New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff hailed his side's play after extending their win streak to 11 games with Thursday's 3-2 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Yegor Sharangovich scored on a rebound 57 seconds into overtime, for his fourth goal of the season, while goal-tender Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves as the Devils improved to 14-3-0.
The Devils' 11-game unbeaten run is tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history, with the longest being 13 from 2000-01 when that side were Stanley Cup runners-up.
"I don’t know if we're really focusing on the rest of the league," Ruff told reporters when asked if the win streak was a statement for other teams.
"You've got to have a lot of good things happen to run a streak like this. In this league, a goalie can beat you, a couple of bad bounces can beat you. We've definitely played with a lot of pace and a lot of speed and been able to take it to a lot of teams."
One player who has been central to the Devils' success is captain Nico Hischier, who put his side up with his second-period goal, before William Nylander's quick shot with 2:09 remaining in the third sent it to overtime.
Ruff suggested that Swiss 23-year-old Hischier should be a candidate for the Selke Trophy, the NHL's top defensive award, comparing him to five-time winner Patrice Bergeron.
"He's a power-play guy, he's one of our top penalty killers," Ruff said about Hischier. "You look at where he is with his play away from the puck, I actually think he should be a candidate this year.
"If he can stay healthy, his two-way game is right up there with the likes of Bergeron."
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe rued his side's 23 giveaways compared to the Devils' 14, acknowledging that is what sets them apart.
"We get the puck back and you give it right back to them," Keefe said. "Can't happen.
"We beat ourselves at times and gave them free goals. They didn't beat themselves at all. That's how you win 11 in a row — you don't beat yourself."
The Green Bay Packers' revival stalled before it genuinely began after a 27-17 loss to the Derrick Henry-inspired Tennessee Titans at Lambeau Field on Thursday.
Henry had 28 carries for 87 yards, with one running touchdown and one throwing touchdown when the Titans deceived the Packers' defense in the third quarter to open up a 20-9 lead. He also had two receptions for 45 yards.
The Titans running back became the first player since 1983 with 20 or more carries, two or more completions, a rushing TD and a passing TD in a game.
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill was exceptional against the blitz and made 22 of 27 passes for 333 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Tennessee improved to 7-3, having won seven of their past eight games, with their only loss in that run coming in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Aaron Rodgers threw two TD passes, both to breakout rookie Christian Watson, on 24-of-39 passing for 227 yards for the 4-7 Packers, who had snapped a five-game skid with last week's 31-28 overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Tannehill passed to Treylon Burks for a 37-yard gain, before linking up with Dontrell Hilliard for a TD on a methodical opening drive. Burks finished the game with seven receptions for 111 yards.
Rodgers caught the Titans defense off guard for Watson's TD to make it 7-6, while the Packers defense thwarted Henry on a fourth-and-one midway after an 18-play drive through the second quarter, but he would not be denied late in the half, opening up a 14-6 half-time lead.
Henry gained 42 yards on a marauding catch-and-run, before flipping a pass over the Packers defense for Austin Hooper to score. After Rodgers found Watson in the same corner again, Hooper added another TD from a 16-yard Tannehill dime early in the fourth.
Arguably the best stretch of Mecole Hardman's career has been interrupted, with the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver set to miss the next month after being placed on injured reserve on Thursday.
Hardman, 24, scored a touchdown in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, starting in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills, before also finding the endzone against the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans.
He was listed on the injury report with an abdominal injury following the win against the Titans in Week 9, before missing the Chiefs' Week 10 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Unfortunately, his prospect of a quick return evaporated during the week off, with the team deciding he is far enough away from full health to warrant the use of the injured reserve.
He will be ineligible to play for at least the next four weeks, and it comes at a time when the Chiefs' top receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is under the league's concussion protocol.
Smith-Schuster is also unlikely to play in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers, which means there will be an increased responsibility for star tight end Travis Kelce, as well as an opportunity for recently acquired Kadarius Toney.
Toney, a first-round draft pick in 2021, arrived in Kansas City less than a month ago from the New York Giants in exchange for a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick.
In his second game for the Chiefs, Toney caught four passes for 57 yards and his first touchdown from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also receiving two carries for 33 yards.
Brazilian players Rodrygo and Marquinhos have warned their teammates about the dangers of buying into their own hype, saying nothing good can come from expecting to win as favourites.
Boasting one of the strongest teams on paper, Brazil's squad includes world-class centerpieces such as Neymar and Vinicius Junior, and they have made two Copa America finals since the 2018 World Cup, winning in 2019 and falling 1-0 to Argentina in 2021.
