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  Dave McMenaminOct 19, 2025, 07:26 PM ET

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  • Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
  • Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jaxson Hayes enjoys playing with Luka Doncic so much on the Los Angeles Lakers that the 7-footer is trying to spend his summers playing for the Slovenian national team with Doncic, too.

Hayes said Sunday that his and Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, broached the idea with Hayes about playing for Slovenia even before Doncic was traded to Los Angeles last winter.

The 25-year-old center, who was born in Norman, Oklahoma, said the Slovenian national team allows one naturalized citizen on its roster for international competitions, and Hayes is pursuing a Slovenian passport to occupy that spot.

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Part of Hayes’ motivation was fueled by USA Basketball’s selection process for its men’s national team.

“USA doesn’t do open tryouts,” Hayes said. “And I feel like there are guys they invite to the USA [training camp] that shouldn’t be there. So, I wanted to just play on that stage … I’m going to do whatever it takes to play on that stage.”

Duffy also represented Anthony Randolph, a German-born American player, who became a naturalized citizen and helped Slovenia win gold in the 2017 EuroBasket tournament. Duffy also represented Steve Nash and is a big believer in how Nash’s Canada Basketball experience helped him become a two-time MVP in the NBA.

Doncic led Slovenia to the quarterfinals of the 2025 EuroBasket this summer and averaged 34.7 points per game — the most by a player in a single EuroBasket since Nikos Galis averaged 35.6 points for Greece in 1989.

That Slovenian team had planned to have another American-born center, Josh Nebo, on its roster, but the 6-9, 245-pound big man, who played his college ball for Saint Francis and Texas A&M, bowed out because of an injury.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said he supports Hayes’ interest in the Slovenian team.

Part of Jaxson Hayes†motivation for wanting to play with Lakers teammate Luka Doncic on the Slovenian national team is the USA Basketball selection process and its lack of open tryouts. “I’m going do whatever it takes to play on that stage,†said Hayes. Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

“I looked at my USA Basketball experiences and I had a bunch of them … they were all invaluable to me because you’re learning around great players,” Redick said. “And then, you’re also learning a different way to play, in some ways. The international game is very different. And I think for him, if it ends up happening, getting that connection and chemistry with Luka would be awesome.”

The next major event Slovenia is hoping to participate in is the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Doha, Qatar. There are six qualifying windows to earn a spot in the event, starting in November, but only two of the windows are outside of the NBA season, making it unlikely that Hayes or Doncic will be significant contributors.

“Obviously, I would love to go represent my own country, but we don’t do open tryouts,” Hayes said. “It is what it is.”

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During the first ODI match between India vs Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Rohit Sharma became the fifth Indian cricketer to play 500 international matches. In this elite group, he joins Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Sachin Tendulkar. In addition, Rohit made his first appearance in ODI cricket since he helped India win the ICC Champions Trophy final in Dubai in March 2025.

Across 499 matches before this game, Rohit scored 19,700 runs at an average of 42.18, with 49 centuries and 108 half-centuries, including a career-best score of 264. In ODIs alone, he has accumulated 11,168 runs in 273 matches at an average of 48.76 and a strike rate of 92.80, with 32 centuries and 58 fifties. Rohit needs just 54 more runs to surpass Sourav Gangulyâ€s 11,221 ODI runs and become Indiaâ€s third-highest run-scorer in the format.

He is also just three centuries away from completing 20,000 international runs and would become the 14th player and only the fourth Indian to reach that milestone. With 49 international centuries so far, Rohit is one century short of his 50th, a feat achieved by only nine cricketers in history, including two Indians, Sachin Tendulkar (100) and Virat Kohli (82).

Sunday spoiled: Rohit Sharma fails on ODI return in Perth

Rohit Sharmaâ€s return to ODI cricket after seven months ended in disappointment as he was dismissed for just eight runs during Indiaâ€s first ODI against Australia at Optus Stadium, Perth, on October 19, 2025. His dismissal, along with Virat Kohliâ€s eight-ball duck, drew strong criticism from Indian fans online.

The much-hyped comeback of the veteran duo turned sour early in the innings. Rohit edged a Josh Hazlewood delivery to the second slip after scoring eight off 14 balls, while Kohli was caught at backward point without scoring. Both players, who retired from Tests and T20Is but aim to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, failed to make an impact in their return to international action. Captain Shubman Gill also managed only 10 off 18 balls, underlining the teamâ€s lack of preparation.

