Bucks Blow Past Warriors; Grizzlies Win 11th Straight

The Milwaukee Bucks reminded the world on Thursday night how they won the NBA Title just one season ago and how they intend on winning it once again this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a triple-double of 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists as the Bucks took care of the Golden State Warriors with ease on their home floor, 118-99, on TNT. The blowout included a 39-point lead by halftime, which was two points shy of their largest halftime lead in franchise history. All of this helped welcome back head coach Mike Budenholzer from a COVID-19 break, as his team never trailed in their 27th win of the season. The Warriors were without Draymond Green due to left calf tightness, which was his second straight game out, but the Bucks were also a a bit shorthanded without Jrue Holiday for a fourth straight game. Although, plenty of other stepped up, including Khris Middleton with 23 points, Bobby Portis at 20, and Grayson Allen with 15 in the rout. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies stayed hot with their 11th straight victory, 116-108, over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Desmond Bane led the way with 21 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. had 20 to help his team pull away in the final minutes of the fourth. Ja Morant totaled 16 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in a complete effort, while John Konchar also stepped up with a double-double of 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. This win helped avenge a 138-95 blowout at the hands of the T'Wolves for the Grizzlies on November 20th, which was their largest losing margin of the season. A lot has changed since then, as the Grizz are now a top three team in the West, and even Anthony Edwards' 30 points was not enough on this night. Other key scores saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander post 33 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 130-109 upset of the shorthanded Brooklyn Nets. Will Barton led the way with 21 points before leaving with a strained neck in the Denver Nuggets' 140-108 trouncing of the Portland Trail Blazers. And the New Orleans Pelicans stayed hot behind Brandon Ingram's 24 points for a 113-89 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Hawks Deal Cam Reddish to Knicks

The Atlanta Hawks have found a new home for Cam Reddish, who basically got phased out of being a prime target for these Hawks, as they dealt him to the New York Knicks in exchange for forward Kevin Knox II and a 2022 first-round draft pick via the Charlotte Hornets. Atlanta also sent Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round pick to New York to complete the deal. The former 10th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has averaged career highs with 11.9 points per game on 40% shooting and 90% at the free throw line. He has also added a 38% clip from three-point range, which is up 12% from last season, and got his first two career 30-point game this year. Despite that, the Hawks have locked in the likes of Trae Young and John Collins with big contracts, making them the center of their future, while Reddish will now have a chance to push the Knicks back to another potential playoff run.

UCLA Falls in OT; Wisconsin Beats OSU For Sixth Straight

The Oregon Ducks got head coach Dana Altman his 700th career win in the best possible way, with a major road upset in conference play Thursday night. Jacob Young posted a career-high 23 points as the Ducks went out west and shocked the third-ranked UCLA Bruins, 84-81, in overtime. The win was the fourth in a row for the road team, who got their 10th win of the season, and then swarmed the court at Pauley Pavilion in a mostly empty arena. Will Richardson added 12 points despite being one of three Ducks in foul trouble, but that did not stop them from handing the Bruins their first conference loss of the season, second defeat overall, and snapping their five-game winning streak. Johnny Juzang scored 23 points with nine rebounds on the night, while the Ducks' Altman reached the 700-win milestone in his 33rd season as a Division I head coach. And the 13th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers stayed hot, getting their sixth straight victory at home with a 78-68 win over the 16th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Brad Davison led the way with 25 points, while Tyler Wahl added 20 points, as Wisconsin moved to 14-2 on the season and 5-1 in Big Ten play. Wahl was just one point shy of his career-high, while Johnny Davis continued to be a nice spark off the bench with 14 points and nine rebounds. The win for the Badgers avenges an 18-point defeat on the road against Ohio State in December, as E.J. Liddell had 18 points and a career-best six assists in  a losing effort. The Badgers got off to a nice 18-7 start in the first half and never trailed, pulling away for good on Davison's three-pointer with 7:32 to play. Other key scores saw the fifth-ranked USC Trojans bounce back from their first loss with an 81-71 win over Oregon State. Jalen Terry's 28 points powered DePaul to a 96-92 upset of the 20th-ranked Seton Hall Pirates. The 19th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders stayed hot after consecutive top-10 wins by taking care of Oklahoma State, 78-57. And Drew Timme's 30 points led the second-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in a 110-84 blowout of BYU.

Texans Fire Head Coach David Culley

The Houston Texans gave head coach David Culley just one season before deciding to pull the plug on him Thursday afternoon, firing him one year after he took the job. The Texans went 4-13 in his lone season with the team, but the front office decided that the long time assistant was not the fit in his first-time coaching gig at the age of 65. Culley was previously the Baltimore Ravens' assistant coach for two seasons, as well as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Overall, he compiled 43 years as an assistant in the NFL and college football, but he led the Texans to the same number of wins as they got last season under interim coach Romeo Crennel, who replaced Bill O'Brien. Of course, the Texans continue to deal with the drama that is quarterback Deshaun Watson, who requested a trade last January, but the 23 lawsuits against him does not make him a favorable option for other teams, making the situation that much more difficult for the Texans.

Kings Skate Past Penguins; Rangers Blank Sharks

The Los Angeles Kings shifted themselves in to third place in the Pacific Division on Thursday night, handling the Pittsburgh Penguins out west, 6-2. The home team used a strong third period, including scoring three goals in a span of 1:23, as they got their third straight victory and now have 19 wins and 43 points on the year. Anze Kopitar scored twice and added an assist, while Dustin Brown got his 700th career point. Jonathan Quick was solid in the net, finishing with 27 saves, while only giving up goals to Kris Letang and Radim Zohorna. Letang's tally extended his point streak to six straight games, but Tristan Jarry allowed six goals on 45 shots, as the Penguins have now dropped two of three games since winning 10 in a row. And the Kings were helped out just about simultaneously, as the New York Rangers went on the road to shut out the San Jose Sharks, 3-0 at the SAP Center. The loss moved the Sharks out of the third place spot in the Pacific, and the Rangers were sparked by Braden Schneider's first career NHL goal in his NHL debut. Ryan Strome got the assist on that big tally in the third period, while Chris Kreider scored twice on Adin Hill to reach 200 career NHL goals, including the first shorthander of his career. Igor Shesterkin returend from a three-game absence due to COVID-19 and had 37 saves in the shutout, as the Rangers moved in to first place in the Metropolitan Division with 52 points and 24 wins, while leading the league with 14 road victories on the season. Other key scores saw the Boston Bruins celebrate Tuukka Rask's return with a 3-2 victory thanks to 25 saves from the veteran and David Pastrnak's hat trick. Steven Stamkos' 18th goal helped the Tampa Bay Lightning double up the Vancouver Canucks, 4-2. The St. Louis Blues were powered by goals from Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, moving one point out of first place in the Central with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. And Jeff Skinner scored twice as the Buffalo Sabres upset the Nashville Predators, 4-1, on the road.

Nets Pound Bulls on The Road; Hornets Snap Long Skid Against Sixers

The Brooklyn Nets gave the basketball world a sign of what they could be with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving on the floor together, making a statement with a 138-112 blowout of the Chicago Bulls. Durant led the way with 27 points, while Harden had 25 points and a season-high 16 assists. The road team used a dominant third quarter to pull away for good, thanks to Durant posting 17 points during those 12 minutes. Irving played in his third game since returning as a part time player, scoring nine points, but he will not be eligible to play in their home game Thursday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Patty Mills chipped in 21 points and shot 6-of-8 from three-point range, helping the Nets avoid a three-game sweep against the Bulls. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets snapped their long losing streak against the Philadelphia 76ers, getting a 109-98 road win in the Wells Fargo Center. The win snaps their 16-game losing streak against the Sixers, which was the longest active streak against one team in the league. Gordon Hayward was red hot on this night, making his first nine shots from the field and finishing with 30 points, He had 20 points in the first half alone, helping the road team hold a 14-point lead by the break, and becoming the fourth Hornets player with a 20-point half since the 1996-1997 season. Terry Rozier added 22 points, while Miles Bridges had 21, all to help them overcome Joel Embiid's fifth straight 31-point effort and snap the Sixers' winning streak at seven consecutive games. Other key scores saw Lamar Stevens post a career-high 23 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers blew out the shorthanded Utah Jazz, 111-91. R.J. Barrett's 32 points helped the New York Knicks snap the Dallas Mavericks' win streak at six straight games with a 108-85 home rout. Tyler Herro's 21 points powered the Miami Heat to a 115-91 blowout of the Atlanta Hawks. And LeBron James' 34 points was not enough as the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Sacramento Kings, 125-116.

Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard to Undergo Surgery

The Portland Trail Blazers' first season with Chauncey Billups as head coach is not going as planned, and Wednesday did not make it any better, as star Damian Lillard confirmed that he will undergo surgery to help his abdominal injury. This procedure will keep him out for another six to eight weeks, but his overall recovery timeline will depend on how his body responds to the surgery. Lillard has not played since December 31st, and his team surely is missing him, sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference, which is still good to get in to the Play-In Tournament. The Blazers are 4-7 without him, and they are already playing without C.J. McCollum due to a collapsed lung. This is an injury for Lillard that he aggravated while playing for Team USA last summer in the Tokyo Olympics, but the six-time All-Star is still averaging 24 points and 7.3 assists over 29 games this season.

Nova Top Xavier in Big East Play; Duke Wins Without Coach K

The 14th-ranked Villanova Wildcats earned a nice Big East victory on Wednesday night, holding off the 17th-ranked Xavier Musketeers, 64-60, on the road. Collin Gillespie had 21 points, while Justin Moore added 16 points to rally off his Big East Player of The Week honors. Moore got hot in the second half, scoring 10 points in the final 20 minutes, and added nine rebounds in the Wildcats fifth straight victory and 12th win of the season. They have now won five of six in conference play, thanks in part to a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds from Eric Dixon. Gillespie stayed hot for the road team as well, coming off a 28-point effort against DePaul last Saturday, and the Wildcats led by as many as 12 points on Wednesday before holding off the home team, who dropped to 12-3 on the year. Meanwhile, the eighth-ranked Duke Blue Devils did not let being without Coach K affect them and they earned a 76-64 road win over Wake Forest. The head coach was not present due to a non-COVID--19 related illness, but Paolo Banchero still took over with 24 points to lead the way. The Blue Devils pulled away heading in to halftime by hitting 13 straight shots, as freshman A.J. Griffin had a breakout game with a season-high 22 points in his first career start. The win bounces the Blue Devils back from a home loss to the Miami Hurricanes this past weekend, as they have now won three of their first four ACC games. Alondes Williams led the Demon Deacons with 25 points, but they made just 2-of-16 shots from three-point range and committed 15 turnovers to open the door that the Blue Devils stormed through. Two other ranked teams got big wins on Wednesday, including Joey Hauser's basket with 0.1 second left lifting the 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 71-69. And Darius Days scored 20 points in the 12th-ranked LSU Tigers' 64-58 win over the Florida Gators.

Marchand's Hat Trick Powers Bruins; Coyotes Upset Maple Leafs

Brad Marchand did big things with a busted nose earlier this week against the Washington Capitals, and he did even bigger things at home Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. The veteran recorded his fifth-career hat trick over two periods, leading the Bruins to a 5-1 home win over the Canadiens. The hat trick included two goals just 15 second apart in the first period by the veteran, leading the Bruins to their third straight win and their sixth victory in the past seven games. Curtis Lazar also scored for the Bruins, while Urho Vaakanainen added his first-career NHL goal in the win. Linus Ullmark was confidence with Tuukka Rask backing him up, making 24 saves, only allowing a goal to Michael Pezzetta. The Bruins can now look forward to Rask's season debut on Thursday night. And the Toronto Maple Leafs were clearly hung over from their win earlier this week in Las Vegas as they fell in an upset to the Arizona Coyotes, 2-1, on the road. Ryan Dzingel scored twice, while Karel Vejmelka made 45 saves in just the eighth win of the year for the home team. Dzingel was playing in his first game since December 10th and doubled his season goal total in one night. Auston Matthews' 24th goal of the season was the lone tally for the Leafs, who had 35 shots in the first two periods, while Petr Mrazek made 16 saves in just his second game since November and fourth of the season due to a groin injury. The only other game on the NHL schedule on Wednesday saw Joe Pavelski total five points in the Dallas Stars' 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken.

Sabres Agree to Sign Michael Houser

The Buffalo Sabres are hurting bad at the goalie position, which led to them signing Michael Houser to a one-year contract on Wednesday, and that will pay him $750,000. The team also called up Aaron Dell from the minors to help on the position thanks to injuries to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Malcolm Subban. Luukkonen is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, and Subban has been ruled out for at least a month with an upper-body injury. That adds on to Craig Anderson's upper-body injury and Dustin Tokarski dealing with COVID-19. Houser most recently spent last season with the Sabres' minor league affiliates, and did make his NHL debut last year, going 2-2 over four games. The Sabres are 0-4-2 over their past six games, knocking them down to 3-13-4 over their past 20 after a surprisingly quick start to the year.

Eric Weddle Unretires, Rejoins Rams For Playoffs

The Los Angeles Rams are getting an unexpected assist come the playoffs starting this weekend as safety Eric Weddle has unretired and will rejoin the team for the postseason. This news come after Jordan Fuller suffered a season-ending injury, which led to Weddle's agent David Canter announcing the news, and the team confirmed it by adding him to the practice squad. Fuller's injury was to his ankle and  took place during last Sunday's overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and the team placed him on injured reserve on Wednesday. The 37-year-old Weddle retired after the 2019 season after starting all 16 games for the team that year. He was the captain and the defensive signal caller at the time of this move. Over 13 NFL seasons, he was a six-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro, and recorded 29 interceptions, returning four for a touchdown, along with eight forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, 9.5 sacks, and 98 pass deflections. Weddle played just one season for the Rams, this after spending his first nine seasons with the Chargers, who selected him in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He also spent three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, and now has at least one more game left in him come this weekend.

Jon Lester Announces Retirement From Baseball

Veteran pitcher Jon Lester announced on Wednesday morning that he is retiring from the game of baseball, this after 16 major league seasons. The 38-year-old reported this to ESPN, claiming that his body just isn't up for a major league season anymore. The left-hander won three World Series, most famously with the Boston Red Sox, and was one of the more reliable options in the big leagues. He made 30 or more starts 12 times during his career, and was on the mound to start the game 28 times in his final season with both the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals. The five-time All-Star was also solid come October baseball, posting a 2.51 Postseason ERA, which led to him winning a World Series in 2007 and 2013 with the Boston Red Sox, and then another with the Chicago Cubs in 2016. He found himself in the Postseason six other times during his run and painted himself up to be one of the most successful left-handers. He is one of just nine lefties with 200 wins, a .600 winning percentage, and a career ERA under 4.00.

Texas Tech Snaps Baylor's Win Streak; Stanford Returns With Huge Upset

The college basketball world ended Tuesday night with no undefeated teams in the country, and you can first thank the 19th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders. They went on the road and pulled off a major road upset of the top-ranked Baylor Bears, 65-62, handing them their first loss of the season. The result snaps the defending champions' win streak at 23 games, dating back to last season before the NCAA Tournament. Kevin McCullar had a key three-pointer late and finished with 12 points, also handing the Bears just their second home loss in the past three seasons. Their last defeat came in the Big 12 Tournament last March, as they drop to 15-1 on the season after winning all six of their tournament games last year. The Red Raiders improved to 12--3 on the season, leading by as many as seven points, and getting their second straight top 10 win after taking down the sixth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks last Saturday. And the Stanford Cardinal returned from their COVID-19 break on Tuesday evening with a huge upset out west, taking down the fifth-ranked USC Trojans, 75-69, and handing their Pac-12 rivals their first loss of the season. The Cardinal had been off for nearly three weeks and earned this huge win in front of an empty arena. It was their first top-five victory since taking down the third-ranked UCLA Bruins on January 28th, 2007. Harrison Ingram and Spencer Jones scored 21 points apiece, helping the Cardinal snap their 14-game losing streak against top five teams. Isaiah Mobley had 16 points to lead the Trojans, while Boogie Ellis added 14 points, but they were not able to tie their best start in program history, which happened in the 2016-2017 campaign. Other key scores saw the ninth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks bounce back with a 62-61 win over the 15th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones thanks to Dajuan Harris' late layup. The fourth-ranked Auburn Tigers held off the 24th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, 81-77, behind Jabari Smith's season-high 25 points. And Trent Frazier's 29 points powered the 25th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 81-71.

Morant Clutch, Grizzlies Hot; Suns Hold Off Raptors Up North

The Memphis Grizzlies' win streak got the statement win that they needed to show that they are here to stay in the top tier of the Western Conference. Ja Morant had 29 points, including five points over the final minute, as the Grizzlies extended their win streak to 10 straight games with a 116-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Ziaire Williams and Tyus Jones added 17 points apiece, as the Grizzlies used a big fourth quarter to hold off the dangerous Warriors at home. Steph Curry led the road team with his second triple-double of the season that included 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Klay Thompson had 14 points in his second game back. The Grizzlies led by as many as 18 points in this one and held them off thanks to a late flurry from Jones, who made all five of his shots from three-point range and was 6-for-8 from the floor. This victory ties the Grizzlies with the Utah Jazz at third place in the Western Conference standings. And the first place Phoenix Suns went up a game on the Warriors by holding off the Toronto Raptors, 99-95, in an empty stadium north of the border. Devin Booker overcame a rivalry with Toronto's mascot and had the go-ahead basket with 1:02 to play, finishing with 16 points on the night. Chris Paul added 15 points and 12 assists, helping the Suns snap the Raptors' winning streak at six games, which was their longest of the season. The Raptors lost this game despite the Suns committing 20 turnovers, which led to 18 points for them, as well as them grabbing 22 offensive rebounds and shooting 15 more field goals. Despite all that, Jae Crowder tied a season-high with 19 points, while Deandre Ayton had 16 points and Mikal Bridges contributed 12, as the Suns moved to 31-9, tying the franchise record for their best record through 40 games. Other key scores saw Kentavious Caldwell-Pope put aside an altercation with teammate Montrezl Harrell at halftime to hit the go-ahead three-pointer late in the Washington Wizards' 122-118 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 25-point third quarter deficit to stun the Denver Nuggets, 87-85. Brandon Ingram hit three three-pointers in the final 1:13 to lift the New Orleans Pelicans over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 128-125. And Nikola Vucevic had 22 points in the Chicago Bulls' 133-87 rout of the Detroit Pistons.

