Browsing: effort

GOLF’s latest ranking of Top 100 Courses in the World features plenty of familiar names, from Augusta National and Pine Valley to Cypress Point and Pebble Beach. But tucked amid those icons are lesser-known layouts with compelling designs and rich histories of their own. In this ongoing series, we’ll introduce you to them.

In 1930, English architect Charles Alison stepped ashore in Tokyo from the steamer Asama Maru for a three-month visit. In that brief time, he ignited Japan’s golfing soul. Alison left his signature on four prominent courses around Tokyo — Tokyo Golf Club, Hirono, Naruo, and Kasumigaseki.

But his true masterpiece unfurls two hours south of the capital: the Fuji Course at Kawana, draped across storm-sculpted cliffs that mirror Big Sur’s savage beauty, with sacred Mount Fuji itself rising above the clouds and visible throughout the course.

Of the many fine holes, two stand out for their mix of natural beauty and strategy.

The 7th, a mere 393-yard par 4, tumbles toward a pulpit green kissed by dappled light reflected off the ocean. From the tee, the hole seduces with the promise of driving the putting surface, yet Alison’s deep bunkers slash the fairway in two, demanding a decision: the generous right side grants a straightforward approach, albeit from a severely sloped lie; the more daring angle up the left rewards with a level lie but a delicate pitch over flashed bunkers.

The 15th, a 480-yard par-5, plunges from a sky-high tee to a fairway that abuts towering bluffs along the Pacific. Wind and slope make eagle a possibility, but bunkers right push play left toward the cliffs. The rippled fairway climbs to a narrow, two-tiered green, where par is a strong score.

Kawana must be played to be fully appreciated. And that’s the thing: anyone can. Unlike most of Japan’s top courses, Kawana is accessible to the public. It’s part of a resort. Its sibling Oshima Course (measuring a modest 5,711 yards) shares similar strategic demands on a smaller scale and serves as an ideal warm-up or twilight companion to the Fuji, making for an all world 36-hole adventure.

Noel Freeman is a course rater for GOLF and Golf.com.

The Knicks defeated the Toronto Raptors 117-101 on Tuesday night in their NBA Cup Quarterfinals matchup.

New York has booked a trip to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup Semifinals for the first time.

Here are some takeaways…

– Both teams came into this Quarterfinal matchup shorthanded — the Knicks were without Miles McBride as he undergoes further testing on his ankle injury, and Toronto was without former Knicks RJ Barrett (knee) and Immanuel Quickley (illness).

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– You wanted high-flying NBA Cup action? You got it. Both teams had their scoring touch going early in this one, shooting a combined 61 percent from the field in a back-and-forth opening frame that ended with Toronto leading by four.

Jalen Brunson was once again leading the charge offensively for New York, knocking down all but two of his nine shots for a season-high 20 points over the first 12 minutes. Brandon Ingram did a nice job of matching him for the Raptors, putting up 17 points of his own on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting from the field.

– The Knicks kept their hot scoring going and stepped up defensively to take things over in the second. Karl-Anthony Towns‘ monstrous jam helped them open the first double-digit lead of the game, and they outscored Toronto 34-13 to lead by 17 points heading into the halftime break.

Brunson still had just two misses on 12 attempts and Towns chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds.

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– New York kept things rolling coming out of the locker room with Josh Hart leading the charge, putting up the team’s first nine points of the third quarter. Hart quietly had a terrific first half, and his surge raised his total to 18 points on the night on a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and 3-for-3 from three over his first 19 minutes of action.

The Raptors found their footing and put together a mini run, but still trailed by 15 heading into the final frame.

– New York’s offense continued rolling, and Hart’s fourth three of the night made it a 20-point game early in the fourth. Toronto showed some fight down the stretch, but the Knicks ultimately never looked back, as they booked their ticket to the Semifinals with the 16-point victory.

Brunson finished with a game-high 35 points, Hart had a season-high 21, Mikal Bridges chipped in 15, Towns piled up 14 and 17 boards, Anunoby had 13 against his former team, and Jordan Clarkson bounced back with 12 off the bench.

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– The Knicks have now won 10 consecutive games against the Raptors, stretching back to Dec. 2023.

– New York pushed their winning streak to four, and they are 8-1 over their last nine games.

Game MVP: Brunson

The captain was terrific offensively, pacing New York’s offense and leading all scorers.

Highlights

What’s next

The Knicks head to Vegas for their Semifinal meeting with the Magic on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

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Heading into their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins had won five of their last six games and were riding the high of getting two regular players back into their lineup.

Well, even if forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari rejoined the mix, the Penguins were down another, as Evgeni Malkin missed the tilt due to a day-to-day upper-body injury. But, despite that, the Penguins put out a respectable effort and deserved the two points.

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And it ultimately wasn’t enough.

The Penguins surrendered a game-tying goal during six-on-five play with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, and they lost to the Stars in the shootout, 3-2. Penguins’ goaltender Tristan Jarry stood on his head during the overtime period and against a few high-danger opportunities by the Stars in the first 60 minutes, but unfortunately, the Penguins simply haven’t found a way to exercise their demons in the shootout.

So far this season, the Penguins have yet to win a game in the shootout and have five shootout losses. While those squandered points continue to be a problem – and may or may not catch up to them by season’s end – it’s hard not to feel good about the Penguins getting five out of six points on this road trip.

