review Page 673 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Bucks, Raptors clash following lopsided wins
Two teams coming in off big wins match up on Friday night as the Milwaukee Bucks welcome the visiting Toronto Raptors.,This is Game 3 of a four-game homestand for the Bucks. They took down the Orlando Magic 122-93 in dominating fashion Wednesday night. It was their fifth win in their last six games....

Nuggets, Heat await word on stars' status ahead of matchup
Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic entered Thursday second in the NBA in assists (9.9 per game), third in scoring (30.6) and third in rebounds (13.2), but he may sit out Friday night's game at the Miami Heat.,Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP, missed Denver's 128-108 home loss to the Houston Roc...

Top defenses collide as Ohio State, Notre Dame battle for CFP title
ATLANTA -- It's nearly impossible to predict what will decide Monday night's College Football Playoff Championship between Notre Dame and Ohio State, but one individual matchup could carry plenty of weight.,That involves the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish (14-1) trying to shut down Ohio State star freshm...

Villanova out to regain form vs. Providence
Less than two weeks ago, Villanova defeated No. 9 UConn to improve to 8-1 in its last nine games. Everything was looking bright for the Wildcats.,However, the momentum has not carried over for Villanova, which is hoping to avoid a third straight loss Friday when it hosts Providence in Big East actio...

Struggling Bulls aim to 'take a stand' vs. Hornets
A five-game homestand that started with promise has sputtered for the Chicago Bulls.,Aiming to salvage Friday's finale against the Charlotte Hornets and snap a three-game losing streak, the Bulls will start by looking inward.,"It's right here to define the season. It's going to define the true chara...

Knicks C Karl-Anthony Towns' status in question vs. Timberwolves
Karl-Anthony Towns' first game in Minnesota as an opposing player reminded the Timberwolves how valuable he was during his nine seasons there.,On Friday night, the New York Knicks might join the Timberwolves in realizing just how tough it can be to win without the four-time All-Star.,New York hopes ...

Playing well of late, Sabres try to extend Penguins' skid
A post-Christmas rut has added to the overall frustration of the Pittsburgh Penguins.,However, they still find themselves in better shape than the Buffalo Sabres.,The Penguins begin a season-high seven-game road stretch looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat Friday night against the Eastern Confe...

Golden Knights aim to regain form in encounter vs. Hurricanes
The Vegas Golden Knights haven't been in full bounce-back mode often this season.,But that might be the case for their game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night at Raleigh, N.C.,Some of the shine has come off Vegas with losses in three of its last four games.,"Maybe there's a bit of compl...

Celtics hunting consistency as Magic search for 3-point touch
The Boston Celtics haven't looked like a contender for the NBA championship lately, and they'll try to regain their early-season form when they face the visiting Orlando Magic on Friday night.,Boston is coming off a 110-97 loss at Toronto on Wednesday, which dropped the Celtics' record to 7-7 in the...

Sputtering Canucks look for 'committed' effort vs. Kings
The Vancouver Canucks are well into the second month of a major slump that's officially knocked them out of a playoff spot.,Bouncing back won't get any easier against the visiting Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.,The Canucks have dropped five of their past six games (1-3-2) and haven't won two i...

Oilers' tank to be tested by travel, high-octane Avalanche
The Edmonton Oilers haven't enjoyed home cooking for a while, and it will be a few more days before they unpack their bags.,In the midst of playing seven of eight games on the road, the sixth is Thursday night when the Oilers visit the Colorado Avalanche in Denver.,The degree of difficulty increases...

Kings, rising in the West, set for clash with Rockets
Two of the hottest teams in the Western Conference will go head-to-head Thursday night when the Houston Rockets visit the Sacramento Kings in the rematch of an NBA Cup game from last month.,Sacramento prevailed the first time around, also on its home court, riding 27 points from Domantas Sabonis and...

Sputtering Northwestern hosts Maryland, looks to end skid
After a 10-3 start, Northwestern has opened the new calendar year with three consecutive losses and its best player, Brooks Barnhizer, in a slump.,When Northwestern (10-6, 1-4 Big Ten) faces Maryland (13-4, 3-3), Thursday in Evanston, Ill., the Wildcats will look to break out of their slide and avoi...

Rangers bid to build momentum against Utah HC
The New York Rangers and Utah Hockey Club share a commonality of being .500 teams and facing similar deficits in the wild-card races of their respective conferences.,Both teams are hoping to make up some ground on Thursday night when the Rangers visit the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City.,The Rang...

Home sweet home: Nebraska eyes program record vs. Rutgers
Setting a program record usually is something to celebrate, and Nebraska hopes it will be able to do just that when it hosts Rutgers on Thursday in Lincoln, Neb.,The Cornhuskers are vying for their 21st consecutive home victory on Thursday.,Nebraska (12-4, 2-3 Big Ten) is 8-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena ...

Blazers brace for record-setting Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers couldn't have dreamed for a better lead-in to their clash with the host Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. ,The Clippers sent statisticians scurrying through the record books in an emphatic opening leg of a back-to-back set on Wednesday, demolishing the Brooklyn Nets ...

Kyle Connor, Jets take aim at Kraken
The Winnipeg Jets just keep soaring.,The Jets became the first NHL team to 30 wins with a 6-1 thrashing of the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.,Winnipeg will look to continue its winning ways when it hosts the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.,The Jets have won two consecutive games and are 3-...

Canadiens bid to stay out of penalty box in rematch vs. Stars
Just five days after the Stars' narrow shootout victory over the Canadiens in Montreal, two of the NHL's hottest teams will square off again in Dallas on Thursday night.,Dallas is 8-1-0 in its last nine games while Montreal is 10-2-1 in its last 13. The Canadiens are on a five-game points streak (4-...

Blackhawks, facing Predators, pursue rare road win
As the losses pile up, frustration continues to consume the Chicago Blackhawks.,Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators still are trying to find ways to win games consistently.,The Blackhawks look to avoid a fourth consecutive overall defeat -- and seventh straight on the road -- when they face the Preda...

Blues, Flames meet up once again in key Western matchup
The St. Louis Blues will host the Calgary Flames again on Thursday to complete an unusual two-game series featuring a postseason vibe.,There is a good reason for that atmosphere: The Flames, Blues and Vancouver Canucks are battling for the final playoff spot in the potential Western Conference playo...