Giants Fire Head Coach Joe Judge

One day after the NFL world was shocked of the New York Giants' silence come "Black Monday," the team made the expected move of firing head coach Joe Judge on Tuesday afternoon. The move comes after Judge spent just two seasons with the team, and one day after general manager David Gettleman retired following four seasons in that position. The first-time head coach went 10-23 over his two seasons with New York, and he is now the third consecutive Giants coach to get fired after two seasons, joining Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur. The Giants' faithful booed the team out of MetLife Stadium in the regular season finale on Sunday against the Washington Football Team, this after they called for consecutive QB sneaks deep in their own territory. That sequence of plays alone had people calling for the 40-year-old's job, and now they add another vacant coaching position in the league, making it eight heading in to this off-season. The now former Giants coach had spent the previous eight seasons as a special teams coordinator with the New England Patriots, but was unable to change any of the Giants' bad direction, despite their being multiple reports from Christmas to Monday of the Giants bringing him back for the 2022 season.

Buccaneers End Sherman's Season on IR

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have ended the season of veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, placing him back on injured reserve Tuesday with an Achilles injury. This is his second stint on IR, which means he will not return for the defending Super Bowl Champions' playoff run, and that begins this Sunday afternoon at home against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. The veteran will remain with the team during this run, helping out the defensive backs, which he has been doing since getting signed in Week 4. The five-time Pro Bowler was relied on more than expected due to injuries, making his debut on October 3rd in a 19-17 win over the New England Patriots. He would have a nice return with a fumble recovery, although, playing three games in 12 days after having 288 days off from football caused a hamstring injury in Week 6 against the Eagles. Sherman went on to miss six weeks with that injury, then a calf injury halted his return, and now he is going to focus on being "Coach Sherman" while the Bucs look to return to the Super Bowl.

Bama's Jameson Williams Suffered Torn ACL

Not only did the Alabama Crimson Tide fall short Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, but one of their star wide receivers suffered a serious injury. It was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon by Adam Schefter that the wideout suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, and doctors believe that he will be able to recover to full strength. Williams will undergo surgery for the injury within the next 10 days, this after going down on a 40-yard catch in the third quarter of their 33-18 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in Indianapolis. He finished the game with four catches for 65 yards, but was ruled out for the rest of the contest with 8:11 left in the third. The young star has not announced if he will return to Alabama next season or enter the NFL Draft, but either way, he will be an x-factor after recording 75 catches for 1,507 yards and 15 touchdowns, good for 20.1 yards per reception. That makes him the top wide receiver prospect and sixth overall for the draft.

Duchene Lifts Predators in OT; Leafs Edge Golden Knights in Shootout

The Nashville Predators enhanced their first place positioning in the Central Division on Tuesday night, as Matt Duchene's second goal of the game gave them a 5-4 overtime win over the Colorado Avalanche. Duchene's game-winner came 3:01 in to overtime, while Luke Kunin also scored twice for the Predators, who have now won five straight games. Juuse Saros was solid in net with 40 saves, while getting supported by plenty of offense, including Tanner Jeannot's goal and assist, along with Roman Josi totaling three assists. Cale Makar had a goal and two assists in the loss for the Avalanche, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end, but did move past the St. Louis Blues in to second place in the division with a point. And the Toronto Maple Leafs escaped Las Vegas with a road win later on in the evening, getting a 4-3 shootout victory over the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Williams Nylander scored the game-winner in the shootout, this after finding the back of the net in regulation. Auston Matthews and Ilya Mikheyev also scored for the Leafs, who are now 5-0-1 over their past six games and 21-4-2 since starting the season 2-4-1. Jack Campbell made 31 saves on the night, improving to 18-5-3 on the year, and 4-1-0 against the Knights. The Leafs have worked around COVID to stay right on the heels of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers atop the division. Other key scores saw the Evgeni Malkin score twice in his season debut as the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Anaheim Ducks, 4-1. Logan Couture slammed home the game-winner in the San Jose Sharks' 3-2 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings. The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning kept pace with each other getting 6-1 and 5-2 routs of the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks respectively. And Alex DeBrincat had two goals as the Chicago Blackhawks doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-2, on the road.

Rask Returns to Bruins on One-Year Deal

The Boston Bruins are bringing a familiar face back in between the pipes, agreeing to a one-year contract with veteran goaltender Tuukka Rask on Tuesday. The deal is prorated, worth $1 million and will pay him $545,000, as the Bruins bring back their winningest goalie in franchise history, this after he recovered from off-season hip surgery. The 34-year-old will officially return as a backup for Linus Ullmark on Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. Rask was a free agent during his recovery process, but he did confirm after last season that he did not want to play for any other team but the Bruins. He appeared in just 24 games last season due to injuries, but did not deal with the hip injury until after their second round loss to the New York Islanders. Rask claims he never considered retiring and could still provide a major presence for a Bruins team in the thick of the playoff picture. The former 2014 Vezina Trophy winner has a career record of 306-163-66 with a 2.27 goals against average and 52 shutouts, and most recently went 15-5-2 last season with three shutouts, a 2.28 goals against average, and a .913 save percentage.

Georgia Finally Beats Alabama For National Title

The Georgia Bulldogs got a couple of monkeys off their back on Monday night as they finally overcame the Alabama Crimson Tide and claimed their first National Championship in 41 years with a 33-18 victory in the CFP National Title Game. Stetson Bennett came through in the second half, connecting with Adonai Mitchell with the go-ahead 40-yard touchdown with 8:09 to play, giving his team the lead for good, 19-18, at the time. He then moved on to secure the victory with a 15-yard score to Brock Bowers with 3:33 left on the clock, and then the defense put the final nail in the coffin when Kelee Ringo took a Bryce Young interception back for a score in the final minute. The title win for the Bulldogs is their first since Herschel Walker led them to the same prize in 1980, as they snapped their seven-game losing streak against the Tide, defeating their rivals for the first time since 2007. They also avenged the SEC Championship loss that knocked them out of the top spot in the CFP Polls and handed them their only loss in what was a 14-1 season. Bennett was as solid as could be on this night, with 224 yards, those two touchdowns, and no interceptions, as he played a huge role in ending the run of Heisman winners bringing home the title.

Dolphins Fire Head Coach Brian Flores Despite Hot Finish

The Miami Dolphins' rough start to the season got the best of their chances to return to the NFL Playoffs this season, and I guess a red hot finish to the year wasn't enough to save Brian Flores' job. The team announced Monday morning that they have fired the head coach after three seasons together, this just 12 hours after a 33-24 win over the New England Patriots to end the regular season on Sunday. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was reportedly the one to make the decision, but GM Chris Grier will remain with the team, as he enters his seventh season with them. Ross also added that there are "no plans" to pursue Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, while also confirming that they are not targeting Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh. Flores could be a big candidate to fill a different job after leading his team to a 10-6 season last year and just missing the playoffs. They were expected to compete for the AFC East Title this season, but a 1-7 start, including a seven-game losing streak, put that out of reach. They ended up going on a seven-game winning streak to get back in the playoff hunt, but that was not enough following a loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 17. Flores became the fourth coach in franchise history with two winning seasons in his first three years, but he went 24-25 overall with them, and that just was not enough to keep him around somehow.

Vikings Move on From Head Coach Mike Zimmer

Another team that ended the regular season with a win on Sunday and were in the playoff hunt late in the year moved on from their head coach as well on Monday, as the Minnesota Vikings fired Mike Zimmer. This comes after he spent eight seasons with the team, and general manager Rick Spielman went out the door with him. The Vikings went 8-9 this season after a 31-17 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but the 65-year-old Zimmer has gone backwards by missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons. Before that, the coach led Minnesota to postseason appearances in 2015, 2017, and 2019, and compiled a 72-56-1 record during his time with the team. That record includes two playoff wins, as he led the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game in 2017, but his team ranked 31st defensively this season, which offset the talent they have on the offensive side of the ball. Although, they were oh so close to getting in to the tournament this season, with 14 of their 17 games being decided by one score, including eight losses. Their defense faltering down the stretch played a role in that, breaking their own record from 2020 with 128 points allowed in the final two minutes of a half. Expect Minnesota to go for a more defensive minded head coach to support the explosiveness that the offense provides.