That, however, isn’t good enough for head coach Dan Muse and the Penguins, who have set high expectations for themselves.

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“I thought with the overall game we played, you want to come out with two points,” Muse said.

Penguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBS

Penguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBS The Pittsburgh Penguins made a bunch of roster moves on Sunday.

The first period saw a lot of back-and-forth action with chances at both ends, and the Penguins’ fourth line finally broke through within the last two minutes. Acciari made a play to get the puck to Blake Lizotte at the left offensive blue line, and Lizotte fed it to Connor Dewar, who was breaking into the slot. Dewar put it past Jake Oettinger to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

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Dallas’s Jamie Benn tied it at 1-1 within the first two minutes of the second period, but, from then on, the Penguins – even if they gave up the occasional high-danger chance – were largely the better team. Tommy Novak – who played to the left of Sidney Crosby on the top line – tipped a Kris Letang one-timer from the point in the back half of the middle frame to put the Penguins back up, 2-1, with his sixth point in five games.

That score held until Dallas decided to pull Oettinger with more than three minutes remaining in regulation – and after an icing call that left a tired Penguins’ fourth line on the ice. With just 1:49 remaining, Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took advantage of that tired unit for his sixth of the season to force overtime.

And Jarry really shined in the extra frame. He made several ten-bell saves in the overtime period – including one on Jason Robertson during a Dallas two-on-one – and he also stopped the first two shooters in overtime.

However, Bryan Rust, Crosby, and Kris Letang failed to score in the shootout, and Mikko Rantanen gave the Stars the win on their third shot.

Here are a few takeaways from this one:

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– Let’s talk about some of the positives first because there were actually quite a lot from this game.

I want to start with Novak. He has been playing some really good hockey for a few weeks now, and his lineup versatility makes him valuable to this team. He was effective on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen before playing a few games alongside Malkin and Anthony Mantha – not missing a beat there – and in this one with Crosby and Rust.

He’s going to the danger areas a lot more. He’s playing with some energy and helping generate a fair amount of offense on the forecheck. And he’s also defensively responsible.

I was a bit down on him for the first month and a half of the season. I talked to Novak a few weeks ago regarding how he felt about his season so far, and he hesitated to say he was happy with it.

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But it’s safe to say that he’s been one of their best players for the last six games. He’s put in the work, and it’s paying off.

Penguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Museâ€s First Big Challenge

Penguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Museâ€s First Big Challenge Ever since Dan Muse called out his team, the Penguins have responded in a big way.

– They didn’t register a point again, but I really like the makeup of this kid third line. They had some good shifts in the offensive zone and were generally successful at bailing themselves out of trouble in the defensive zone.

I do think Rutger McGroarty still does have some rust to shake off. But Ben Kindel continues to exceed expectations in a full-time third-line center role regarding faceoffs, generating offense, and handling defensive responsbilities. And Ville Koivunen played another solid game and was very, very close to putting the Penguins up 3-1 on a whiffed chance in the third period.

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But I want to see them keep building on their chemistry. And, with Kindel apparently not headed to the World Junior Classic after all, they should have some runway to do just that.

– I can’t say enough about how spectacular Jarry was again Sunday. Although the Penguins played a good game, they still gave up a few good looks, and Jarry shut all but two of them down.

He’s certainly been a revelation during this stretch, and he has played in six of the last seven games. He has a .913 save percentage on the season.

I know Arturs Silovs has only played in one of the last seven – with the last being Nov. 29, when he was pulled after surrendering four goals on 16 shots against the Toronto Maple Leafs – but it feels like Jarry should get the net again on Tuesday against a good Anaheim Ducks team. Besides, the Penguins have a back-to-back coming up next weekend, and Silovs is probably guaranteed one of those starts.

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Jarry has been that good recently. He’s winning the Penguins hockey games, or – at the very least – securing points for them.

– Although everyone on the team played generally well, I didn’t think this was one of Sidney Crosby’s better games. He seemed a bit off all night with his passing and his reads, and he had a terrible line change in overtime that resulted in the two-on-one with Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Even the best of the best have occasional – very occasional – off-nights. And this was one of them for 87.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On Friday

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On Friday Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got a big win over Lehigh Valley on Friday night.

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– Shootouts are a very real problem for the Penguins.

Again, five of six on this tough road trip is commendable. But it really felt like they should have come away with six of six.

Yes, blown leads have been a problem for the Penguins since the onset of November. But this one was almost a bit more understandable given the circumstances of Dallas pulling their goaltender advantageously against a tired line.

At some point, they need to win a shootout. They’re 0-4 this season. They’ve lost their last eight.

And I’m looking right at the shootout lineup.

Has goaltending been a problem, too? Absolutely. Arturs Silovs has lost three of the shootouts this season, and he’s only stopped one shot in them. But goaltending is almost a moot point when your shooters can’t score, either.

Crosby is one out of three, which isn’t bad. But he dealt with shootout woes last season and converted on just 16.7 percent of attempts. Letang is three for his last 24. Rust is one of four.

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They have to try something – rather, someone – else. Even if you don’t take Crosby out of the mix, that’s fine. Slow roll it by having Rust, Crosby, and a young player like Koivunen, who is known for his craftiness in shootouts. And if that still doesn’t work, you tweak it again.

The Penguins have practiced shootouts this season. Kindel has won a few. Kevin Hayes is pretty decent. McGroarty – like Koivunen – has also shown a tendency to be nasty in the shootout at the AHL level as well.