They will also play in Group G, where they will be joined by Cameroon, Serbia and Switzerland in three matchups Brazil will be heavily favoured in.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Real Madrid's Rodrygo said while he understands the pressure on his side to perform in Qatar, he would prefer to let their play do the talking.
"We know that we have a great national team, that we are among the favourites," he said. "But there are also other very good teams as well.
"It's no use saying we are favourites and then arriving on the pitch and not showing it. We know that everyone was in good form with their clubs and that's why they're here – many good players were left out."
Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Marquinhos agreed, saying they will need to play hungry to fulfill their potential.
"If we think we are favourites, that we are the best, we will not go forward," he said. "We've seen how things are in this competition, which is very difficult.
"All the teams are ready and very balanced, they can make life difficult. That's the [World] Cup.
"It's no use coming here and talking about the future. We have to get through the [group stage] first. It will be three very difficult games."
Brazil kick off their campaign on Thursday, November 24 against Serbia.
Aaron Judge has capped his historic season after being crowned the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) ahead of Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday.
St Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt was also voted the NL MVP, beating out Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres and teammate Nolan Arenado for the award.
Judge's MVP, the first in his career, came after he broke the single-season Yankees and AL home-run record, reaching 62 to surpass Roger Maris Sr's 61 – set 61 years ago in 1961. He became the fourth major league player to hit 62 or more homers in a single season.
The Yankees outfielder led the AL in home runs (62), RBIs (131), slugging percentage (.686), on-base percentage (.425), OPS (1.111) and total bases (391), while he chased an AL Triple Crown down the stretch, but ultimately fell short as Minnesota Twins' utility Luis Arraez (.316) won the batting title.
Judge received 28 first-place votes for 410 points, ahead of Ohtani (280) and Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (232).
The 30-year-old already had two top-five MVP finishes on his resume, in 2017 and 2021, winning Silver Slugger awards in both years.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said: "I’m grateful that I got to witness it first-hand and share in his magical year, especially given how much respect I have for him as a player and as a person."
Goldschmidt looked like the NL MVP since the All-Star break, batting .317 while leading the NL in OPS (.982) and slugging percentage (.578).
The Cardinals first baseman's 35 home runs finished one off his career-high, set in 2013 and equalled in 2017, giving him his seventh season with at least 30 dingers.
Goldschmidt won the MVP with 380 voting points, ahead of Machado (291) and Arenado (232). It is the sixth time in 35-year-old Goldschmidt's career that he has finished in the top-six for the award.
"I think definitely as you age, you have to adapt, and that's some of what I've tried to do. I've tried to get ahead of it," Goldschmidt told MLB Network. "I think it was my best season."
Kevin Durant says the probable return of Kyrie Irving for the Brooklyn Nets' game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday will provide a "much-needed spark".
Irving will miss an eighth straight game because of a team-imposed suspension when the Nets take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, in the final leg of their four-game road trip.
The seven-time All-Star guard was handed an indefinite team-imposed suspension without pay by the Nets, for at least five games, after he shared an allegedly anti-semitic film and book on social media last month.
The Nets, the NBA and the NBPA have worked together with Irving to remediate the situation, after Brooklyn initially laid out six prerequisites for the player. According to reports, a resolution is close, potentially in time for Sunday's game.
"It's exciting for everybody," Durant told reporters prior to Thursday's game. "I mean we miss 'Ky'. We miss his presence on the floor.
"I haven't talked to him since we've been on the road trip about it the last couple of days. But we're looking forward to his return to the team. Definitely gonna give us a much-needed spark."
The Nets, who are 6-9 overall, have gone 4-3 in Irving's absence, although they were blown out 153-121 by the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, which was a franchise record for most points conceded.
Durant added that he was hopeful Irving's return would be soon but said he had not been briefed on where the process is at.
"I don't know the details about everything that's going on to be honest," Durant said. "I should know, I guess, because I'm part of the team.
"But I've been totally focused on the road trip. Once we get back home, I'm sure that stuff will figure itself out. Hopefully it's soon, that's all that I can say."
Kawhi Leonard is on the brink of a Los Angeles Clippers return, having been listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Detroit Pistons.
Leonard had previously been listed as out, having not played since October 24, dating back 12 games due to stiffness in his surgically-repaired right knee.
The 31-year-old small forward missed all of last season after rupturing his ACL during the 2021 playoffs.
Leonard played 21 minutes in each of his two games this season, averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
The Clippers, who are 8-7, have also listed All-Star Paul George (left-hand contusion) as questionable for the Pistons game.
