Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to his latest individual accomplishment the way he always does: by deflecting credit and pointing to team goals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record for consecutive games with 20 points or more, extending his streak to 127 on Thursday night.

Most important to Gilgeous-Alexander, the defending champion Thunder are 103-24 during the run. He finished with 35 points and nine assists on Thursday as the Thunder beat the Boston Celtics 104-102.

“The streak is the streak, the awards are the awards,” he said. “But the thing I’m most proud of is winning.”

Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws in the third quarter to reach 19 points. With fans on their feet, Gilgeous-Alexander pump-faked several times and drilled a jumper over Baylor Scheierman from beyond the free-throw line with 7:04 left in the period to push his total to 21.

He said he kept up with his totals as a younger player, but not anymore. He learned how close he was by listening to the fans.

“I didn’t know exactly how many,” he said of his point total right before he set the record. “But once I heard the crowd, I was like, ‘OK.’”

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Chamberlain’s record had stood since 1963, and early on, it looked like Gilgeous-Alexander might struggle to break it. He didn’t score until halfway through the first quarter, but he had 10 points by the end of the period and 17 at halftime.

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Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award last season, and his consistency could lead to a repeat. He won the scoring title last season and ranks second in scoring this year. Oklahoma City has the league’s best record.

Coach Mark Daigneault credited Gilgeous-Alexander for staying focused.

“Surgical in his craft,” he said. “No one is more precise with their craft than he is. Number 2, the whole life of the streak has not prevented us from having a ton of team success and hasn’t prevented his teammates from having success either. So an individual streak that’s about scoring has not come at the expense of the team or his teammates.”

Chamberlain scored at least 20 in 126 straight games from 1961 to 1963. He had 20 or more in every game of the 1961-62 season for the Philadelphia Warriors, which included his record 100-point game in 1962. Chamberlain’s streak ended on Jan. 20, 1963, when he was ejected after just four minutes for the San Francisco Warriors against the St. Louis Hawks.

Gilgeous-Alexander tied the record on Monday, when he scored 35 points against the Denver Nuggets. He also had a career-high 15 assists and nine rebounds and hit the decisive 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

That means he had 24 assists combined in two games as he tried to break a scoring record.

“I have great teammates, it’s no secret,” he said. “Basketball is a five-man sport. You can’t win by yourself. It has to be a great team, great role players, a great co-star and a great coach. And I think we have all of those people. It’s not just me out there being great.”

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SGA caps all-time season by leading Thunder to 1st NBA title

Gilgeous-Alexander has five games with at least 50 points during the run, including a career-high 55-point effort against the Indiana Pacers in the second game of this season. He was last held under 20 when he scored 18 on Oct. 30, 2024, against San Antonio.

Gilgeous-Alexander passed Chamberlain’s second-best streak of 92 games earlier this season.

It’s been a week of scoring feats in the NBA. Miami’s Bam Adebayo scored 83 points on Tuesday, the second most behind Chamberlain’s 100-point game.

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You might know Cody Janzen as the voice of the Saskatchewan Rush, but what you might not know is he has a history of hockey, too.

He’s played in minor and junior hockey and a little bit overseas; he even started up a hockey agency and ran it for about a decade.

While he passed on the agency, he wanted to continue helping people play a sport he loves.

“So kicked around a few ideas, talked to some people, was connected with the right people and decided that getting into the ownership world was kind of something that had always interested me,” said Janzen.

He took ownership of a hockey team in North Macedonia, The Skopja Herd.

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While hockey isn’t exactly on the North Macedonia radar, Janzen wants to bring the game back to a place where they haven’t even had minor hockey for years.

“They did actually have a lot of hockey history. It’s Yugoslavia was hockey was huge in the ’60s and ’70s, you know, even pre-COVID they had a really strong national team — won the development cup back in 2018. And then unfortunately hockey fell apart there,” said Janzen.

Janzen says Skopja had reached out in hopes of hockey returning, and the people in the community are excited Janzen is giving them an assist.

“It was special to see… there wasn’t a single empty seat there for either of our games on the weekend. Like that’s cool to me. People want hockey back there.”

Janzen says the team has had a good start so far and he would like to see them win a championship, but most of all, he wants to see hockey thrive in North Macedonia.

“I feel like it’s an opportunity for me to give back to the hockey world. Hockey gave so much to me, sports gave so to me,” said Janzen.

