Sports
Rangers' post-Panarin era begins with streaking Canes
Feb 8, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) celebrates his empty net goal with center Seth Jarvis (24) against the Utah Hockey Club during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images The Carolina Hurricanes have led the Metropolitan Division most of the season and their recent hot streak has hoisted them within striking range of the President’s Trophy.
The Hurricanes attempt to earn a point in a season-high 10th straight game Thursday night when they visit the last-place New York Rangers — who traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday — in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Carolina has gone 7-0-2 since a 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 13. That left them 14 points behind the Colorado Avalanche in the race for the most points in the NHL, but the Hurricanes entered Wednesday’s action just five points back with 26 games left.
The Hurricanes are outscoring opponents 37-20 during this streak, though three of their past four wins are by one goal. The latest was Tuesday’s 4-3 home win over the Ottawa Senators when the Hurricanes blew a two-goal lead for the third straight game. They allowed two power-play tallies before Jordan Staal scored with 5:07 left in the third period.
“We’ll take wins any way we can, right?” said Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, who scored for the third straight game.” That’s what we’re trying to do here: win hockey games, get some points and get to the playoffs. As of late, we’ve done a pretty good job on that.”
Seth Jarvis added two goals and has 10 points (four goals and six assists) during the past nine games.
“You don’t want to sit on a loss for three weeks,” Jarvis said. “You don’t want to sit on a bad game. Just coming in with the mindset of keeping this thing rolling, grinding one more out, and leaving it on the ice, and you’ve got three weeks to recoup.”
Rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi has started seven games during the hot streak and boasts a 22-3-1 record. But Thursday could be another milestone for him as the Long Island native can make his first appearance at Madison Square Garden.
The Hurricanes are 6-1-0 in the past seven meetings with the Rangers, whose 46 points are the fewest in the Eastern Conference.
The Rangers will play their first game of the post-Panarin era, though they have a sense of how things might go. While they held him out to facilitate a trade, the Rangers went 0-3-0 while getting outscored 13-8.
New York received forward Liam Greentree, a conditional third-round pick in the upcoming draft and a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2028 draft in exchange for Panarin, who piled up 205 goals and 402 assists in 482 regular-season games over not quite seven years with the Rangers.
In the Rangers’ most recent game, they trailed 5-1 at Pittsburgh before scoring four goals in the final 10-plus minutes as Alexis Lafreniere scored twice and Vincent Trocheck scored to go along with two assists.
Mika Zibanejad added an assist, giving him 11 goals and 23 points over his past 15 games. If the Rangers make numerous trades, Zibanejad and J.T. Miller might be among the veterans on a roster with younger players such as Gabe Perreault and waiver claims such as defenseman Vincent Iorio getting long looks.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Otega Oweh torments former team as Kentucky blasts Oklahoma
Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) looks to pass during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images Otega Oweh matched his season high with 24 points as Kentucky blew out Oklahoma 94-78 Wednesday night at home in Rupp Arena.
Kentucky (16-7, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) had one of its best offensive performances of the season, shooting 50.0% from the floor overall and 12-26 from beyond the arc in posting their sixth-best point total this year and highest in SEC play.
The Wildcats had 21 assists on 30 made field goals, with six players dishing out three or more assists. Denzel Aberdeen led the Wildcats with five assists.
It was a back-and-forth game for most of the first half, with Kentucky making its living from beyond the arc, going 9 of 16 from 3-point range.
Collin Chandler, who finished with 18 points, made three of Kentucky’s nine first-half 3-pointers, leading the Wildcats with nine points in the first half as Kentucky built a 43-32 advantage. Five Wildcats had at least six points in the first 20 minutes, and Kentucky had 11 assists on 14 made field goals in the first half.
After nearly 15 minutes, Kentucky’s defense settled in and held the Sooners without a field goal for the final 5:07 of the first half. Despite only two turnovers, Oklahoma (11-12, 1-9) only had five assists on 11 made field goals. Oklahoma shot just 11-30 from the field in the first half.
In the second half, Oklahoma never got closer than eight points as the Sooners suffered their ninth straight loss.
A former Sooner, Oweh revved up the engines in the second half with 18 points. Oweh finished with 20-plus points for the eighth time in 10 SEC games.
Oweh’s former rival turned teammate, Brandon Garrison, had his best game of the season. Garrison made a huge impact with a double-double, scoring 20 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. He was 7 of 8 from the field and 6 for 6 from the free-throw line, while also dishing out three assists.