Bears Part Ways With Head Coach Matt Nagy

The Chicago Bears made the expected move on Monday by firing head coach Matt Nagy along with general manager Ryan Pace, this after the team went 6-11 this season, capped off with a 31-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. This move comes after Nagy was named NFL Coach of The Year in 2018, his first season with the team, when he led the Bears to a 12-4 record and a playoff berth for the first time in eight years. Since then, it has gone downhill, including an 8-8 record in 2019 and 2020. There were two playoff appearances during his tenure thanks to the extended playoff format in 2020, but his inability to mold second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky and their recent top pick Justin Fields in to quality QBs early on has haunted him. The team has not given up on Fields, who went 2-8 over 10 starts with a 26.0 QBR this past season. Over four seasons with the Bears, Nagy went 34-31, but they were 0-2 when it came to the playoffs. This was the first head coaching gig for the 43-year-old, who worked under Andy Reid with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, but clearly still has more to learn.

Seahawks' Geno Smith Arrested on DUI Suspicion

Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Geno Smith did not start his off-season on a good note, as he was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Monday Morning. The Washington State Patrol reported that Smith was arrested at 2:10am and released after posting bail at 9:27am. The team returned to Seattle after their 38-30 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the regular season finale on Sunday, and head coach Pete Carroll confirmed that Smith participated in the season ending meeting on Monday. The 31-year-old backed up Russell Wilson this past season and appeared in four games in October after Wilson broke his finger. He ended up throwing for 702 yards on 65-of-95 throwing with five touchdowns and one interception. The team went 1-2 over his three starts, and he is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this off-season, holding a 13-21 career record over nine NFL seasons with four teams.

Hornets Top Bucks Again; Embiid, Sixers Win Seventh Straight

The Charlotte Hornets basically did a repeat of what we saw over the weekend on their home floor Monday night, taking care of the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, 103-99. Terry Rozier had 27 points and LaMelo Ball added 23 points, including 18 in the second half. The Hornets moved to 12-5 on their home floor and have now won six of their past eight games, thanks in part to Miles Bridges' double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds. For a second straight game, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris MIddleton were the only ones to get anything going offensively for the Bucks, with Giannis at 26 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, and Middleton leading the Bucks with 27 points and 11 assists. Charlotte got the best of Milwaukee, 114-106, on Saturday night, and then led for most of the night on Monday, including once holding a 15-point advantage. And Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers remained as one of the hottest teams in the league, winning their seventh straight game on Monday, 111-91, on the road against the Houston Rockets. Embiid posted 31 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, making it his seventh straight 30-point game. He shot 9-of-16 from the floor and a perfect 13-for-13 at the free throw line, becoming the second player in NBA history to score exactly 31 points in four straight games. Andre Drummond added a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Tobias Harris also added 13 points as the Sixers had six players in double figures in the win. They now have the longest winning streak in the Eastern Conference this season and are right back in the conversation for the top four seeds in the standings. Other key scores saw the Detroit Pistons rally from a 22-point deficit to rally past the Utah Jazz, 126-116, at home. Jaylen Brown had 26 points, while Jayson Tatum added 24, in the Boston Celtics 101-98 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers. The Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of the Brooklyn Nets not having James Harden for a 114-108 victory. Jarrett Allen had 18 points and 17 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers sent the Sacramento Kings to their fifth straight loss with a close 109-108 win. And R.J. Barrett's 31 points helped the New York Knicks pull away from the San Antonio Spurs, 111-96.

Bloodied Marchand Powers Bruins; Kings Stay Hot Against Rangers

It doesn't get much tougher in sports than a hockey player, and Brad Marchand proved that on Monday night, scoring twice despite getting a busted nose in the Boston Bruins' 7-3 rout of the Washington Capitals. Marchand took a rough high stick to the face early on in the game, but then helped his team rally from a two-goal deficit by outscoring the Capitals, 7-1, the rest of the way. He added an assist on the night, as the Bruins scored six unanswered goals, sending the Capitals to their fourth straight loss, which is their longest losing streak of the season. Conor Sheary scored twice early on to give the Capitals the 2-0 lead, but a taped up Marchand returned and fired up his team. They also got two goals from David Pastrnak, while Craig Smith, Erik Haula, and Matt Grzelcyk all found the back of the net in the win. And the Los Angeles Kings moved in to the top three in the Pacific Division with a 3-1 home win over the New York Rangers. Cal Petersen made 22 saves, while Trevor Moore led the way with two assists, as the Kings moved to 4-1-0 over their past five games. Phillip Danault, Blake Lizotte, and Adrian Kempe all found the back of the net, as their 41 points and 18-13-5 record has them in third place behind the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks. The Rangers fell short of moving in to first place in the NHL despite Alexandar Georgiev making 38 saves. They have now kicked off this five-game road trip at 1-2-0.  The only other game on the NHL schedule Monday saw Nazem Kadri's late goal send the Colorado Avalanche to their fifth straight win, 4-3, over the Seattle Kraken.

Raiders Walk Off to Playoffs; Niners Clinch With Comeback OT Win

The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers could've kneeled their way to the playoffs, but instead, they battled through the entirety of overtime on Sunday night. Daniel Carlson's game-winning 47-yard field goal as expired sent the Raiders past the Chargers, 35-32, giving the Raiders the fifth seed in the AFC. The postseason berth is their fisrt since 2016 and just their second since appearing in the Super Bowl in 2002. The thrilling game Sunday was nothing new to the Raiders, who set an NFL record with six walk-off wins this season, including on Sunday for their fourth straight victory. The Chargers rallied with 15 points over the final 4:28 of regulation to force overtime, but it turned in to whoever had the ball last would win. And that turned out to be the Raiders, who will take their 10 wins in to a Wild Card showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. And the San Francisco 49ers rallied their way in to the playoffs on Sunday evening, coming back from a 17-point deficit to take down the Los Angeles Rams, 27-24, on the road. Robbie Gould had the go-ahead 24-yard field goal in overtime, while Ambry Thomas had the clinching interception of Matthew Stafford to send the Niners to the postseason with their 10th win of the year. Jauan Jennings' 14-yard touchdown reception with 26 seconds left forced overtime, and San Francisco sneaks in to the playoffs for the second time in eight years. The win was their sixth consecutive victory over the Rams, and they end the season on a 7-2 run to earn the sixth seed. They will visit the NFC East Champion Dallas Cowboys next week.  Other key scores around clinching Sunday saw the Arizona Cardinals fall to the Seattle Seahawks, 38-30, giving the NFC West to the Rams. The Cardinals and Rams will meet in Los Angeles on Wild Card Weekend. The Sunday night game not ending in a tie shockingly clinched the Pittsburgh Steelers a playoff spot after a 16-13 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens. That was made possible when the Jacksonville Jaguars took down the Indianapolis Colts, 26-11, to prevent them from taking a playoff spot. The Tennessee Titans clinched the top seed in the AFC by holding off the Houston Texans, 28-25. And the AFC East went to the Buffalo Bills for a second straight year thanks to their 27-10 win over the New York Jets, while the New England Patriots fell to the Miami Dolphins, 33-24.

Broncos Fire Head Coach Vic Fangio

The Denver Broncos are once again on the search for a new head coach as we head in to this off-season, as they fired head coach Vic Fangio early Sunday morning. The move comes less than 24 hours after the team blew a lead at home in Saturday's season finale, which resulted in a 28-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, their 13th straight defeat against their AFC West rivals. The team finished 7-10 for the 2021 season, missing the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year, which is leading to a coaching change for a second time in four years. The team also moved on from offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon after the season finale. Fangio took over for Vance Joseph after the 2018 season and the 63-year-old lasted three of the four years on his contract. His defense was ranked in the top 10 in almost every category, but the inconsistency at quarterback since Peyton Manning's retirement continues to haunt the franchise. Fangio went 19-30 during his time with Denver, but he did have a shot at the playoffs this season, sitting at 7-6 with four games remaining, but they have still not played a playoff game since Super Bowl 50 and haven't finished over .500 since going 9-7 in 2016.

Jets Release DE Shaq Lawson

The New York Jets have officially parted ways with former first-round draft pick Shaq Lawson, releasing the defensive end this weekend to save money against the 2022 salary cap. The 27-year-old was a healthy scratch for the final two games of the regular season, as he was set to count for $9 million against the salary cap next season. The former Houston Texan was acquired by the Jets last summer after they lost defensive end Carl Lawson to a season-ending Achilles injury. He was drafted in 2016 by the Buffalo Bills and ended up playing in 14 games this season, staring seven of them, and compiling 23 tackles and one sack. The team also cut veteran safety Sharrod Neasman, who played in 11 games this year and had 14 tackles with one interception.