“All the hype goes downâ€: Fans criticize Kohliâ€s early wicket and Rohitâ€s low-score return

Rohit Sharmaâ€s early dismissal received a lot of reactions from fans on social media. Many pointed out the lack of match practice as a major reason behind their struggles, noting that both had been away from international cricket for months. Many expressed anger at the way he got out, while some used humor to comment on the situation.

One fan wrote, “Happy Retirement Rohit Sharma,†while another joked, “Rohit sacrificed his wicket so that fans can watch Virat Kohli. Most selfless cricketer of all time. RO-KO.†Others criticized his technique and performance, saying, “Rohit Sharma looked so ugly in his short innings & got out playing a nothing shot†and “Never seen Rohit Sharma look so uncomfortable playing white ball in recent years. Ended up throwing his wicket, unfortunately.â€

Some fans tried to be more supportive, tweeting, “Rohit 0 saal tak upcoming talent tha. Sabr karo bhai,†highlighting his long career and urging patience. Others sarcastically summed up the teamâ€s struggles: “Rohit on 8, Virat Kohli on 0, and Shubman Gill on 10, go out. What a great comeback and performance from all the players. The Indian cricket team is waving slowly.â€

FAQs

Q. Is Ravindra Jadeja dropped from India’s ODI squad?

A. Yes, Ravindra Jadeja was recently removed from India’s ODI team.

Q. What prevents Jasprit Bumrah from participating in ODI 2025?

A. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODI series against Australia, confirmed by the BCCI.

Q. Who is the current ODI captain of India?

A.India’s current ODI captain is Shubman Gill.

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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The early-season Heisman push for Carson Beck hit a major stumbling block on Friday night when he threw four interceptions in Miami’s 24-21 upset loss to Louisville.

Speaking to reporters after his disaster performance, Beck could only say he “laid an egg” and has to be better to keep the Hurricanes in the playoff mix.

“It’s a good thing we play 12 games and not just one,” Beck said. “That’s the biggest thing we have to realize is there’s more opportunities. We’ve been very successful this season and, shoot, we laid an egg tonight. I have to prepare better, I have to play better, and I’m going to do that, and come back with fire.”

Miami had climbed up to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll this week after starting the season 5-0, including marquee wins over Notre Dame and Florida State. It was the program’s highest ranking since the 2017 team started 10-0.

Beck, who transferred to Miami in January after receiving a reported $4 million NIL deal, looked like a bargain at that price entering Friday. He threw for 1,213 yards, 11 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 73.4 completion percentage in his first five starts.

Friday was the first time in 45 career starts that Beck has ever thrown four interceptions in a game. If there is a reason to be concerned going forward, he has been turnover-prone in recent weeks.

All seven of Beck’s interceptions have come in the last four games (120 total pass attempts). He is just one week removed from going 20-of-27 for 241 yards with four touchdowns and no turnovers against Florida State.

This is part of the Beck experience going back to his time at Georgia. He had 12 interceptions last season, all of them coming in the span of six games from Sept. 28 to Nov. 9.

Louisville entered this game unranked but a solid 4-1 record that included a tight 30-27 loss to a Virginia team currently ranked No. 18. The victory over Miami will almost certainly push the Cardinals into the top 25 when the new poll comes out on Sunday.

The loss dropped Miami to 1-1 in ACC play, but it doesn’t have any remaining games against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 this season. This group is still good enough to win the conference and make the playoff, even if the margin of error went down on Friday night.

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A quick mix of the things we gleaned from the week of hockey, serious and less so, and rolling four lines deep. Only I decide when Iâ€ve thrown enough pitches.

1.ÂIn the nine seasons Mitch Marner was a Toronto Maple Leaf, only two franchises — the two-time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and two-time Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers — threw a more efficient power play over the boards (24.2 per cent).

One personnel change on a five-man unit shouldnâ€t make that much of a difference, right?

And yet the Maple Leafs were just a few seconds — and a fortunate bounce off a well-positioned Matthew Knies — away from going 0-for-10 on the man-advantage to start the post-Marner era.

Toronto and rebuilding Philadelphia are the only NHL teams to have a net power-play percentage of zero, having also surrendered a short-handed goal.

Meaning, thus far, their man-advantage has not provided any advantage at all.

How can that be when PP1 features a one-time 69-goal scorer, a one-time 47-goal scorer, a one-time 45-goal scorer, a one-time 29-goal scorer and a one-time 20-goal defenceman?

“Tough to get in a rhythm right now,†Auston Matthews conceded Thursday. “I donâ€t think weâ€re doing enough 5-on-5 to give ourselves more power-play opportunities. The more opportunities you get, the more rhythm you get. So, I think thatâ€s on us to kind of break out of that rut.â€

The Leafs ranked 20th in power-play opportunities in 2024-25 (2.6 per game) and are only drawing two per game this season.