The Wildcats have now won seven of eight since an 0-2 start in SEC play and have won 11 of 14 overall.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hawks could gain reinforcements as they prepare for Jazz
Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shown before the start of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Atlanta Hawks may get a lineup boost Thursday, but it isn’t likely to come from a last-minute trade.
The Hawks, who host the Utah Jazz on Thursday, could get veteran Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup. The veteran center, the team’s big offseason acquisition, has missed the last 13 games with left Achilles tendinitis but had his status upgraded to questionable Tuesday and could return for limited minutes.
Porzingis hasn’t played since Jan. 7. He has participated in only 17 of the team’s 52 games because of injuries and management of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, an incurable condition that causes increased heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.
Porzingis has played well when in the lineup, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. His return would be especially welcome since Onyeka Okongwu is day-to-day after dental surgery following a nasty elbow in the mouth against Boston. The Hawks have been living with Mouhamed Gueye and Christian Koloko at center.
Atlanta ended a two-game losing streak Tuesday with an impressive 127-115 road win against Miami.
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is coming off his ninth triple-double of the season. Johnson, who was named to the NBA All-Star team, had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the Heat.
“Jalen just continues to find, within the rhythm of the game, opportunities to get off the ball to be the open guy, and when he needs to be more aggressive and go to the basket. I just love that he’s not hesitating with the catch-and-shoot threes. I think that gives him space to play. Some of our other guys are getting more connected with him, too.”
Utah ended a six-game skid Tuesday by defeating the Indiana Pacers 131-122. The Jazz had only seven available players, and each scored in double figures. Utah played Tuesday without Keyonte George (ankle), Kevin Love (illness), Walker Kessler (shoulder) and Jusuf Nurkic (illness).
“Games like this are odd, playing with seven people and the lineups we had out there,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “But I thought the team had great energy, great camaraderie.”
Isaiah Collier played all 48 minutes and had a career-high 22 assists in the win, the most in the NBA this season and the most by a Jazz player since John Stockton on Dec. 18, 1992. The last player in the league with 22 assists was Denver’s Nilola Jokic last March 7.
“Isaiah, with 22 assists and only two turnovers, is a testament to him, it’s a testament to his teammates,” Hardy said. “Overall, he showed a lot of poise and maturity as a point guard.”
The game marks a homecoming for Utah rookie Ace Bailey, who grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and was Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2024. He is averaging 11.3 points and 3.6 rebounds and scored 19 on Tuesday.
This is the final meeting between the teams this season. The Hawks, who have won three straight against the Jazz, took the first game 132-122 on Nov. 13 in Salt Lake City. Johnson had a triple-double (31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists) and Okongwu had a career-high 32 points with eight 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller steer Mammoth past Red Wings
Dec 17, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Utah Mammoth wing Sean Durzi (50) skates with the puck defended by Detroit Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen (27) in the third period at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Nick Schmaltz scored his fourth goal in two games and added an assist as the Utah Mammoth beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
Clayton Keller also had a goal and an assist for Utah, which has won two straight after losing two in a row. Sean Durzi and Dylan Guenther also scored, and Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves.
Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings, who have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1) while scoring just seven goals. John Gibson turned aside 21 shots.
Utah finished 1-for-3 on the power play. Detroit went 1-for-4.
Both teams were playing their final game before the Olympic break.
The Mammoth took a 1-0 lead 57 seconds into the first period. Durzi collected a turnover along the right wall and fired the puck past Gibson before the goaltender was able to react.
Schmaltz increased the lead to 2-0 during a 5-on-3 power play at 8:11 of the opening period. Keller passed to Barrett Hayton along the goal line, and he centered to Schmaltz, who scored from the slot.
Vejmelka made 11 of his saves in the second period, including a diving glove save to rob Lucas Raymond during a Detroit power play.
Guenther made it 3-0 when he scored his team-leading 25th goal of the season at 4:40 of the third period. He won a puck battle along boards, got behind the defense and skated through the right circle before beating Gibson with a wrist shot.
Larkin pulled the Red Wings within 3-1 at 15:58. With Detroit on a power play and Gibson pulled for an extra skater, Larkin knocked in a loose puck during a scramble in front.
Detroit stayed with the extra attacker, and Keller found the empty net at 17:42, taking a pass from Schmaltz on a 2-on-1 and scoring from just outside the blue line.
–Field Level Media
Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 5, 2026
Otega Oweh torments former team as Kentucky blasts Oklahoma
