and 10 rebounds as Milwaukee rallied in the second half to defeat Boston without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Portis hit a pair of 3-pointers from the left corner as Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to go in front 95-82. Another 3 by Portis put the Bucks up 106-89 with 6:49 remaining.

Portis hit 11 of 13 shots, including 5 of 6 beyond the arc, in 26 minutes. Kevin Porter Jr. had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jordan Walsh added 20 for the Celtics, whose five-game winning streak ended.

ROCKETS 115, CLIPPERS 113

HOUSTON (AP) — Amen Thompson’s three-point play with 17.2 seconds left helped Houston to a win over Los Angeles.

Thompson tipped in Alperen Sengun’s miss to break a 110-110 tie, was fouled by Kris Dunn and hit the and-1 free throw. The putback came off Houston’s third offensive rebound of the possession and 21st of the night.

Thompson made 8 of 12 from the field and finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.

The Rockets (16-6) outrebounded the Clippers 51-28 and avoided losing back-to-back games for the first time since October 24.

Los Angeles had two possessions with a chance to tie the game, but Kawhi Leonard was called for an offensive foul, and Nicolas Batum committed a violation on an inbounds pass.

NUGGETS 136, KINGS 105

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 36 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists as Denver cruised to a victory over Sacramento for their fourth straight victory.

Peyton Watson scored 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting for the Nuggets (18-6). Cameron Johnson added 16 and Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Jokic made 14 of 16 shots from the field, including both his 3-pointers, and went 6 for 8 at the free-throw line. He did not play in the fourth quarter.

Jamal Murray and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 11 points apiece for Denver.

NEW YORK (AP) — Anders Lee scored twice and had two assists, and David Rittich made 31 saves as the New York Islanders beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Thursday night.

Simon Holmstrom had a goal and two assists and defensemen Travis Mitchell and Ryan Pulock each scored as the Islanders won for the fifth time in six games.

Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry scored for Anaheim, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Islanders leading scorer Bo Horvat left about seven minutes into the second with a lower-body injury after he became tangled with Anaheim defenseman Drew Helleson.

The Islanders took a 3-0 lead in the opening period, starting with Mitchell’s first NHL goal. The 26-year-old was playing his seventh game following his recall from Bridgeport of the AHL.

Lee made it 2-0, beating Ducks netminder Ville Husso on the power play. The Islanders captain scored again with the man advantage late in the first, his eighth goal. Lee has 297 career goals, fifth-most in franchise history.

Carlsson rifled a shot past Rittich in the second for his team-leading 17th goal.

Terry made it 3-2 with a short-handed goal early in the third. The Islanders pulled away when Holmstron scored his sixth and Pulock added his first.

The Islanders are 14-6-2 in their last 22 games and continued strong play against top-tier competition since losing to Washington on Nov. 30. New York has since defeated Tampa Bay twice, plus Colorado and Vegas.

Rittich improved to 7-3-1 with a sharp performance against the improved Ducks, who have 19 wins in 31 games.

Husso made 32 saves.

Ducks: At New Jersey on Saturday.

Islanders: Host Tampa Bay on Saturday.

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Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the agreement, first reported by The Athletic, was subject to a successful physical.

Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.

He had nine RBIs for Cleveland in the 2024 AL Division Series against Detroit but hit .160 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 125 at-bats over 39 games this year in an injury-decimated season with Cleveland. He batted .268 for Washington in 2023, when he set career bests with 28 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

Thomas didn't play between April 8 and 15 this year because of a bone bruise in his right wrist sustained when hit by a pitch from Shane Smith of the Chicago White Sox and between April 19 and May 22 because of the same injury. He was out between May 26 and June 9 due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

He played his last big league game of the season on July 4, then was sidelined again because of the foot injury, though he did appear in three Double-A games from Sept. 2-5 as part of an injury rehabilitation assignment. He has surgery on Sept. 23,

A year earlier, he hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on an AL Wild Card Series.

Thomas had a $7,825,000 salary in a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He became a free agent last month.

Now 30, Thomas has a .242 average with 65 homers and 254 RBIs in seven seasons with St. Louis (2019-21), Washington (2021-24) and the Guardians, who acquired him from the Nationals ahead of the 2024 trade deadline for infielder José Tena, left-hander Alex Clemmey and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr.

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Paul, Darren Raddysh and Pontus Holmberg each scored in the opening eight minutes to chase Jacob Markstrom, and the injury-depleted Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New Jersey Devils 8-4 on Thursday night.

The Lightning have strung together consecutive victories following a four-game skid, which culminated with back-to-back shutout losses. Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals, Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point got one apiece and Nikita Kucherov recorded four assists as Tampa Bay combined to score 14 times in these two wins.