Warriors Top Cavs in Klay's Return; Mavericks Slow Down Bulls

The Golden State Warriors welcomed back the other half of the Splash Bros on Sunday night in a 96-82 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Klay Thompson played in his first game since the 2019 NBA Finals and scored 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-8 from three-point range. Thompson added three rebounds, an assist, and a steal in 20 minutes of playing time. Steph Curry led the way with 29 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Jordan Poole added 14 points as the Warriors snapped their skid at two games. The win also moves them in to a tie with the Phoenix Suns atop the NBA standings at 30-9. And the Chicago Bulls' win streak met the wall called Luka Doncic on the road Sunday night, as the Dallas Mavericks got the best of the Eastern Conference's best team with a 113-99 victory. Doncic posted a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists, his third of the season, as they ended the Bulls' winning streak at nine consecutive games. The triple-double was also the 39th of his career, while Josh Green and Maxi Kleber both posted season-highs with 18 points apiece. The Mavs had six players finish in double figures, including Jalen Brunson with 17, Dorian Finney-Smith with 12, and Dwight Powell with 10. This win improves Dallas to 22-18 overall thanks to a season-high six-game winning streak, and they are winning those games by an average of 15.7 points while holding opponents to 93.0 points per game. Other key scores saw the Memphis Grizzlies extend their win streak to nine in a row with a 127-119 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Amir Coffey post a career-best 21 points in the Los Angeles Clippers' 106-93 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Kyle Kuzma had a big day with 27 points and 22 rebounds as the Washington Wizards held off the Orlando Magic, 102-100. And Cam Thomas' late basket sent the Brooklyn Nets past the San Antonio Spurs, 121-119 in overtime.

Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks Out 3-5 Weeks

The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in basketball right now, but they are facing a bit of adversity in the form of injuries. One major one as of Sunday, as forward Dillon Brooks is expected to miss three to five weeks with a sprained left ankle. The injury occurred during their win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday when he stepped on the opposing players' foot. Brooks is the team's leading scorer at 18.4 points per game, but the 25-year-old is now expected to be sidelined through mid-February. He as the 45th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Oregon and has since posted 14.4 points per game. The Grizzlies improved to 28-14 on Sunday night with their ninth straight win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Pistons Acquire Bol Bol From Nuggets

The Detroit Pistons got a ton of size in a trade on Sunday afternoon, acquiring the 7-foot-2 Bol Bol from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Rodney McGruder and a 2022 second-round draft pick, via the Brooklyn Nets. The 22-year-old Bol will get more consistent play with the Pistons over the final 44 games as he heads in to restricted free agency this summer. The former Oregon Duck dropped to 44th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft after being looked at as a top-10 pick, heading in to his final college season and over 14 games this season, he has averaged just 5.8 minutes per game.

Ohio State, Wisconsin Earn Big Ten Victories

Two Big Ten teams came away with victories on Sunday night, including the 13th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes holding off the Northwestern Wildcats at home, 95-87. E.J. Liddell had a career-high 34 points in the win, including 17 points in the first five minutes of the game. In that span, he knocked down a career-best five three-pointers, as the Buckeyes shot 67% from the floor and have now won four of their first five conference games. The win avenges their 67-51 loss to Indiana last Thursday, as they scored 51 points in the first half alone in this one. The home team led by double digits for most of the night, but Northwestern got the deficit down to six with 37 seconds left before falling short. And the 23rd-ranked Wisconsin Badgers edged the Maryland Terrapins, 70-69, on the road. Tyler Wahl had a career-high 21 points, while Johnny Davis added 19 points, as the Badgers blew a 21-point lead, but hung on late. Steven Crowl's three-pointer with 4:03 remaining gave the road team the lead for good, as Maryland dropped to 0-4 in conference play. That is their worst start in league play since losing its first four ACC games in the 1992-1993 season. The Badgers on the other hand are 4-1 to start Big Ten Play and 13-2 overall thanks to a five-game winning streak.

Blues Rally Late to Top Stars; Ducks Edge Red Wings in Shootout

The St. Louis Blues used two power play goals late in the game to stun the Dallas Stars at home on Sunday afternoon, 2-1. Jordan Kyrou and Ryan O'Reilly both scored on the power play in the final minute of regulation, including Kyrou getting the game-winner with 29 seconds left on the 6-on-4 advantage. The game marked the first time in franchise history that the Blues scored twice in the final minute to win a game, and they are the 11th team in league history to do so. They also extended their home point streak to 12 games, going 11-0-1 during that span, as Jordan Binnington was strong enough with 26 saves in the win. And the Anaheim Ducks to a back and forth affair from the Detroit Red Wings late Sunday night, winning the shootout for a 4-3 victory. Rookie Trevor Zegras had the game-winner in the shootout after recording a goal and an assist during regulation. Lukas Dostal made 33 saves while winning his NHL debut, while Troy Terry added his 22nd goal as the Ducks won for just the second time in six games since the holiday break. This was a game that was reschedule from this past Thursday night due to COVID-19 problems.

Chiefs Rally to Keep Top Seed Hopes Alive; Cowboys Pound Eagles

The Kansas City Chiefs needed a comeback on the road Saturday afternoon, but they got just that for a 28-24 win over the Denver Broncos in the Mile High City. Linebacker Nick Bolton had an 86-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and now the Chiefs will clinch the top seed in the AFC with a Tennessee Titans loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. The win was the Chiefs' 12th win of the season and 13th straight over Denver. They got this win despite Tyreek Hill injuring his heel during warmups and being held to just one catch for two yards. With him down, Mecole Hardman stepped in with eight catches for 103 yards, and now the Chiefs will focus on the postseason and potentially getting to their third consecutive Super Bowl. And the Dallas Cowboys ended their regular season on a high note away from home, pulling away for a 51-26 blowout of the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night. Dak Prescott threw a career-high five touchdown passes, while Cedrick Wilson and Dalton Schultz each caught two scoring passes, helping the NFC East Champions keep their hopes alive for a two-seed in the NFC. The Eagles rested starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and other key starters ahead of next week's Wild Card Game, but they can still end up with the sixth seed at 9-8 to finish the regular season. The 12-5 Cowboys need losses by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Arizona Cardinals on Sunday to get the two-seed, but they cannot finish worse than a four seed. Prescott was nearly perfect on this night, completing 21 of his 27 passes for 295 yards and no interceptions, and he will now get to show off what he can do after a rough 2020 that included a fractured right ankle.

Buccaneers Extend DT Vita Vea

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be playing for the top seed in the NFC on Sunday, but on Saturday they were focused on taking care of a key part of their defense. The defending Super Bowl Champions gave defensive tackle Vita Vea a four-year contract extension worth $73 million. This deal includes $42 million in guaranteed money, and it comes after the team already picked up Vea's fifth-year option for 2022, but he is now under contract through the 2026 season. The former 12th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft will make an annual salary of $18.25 million, making him the fifth-highest paid defensive tackle in the league. This was a major bounce back season for him after missing 13 games last season, but he did return for the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. Over four NFL seasons, he has totaled 103 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 31 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks, six passes defended, and one fumble recovery.

Herro, Heat Top Suns; Hornets Top Struggling Bucks

The Miami Heat seem to never lose when Tyler Herro is on his game, and he was just that on Saturday night in their 123-100 win over the first-place Phoenix Suns. Herro had 33 points, as the Heat knocked down a franchise record-tying 22 three-pointers to beat the best team in the NBA. Duncan Robinson chipped in 27 points, as Miami got this big win despite being shorthanded with 11 players inactive, including star Jimmy Butler. The team made exactly half of their shots from beyond the arc, including Robinson going 8-of-16, while Herro added three three-pointers, shot 12-of-20 overall and chipped in five rebounds and three assists. The 21-year-old continues to be a spark plug for the Heat, averaging over 20 points per game despite getting just 10 starts thus far. And the Charlotte Hornets handed the Milwaukee Bucks an all too familiar loss as of late with a 114-106 victory at home. Terry Rozier had 28 points, while Miles Bridges added 21 points and eight rebounds, handing the defending NBA Champions their third loss in four games. LaMelo Ball had another complete effort with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, while the Hornets defense held the Bucks to just 38.9% shooting on the night. Despite that, Giannis Antetokounmpo still had a big night with 43 points and 12 rebounds, as did Khris Middleton with 27 points and 10 rebounds, but the Bucks could not keep things going after beating the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. The loss sent them to what is still a quality road record of 13-9, but it does knock them down to third in the Eastern Conference. Other key scores from Saturday saw Jaren Jackson Jr. score 26 points as the Memphis Grizzlies won their eighth straight, 123-108, over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Boston Celtics got back at the New York Knicks behind Jaylen Brown's triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists with a 99-75 blowout win. Damontas Sabonis had a career-high 42 points in the Indiana Pacers' 125-113 upset of the Utah Jazz. And Trey Lyles helped the Detroit Pistons win for the third time in five games, 97-92, over the Orlando Magic.