“And now I’ve got the chance to make an impact, and you know, people’s lives, it doesn’t matter where it is around the world, but it’s kids getting into hockey. Just people playing sports.”

Watch above for more on the new North Macedonia hockey team, The Skopja Herd.

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TORONTO – William Nylander scored the go-ahead goal on a power play 36 seconds into the third period as the Maple Leafs came back from a 3-1 deficit to top the Anaheim Ducks 6-4 and snap an eight-game slide Thursday on a night that saw Toronto lose captain Auston Matthews to injury.

Matias Maccelli, with a goal and two assists, Matthews, John Tavares and Benoit-Olivier Groulx, against his former team, provided the rest of the offence for Toronto (28-27-11).

Matthew Knies chipped in three assists to go along with an empty-net goal. Nylander added two assists of his own for a three-point performance. Joseph Woll made 36 saves.

Matthews ended a 12-game goal drought — the second longest of his career — but took a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas with four minutes left in the second period. The centre stayed down favouring his left leg before being helped to the locker room. Gudas was assessed a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct.

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Cutter Gauthier, Ian Moore, Pavel Mintyukov and Alex Killorn scored for Anaheim (36-26-3). Lukas Dostal stopped 22 shots as the Pacific Division-leading Ducks fell to 15-5-0 over their last 20 games. Jeffrey Viel had two assists.

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The Maple Leafs are an ugly 1-6-2 since the Olympic break to sink any realistic hope of a 10th straight playoff appearance. The Original Six franchise won at home for the first time since Jan. 10 to end a 0-6-2 stretch at Scotiabank Arena.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: Rugged winger Michael Pezzetta made his Toronto debut. The 27-year-old local product was recalled earlier in the day from the American Hockey League, where he’s registered four goals, six assists and 52 penalty minutes across 37 games. Pezzetta had a spirited fight with Viel one second after the opening faceoff.

Ducks: The club leads the Pacific with 75 points but would be below the playoff cutline in the Eastern Conference.

KEY MOMENT

Matthews tried to avoid Gudas in the slot in the second with his team down 3-2, but took a direct hit to his left knee from the hard-nosed blueliner. Tavares scored on the ensuing power play before Nylander gave Toronto the lead on the same man advantage early in the third.

KEY STAT

Anaheim has lost eight straight in Toronto dating back to Dec. 19, 2016. The Maple Leafs have also won six in a row overall against Thursday’s opponent.

UP NEXT

Ducks: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Maple Leafs: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2026.

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OTTAWA – Martin St. Louis may have tough decisions ahead.

The Montreal Canadiens coach raised eyebrows when he announced Jacob Fowler would start Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators.

The 21-year-old was instrumental, however, in Montreal’s 3-2 victory with 32 saves.

After his recall from the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket, Fowler was in Ottawa ahead of his teammates Tuesday while Jakub Dobes made 17 saves in Montreal’s 3-1 win over the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

Samuel Montembeault was Dobes’ backup in Toronto, but the Canadiens still opted to recall Fowler.

He’d played his first 10 NHL games earlier this season. Fowler from Melbourne, Fla., went 4-4-2 with a .903 save percentage and a 2.62 goals-against average in that stretch. His previous appearance was Jan. 15 against the Buffalo Sabres.

With the Canadiens (36-18-10) looking to firmly lock down a playoff spot, it’s clear St. Louis was willing to go with whoever he felt provides his team with the best chance to win.

He was impressed by his young goaltender’s composure in a game that had playoff intensity. The Senators (32-23-9) are on the outside of the playoffs and fighting to gain ground.

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“I thought he battled,” said St. Louis. “He made some huge saves for us. It’s such a game of inches in terms of winning and losing and it usually comes down to your goaltender and I thought he did that …this game could have gone either way and I think Fowler did the job.”

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Teammates were quick to recognize their young goaltender’s performance.

“We know what he’s capable of, but I mean some of those saves he made late in the game there is a big reason why we won the game,” said Alex Newhook. “A lot of credit to him. Great to see.”

Fowler wasn’t as nervous as he was in his debut Dec. 11, when he had 33 saves in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“The first experience had me a little bit more ready for this,” said Fowler. “Before (it) was a little bit more new stuff. Here, I was just kind of rejoining a team I felt I was a part of and super-happy to be a part of this team and great win for our group.”