There is a correlation here to how little offensive zone time and cycle chances they are generating. Far too seldom do the Leafs hang onto the puck and drive to the inside.

So, the PP needs more reps to get in a groove. Fair.

But it may also require a refresh of personnel soon.

That Knies goal was assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who currently quarterbacks the second unit but has plenty of experience up top and makes decisions quickly. Could he sub in for Morgan Rielly if the struggles linger? Will that be enough?

Further, Torontoâ€s No. 1 power-play lacks a creative, decisive passer. Its best facilitators, Max Domi and Matias Maccelli, share ice on PP2.

So long have the big guns on PP1 played together that one might simply assume theyâ€ll figure it out sooner or later. Small sample size and all that.

But maybe the power play needs a shock to the system, not unlike it received last winter when a five-forward look gave it life. A passer to tee up Matthews or Nylander.

The Maple Leafs arenâ€t exactly overwhelming their opponents at 5-on-5 (48.7 per cent expected goals).

They need their power-play — one of their most trusted regular-season weapons — to become a serious threat.

2.ÂGM Bill Guerin and head coach Mike Sullivan invested a whack of time during the 4 Nations Face-Off into developing a process for building the U.S. Olympic squad. All the same principals — coaches and management — are in place, and they did most of the roster and strategy legwork over the summer.

“Because itâ€s hard once the season starts. All of us have an obligation to our respective NHL teams, and thatâ€s where our focus and our attention needs to be,†says Sullivan, who took a new job as Rangers coach. “And quite honestly, thatâ€s where it is right now for all of us. But we put a lot of work into the process leading up to it that I think helps us.â€

Guerin has stated that the Americans “have to win†gold in Milan, and Sullivan sees that as an indication of how far USA Hockey has come since winning its most recent menâ€s best-on-best, at the 1996 World Cup.

“Our expectation is that weâ€re going to win, and I think thatâ€s all Billyâ€s saying,†Sullivan says. “American hockey is as good as itâ€s ever been, and weâ€re developing players at a decent rate. Just from a sheer numbers standpoint, there were guys left off that (4 Nations) roster that are elite players in their own right. Those are some of the most difficult decisions that our group had to make. And I would anticipate thatâ€s going to be the case again when we go to the Olympics.â€

3.Anthony Stolarz posted the NHLâ€s best save percentage last season (.926) but remains an Olympic longshot.

The Maple Leafs starter wasnâ€t invited to Team USA orientation camp in the off-season, nor engaged in discussions with GM Bill Guerin.

The Americans have yet to name any goaltender to their Milan roster for the Olympics; Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Jeremy Swayman and Joey Daccord entered the season as the top four in managementâ€s power rankings.

That doesnâ€t mean a Jersey boy canâ€t dream.

“Youâ€re gonna say yes as soon as you can,†Stolarz tells me.

“Itâ€s one of those things you canâ€t really think about or control. I mean, you look at the goalies in the U.S., and thereâ€s seven or eight guys that can be on that roster. So, just to even be in the breath — in the mention of it — is an honour.

“You know what? If I play well enough to be in the discussion for Team USA, it means that the Leafs are winning a lot of games. So, itâ€s a win-win.â€

4. Double whammy for a pair of Atlantic Division squads counting on a return to the post-season.Â

That Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk and Florida heartbeat Matthew Tkachuk are sidelined for weeks as they rehab from their respective surgeries not only opens the possibility for other Atlantic powers to take advantage, it also means a couple important ingredients for the U.S. Olympic dream may be playing catch-up.

“The silver lining is, you potentially become bulletproof to injuries in the playoffs if you can figure out how to survive this now,†Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters in Detroit.

“Thatâ€s the only thing we get out of this, because weâ€re going to have to scratch and claw to make the playoffs, because the division is that good.â€

5.The projected salary cap for 2027-28 is $113.5 million.

The Montreal Canadiens have prime Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle and now Lane Hutson locked in for a total of $50.075 million that season.

That leaves more than $63 million to build a contender.

6.Not sure any team has needed a Game 4 win as desperately as the Buffalo Sabres, who mercifully gave KeyBank Center a reason to cheer — or, at least, not boo — by stomping the Senators 8-4 Wednesday.

Entering that game, Buffalo had mustered just two goals through three losses, never held a lead, had been jeered off home ice, and watched disgruntled fans go viral with their disgust.

The injury bug has taken a toll, absolutely.

But with “Fire Adams!†razzes at the ready and pending hometown UFA Alex Tuch already smashing pause on contract extension talks, this could be a long winter in Western New York.