Duke Falls to Miami; Texas Tech Takes Down Kansas

The Miami Hurricanes went on the road Saturday night and pulled off a major upset in the college basketball world, taking down the second-ranked Duke Blue Devils, 76-74, at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Kameron McGusty had the game-winning layup with 22.8 seconds left, leading Miami to their first win over a top-five opponent in six years. The 'Canes defense got a big stop in the Blue Devils' final possession, moving them to an impressive 13-3 overall and a perfect 5-0 in ACC play. Charlie Moore added 18 points and a career-best seven steals, as the Hurricanes extended their win streak to nine games in a row. This win comes after they came back from an 18-point deficit to beat Syracuse, and now they hand the Blue Devils their second loss of the season, and first in conference play. And the 25th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders got a major conference win on their home floor Saturday afternoon, taking down the sixth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks, 75-67. Bryson Williams led the way with 22 points, while Clarence Nadolny had a career-high 17 points for the home team, who never trailed in the second half. Both teams moved to 1-1 in conference play, but this was just the second loss of the season for Kansas. Ochai Agbaji had 24 points, including six three-pointers, and one of those cut the deficit to four points with just 1:12 left. Jalen Wilson added 20 points in the loss for Kansas, who had their eight-game winning streak snapped. For the Red Raiders, they were able to bounce back from a 51-47 loss to the 11th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones in which they had just seven players available due to COVID-19. Other key scores saw the top-ranked Baylor Bears extend their winning streak to 21 games with a 76-64 win over the TCU Horned Frogs. Tari Eason's 24 points helped the 21st-ranked LSU Tigers pull away from the 18th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, 79-67, at home. There were multiple upsets on the day, including the unranked Oklahoma Sooners downing the 11th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, 79-66, behind Umoja Gibson's 20 points. Keylan Boone came off the bench with a career-high 17 points as the unranked Oklahoma State Cowboys took down the 14th-ranked Texas Longhorns, 64-51, at home. The unranked Missouri Tigers topped the 15th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, 92-86, thanks to Kobe Brown's 30-point effort. And Matt Bradley had 26 points as the unranked San Diego State Aztechs blew past the 20th-ranked Colorado State Rams, 79-49.

Stars Rally to Snap Penguins' Streak; Avs Earn 11th Straight Home Win

The Dallas Stars put an end to the Pittsburgh Penguins' win streak on Saturday afternoon, rallying for a 3-2 win at home, stopping the road team's win streak at 10 games in a row. Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski scored just 1:15 apart in the third period, with Hintz getting the game-winner with 3:46 to play. It was his fourth game-winning tally of the season and he is tied with Pavelski for the team lead with 13 goals overall. Denis Gurianov also scored, while Jake Oettinger made 27 saves, as the Stars won their fourth straight game. Jason Robertson got the assist on all three goals, extending his home point streak to 10 straight games. Brian Dumoulin and Kasperi Kapnen both scored 25 seconds apart for the Penguins, who got 25 saves from Tristan Jarry, as they were 18-1-1 when leading after two periods and 18-2 when scoring first. And the Colorado Avalanche rallied from three goals down to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime, 5-4, for their franchise record 11th straight home victory. Devon Toews scored 1:12 in to the extra period, his sixth of the season, as he beat Jack Campbell to get the puck to the back of the net. The Avs have not lost at home since November 3rd against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they surpassed the previous record of 10 straight home wins, which they have done three other times. Gabriel Landeskog scored his 14th goal of the season in this one, as they put an end to the Maple Leafs' four-game winning streak. Campbell made 45 saves in the loss, while Auston Matthews scored twice in 33 seconds and Alexander Kerfoot had a goal and two assists on the night. Other key scores saw Anthony Duclair score 2:53 in to overtime to lift the Florida Panthers over the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3. David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand each scored twice as the Boston Bruins took care of the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-2. Kevin Fiala and Frederick Gaudreau both scored in the shootout as the Minnesota Wild took advantage of the Washington Capitals' miscues for a 3-2 victory. And Ryan Lindgren scored twice in the final 20 minutes to rally the New York Rangers past the Anaheim Ducks, 4-1, out west.

Bucks Rout Nets in Giannis' Return; Bulls Extend Win Streak

The Milwaukee Bucks welcomed Giannis Antetokounmpo back from a one-game absence on Friday night, and he powered them to an impressive 121-109 road win over the Brooklyn Nets. Antetokounmpo scored 31 points with nine rebounds and seven assists after missing one game due to an illness unrelated to COVID-19 on Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors. Bobby Portis stepped up on this night with 25 points, including 20 in the first half, while Khris Middleton saw 15 of his 20 points come in the third quarter alone. The Bucks' win snaps a two-game losing streak, both at home this week, while also pulling them in to a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference with the Nets. Kevin Durant led the Nets, per usual, with 29 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, but the title favorites have now dropped five straight home games. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls continue to lead the Eastern Conference thanks to what now is a nine-game winning streak following a 130-122 home win over the Washington Wizards. Zach LaVine led the way with 27 points, while Coby White added 21, as the Bulls have now matched their longest win streak since the 2010-2011 season, when they also won nine in a row to finish the regular season. Lonzo Ball and Ayo Dosunmu both contributed 18 points in this win, including Ball knocking down six of the team's 15 three-pointers at the United Center. This win came much easier than last week, when DeMar DeRozan needed one of his two buzzer-beaters to finish the Wizards off on New Year's Eve. Chicago is looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and their 26-10 record seems to have them right on pace to do so. Other key scores saw LeBron James post 32 points, while Malik Monk added 29, as the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight, 134-118, over the Atlanta Hawks. Fred VanVleet's 37 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists gave him his first-career triple-double in the Toronto Raptors' 122-108 comeback win over the Utah Jazz. Joel Embiid posted 31 points to power the Philadelphia 76ers to their sixth straight win with a 119-100 rout of the San Antonio Spurs. And despite playing without Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and head coach Jason Kidd, the Dallas Mavericks won their fifth straight game, 130-106, over the Houston Rockets.

Kunkel, Xaver Tops Butler on The Road

In the only ranked matchup on Friday night, the 22nd-ranked Xavier Musketeers pulled away on the road to top the Butler Bulldogs, 87-72. Adam Kunkel led the way with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 5-for-8 from three-point range, off the bench. Paul Scruggs added 16 points and was a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line, while chipping in seven rebounds and six assists. The win for Xavier was their 12th of the season and second in three Big East games, as they returned on Friday from a long layoff due to COVID-19 issues. That long layoff did not seem to bring too much rust, as they shot 60.7% from the floor in the first half and 50% overall for the game, while also going 6-for-11 from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs have dropped two of three in conference play, despite Aaron Thompson leading the way with 20 points, while Bryce Golden added 19 in their sixth defeat.

Buchnevich, Blues Blow Past Caps; Hurricanes Double-Up Flames

The St. Louis Blues found themselves right back in first place in the Central Division with a 5-1 blowout of the Washington Capitals on Friday night. Pavel Buchnevich led the charge with two goals and an assist, while Ville Husso made 26 saves between the pipes. Torey Krug, Oskar Sundqvist, and Ivan Barbashev also scored for the Blues, who are now 8-2-2 over their past 12 games overall, and 10-0-1 in their past 11 home games. Ryan O'Reilly and Robert Thomas each posted two assists, in their 20th victory of the season, while Husso remained solid in net, despite it being his first game since December 7th due to injury. And the Carolina Hurricanes took advantage of that Capitals loss to take over first in the Metropolitan Division by skating past the Calgary Flames, 6-3, at home. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice in the Hurricanes' first game in nearly a week. Brady Skjei added a goal and two assists, while Derek Stepan, Jesper Fast, and Tony DeAngelo also found the back of the net for the Hurricanes. Carolina's victory was their ninth in the past 10 games, as they leapfrogged both the Capitals and New York Rangers for the top spot in the division. Blake Coleman and Matthew Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who have now dropped three straight games, which is their longest stretch without a point this season.

Kraken Lose Jaden Schwartz For 4-6 Weeks

The last place Seattle Kraken will be a bit shorthanded (no pun intended) for the next month or so, as forward Jaden Schwartz will be out four to six weeks due to surgery to repair a hand injury. Schwartz has not played since suffering the injury on December 29th against the Philadelphia Flyers, being a scratch in the next two games. The team decided for him to have surgery during their extended break due to COVID-19 postponements. Schwartz has posted six goals and 14 assists over 29 games since coming over from the St. Louis Blues in Seattle's first season. He is tied for the team lead in assists and is second in points. The team has already lost Brandon Tanev for the season with a torn knee ligament, so this blow definitely hurts, but they will not play again until Monday against the Colorado Avalanche.

