Rookie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves in a successful homecoming as the visiting Carolina Hurricanes extended their points streak to 10 games with a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers Thursday night in the final game before the Olympic break.

Andrei Svechnikov scored early as Hurricanes improved to 8-0-2 in their past 10 and earned their second shutout win on the Rangers’ home ice this season.

A Long Island, N.Y. native, Bussi won his seventh straight game and improved to 23-3-1 since joining the Hurricanes as a waiver claim from the Florida Panthers on Oct. 5.

Bussi was rarely tested, but he delivered a left pad save on J.T. Miller midway through the second period and denied Will Cuylle on a partial breakaway six minutes into the third to highlight his second career shutout.

The Hurricanes had plenty of chances to turn the contest into a blowout, but New York goalie Jonathan Quick made a season-high 41 saves. Carolina finished its latest victory with 86 shot attempts and improved to 7-1-0 in their past eight games against the Rangers.

Jordan Staal added an empty-net tally in the final minute for the Hurricanes, who earned their third shutout of the season.

A day after trading Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings as part of their retooling attempt, the Rangers dropped their fourth straight. New York fell to 6-15-4 at home and was blanked for the seventh time in front of its frustrated fans, who were heard chanting for GM Chris Drury to be fired on a few occasions.

Svechnikov scored the only goal Bussi needed 6:26 into the contest thanks to defensive pressure by teammate Mark Jankowski deep in the offensive zone.

Jankowski forced New York defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov into the giveaway in the right circle. The puck went to Svechnikov, who walked into the slot unimpeded and sent a shot from between the circles past Quick’s left arm.

–Field Level Media

Chris Gotterup owns a two-stroke lead at the WM Phoenix Open after shooting an 8-under-par 63 in the first round at TPC Scottsdale that was suspended due to darkness Thursday in Arizona.

Nine players, none of them lower than 3 under for their rounds, have one or two holes left to complete Friday morning before getting on with the second round.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick shot a 7-under 29 on the back nine (his first nine holes of the day) but bogeyed his closing two holes to settle for a 6-under 65. Tied for third at 5-under 66 are Michael Thorbjornsen, Pierceson Coody, Sam Stevens and Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard.

Gotterup began his bogey-free round on the back nine and got into red figures with an eagle at the par-5 13th. He reached the green in two and sank a 27-foot eagle putt to jumpstart his round.

The 26-year-old proceeded to birdie the next three holes, capped by a 7-footer at the famed par-3 16th, Scottsdale’s “Stadium Hole.” Gotterup added another birdie at No. 18 and two more on the front nine.

It has been a dream start to the 2026 season for Gotterup. He won his third PGA Tour title at the season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii, then tied for 18th at the Farmers Insurance Open last week.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is in danger of missing the cut after signing for a 2-over-par 73. On his back-nine start, he made four birdies but followed three of those immediately with a bogey. His struggles continued with a three-putt bogey at No. 1 and a messy double bogey at No. 2.

When Xander Schauffele missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, it left Scheffler as the active leader on tour with 65 consecutive cuts made.

–Field Level Media

Bo Horvat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:27 left to play to lead the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday in Newark, N.J.

Casey Cizikas and Mathew Barzal each added a goal for the Islanders, while Horvat assisted on Barzal’s empty-netter for a two-point night. Ilya Sorokin saved 23 of the 24 shots he faced.

New York won all four games against New Jersey this season.

Nico Hischier scored the Devils’ lone goal and he was assisted by Jesper Bratt and goaltender Jake Allen. New Jersey will go into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak.

Horvat’s team-high 24th goal of the season came off a faceoff win in the Devils’ zone. After the puck stayed loose for a few seconds, the Islanders’ captain slid a backhand shot past Allen to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.

Barzal added the finishing touches for New York with an empty-net goal with 24 seconds remaining.

The Islanders opened up the scoring in the second period when Cizikas beat Allen by tipping in a rebound. It was Cizikas’ seventh goal of the season and his first since Jan. 10.

After having a pair of high-danger chances of their own, including a kick save from defenseman Adam Pelech to deny Lenni Hameenaho on a wide-open shot attempt, the Devils finally broke through with 1:34 left in the second.

Hischier tied the game at 1 with his 19th goal of the season after beating Sorokin with a slap shot that snuck over his left shoulder and into the top corner. It was the Devils’ first goal in more than 140 minutes.

The first period saw a scoreless draw, but there were plenty of opportunities on both sides. Both teams hit the crossbar at different points, including New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer on a breakaway chance against Sorokin.

The Islanders only recorded two shots on goal, but missed the net on a pair of high-danger chances. New Jersey had six shots on goal in the first period. In total, the Devils outshot the Islanders 24-14.

–Field Level Media