“I think I saw the exact same scene in The Mighty Ducks, so I tried to reenact that.†— No. 1 pick MatthewSchaefer on his pile-diving first NHL goal

8.ÂThe Nashville Predators have adopted a new motto: no free offence.

On the heels of a 30th-place finish last season in which the “winners†of 2024â€s free agency gave up a leaky 3.34 goals per night, the Preds (2-1-2) are making a concerted effort to tighten up, and theyâ€ve snatched points in four of their first five.

“Thereâ€s not as many expectations around this group, and theyâ€re embracing it,†said Andrew Brunette, whom many believe entered this season on the hot seat. “Theyâ€ve been bringing it every night.â€

The coach believes the changes in Music City are more mental than personnel-based.

Brunette wonders if the spending splash and preseason hype of 2024 — when Nashville outbid rivals for prized UFAs Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei — had an adverse effect.

The staff and the veteran core needed to decompress and take a hard look internally.

“The expectations were so big around us, starting July 1, we just werenâ€t able to fulfill them,†Brunette said. “We were looking for results and forgot about the process. And this year, weâ€re trying to reverse that. Worry about the process first, and results will follow. No expectations on our group.â€

Brunette explains that through “constant communication through the summer,†the staff and the skaters deepened their relationship via an exchange of opinions on how to get the team back to respectability in a tough division.

Why not pick the brains of Cup-winning captains like Stamkos and Ryan Oâ€Reilly?

“We were able to build a plan everybody believed in, where it was both of our ideas. And weâ€re trying to implement it. Itâ€s gonna be hard. We know that coming in, it’s not easy. But weâ€re going to try to get better every day.â€

9.Yes, the New York Rangers began their centennial celebrations by not scoring a single goal at Madison Square Garden through three games.

Yes, they mercifully ended their goal drought at 170:39 Thursday night in Toronto and still lost.

But weâ€re betting on a turnaround.

The Blueshirts have elite goaltending and look tighter defensively under Sullivan, allowing a league-best 1.5 goals per game. (They ranked 19th in that department last season, allowing 3.11.) They also have a stingy penalty kill (91.7 per cent).

The addition of Vladislav Gavrikov is huge. Just ask the L.A. Kings; the second-best defensive team in 2024-25 now ranks 27th.

The Rangers are incredibly snakebitten offensively, converting at a league-worst shooting percentage of six.

Artemi Panarinâ€s contract campaign through six games: zero goals, two assists, minus-3. Yikes.

A swing in puck luck, surely, is around the corner — and it should start from positive habits on the back end.

“I see more aggressive defending out of the offensive zone with them. Their D are tight. Theyâ€re bearing down on ya; theyâ€re reloading hard. Like, itâ€s a faster game. I believe Sully, his D zone is a lot like ours,†says Leafs coach Craig Berube. “Theyâ€re gonna take care of the middle of the ice and box people out in their own zone.â€

Sullivan isnâ€t sweating the sluggish offence. Heâ€s celebrating the instant buy-in to play smart without the puck.

“Weâ€re limiting the quality looks and the quantity of looks throughout the course of the games. We’re getting better with every game that we play. And the last couple of games we played some pretty good teams (Washington, Edmonton, Toronto) that have people that are as good as it gets, as far as generating offence,†Sullivan says.

“Itâ€s a credit to the players and their commitment to embrace the message. And I donâ€t think itâ€s been at the expense of generating offensive opportunity. The puck hasn’t gone in the net for us, but I believe that if we continue to play the game that weâ€ve put on the ice over the last couple of games, the pucks will go in.â€

10.In selecting J.T. Miller as his first captain in New York, Sullivan recalled the forwardâ€s ability to drag his Team USA teammates into the fight during Februaryâ€s best-on-best.

“Well, it certainly gave me a better opportunity to get to know him as a person and get a better understanding of what makes him tick,†Sullivan says.

“The one thing that jumped out at me with respect to J.T. at the 4 Nations is, he is a fierce, fierce competitor, and he has an incredible appetite to win, and heâ€s willing to do what it takes to win. And for me, those are great attributes to have if you’re a captain of an NHL hockey team.â€

11. Leafs rookie Easton Cowan is getting a taste of the good life — literally.

“The dinner is very good food, nice hotels, so just being grateful for each and every day,†says Cowan, who was raised on a farm in Mount Brydges, Ont., of Week 1 in the show. “Itâ€s called the Never Hungry League for a reason.

“Iâ€ve been eating a lot, lots of good food.â€

Including tuna tartare, a delicacy not widely available in Western Ontario hamlets.

