ST. LOUIS (AP) — Zach Benson and Alex Tuch scored and the Buffalo Sabres beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Monday night for their ninth straight victory.
Noah Ostlund also scored, Peyton Krebs had an empty-netter and Alex Lyon made 16 saves for Buffalo. The Sabres have their longest streak since winning 10 straight in November 2018.
Lyon has started seven games during Buffalo’s nine-game surge, stopping 170 of 185 shots for a .919 save percentage.
Jimmy Snuggerud and Brayden Schenn scored for St. Louis, and Joel Hofer made 30 saves. The Blues are 3-2-1 in their last six games.
Benson scored his fourth goal of the season when he batted a shot from Jack Quinn that was heading wide into the net 1:46 into the third period to give Buffalo a 3-2 lead.
Tuch tied it 2 with his 12th goal of the season. His wrist shot evaded Hofer’s blocker with 4:43 remaining in the second period.
Sabres: At Dallas on Wednesday night
Blues: At Colorado on Wednesday night.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris celebrates his empty net goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 30 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 126-119 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
It’s the second straight 30-point game for Durant and his 10th this season, his first in Houston since a blockbuster summer trade from Phoenix.
Jabari Smith Jr. had 21 points with 10 rebounds and Amen Thompson added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets, who have won three in a row after dropping four of their previous five games during a tough road trip.
It’s the ninth consecutive loss for the Pacers, who have the NBA’s worst record at 6-27 with Tyrese Haliburton out all season with an Achilles injury.
The Rockets led by 27 to start the fourth and were up by 16 when coach Ime Udoka cleared the bench with 2 1/2 minutes to go.
Pascal Siakam had 23 points to lead the Pacers and Aaron Nesmith added 14 with four 3-pointers.
The Rockets led by 16 at halftime and used a 12-3 spurt after the break to push the lead to 78-51 with about 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Smith had two 3-pointers in that stretch and Durant added four points.
Houston remained up by 27 midway through the third before the Pacers went on a 14-2 run to get within 89-74 with about four minutes remaining in the quarter. Siakam scored six points in that time and Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard capped the run with 3s.
The Rockets rediscovered their offense after that, using a 16-4 run, with 3-pointers from Reed Sheppard and Dorian Finney-Smith, to take a 105-78 lead into the fourth quarter.
Houston’s Steven Adams had eight points and five rebounds in his second straight start for All-Star Alperen Sengun, who is out with calf tightness. Adams left in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle and didn’t return.
Pacers: Host Orlando on Wednesday.
Rockets: Visit Brooklyn on Thursday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka talks with guard Amen Thompson (1) during a time out in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff (32) fouls Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson, left, under the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