If it were me – with Malkin out – I’d roll Rust, Koivunen, and Crosby as the first three and Kindel, McGroarty, and Brazeau as the next. Give the kids a chance. And just keep tweaking it until you find a hot hand.

At the end of the day, the Penguins can’t be married to underperforming veterans in these situations. It could be costing them precious points, so it’s something they need to address the very next time a shootout is in the cards.

Evgeni Malkin Out Day-To-Day

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/evgeni-malkin-out-day-to-day" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Evgeni Malkin Out Day-To-Day Even though the Pittsburgh Penguins got a few players back in their lineup for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Stars, they lost a pretty prominent one.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “> Evgeni Malkin Out Day-To-Day Even though the Pittsburgh Penguins got a few players back in their lineup for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Stars, they lost a pretty prominent one.

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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have entered the despairing part of their slump, which feels like it is heading into its 15th month but certainly covers the 2025-26 National Hockey League season so far.

Having found their way to the bottom of the standings by all the conventional means — injuries, slack defending, inferior special teams, not enough saves and a forwards group assembled like a donut (no centres) — the Canucks are now losing games while outplaying opponents.

This is a new phenomenon, but possibly the most discouraging path to defeat because there really isnâ€t much to fix. Except maybe some luck, and nobody has a foolproof formula for that.

The Canucks outplayed the Utah Mammoth on Friday and lost 4-1. Just like they outplayed the San Jose Sharks one week earlier and lost 3-2. The night after that, they were as good as the Los Angeles Kings but lost 2-1 in overtime.

Obviously, theyâ€re still doing enough to lose. But theyâ€ve lately been doing enough to win, and itâ€s just not happening.

Of course, itâ€s not.

The Canucks outshot the Mammoth 32-18 and were outscored in each period. High-danger scoring chances were 23-12 for Vancouver in all situations, and Natural Stat Trickâ€s election desk called it a 4-2 expected win for the Canucks.

Vancouver has lost seven of eight games (1-6-1) while playing well enough to be over .500.

Thatâ€s harder than just playing poorly and earning your losses.

“I think itâ€s harder,†winger Jake DeBrusk said. “I think I’ve had chances in all those games to score, Grade-As (chances) that didn’t go in, and we lose by one. We lose, you know, close ones. So you take that on personally. Iâ€m not the only one, obviously, but yeah, I think it’s harder.â€

“Well, you’d rather play well than play bad,†Conor Garland said. “But at the end of the day, you drive home, and it’s either a win or loss, so youâ€ve got to find a way to bury some chances, get some luck, whatever it is. We have our looks, and they’re just not going in. It hurts because, you know, it felt like we dominated them when we were down 1-0; we have three or four looks (and donâ€t score), and then they come down and tip one in. It’s tough to win when you don’t score.â€

Coming into the game, Utah was 5-10-3 since Oct. 26, one loss worse than even Vancouver over that period.

On the Mammothâ€s first-period goal, Mikhail Sergachevâ€s pedestrian point shot hit Canuck Elias Petterssonâ€s stick and Marcus Petterssonâ€s skate before trundling into the net at a mockingly modest pace as goalie Kevin Lankinen slid the wrong way. Had Elias Pettersson Junior been on the ice for Vancouver, the puck would have flipped him the bird, too. Sergachev looked embarrassed.

At least their second-period goal was an actual Utah deflection as Nick Schmaltz tipped in another Sergachev shot when the Mammoth made it into the Canucks end with the puck for about the first time in five minutes.

The Canucks, meanwhile, sharply deflected pucks into Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka (Brock Boeser) or off the crossbar (Kiefer Sherwood), missed a semi-open net (Boeser) and were, generally, just stuffed by Vejmelka on several excellent scoring chances.

Arshdeep Bains finally tipped one that missed the goalie, getting the Canucks on the board at 4:17 of the third period.

But among Utahâ€s two shots on Lankinen in the final frame, Kevin Stenlund stickhandled the puck around the Vancouver goalie during an outnumbered rush to restore the two-goal lead with 2:08 remaining, before John Marino fired into an empty net during what had been an inert six-on-four power play for the Canucks.

“We have to score some more goals, right?†Canucks coach Adam Foote summarized. “You guys can see the numbers yourself; you guys watch the game. We didnâ€t give them a lot, but weâ€ve got to make sure around the net that weâ€re getting our goals. Itâ€s disappointing we didnâ€t come up with that one. Weâ€ve got to find a way to get that game.

“Iâ€m not frustrated because … I just watched all the chances for and against. We should have had that game 4-1 or 5-1. Itâ€s that simple. I canâ€t get upset for what weâ€re doing. Hopefully, the goals start going in.â€

The Canucks have scored just once in each of their last three games, and more than twice only once in their last seven.

The Mammoth went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Canucks finished 0-for-3. So itâ€s not like Vancouver really doesnâ€t have anything to fix. Their static power play, stuck at the top of the zone, is on a 0-for-15 hibernation the last four games after going on a 10-for-30 heater.

Still, Fridayâ€s game was one where the Canucks were good enough at five-on-five that they could have won despite a one-goal deficit on special teams.

“Especially in the first and second, I think we were great,†winger Linus Karlsson, elevated to the Canucks†top line, said. “Even the third, I think we had a good push. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the puck in.