“Not a big fish guy,†Cowan grins. “It was OK, but I donâ€t think Iâ€ll go back to it.â€

It reminds the undrafted Chris Tanev of how heâ€d never tried sushi until he began playing for the Canucks.

“Going to a nice steakhouse, never really went to those growing up as a kid,†Tanev adds. “You sort of get thrown into a whole different life.â€

Raw fish wasnâ€t the only eye-opening experience for Cowan at one of these upscale Leafs dinners.

“I was sitting with the younger guys on the team, and the waiter came over and handed me a bill,†Cowan says. “I thought I was gonna have to pay for it, but it was just Domes [Max Domi] and Auston playing a prank on me.â€

The 20-year-old got “pretty nervous,†seeing as how heâ€s beginning his entry-level contract and the total due was large enough that heâ€d rather not say.

“But Kniesy (Matthew Knies) helped me out, looked at the bill, and made sure it was fake. So, yeah, definitely nervous for sure,†says Cowan, starting to become one of the boys.

“Little jokes like that are funny and go a long way. Itâ€s just cool. They can joke around, and you gotta be able to take it.â€

12.When life gets you down, when you feel dragged into a scrum you never asked for, be like Frank Nazar.

Get up, dust yourself off, and celebrate anyway…

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Cummins was ruled out of Australia’s limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress in his back.

He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.

He said he would be “aggressive” and “take risks” in his recovery in order to play in the Ashes.

Bailey said he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but that it was “getting tight” for him to be fit for the first Test.

Should Cummins not be fit in time for the opener in Perth, former captain Steve Smith will skipper the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out of Australia’s squad for their one-day international series against India as a precaution because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a “minor” injury and said Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be “in a good place to be ready to bowl”.

“We put so much time and energy into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder,” Bailey said.

“He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively.”

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Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is open to playing into his 40s.

“All I’ll say is that I just want the option and if I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play,” Curry told Mark Medina of EssentiallySports. “I don’t know if it’ll make sense or if I would want to, whatever the case is. But if I can make the decision and the decision is not made for me, that’s a big, big point.”

The 11-time All-Star and four-time champion will be turning 38 years old during the 2025-26 season.

He’ll be 40 years old in the middle of Golden State’s 2027-28 campaign, although he’s only signed through the 2026-27 season after agreeing to a one-year extension worth $62.6 million with the team in Aug. 2024.

Curry, who has spent his entire 16-year career on the Warriors, has repeatedly expressed his desire to finish his NBA journey as a member of the organization.

He hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down recently, as his legendary shooting prowess has allowed him to remain one of the league’s top point guards throughout the back half of his career.

Curry is coming off a 2024-25 season in which he averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game on 44.8/39.7/93.3 shooting splits while helping the Warriors finish with a 50-32 record.

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After two straight games chasing their opponents, trying and failing to mount comebacks, what the Vancouver Canucks desperately needed in their fourth game of 82 was a swing in momentum — a lucky bounce, a strong shift, anything that could inject and sustain life into this lineup.

On Thursday night against the Dallas Stars, however, it seemed to be getting late early.

An unfortunate own-goal tip from Elias Pettersson got the Stars on the board, a Mikko Rantanen power-play snipe doubled their lead and it looked like the Canucks were headed towards another too-little-too-late effort after barely surviving the first period.

Then, the momentum swing came, and it came in the form of a penalty kill.

The Canucks just had their best scoring chance after being thoroughly hemmed in their own zone when Conor Garland took a slashing penalty against Sam Steel in the early minutes of the middle frame. It could have been a nail in the coffin for Vancouver, could have made the hill to climb that much steeper. Instead, the penalty killers dug in and prevented the Stars from producing any dangerous chances.

Suddenly, it was an entirely different game.

Evander Kane sprung Filip Chytil just after Garland’s penalty came to an end, who tucked one in blocker-side on former Canuck goalie Casey DeSmith for his third of the season. Then, Brock Boeser tipped home a Quinn Hughes shot on the power play for his third marker this year just over two minutes later, followed quickly by Max Sasson’s first in his season debut. In the span of 3:26, the Canucks turned a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 lead — a lead they would not surrender en route to a gusty 5-3 win.

“The guys stuck with it. The start of the game didn’t go how we wanted,” Adam Foote told reporters in Dallas after the game. “But I give the guys a lot of credit. They hung in there at intermission and stayed with their game.”

In a market so accustomed to gloom, doom and endless disappointment, it’s easy to catastrophize after two straight losses. But it’s only Game 4, and this win returned the team to .500. More importantly, the Canucks put together their most dominant period of the season in the second and held strong in the final frame in the face of pressure, and a goal, from the Stars.

“We just fought our way back,” said Conor Garland, who scored the game-winner to close out the dominant second period. “That Sasson line kind of carried the pace for us, let us get our legs under us, and we had a really good game. Really good finish to it as well.”

That this performance came against a Western Conference juggernaut like the Stars should do loads to boost the Canucks’ confidence as they continue along their five-game road trip, with upcoming stops in Chicago, Washington, Pittsburgh and Nashville.

Is this the type of performance we should expect from the Canucks going forward? We’ll find out on Friday night, when they take on the Blackhawks.

“We’re 2-2 now,” said Garland. “We had no panic. It’s early. We’re trying to find our game. A lot of young guys in the lineup just getting used to the league. To hang in there tonight against one of the best teams in the Western Conference was a good statement by us.”

It took four games, but the Canucks power play finally got on the board.

The Canucks have suffered from a lack of production from their top players, and the same can be said about their power play, which went 0-for-7 prior to Thursday night.

While going 2-for-3 on the man-advantage against the Stars won’t magically fix the power-play woes, which date back to the latter half of last season, it’s encouraging to see them finally find success and string together high-danger chances on each chance.

“I thought they were moving the puck pretty good tonight,” Foote said.

The Canucks scored on their first opportunity, with Boeser, Hughes and Elias Pettersson combining to finally score for the snake-bitten unit.

They were stymied on their second chance, but looked dangerous throughout, forcing DeSmith to stay on his toes and make some tough saves, and on their third try, with the Stars’ goalie pulled to pull to five-on-five, Hughes sent one into the empty net for his first of the year.

The power play still sits at a dismal 20 per cent, but for the first time this season, there is a glimmer of hope that they can find this success consistently.

With just one assist through three games — albeit a record-breaking assist — the Canucks captain was off to an uncharacteristically slow start to the season.

Of course, ‘slow’ for the 2024 Norris Trophy winner is a relative term, and he still led the team in ice time prior to Thursday, smooth skating even if the points weren’t coming with it — very much the case for the entire top-end of the lineup.

Nobody who watches Hughes play regularly thought this mini-slump would at all extend to the point of concern, but it was still a relief to see the defenceman impact the scorecard in the way we’ve grown accustomed.

Hughes finished the night with a goal and an assist, bringing his point total up to three in four games this year, while launching a team-high four shots in over 25 minutes on ice.

If there were any questions surrounding Thatcher Demko’s ability to man the crease after an injury-plagued 2024-25, he has very quickly provided answers.

The 29-year-old has far and away been the Canucks’ MVP through his three games played this season, looking much like the Vezina Trophy runner-up of two years ago, and on Thursday night, he provided yet another first-star performance.

His .903 save percentage is a little misleading, as he kept the Canucks competitive even as the Stars were throwing everything at him. He had to be sharp early, too, with Dallas outshooting his squad 8-1 before the halfway point of the first period, including a Grade-A chance from Adam Erne less than three minutes into the game.

“I think he’s the best in the world. So big, so mobile, tracks every puck,” Garland said of his goaltender. “We feel very confident any time he’s in the net and we’re fortunate to have (Lankinen) tomorrow night, so we feel great about our goalies.”

“He’s unbelievable,” Sasson added. “The saves he makes just look… They’re really hard saves, and he makes them look routine. It’s just a testament to his professionalism.”

In his past two games combined, against the Stars and the Oilers on Sunday, he’s been tested 67 times and made 62 saves.

It’s early, but Demko is already in mid-season form.

Compliments to the Calder Cup line

Foote, on the Arshdeep Bains-Sasson-Linus Karlsson line: “I thought they had some jump. You saw it in pre-season and then you saw it tonight. That speed on the goal —(Sasson) almost had another chance — with that speed, defencemen will back off when he’s out there. He spread the D out, they weren’t playing up when that line was out there. They had to be cautious of that speed.”

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TORONTO — On another night that saw the Toronto Maple Leafs play with fire, another night that saw them cough up pucks with the vultures hovering, wire off-target passes at out-of-position teammates, and take up residence in their own zone while their opponents lobbed chance after chance at their netminder, this tumultuous blue-and-white roller-coaster squad once again managed to avoid getting burned.

Five games into the 2025-26 campaign, the juryâ€s still out on what exactly Brad Treliving and Co. have in this group. Itâ€s still early — thereâ€s still rust to shake off and new names to work into the mix. But through five games, the Maple Leafs have shown little in the way of inspired hockey, and even less in terms of the type of elite play required to take down any of the leagueâ€s best.