Knicks Beat Celtics at Buzzer; Paul's Triple-Double Powers Suns

The New York Knicks went on national TV to show that, despite their below .500 record, they can still be the exciting playoff contender that we saw last season. After rallying from a 24-point, second quarter deficit, R.J. Barrett banked in the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer for a 108-105 win over the Boston Celtics. Evan Fournier powered the comeback with a career-high 41 points, while Julius Randle added 22 points for the Knicks, who never led until there were just two minutes left. Jayson Tatum tied the game late before the buzzer-beater won it for New York, as he finished with 36 points to lead the Celtics, who are also struggling at 18-21 this season. And Chris Paul posted a triple-double of 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Phoenix Suns in a 106-89 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The win improves the Suns to 25-0 this season when leading after three quarters, as they also take over the top spot in the Western Conference with an overall record of 30-8. The defending Western Conference champs has also won three straight and four of their past five thanks to a career-high 24 points from Cameron Johnson. It was a special night for Paul, as his 13 rebounds were a career-high in his 1,128th career NBA game. The other two games on the NBA schedule saw Brandon Ingram's 32 points lead the New Orleans Pelicans over the shorthanded Golden State Warriors, 101-96. And Ja Morant had 22 points, nine rebounds, and six assists as the Memphis Grizzlies crushed the Detroit Pistons, 118-88.

Indiana Downs Ohio State; USC Stays Undefeated

The Indiana Hoosiers gave their home crowd a show with an 87-71 blowout upset of the 13th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in Big Ten play on Thursday night. Trayce Jackson-Davis powered the upset with a double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 11-of-17 from the floor. The Hoosiers used a big 13-0 run in the second half to pull away for good, which was a stretch that saw the Buckeyes go without a basket for five minutes. The Hoosiers sit at an even 2-2 in conference play and 11-3 overall, and they only had one other player in double figures, which was Race Thompson at 11 points. The loss for Ohio State was their first in conference play, despite Malaki Branham leading the way with 13 points, as they shot just 30.8% from the floor. Meanwhile, the seventh-ranked USC Trojans moved to a perfect 13-0 on the season with a 77-63 win over California. Isaiah Mobley led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, as the Trojans used a late run to get off to their best start since winning their first 14 games in 2017. The Trojans were playing for the first time in three weeks after having three games postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 issues. Drew Peterson scored a season-high with 17 points, while Boogie Ellis had 14 points and four rebounds to help send the Golden Bears to 9-6 on the season. The two other ranked contests saw the 23rd-ranked Wisconsin Badgers win their fourth straight, 87-78, over the Iowa Hawkeyes thanks to 26 points from Johnny Davis. And the fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins returned to play after 25 days off with a 96-78 rout of Long Beach State.

Penguins Win Yet Again; Golden Knights Skate Past Rangers

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the hottest team in the NHL and Thursday night was absolutely no different with a 6-2 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers on the road. The win was their 10th in a row, making it the sixth time in franchise history that they've had a winning streak that long. The team got two goals apiece from Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel, extending their longest win streak since winning 15 games in a row in March 2013. They also had winning streaks of 12, 11, and 10 games in 1999. The Pens, who sit in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, have not lost since December 1st against the Edmonton Oilers. And the Las Vegas Golden Knights pulled away on their home ice for a solid 5-1 win over the first place New York Rangers. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice to support Robin Lehner, who made 18 saves in his first game in three weeks. Mark Stone, Mattias Janmark, and Brett Howden also scored, helping the Knights snap their two-game losing streak, and extended their lead to four points over the Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division. Chris Kreider was the only one to find the back of the net for the Rangers, who are tied atop the Metropolitan Division with the Washington Capitals at 48 points. The Rangers had won three games in a row, but they dropped their first game of a five-game road trip. Other key scores saw Kirill Kaprizov score in his fourth straight game in the Minnesota Wild's 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Nikita Kucherov returned to the ice with two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning topped the Calgary Flames, 4-1. And the Nashville Predators extended their win streak to three games by doubling up the Los Angeles Kings, 4-2, out west.

Buccaneers Officially Release Antonio Brown

Four days after head coach Bruce Arians said it in a press conference, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made it official on Thursday by releasing wide receiver Antonio Brown. This comes Head coach Bruce Arians announced after their 28-24 win over the New York Jets that Brown is "no longer a Buc" after he exited the game in the middle of the third quarter. Brown was seen ripping off his jersey and shoulder pads, throwing some of his uniform in to the crowd, before running across the field, waving goodbye to the fans at MetLife Stadium. The coach confirmed to ESPN sources that Brown refused to enter the game multiple times, which led to Arians telling the wideout to get out. Teammate Mike Evans was seen trying to talk to AB while he was taking his jersey off, which clearly didn't do much. Brown has since claimed that his ankle was injured and too hurt to return to the game, which is why he refused to get back in to the game. The wideout posted a picture of a text exchange with Arians regarding the injury from the day before the game, but he was also annoyed at halftime on Sunday for not getting the targets he wanted.

Mavs Beat Warriors on Dirk Night; Nets Win in Kyrie's Return

​The Dallas Mavericks celebrated the great Dirk Nowitzki before Wednesday night's game, and then went on to get their biggest win of the season, taking down the top-seeded Golden State Warriors, 99-82. Luka Doncic scored 26 points on Dirk's jersey retirement night, helping the Mavs to their first four-game winning streak of the season, and in Doncic's third game back. Luka added eight assists and seven rebounds, while making 10-of-12 shots from the free throw line, as the Mavs got the win despite playing without Kristaps Porzingis. They also took advantage of a cold-shooting Steph Curry, who was just 1-for-9 from three-point range and is now 8-for-41 over the past two games. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets welcomed back their part-time star Kyrie Irving on the road for a 129-121 win over the Indiana Pacers. Irving scored 22 points and helped the Nets overcome a 19-point overall deficit, and a 13-point halftime deficit to avoid an upset. The former NBA Champion point guard played 32 minutes and helped the Nets snap their three-game losing streak. Kevin Durant led the Nets with 39 points, sending the Pacers to their 25th loss despite Domantas Sabonis' 32 points and 12 rebounds, as well as Lance Stephenson's surprising 30-point effort. Other key scores saw Bojan Bogdanovic score a season-high 36 points in the Utah Jazz's 115-109 victory against the Denver Nuggets. The Toronto Raptors sent the Milwaukee Bucks to their second straight home loss, 117-111, with Pascal Siakam's 33 points. And Max Strus' 25 points helped the Miami Heat overcome playing without Jimmy Butler in a 115-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Penguins Stay Red Hot; Maple Leafs Top Struggling Oilers

The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing themselves right back in to the thick of the playoff picture by being the NHL's hottest team following a 5-3 victory against St. Louis Blues. Sidney Crosby and Evan Rodrigues scored 12 seconds apart in the third period, rallying the home team to their ninth straight win. Bryan Rust scored twice, while Brock McGinn also added a goal, helping the Penguins to their longest win streak since getting 15 straight victories in March 2013. It is also the longest active streak in the league, and has tied the Carolina Hurricanes for the longest in the league this season. The Penguins have now improved to 14-2-1 over the past 17 games. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs took advantage of a struggling Edmonton Oilers team with a 4-2 home win Wednesday night. Ilya Mikheyev scored the tiebreaking power play goal in the third, sending the Oilers to their 11th loss in the past 13 games. John Tavares and T.J. Brodie also scored, while William Nylander added two assists to support Jack Campbell in net, who had 28 saves. The Leafs improved to 20-4-1 over their past 25 games, while the Oilers are now 0-3-2 on their road trip and have gone just 2-9-2 since their 16-5-0 start.

Penguins Send Lafferty to Blackhawks For Nylander

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks completed a trade in the NHL on Wednesday, with the Penguins sending forward Sam Lafferty to the Blackhawks in exchange for forward Alex Nylander. The 26-year-old Lafferty is signed through this season and totaled no goals and two assists over 10 games this season. He was a fourth-round pick of the Penguins in 2014, but has compiled just six goals and 15 assists over 94 career NHL games. The 23-year-old Nylander has spent this year in the AHL with Rockford, posting eight goals and four assists over 23 games. That came one season after posting 10 goals and 16 assists over 23 games for Chicago. He was the eighth overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2016, but was traded to the Windy City in July 2019.

Iowa State Bounces Back; Tennessee Pulls Off OT Win

The 11th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones bounced back from a loss to top-ranked Baylor, which dropped them two spots in the AP Polls, as they got a 51-47 win over the 25th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders. Izaiah Brockington had a clutch four-point play with 1:52 remaining, putting his team ahead for good, as he led the way with 14 points and nine rebounds. Alijaz Kunc added 13 points for the Cyclones, who moved to an even 1-1 in Big 12 play and 13-1 overall this season. The Red Raiders dropped their conference opener with this road loss, but they were led by Davion Warren's 12 points in their third defeat of the season. Meanwhile, the 18th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers needed overtime to survive with a 66-60 victory against urnanked Ole Miss at home. Santiago Vescovi hit two clutch three-pointers late, rallying his team to their first conference win and 10th win overall this season. The Vols never led in regulation, but went on to outscore the Rebels, 15-9, in the extra five minutes. The road team was missing five players in their conference opener due to COVID protocols, but were led by Tye Fagan's 23 points in the loss. Other key scores saw the 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans win their eighth straight game, 79-67, over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Josh Carlton had a career-high 30 points in the 12th-ranked Houston Cougars' 83-66 rout of South Florida. The 15th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide outscored the Florida Gators, 47-31, after halftime for an 83-70 win. And the 19th-ranked Villanova Wildcats cruised past Creighton, 75-41, behind Justin Moore's 22 points.

