And they were armed with paintbrushes, not hockey sticks.

The Panthers — a few hours before their Winter Classic outdoor game at the Miami Marlins’ ballpark against the New York Rangers — unveiled a couple dozen panther sculptures, all painted in a unique way and now being auctioned off with hopes of raising $1 million for cancer research.

Gretzky commissioned a sculpture that displays some of his stats, Johnson arranged one depicting a scene from Augusta National, Bublé’s is adorned in rhinestone braille, the NBA’s Heat commissioned a pair of sculptures with some of the team’s themes, artist Romero Britto painted one as well and Navratilova didn’t technically paint hers — she dipped tennis balls into paint and then served them into the panther, creating a polka-dotted splash of various colors.

“To be able to have the privilege to reach out and make those contacts and have those folks say, ‘Of course,’ what a gift that was,” Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. “It’s just so neat.”

About $700,000 has been raised already, Zito said. The idea for the fundraiser — “Panthers on the Prowl,” they call it — is loosely built around Chicago’s “Cows on Parade” art project. Zito and his wife Julie co-chair the Panthers’ project; she is a breast cancer survivor, and Zito has lost a number of relatives to the disease.

“It was my wife Julie’s idea,” Zito said. “And we lived in Chicago during ‘Cows on Parade,’ and then Romero Britto said we should auction them. I can’t take credit for any of it.”

Many of the panthers were on display at LoanDepot Park on Friday, where about 35,000 fans attending the Winter Classic would see them.

“There’s a tear and a smile,” Zito said. “And then you think, you know what, there’s a reason that everybody is engaged. There’s a reason that everybody gave their time and their talent. And it’s because it works and it’s right.”

The Patriots (13-3) enter Sunday’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins (7-9) having secured their first playoff berth since 2021. But with a victory against Miami and a loss or tie by the Denver Broncos against the Los Angles Chargers, New England could also secure the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye.

Focusing on those stakes was made more difficult after legal cases against receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive lineman Christian Barmore surfaced this week.

Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former private chef. Barmore is facing a domestic assault and battery charge after his girlfriend told police he threw her to the ground in August. The NFL is reviewing the cases, but both are eligible to play this week.

“It’s definitely an open case, so I can’t even say anything about it,” Diggs told reporters Friday.

Barmore said he was keeping his mind on the field. “I’m focused on Miami. I’m focused on playing football,” he said.

Coach Mike Vrabel believes the team has done the best it can to balance giving those situations the necessary attention while also focusing on the game.

“We’ve taken the allegations very seriously, and what comes of that, I think then we’ll have another discussion,” Vrabel said. “But I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now and let the process take its toll.”

Quarterback Drake Maye said the team has taken its cues from Vrabel. The biggest advice the coach has offered is to let Diggs and Barmore speak for themselves. That said, Maye said he’s available for any of his teammates if they need him.

“I’m going to support them anyway I can, support my teammates, and I love those guys,” Maye said. “Those two, really everybody, I’ve really got a good relationship with. And I feel like whatever they need from me, I’m here for them.”

Miami arrives in New England looking to play the role of spoiler, while also getting a jump on the future with rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers set to make his third consecutive start since Tua Tagovailoa was benched.

The Dolphins are trying to avoid being swept by the Patriots for the first time since the 2016 season.

Coach Mike McDaniel said he’s avoided letting feelings interfere with his decision-making regarding Tagovailoa’s status.

“It’s my job to be able to make tough decisions. Getting personal about decisions that have a lot of consequences for individuals in the collective whole, I take my job too serious to really allow myself to go there,” McDaniel said. “Generally the tough things, that’s what I signed up for and that’s what people are counting on me to be able to do.”

Defending the schedule

The Patriots have only had one victory over a team (Buffalo) that entered the final week of the regular season with a record above .500.

That equates to the 10th-easiest schedule since the 1970 NFL merger, and has drawn criticism as they prepare for the playoffs.

It’s not something that has bothered Maye, however.

“We play who’s on our schedule, and we can’t control that,” he said. “Just trying to go out there and win. A lot of these teams that we do play are good, and they’re in the National Football League for a reason.”

Achane’s spark

De’Von Achane continues to be a spark for Miami’s offense and was voted the Dolphins’ most valuable player for the 2025 season.

The third-year running back leads the NFL in rushing average (5.7) and ranks fifth in rushing yards (1,350). Achane was also named to his first career Pro Bowl, making him the ninth Miami running back to earn the honor.

Achane’s speed and shiftiness were well documented when he played at Texas A&M, but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has praised his vision and ability to maintain his balance after contact for extra yardage.

“Every time he shows up against an opponent, top of their agenda is to stop him,” McDaniel said. “And he can feel that the guys are trying to tattoo him and tackle him with aggression. When you’re able to combat that with successful, definitive, decisive action, his contact balance has improved.”

Campbell, Williams on track to return

The Patriots could get a boost with starters on both sides of the ball in line to return from stints on injured reserve.

Left tackle Will Campbell (knee) and defensive tackle Milton Williams (ankle) both practiced all week. Campbell has missed the past four games, while Williams sat out the previous five.

Williams’ return is particularly key for a New England run defense that has allowed 146.8 rushing yards per game while he was out. The Patriots allowed 84.7 yards over the first 11 games with Williams in the lineup.

QB signing

The Dolphins signed former North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller to the active roster off the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad Thursday.