Thursday night, under the Scotiabank Arena lights, they waded through another night in the sludge, a messy affair against the New York Rangers chock full of lacklustre sequences in every corner of the rink. And once again, the lack of a top-tier opponent across the sheet meant they could pull out a late moment of quality and steal another win.

“You know, the first period had four penalties, so that sums up that period for me,†head coach Craig Berube said after the final buzzer sounded on an eventual 2-1 overtime win. “In the second period, I thought we got caught extending our shifts — they transitioned from defence to offence quickly and caught us with some odd-man rushes. Third period, they had the momentum.

“We grinded it out, though. … Weâ€ve got to be better than that, but it was a win.â€

Among the growing list of issues to sort out as the season wears on is the make-up of the Maple Leafs†struggling top line. Much was made coming into the campaign of the situation regarding Torontoâ€s top trio. With longtime top-six stalwart Mitch Marner leaving town, and captain Auston Matthews hunting for a bounceback campaign following an injury-plagued 2024-25, all eyes were on the name that would be pencilled in beside Nos. 34 and 23.

After a brief dose of Matias Maccelli up there, young Easton Cowan has gotten the call of late, with mixed results. Thursday night wound up more valley than peak, the 20-year-old finishing with a team-high five giveaways, and seeing only a couple shifts of action in the third period as Berube sent out Max Domi, Bobby McMann, and William Nylander in his place for stretches.

After the dust settled on the night, Berube chalked up Cowanâ€s limited third-period minutes to the flow of the tilt, rather than the young wingerâ€s own performance.

“The game in general, I think, more than anything,†Berube said of what forced No. 53 to the bench. “I thought our team maybe lacked a little energy tonight, so I was just trying to find some lines and some energy together, thatâ€s all.â€

Thereâ€s no doubt work still needs to be done in terms of ironing out the forward corps†wrinkles and finding some genuine chemistry with the new recruits. While the depth trio of Calle Jarnkrok, Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua came up with some good sequences; the trio of Domi, McMann and Nick Robertson had moments; and the second line of Nylander, Maccelli, and John Tavares seems reliable enough, thereâ€s still a sense that the group overall isnâ€t clicking. And that the most important question mark heading into the season — who lines up in No. 16â€s former spot — remains unanswered.

Still, even with the clubâ€s offence looking disjointed, the Maple Leafs find themselves heading towards a Saturday-night return to the ice with another win in the bag, largely because the clubâ€s leaders managed to pull out key moments when they were needed most.

It started in the first, when the Maple Leafs found a power-play marker amid a largely ugly opening frame, Nylander firing a puck on net and watching it bounce in off Knies.

“Weâ€ve worked on that play — just hang on the back post, make myself big, and hope that it bounces in,†Knies said of the goal. “Fortunately, it did.â€

It continued in the second, when a strong defensive play from Knies at the netfront preserved Torontoâ€s one-goal lead, the young winger using his size to hold off the hungry Rangers scorers after an initial Anthony Stolarz save spurred some chaos in the crease.

“You just want to stay close to Stolie, obviously make his life a little bit easier,†said Knies. “I think we did a good job of that in parts of the first and parts of the third, but in the second, we did hang him out to dry a little bit.â€

While the top line might be struggling to find its groove offensively without its former Selke-nominated leader, Matthews has seen improvement from young Knies on the defensive side of the game.

“I think heâ€s taken steps in that regard,†the captain said from the locker room late Thursday. “You know, heâ€s a big body, uses his size and his reach very well, and heâ€s smart. So, the more experience heâ€s had, and the situations heâ€s put in â€” end of the game, up a goal, down a goal, PK — you just kind of get a feel for how to use yourself in those situations. And heâ€s done a really good job improving in all those areas.â€

It was what transpired in the final seconds of Thursdayâ€s wobbly win that should give the blue-and-white faithful some reason to hope, though. The fact that even on a night like this, when it all couldâ€ve gone wrong for the home side — when it perhaps should’ve — the clubâ€s best came up with a moment of brilliance to put two points on the board.

Morgan Rielly kicked off the game-winning overtime play, stuffing an attempted Rangers†chance in Torontoâ€s zone before sending Matthews in on a 2-on-1 with Nylander. The snipers took care of the rest, Matthews dishing to Nylander, Nylander returning the favour, and No. 34 burying the game-ender.

If there was a time to come up with the one promising offensive sequence of the night, that was a good spot for it.