Fowler lauded his teammates’ efforts in the final three minutes Wednesday when Ottawa pressed hard for an equalizer.

Fowler made a number of key saves, but Alexandre Carrier and Phillip Danault also blocked shots by from Fabian Zetterlund and Tim Stutzle to secure the win.

“It was pretty hectic,” recalled Fowler. “Couple plays there that our guys on the ice were pretty gassed and a lot of huge blocks there down the stretch. You know the last few minutes, there were a lot of guys doing a lot of hard things to get a win, and that’s what it takes this time of year.”

With 18 games remaining in their regular season, the Canadiens are focused on positioning themselves for a playoff run.

The win over the Senators ranked the Canadiens third in the Atlantic Division, with a three-point lead on the Detroit Red Wings and four on Boston, who hold the two wild cards.

‘You can’t buy that experience where we are in the season against that team,” said St. Louis. “Pretty good rivalry for us, on the road. You can’t buy that. So, for me, I think high marks the way (Fowler) played.”

With back-to-back games against San Jose and Anaheim this weekend, the coach’s decisions around his starting goaltender will be interesting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2026

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A little over 24 hours after the trade that wasn’t engulfed the football world, Maxx Crosby has spoken.

And he seems to be happy to be back with the Raiders.

Crosby took to X on Wednesday night, posting a GIF of WWE’s Undertaker coming back from the dead.

“Everything Happens For A Reason,” Crosby wrote. “Believe Nothing You Hear & Half Of What You See. Im A Raider. I’m Back. Run That S–t.”

It was revealed Tuesday night that the Ravens ultimately backed out of their trade with the Raiders for Crosby that would have sent two first-round picks to Vegas in exchange for the five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher.

Baltimore apparently was not comfortable with Crosby’s medical tests before the trade could be approved.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, hours after the team agreed to a four-year contract with pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, said he was “gutted” by not being able to cross the goal line and bring Crosby into the fold.

“I understand how people might maybe from afar would feel that way, but nobody’s more upset about this than me — gutted by it actually,” DeCosta said during a press conference. “And so a regret, a big regret for me, but we will move on as a football team.”

DeCosta also revealed the team had plans to pair Hendrickson and Crosby on the defensive line together, so the Wednesday signing was not simply a panic move to replace the production Crosby would have likely given Baltimore.

Crosby is under contract with Vegas through the 2029 season — with a potential out in 2028 — after he signed an extension in 2022.

Follow The Post’s live updates of all the signings, rumors and deals from NFL free agency.

Nevertheless, it’s unclear if his social media post comes after any discussions with the Raiders or not. Vegas could, in theory, try to flip Crosby, as it already had “several” teams reach out, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday night.

Crosby underwent meniscus surgery in January after the team shut down him down for the final two games of the regular season, which led him to storming out of the team facility.

The edge rusher’s agent tried to quash any concerns over Crosby’s health on Tuesday night.

“Maxx remains on track to return during the offseason program & will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past 7 seasons,” CJ LaBoy wrote in a post on X. 

Though Pete Carroll’s final season with Geno Smith with the Raiders didn’t work out as expected, the longtime head coach still believes the veteran quarterback can help the Jets.

Not that he didn’t find it a bit amusing that Smith is returning to the Jets after his tumultuous first stint with the team.

“I had to chuckle a little bit because of the history and all,” Carroll told ESPN on Wednesday.

Carroll, who coached Smith from 2019-23 when both were with the Seahawks, still has a close relationship with the veteran signal-caller and called him a “phenomenal” quarterback.

“I love talking about G,” said Carroll, who was fired from the Raiders after the team’s 3-14 season. “I think I see him differently than a lot of people see him. I love him and appreciate him differently.”

Carroll, who led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title in 2014, traded for Smith in 2025 with the hope the two could replicate some of the success they had in Seattle and took the blame for the QB’s struggles in Las Vegas.

“He had a fantastic offseason and preseason with us, and he comes out in the first game, has a great first game,” Carroll told ESPN. “It was all fitting. It was exactly the right time for us. Then we just faltered and faltered. We didn’t do well enough, coaching.

Last season, Smith, who was traded to the Jets on Tuesday, led the league in interceptions (17) and sacks (55). Carroll also fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after 11 games in what became a season to forget for the Raiders.

