Our hockey writers are sharing observations throughout Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Check...

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Running analysis of Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Our hockey writers are sharing observations throughout Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here'...

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Past analysis of Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin, we highlight 16 players - one for every championship hopeful -...

<p><em>As the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin, we highlight 16 players - one for every championship hopeful - with the power to take over matchups and propel their team to NHL supremacy.</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏒 Eastern Conference series" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-vVSXo" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/vVSXo/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="165" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Matthew Knies</strong>: The Maple Leafs have never had a player like Knies in the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner-William Nylander era. Yes, Knies has been around for the past two playoff runs, but not this version of him. The hulking power forward exploded for 29 goals in his sophomore campaign, nearly doubling his 15 from a year ago.<em><strong> </strong></em>If he can effectively utilize his 6-foot-3, 227-pound frame for postseason hockey, it could open up more space for linemates Matthews and Marner, who need to deliver for Toronto to go deep.</p><p><strong>Brady Tkachuk</strong>: The Senators captain hasn't played in many big games in his pro career, mainly because he hasn't gotten a taste of playoff hockey. But if his performance at the 4 Nations Face-Off was any indication - he scored three goals in four games and was a maniac on the forecheck - his game is tailor-made for the postseason. If the Senators pull off the upset in this series, you can bet it will be because Tkachuk drags them into the fight.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780692/cropped_GettyImages-2209461358.jpg?ts=1744730098" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780692/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209461358.jpg?ts=1744730098 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780692/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209461358.jpg?ts=1744730098 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780692/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209461358.jpg?ts=1744730098 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780692/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209461358.jpg?ts=1744730098 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780692/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209461358.jpg?ts=1744730098 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Vince Del Monte / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Andrei Vasilevskiy</strong>: The Lightning goaltender was a massive part of their three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2020-22. His Conn Smythe Trophy-winning 2021 playoffs, in which he recorded four series-clinching shutouts, was the stuff of legend. But Vasilevskiy has been a weakness with an .885 save percentage over the past two postseasons where Tampa Bay has been eliminated in Round 1. If the playoff Vasi of old shows up - a real possibility after a strong, healthy regular season - look out.</p><p><strong>Brad Marchand</strong>: The marriage between Marchand and the Panthers hasn't been as perfect as we might've thought - so far. The trade deadline acquisition tallied four points in 10 games with an ugly 43% expected goals share since returning from injury - a far cry from his typical 60-plus point pace. But Marchand was brought to Florida for the playoffs. Does he have enough left in the tank to deliver when it matters most? Can he be his usual agitating self?</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780550/cropped_GettyImages-2208821886.jpg?ts=1744643759" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780550/w220xh124_GettyImages-2208821886.jpg?ts=1744643759 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780550/w320xh180_GettyImages-2208821886.jpg?ts=1744643759 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780550/w640xh360_GettyImages-2208821886.jpg?ts=1744643759 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780550/w768xh432_GettyImages-2208821886.jpg?ts=1744643759 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780550/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2208821886.jpg?ts=1744643759 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andrew Mordzynski / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Alex Ovechkin</strong>: The NHL's record goal scorer just buried 44 in 65 games despite enduring a broken leg. That translates to the fifth-best per-game scoring rate of Ovechkin's transcendent 20-year career. With a lofty 12.5% team shooting percentage, the Capitals sniped at will throughout the season but went cold during a recent funk. They can win rounds for the first time since their 2018 Cup run if Ovechkin continues to find open ice and overwhelm goalies.</p><p><strong>Lane Hutson</strong>: The Canadiens' defensive shortcomings seem insignificant when the shifty, intelligent Hutson sets up Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, or Patrik Laine for tap-ins. His preternatural poise let him control games as a historically productive rookie blue-liner. In Hutson's first brush with a playoff opponent, he'll log intense minutes as Washington seeks to close his stickhandling and passing windows and force mistakes.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780553/cropped_GettyImages-2194929042.jpg?ts=1744644951" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780553/w220xh124_GettyImages-2194929042.jpg?ts=1744644951 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780553/w320xh180_GettyImages-2194929042.jpg?ts=1744644951 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780553/w640xh360_GettyImages-2194929042.jpg?ts=1744644951 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780553/w768xh432_GettyImages-2194929042.jpg?ts=1744644951 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780553/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2194929042.jpg?ts=1744644951 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Josh Lavallee / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Seth Jarvis</strong>: Modeling consistency, the Hurricanes have advanced past the opening round of every postseason since 2019. Inevitably, they begin struggling to finish and bow out of the dance. Part of the problem is they've dropped five consecutive overtime games dating to the 2023 Eastern Conference Final. Carolina's luck will turn if Jarvis, an all-situations force whose 32 goals paced the club, jolts the offense in a huge moment.</p><p><strong>Jesper Bratt</strong>: The Devils' 9-10-1 record since March 2 shows they teetered without Jack Hughes but refused to be crushed by his season-ending injury. It helped that Bratt, a phenomenal creator, continued the scoring tear that spurred him to fifth<strong> </strong>in the NHL in assists (67),<strong> </strong>sixth<strong> </strong>in primary assists (36),<strong> </strong>and<strong> </strong>tied for 15th<strong> </strong>in points (88). New Jersey's top line - Nico Hischier between Bratt and Ondrej Palat - needs to expose the Canes' shaky goaltending.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏒 Western Conference series" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-oMc0v" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oMc0v/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="165" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Connor Hellebuyck</strong>: It's time for Hellebuyck to take over a postseason and cement his status as an all-time great goaltender. He already has the regular-season hardware with two Vezina Trophies and a third likely coming his way in June. But he's struggled mightily with an .875 save percentage and a 4.28 goals-against average in 10 games over the past two postseasons. With the Jets winning the Presidents' Trophy and Hellebuyck firmly in his prime at 31, there's no better time than now to go on a deep run.</p><p><strong>Jordan Binnington</strong>: If any goalie won't be intimidated by going head-to-head with Hellebuyck, it's Binnington, who got the better of his American counterpart in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Binnington's confidence skyrocketed from his strong showing for Canada. He owned an .897 save percentage for the Blues before the tournament but posted a .910 mark afterward. A proven big-game goalie riding high is bad news for opposing shooters.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780690/cropped_GettyImages-2206516253.jpg?ts=1744729324" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780690/w220xh124_GettyImages-2206516253.jpg?ts=1744729324 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780690/w320xh180_GettyImages-2206516253.jpg?ts=1744729324 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780690/w640xh360_GettyImages-2206516253.jpg?ts=1744729324 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780690/w768xh432_GettyImages-2206516253.jpg?ts=1744729324 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780690/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2206516253.jpg?ts=1744729324 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Curtis Comeau / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Mikko Rantanen</strong>: The potential of Rantanen haunting his former team is arguably the opening round's most intriguing storyline. He started to find his footing with the Stars - something he couldn't do in his brief stint with the Hurricanes - by recording 14 points in his final 13 games. The Stars are one of the deepest teams in the league, but a true game-breaker up front like Rantanen could put them over the top in the playoffs.</p><p><strong>Brock Nelson</strong>: The Avalanche front office overhauled nearly half the team throughout the season, but Nelson was probably their biggest addition. Colorado hasn't had a center of Nelson's caliber behind Nathan MacKinnon since 2022, when the Avs won the Cup with Nazem Kadri producing valuable secondary offense. The 6-foot-4 Nelson, who boasts an impressive playoff resume with 27 goals in 78 games, could provide a similar impact.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780563/cropped_GettyImages-2196817728.jpg?ts=1744647680" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780563/w220xh124_GettyImages-2196817728.jpg?ts=1744647680 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780563/w320xh180_GettyImages-2196817728.jpg?ts=1744647680 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780563/w640xh360_GettyImages-2196817728.jpg?ts=1744647680 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780563/w768xh432_GettyImages-2196817728.jpg?ts=1744647680 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780563/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2196817728.jpg?ts=1744647680 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Jared Silber / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Tomas Hertl</strong>: Acquired at the 2024 trade deadline, Hertl's unproductive first series with the Golden Knights contributed to their defeat in seven games. They'll be miserable to face this spring if he meets expectations. The big center's 11 goals in his past 17 outings helped Vegas accrue a .731 points percentage since the 4 Nations break. The Pacific Division's top seed is a buzzsaw with scoring depth, brawn, and championship experience.</p><p><strong>Kirill Kaprizov</strong>: Only four NHL megastars (Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and MacKinnon) produced more points per game than Kaprizov, the heartbeat of the Wild. However, he was injured for half the year, and Minnesota suffered accordingly, playing at an 88-point standings pace without him in the lineup. The Wild can spook Vegas if they receive superior goaltending and Kaprizov is dominant for close to 25 minutes each night.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780556/cropped_GettyImages-2193283478.jpg?ts=1744646310" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780556/w220xh124_GettyImages-2193283478.jpg?ts=1744646310 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780556/w320xh180_GettyImages-2193283478.jpg?ts=1744646310 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780556/w640xh360_GettyImages-2193283478.jpg?ts=1744646310 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780556/w768xh432_GettyImages-2193283478.jpg?ts=1744646310 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780556/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2193283478.jpg?ts=1744646310 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Curtis Comeau / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Vladislav Gavrikov</strong>: The Kings are a shutdown team that allowed the second-fewest goals and shots on net in the NHL. They tap Gavrikov to shadow stars, block rubber, and create calm in front of Darcy Kuemper, the potential Vezina Trophy finalist who'll be the seventh Los Angeles goalie in four postseasons to face Edmonton. Gavrikov and L.A.'s other defensive linchpins, Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty, are battle-tested and itching to slay the beast.</p><p><strong>Connor McDavid</strong>: Who else? The Oilers were about to be swept in the last Stanley Cup Final when McDavid's back-to-back four-point explosions turned a rout into an unforgettable slugfest. When he faces the Kings in the playoffs, he transforms into Wayne Gretzky with blinding speed. The hardest player to stop, no one's better equipped than McDavid to elevate linemates, lacerate a strong defense, and drag a banged-up team to victory.</p>

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16 players who will headline the Stanley Cup race

In recent years, elite North American hockey players had access to half of the opportunities they...

<p>In recent years, elite North American hockey players had access to half of the opportunities they craved. NHLers competed nightly in league play and chased the sport's ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup. But the NHL spurned the international spotlight, while stars of the women's game got to clash for patriotic bragging rights and gold medals.</p><p>The sport found the right balance in 2025. The hostile, riveting 4 Nations Face-Off was best-on-best hockey in its ideal form. The women who bridged a border divide to create a league of their own - the PWHL - bolstered their abilities in front of sellout crowds. These advances signal a golden age for Canada's bitter rivalry with the United States as the 2026 Milan Olympics approach.</p><p>First, the countries meet Sunday in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia, in the round robin of the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship. Both squads are 2-0 at the tournament, and barring a giant upset, they'll reunite in the final on April 20 for the 23rd time. The Canadians, whose record in the title game is 13-9, are aiming to bag a fourth gold medal in five years.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Both women's national teams mix established and emerging talent. They're built like the 4 Nations lineups that upstaged Finland and Sweden on home ice while exhibiting hatred and incredible skill. No longer dormant, the Canada-U.S. men's rivalry has a jagged edge. Heading forward, women's tussles stand to be more competitive than ever.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🌎 Worlds schedule" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-bA7FR" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/bA7FR/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="345" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Pros who've spent two seasons in the PWHL have had time to concentrate on the craft, take and throw hits, become faster and stronger, and quicken the pace of play. Gains they make in that high-end environment will translate to the world stage.</p><p>Coaching tips, conditioning and nutrition regimens, and growing chemistry between linemates helped players <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3235097" href="https://thescore.com/news/3235097">boost scoring</a> throughout the league. There are 5.11 goals per game in the PWHL's second season, up from 4.83 in the inaugural year. At the same time, the excellence of defensive workhorses and the league's goalies explains a sterling average save percentage of .913 (the NHL equivalent is .900).</p><p>International icons top the PWHL in goals (Marie-Philip Poulin, 17) and points (Hilary Knight, 28). Poulin redefined clutch play with her four winning tallies for Canada in Olympic or world championship finals. Knight continues to pad her career scoring record at worlds with 67 goals and 114 points in 82 games.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780062/cropped_Fillier_and_Harvey.jpg?ts=1744382246" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780062/w220xh124_Fillier_and_Harvey.jpg?ts=1744382246 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780062/w320xh180_Fillier_and_Harvey.jpg?ts=1744382246 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780062/w640xh360_Fillier_and_Harvey.jpg?ts=1744382246 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780062/w768xh432_Fillier_and_Harvey.jpg?ts=1744382246 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780062/w1080xh607_Fillier_and_Harvey.jpg?ts=1744382246 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Sarah Fillier (left) and Caroline Harvey. <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Troy Parla / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Every line their teams send over the boards in Czechia blends finesse, jam, and offensive touch. Dominant up-and-comers like Canada's Sarah Fillier, the rookie forward lighting up the PWHL, control big games at a young age. Dynamic defenders Laila Edwards and Caroline Harvey are two of nine rising stars the U.S. plucked from the college ranks as the program girds for a post-Knight future.</p><p>Venom has coursed through the rivalry since Hayley Wickenheiser accused the 2002 U.S. Olympic team of laying the Canadian flag on their dressing room floor. Brawls intensified two exhibition matchups in the lead-up to the 2014 Winter Games.</p><p>When the result matters, every game is a close thriller. Eleven of the last 13 Canada-U.S. finals at the Olympics or worlds were decided by a goal. Eight in the span required overtime.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏒 Major women's finals" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-O1Y5E" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/O1Y5E/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="1152" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Tension was palpable in February at the 4 Nations, a turf war with a tribal feeling that even the Stanley Cup Playoffs can't replicate.</p><p>Fighting for the flag, Canada and the U.S. traded haymakers, chirps, and glorious chances until Connor McDavid wired a wrister over Connor Hellebuyck's glove in overtime of the final. For Canadian fans, the snipe felt like an affirmation of national sovereignty.</p><p>In defeat, the bruising and banged-up Tkachuk brothers became American cult heroes. Brady and Matthew's tour of the late-night circuit and popular YouTube shows grew hockey's profile and reach.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780074/GettyImages-2199888550.jpg?ts=1744384813" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780074/GettyImages-2199888550.jpg?ts=1744384813 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780074/GettyImages-2199888550.jpg?ts=1744384813 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780074/GettyImages-2199888550.jpg?ts=1744384813 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780074/GettyImages-2199888550.jpg?ts=1744384813 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780074/GettyImages-2199888550.jpg?ts=1744384813 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Brady Tkachuk fights Sam Bennett at the 4 Nations. <i>Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images</i> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution"></span></figcaption></figure><p>With NHLers in the mix again, the 2026 Olympics will be cinematic. The introduction of a healthy Quinn Hughes would supercharge the proceedings and counter Canada's deployment of the wondrous Cale Makar. Stacking the blue line with Hughes, Zach Werenski, Jaccob Slavin, and Jake Sanderson is probably how the swaggering Americans will pursue their first triumph at a best-on-best event since the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3216657" href="https://thescore.com/news/3216657">1996 World Cup</a>.</p><p>Jordan Binnington's 4 Nations heroics won't silence questions about Canadian goaltending. But Canada boasts supreme star power: Makar, McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon get to debut at the Olympics alongside Sidney Crosby, the golden sniper at Vancouver in 2010. Living legends will link up at biennial tournaments - the Winter Games and the revived World Cup - for years to come.</p><p>National pride and strife <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3222303" href="https://thescore.com/news/3222303">brought the best</a> out of these players. Skill, bad blood, and high drama produce pulsating entertainment. There's more of that to come in Ceske Budejovice and Milan.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

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Golden age dawns for Canada-USA hockey rivalry

The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings can't escape each other. Unless the Vegas Golden Knight...

<p>The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings can't escape each other. Unless the Vegas Golden Knights tailspin out of first in the Pacific Division, these familiar foes will place second and third for a fourth consecutive year. They're on course to collide in yet another opening round of the postseason.</p><p>These incessant brushes stem from the star-studded Oilers' surprising inability to win a division title. The franchise hasn’t done that since Wayne Gretzky menaced the Smythe Division in 1987. L.A. leapfrogged Edmonton in this year's standings to engineer a small shakeup, but it probably won't be enough to catch Vegas and overhaul the Pacific bracket.</p><p>Kings-Oilers 4.0 is the logical result of a playoff format that stokes rivalries through repetition. The NHL ditched the 1-through-8 pathway through each conference to adopt the current divisional gauntlet in 2014. The change produced a blizzard of common matchups over the next decade.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>For legions of fatigued fans, the format is too predictable - and Kings-Oilers helps explain why. It's about to become the most frequent first-round playoff showdown since divisional realignment.</p><p>As visualized below, a pair of teams in every division has met three times in Round 1. If L.A. and Edmonton renew hostilities, they'll rewrite that milestone in one uninterrupted swoop while tying the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins for most meetings under the present format.</p><p><em>(Note: This table excludes matchups from the 2020 and '21 postseasons, which were configured differently because of the pandemic.)</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🆚  Most common matchups" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-vvx8V" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/vvx8V/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="1184" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Some magnetic property connects certain teams. By theScore's count, the Kings and Oilers were the 37th set of opponents in league history - and just the sixth this century - to clash in three consecutive postseasons.</p><p>There are 11 historical examples of rivals extending a playoff matchup streak to four years. If the Kings and Oilers join that list, it would be the seventh four-peat since NHL expansion began in 1967, and the first to be confined to this century.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏒 Longest matchup streaks" aria-label="Range Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-y1iW5" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/y1iW5/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="372" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Coincidentally, the Oilers were part of the past two endlessly repetitive matchups, including against the Kings right after their titanic Gretzky trade. They could become the second set of teams, following the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, to face off four consecutive times in multiple eras. In fact, they'd join the Bruins and Habs as the only squads since '67 to meet four straight times in the same round.</p><p>Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid deluged L.A. on the power play as Edmonton won its past three opening series by an aggregate score of 74-50. But the 2024-25 Kings battened the hatches: They're a defensive force that's allowed the second-fewest goals (2.44 per game) and the fewest expected goals (2.62 per 60 minutes, according to <a href="https://www.naturalstattrick.com/teamtable.php?fromseason=20242025&amp;thruseason=20242025&amp;stype=2&amp;sit=all&amp;score=all&amp;rate=y&amp;team=all&amp;loc=B&amp;gpf=410&amp;fd=&amp;td=">Natural Stat Trick</a>) in the NHL. Their .816 points percentage and plus-59 goal differential on home ice bode well if the next series reaches Game 7.</p><p>These Kings revived veteran goalie Darcy Kuemper and count on Adrian Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, and Quinton Byfield to lead the offensive charge. They've gotten strong production from Warren Foegele, the free agent who changed sides from Edmonton. Foegele can't avoid this matchup, but like the Oilers' Viktor Arvidsson, he has the rare opportunity to experience it from a new perspective.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30894249/related

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A budding champion engineered the greatest single-year turnaround in recent NHL memory. The Color...

<p>A budding champion engineered the greatest single-year turnaround in recent NHL memory. The Colorado Avalanche's goal differential improved from minus-112 in their unspeakable 2016-17 season to plus-20 in 2017-18. The Avs rose to respectability, followed by Stanley Cup contention.</p><p>The stunning revival of the Washington Capitals began in a different place. They were a declining Cup winner that lost dozens of blowout games yet backed into last year's postseason with a goal differential of minus-37. Those Capitals were swept in the first round, and it seemed attempts to wring the juice out of Alex Ovechkin's glorious career would help him break a famous record but fail to generate more group success.</p><p>Instead, his team got much better. The 2024-25 Capitals easily eclipsed 100 points and are coasting to first place in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. With seven games remaining, Washington's goal differential is plus-67, which translates to a year-over-year net increase of 104 goals. Only the 2018 Avalanche and 2023 New Jersey Devils authored steeper ascents since Ovechkin's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3245458" href="https://thescore.com/news/3245458">debut</a> at the outset of the salary-cap era.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="💥 Greatest turnarounds" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-gSp5r" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/gSp5r/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="611" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>The Capitals escaped mediocrity with a balanced effort. They boast none of the league's top 25 scorers and weren't represented at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Their only award favorite is head coach Spencer Carbery, the Jack Adams Award shoo-in. They benefited from a bold retool spearheaded by president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick, whose magic touch reversed the club's fate.</p><p>Smart trades and surprising breakouts rejuvenated Washington and kicked Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky into overdrive. Capitals teammates set up their grizzled captain to bury chances at a relentless rate. Ovechkin has 39 goals this season despite suffering a broken leg and needs three more to topple Gretzky's all-time milestone of 894.</p><p>Most of his supporting cast is wrapping up a career season. Veterans, young guns, and marquee summer additions simultaneously leveled up in Ovechkin's 20th year and Carbery's second at the helm.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏒 Capitals' top scorers" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-6XC9x" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/6XC9x/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="471" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Unwanted by the Chicago Blackhawks three years ago, top center Dylan Strome just reached 70 points for the first time while assisting close to half (19) of Ovechkin's goals. Tom Wilson belatedly evolved into a 30-goal scorer by staying healthy, avoiding suspension, spending less time in the box, and owning the low slot. His 21 snipes from that fertile area rank in the league's 98th percentile, per <a href="https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/8476880">NHL EDGE</a>.</p><p>Aliaksei Protas entered the year with 53 career points, then produced massive numbers for a forward with a minimal power-play role (0:08 of ice time per game, one PP assist). The hulking Belarusian's 60 even-strength points and three shorthanded goals are team highs. Washington is 18-2-1 (.881 points percentage) when key complementary talent Connor McMichael scores and 30-6-4 (.800) when McMichael tallies a point.</p><p>Buy-low trades MacLellan swung last June and July added difference-makers in their prime to each segment of Washington's lineup. Parting with a starting goaltender, a decent defenseman, and draft capital strengthened the Capitals all over the ice.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="↔️ Capitals' offseason trades" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-Vnddl" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Vnddl/4/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="215" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Providing unreal value between the pipes, Logan Thompson owns sterling stats (.910 save percentage, 31-6-6 record) while accounting for less than 1% of the salary cap on a $766,667 contract. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun, a poor fit with the Ottawa Senators, has pounded pucks past goalies and helped lessen John Carlson's immense workload.</p><p>Three previous clubs soured on Pierre-Luc Dubois, but the big center has showcased the playmaking touch and defensive aptitude that explain his enduring appeal. Despite being relegated to a depth role, Andrew Mangiapane's recent three-game goal streak hinted he's the sort of opportunistic finisher who could swing a tight playoff matchup.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ovechkin's filling the net with furious efficiency. Buffalo Sabres sniper Tage Thompson is the only NHL regular with more five-on-five goals per 60 minutes (Ovi's rate is 1.54). Rather than cheapening his record chase, Ovechkin's eight empty-netters - his way of turning defense into offense - signal that his team builds and cements late leads. The Capitals are 41-4-3 when they're ahead or tied entering the third period.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🎯 Grizzled snipers" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-OvwHb" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/OvwHb/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="760" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Fortune favored the Capitals in this dominant season. Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie are beloved franchise legends, but placing them on LTIR freed up significant cap space. The Caps rocketed from 28th to first in NHL scoring thanks to the hottest team shooting percentage (13%) seen in the league since 1996. Even if their sticks cool in the playoffs at a terrible time, the excitement of the record chase will make the year unforgettable.</p><p>The extension of the Capitals' competitive window contrasts the downfall of the Pittsburgh Penguins. These archrivals met in the postseason every time that either Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby won the Cup. Pittsburgh bagged two more rings than Washington in Crosby's heyday but cratered in the standings despite his continued greatness and record 20th straight point-per-game season.</p><p>Barely stingier than the Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks, the Penguins hemorrhage chances as the league's No. 30 defensive team. They've suffered 23 blowout defeats (one less than last year's Caps) by at least three goals, per <a href="https://stathead.com/tiny/BLdgh">Stathead</a>. Age slowed Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson, and the long-term signings of Ryan Graves and Tristan Jarry were whiffs. Pittsburgh's trove of upcoming draft selections - 30 between 2025 and 2027 - won't help Crosby contend again.</p><p>Facing Washington in the season finale could be humbling. The April 17 matchup in Pittsburgh is the Capitals' last playoff tuneup. Besides home ice, it would be the perfect stage for Ovechkin to claim the record - and pad that lofty goal differential.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

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Wayne Gretzky walked from behind the net to the doorstep of the crease and roofed a backhand over...

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During Women's History Month in March, theScore is publishing stories that illustrate how women i...

<p><em>During Women's History Month in March, theScore is publishing stories that illustrate how women in sports lead, inspire change, and navigate their careers.</em></p><p>TORONTO - When Daryl Watts debuted at the pro level as the highest-paid player in women's hockey, she wasn't strong enough to lift the puck to the glass. Muscles in her wrists atrophied over the previous 10 months while she test-drove early retirement from the sport after college. Hanging up her skates blunted her deadeye shot.</p><p>The unusual circumstances suited a unique player. Watts was a thrilling college superstar at Wisconsin who clinched a national championship in overtime by banking the puck over the goalie's shoulder from behind the net. When she graduated, she figured the game wouldn't provide a comfortable living. But she set aside a future in commercial real estate in January 2023 to ink the richest contract in the Premier Hockey Federation, the final forerunner to the PWHL.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Nobody in hockey can relate to Watts' career arc. Her record $150,000 salary for the 2023-24 season was voided without warning when the PHF was bought out. Her rusty cameo and middling production in the defunct league lowered her PWHL draft stock. Then she glowed in the maiden year of best-on-best competition and became the first major free agent to test the market and change teams, completing a milestone with no precedent.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777521/cropped_GettyImages-2195915888.jpg?ts=1743100379" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777521/w220xh124_GettyImages-2195915888.jpg?ts=1743100379 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777521/w320xh180_GettyImages-2195915888.jpg?ts=1743100379 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777521/w640xh360_GettyImages-2195915888.jpg?ts=1743100379 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777521/w768xh432_GettyImages-2195915888.jpg?ts=1743100379 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777521/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2195915888.jpg?ts=1743100379 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Michael Chisholm / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>To realize her promise and hush doubts, she had to return to playing shape. Watts enlisted the help of Gary Roberts, the retired NHL forward and demanding performance trainer in the Toronto area.</p><p>"I'd stopped lifting weights. I was just going on long walks with my dogs. Treadmill. Post-hockey girl activity," Watts told theScore in a recent interview. "Because I had lost so much muscle, I needed a drastic, get-back-to-it workout regime. I reached out to Roberts. I've trained with him now for two-and-a-half years. He built me from no muscle and got me more fit than I'd ever been."</p><p>The payoff was immense. Late in Year 2 of the PWHL, Watts ranks third in league scoring with 25 points in 26 games for her hometown Toronto Sceptres. The 25-year-old winger is a rare must-see talent who entered her prime with scant international experience. Canada finally tapped Watts to play at this season's Rivalry Series with the United States and will send her over the boards in significant moments at next month's world championship in Czechia.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏒 Daryl Watts' trajectory" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-zsgW4" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/zsgW4/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="531" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Her skill and intellect supercharge top lines. Toronto's first championship pursuit combusted when Natalie Spooner, the PWHL scoring leader and regular-season MVP, suffered an ACL tear in the 2024 playoffs. Watts became an offseason target for Gina Kingsbury, general manager of the Sceptres and the Canadian national team.</p><p>"She's got a dynamic step to her skating. She can burn defenders quite easily. She's got a good release. She's got great hands. Great vision," Kingsbury said. "She was one of the athletes we (really wanted) to bring in. We were looking at Spooner being out for half the season. We knew we would need to find and add more offense to our lineup to make sure we could survive and flourish."</p><p>Danger spikes when Watts has possession. To bag her first Sceptres goal, she intercepted a breakout pass and kicked her leg to fake a wrist shot before <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbwdFQJnD88&amp;t=159s">dangling</a> Minnesota Frost goalie Maddie Rooney. To freeze Frost penalty killers in another matchup, she inched toward the slot with the puck, continually threatened to shoot, finally <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWWv8ZKKg70&amp;t=190s">fired</a> from close range, and banged in her own rebound.</p><p>"She creates something every time she gets the puck on her stick," Sceptres forward Emma Woods said.</p><p>"There's a gift there that's really hard to explain," said Troy Ryan, head coach of Toronto and Team Canada. "When she attacks people, her feet are always moving, and she always has her head up. As a defender, when you're looking at her, I don't think she looks easy to defend. She always looks in control. She looks like she's got momentum and usually is building speed as she touches the puck."</p><p>Peers can't replicate some of her mesmerizing plays. Watts sprung teammates on breakaways in recent weeks by threading a three-line feed between Montreal Victoire defenders and saucering a backhand from her knees against the New York Sirens. A stylish wraparound winner that downed the Ottawa Charge in overtime stemmed from Watts calmly sidestepping the opposition to unlock and exploit an opening.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gDMx8HM_kPo?si=t8XQLs1Gb8IsnJ7K&amp;start=304" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>"You'll see players come in with the puck, look to take a shot, and rip it into a shinpad. She's got the patience to wait, find the seam, and then make her pass or her shot," said PWHL broadcast analyst Becky Kellar, the retired Canadian Olympic defender. "She's going to take a split second, move laterally, circle the net, and find a better option. She's got the confidence and poise to be able to do that."</p><p>Watts was raised in Toronto's west end, idolized Maple Leafs legend Mats Sundin, skated on a backyard rink as a child, and torched goalies at every level. She's the No. 2 career scorer in the Ontario women's junior league and sits fifth on the NCAA all-time leaderboard, per <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/ncaa-w/stats/all-time">Elite Prospects</a>. The Patty Kazmaier Award winner as a goal-per-game freshman, Watts paced Boston College in points twice despite feeling like her development stagnated and joy for hockey declined, she told <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/28531740/how-2018-patty-kazmaier-winner-daryl-watts-reinvigorated-hockey-passion-wisconsin">ESPN</a>.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rNLJrwyv3bc?si=uySP3ryJpwDablJB" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>Rejuvenated by transferring to Wisconsin, Watts retrieved a missed shot in overtime of the 2021 national title game and wheeled behind the Northeastern net. Watts paused and flipped the puck off a defender's knee as she crouched to block a passing lane. The clincher eluded and irritated netminder Aerin Frankel, the current Boston Fleet and Team USA starter, who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWB6FqfA1d8">claimed</a> the goal was lucky and unintentional.</p><p>"Daryl differentiates herself from a lot of other players," said Brette Pettet, the captain of Wisconsin's championship team. "She watches a lot of hockey, and she knows a lot about the game. It doesn't surprise me at all that she was able to think out of the box to score that goal. Most players would force a pass or try to stuff it past the goalie. Daryl has a special poise and patience to her game that showed in that instance."</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/583775/cropped_GettyImages-1231843136.jpg?ts=1688757484" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/583775/w220xh124_GettyImages-1231843136.jpg?ts=1688757484 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/583775/w320xh180_GettyImages-1231843136.jpg?ts=1688757484 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/583775/w640xh360_GettyImages-1231843136.jpg?ts=1688757484 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/583775/w768xh432_GettyImages-1231843136.jpg?ts=1688757484 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/583775/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1231843136.jpg?ts=1688757484 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Justin Berl / NCAA Photos / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Watts wasn't on Canada's veteran-laden 2022 Olympic squad, and she quit hockey for close to a year but reversed course when the PHF salary cap doubled to $1.5 million, then a record figure in women's sports. She chose to publicize her landmark salary with the Toronto Six to inform and inspire college standouts, setting a bar for compensation they could aim to raise.</p><p>Watts weathered unexpected turbulence. She looked on the bright side when the sudden buyout of the PHF nixed her contract but unified women's hockey's star talent, transforming the sport. The Charge mined a hidden gem by drafting Watts in the sixth round and deploying her next to Brianne Jenner, the '22 Olympics MVP. Watts' 10 goals - the league's fourth-best haul in the first season - included a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AwLnGcCjJ4">hat trick</a> that triggered a comeback over her future team.</p><p>She was one of five PWHL free agents, and the only big scorer, who exercised the right last summer to sign with a new club. Watts' pioneering move to the Sceptres on a two-year deal was a coup. She touched off a five-game point streak in January by assisting Sarah Nurse's winner on the power play at Scotiabank Arena, the Leafs' home ice. She pickpocketed a Sirens defender last week, swerved to the slot, and rifled a deceptive wrister across her body to the inside of the post.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h9zBiARHGss?si=DeyDHATCv-jfuc_A&amp;start=84" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>As part of her latest multi-goal effort, she beat Frankel with another bank shot.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ogLNy6AfPSA?si=H3bEAmv2XyXiI7Px&amp;start=70" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>Winners of 10 of 12 games in February and March, the Sceptres only trail the archrival Victoire in the six-team standings. Vibes are high as the international break and the last push for the Walter Cup Playoffs approach.</p><p>"I wanted to go a team where the stars would align. A team that would be a championship contender. A place where I would have an impact, be valued, and help the team win," Watts said. "It was a dream come true for all the right factors to click in my hometown."</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><p>When Watts was 10, the highlight of her year was a family vacation to the Vancouver Olympics. The Wattses watched snowboarding and speedskating, and they witnessed the gripping hockey final that a teenaged Marie-Philip Poulin won for the home team with a pair of first-period snipes. The scene - a Canadian sellout crowd cheering triumphant women in an NHL rink - was formative and motivational.</p><p>"Probably the best family trip ever," Watts said.</p><p>For a long while, the last time Watts donned the maple leaf and engineered offense for her country was at the 2017 Under-18 world championship. Six minutes remained in the gold-medal game in Czechia when she tiptoed to the slot and picked the top left corner to erase a 1-0 U.S. lead. The Ryan-coached Canada squad didn't score again and lost a tearjerker.</p><p>Watts contacted Hockey Canada head scout Cherie Piper before the first PWHL season to ask to be evaluated for the senior national team. By measuring production and impact, the league slots players in a pecking order, and Watts outscored and upstaged some Team Canada mainstays. In her Rivalry Series debut, she played in all five games and assisted two opening goals with a slick deke of Frankel and a controlled zone entry.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DYx1iXLl8ZY?si=0Av8ZlDTjv8KHRis&amp;start=8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>She wasn't flustered by the Americans' talent, their dogged puck pressure, or the whirlwind pace.</p><p>"You're playing with teammates who are so good that it's not like it's harder hockey. It's faster, of course, but I think it's incredibly fun because the skill is so high," Watts said. "Passes are tape-to-tape. It's such a higher level that you can almost do more. There are higher-level concepts. There are more complicated plays. There are more skill plays."</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777522/cropped_GettyImages-2193894461.jpg?ts=1743100509" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777522/w220xh124_GettyImages-2193894461.jpg?ts=1743100509 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777522/w320xh180_GettyImages-2193894461.jpg?ts=1743100509 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777522/w640xh360_GettyImages-2193894461.jpg?ts=1743100509 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777522/w768xh432_GettyImages-2193894461.jpg?ts=1743100509 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/777522/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2193894461.jpg?ts=1743100509 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Rich Graessle / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Toronto's high-end offense fell apart when Spooner crumpled into the boards in the first round of the inaugural postseason. Toronto blew a 2-0 series lead to Minnesota while settling for one goal on 65 shots from Games 3-5. Pairing Watts with Hannah Miller, a newly dominant center, jolted the Sceptres' first line and league-leading power play during the final stages of Spooner's rehab and Nurse's ensuing absence with a lower-body injury.</p><p>Some college phenoms stutter in the pros. Watts' scoring touch translated to a hard-nosed environment. She withstands contact and initiates it in the corners with a comparable hit count (26, fifth most on Toronto) to Poulin and Sarah Fillier, two swaggering superstars who play with flair and bite.</p><p>"I watch (Watts) and she seems to exude confidence," Kellar said. "I think it's partly because she can find open ice. It's like Mitch Marner: Why does someone that small not just get creamed every time he touches the puck? But they can't catch him because he's very elusive. She's a little bit like that, I find. She'll step to the middle, slow down, speed up. It's allowed her to succeed in a league where the physicality has taken away from a lot of the skilled players - or did initially, especially last year."</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🚨 PWHL scoring leaders" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-b8r2M" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/b8r2M/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="515" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>The Sceptres hope to help Watts evolve into a complete winger who chips pucks, maintains sound positioning, and demonstrates shrewd judgment. Ryan's seen her make subtly wise decisions, like executing a simple pass in the neutral zone or along the wall, that drain the defense over the course of a shift.</p><p>"She's seldom trying to engage in one-on-one situations in dangerous areas. She doesn't mind tucking the puck, driving wide, using her speed, and being really creative down below the top of the circle. She can do whatever she wants down there," Ryan said. "When she's in trouble in the corner, she doesn't try to overextend her possession. She realizes there's a release option behind the net or high. She takes that and re-establishes her offense."</p><p>Being an efficient finisher is a work in progress. The analytics the Sceptres track place Watts near the top of the PWHL in individual Grade-A scoring chances, Ryan said. But 15 of the 20 forwards who've buried the most goals around the league this season boast a higher shooting percentage.</p><p>Bolstered by four goals in her last three games, Watts' 11.4% scoring rate is hardly an eyesore. Teammates tap in some of her rebounds, Ryan pointed out, and timely tallies punctuate her growing highlight reel. Between the world championship in April, the PWHL playoffs in May, and presumably next year's Olympics, Watts will have chances to pump rubber on net and author a signature moment.</p><p>"You think of one of those clutch players and someone you want in big games," Pettet said. "Anyone who knows Daryl or played against her knows that she's a threat on the ice."</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30777687/related

Inside Daryl Watts' one-of-a-kind route to hockey stardom

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30611513/related

How the PWHL juiced scoring and excitement in Year 2

"Rental" becomes one of the most used words in hockey around this time every season. The spotligh...

<p>"Rental" becomes one of the most used words in hockey around this time every season. The spotlight shines bright on pending unrestricted free agents - and rightfully so, seeing as UFAs drive trade activity ahead of the deadline.</p><p>But what about the other, typically younger guys moving midseason? We're talking about "change of scenery" trades, like the Jan. 30 deal between the Flyers and Flames. Forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, 25 and 24, weren't part of Philadelphia's long-term plan, so the club shipped them to Calgary.</p><p>Let's check in on seven NHLers who could use a change of scenery ahead of the March 7 deadline. (Note: we skipped Elias Pettersson and Seth Jones since both cases are very public and have been discussed ad nauseam.)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Dylan Cozens, Sabres</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771336/cropped_GettyImages-2190562201.jpg?ts=1740062786" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771336/w220xh124_GettyImages-2190562201.jpg?ts=1740062786 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771336/w320xh180_GettyImages-2190562201.jpg?ts=1740062786 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771336/w640xh360_GettyImages-2190562201.jpg?ts=1740062786 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771336/w768xh432_GettyImages-2190562201.jpg?ts=1740062786 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771336/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2190562201.jpg?ts=1740062786 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>The Cozens situation checks many of the classic change-of-scenery boxes.</p><p>The player and team are underperforming for a second straight season. The front office is under fire locally (coming up on 14 seasons of no playoffs in Buffalo!) and must be, at the very least, considering a major shakeup to the roster. Multiple reports have surfaced regarding several clubs inquiring about the player, and each team surely believes Cozens would excel in a new environment.</p><p>Ultimately, the Sabres are weighing the risk and reward of moving a two-way center who put up 31 goals and 68 points as a 21-year-old. Cozens may not be confident or productive right now, but there's a difference-maker in there.</p><p>The 24-year-old nicknamed the "Workhorse from Whitehorse" is locked in at $7.1 million per year through 2029-30 - in other words, his entire prime. In a rising cap world, that AAV will soon be peanuts if he can regain his form.</p><p>Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams is likely selling low here. Yet, desperate times call for desperate measures.</p><h3>Lawson Crouse, Utah</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771992/cropped_GettyImages-2194469327.jpg?ts=1740346833" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771992/w220xh124_GettyImages-2194469327.jpg?ts=1740346833 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771992/w320xh180_GettyImages-2194469327.jpg?ts=1740346833 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771992/w640xh360_GettyImages-2194469327.jpg?ts=1740346833 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771992/w768xh432_GettyImages-2194469327.jpg?ts=1740346833 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771992/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2194469327.jpg?ts=1740346833 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Crouse has missed one game this season - a healthy scratch on Feb. 4.</p><p>One sitting doesn't necessarily mean the player's permanently in the coach's doghouse, even if said player is the club's associate captain. Yet, Crouse's scratch signaled to the league that not everything is going according to plan.</p><p>Crouse, 27, is on pace for only 17 points in 81 games after back-to-back 40-point campaigns. While the 6-foot-4 power forward contributes in other ways through physicality and responsible two-way play, the lack of offense is concerning. Utah GM Bill Armstrong is motivated to build a sustainable winner. And unlike in the cash-poor Arizona era, Armstrong has a green light to be proactive in the trade market. Crouse is a serviceable NHLer, but you have to give to get in needle-moving deals. His team-friendly contract ($4.3 million through 2026-27) would make him highly desirable to a specific demographic of teams.</p><p>Winnipeg and Buffalo both struggle to attract talent in free agency and need middle-six help. The Jets, who sit atop the Western Conference, are motivated to add in the lead-up to the deadline. Could Crouse be the missing piece to Winnipeg's forward group? Or does a club like the Sabres swoop in?</p><p>Crouse already has a scenery change on the resume. The Panthers sent him to the Coyotes in August 2016, just 14 months after picking him 11th overall.</p><h3>Max Domi, Maple Leafs</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771452/cropped_GettyImages-2191994711.jpg?ts=1740062896" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771452/w220xh124_GettyImages-2191994711.jpg?ts=1740062896 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771452/w320xh180_GettyImages-2191994711.jpg?ts=1740062896 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771452/w640xh360_GettyImages-2191994711.jpg?ts=1740062896 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771452/w768xh432_GettyImages-2191994711.jpg?ts=1740062896 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771452/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2191994711.jpg?ts=1740062896 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Kevin Sousa / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Teammate Nick Robertson's stagnant production and discontent with the Maple Leafs has been widely chronicled. Domi, who's underwhelmed in a middle-six role, is a sneaky relocation candidate.</p><p>Once a 28-goal man, Domi lost his scoring touch somewhere en route to Toronto, where he signed in 2023. He has 12 goals in 129 Leafs appearances. He endured goal droughts that lasted more than 20 games this season on both sides of a random December hot streak. He's also taken the most penalties and owns the worst penalty differential among Toronto forwards for the second straight year.</p><p>The aging agitator became a journeyman long before his 30th birthday, which he'll celebrate next Sunday. Domi's cycled through seven teams in 10 NHL seasons and has been involved in four trades, including at the deadline in 2022 and 2023.</p><p>Domi's four-year contract extension, signed on the eve of free agency last summer, carries a $3.75-million cap hit and a 13-team no-trade list. Cutting bait is a worthwhile option to explore. Maybe Toronto could send Domi with a sweetener to a bubble or rebuilding club that values his playmaking ability and wealth of experience.</p><h3>Erik Karlsson, Penguins</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771453/cropped_GettyImages-2197160093.jpg?ts=1740062976" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771453/w220xh124_GettyImages-2197160093.jpg?ts=1740062976 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771453/w320xh180_GettyImages-2197160093.jpg?ts=1740062976 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771453/w640xh360_GettyImages-2197160093.jpg?ts=1740062976 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771453/w768xh432_GettyImages-2197160093.jpg?ts=1740062976 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771453/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2197160093.jpg?ts=1740062976 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Jamie Sabau / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Pittsburgh is precariously close to the Eastern Conference basement and owes Karlsson $10 million annually through 2027. He needs to be in the playoff mix to justify his price tag. Karlsson's composure and silkiness with the puck help him conjure offense in the rough-and-tumble postseason while less creative players struggle to elude checks.</p><p>That's never been a problem for Karlsson. He scored off the rush and added two primary assists during Sweden's futile yet gripping run at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was the lone backpedaling defenseman on the ice for two overtime goals against, but overall, he seemed rejuvenated by the competition level and intense atmosphere.</p><p>Unlike Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, Karlsson doesn't have deep ties or unyielding loyalty to Pittsburgh. He's never played in a Stanley Cup Final. Even at 34, big games are more fun when he's involved.</p><p>There's one hang-up: Acquiring Karlsson would be expensive. The Penguins and a trade partner can't loop in an additional club to assume some of his current cap hit. A maximum of three teams can pay a share of one contract, and the Sharks retained some of Karlsson's salary when they moved him in 2023 following his third Norris Trophy season.</p><h3>Casey Mittelstadt, Avalanche</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771455/cropped_GettyImages-2192464041.jpg?ts=1740063088" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771455/w220xh124_GettyImages-2192464041.jpg?ts=1740063088 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771455/w320xh180_GettyImages-2192464041.jpg?ts=1740063088 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771455/w640xh360_GettyImages-2192464041.jpg?ts=1740063088 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771455/w768xh432_GettyImages-2192464041.jpg?ts=1740063088 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771455/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2192464041.jpg?ts=1740063088 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Matthew Stockman / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Last year's Mittelstadt-for-Bowen Byram thunderclap got hockey sickos excited. The rare one-for-one swap materialized without warning when teams dealt from a position of strength - Colorado had a glut of puck-moving defensemen, and Buffalo had promising forwards - to fill an important need.</p><p>The 26-year-old Mittelstadt hasn't bombed as Colorado's second-line center. He's producing at a 44-point pace for a playoff lock. Yet he's miscast as a key reinforcement for NHL scoring leader Nathan MacKinnon, who continues to be overworked.</p><p>Mittelstadt's passing is an asset, but he's bad at faceoffs (42% win rate), has been a defensive drag, and doesn't kill penalties or challenge goalies. Opponents held him to two goals on 33 shots in his past 40 games. The Avalanche's share of high-danger scoring chances in his five-on-five shifts has plummeted to 42% from 55% last season following the Byram trade, per Natural Stat Trick.</p><p>Other Western Conference heavyweights ice strong center duos. The Oilers boast Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Stars have Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz. William Karlsson of the Golden Knights complements Jack Eichel. Colorado needs an upgrade, and paradoxically, Mittelstadt might benefit from joining a less talented or more balanced forward corps that doesn't force him to follow MacKinnon over the boards.</p><h3>Vladimir Tarasenko, Red Wings</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771461/cropped_GettyImages-2186580362.jpg?ts=1740063645" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771461/w220xh124_GettyImages-2186580362.jpg?ts=1740063645 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771461/w320xh180_GettyImages-2186580362.jpg?ts=1740063645 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771461/w640xh360_GettyImages-2186580362.jpg?ts=1740063645 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771461/w768xh432_GettyImages-2186580362.jpg?ts=1740063645 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771461/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2186580362.jpg?ts=1740063645 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Mike Mulholland / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Tarasenko, a longtime Blues cornerstone, jumped ship to the Rangers as a rental in 2023. He went on to sign with the Senators, orchestrated a deadline trade to the juggernaut Panthers, celebrated his second Stanley Cup win, and inked a two-year contract with Detroit to continue touring the Atlantic Division.</p><p>The fit has been clunky. Tarasenko's a sporadic scorer in the middle of a top-heavy lineup. Through 55 games, his seven goals are 10 fewer than he buried for the listless 2023-24 Senators in a similar time frame.</p><p>Tarasenko entered the 4 Nations break as Detroit's eighth-leading point producer over the previous 20 games. The Red Wings caught fire in the span, tallying a league-best .775 points percentage to surge into the playoff picture. Head coach Todd McLellan, the architect of the turnaround, can afford to allot Tarasenko's minutes to younger wingers.</p><p>The Russian veteran would need to waive his no-trade clause for a third straight year to be dealt. Maybe he'd reunite with Florida or approve a move to another contender that can absorb his $4.75-million cap hit and protect him on defense. Tarasenko scored big goals during the '24 Cup run - including a series winner against the Rangers - as the designated sniper on a lionhearted third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.</p><h3>Trevor Zegras, Ducks</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771459/cropped_GettyImages-2185658847.jpg?ts=1740063298" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771459/w220xh124_GettyImages-2185658847.jpg?ts=1740063298 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771459/w320xh180_GettyImages-2185658847.jpg?ts=1740063298 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771459/w640xh360_GettyImages-2185658847.jpg?ts=1740063298 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771459/w768xh432_GettyImages-2185658847.jpg?ts=1740063298 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771459/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2185658847.jpg?ts=1740063298 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Patrick McDermott / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Note: Zegras <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3225979" href="https://thescore.com/news/3225979">was suspended</a> for three games Monday for interfering with Detroit’s Michael Rasmussen.</em></p><p>Zegras accepted a pass at the center red line and was off, two-on-one during four-on-four action. He completed a <a href="https://x.com/NHL/status/1893463254573138236">nifty give-and-go</a> passing sequence with Ducks teammate Jackson LaCombe, then fired the puck into the back of the net. Anaheim 1, Boston 0, in an eventual 3-2 Ducks win.</p><p>On Saturday night, we saw the best of Zegras. He'd be excused from all change-of-scenery discussions if he consistently showcased that version of himself. However, the fact of the matter is that Zegras has long been a frustrating winger for Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek and his head coaches.</p><p>To summarize, the 2019 ninth overall pick is a supremely skilled playmaker who's simultaneously not productive enough (0.69 career points per game) and not strong enough defensively to warrant "star" status of any kind.</p><p>Zegras, who's in the middle season of a three-year deal paying him $5.75 million annually, is reportedly available for the right price. A recent run of poor health luck - Zegras missed 51 games last season and 22 games this campaign due to three different injuries - is undoubtedly giving rival teams reason for pause.</p><p>The 23-year-old is miscast as a franchise cornerstone in Anaheim. He's closer to being a complementary piece than a superstar. An acquiring club would be betting on Zegras flourishing in a more insulated role on and off the ice.</p><p><em>John Matisz and Nick Faris cover the NHL for theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30362949/related

7 NHLers who could use a change of scenery ahead of trade deadline

Note: This story was published in October 2020 and is being republished with minor updates for Bl...

<p><strong><em>Note: This story was published in October 2020 and is being republished with minor updates for Black History Month.</em></strong></p><p>Willie O'Ree's surname, the four letters that changed hockey for the better when they appeared on an NHL lineup card in 1958, derives from that of the American military officer who enslaved his great-great-grandfather. The officer was Peter Horry, pronounced unlike what you'd expect. He fought the British in the Revolutionary War, and in recognition of his service, he was given a Black man to own. The man was Paris O'Ree, as the name was later stylized, whose courage unlocked a future for his descendants.</p><p>Willie O'Ree isn't sure how Paris secured his freedom, but archival records he's read relate the enormity of what the man accomplished. Along with some family and at tremendous risk, Paris is believed to have escaped South Carolina, where Horry lived, late in the 18th century, becoming a farmer and father upon settling north of the border. He came to own a couple hundred acres in New Brunswick, Willie's future home province. Paris' son had a son who had a son who had a son, the trailblazing winger who's proud to share his ancestor's spirit.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>A name is weighted with history, and Paris O'Ree rewrote his family's. In 2020, anti-racism protests gripped his great-great-grandson's sport, along with North American society at large. Where Paris sought liberty, NHL players want their game to be inclusive and welcoming, full stop. They want to eliminate any remnant of the barriers and the hate that Willie O'Ree - the first Black man to play in the NHL - conquered when he debuted with the Boston Bruins.</p><p>Paris and his family "set goals for themselves, I guess the way I did," O'Ree said in a phone interview. "They wanted to make a better life for themselves. (Despite) the hardships and things they had to go through, they just made things happen."</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422827/cropped_GettyImages-1126971629.jpg?ts=1602767175" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422827/w220xh124_GettyImages-1126971629.jpg?ts=1602767175 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422827/w320xh180_GettyImages-1126971629.jpg?ts=1602767175 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422827/w640xh360_GettyImages-1126971629.jpg?ts=1602767175 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422827/w768xh432_GettyImages-1126971629.jpg?ts=1602767175 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422827/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1126971629.jpg?ts=1602767175 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Mike Stobe / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>O'Ree wrote a memoir, "<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/624419/willie-by-willie-oree-with-michael-mckinley/9780735239746">Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player</a>," in 2020 with author Michael McKinley. The book recounts his ascent to hockey history: how he twice dressed for the Bruins in 1957-58, tallied 14 points in 43 games for Boston in 1960-61 - no small feat in the Original Six era when NHL roster spots were in short supply - and skated in a further 785 games in the minor-pro Western Hockey League, from which he retired in 1974 as a top-20 career scorer. As it happens, 1974 was the year the Washington Capitals drafted and signed Mike Marson, the first Black player to follow O'Ree to the NHL.</p><p>O'Ree is almost 90 years old, and his presence in the game remains cherished. He was elected as a builder to the Hall of Fame in 2018, and became that same year the namesake of the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award, presented annually to a person who harnesses hockey to positively impact his or her part of the world. O'Ree lives near San Diego, his longtime WHL home, but he's a product of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It was there as a child that he listened by radio to Hockey Night in Canada. He idolized Maurice Richard, and Foster Hewitt's nasal, rousing commentary provided the soundtrack to his Saturday nights.</p><p>Without a TV at home, O'Ree never watched Richard play. Only later did he think about the upside of this constraint: how seeing no Black men on the ice might have snuffed his childhood ambition, and how instead he was empowered to visualize a sport and league in which he belonged.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422835/cropped_GettyImages-53130958.jpg?ts=1602767815" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422835/w220xh124_GettyImages-53130958.jpg?ts=1602767815 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422835/w320xh180_GettyImages-53130958.jpg?ts=1602767815 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422835/w640xh360_GettyImages-53130958.jpg?ts=1602767815 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422835/w768xh432_GettyImages-53130958.jpg?ts=1602767815 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422835/w1080xh607_GettyImages-53130958.jpg?ts=1602767815 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">O'Ree (right) skates for the Bruins in 1961. <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Bruce Bennett / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>O'Ree's first hockey mentor was his oldest brother, Richard (nicknamed "Coot"), a regional light-heavyweight boxing champion 17 years his senior whose tutelage helped fine-tune O'Ree's best skills: the blazing speed, the stickhandling honed on choppy pond ice, the will to absorb hard hits and respond in kind. Booted off his high school team for hurting the coach's son with a clean open-ice check, O'Ree charted his own course through Fredericton's youth ranks to Quebec's top junior league. There, his coach - the former NHL star Phil Watson - endorsed O'Ree's towering potential, telling him he had the talent to become hockey's Jackie Robinson.</p><p>Emulating Robinson's breakthrough on the diamond required O'Ree to keep a troublesome secret: He was blind in one eye, the consequence of a deflected slapshot that had smashed his right retina in junior.</p><p>O'Ree told a single confidant, his older sister Betty, about the injury. To everyone else, he looked like the same fleet left-winger with scoring touch, and the Bruins, whose vetting process didn't include a sight exam, soon promoted him to the NHL. Squeezed out of the 132-player league after 1961, O'Ree went on to excel for 13 seasons in the WHL, where the Los Angeles Blades cleared a positional glut by shifting him to the right wing. The switch enabled his good eye to process more of the ice, powering him to five 30-goal seasons.</p><p>"It was a big move for me," O'Ree said.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422833/cropped_GettyImages-1059705258.jpg?ts=1602767712" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422833/w220xh124_GettyImages-1059705258.jpg?ts=1602767712 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422833/w320xh180_GettyImages-1059705258.jpg?ts=1602767712 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422833/w640xh360_GettyImages-1059705258.jpg?ts=1602767712 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422833/w768xh432_GettyImages-1059705258.jpg?ts=1602767712 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422833/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1059705258.jpg?ts=1602767712 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Mark Blinch / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>The 13th and youngest child of one of two Black families in Fredericton, O'Ree writes in his memoir that he was never bullied for the color of his skin growing up. In adulthood, racism tailed him across the continent. O'Ree rode a segregated bus to attend a pro baseball training camp - he was a good middle infielder, too - in Georgia in 1956. Junior hockey fans in Chicoutimi, Quebec, chanted racial obscenities at him. Minor-league fans in Virginia hurled a black cat over the glass during one of his shifts. During an NHL road game in 1961, O'Ree writes, Chicago forward Eric Nesterenko called him the N-word, shattered his front teeth with a butt-end to the mouth, and repeated the slur. (Nesterenko, who died in 2022, said he didn't remember the oft-told incident.)</p><p>In 1965, O'Ree and a Blades teammate drove through the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts in the aftermath of the area's six-day uprising against racial discrimination. He recalls breathing in the air and surveying burned-out buildings, processing the fury and sorrow that compelled Watts' Black residents to take to the streets.</p><p>Rage and the desire for justice - for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black victims of U.S. police violence - moved millions of Americans to protest in 2020. In the absence of justice, O'Ree writes in his reflection on Watts, anger is an understandable response.</p><p>"People of color have always been targeted, way back since slavery," O'Ree said. "I'm all for protesting in a nonviolent way, and the marching to let people know that people's lives matter. They really do. I'm just hoping, and I keep my fingers crossed, that things are going to get better."</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/423570/cropped_GettyImages-1263215812.jpg?ts=1603227748" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/423570/w220xh124_GettyImages-1263215812.jpg?ts=1603227748 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/423570/w320xh180_GettyImages-1263215812.jpg?ts=1603227748 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/423570/w640xh360_GettyImages-1263215812.jpg?ts=1603227748 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/423570/w768xh432_GettyImages-1263215812.jpg?ts=1603227748 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/423570/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1263215812.jpg?ts=1603227748 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Dave Sandford / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>In hockey, Black players who followed O'Ree to the peak of the profession took it upon themselves to lobby for change. At the start of the NHL's bubbled postseason, Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba spoke at center ice on behalf of the nascent Hockey Diversity Alliance, exhorting his sport to take seriously the need to combat racism. The players who kneeled before a Vegas Golden Knights-Dallas Stars game - Ryan Reaves, Robin Lehner, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Dickinson - were among the hundreds who forced the playoffs to pause later in 2020, hockey's contribution to the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/2010059" href="https://www.thescore.com/news/2010059">athlete sit-out protests</a> following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.</p><p>In effect, players such as Hockey Diversity Alliance co-founders Evander Kane and Akim Aliu now front the cause O'Ree has championed for decades. After his minor-league career ended, O'Ree recalls in his book, he took jobs spanning a wide gamut. He worked construction, drove a Pepsi truck, sold Pontiacs, and even supervised security at San Diego Chargers NFL home games. In 1996, not long after O'Ree turned 60, NHL executive Bryant McBride recruited him to the league's diversity outreach program; in the days before search engines were prevalent, McBride went so far as to ask acquaintances at the FBI to track down his phone number.</p><p>Before the COVID-19 pandemic, O'Ree's ambassadorship kept him on the road 10 days a month, running hockey clinics and recounting his journey to youth of color from coast to coast. He said the fire to work - to make the game more accessible to kids who lack the means or opportunity to play - still burns within him.</p><p>In the meantime, hockey's best and most promising Black players continue to log major milestones. Blake Bolden, the first Black player in the defunct National Women's Hockey League, joined the L.A. Kings as a scout. The Kings in 2020 drafted Quinton Byfield second overall, making him the highest-selected Black prospect in NHL history. The cast of standout players with whom O'Ree keeps in touch - P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, Anson Carter - includes Jarome Iginla, the Hall of Famer who wrote the foreword to "Willie."</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422823/cropped_GettyImages-1203588500.jpg?ts=1602766544" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422823/w220xh124_GettyImages-1203588500.jpg?ts=1602766544 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422823/w320xh180_GettyImages-1203588500.jpg?ts=1602766544 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422823/w640xh360_GettyImages-1203588500.jpg?ts=1602766544 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422823/w768xh432_GettyImages-1203588500.jpg?ts=1602766544 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/422823/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1203588500.jpg?ts=1602766544 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">O'Ree and Blake Bolden, the National Women's Hockey League's first Black player. <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Juan Ocampo / NHL / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>In his book, O'Ree makes clear that other Black men could have ascended to the NHL before him. He counts six predecessors or contemporaries who, in his view, were worthy of the honor: Herb and Ossie Carnegie, Manny McIntyre, Art Dorrington, John Utendale, and Stan Maxwell. If O'Ree's story is a testament to his own self-belief and persistence - "I stayed true to my goals (through) the things that I had to overcome," he said - it's also intertwined with a larger legacy.</p><p>O'Ree hopes his readers come to understand the magnitude of the challenges he endured, starting with the eye injury and recurrent bigotry. In Iginla's foreword, the legendary Calgary Flames captain contemplates the maltreatment O'Ree would have faced in the NHL: Every opposing agitator and prejudiced fan had a ready-made target to try to rile, knowing O'Ree, bearing a pioneer's burden, was out there alone.</p><p>All O'Ree did, Iginla marvels, was smile and proceed to prove he belonged. His example has uplifted generations.</p><p>"(Black players aren't in the NHL) because of their color. They're there because they have the skills and the ability to play in the National Hockey League," O'Ree said. "They've proven that. It's just a nice feeling to know that I was the person who made it possible for them to be there."</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30329477/related

How Willie O'Ree blazed a trail for Black NHL players

A thrilling finish is guaranteed when the United States plays host to its bitter rival, Canada, i...

<p><em>A thrilling finish is guaranteed when the United States plays host to its bitter rival, Canada, in the must-see 4 Nations Face-Off championship game. These storylines will shape Thursday night’s battle in Boston.</em></p><h3>Will U.S. stifle Canada's superstars?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771061/cropped_GettyImages-2199895385.jpg?ts=1739889057" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771061/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199895385.jpg?ts=1739889057 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771061/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199895385.jpg?ts=1739889057 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771061/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199895385.jpg?ts=1739889057 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771061/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199895385.jpg?ts=1739889057 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771061/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199895385.jpg?ts=1739889057 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Sidney Crosby's errant pass was stolen ahead of the winning snipe when these powerhouse teams traded haymakers Saturday night in Montreal. At other times in the tournament, the captain's fantastic vision and hustle helped him record points on five of Canada's 10 goals.</p><p>Crosby and his superstar teammates exploit time and open ice, but a shortage of both doomed them in the previous meeting. U.S. defenders formed a fortress and killed plays in front of Connor Hellebuyck, the runaway Vezina Trophy favorite. Walling off the net manned by the NHL's best goalie is how the Americans erased an early deficit in a hostile environment.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Thursday's rematch could be a legacy game for Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Crosby, a World Cup and two-time Olympic champion, can take over the final by creating shots on the move for those budding legends or complementary weapons such as Brayden Point.</p><p>Hellebuyck's allowed two goals in two starts. Both were scored in transition, including when McDavid accepted a pass with a head of steam and split the U.S. defense.</p><p>The Americans outshot opponents 88-70 in the round robin. They boast excellent skaters, including shutdown partners Jaccob Slavin and Brock Faber, and took only one obstruction minor against Canada, whose power play is 1-for-3 overall. That unit's brilliant lone goal - Crosby put a spinning backhand feed on MacKinnon's tape - showed what can happen within seconds if Canada draws penalties.</p><h3>Can Makar control the tempo?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771057/cropped_GettyImages-2199640524.jpg?ts=1739888428" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771057/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199640524.jpg?ts=1739888428 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771057/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199640524.jpg?ts=1739888428 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771057/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199640524.jpg?ts=1739888428 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771057/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199640524.jpg?ts=1739888428 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771057/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199640524.jpg?ts=1739888428 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Canada is undefeated in two games with Cale Makar in the lineup and lost the lone game he missed against USA. Coincidence?</p><p>The Americans' second-biggest advantage over Canada - after goaltending - is arguably their forecheck. Brady and Matthew Tkachuk were forces to be reckoned with in the first meeting. J.T. Miller and Matt Boldy imposed their will physically, too.</p><p>The best kryptonite for an aggressive forecheck? A dynamic, puck-moving defenseman such as Makar who's equally dangerous at skating his way out of trouble or snapping a breakout pass to one of Canada's high-flying forwards. In a game with such high stakes, you can bet he'll log more than 25 minutes.</p><p>His presence slots every blue-liner more appropriately down the lineup. Devon Toews gets familiarity with his longtime partner back. Josh Morrissey and Colton Parayko can operate as the second pair again. Travis Sanheim moves back to his natural, left side on the third pair with Drew Doughty.</p><p>Canada's attack runs through Makar. He's someone the U.S. has to specifically game-plan for. He can make a game-breaking play to turn the tide in Canada's favor.</p><h3>Are the Americans too banged up?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771060/cropped_GettyImages-2199502844.jpg?ts=1739888909" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771060/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199502844.jpg?ts=1739888909 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771060/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199502844.jpg?ts=1739888909 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771060/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199502844.jpg?ts=1739888909 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771060/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199502844.jpg?ts=1739888909 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771060/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199502844.jpg?ts=1739888909 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andrea Cardin / 4NFO / World Cup of Hockey / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Auston Matthews and both Tkachuk brothers missed all or most of the round-robin finale. Center Vincent Trocheck briefly exited after blocking a pass with his hand. No team escapes injuries, but a significant chunk of Mike Sullivan's forward corps is limping into the final, and key defenseman Charlie McAvoy is already <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3220898" href="https://thescore.com/news/3220898">ruled out</a>.</p><p>Each forward plans to dress Thursday. Leading scorers Jack Eichel and Jake Guentzel, along with defenseman Zach Werenski, can spark offense without much added help. Once the puck drops, we’ll see if the lineup is visibly compromised or skating at full bore.</p><p>The Tkachuk brothers' past week was a wild ride. They menaced Finland with four goals, 13 shots on net, and 10 hits. They fought Canada's Brandon Hagel and Sam Bennett in the opening seconds to antagonize the Bell Centre crowd. They relish villainy and will inflict punishment on every shift - unless they're laboring and are forced to chase the play.</p><p>Jon Cooper's reshuffled bottom six is built to combat their impact. Anthony Cirelli's checking line hounds the puck. An abrasive Bennett-Brad Marchand-Seth Jarvis trio can bang bodies, get in Hellebuyck's grill, and potentially convert a chance.</p><h3>Will Binnington let in a softy?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771058/cropped_GettyImages-2199640658.jpg?ts=1739888598" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771058/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199640658.jpg?ts=1739888598 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771058/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199640658.jpg?ts=1739888598 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771058/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199640658.jpg?ts=1739888598 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771058/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199640658.jpg?ts=1739888598 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/771058/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199640658.jpg?ts=1739888598 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>It's no secret the United States' biggest strength is also Canada's biggest weakness: goaltending.</p><p>Jordan Binnington has had an up-and-down tournament. His aggressive puck handling has helped tremendously on Canada's breakouts. He's made some timely saves, too. But he's also allowed at least one soft goal every game. Adrian Kempe handcuffed him with a wrister against Sweden, Guentzel snuck one five-hole that proved to be the difference against the U.S., and Esa Lindell beat him from a sharp angle to spark Finland's near-epic comeback.</p><p>Goaltending is one of the most volatile positions in sports. Any netminder at this level is capable of outplaying any counterpart when it comes down to one game. Binnington's last winner-take-all game also came at Boston's TD Garden when he stopped 32 of 33 shots in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, leading the St. Louis Blues past the Bruins.</p><p>With Hellebuyck in the opposing crease, Binnington will have to be nearly perfect. In a game that projects to be decided by inches, one soft goal allowed by Binnington will likely be the difference between being Canada's hero or scapegoat. No pressure.</p><p><em>Nick Faris and Josh Wegman cover the NHL for theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30294941/related

4 questions that will decide Canada-USA grudge match

The United States surged to first place in the 4 Nations Face-Off standings by routing Finland 6-...

<p><em>The United States surged to first place in the 4 Nations Face-Off standings by routing Finland 6-1 in its tournament opener. Here are three observations about Thursday night's American victory.</em></p><h3>Tkachuk connection jolts U.S.</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770550/cropped_GettyImages-2199502444.jpg?ts=1739516216" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770550/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199502444.jpg?ts=1739516216 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770550/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199502444.jpg?ts=1739516216 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770550/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199502444.jpg?ts=1739516216 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770550/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199502444.jpg?ts=1739516216 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770550/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199502444.jpg?ts=1739516216 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>During Thursday's first period, the Sportsnet broadcast aired a pregame clip of U.S. coach Mike Sullivan urging his players to start fast and exhibit "American swagger."</p><p>"Swagger" is the sum of the speed, skill, sniping, and sandpaper that should make Sullivan's team riveting to watch and a complete pain to defend. The Americans played to their identity for a few minutes, forechecking doggedly to shake the glass with hits. Then they started losing puck battles, dithering on the power play, passing up open shots, and ringing the crossbar as Finland took a stunning lead.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>They overcame the choppy start and Finland's tenacious checking by flocking to the blue paint. Three of the four goals by Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, along with Matt Boldy's deft tip, were scored within a few feet of Juuse Saros' net. Defensemen Brock Faber and Zach Werenski sifted point shots through bodies to help facilitate the barrage.</p><p>The U.S. finally pressed its talent advantage and turned a squeaker into a cakewalk when Brady joined his older brother and Jack Eichel on the top line. Riding shotgun with Stanley Cup winners, the Senators captain made a loud impact with five shots and eight hits. Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes nurtured their own connection on the second line, looking dynamic and slippery together while combining to feed Jake Guentzel for the goal that opened the floodgates.</p><p>Booed lustily in Montreal, the Americans set up a heavyweight slugfest and mouthwatering stylistic clash with the home team. The Tkachuks will unite again Saturday night to lead the charge. They'll aim to own the grimy areas and combat the breakneck pace of Canada's young star forwards, which paired perfectly with Sidney Crosby's playmaking genius in the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3216706" href="https://thescore.com/news/3216706">Canada-Sweden overtime classic</a>.</p><h3>Hellebuyck makes a difference</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770546/cropped_GettyImages-2199479656.jpg?ts=1739515584" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770546/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199479656.jpg?ts=1739515584 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770546/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199479656.jpg?ts=1739515584 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770546/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199479656.jpg?ts=1739515584 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770546/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199479656.jpg?ts=1739515584 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770546/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199479656.jpg?ts=1739515584 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andre Ringuette / 4NFO / World Cup of Hockey / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Quebec used to be a goaltender factory, but some of this competition's most imposing goalies hail from Michigan (U.S. starter Connor Hellebuyck), Minnesota (backup Jake Oettinger), and Alaska (third-stringer Jeremy Swayman). Hellebuyck, the Jets superstar who's pursuing a third Vezina Trophy, is favored to win every duel he enters.</p><p>His 20-save effort wasn't a masterpiece, but Hellebuyck stoned hot shots as a potential upset brewed. He denied Patrik Laine's one-timer early in the second period when the Finnish cycle game was humming. The score remained tied when he stopped Anton Lundell's partial break and grazed Erik Haula's full-fledged breakaway attempt with his right arm.</p><p>Finland's powerful forwards, led by Aleksander Barkov and Mikko Rantanen, can rag the puck and may be able to wear down the rival Swedes on Saturday afternoon. They didn't rattle Hellebuyck, who shook off a weak goal and bought time for the U.S. to solve Saros after he gamely held the fort for almost 40 minutes.</p><p>If the 4 Nations was simulated 1,000 times, Hellebuyck would probably backstop the U.S. to the most triumphs. The real thing is a one-off, and even the underdog Finns have the firepower to ride a shooting streak to glory. Thursday's result showed it's smart to trust the guy with a .925 NHL save percentage and a decade-long track record of dominance.</p><h3>Finnish D gets exposed</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770547/cropped_GettyImages-2199507328.jpg?ts=1739515708" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770547/w220xh124_GettyImages-2199507328.jpg?ts=1739515708 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770547/w320xh180_GettyImages-2199507328.jpg?ts=1739515708 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770547/w640xh360_GettyImages-2199507328.jpg?ts=1739515708 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770547/w768xh432_GettyImages-2199507328.jpg?ts=1739515708 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770547/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2199507328.jpg?ts=1739515708 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andrea Cardin / 4NFO / World Cup of Hockey / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Barkov's deployment as the quarterback of a five-forward power-play unit emphasized the obvious: With Miro Heiskanen injured, Finland's defensemen are outmanned in this elite setting.</p><p>The ragtag group of bland veterans and fringe NHLers will spend the tournament in survival mode. Players like Henri Jokiharju and Olli Maatta want to clog lanes, minimize the glorious chances fired at Saros, and avoid appearing in highlights. Two elements of D-zone play - rush defense and breakouts - will pose challenges.</p><p>On Finland's goal, Maatta retrieved a dump-in, joined the rush, and supplied a screen as Jokiharju snuck a wobbling shot under Hellebuyck's stick. But the Americans promptly scored off a failed clearance. They stole pucks in the neutral zone and used pretty passing to twist the other Finnish defensive pairs into knots when Guentzel and Brady Tkachuk struck quick in the third frame.</p><p>Maatta and Niko Mikkola own Stanley Cup rings, and Esa Lindell has major playoff experience, but no Finnish blue-liner is used to shouldering the hardest minutes. Every 4 Nations shift is intense. Sheltered matchups don't exist. The scoring flurry that buried Finland hammered that home.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

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3 takeaways as U.S. sends message by thrashing Finland

Super Bowl LIX - the second championship clash in three years between the Kansas City Chiefs and ...