NFL Exploring New Location For Super Bowl 56

The National Football League may have to go a different rout for Super Bowl 56 in February due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. The event is scheduled to take place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 13th, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. As of Wednesday, it is looking like AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys has already been contacted to host the event. It would be the second straight year that a big event was relocated there, as the 2020 Rose Bowl was moved there from Pasadena, California due to COVID-19.

Bengals to Play Without Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon in Finale

The Cincinnati Bengals will be shorthanded for their season finale on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, as quarterback Joe Burrow and running back Joe Mixon will both sit out. Burrow is sitting out to rest his sore right knee after he hobbled off the field at the end of their big win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, while Mixon has tested positive for COVID-19. His results came back on Wednesday and he now joins four other teammates on the COVID-19 reserved list. Mixon ranked second in the league with 1,205 rushing yards on 292 attempts, while ranking fourth with 13 touchdowns. Backup QB Brandon Allen will get the start for the Bengals, who clinched the AFC North last Sunday.

Morant, Grizzlies Win Sixth Straight; Lakers Pull Away From Kings

The Memphis Grizzlies stayed hot away from home for a second straight night on Tuesday, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 110-106, for their sixth straight victory. Ja Morant had 26 points on the night, including six in the final 30 seconds and the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds left for their 25th win of the season. The Grizzlies have now won 10 of their past 11 games on the road, including a blowout of the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center Monday night. The Cavaliers got Darius Garland back in the lineup after missing four games and he had 27 points and 10 assists, while Jarrett Allen had 22 points and 12 rebounds, but they have now dropped four of their past five games. And LeBron James got hot late out west, helping the Los Angeles Lakers back over .500 with a 122-114 victory over the Sacramento Kings. James scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, while Malik Monk also came up clutch with 11 of his 24 points in the final seven minutes of the game. Talen Horton-Tucker added 19 points, helping the home team to rally from a seven-point deficit late in the game. Russell Westbrook had a productive game, getting 19 points in 34 minutes, drawing a key charge late, and having his first turnover-free game since March 14th, 2016. The Kings got 30 points from De'Aaron Fox and 26 points and seven three-pointers from Buddy Hield in their 23rd loss of the season. Other key scores saw Devin Booker's 33 points lead the Phoenix Suns over the New Orleans Pelicans, 123-110. R.J. Barrett scored 32 points to power the New York Knicks past the Indiana Pacers, 104-94. And Fred VanVleet surpassed 30 points for a third straight game in the Toronto Raptors' 129-104 blowout of the San Antonio Spurs.

LSU Pulls Away to Beat Kentucky; Akinjo Helps Baylor Stay Unbeaten

The 21st-ranked LSU Tigers got hot down the stretch on their home floor Tuesday night to earn a solid SEC victory, 65-60, over the 16th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. The Tigers used a 19-2 run in the second half to jump ahead and they were able to hold off the road team late for the victory. It was their 13th victory in 14 games this season, as they get back to .500 quickly in conference play, while sending the Wildcats to their third defeat of the year. Tari Eason was a big help off the bench, leading the team with 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists, and helping them do just enough to earn this victory. With both teams being almost even in every category on the state line, they made nearly 40% of their three-point shots, which powered the late run, and gave the Tigers a needed win in conference play. And the top-ranked Baylor Bears remained the best team in the country by staying unbeaten on the season with an 84-74 win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday. James Akinjo tied a career high with 27 points, while Adam Flagler added 22 to help the team get their 14th straight win to start the season, and 20th consecutive victory overall. Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua added 12 points for the defending National Champions, who won six games in the March Madness Tournament last season to get their first National Title in program history. They keep pace with the seventh-ranked USC Trojans as the only undefeated teams left in major conferences, with the Trojans sitting at 12-0 on the season.  Other key scores saw unranked Marquette snap their skid with an 88-56 upset blowout of 16th-ranked Providence. Wendell Green Jr. had 22 points in ninth-ranked Auburn's 81-66 win over South Carolina. Marcus Carr stayed hot with 19 points as 14th-ranked Texas downed Kansas Sate, 70-57. And sixth-ranked Kansas used a red hot second half, scoring 45 points in the final 20 minutes for a 74-63 road win over Oklahoma State.

Predators Move in to First Place; Panthers Roll to Fourth Straight Win

The Nashville Predators are leaving Las Vegas in first place in the Central Division following a 3-2 road win over the Las Vegas Golden Knights at the T-Mobile Arena Tuesday night. Filip Forsberg scored twice, while Juuse Saros made 41 saves, helping Nashville move one point ahead of the St. Louis Blues atop the division. Yakov Trenin also scored for the Predators, who are now 9-1-1 over their past 11 games, and now 21-11-2 overall. For the Golden Knights, they struggled to score until late in the third period, this after they totaled 13 goals over their past three games. And the Florida Panthers skated their way to their fourth straight in on their home ice Tuesday night, blowing out the Calgary Flames, 6-2. Patric Hornqvist scored twice, while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped a season-high 47 shots, helping the Panthers keep pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Joe Thornton had the official go-ahead goal in the first period, while Anthony Duclair, Ryan Lomberg, and Lucas Carlson all found the back of the net as well. Elsewhere on the stat sheet, Brandon Montour had the second three-assist game of his career, helping Florida move to 18-3-0 on their home ice this season. Other key scores saw Ondrej Palat sore twice and add an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 rout of the Columbus Blue Jackets. David Pastrnak's third period goal lifted the Boston Bruins over the New Jersey Devils, 5-3. Tyler Bertuzzi and Pius Suter each scored twice as the Detroit Red Wings blew past the San Jose Sharks, 6-2. And Troy Terry's hat trick powered the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1.

Devils' Dougie Hamilton Suffers Broken Jaw

The New Jersey Devils announced that defenseman Dougie Hamilton suffered a broken jaw and will undergo surgery for the injury on Wednesday. This procedure will come just three days after taking a puck to the face in their game against the Washington Capitals. The team did place Hamilton on injured reserve retroactive to Sunday, but there is no official timetable for his return. He was struck with the puck seven minutes in to the first period on a shot off the stick of Justin Schultz. The 28-year-old signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with the Devils last summer and has totaled seven goals and 13 assists over 30 games this season.

Kansas State Pounds LSU in Texas Bowl

The LSU Tigers were without head coach Ed Orgeron for their final game of the season on Tuesday night, in what was the final bowl game ahead of next Monday's National Championship Game. And unfortunately for them, they looked like it, as the Kansas State Wildcats took care of the Tigers with ease, 42-20, in the Texas Bowl. Skylar Thompson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns, while Deuce Vaughn totaled four touchdowns, including 146 yards and three scores on the ground. The Wildcats played a near perfect game on the offensive side of the ball, never turning the ball over, all to get to their eighth win of the season. For the Tigers, they finish the tough season at 6-7 for their first losing season since 1999 and their second-largest bowl loss in program history. Although, they now move on to a new era with Brian Kelly on the way from Notre Dame to take things over.

Titans' Bud Dupree Charged With Misdemeanor Assault

The Tennessee Titans now have off the field issues to worry about getting closer to the playoffs, as linebacker Bud Dupree has been charged with a misdemeanor assault. This news comes after he got in to an altercation with an employee at a Walgreens in Nashville. The incident reportedly took place Sunday night, as a verbal altercation with a 20-year-old male led to a physical altercation that included Dupree grabbing the employee and his phone. Dupree must report for booking on the citation in three weeks, and the team announced that they are aware of the situation and are gathering more information. The 28-year-old is in his first season with the Titans, this after signing a five-year deal as a free agent last March.

Browns' Mayfield to Undergo Shoulder Surgery

The Cleveland Browns will be without quarterback Baker Mayfield for the season finale on Sunday as he will undergo shoulder surgery as soon as possible. The procedure will repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, so he will miss the contest against the AFC North Champion Cincinnati Bengals. Mayfield has been playing with the injury since Week 2, and he admitted Monday night that he is "beat up" after getting sacked nine times in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 7-9 Browns are eliminated from playoff contention, one season after getting their first playoff win in 26 years, and Mayfield has struggled during that, ranking 26th with a 35.2 QBR. He is under contract with Cleveland through the 2022 season, as the team has already exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal.