Sharangovich and Wolf help the Flames hold off the Kings for a 3-2 win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matvei Gridin scored the go-ahead goal with 8:39 remaining and the Calgary Flames held off the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Saturday night.

Yegor Sharangovich had an empty-net goal and an assist, and Morgan Frost also scored for Calgary. Dustin Wolf made 29 saves, helping the Flames improve to 2-0-1 in their last three road games after winning just one of their first six away from the Saddledome.

Sharangovich's empty-netter with 1:14 left gave Calgary a 3-1 lead. Mats Zuccarello scored his first goal for Los Angeles just 18 seconds later as the Kings skated with a 6-on-5 advantage.

Wolf, a Northern California native who moved to suburban Los Angeles and then Orange County to participate in the Kings’ youth hockey program during his formative years, has won five of six games against them in his NHL career.

Joel Armia also scored and Anton Forsberg stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who lost five of seven games on their homestand. It concluded with four straight defeats in which they totaled six total goals.

Frost converted Sharangovich’s pass off the rush with a one-timer from the right circle 2:13 into the second period. Armia tied it at 6:21 of the third with a wrist shot from the slot.

Gridin and Martin Pospisil created pressure in the offensive zone, leading to a turnover and Gridin’s one-timer for his sixth goal of the season at 11:21.

Los Angeles did not have star winger Artemi Panarin in the lineup following the death of his grandfather. The Kings are 5-0-1 when Panarin has multiple points in a game and 0-11-1 when he does not.

Flames: At Anaheim on Sunday.

Kings: At Boston on Tuesday.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32), center, stops a shot on goal by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44), right, as Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud (28), left, defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) reacts after Calgary Flames center Morgan Frost (16) scored a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Calgary Flames right wing Matvei Gridin, center, is greeted by teammates after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Calgary Flames right wing Matvei Gridin (92) shoots and scores a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Calgary Flames right wing Matvei Gridin reacts after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Hokit wore an American flag bandana and sunglasses as he extended his hand toward Ciryl Gane and briefly dropped his outrageous “Incredible Hok” persona.

“You're tougher than I thought,” Hokit said.

Gane was tough. And he's still the champ.

Gane successfully defended his heavyweight championship, sweeping the scorecards over the five-round fight to win a unanimous decision and beat Hokit in the main event as UFC 334 bled into early Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

Gane won 48-47 on all three scorecards as the pro-Hokit crowd howled in disbelief.

Gane (15-2) defeated Alex Pereira at the White House card in June and claimed the interim heavyweight title before he was promoted to undisputed champion in Tom Aspinall's absence November.

Gane and Hokit (10-1) engaged in a slugfest that left both fighters bloodied — Hokit above the left eye, Gane from the mouth — but neither one landed any sustained offense which forced this outcome to the judges.

Hokit smirked as the decision was announced.

“I will rejoice in my suffering, suffering builds endurance, endurance builds character, and character builds hope," Hokit said. “I will never lose hope. I will be champion one day.”

Hokit flipped off Gane once, ducked a right, and extended a middle finger for a second time to close the third round.

The New York crowd ate it all up.

Hokit remained as crude in the cage as he is uncouth outside the octagon in hyping his fights.

Yet it was the 36-year-old Gane, who had lost to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in previous attempts to win the heavyweight championship, who walked out still champion.

Kayla Harrison retained her 135-pound championship when she choked out Amanda Nunes in the fourth round and spoiled the comeback bid of the woman widely recognized as the greatest female fighter in the co-main event.

Harrison (20-1) had plenty to prove in not only her first title defense as Nunes ended her three-year retirement for this title match, but in her first fight since June 2025. Harrison had spinal fusion surgery in January for a neck injury that delayed this anticipated fight until Saturday night at the Garden.

Nunes (23-6) tried to wrestle with the two-time Olympic gold medal judo champion in Harrison and ended the first two rounds flat on her back. Harrison landed a series of short punches and elbows to the head that seemed to tire her out — she admitted the difficulty in cutting weight to 135 pounds — as much they did any damage to Nunes.

Harrison — who walked out to “Eye of the Tiger” while the fighter better known as the “Lioness” stretched and bounced on her tiptoes ahead of Bruce Buffer’s introductions —wasted no time in the fourth round. Harrison grabbed Nunes by her right leg and tripped her to the canvas. Harrison pounced on Nunes’ back and applied the rear naked choke hold. Nunes quickly tapped to astonishment of the packed MSG crowd.

“I think I'm still in shock,” Harrison said.

Nunes may be considered the best in the sport.

Harrison staked her claim as the best of right now.

Nunes walked out of the octagon on her own while a victorious, yet weakened, Harrison needed help back to the locker room.

Gold firmly around her waist.

“I’ve got a lot of decisions to make when I get home,” Harrison said. "Every time I make weight, I say never again, so we’ll see.”

A UFC Hall of Famer, Nunes held championships in two weight classes, lost only once in 12 previous UFC championship bouts and defeated the once-indomitable Ronda Rousey. She retired in 2023, citing burnout and a desire to spend more time with her wife as they raised their two young daughters.

She could head back into retirement, her legacy on the short list of the best to do it still secured.

President Donald Trump has attended UFC events at the Garden in the past but was not on hand Saturday night. Trump said last week he was offering UFC chief Dana White the job of White House press secretary, but he later said he was just kidding.

After bringing UFC to the White House lawn this summer, Trump brought White into the press briefing room on Monday. Trump briefly stood aside as White took questions.

White had his usual cageside seat and reveled in all that the global fight promotion has accomplished over the last 10 years of legal MMA fights in New York.

Conor McGregor won the lightweight championship in the main event of UFC's debut card at Madison Square Garden 10 years ago. Georges St-Pierre, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones are among the winners of major championship fights at MSG and topping this annual card has become a career goal for most champions.

Some fighters just want to go out on top in New York.

Stephen Thompson had fans chanting his “Wonderboy” nickname in his retirement fight against Charles Radtke in a welterweight bout. The 43-year-old Thompson, who twice fought for the welterweight championship, won via stoppage with a spinning wheel kick to Radtke's head in the third round. UFC played a video tribute to Thompson.

“I told myself I wasn't going to cry,” Thompson said, with a catch in his voice. “We wouldn't have this sport if it wasn't for my fans.”

Thompson laid his gloves on the mat, the symbolic farewell for a combat fighter before retirement.

See AP’s full sports coverage here

Josh Hokit, right, as Ciryl Gane, of France, celebrates after a heavyweight title bout at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Ciryl Gane, of France, punches Josh Hokit, left, during a heavyweight title bout at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kayla Harrison, above, grapples with Brazil's Amanda Nunes during a women's bantamweight title bout at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Stephen Thompson gestures as he leaves the octagon after a welterweight bout against Charles Radtke at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Stephen Thompson celebrates after a welterweight bout against Charles Radtke at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kayla Harrison, left, reacts after a women's bantamweight title bout against Brazil's Amanda Nunes, right, at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Brazil's Amanda Nunes, left, punches Kayla Harrison during a women's bantamweight title bout at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)