“I think playing this way, we’re going to get some wins. We need wins right now. I mean, I think tonight we deserved, for sure, much better. It’s hard to see the positive things, but weâ€ll come in here tomorrow and watch some positives (on video) and just try to keep building on this effort. Clean some stuff up, but I think we played great tonight.â€

They did. Thatâ€s the depressing part.

The Minnesota Wild visit the Canucks on Saturday night.

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CALGARY — Staring up at the Jumbotron like everyone else in attendance, Dustin Wolf was curious as to how he did it.

How he managed to make the best of his 26 saves while lying on his stomach, kicking up his leg in desperation as Marcus Johansson redirected a Mats Zuccarello pass at Wolfâ€s doorstep.

“Well, I thought I was s— out of luck when he made the first pass,†admitted the Calgary Flames netminder with a grin.

“Just got some bounces tonight. It hit me, and Naz(em Kadri) made a nice play with his stick to (bat) it out of there. That’s hockey. Sometimes bounces go your way. Sometimes they don’t. And thankfully, we got a couple to go our way tonight.â€

A 4-1 Flames win over the sizzling Minnesota Wild Thursday night came eight days after Wolf last saw action, when he was pulled less than six minutes into a forgettable start in Tampa, where he allowed three of the first four shots.

Giving way to Devin Cooley for three straight starts, in a stretch that saw the backup play six of seven, the hockey world wondered how the Flames†franchise netminder felt about sitting that long.

“It is what it is — Cools has been playing outstanding, and I’m going to support him in any way possible I can,†said Wolf, who suddenly might not have to play upwards of 64 games this year.

“When I get the tap on the shoulder to play, I’m going to do everything I can to be ready.

“No, you never want to be pulled. But you kind of use it as an eye opener and find things to work on, and just get back to playing hockey, the game you love.â€

Better question: how tough was it having to stew over what was the worst outing of his career?

“S— happens,†he shrugged.

“That’s the game of hockey. I mean, you can’t let anything bother you about that.

“You can’t change what’s happened now, you can only look forward to the next opportunity, and being prepared for that. And now this one’s behind us, we got two points, and now we get ready for Saturday.â€

No more guessing whoâ€s getting the start that night against Utah.

Bouncing back the way he has throughout his young career, Wolf was particularly sharp early on Thursday, backstopping the Flames to a scoreless tie after a first period that saw him and his Flames kill off four high-sticking penalties.

The only shot to beat him came late in the second period when a Zach Bogosian point shot bounced off the stick of Adam Klapka, then Yakov Trenin, before tying the game 1-1.

Third-period goals by Connor Zary, Matt Coronato and Rasmus Andersson (into an empty net) broke open a tight, entertaining game, ending the Wildâ€s 12-game point streak.

Following up a long road trip with their most complete effort of the year, the Flames kicked off their first of nine home games this month with a real confidence builder.

On a night that featured plenty of talk about the leagueâ€s hottest goaltending duo of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, Wolf changed the narrative with the type of bounce-back effort most could have predicted.

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 â€œI think it just maybe shows the competitive side of the player again,†said Flames coach Ryan Huska, whose decision to start Cooley for three straight sparked mild debate in town.

 â€œI think the time on the road gave (Wolf) an opportunity to dial some parts of his game in a little bit with (goalie coach) Jason (LaBarbera.) And I think he did a very good job of that. The last day or two of it, you could tell he was a little fiery, and he wanted to get back in the net again, which is a great sign.

“As I said this morning, I think when you have two goaltenders that are playing well, they feed off of each other. That’s what Minnesota has had with their guys, and our belief is that we’re going to get that way with ours.â€

The Wildâ€s tandem is so dominant, theyâ€ve now started to simply rotate the two.

Donâ€t expect a similar approach from Huska, who decided to ride the surprisingly hot hand of his backup in a fashion he likely never thought possible, given Cooleyâ€s shaky pre-season and limited NHL experience.

“(Cooley) served notice that he’s more than capable of stepping in and playing games, and I think that always makes the partner better,†said Huska, who was asked earlier in the day if, in hindsight, he maybe rode Wolf a little too hard to start the season.

“I don’t think so. The only game maybe that I would second-guess myself, was the game in Vancouver (the second game) of the year. That would probably be about it.â€

Otherwise, no regrets, which is almost as comforting as having two viable options every night you face off.

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Here’s the latestYankees free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason…

Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.

While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellingerremains the Yankees’ No. 1 target, and the club is making a “big effort” to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

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Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a “multipart move” for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces –potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones.

With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.

Dec. 3, 8:22 p.m.

The high-stakes bidding war for Kyle Tuckerofficially includes one of the Yankees’ division rivals, as the superstar outfielder visited the Blue Jays’ facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided.

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It’s no surprise the reigning AL champions are big-game hunting for a new bat. The club signed free-agent starter Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract in the last week.

Murray reports the Blue Jays are also interested in retaining shortstop Bo Bichette, who could garner an average annual value above $20 million.

Tucker would make the Blue Jays’ lineup even more imposing. In his lone season with the Cubs, the 28-year-old slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 25 steals. His seven-year run with the Astros was far more impressive, though — he hit .274 with 125 homers and 417 RBI.

Only time will tell if the Yankees make a legitimate run at Tucker’s services. His contract demands seem too rich for their blood, and the Yankees have stated they’re focused on re-signing Cody Bellinger, who’d come at a much lower price.

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Dec. 1, 9:19 a.m.

The Yankees re-signing Cody Bellinger would be a “multipart move,” reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Per Passan, the Yanks are unlikely to enter the season with Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Jasson Dominguez, and Spencer Jonesall on the team.

Things got tight player-wise and payroll-wise for New York when Grisham accepted the one-year qualifying offer.

Another factor when it comes to Bellinger or other large signings/trades for the Yanks this offseason is that with Grisham now in tow, New York’s payroll for 2026 is already roughly $278 million.

Pair the above with owner Hal Steinbrenner‘s recent comments that it would be “ideal” to lower payroll for this coming season — and his repeated statements about not wanting to carry a payroll above $300 million — and it’s fair to wonder how much wiggle room there will be to retain Bellinger and address other needs.

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Nov. 20, 9:37 a.m.

The Yankees and Devin Williams‘ representatives recently discussed the possibility of the reliever returning to the Bronx, per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.

In addition to the Yanks, Williams has reportedly drawn interest from the Mets, Dodgers, and Blue Jays, among others, this offseason.

The Yankees recently re-signed left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, but their ‘pen is still in need of serious reinforcements.

In addition to Williams, Luke Weaver is also a free agent.

Nov. 13, 11:09 a.m.

The Red Sox are among the teams with interest in Devin Williams, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic, who also lists the Dodgers and Reds among teams that have expressed interest.

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Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic also reported on Los Angeles and Williams, saying there appears to be mutual interest.

Los Angeles was one of the teams exploring the possibility of dealing for Williams last offseason before he was traded to the Yankees.

Williams, 31, struggled last season for the Yanks, posting a 4.79 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 62.0 innings.

While Williams was not his regular elite self, his stuff still played up as he had a strikeout rate of 13.1 per nine.

In addition to Williams, Luke Weaveris also a free agent, leaving the back end of New York’s bullpen in an uncertain spot.

Nov. 12, 11:33 a.m.

A source told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News that the Yankees have checked in on left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, and the club is “expected to be suitors” for the 33-year-old.

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After signing with the Yanks last spring, Yarbrough ended up being a valuable and versatile piece for Aaron Boone‘s pitching staff. He started eight games and appeared in 19 games in total, pitching to a 4.36 ERA while holding opposing lefties to a .198 batting average.

Yarbrough did miss a significant chunk of the season, though, as an oblique injury kept him out from mid-June to early September. As a result, he was left off the Yankees’ postseason roster.

Nov. 11, 3:45 p.m.

Historically, the Yankees have been among the highest-spending teams in baseball, but owner Hal Steinbrennerand GM Brian Cashmanhave reiterated multiple times over the past couple of years that having a payroll over $300 million is “simply not sustainable for us, financially,” as Cashman put it.

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“It wouldnâ€t be sustainable for the vast majority of ownership [groups], given the luxury tax we have to pay,” Cashman said last May. “Iâ€ve been a broken record [on this topic]: I donâ€t believe I should have a $300 million payroll to win a championship.”

So how does that line of thinking impact what the Yankees will do this offseason?

Appearing on “Pinstripe Post,” Joel Sherman of the New York Post laid out how he believes the Yankees can thread the needle to retain a key free agent like Cody Bellinger, whom he referred to as “the key to their offseason,” while lowering their payroll beneath the $300 million number.

“I think the goal this offseason is to try to get under $300 million, luxury tax money. I think within that theyâ€d like to re-sign Cody Bellinger, add another reliever who can pitch in the final six outs of the game… I think theyâ€d like to find a complementary starting pitcher to help them through some injuries early in the season. I think theyâ€d love to flip J.C. Escarra for a righty version of J.C. Escarra… and I think theyâ€d like to find a complementary right-handed bat, and maybe plus Amed Rosario, who they liked a lot and tried in previous years to get.

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“That all told, I think the Yankees would feel, if they got the versions of the players they wanted to, they would feel thatâ€s a 90+ win team, and theyâ€d have a shot to line it up, and that they could do that in the high ($200 millions).”

The Yankees ended last season with a payroll of $323.7 million, for luxury tax purposes. Factoring in projections for arbitration eligible players and other players in their pre-arbitration years who are still under team control, the Yankees currently have a payroll of roughly $244 million.

Can the Yankees fit in a player like Bellinger, who is projected to make somewhere around $27 million per season, and still make other needed moves while staying under the $304 million luxury tax threshold?

If that is indeed the goal, while it does appear possible, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of wiggle room.

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For the first time in weeks, it felt like a winning result for the Pittsburgh Penguins was never really in doubt throughout the game.

And it was certainly a performance that was much-needed.

On Monday, the Penguins made their way to Philadelphia and took care of business against the Flyers with a dominant 5-1 win. The Penguins largely outplayed the Flyers and were bailed out on a few good looks from the opposition by goaltender Tristan Jarry, who put up another outstanding performance, stopping 28 of 29 shots.

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The Flyers had some chances against in the first period, but Jarry came through. And the Penguins broke through on the scoreboard first when – who else – Sidney Crosby scored his 17th goal of the season at the midway point.

If there was a time in this game where the Penguins played with fire, it was in the early part of the second period. Leading 1-0, Erik Karlsson took a tripping penalty to give the Flyers a power play, and Connor Clifton – back in the lineup for the first time in five games – took an interference penalty 43 seconds later to give Philadelphia the five-on-three for more than a minute.

In the waning seconds of the five-on-three, Tyson Foerster – who was injured shortly after on a shot attempt and did not return – scored to tie the game at 1-1, but before the goal, Kris Letang was called for high-sticking. So the Penguins had to kill off yet another five-on-three right after the goal.

And their penalty kill unit came through. Blake Lizotte, Erik Karlsson, and Parker Wotherspoon were particularly impressive on it, and by limiting the damage on that series of penalties, they were able to seize back the momentum they had prior to the penalties.

November Penguins’ Prospects Update: Forwards

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/november-penguins-prospects-update-forwards" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:November Penguins' Prospects Update: Forwards It's a new season, and Pittsburgh Penguins‘ prospects are off to a pretty good start this season.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “> November Penguins’ Prospects Update: Forwards It’s a new season, and Pittsburgh Penguins‘ prospects are off to a pretty good start this season.

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From there, the Penguins completely took over the game. They got a power play shortly after the expiration of Letang’s penalty, and Crosby came through with his second tally of the game on a beautiful passing play by Erik Karlsson and Bryan Rust, who found Crosby in the slot. Rust added another power play goal – and his third point of the night – near the end of the middle frame on a snipe from the left circle.

And, from there, the Penguins’ pressure never wavered. The Flyers got some chances in the final frame, but their high-danger opportunities were limited by the Penguins’ defense. And, when they did get some decent looks, Jarry was there to stop them.

Tommy Novak added his third goal of the season with a little more than six minutes to go – the Penguins’ third power play goal of the night – and Kevin Hayes took a perfect stretch pass from Parker Wotherspoon on a breakaway, which he was able to capitalize on to score against his former team and send the Penguins home with the 5-1 win.

After one of their worst efforts of the season Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Penguins responded with one of the best of the season Monday.

Here are a few takeaways from this one:

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– It’s beyond incredible how much Crosby absolutely terrorizes the Flyers.

He has more goals (58), assists (78), and points (136) than anyone in NHL history against the Flyers. And you can always tell there’s an extra jump in his step when the Penguins play their cross-state rivals, who he once admitted that he didn’t like.

The crowd continues to boo him relentlessly, and he continues to score relentlessly. If Crosby played every game against the Flyers, he’d already have a few 200-point seasons under his belt. Probably.

– None of them had a point Monday, but the third line of Ben Kindel, Ville Koivunen, and Rutger McGroarty – recalled Monday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) after recording four goals and seven points in five AHL games – was very good in this game.

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They seemed to be generating chances every time they touched the puck. Some rust was evident with McGroarty, as the puck rolled off his stick a few times. But he had some pretty instant chemistry with Kindel, Kindel already had chemistry with Koivunen, and McGroarty and Koivunen developed chemistry last season in WBS that was on display throughout the night.

In particular, I thought Koivunen had a very strong game. He came so, so close to scoring his first NHL goal yet again, and he actually had a wide-open two-on-one opportunity late in the third that he simply fanned on.

Penguins Recall Two Players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Penguins Recall Two Players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled two players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

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If the “kid line” stays intact and plays the way it did Monday, they’re going to be a lot of fun to watch – and they’re going to put up some numbers down the road.

And, don’t worry, the goal will come for Koivunen, too. And given how snakebitten he is right now, it will probably be the flukiest goal in NHL history.

– Jarry is making a very good case right now to get the majority of the Penguins’ starts. Arturs Silovs has struggled in his last two outings, both of which he needed pulled from.

Of course, it’s way too premature to write off Silovs. Prior to these last two games, he was very good for the most part. But Jarry is helping them win hockey games right now, and with a tough stretch ahead against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, the Dallas Stars on Sunday, and the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, he should get the net for most of the games for the time being.

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The Penguins have a lot of goaltending depth, and Jarry knows it. It’s nice to see him separating himself, especially after the season he had last year.

November Penguins’ Prospects Update: Goaltenders

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/november-penguins-prospects-update-goaltenders" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:November Penguins' Prospects Update: Goaltenders It's a new season, and Pittsburgh Penguins‘ prospects are off to a pretty good start this season.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “> November Penguins’ Prospects Update: Goaltenders It’s a new season, and Pittsburgh Penguins‘ prospects are off to a pretty good start this season.

– Wotherspoon and Karlsson were phenomenal in this game. And, although their assists were gorgeous in this one, I’m speaking more so on the defensive side of things.

Wotherspoon continues to be a steadying presence on the blue line, and his net-front defense was particularly good Monday. He uses his stick well, and he’s not afraid to engage physically, either. He plays such a simple defensive game, and he has been a revelation on that first pairing.

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And speaking of simplicity… what a difference a season and a new coaching staff have made for Karlsson. He’s legitimately playing defense this season, and a large part of that has been about him simplifying as well. I think Wotherspoon has rubbed off on him a bit in that sense, but I also think he’s also just playing within a system that makes a whole lot more sense for him.

He’s also been stellar on the penalty kill, which was something almost foreign to him prior to this season. He joked with TSN Saturday that it took 17 years for a coach to figure out that he could kill penalties.

Well, Karlsson is killing penalties. And he’s doing a heck of a job with it alongside his defense partner. The two of them have been outstanding for most of this season.

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Penguins’ Top Prospect Tied For First In NCAA In Points After Another Stellar Game Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Will Horcoff had another outstanding weekend for Michigan.

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– Hayes and Novak have been markedly better in this last handful of games. And, yes, the Penguins are definitely missing Rickard Rakell and Justin Brazeau.

But they’re both doing fine as placeholders and complementary pieces until those guys get back.

I think the Penguins having an effective third line really makes a difference for the rest of the lineup because there is not as much raw pressure on those guys to perform. Neither of them are trying do too much, and they are benefitting from the Penguins being able to roll four lines.

I think they’ll be fine enough to keep in those roles until Rakell and Brazeau return. Then, the lineup can go from there.

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– There was a funny little moment post-whistle when Trevor Zegras confronted Penguins’ physical defensive defenseman Connor Clifton and tried to fake him out a few times.

The veteran in Clifton didn’t budge. It was cringey yet very funny to watch.

Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

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VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks†game got a lot better Thursday, but their record got a little worse.

With their season already precarious and the need for points increasingly desperate, no one was taking victory laps because the Canucks played one of their best games this National Hockey League season, outplaying the powerful Dallas Stars through two periods but still losing 4-2 after a pair of late goals from the visitors.

With their speed, forecheck, defensive zone and connectedness profoundly better than in Vancouverâ€s just-completed three-game Eastern trip against Stanley Cup contenders, when the Canucks were outshot 109-50, the team deserved better against the Stars.

But the Canucks probably deserved worse than the three out of six points they harvested against Carolina, Tampa and Florida. So thatâ€s hockey.

Goalie Kevin Lankinen stole them a couple of points on the road, and on Thursday at home, he was outplayed by Dallasâ€s Jake Oettinger. And that, too, is hockey.

Overall, there was little “wrong†with how the Canucks played, although theyâ€ll regret for a while their failure to capitalize on an 80-second five-on-three power play in the middle period when Vancouver was pressing to break a 2-2 tie.

But if the Canucks had managed a few more of these games, despite their rampant injuries, in the seasonâ€s opening-quarter, getting nothing out of Thursdayâ€s superior effort wouldnâ€t have hurt so much.

As it stands, the Canucks are 9-11-2, two games under .500 for the first time this season, and have just one win from their last six home games (1-4-1) and three wins in 10 games at Rogers Arena this season.

“I thought we deserved a better fate tonight,†defenceman Tyler Myers said after one of his best games in a while. “Guys were pushing hard. I thought we generated (chances). I thought we were playing fast and our gaps were better because of that. So we just have to stick to it, come out next game with the same mindset and keep pushing forward. A lot of good to take away from it, and that’s what we have to focus on. It just never feels good to lose.â€

Especially for the handful of forwards — Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk — who had outstanding opportunities to push the Canucks ahead after the teams came out of the first period tied 2-2.

“It’s a game that we could have won,†DeBrusk said. “We put ourselves in a good spot. We played the right way. But for me, personally, I probably won’t be thinking about that. Iâ€ll be thinking more about the result because it’s getting desperate.â€

The Canucks played one of their best periods at home this season in the middle frame, but couldnâ€t manufacture a go-ahead goal, even during the two-player advantage that began at 4:50.

DeBrusk couldnâ€t get enough lumber to propel Boeserâ€s goalmouth pass under Oettinger, and on another sequence, Boeser zipped a wild pass across the slot when it looked like Petterssonâ€s diagonal feed had left him with a semi-open net.

After the power play, Boeser was robbed by Oettinger on a crease-side pass from Garland, who also nicked the goalie with a shot that dinged the bar on an open look from left wing.

“Puck was on my stick; Iâ€ve got to be better there,†DeBrusk lamented of his power-play miss. “We’re striving to finish these games now, but we had a five-on-three… weâ€ve got to have a killer instinct. And I was a huge reason. I had three back-door (chances) I could have had. Give the other goalie credit, obviously, but Iâ€ve got to bury those and itâ€s a different game.

“Obviously, a lot of positives. But that’s what happens when you keep a good team lingering around. They’ll make you pay.â€

Canuck captain Quinn Hughes†tough pass and defenceman Tom Willanderâ€s poor read opened enough ice for Stars†checker Colin Blackwell to zoom in on Lankinen on a breakaway and rocket a shot into the top corner for the lead at 10:47 of the third period.

“I haven’t really watched it back,†Willander, who has rarely put himself in bad spots as a rookie, said when asked about the breakaway. “I saw our forward getting a zone entry, so I was just trying to follow up the play, but then I got stuck on that side.â€

Stars superstar Mikko Rantanen, who wielded his stick for more violent purposes a couple of times earlier in the game, brilliantly spun away from Boeser on a one-on-one and buried a backhand under the bar to make it 4-2 and clinch the points with 1:31 remaining.

The Canucks countered first-period goals by Mavrik Bourque and Jason Robertson with goals by Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson.

“I didn’t have an issue with our third period today,†Canucks coach Adam Foote said. “We had a mistake. A pass got away from one of our D-man (Willander) and we have to get it deep there. And then we all went on a pinch, and then we didn’t play a two-on-one. I mean, it happens. You give a breakaway to a guy from just a mistake, that doesnâ€t mean we had a bad third period. I liked our game entirely. I didnâ€t like that play, but it happened.

“It’s about consistency. We bring that game more times than not, weâ€re going to have good results.â€

Two games under .500 and four points out of a playoff spot, the Canucks play the Calgary Flames on Sunday before embarking on another difficult four-game trip.