“We should’ve had him better prepared for the things that happened, and that wouldn’t have happened,” he continued. “I take a lot of responsibility in that. We didn’t prepare him well enough in the offseason even though he looked great and we felt we had everything lined up. It was very, very disappointing for us both.”

Smith, who threw for more than 4,200 yards in two of his three seasons with the Seahawks, also still holds Carroll in high regard despite the disastrous season they both had in Las Vegas.

“That man is special — a Hall of Fame coach and Hall of Fame person, through and through,” Smith told the Exhibit News Network on Tuesday. “I wanted to win a Super Bowl for him because that’s how much he means to me. It didn’t work out the way we envisioned.”

Carroll said he supports Smith’s decision to return to the Jets, who drafted him in 2013. He started 29 games for Gang Green in 2013 and ’14 before losing his job to Ryan Fitzpatrick because of a broken jaw he suffered in a locker-room fight with IK Enemkpali.

“If he figured out [New York] was a good place for him and he wanted to do it, and he was part of the decision, then I couldn’t support him more,” Carroll said. “If he saw the reasoning and felt the support and the opportunity, I couldn’t be in more favor of it. I love the guy and want the very best for him. He deserves it. He worked really hard to get where he is.”

Life after the Milan Cortina Olympics has been tough for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto is a dismal 0-6-2 since the NHL resumed play following the Winter Games. The Leafs’ latest setback was a 3-1 decision in Montreal on Tuesday night.

Toronto did gain a point with a 4-3 shootout loss to New Jersey on March 4 but followed that up with a 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., 45 per cent of Proline players backed New Jersey’s win. Thirty-nine per cent had Toronto at +1.5 goals while 57 per cent correctly took the over at six.

But only 31 per cent of players had New York to earn its victory while 57 per cent had the over at six.

And then Saturday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning added to Toronto’s woes with a 5-2 victory. A solid 77 per cent of bettors backed the Lightning while 73 per cent successfully took the over 6.5 goals.

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Also on Saturday, 91 per cent backed the Winnipeg Jets’ 3-2 victory over Vancouver while 61 per cent correctly picked Montreal in its 4-3 victory over Los Angeles. Just eight per cent of bettors had Calgary earning a 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes while 63 per cent saw the Ottawa Senators downing Seattle 7-4.

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Last week wasn’t a great one for the Toronto Raptors, who went 1-2, the lone victory being a 122-92 decision Sunday over the Dallas Mavericks. That followed losses to the New York Knicks (111-95 on March 3) and a 115-107 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 5.

Sixty-nine per cent of bettors backed New York’s win while 77 per cent had the Knicks on the spread at -2.5 points. Twenty per cent took the under at 222 points.

Seventy-three per cent of players backed Minnesota’s win while 51 per cent had the Timberwolves on the spread at -6. Twenty-four per cent had the over of 225.5.

A resounding 91 per cent of bettors had Toronto downing Dallas while 68 per cent had the Raptors on the spread of -10. And 45 per cent had the under at 229 points.

Canada split its first two games at the World Baseball Classic. The Canadians opened with an 8-2 win over Columbia before dropping a 4-3 decision to Panama.

Eighty-four per cent of bettors backed Canada’s opening win with 97 per cent having the Canadians at -1.5 run. Eighty-four per cent had the over at nine.

But only 25 per cent had Panama earning its victory while just 17 per cent of bettors had the winners +4.5 runs. Just 44 per cent took the under at 10.

A digital customer won $1,146.15 on a $2 wager on a six-leg NHL parlay while a retail player turned a $2 bet into a $6,050.40 windfall after hitting on an eight-leg NHL parlay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2026.

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Mike Sullivan has delivered plenty of speeches in the locker room.

Playoff games. Stanley Cup finals. A gold-medal showdown at the Olympics.

The New York Rangers bench boss has also addressed teams in the dog days of a professional hockey schedule that might stretch from September to late June.

“You can play over 100 times a year as an NHL hockey player,” Sullivan said. “I feel like the Knute Rockne speeches get old.”

That’s in reference to the famed University of Notre Dame football coach’s legendary motivational pre-game rallying cry of “Win one for the Gipper” from the 1920s in honour of late star halfback George Gipp.

Sullivan, who helped the United States defeat Canada in a thrilling showdown to top the podium at the recent Milan Cortina Games, instead usually takes a measured approach when he has his group’s full attention.

“This biggest thing is to be real and just to be authentic and be yourself,” the two-time Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins said earlier this season. “Try to keep that messaging simple and clear.”