<p><em>Super Bowl LIX - the second championship clash in three years between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles - kicks off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET in New Orleans. Here are five questions to think about ahead of the rematch.</em></p><h3>Will the QBs avoid mistakes?</h3><p>Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes didn't enjoy All-Pro seasons. Neither ranked very high in a major passing stat. They tied for ninth in expected points added per dropback, according to TruMedia. But their fulfilment of a basic quarterbacking responsibility - holding onto the ball - helped their offenses hum and set up this high-stakes sequel.</p><p>Hurts' Eagles own a spotless 10-0 playoff turnover differential. They've racked up 15 straight takeaways since the team's last giveaway. Neither quarterback's been intercepted since mid-November, and the Chiefs avoided turnovers for eight straight games before Mahomes finally botched a handoff in the conference championship.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>These QBs lead dissimilar attacks. Built to run wild, Philadelphia empowers Hurts to plunge for crucial yardage or feed rushing champion Saquon Barkley. Kansas City counts on the unflappable Mahomes to make great decisions, execute with his arm or legs, and either score or leave the opponent pinned.</p><p>Minimizing mistakes isn't glamorous, and it doesn't guarantee victory over the reigning champs, but Philly's chances will grow if the Chiefs commit the biggest error. No NFL team in the past five seasons generated more points off turnovers than the 2024 Eagles (7.3 per game), according to TruMedia.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Chiefs-Eagles (SB LIX)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-CMm1Z" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/CMm1Z/3/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="341" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                         </u></center></figure><h3>Can the Chiefs slow Saquon?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769042/cropped_Putting_Saquon_Barkley_s_season_in_perspective.jpg?ts=1738773299" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769042/w220xh124_Putting_Saquon_Barkley_s_season_in_perspective.jpg?ts=1738773299 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769042/w320xh180_Putting_Saquon_Barkley_s_season_in_perspective.jpg?ts=1738773299 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769042/w640xh360_Putting_Saquon_Barkley_s_season_in_perspective.jpg?ts=1738773299 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769042/w768xh432_Putting_Saquon_Barkley_s_season_in_perspective.jpg?ts=1738773299 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769042/w1080xh607_Putting_Saquon_Barkley_s_season_in_perspective.jpg?ts=1738773299 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Julian Catalfo / theScore</span></figcaption></figure><p>Barkley's 2,447 rushing yards are 29 shy of Terrell Davis' record for a combined regular season and postseason. His magical debut year with the Eagles produced endless huge gains. He covered at least 60 yards on seven separate touchdown carries.</p><p>Barkley flips fields out of the shotgun by bursting through a hole in the middle of the line, sidestepping a helpless tackler, and outsprinting defensive backs who struggle to adjust to run coverage. Because of his quick strikes and Hurts' finishing ability, the Eagles scored the most rushing TDs this century (14, including five in the playoffs) on drives that took less than two minutes, per TruMedia.</p><p>Only two opponents quieted Barkley: the Cleveland Browns in October (he had 47 rushing yards, 2.6 per carry) and the Pittsburgh Steelers in December (65 yards, 3.4 per carry). They closed openings, swarmed the ball, and didn't let Barkley gain steam, combining to limit him to 13 yards before contact on 37 attempts.</p><p>Barkley can become the second transcendent rusher, after Davis in 1998, to cap a 2,000-yard season with a Super Bowl triumph. His powerful blockers will face a slumping defensive front. The Chiefs excel at pass pressure and stifled foes on the ground early in the year, but they allowed some of the league's worst rushing numbers (average of 146.5 yards, 5.1 per carry) over their last six games.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏈 Defensive cornerstones" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-hKy2X" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hKy2X/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="448" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                         </u></center></figure><h3>Will other playmakers explode?</h3><p>Because handing off to Barkley is so lucrative, the Eagles attempted the third-fewest passes (25.9 per game) of the past 10 NFL seasons, per TruMedia.</p><p>A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith battled injuries and saw their targets dwindle, which led to scrutiny of Brown's sideline demeanor. But both star wideouts stretched the field in the conference championship with deep catches that moved Philadelphia into the red zone for rushing scores.</p><p>Veteran tight end Dallas Goedert, who's coming off an 85-yard outing, could exploit a conspicuous edge. The Chiefs surrendered the most receiving yards to tight ends in the regular season (70.1 per game), while the Eagles allowed the fewest (34.8).</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769203/cropped_GettyImages-2195998943.jpg?ts=1738857437" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769203/w220xh124_GettyImages-2195998943.jpg?ts=1738857437 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769203/w320xh180_GettyImages-2195998943.jpg?ts=1738857437 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769203/w640xh360_GettyImages-2195998943.jpg?ts=1738857437 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769203/w768xh432_GettyImages-2195998943.jpg?ts=1738857437 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/769203/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2195998943.jpg?ts=1738857437 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Todd Rosenberg / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Variety elevates Kansas City's offense. Running back Kareem Hunt's 904 scrimmage yards were a league-low in 2024 for a team leader. But eight Chiefs had more than 20 receptions and, despite ranking 14th in passing yards, the club was sixth in passing success rate with the fifth-most first downs, per TruMedia. Travis Kelce and rookie speedster Xavier Worthy posted their best yardage games in the last two playoff rounds.</p><p>In the past two Super Bowls, Mahomes found Kelce for 15 grabs on 16 targets, 174 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Kelce gained 60 yards in the dramatic fourth quarter of last year's championship as the Chiefs drove to erase multiple deficits. He's an ironclad future Hall of Famer because he constantly glows on the big stage.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                         </u></center></figure><h3>Whose special teams will shine?</h3><p>Specialists swayed Super Bowl LVII when these teams last met. The Chiefs led the Eagles by a point in the fourth frame when Kadarius Toney's record 65-yard punt return put Kansas City in touchdown range. Harrison Butker's 27-yard chip shot in the dying seconds decided the championship.</p><p>Chiefs special teamers added 5.64 expected points, as measured by TruMedia, in another three-point epic in Super Bowl LVIII. Butker was perfect on four field goals, including from a Super Bowl-record distance of 57 yards. Jaylen Watson's recovery of a muffed punt reversed the momentum of the game and ignited Mahomes, who promptly passed for his first touchdown on Kansas City's 10th drive.</p><p>Both sides field potential difference-makers. Mastering the clutch swat, Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal was the first player this century to block two field goals in a season in the final two minutes of play, per TruMedia. Kansas City's Nikko Remigio tallied the longest kick return (63 yards) and punt return (41) of the ongoing playoffs. Three Eagles have combined to gain the most kick return yards (301) by a team in the past five postseasons.</p><p>The duel between kickers is always significant. The tale of the tape favors Butker, who's drilled 16 straight playoff field-goal attempts and 27 consecutive extra points.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🎯 Kicking stats" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-WtoFa" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/WtoFa/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="317" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                         </u></center></figure><h3>Is Kansas City untouchable?</h3><p>There's been no shortage of NFL dynasties, but there's never been a three-peat in the 59-year Super Bowl era. Only two precedents exist for a team stringing together three championships.</p><p>The forward pass was still a curiosity when Curly Lambeau coached the Green Bay Packers to league titles in 1929, 1930, and 1931. Vince Lombardi, quarterback Bart Starr, and defenses laden with Hall of Famers sparked the Packers to glory from 1965-67, including in Super Bowls I and II.</p><p>The Chiefs are the fourth franchise to qualify for a third straight Super Bowl. Each previous streak was imperfect, and one was humiliating.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🌟 Super Bowl streaks" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-KeEi9" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/KeEi9/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="270" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>A historic achievement will be completed or foiled Sunday. To break through, the Eagles need to puncture Kansas City's air of inevitability. Because the Chiefs own <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3195539" href="https://thescore.com/news/3195539">important moments</a>, they've won an unfathomable 17 straight one-score games, including a dozen this season.</p><p>Most <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3208641" href="https://thescore.com/news/3208641">juggernauts</a> eventually run out of luck. The Chiefs were the NFL's ninth 15-win team but, of that group, only the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and 1985 Chicago Bears raised the Lombardi Trophy. The 2007 New England Patriots and 2015 Carolina Panthers suffered Super Bowl heartbreak. We'll know the Chiefs are different if one more key bounce, contested officiating call, or decisive snap breaks their way.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30162288/related

5 Chiefs-Eagles questions that will decide Super Bowl LIX

Note: This story was originally published in February 2024.  Once upon a time, the Detroit Lions ...

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30085695/related

The forgotten 3rd-place game that NFL legends hated

The Dallas Stars prolonged the NHL's trading spree by poaching the last-place San Jose Sharks' to...

<p>The Dallas Stars prolonged the NHL's trading spree by poaching the last-place San Jose Sharks' top scorer.</p><p>Dallas <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3206778" href="https://thescore.com/news/3206778">acquired</a> veteran forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci on Saturday for a pair of 2025 draft selections. San Jose receives the Stars' first-round pick, as well as a conditional third-round pick that becomes a fourth-rounder should Dallas bow out before the Stanley Cup Final.</p><p>Let's evaluate the deal for both teams.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Stars</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768387/cropped_GettyImages-2179296848.jpg?ts=1738443092" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768387/w220xh124_GettyImages-2179296848.jpg?ts=1738443092 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768387/w320xh180_GettyImages-2179296848.jpg?ts=1738443092 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768387/w640xh360_GettyImages-2179296848.jpg?ts=1738443092 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768387/w768xh432_GettyImages-2179296848.jpg?ts=1738443092 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768387/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2179296848.jpg?ts=1738443092 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Sam Hodde / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Reinforcements are en route to Dallas, a Central Division contender that's won four straight yet needed to make a move to counteract the loss of several injured regulars, most notably Miro Heiskanen.</p><p>Granlund wouldn't lead many squads in points, but he's a slick puck carrier and playmaker who deepens the Stars' enviable complement of offensive weapons. He sniped two nice goals, then dished three assists in recent back-to-back Sharks defeats to the Nashville Predators (the aggregate score was 13-10). He's going from a defensive trainwreck to a fortress - Dallas ranks third in goals allowed - and could elevate any combination of skilled linemates.</p><p>Few NHL defensemen can simulate Heiskanen's impact. Ceci isn't in the same stratosphere. But he's able to tread water in a depth role, sacrifice his body (100 blocked shots this season), and eat shorthanded minutes. The Edmonton Oilers' 94.3% penalty kill blanked Dallas and was never scored on in Ceci's shifts during the 2024 playoffs.</p><p>This trade fits a new trend. Powerful and desperate teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers in January, are <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3206144" href="https://thescore.com/news/3206144">swapping</a> premium picks for top <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3120171" href="https://thescore.com/news/3120171">talent</a> earlier in the season. Rather than be complacent and pay the same price to outbid competitors at the March 7 deadline, Dallas gets to rent Granlund's services for an extra 10 games.</p><p><strong>Grade</strong>: B+</p><h3>Sharks</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768389/cropped_GettyImages-2195885891.jpg?ts=1738443432" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768389/w220xh124_GettyImages-2195885891.jpg?ts=1738443432 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768389/w320xh180_GettyImages-2195885891.jpg?ts=1738443432 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768389/w640xh360_GettyImages-2195885891.jpg?ts=1738443432 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768389/w768xh432_GettyImages-2195885891.jpg?ts=1738443432 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/768389/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2195885891.jpg?ts=1738443432 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Matthew Huang / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Two years ago, Granlund's bloated contract was a negative asset the Sharks absorbed to minimize their retention on Erik Karlsson's big ticket.</p><p>Now a pending unrestricted free agent, Granlund rehabilitated his image at the top of San Jose's lineup. Since the start of last season, he ranks 33rd in the league in assists (78) and is 60th in points per game (0.87, 105 in total). He contributed to a third of goals tallied in the span by the Sharks, who extracted full value from his respectable stint.</p><p>Granlund's basement-dwelling former teammates have 28 games left to endure without him. That outcome is tolerable because the objectives of their rebuilding year - catapult Macklin Celebrini to stardom and chase another first overall pick - are well on track.</p><p>General manager Mike Grier used picks obtained in the Karlsson and Timo Meier blockbusters to trade up in 2024 for star prospect Sam Dickinson, a future pillar on defense. After moving Granlund, Grier wields an additional first-round selection in a third straight draft.</p><p><strong>Grade</strong>: A</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30074665/related

Trade grades: Urgent Granlund swap benefits everyone

On the night the lights went out at the Superdome in New Orleans, fans went wild for a hometown h...