“Just had some time and space,†Matthews said of the goal. “Weâ€ve seen it a lot of times before, just playing a little give-and-go — obviously, heâ€s a great passer, and he put it right on my tape. It was a really nice play, and Mo made a great play in our zone there to break out that play and get us on that 2-on-1.â€

“Heâ€s an integral part of our team,†Stolarz said of No. 88. “You see him getting those big minutes there in the last two minutes — heâ€s someone thatâ€s grown into that role, and someone that weâ€re going to need as the year progresses to continue to battle, continue to work. You see him go for the change, and then his hockey instincts take over, he back-checks, Mo makes a nice pass to him, he comes down and feeds someone for the tap-in.

“The way heâ€s able to move up and down the ice, play defence, play offence, I think thatâ€s going to be huge for us.â€

Win aside, thereâ€s little outside of that final play that the Maple Leafs can look back on positively from this one. The list of issues to be sorted isnâ€t short, and thereâ€s little doubt a better club wouldâ€ve outlasted these Maple Leafs. But if youâ€re going to put up performances like this one while youâ€re fighting to find your game, youâ€d rather finish it with a W.

“I think we were kind of over-skating a little bit,†Knies said of the night. “I think they did a great job, honestly, hemming us in a little bit and controlling the momentum in parts of the game.

“But a winâ€s a win. And we found a way to get a victory here. Thatâ€s all that matters.â€

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Oct 16, 2025, 12:42 PM ET

Novak Djokovic says he has been inspired by LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Tom Brady as he targets continuing his professional career into his 40s.

“Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I really want to see how far I can go,” Djokovic said Thursday at the Joy Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of appearing at the Six Kings Slam. “If you see across all the global sports, LeBron James, he is still going strong, he is 40. Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady played until he was 40-something years old. It is unbelievable.

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“They are inspiring me as well, so I want to keep going, that is one of the motivations I have.”

The 38-year-old Djokovic has gone two years without winning a Grand Slam title, having been overtaken by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but says he is not yet thinking about hanging up his racket as he tries to win a 25th major to break the record for most Slam singles titles by a man or woman.

Djokovic’s comments Thursday had a different tone from what he said after being eliminated from Grand Slams this year. After losing to Sinner in the French Open semifinals, he hinted it could have been “the last match I ever played” at Roland Garros. Following a straight-sets loss to Alcaraz in the US Open semifinals, Djokovic lamented that he may not be able to beat Alcaraz and Sinner in the best-of-five-sets format of majors.

But he also had said he planned to play all four Grand Slams in 2026, and playing past 40 would extend his career at least into 2027.

Brady played quarterback in the NFL until he was 45, while James and Ronaldo are both 40 as they continue to play.

Djokovic, who co-founded the Professional Tennis Players Association in 2020, is also hoping to use his influence to improve the sport.

Leading players are pushing the Grand Slams for a greater share of revenue, while the PTPA launched lawsuits against tennis’ governing bodies earlier this year in an effort to force through changes.

“I want to also live to see — live meaning keep on playing professionally — what is coming for our sport, and I am super excited about it,” Djokovic said. “These are things I can’t be openly speaking about at the moment, but in the next couple of years, I feel like tennis is a sport that can be greatly transformed, and I want to be part of that change.”

Information from ESPN’s D’Arcy Maine and PA was used in this report.

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Oct 15, 2025, 12:13 PM ET

ROME — Forget about thin ice. For now, there’s no ice.

With NHL players preparing to return to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade, construction on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the main test event for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a smaller arena and that no new test event has been scheduled.

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The issue raises the prospect that there might not be a game held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the women’s preliminary round competition at the Olympics on Feb. 5 — one day before the opening ceremony.

“It’s going to be very close to the start of the Games, the timeline is very tight, but we knew that,” Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.

The event that was supposed to test the Santagiulia ice was part of the under-20 world championship from Dec. 8-14. That event has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being set up inside a giant convention center on Milan’s outskirts and will host secondary matches during the Olympics.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least a year before hosting medal events. With a large hockey arena, it’s not just about the ice and making sure that the playing surface is ready and safe. It’s also about testing concession stands, bathrooms and everything else inside a new modern arena.

The Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics is experiencing construction delays, according to local organizers. AP Photo/Luca Bruno

The Santagiulia venue, which is being built by a private company, is slated to become Italy’s largest indoor arena. After the Olympics, it’s being eyed as a possible future host of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the men’s gold medal game on Feb. 22 — the closing day of the Games — are going for as much as 1,400 euros (more than $1,600). That’s more than for any other sports event at the Milan-Cortina Games. Only tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies cost more.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was announced in February, with the world’s top hockey league allowing its players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to run from Feb. 11-22. The women’s tournament runs from Feb. 5-19.

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