ICE CHIPS– With Garland returning to the lineup after missing one game, winger Lukas Reichel, who has zero shots the last six games and one assist in 13 since his trade from the Chicago Blackhawks, was healthy-scratched by Foote. . . Centre Teddy Blueger, out since Oct. 19 with a lower-body injury, skated with teammates Thursday morning in a non-contact jersey.

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Despite a strong effort, the Vancouver Canucks fell 4-2 to the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson found the back of the net while Kevin Lankinen stopped 20 of the 24 shots. With the loss, Vancouver drops to 9-11-2 on the season and 3-6-1 at home.

Thursday night’s loss was arguably one of the Canucks best performances of the year. They outshot the Stars 36-24 while going two for two on the penalty kill. Unfortunately, mistakes cost Vancouver as bad pinches and missed assignments led to four Dallas goals.

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“We’re competing,” said Head Coach Adam Foote post-game. “I mean, we competed. We didn’t quit. It seems like we’ve been doing that all year. As far as the resiliency, you know,  it’s a game of mistakes, right? Dallas had a couple as well, and it’s going to happen. We were right there tonight. It was a good game.”

One player who had a strong night for the Canucks was Pettersson, who extended his point streak to five games. On top of his goal, Pettersson was tied for the team lead with six shots while winning 16 of his 21 faceoffs. Post-game, Pettersson was frustrated by the result despite the team’s strong effort.

“Not good enough if we lost,” said Pettersson. Definitely, it’s a good team over there. Definitely did enough to win. Yeah, wasn’t enough today.”

As for a storyline from this game, that would be the power play. While Vancouver did score with the man advantage, they went one for five and could not capitalize on a five-on-three man advantage. Post-game, Pettersson was asked about the five-on-three and said, “We had a minute-twenty. Have to get a goal there. Games like this, tight and special teams can win us the game. I know we got one on the power play, but when we get a long five-on-three, we need to get a goal.”

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The frustrating part of this game was the Canucks inability to get a goal during the second period. While Vancouver was the better team for most of the night, they dominated the second period, outshooting the Stars 15-6. In the end, luck was not on their side as Jake Oettinger was able to shut the door for the final 40 minutes.

After a game like the one on Thursday, the question moving forward is, can the Canucks replicate this performance? Yes, they made some costly mistakes, but overall, Vancouver played a strong game that should have resulted in a win. Unfortunately, games like this happen, as the Canucks leave Thursday night without collecting a crucial two points in the standings.

Nov 20, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser (6) watches as Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger (29) makes a save on forward Jake DeBrusk (74) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Stats and Facts:

– Elias Pettersson scores his 200th goal with the Canucks (regular season + playoffs)

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– Jake DeBrusk extends his point streak to three games

– Linus Karlsson scores his second goal in the last three games

– Vancouver records over 35 shots for the third time this season

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

00:55- DAL: Mavrik Bourque (3) from Justin Hryckowian
3:06- VAN: Linus Karlsson (3)
7:44- DAL: Jason Robertson (12)
14:25- VAN: Elias Pettersson (7) from Jake DeBrusk and Kiefer Sherwood

2nd Period:

No Scoring

3rd Period:

10:47- DAL: Colin Blackwell (2) Radek Faksa from Oskar Bäck
18:29- DAL: Mikko Rantanen (10) from Jamie Benn

Up Next:

The Canucks will get a few days off before finishing up their two-game homestand against the Calgary Flames. These two teams met earlier this season, with Vancouver picking up a 5-1 home win. Game time on Sunday is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT.

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Maven recently discussed the reason why WWE released him back in 2005. Speaking on the Mic Check with Mr Anderson podcast, the former WWE Tough Enough winner revealed that his firing was a result of his own lack of effort. He admitted that while he performed his scheduled matches, he did not put in any extra work to improve his craft.

Maven detailed how former WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Relations, John Laurinaitis, had asked him to get more reps in the ring, but Maven did not follow through. This ultimately led to his firing. When host Ken Anderson asked what the call was like, Maven explained the conversation.

“The firing call? Yeah. [He mimics John] ‘Maven, weâ€re gonna have to let you go.†It took me years to admit this. He wasnâ€t wrong. He was like, ‘For a year, maybe for years, we told you to get your ass to the ring and get better.†I just never did.â€

Maven continued, taking full responsibility for the decision and attributing his mindset to his youth at the time. He noted that he enjoyed the benefits of being a wrestler more than the work of wrestling itself. “I attribute it to being young, and, at the time, I liked the life and what wrestling gave me more than what I could give wrestling, and if I could go back and redo things, I would try to give wrestling more if that makes sense.â€

Anderson asked what management wanted him to do. Maven replied, “Work with Fit, work with Dean, work with these legends before the show. … Yeah, just get better. I would go down and I would talk over my six-minute match with Stevie Richards or Chavo on, and then punch the clock and then go get a workout in or something.â€

To further illustrate his point, Maven used an analogy comparing his job in WWE to working at a coffee shop, explaining he was only doing the bare minimum required of him. “Iâ€m only showing up to make the coffee. Iâ€m not taking the garbage out. Iâ€m not stocking the shelves. Iâ€m not making calls to distributors.â€

Maven then admitted that if he were in management’s position, he would have made the same decision: “even he wouldâ€ve fired himself.”

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