Jonas Johansson made 33 saves in his fifth start in a row in place of injured No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is out at least two more games. Captain Victor Hedman joined Vasilevskiy and fellow defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak on injured reserve earlier Thursday after aggravating an undisclosed ailment earlier this week.

After coach Jon Cooper praised his short-handed team's all-around play other than saying, “We just haven’t been able to score,” the Lightning busted out offensively against Markstrom, who lasted just seven shots before getting pulled in favor of backup Jake Allen. Paul and Raddysh scored 51 seconds apart, and then Holmberg's weak backhander going in was enough for Sheldon Keefe to yank Markstrom for performance-related reasons for the first time this season.

Markstrom's save percentage fell to .875, which ranks 55th out of the 59 goalies who have appeared in at least nine games. Allen allowed five goals on 28 shots in relief. Luke Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Angus Crookshank and Paul Cotter scored for New Jersey, which has lost six of its past seven and nine of 14 since top center Jack Hughes had finger surgery.

Xavier Parent made his NHL debut for the Devils. Parent was called up to fill in for Timo Meier, who is taking a leave of absence to attend to a family health matter.

Lightning: Visit the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Devils: Host Anaheim on Saturday.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Islanders leading scorer Bo Horvat suffered a lower-body injury about seven minutes into the second period in Thursday's game against Anaheim and did not return to the contest.

Horvat became tangled with Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson at 6:52, limped off ice and immediately went down the tunnel leading to the Islanders locker room.

Horvat, who has 19 goals and 31 points, seemed to have difficulty putting weight on his left foot after his ankle bent awkwardly and twisted as he was falling to the ice.

The 30-year-old center hasn't missed a game this season. He played 81 games each of the past two seasons, scoring 28 goals last season and 33 goals in 2023-24.

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Miami (6-7) at Pittsburgh (7-6)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN.

BetMGM NFL odds: Steelers by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Dolphins 7-6, Steelers 6-7.

Series record: Steelers lead 15-14.

Last meeting: Dolphins beat Steelers 16-10 on Oct. 23, 2022, in Miami.

Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 34-10; Steelers beat Ravens 27-22.

Dolphins offense: overall (25), rush (8), pass (28), scoring (22).

Dolphins defense: overall (19), rush (25), pass (12), scoring (15).

Steelers offense: overall (27), rush (29), pass (23), scoring (14).

Steelers defense: overall (28), rush (21), pass (28), scoring (19).

Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-1; Steelers plus-9.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick. The former Steeler has been excellent in his first season back with the Dolphins team that drafted him in 2018. Fitzpatrick is third on the team in tackles (76 total, 54 solo) and has a sack and two fumble recoveries. Pro Football Focus has Fitzpatrick ranked third among all safeties this season, behind Houston's Jalen Pitre and Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton.

S Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey, part of the deal in June that sent Fitzpatrick back to the Dolphins, has adapted well to a move to safety necessitated by injuries at the back end of the secondary. The seven-time Pro Bowler has been an emotional leader for a unit in need of leadership after DeShon Elliott was lost for the season. When Ramsey is active and noticeable, Pittsburgh's defense is disruptive.

Miami edge rusher Bradley Chubb vs. whoever starts at left tackle for the Steelers. There's a chance longtime practice squad player Dylan Cook could make his first NFL start Monday night against Chubb, thanks to a series of injuries that have forced Pittsburgh to go deep into the depth chart. Broderick Jones and Calvin Anderson are both on injured reserve and Andrus Peat spent the start of the week in the concussion protocol. Chubb has 6 1/2 sacks this season, including 2 1/2 during Miami's four-game winning streak.

Dolphins: They head into Week 15 mostly healthy. LB Caleb Johnson (shoulder) is unlikely to play. ... RB De'Von Achane is nursing a rib injury, but is expected to play.

Steelers: Outside LB T.J. Watt spent time in the hospital with a lung issue and his status is uncertain. ... Rookie DT Derrick Harmon (knee) could play after sitting out each of the last two weeks. ... Peat, TE Darnell Washington and LB Malik Harrison all began the week in concussion protocol. ... Anderson, a reserve OT, is out with a knee injury. ... WR DK Metcalf will play despite being briefly hospitalized last week in Baltimore due to an abdominal issue.

The Dolphins have won three of the last five meetings, including a 34-28 victory on a wintry December day in 2013 that featured a gametime temperature of 25 degrees, followed by 3-plus hours of snow flurries. The forecast for Monday calls for temperatures in the teens at kickoff. ... Pittsburgh holds a 9-4 advantage all-time in the Steel City (playoffs included). ... The last time the teams met on Monday night, they played in a torrential downpour at then-Heinz Field, with the Steelers pulling out a 3-0 victory on a short field goal with 17 seconds remaining.