Coaches hitting the right note and having a handle on their teams are crucial to delivering a message.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube provided a memorable speech before his St. Louis Blues went out and won Game 7 of the 2019 Cup final on the road. His words caught on camera outlined structural points, while at the same time emphasizing his belief.

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“We’re gonna f—— come home with the Cup,” Berube concluded.

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Blues centre Robert Thomas, who was in the room that June night, said the moments before puck drop can play a significant role in the outcome.

“Maybe you’re trying to just settle it down or focus energy,” he said of a coach. “If it’s a Tuesday in November, maybe it’s bringing that excitement. It’s about reading the room and seeing how your guys are feeling and how you can try and get their best.”

New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said a pre-game speech should strike a balance with teaching and video work already complete.

“You want to be consistent in terms of how you lay things out,” he said. “You’re going to be short and direct, and let the players go out and do their thing.”

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart sometimes catches himself waiting to see what his bench boss, the colourful Paul Maurice, has in store for — especially on a long road trip or before the second game of a back-to-back, when legs can be heavy.

“You go through the your warm-up, you’re exhausted, you’re not really feeling it,” Reinhart said. “He’s got a knack of switching that mentality and getting you ready. It’s a tough skill. I don’t think there’s a lot of coaches that are able to do that … you’re curious what kind of angle he’s going to take.”

“Usually, he’s hitting the nail on the head.”

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, meanwhile, said it isn’t his job to get players’ blood pumping on a nightly basis.

“If you’re not motivated to go play in the league, you’re in the wrong business,” he said. “But I know over 82 games, sometimes you have to inspire your group … it’s just a feeling you get. I try to do that, be precise with that when it’s the right time.”

Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators — like Sullivan, Berube, St. Louis and Keefe, a former NHL player — said a lack of authenticity will be sniffed out.

“Been around some coaches that overthink it,” he said. “The message has to be real. It goes by who you are, what you believe in, what you’ve been through, and how you see it. If the coach feels it, I think the players feel it.

“A lot of players see right through a coach when it’s phoney. You’ve always got to be yourself.”

EAST IS A BEAST

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper has seen plenty in his day. He hasn’t experienced anything like the Eastern Conference gauntlet of 2025-26.

The West is top-heavy with the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota — all in the Central Division — leading the charge, but also has the five of the league’s six bottom-feeders.

The Pacific Division, meanwhile, is led by the Anaheim Ducks, who would be on the outside of the East’s playoff picture with 75 points. The Boston Bruins currently occupy the second wild-card spot with 78.

“This is as tough a conference as I’ve ever seen it,” Cooper said. “Anybody’s game, this one. It felt like the West, there was a little bit of an arms race (at the trade deadline), where some of the top dogs made themselves better.

“Eastern teams did make some moves, but it seemed like there was a little bit more of, ‘We like what we have and we’re gonna go for it.’”

-With files from Daniel Rainbird in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2026.

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The NFL was collectively stunned Tuesday night when the Ravens called off their blockbuster trade to acquire star pass rusher Maxx Crosby from the Raiders — a move with widespread ripple effects around the league in the midst of the free agency tampering period.

Taking the temperature across the league, NFL insider Jay Glazer said Baltimore’s reversal — speculated to be for a medical reason, with The Athletic reporting Crosby failed a physical months removed from meniscus surgery — has left other clubs in unfavorable positions.

The website noted that some teams who would have been interested in Crosby no longer have the cap room to consider acquiring him.

One anonymous GM didn’t mince words to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, stating, “This is very much bulls–t on Baltimore’s part.”

A five-time Pro Bowler, Crosby was initially dealt to the Ravens on Friday for two first-round picks (2026, 2027), essentially ending what had been an offseason engulfed in speculation about the longtime Raider’s future in Las Vegas.

He underwent knee surgery in January after being shut down for the Raiders’ final two games of the year — a decision that prompted him to walk out of the building amid buzz about potential tanking for the No. 1 overall pick.

Crosby “continues to be on track in his recovery,” according to his agent, who released a statement Tuesday evening in the wake of the trade fallout.

“Maxx continues to be on track in his recovery and if anything is ahead of schedule according to his surgeon Dr Neal El Attrache. Maxx remains on track to return during the offseason program & will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past 7 seasons,” CJ LaBoy posted on X.