The Montreal Canadiens are on fire right now, and they’re not looking to slow down. With a 9-2-1 record in their last 12 games, they’ve clawed their way within two points of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Next up? A road trip to Salt Lake City to face the struggling Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night. Sure, the Canadiens lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Dallas Stars on Saturday, but let’s be real—that’s no small feat against one of the NHL’s hottest teams. Head coach Martin St. Louis was proud of his squad, especially since it was the second game of a back-to-back after a gritty overtime win against the Capitals the night before. Montreal’s been living on the

The New York Rangers have had a rollercoaster season so far. After starting off strong at 12-4-1, they hit a rough patch late in 2024, losing 15 of their next 19 games. But the good news? They’re turning things around in 2025. With a 4-1-1 record this year and two straight wins, they’re rolling into Denver with some serious momentum for their matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. General Manager Chris Drury wasn’t about to sit back and watch the team struggle. In December, he made some bold moves, trading captain Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko in separate deals to shake up the roster. In return, the Rangers landed defensemen Will Borgen and Urho Vaakanainen, plus three draft picks.

Auburn University is poised for a significant milestone, as the Tigers are expected to claim the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings on Monday. However, their upcoming Tuesday night game against No. 14 Mississippi State presents a formidable challenge. Auburn will face the tenacious Bulldogs without their star forward/center Johni Broome, who is sidelined due to a severe ankle sprain. Johni Broome, a player of the year contender, sustained a significant ankle injury during Auburn’s nail-biting 66-63 win over South Carolina on Saturday. The team received confirmation via MRI on Sunday that surgery is not required. However, the timeline for Broome’s return remains uncertain. Broome’s contribution to Auburn’s success this season has been immense: Coach Bruce

No. 22 UCLA and Rutgers both aim to reverse their fortunes as the Bruins visit the Scarlet Knights on Monday in a pivotal Big Ten Conference clash at Piscataway, N.J. Both teams are enduring tough stretches and seeking to reestablish momentum. Rutgers (8-8, 1-4 Big Ten) concludes a three-game homestand on Monday, hoping to recover from consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Purdue. The Scarlet Knights are on a three-game losing streak, with scoring struggles largely tied to freshman standout Dylan Harper’s health issues. Harper, the team’s leading scorer at 20.1 points per game, missed the Jan. 2 loss at Indiana due to illness. He returned to action against Wisconsin and Purdue but was a non-factor, scoring just six total points