<p>On the night the lights went out at the Superdome in New Orleans, fans went wild for a hometown hero. The late Baltimore Ravens kick returner Jacoby Jones got ahead of the power outage that delayed Super Bowl XLVII by flying through a mass of bodies for a record score.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watching Jacoby Jones’ 109 yard Kickoff Return will never get old <a href="https://t.co/kDYoIqFvyU">pic.twitter.com/kDYoIqFvyU</a></p>— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealmRavens/status/1608129262355206144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2022</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>The following year, Percy Harvin grabbed a bouncing kickoff at his own 13-yard-line and brushed past the fingertips of lunging tacklers on his way to paydirt. Harvin hit every hole to widen the Seattle Seahawks' lead over a Peyton Manning-led juggernaut, which suffered a historic Super Bowl blowout.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">He'd played one game all year. But Percy Harvin was ready to GO in the Super Bowl.🏃‍♂️💨 <a href="https://twitter.com/Seahawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Seahawks</a> <a href="https://t.co/JARirbFXmB">pic.twitter.com/JARirbFXmB</a></p>— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLLegacy/status/1091050217141489664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2019</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Splash plays on special teams, from kick returns to punt-block touchdowns, used to be a staple of the NFL's championship game. But Harvin's breakaway, the last of these arresting sights, is more than a decade old. They're a distant memory as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles land in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>A <a href="https://stathead.com/tiny/sdZyc">Stathead</a> search for Super Bowl kickoffs, punts, and field-goal attempts leading to a return touchdown pulls up 14 results. They've supercharged a quarter of championship clashes.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏈 Special scoring plays" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-peqVy" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/peqVy/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="672" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>Connective threads link these plays. Different versions of the Raiders - Los Angeles in the 1980s, Oakland in the 2000s - recorded two of the three punt-block return touchdowns. Washington kicking specialist Jeff Hayes and the dynastic San Francisco 49ers of the '80s and '90s were on the wrong end of multiple scores. Harvin and Jones erupted right after halftime, and Devin Hester broke loose for the 2006 Chicago Bears on the opening kick.</p><p>Some of the touchdowns dented massive deficits. Others extinguished a trailing opponent's flicker of hope. Most brightened a futile night - the scoring team went 5-9 in those Super Bowls.</p><p>All illustrated how special teams - football's often overlooked phase - can tilt the action in rare, exhilarating ways.</p><p>Garo Yepremian's misadventure in Super Bowl VII almost ruined the Miami Dolphins' perfect 1972 season. They led 14-0 in the waning minutes when Washington's Bill Brundage blocked the southpaw kicker's 42-yard attempt. Yepremian nimbly scooped the ball but, rather than fall to his stomach, whiffed a pass and deflected it to defender Mike Bass. Because Miami stuffed Washington's next drive, the memory of the gaffe is comedic, not haunting.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">January 14, 1973<br><br>"Garo's Gaffe"<br><br>The first of seven fumble recovery touchdowns in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowl</a> history<br><br>The Redskins' Mike Bass races 49 yards with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dolphins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dolphins</a> kicker Garo Yepremian's infamous fumbled pass attempt after a blocked field goal with 2:07 remaining in Super Bowl VII. <a href="https://t.co/K8tqzzJ8UT">pic.twitter.com/K8tqzzJ8UT</a></p>— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevG163/status/1879292404118990879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>The first Super Bowl punt-block TD - Matt Blair <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/G_tqxgp6NyM">pierced</a> the Pittsburgh Steelers' line for the rejection - was a silver lining for the '74 Minnesota Vikings, who plunked the upright on the extra point and committed five giveaways in defeat. The fate of the '83 Raiders differed, as Derrick Jensen's soaring <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jpJnsURFd3A">swat</a> and recovery helped deliver the Silver and Black's third and most recent championship.</p><p>Dolphins kick returner Fulton Walker raced through the first wave of defense and dizzied Hayes on his historic 98-yard <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDSoyeA-fh0">touchdown</a> in Super Bowl XVII. Explosive return scores were the highlights of championship appearances for the Cincinnati Bengals, then-San Diego Chargers, and Atlanta Falcons, who are a combined 0-6 in the Super Bowl despite those momentum swings.</p><p>Iconic kick returners lit up the Big Game. Desmond Howard's 99-yard speed burst restored a two-touchdown lead as the '96 Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots. Once a Heisman Trophy winner at Michigan, Howard remains the only specialist to be named Super Bowl MVP.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Pats had just cut the lead to one score, and it looked like Super Bowl XXXI might come down to the wire.<br><br>Then <a href="https://twitter.com/DesmondHoward?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DesmondHoward</a> turned on the burners.<br><br>(SB XXXI: Jan. 26, 1997) <a href="https://twitter.com/packers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@packers</a> <a href="https://t.co/G8k3aAxuQC">pic.twitter.com/G8k3aAxuQC</a></p>— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLLegacy/status/1223295947402371072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2020</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Ron Dixon's flash of brilliance for the 2000 New York Giants was instantly upstaged. Baltimore returner Jermaine Lewis offset Dixon's swerving 97-yard runback in Super Bowl XXXV by tiptoeing down the right sideline for his own 84-yard score. The emphatic response capped a stunning <a href="https://youtu.be/kGuEnJRGP0s?si=wJRRZZ7DjFza6TKk&amp;t=192">sequence</a> of touchdowns on three straight plays as the Ravens, who started the spree with a pick-6, coasted to glory.</p><p>CBS announcer Jim Nantz had an inkling that the Indianapolis Colts would crumble to open Super Bowl XLI. Nantz mentioned their weak kick coverage just before the quicksilver Hester, a wondrous rookie and future Hall of Famer, housed the biggest of his 20 career return TDs. The Colts overpowered Chicago that night but failed to touch Hester on his 92-yard dash until a valiant, diving tackle attempt sent him tumbling into the end zone.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">15 Years Ago Today<br><br>The only opening kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl history —<br>Devin Hester, 92 yards to the house for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bears?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bears</a><br><br>Super Bowl XLI <a href="https://t.co/JIEdNvKyWo">pic.twitter.com/JIEdNvKyWo</a></p>— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevG163/status/1489611112966459401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Ensuing return scores were rewarded with a ring. Jones' touchdown, which put the Ravens up 28-6 in the 2012 Harbaugh Bowl, gave them just enough breathing room after the Superdome blackout was resolved to foil San Francisco's furious comeback. Harvin helped Seattle rout the Denver Broncos 43-8 - the Super Bowl's third-largest margin of victory.</p><p>Kansas City's responsible for recent close calls. The best Super Bowl kickoff return of the past decade was Byron Pringle's 41-yard effort for the 2020 Chiefs, who fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There's never been a Super Bowl punt-return TD, but Kadarius Toney juked and jived to gain 65 yards ahead of a key scoring drive in the 2022 Chiefs-Eagles heavyweight fight.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">KADARIUS TONEY TAKES IT DOWN TO THE 5 YARD LINE.<br><br>THIS GAME. 🔥🔥🔥<br><br>📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBLVII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBLVII</a> on FOX<br>📱: Stream on NFL+ <a href="https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m">https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m</a> <a href="https://t.co/bFMl6VQPUA">pic.twitter.com/bFMl6VQPUA</a></p>— NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1624961733046734849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>The dynamic kickoff could revive the heroic return. A league-wide touchback rate that ballooned to 76% in the 2023 playoffs is down to 53% in the ongoing postseason, the first with the new format, per TruMedia. Long gains by the Chiefs' Nikko Remigio and the Eagles' Kenneth Gainwell in the divisional round helped boost the NFL's current yards per return average (26.1) to its highest point in a dozen years.</p><p>Special plays influence championship outcomes. A punt-block safety, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vXDteI8O40&amp;t=18s">forced</a> in Super Bowl X by airborne running back Reggie Harrison, sparked one of Pittsburgh's great Steel Curtain squads to a comeback win in the fourth quarter. And Thomas Morstead's deceptive <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azhW5o_jHGg&amp;t=41s">onside kick</a> - the opening salvo of the second half - turned the tide of Super Bowl XLIV for the New Orleans Saints.</p><p>Five recent Super Bowl finalists added more than six expected points, outpacing the value of a touchdown, through their performances on special teams, according to TruMedia. Each unit showed up, did its job, and enriched the game's long, eventful history with one amazing play.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="‼️ Special performances" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-1skVp" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/1skVp/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="364" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/30065189/related

Return touchdowns used to electrify the Super Bowl

Terrific talents have a shot to punctuate their special NFL seasons with a Super Bowl victory. MV...

<p>Terrific talents have a shot to punctuate their special NFL seasons with a Super Bowl victory. MVP favorite Josh Allen, rushing champion Saquon Barkley, and rookie showstopper Jayden Daniels lead three of the four conference finalists into Sunday's action.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏈 Sunday's schedule" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-yzJGj" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yzJGj/3/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="224" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>They aim to unseat the Chiefs, a wobbling dynasty. Living legends amassed immaculate stats while carrying Kansas City to back-to-back Lombardi Trophies and three in total. But the 2024 Chiefs' historic reliance on close wins - they clinched a record 11 by one score - sowed doubt about their staying power and inevitability.</p><p>Being able to pull out grimy wins is an asset. These Chiefs scratched, clawed, and benefited from a variety of decisive plays that always broke their way.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>In the season opener, the Ravens' potential game-tying catch at the back of the end zone on the final snap was nixed when Isaiah Likely's toe landed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsfhlNMZcVE&amp;t=571s">out of bounds</a>. Kansas City went on to win with late defensive stands, a last-ditch <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3132462" href="https://thescore.com/news/3132462">blocked field goal</a>, and buzzer-beating kicks from Harrison Butker and his two injury replacements.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏈 Leaving it late" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-Pb4zv" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Pb4zv/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="629" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>The Chiefs' pair of 30-point performances were a shadow of their average of eight per season across the rest of Patrick Mahomes' career. They had no commanding divisional wins but scraped by the Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders in all but one matchup. Their string of squeakers produced a point differential of plus-59, which would be the lowest for a conference champion since 2015 and one of the 10 lowest since 1970, per <a href="https://stathead.com/tiny/QSkKh">Stathead</a>.</p><p>They seem impervious to bad bounces and changing luck. Over the past two postseasons, Kansas City went 6-0 in one-score games and celebrated under confetti after marching to a last-gasp field goal and an overtime touchdown. Three years ago Thursday, Mahomes engineered the miraculous 13-second drive that led to Buffalo's crushing defeat in the extra frame.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766684/cropped_GettyImages-1963509748.jpg?ts=1737566345" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766684/w220xh124_GettyImages-1963509748.jpg?ts=1737566345 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766684/w320xh180_GettyImages-1963509748.jpg?ts=1737566345 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766684/w640xh360_GettyImages-1963509748.jpg?ts=1737566345 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766684/w768xh432_GettyImages-1963509748.jpg?ts=1737566345 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766684/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1963509748.jpg?ts=1737566345 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Sunday's Bills-Chiefs revenge tilt has enormous stakes. Allen continues his quest to join Tom Brady and Joe Burrow as the quarterbacks who've upset Mahomes at the hostile Arrowhead Stadium.</p><p>With one more playoff win (his 17th) and four more touchdown passes (he'd have 46), Mahomes would trail only Brady on both career leaderboards. Travis Kelce is 226 receiving yards and three scores away from superseding Jerry Rice as the NFL postseason's most prolific playmaker.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="⭐️ Best playoff receivers" aria-label="Scatter Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-85xTo" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/85xTo/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="490" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>If the AFC title game is close, any of these factors could swing the outcome.</p><p><strong>Ball security</strong>: Mahomes committed the Chiefs' most recent turnover on a desperation heave at Buffalo in Week 11. They didn't lose the ball in eight ensuing games, compiling the NFL's longest streak of the century, per TruMedia. The Bills had one giveaway in that span and slashed their season total to eight - down from 28 in 2023 - as Allen avoided undue risks.</p><p><strong>Success of Chiefs pass rush</strong>: Kansas City defenders gave up the seventh-fewest touchdowns (2.2 per game) and ninth-fewest yards per play (5.3). Their eight-sack effort in the divisional round, with a 54% pressure rate of C.J. Stroud, halted the Texans' momentum. On the other side of the line, no offense lost fewer sack yards this century than the 2024 Bills (63 on just 14 takedowns of the elusive Allen), per TruMedia.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Bills-Chiefs (2024 CC)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-sRVNU" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/sRVNU/3/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="286" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Kickers' accuracy</strong>: Although Butker hasn't scored from beyond 50 yards since Week 3, he's riding a streak of 15 made field goals in postseason play. Distance doesn't trouble Tyler Bass, who was perfect from beyond 50 yards this season, but the Bills veteran still missed five field goals and whiffed on a league-high five extra points.</p><p><strong>The officiating standard</strong>: Roughing penalties taken by Houston's defense last weekend prolonged scoring drives and inflamed the conversation about how Mahomes is whistled. The flag rate in 2024 Chiefs matchups - their opponents have taken the 14th-most penalties (6.39 per game) for the 16th-most lost yardage (51.7), per TruMedia - doesn't support the sentiment that he enjoys unique protection.</p><p>On the other hand, only three clubs drew more roughing the passer calls. The nine roughing fouls drawn by Mahomes in the playoffs since 2020 - after the Chiefs became a championship team - triple the tally of Allen, the closest quarterback to him.</p><p>The journey to the conference finals demanded adjustments from Allen, consistent dominance from Barkley, and wizardry from Daniels in his rookie year. In this round or the next, any of them could prevent the first Super Bowl three-peat by outdueling the sport's scrappiest heavyweight.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/29948875/related

Can grimy wins prolong the Chiefs' reign?

Ahead of the NFL divisional round, we assess each matchup in chronological order and single out o...