Having qualified for his first ATP Finals, Taylor Fritz is now through to the last-four as he prevailed 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 against Felix Auger-Aliassime in a match where the winner would advance from the Green Group.
There were no break point opportunities in the first set on the back of elite serving from both players, with Fritz converting 90 per cent (19/21) of his accurate first serves into points. However, after giving up a mini-break to begin the tiebreaker, Fritz steadied and snatched three mini-breaks of his own to take the opener.
It was more of the same in the second set, with Auger-Aliassime taking his turn to dominate with his serve. In a near carbon-copy, the Canadian won exactly 90 per cent (19/21) of the first serves he landed fair, and Fritz had to save the only three breaks points of the frame to force another tiebreaker.
When Auger-Aliassime's serve slipped in the third set, so did any chance of taking the match. He won only 52 per cent of his service points (14/27) in the frame, while Fritz maintained a stellar level at 89 per cent (16/18), securing a double-break and the victory.
Having finished second in his group, Fritz will next take on the winner of the Red Group, which will likely be Novak Djokovic as he is the only undefeated player through two games.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Fritz - 5/1
Auger-Aliassime - 9/2
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Fritz - 32/21
Auger-Aliassime - 36/31
BREAK POINTS WON
Fritz - 2/5
Auger-Aliassime - 0/3
The Philadelphia Eagles have signed a second veteran in as many days in an effort to shore up a leaky run defence, as the team announced Thursday it has agreed to a one-year contract with five-time Pro Bowl tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Suh's addition comes one day after the 8-1 Eagles signed 34-year-old defensive tackle Linval Joseph to a one-year deal, and just three days after Philadelphia surrendered 152 rushing yards and were handed their first loss of the season with a 32-21 home defeat to the Washington Commanders.
The 35-year-old is yet to play this season while he fielded offers with the intent to sign with a contender, but started all 17 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 and finished with six sacks for a second straight campaign.
Over 12 NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay, Suh has started 191 regular-season games and compiled 70.5 sacks.
The 2010 No. 2 overall pick was named to the Pro Bowl five times between 2010-16 and was a starter on the Buccaneers' 2020 Super Bowl champion team.
The Eagles were seeking reinforcements in their defensive interior after recently placing tackles Jordan Davis and Marlon Tuipulotu on injured reserve, and to address the team's struggles in stopping the run.
Philadelphia have allowed 124 rushing yards or more in five consecutive games and rank 25th in the NFL in average yards allowed per rush attempt (4.7).
The Eagles have permitted an average of 144.4 yards per game on the ground during that five-game stretch.
Atlanta United star Thiago Almada is heading to the World Cup in Qatar after being called up as an injury replacement by Argentina.
Almada's inclusion was confirmed hours after Inter forward Joaquin Correa had to withdraw because of a knee problem sustained in the friendly win against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old midfielder only made his Albiceleste debut in September's friendly victory against Honduras, and now has the chance to join Lionel Messi and co. in trying to win their first World Cup since 1986.
Almada joined Atlanta in February in a $16million deal from Velez Sarsfield and recorded 18 goal involvements with the Major League Soccer side (six goals, 12 assists).
The announcement came shortly after it was confirmed that Atletico Madrid forward Angel Correa had been called up to replace Nicolas Gonzalez, who was also forced to withdraw due to injury.
Argentina's campaign at the World Cup begins with a clash against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, before they also face Mexico and Poland in Group C, with the defeated 2014 finalists widely regarded to be among the favourites for this year's tournament.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham says Ivan Toney was not picked for England's World Cup squad on "footballing grounds".
Brentford striker Toney was charged with 232 alleged breaches of the FA's betting rules over a near-four-year period on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old has until next Thursday to respond after he previously stated he was cooperating with an investigation into any alleged infringements.
Toney, before the revelation of the ongoing investigation was announced, missed out on Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for Qatar, though Bullingham insisted the decision was for on-field reasons.
"He was absolutely available for selection," Bullingham told the BBC. "He was not chosen on footballing grounds."
Newcastle United's Callum Wilson got the nod ahead of Toney, joining Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford as Southgate's striking options.
Toney is not the first English player to be charged for such alleged breaches, with Kieran Trippier – a member of England's squad – punished in December 2020.
Right-back Trippier, now of Newcastle, was handed a 10-week ban by the FA after giving out information for others to bet on his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid.
"I think our rules are very clear and we have had a small number of cases," Bullingham responded when asked if there was a problem within English football.
"Obviously, we will look to enforce the rules when they are broken."
England start their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday, before facing the United States and Wales in Group B.
Joao Felix backed Portugal to go all the way at the World Cup after Fernando Santos welcomed a selection headache following a 4-0 friendly thrashing of Nigeria.
Bruno Fernandes' first-half double, coupled with late strikes for Goncalo Ramos and Joao Mario, saw Santos' side to a comfortable triumph on Thursday before setting off for Qatar.
Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix did not manage to get on the scoresheet but impressed in Lisbon, with Santos noting a credible performance from the 23-year-old.
"He was one of the best, with some others. They were all better, nobody plays alone," the Portugal coach said.
"Joao played a good game too, at the level of what the others did. I have 26 players knocking on the door. Every day they knock on my door in training.
"They all knock on the door and they all have reasons to play. That's certainly good for the coach."
Joao Felix suggested he enjoys more attacking freedom for Portugal than Atletico Madrid, as he backed Santos' side for glory in Qatar, where they face Ghana in their Group H opener next Thursday.
"I have more freedom of movement with the national team because we are very mobile," he said. "I felt good and the team had a great game.
"I think we are prepared to win the World Cup. We looked for the goal and I helped the team, which is my mission as a striker.
"The goals did not appear in this game, but they will happen in the World Cup."
Santos will also have to consider the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed the friendly victory due to "illness" as the aftermath of his scathing interview on Manchester United continues.
Cristiano Ronaldo dreams of facing the "magic" Lionel Messi in the World Cup final as two footballing greats head into the twilight of their careers.
The 37-year-old Ronaldo will hope to help Portugal escape Group H, where they face Ghana next Thursday before clashes against Uruguay and South Korea.
Messi, 35, heads to Qatar with one of the pre-tournament favourites, Argentina, who start Group C against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, with meetings against Mexico and Poland to follow.
Having battled for centre stage against former Barcelona star Messi for numerous years, ex-Real Madrid forward Ronaldo admitted he would love to face his old foe in the World Cup showpiece on December 18.
"It's too good, too good of a dream," Ronaldo told Piers Morgan on TalkTV in his wide-ranging interview, in which he criticised Manchester United, senior figures at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag and Ralf Rangnick.
The pair share 12 Ballon d'Or titles between them, with Messi's record-breaking seven two more than Ronaldo's haul, surmising a dominant period in elite football between the evergreen duo.
Messi now plays his club football with Paris Saint-Germain, while Ronaldo's time at United appears to be heading to an abrupt end amid the furore of his scathing interview on his current employers.
The Portugal international, despite the revered battles between the pair throughout their respective careers, assured he has a "great relationship" with Messi, who he would like to sit down for a meal with.
"He is an amazing player, he is magic. As a person, he is top. We shared the stage for 16 years, imagine," he added.
"I have a great relationship with him. I'm not a friend of him in terms of the guy who is at your house, speaking on the phone, no, but he is like a team-mate.
"He's a guy that I really respect the way he always speaks about me. Even his wife or my wife, my girlfriend, they always respect and they're both from Argentina.
"What I am going to say about Messi? A great guy who does great things for football."
Blaugrana legend Messi has been linked with a move to Major League Soccer or a fairytale reunion with Barca, who he left amid well-documented financial difficulties at Camp Nou in August 2021.
The future of Ronaldo appears unlikely to remain with United, though he suggested he would like to call an end to his playing career aged 40.
"I want to play two years more, three years more. So two or three years maximum," he continued.
"I want to finish at 40. I think 40, will be a good age… But I don't know, I don't know the future.
"Sometimes you plan one thing for your life and as have said many times, life is dynamic. You never know what's going to happen."
Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he would be happy to see Arsenal win the Premier League, if Manchester United cannot become champions.
The Portugal star has caught the headlines with an explosive interview aired this week, where he criticised his employers, current manager Erik ten Hag and his former team-mates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.
His comments have led to a growing expectation that a swift departure from Old Trafford is on the cards after the World Cup in Qatar when the January transfer window opens for business – and his admission on the Premier League title race will cause a further stir.
United have struggled for stability in the Premier League this season, while Arsenal have lost just once – at Old Trafford – as they look for a first top-flight crown since going unbeaten in the 2004-05 season.
If that were to happen, Ronaldo has conceded he would be happy with the outcome.
"I hope so. Manchester United first, if not, Arsenal. It's a team I like to see play," he told Piers Morgan's Uncensored on TalkTV.
"I like the team, I like the coach. I think they have a good team and if Manchester United don't win the Premier League, then I will be happy if Arsenal do."
Arsenal hold a five-point advantage over Manchester City after 14 rounds of Premier League action, with United 11 points adrift of the Gunners.
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