The Dolphins have won five of six since a 1-6 start, a surge that has stabilized — for now — coach Mike McDaniels' job status. ... The Steelers took control of the AFC North with a victory in Baltimore last weekend but they can ill afford a misstep at home. ... The Dolphins are 45-45 all-time in Monday night games. ... During their four-game winning streak, the Dolphins have allowed the fewest points per game in the league (13.3), while ranking second in takeaways (10) and third in third down defense (30.8 pct.). ... CB Rasul Douglas, who signed with the Dolphins late in training camp, was selected the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording five passes defensed, two tackles and coming up with an interception for the second week in a row in Week 14 against the Jets. He's the only defender in the AFC to record five passes defensed and an interception in a game this season and the first Dolphins player to do so since Eric Rowe in 2020. It's the third time a Miami player earned the award this season after LB Jordyn Brooks earned it in both Weeks 8 and 11. The Dolphins are the only team in the NFL with three Defensive Player of the Week recognitions this year. ... Achane, who reached 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career in Week 13, leads the NFL in rushing average (5.6) and ranks third in yards rushing (1,126). He's also tied for second in TD receptions (four) and ranks fourth in catches (55) and yards receiving (383) among running backs. ... The Steelers have won 23 straight home games on Monday nights, a streak that dates to 1991. They did lose to Washington on a Monday during the 2020 season, though that game was originally slated to be played on a Sunday before being pushed back due to scheduling changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Pittsburgh QB Aaron Rodgers is 4-2 all-time against the Dolphins. He last faced Miami in the 2024 regular-season finale, when he passed for four touchdowns while playing for the New York Jets. ... Steelers WR DK Metcalf posted season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (147) last week against the Ravens. ... Pittsburgh DT Cameron Heyward will make his 190th start for the Steelers, tied with former WR Hines Ward for fourth in team history. Heyward's 225 regular-season appearances are second in club history behind former QB Ben Roethlisberger. ... The Steelers are tied for second in the NFL in takeaways (23). Pittsburgh is 6-3 this season when creating at least one turnover and is 6-0 this year in games when it has a positive turnover ratio.

The Steelers have struggled to stop teams committed to running and Achane is one of the hottest backs in the league. The 24-year-old is averaging 109 yards rushing per game during Miami's recent surge, and his 5.8 yards per carry is tops in the NFL. If he plays, he could have a big day against a Pittsburgh defense that can't seem to stop the run with any sort of consistency, even when the Steelers know it's coming.

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BERLIN (AP) — German soccer club Borussia Dortmund’s new chief executive has defended its contentious sponsorship agreement with Rheinmetall, the country’s largest arms manufacturer.

Carsten Cramer, who took over from outgoing Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke last month, said Thursday he was 100% committed to the three-year deal announced by the club in May 2024, and that he was “convinced it was the right decision” despite many Dortmund fans making their opposition to it clear.

“I do accept the criticism,” Cramer said. “It’s maybe a part of life that we do not need to agree 100% to everything the club is doing. But in certain times it is necessary to take responsibility, and in these dangerous times where the safety and security of our country is not protected by diplomatic relationships and political relationships, I think it is a clear commitment of a club like Dortmund that we have to invest in defense.”

Rheinmetall last month announced record figures for the first nine months of 2025, with sales up 20% to 7.5 billion euros ($8.8 billion), while its backlog in orders reached 64 billion euros ($75 billion). It announced record sales of weapon systems, ammunition and protection systems driven by wars in Ukraine and elsewhere.

“We have to start and run a discussion in our country how to defend our country and Dortmund is always taking responsibility," Cramer said. "We are always saying we are more than just a football club.”

Dortmund presents Rheinmetall on its website as a “champion partner” and it displays the company’s banner on advertising hoardings during games.

The agreement has caused friction among supporters to varying degrees with some Dortmund fans even going so far as to renounce their support. There were boos for Watzke at the club’s AGM last month, when he was appointed club president with 59% of the vote though he might have expected more. Watzke played a significant role in steering the club through a financial crisis in 2005.

At the 2024 AGM, a majority of members present voted against further cooperation with Rheinmetall. That came after the team’s first game of the 2024-25 season was marked by fan protests against the sponsorship deal.

“Five years ago, I never expected that we would work together with a defense company. But now democracy, the system, the defense structure of our territories (is) under pressure, and I think we have to open the eyes of the people that we are not able to defend our country, our system, just by hoping that the Americans will care for us,” Cramer said. “If a club like us is not inviting (people) to discuss something like this, who should do it?”

Founded in 1889 as “Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik Actiengesellschaft,” Rheinmetall was one of Germany’s biggest armaments manufacturers during both World Wars. It made use of forced labor during World War II.

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