<p><em>Ahead of the NFL divisional round, we assess each matchup in chronological order and single out one key player per team with a chance to make a profound impact.</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="🏈 Divisional round games" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-2iP7r" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/2iP7r/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="255" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><h3>Texans at Chiefs</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Texans-Chiefs (2024 DR)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-jRIie" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/jRIie/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="272" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Will Anderson, Texans edge rusher</strong>: Anderson barrelled into the Chargers' backfield for a couple of sacks last week as Houston's defense throttled Los Angeles. The Texans generated pressure on 19 of 37 dropbacks to swarm Justin Herbert, and they punished his escalating series of miscues with four interceptions.</p><p>By expected points added per play, Houston's defensive showing was the third best in the NFL this season and the best in the playoffs since 2006, according to TruMedia. Stonewalling the Chiefs would buy time for the Texans to get on track if their early offensive struggles from the wild-card round (no points, two giveaways, 54 net yards on the first five drives) recur.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Anderson built on his 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year triumph with 11 sacks in 14 appearances this season. The wild-card win was his fourth six-pressure game. He needs to help disrupt Kansas City's rhythm after Patrick Mahomes was sacked just once in 125 dropbacks in his last three starts, per <a href="https://premium.pff.com/nfl/positions/2024/CUSTOM/passing-pressure?position=QB&amp;split=pressure&amp;week=15,16,17">PFF</a>.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765290/cropped_GettyImages-2193790531.jpg?ts=1736872635" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765290/w220xh124_GettyImages-2193790531.jpg?ts=1736872635 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765290/w320xh180_GettyImages-2193790531.jpg?ts=1736872635 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765290/w640xh360_GettyImages-2193790531.jpg?ts=1736872635 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765290/w768xh432_GettyImages-2193790531.jpg?ts=1736872635 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765290/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2193790531.jpg?ts=1736872635 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Joe Sargent / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs quarterback</strong>: The winningest team in Chiefs franchise history contains contrasts. Mahomes' club went 15-1 in his starts despite recording the lowest point differential (plus-59) and fewest offensive yards (327.6 per game, 5.1 per play) of his dazzling career.</p><p>Kansas City secured home field by equaling an NFL record with 11 one-score victories. These Chiefs differ from previous teams that relied on close wins but ran out of luck and failed to reach the Super Bowl, including the 2022 Vikings. The Chiefs' defense has been sturdy, and their three-time championship quarterback facilitates the tightrope act.</p><p>Expertly closing halves, Mahomes compiled one of the NFL's top passer ratings (105.8) and TD-INT splits (18-2) in the second and fourth quarters of games, per TruMedia. He piloted Kansas City's diminished offense - only the Chiefs and Patriots didn't have a 1,000-yard playmaker - to seven winning drives in the final frame, reiterating that it's hard to frazzle and outlast him.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><h3>Commanders at Lions</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Commanders-Lions (2024 DR)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-XXtuc" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/XXtuc/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="286" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Brian Robinson, Commanders running back</strong>: In a boom-or-bust year, Robinson was often a nonfactor despite eclipsing 100 rushing yards in three Commanders wins. On Wild Card Weekend, he had 16 yards on 10 carries with a longest gain of five.</p><p>At his best, Robinson's a legitimate complement to Jayden Daniels, who does it all with his arm and legs. Daniels ranked seventh among NFL quarterbacks in total offense (4,459 passing and rushing yards) and EPA/dropback, per TruMedia. He handled pressure to earn the first playoff road win by a rookie QB in a dozen years when Washington's doinked kick at the buzzer devastated the Buccaneers.</p><p>Robinson and Austin Ekeler can gash Detroit's pass defense, which gave up the most receiving yards to running backs (42.4 per game) over the second half of the season, per TruMedia. Their involvement will reflect whether the Commanders dictate the tempo with a balanced plan Saturday or force Daniels to play hero ball to win a shootout.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765292/cropped_GettyImages-2182102900.jpg?ts=1736872935" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765292/w220xh124_GettyImages-2182102900.jpg?ts=1736872935 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765292/w320xh180_GettyImages-2182102900.jpg?ts=1736872935 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765292/w640xh360_GettyImages-2182102900.jpg?ts=1736872935 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765292/w768xh432_GettyImages-2182102900.jpg?ts=1736872935 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765292/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2182102900.jpg?ts=1736872935 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Kerby Joseph, Lions safety</strong>: Fans set their watches to the cadence of Detroit's offense, which marched downfield to house four touchdowns per game and scored on 51.6% of its drives, the fifth-best rate of the past 10 NFL seasons, per TruMedia.</p><p>Their unshakeable concern is the ramshackle state of a defense that had to field 30 different starters in 2024 because of the ravages of injury. Joseph - PFF's top-rated safety - strengthened the unit by lining up for 99% of snaps and constantly snaring underthrown balls. He guarded the house, grabbing four of his league-high nine interceptions in the Lions' end zone.</p><p>Detroit lost or tied the turnover battle in 10 games. Eight were settled by one score, including both Lions losses. The Commanders can keep this matchup close and prolong their splendid underdog story if they protect the pigskin, but Joseph is lurking.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><h3>Rams at Eagles</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Rams-Eagles (2024 DR)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-3hjvm" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3hjvm/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="286" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Matthew Stafford, Rams quarterback</strong>: Stafford waited 13 long years to win an NFL playoff game, then he emerged as a clutch performer. The recent Super Bowl winner improved to 5-1 with the Rams in the postseason by releasing the ball fast to pick apart the Vikings' vaunted pressure defense.</p><p>Philadelphia is a big test. The Eagles' defense ranks in the top three since midseason in myriad metrics: passing yards allowed (161 per game), total yards allowed (267.9), opponent scoring rate (28.4% of drives), three-and-out rate (44.2%), third-down stop rate (66.4%), and takeaway rate (20.0%), per TruMedia. Opposing pass attacks gained the fewest receiving first downs in that span while fumbling five times after the catch.</p><p>Stafford ranks third in EPA/dropback in the postseason over his first four years in L.A. These Rams now support him with lockdown defense: Minnesota was the fourth opponent in five weeks that they held below 10 points.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765293/cropped_GettyImages-2193818475.jpg?ts=1736873137" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765293/w220xh124_GettyImages-2193818475.jpg?ts=1736873137 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765293/w320xh180_GettyImages-2193818475.jpg?ts=1736873137 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765293/w640xh360_GettyImages-2193818475.jpg?ts=1736873137 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765293/w768xh432_GettyImages-2193818475.jpg?ts=1736873137 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765293/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2193818475.jpg?ts=1736873137 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Brooke Sutton / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Jordan Mailata, Eagles left tackle</strong>: Mailata is the linchpin of the offensive line that makes Philadelphia functional. His dirty work protects Jalen Hurts and creates holes for Saquon Barkley, and it may help <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3189969" href="https://thescore.com/news/3189969">avid reader</a> A.J. Brown post more than one catch.</p><p>Hurts needs to be comfortable against the Rams to resurrect the Eagles' passing game. L.A.'s barrage of Vikings QB Sam Darnold produced nine sacks and 27 pressures on 50 dropbacks, per <a href="https://premium.pff.com/nfl/positions/2024/CUSTOM/passing-pressure?position=QB&amp;split=pressure&amp;week=28">PFF</a>. It was a new dimension for a Rams defense that ranked 21st in sacks and only managed eight during their five-win December hot streak.</p><p>Mailata received the best PFF player grade (95.8) across all positions in 2024. He allowed one sack and 14 pressures in 12 games and was a dominant run-blocker. It's no coincidence that Barkley totaled most of his rushing yards (1,198 of 2,005) on carries to the left side of the field.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><h3>Ravens at Bills</h3><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Ravens-Bills (2024 DR)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-lAZNm" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lAZNm/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="286" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p><strong>Derrick Henry, Ravens running back</strong>: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are this blockbuster clash's true headliners. The MVP favorites combined to pass and rush for 9,349 yards and 85 touchdowns in the regular season. But no supporting star shines brighter than Henry.</p><p>He tallied 1,921 yards with greater efficiency than the superlative Barkley (5.9 yards per carry to Barkley's 5.8). Henry forced the most missed tackles around the NFL (80), scored the most rushing TDs (16), and produced the most 20-plus-yard rushes (19) since Adrian Peterson in 2012, per TruMedia.</p><p>His brute strength and balletic feet provide a counter to the ground-and-pound approach that let Buffalo rack up 210 rushing yards and 41 minutes of possession against the Broncos. Henry's tour de force against the Steelers was his record third career 180-yard playoff game and his first with multiple TDs.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765295/cropped_GettyImages-2193040050.jpg?ts=1736873282" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765295/w220xh124_GettyImages-2193040050.jpg?ts=1736873282 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765295/w320xh180_GettyImages-2193040050.jpg?ts=1736873282 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765295/w640xh360_GettyImages-2193040050.jpg?ts=1736873282 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765295/w768xh432_GettyImages-2193040050.jpg?ts=1736873282 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765295/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2193040050.jpg?ts=1736873282 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Scott Taetsch / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>Khalil Shakir, Bills wide receiver</strong>: "Firing on all cylinders" is a well-worn cliche that's best reserved to describe complete juggernauts like Baltimore. The Ravens were the first NFL squad to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards, and they also fielded this season's stingiest run defense, surrendering just 3.6 yards per carry.</p><p>Aerial defense is the Ravens' vulnerability, though even saying that is a stretch: They allowed the lowest passer rating (79.4), third-lowest completion rate (59.7%), and seventh-lowest passing output (202.8 yards per game) from Weeks 10-18 after being leaky in the first half of the season, per TruMedia.</p><p>Shakir, Allen's top target, is a slot threat who wiggled into open lanes and sidestepped tacklers to gain the third-most yards after the catch (597). His reception rate on short throws that traveled less than 10 air yards sparkled at 93.2% (69 on 74 targets). It'd be ideal for Buffalo if Shakir teams with lead rusher James Cook to help Allen move the chains and makes one massive grab reminiscent of this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFs45bOsDVc">September deep shot</a>.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

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8 players who will headline the NFL divisional round

Wild Card Weekend is upon us. A dozen teams will clash for the right to join the top-seeded Chief...

<p><em>Wild Card Weekend is upon us. A dozen teams will clash for the right to join the top-seeded Chiefs and Lions in the next round of the NFL postseason. Here are key storylines to follow in the NFC games.</em></p><p><em>Note: All times listed are Eastern. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3177291" href="https://thescore.com/news/3177291">Read</a> our preview of the AFC slate.</em></p><p><strong>Packers at Eagles</strong>, Sunday at 4:30 p.m.<br><em>Will Saquon Barkley run rampant?</em></p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Packers-Eagles (2024 WC)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-j1pDd" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/j1pDd/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="267" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>The Eagles rested their 2,005-yard rusher last week to avoid injury and recharge for a championship chase. Barkley's brush with the single-season record ended because his club knows he's irreplaceable.</p><p>Barkley outgained 20 entire teams on the ground in 2024. He bested the immense production of Derrick Henry, the only NFL running back on his level, and was head and shoulders above the position's other standouts. He handled 41% of Eagles touches and produced the fifth-greatest share of an offense's scrimmage yards (35%) in the league over the past 10 seasons, according to TruMedia.</p><p>Glaringly one-dimensional, the Eagles gained the NFL's fewest passing yards (175 per game) after the midseason mark. Blockers blazed trails for Barkley, who picked up two-thirds of his rushing yards (1,328) before contact, per <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2024/rushing_advanced.htm">Pro Football Reference</a>. Philadelphia went 10-1 in his 100-yard outings, and only three opponents held him below the league average of 4.4 yards per rush.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764148/cropped_GettyImages-2191277351.jpg?ts=1736286495" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764148/w220xh124_GettyImages-2191277351.jpg?ts=1736286495 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764148/w320xh180_GettyImages-2191277351.jpg?ts=1736286495 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764148/w640xh360_GettyImages-2191277351.jpg?ts=1736286495 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764148/w768xh432_GettyImages-2191277351.jpg?ts=1736286495 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764148/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2191277351.jpg?ts=1736286495 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Andy Lewis / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764150/cropped_GettyImages-2190573466.jpg?ts=1736286675" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764150/w220xh124_GettyImages-2190573466.jpg?ts=1736286675 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764150/w320xh180_GettyImages-2190573466.jpg?ts=1736286675 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764150/w640xh360_GettyImages-2190573466.jpg?ts=1736286675 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764150/w768xh432_GettyImages-2190573466.jpg?ts=1736286675 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764150/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2190573466.jpg?ts=1736286675 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Steph Chambers / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>The Packers have the pieces to slow or counter Barkley. Six of their last seven opponents rushed for well under 100 yards, and the defense allowed a meager 3.2 yards per carry in those games. Workhorse running back Josh Jacobs rides an eight-week touchdown streak (league-high 12 rushing scores in the span) into his Green Bay playoff debut.</p><p>Losing Christian Watson, their main deep threat, to an ACL tear compounds the adversity facing the Packers. The historic strength of the top-heavy NFC North forced them to travel to Philly as the seventh seed. Green Bay is the fourth 11-win team in the Super Bowl era to place third in its division, per <a href="https://stathead.com/tiny/w9AvY">Stathead</a>.</p><p>Both quarterbacks were ailing this week: Jordan Love left Green Bay's Week 18 defeat with an elbow injury, and Jalen Hurts just returned to practice following a concussion. Pounding the ball upfield will matter Sunday.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><p><strong>Commanders at Buccaneers</strong>, Sunday at 8 p.m.<br><em>Can either defense prevent a fireworks display?</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Commanders-Buccaneers (2024 WC)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-kgNQL" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/kgNQL/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="267" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>These scorching offenses score in waves. Both teams erupted for 40 or more points three times. The Commanders were a spotless 7-0 and the Buccaneers were 6-2 when they crossed the 30-point threshold.</p><p>In Tampa Bay's balanced attack, Bucky Irving's rushing prowess complements Baker Mayfield's gunslinging ability. A stellar 71.4% completion rate helped the veteran quarterback amass 4,500 yards and 40 touchdowns for the first time. Mayfield made up for Chris Godwin's absence by feeding star wideout Mike Evans as well as Irving and other Bucs running backs, who totaled the second-most receiving yards (52.6 per game) by an RB group, per TruMedia.</p><p>The franchise-altering selection of Jayden Daniels in the draft quickened the Commanders' rebuild. The rookie quarterback owned big moments, leading clutch touchdown marches in December to beat the Eagles on the final snap and edge the Falcons in overtime. He scrambled to great effect, ranking second at his position with 891 rushing yards, and jelled with Terry McLaurin, the NFC leader with 13 touchdown receptions.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764157/cropped_GettyImages-2191426561.jpg?ts=1736287238" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764157/w220xh124_GettyImages-2191426561.jpg?ts=1736287238 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764157/w320xh180_GettyImages-2191426561.jpg?ts=1736287238 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764157/w640xh360_GettyImages-2191426561.jpg?ts=1736287238 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764157/w768xh432_GettyImages-2191426561.jpg?ts=1736287238 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764157/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2191426561.jpg?ts=1736287238 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Scott Taetsch / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764155/cropped_GettyImages-2188111715.jpg?ts=1736287162" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764155/w220xh124_GettyImages-2188111715.jpg?ts=1736287162 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764155/w320xh180_GettyImages-2188111715.jpg?ts=1736287162 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764155/w640xh360_GettyImages-2188111715.jpg?ts=1736287162 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764155/w768xh432_GettyImages-2188111715.jpg?ts=1736287162 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764155/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2188111715.jpg?ts=1736287162 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Matt Kelley / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Both defenses are unspectacular but competitive, and Tampa Bay's unit enjoyed a drastic turnaround. The Buccaneers rocketed from 30th in defensive EPA entering their Week 11 bye to third in the stat from Weeks 12-18 against a light schedule, per TruMedia. The Commanders helped Daniels build leads, giving up the third-fewest points in first halves (8.6 per game), while the Bucs applied the clamps later, conceding the second fewest after halftime (7.9).</p><p>Either defense could impact the matchup by punishing the passers' lapses. Ever the daredevil, Mayfield tossed a league-high 16 interceptions (with five multi-pick games) and committed the most turnover-worthy plays (25, per <a href="https://premium.pff.com/nfl/positions/2024/REGPO/passing?position=QB&amp;minimum=20p">PFF</a>).</p><p>Daniels is pretty precise, but his completion rate sagged below 60% in four starts. He's trying to join a short list as the fourth rookie quarterback - and the first since Russell Wilson in 2013 - to win a road playoff game.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><center><u>                    </u></center></figure><p><strong>Vikings at Rams</strong>, Monday at 8 p.m.<br><em>Will Minnesota disorient Matthew Stafford?</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Vikings-Rams (2024 WC)" aria-label="Dot Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-HJLvD" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/HJLvD/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="267" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure><p>The Vikings laid waste to game plans while racking up 14 victories, a franchise high since 1998. Only two quarterbacks disrupted their defensive dominance: Stafford and Detroit's Jared Goff.</p><p>Defensive coordinator Brian Flores' blueprint calls for the Vikings to disguise blitz packages with pre-snap movement, then send the house. Their NFL-high 38.9% blitz rate sowed confusion and stress. Minnesota recorded the fourth-biggest sack haul (49) and other excellent defensive numbers, including league bests in interceptions (24), takeaways (33), and opponent scoring percentage (a mere 31.6% of drives).</p><p>But wily veteran quarterbacks stayed calm and solved the scheme. When the Rams won 30-20 in October, Stafford controlled the ball for 33 minutes, fired 25 completions to nine targets for 279 yards, and punctuated four methodical drives with touchdown throws. He made quick, assured decisions and wasn't sacked. By EPA/dropback, Stafford's performance rated in the 93rd percentile of QB games this season, according to TruMedia.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764151/cropped_GettyImages-2191049259.jpg?ts=1736286785" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764151/w220xh124_GettyImages-2191049259.jpg?ts=1736286785 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764151/w320xh180_GettyImages-2191049259.jpg?ts=1736286785 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764151/w640xh360_GettyImages-2191049259.jpg?ts=1736286785 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764151/w768xh432_GettyImages-2191049259.jpg?ts=1736286785 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764151/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2191049259.jpg?ts=1736286785 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Pasadena Star-News / MediaNews Group /  ImagesGetty</span></figcaption></figure><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764152/cropped_GettyImages-2191130723.jpg?ts=1736286894" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764152/w220xh124_GettyImages-2191130723.jpg?ts=1736286894 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764152/w320xh180_GettyImages-2191130723.jpg?ts=1736286894 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764152/w640xh360_GettyImages-2191130723.jpg?ts=1736286894 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764152/w768xh432_GettyImages-2191130723.jpg?ts=1736286894 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764152/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2191130723.jpg?ts=1736286894 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Steph Chambers / Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure><p>Minnesota held 11 passers to subpar EPA games as some defenders enjoyed career years, including edge rushers Jonathan Greenard (12 sacks, four forced fumbles) and Andrew Van Ginkel (11.5 sacks, two pick-6s). They provided key support for Sam Darnold, whose accurate deep shots spurred Justin Jefferson to the NFL lead in receiving yards before the catch (1,046 of Jefferson's total of 1,533).</p><p>The Vikings are the winningest fifth seed in NFL history. They eclipsed the previous high win total for a division runner-up: 13 by the 1999 Titans, per <a href="https://stathead.com/tiny/6EWFc">Stathead</a>.</p><p>Rounding into form, the Rams hung 44 points on the Bills and held three straight foes below 10 points during a December win streak that got them into the dance. Stafford was intercepted just once in that span, and Puka Nacua raised his weekly receiving average to 90 yards, slightly more than he managed as a stupendous rookie.</p><p><em>Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.</em></p>

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