Miller led the Bison to their 10th Football Championship Subdivision title last year, throwing for two touchdowns and running for two more in his 54th consecutive start as North Dakota State’s quarterback. The Raiders selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Miller isn’t likely to get any extended game action Sunday, but the young quarterback was signed to get acclimated with the team for the offseason.

“Next time,” it read, “let’s go OUTSIDE the box.”

The play on words was clear. A seed was planted. And for the next few years, the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers kept talking about how they could bring outdoor games to the Sunshine State.

On Friday, the waiting ends. At loanDepot Park, home of baseball’s Miami Marlins, a sold-out crowd is expected to watch the Panthers host the New York Rangers in the first outdoor game to take place in Florida. The retractable roof on the ballpark — which has been shut while air conditioning has been piped in to help ice-builders create a playing surface suitable for hockey — will be opened not long before puck drop.

“I know it’s cliche, but it’s like little kids at Christmas,” Panthers hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito said, when asked to describe the feeling going into the game. “It’s anticipating this wonderful celebration of our game on all the levels and with our families and with our friends and new fans and our fans.”

The outdoor game will be the first of two in Florida this season; the Lightning get their home game Feb. 1 against the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For each of the last six years — Tampa Bay in 2020, 2021 and 2022, then Florida in 2023, 2024 and 2025 — a Sunshine State team has made its way to the Stanley Cup Final, with the Lightning and Panthers both winning twice in that span.

“We just kept on talking about it,” said Steve Mayer, the NHL’s president for events and content. “And then we got a lot more comfortable with the ice build, the temperatures — we did a lot of research, this just doesn’t happen — and now we’re here. I can’t believe we’re here, but we are.”

How ice happens

By Miami standards, it’s cold these days. The high temperature has been struggling to get out of the 60s Fahrenheit, and lows have gone into the low 40s overnight.

And the NHL couldn’t have timed this cold snap any better.

The league’s equipment arrived at the Marlins’ ballpark in mid-December. Custom refrigeration units were installed, and thousands of gallons of coolant will run through hoses onto the field to chill aluminum trays that were placed under what became the playing surface.

From there, ice — about 25% thicker of a sheet than usual — started being made in what is a long, slow, gradual process. A water-soluble paint was added to whiten the ice, and this week lines and logos were painted onto the surface.

The process in Tampa will be slightly different; with no roof on Raymond James, the league will build a tent to help build the ice, then take the tent down before the Lightning-Bruins game. The rink used for the Panthers-Rangers game will be trucked over to Tampa not long after Friday’s game.

Panthers finally get a game

Florida was one of two teams never to play in an outdoor game. The Utah Mammoth are the other.

Some Panthers players have taken part in outdoor matchups — Brad Marchand is about to play in his fourth — but many are getting to experience it for the first time. And Marchand said the idea of playing in front of 35,000 or so fans in Miami will only continue the growth that hockey is enjoying all over Florida.

“They’re opportunities that don’t come around very often,” said Marchand, who went 3-0-0 in outdoor games with Boston. “They tend to be kind of crazy, a lot of mayhem, but they’re moments that when you look back on your career they’re some of your favorite times. They’re the ones that you always go back and talk about. That’s a great opportunity for everyone. … I just think the environment that we’re going to be in will be very unique and special. It’s not often you get to play outdoors in a climate like this.”

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky played in his first outdoor game 14 years ago. He’s about to set a record for the longest span between outdoor game appearances. And Panthers coach Paul Maurice will coach an outdoor game for a third time.

He said putting on a good show for fans is important.

“It’s not going to look like anything we normally are doing,” Maurice said. “And for some guys, it’ll be the only one they ever play in. So, you want to make sure you appreciate it.”

No Tkachuk

Matthew Tkachuk is nearing his season debut after having surgery in August to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia — issues that dogged him since February and through last season’s run to Florida’s second straight Stanley Cup title.

He practiced Thursday when the Panthers skated on the Marlins’ field, but Maurice said he won’t play on Friday.

By the numbers

2 — Golf carts will be utilized to carry the goaltenders from the ice to the locker rooms, simply because the distance involved would make it impractical to have them walk.

5-0-0 — The Rangers’ record in outdoor games.

15 — loanDepot Park will become the 15th Major League Baseball stadium to host to an outdoor game.

44 — It’ll be the 44th outdoor game in NHL history, dating to 2003. Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings played an outdoor preseason game in Las Vegas in 1991 against the Rangers; the Kings won, but it’s not part of the official outdoor game records.

65 — It was 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius) for a 2016 game in Denver pitting the Colorado Avalanche against the Detroit Red Wings. That’s the warmest game-time temperature in NHL outdoor game history (not including that 1991 preseason game in Las Vegas, when the temperature exceeded 90 degrees). Forecasters do not believe Friday’s game will break the 65-degree record.

Aikman, who led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins and is now an ESPN analyst, isn’t expected to remain with the organization beyond their GM search, ESPN reported. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel welcomed the outside help.

“I’m not opposed to more information, ever,” McDaniel said Friday morning, adding that he was previously informed by Dolphins ownership of the decision. “I think Troy Aikman speaks for himself in terms of his relationships that he’s had within the National Football League, and (he) knows a lot of things. That information is a positive to me.”

The Dolphins fired longtime general manager Chris Grier on Oct. 31 after a 2-7 start to the season. McDaniel has remained head coach despite questions about his job security, and Miami is 7-9 entering Sunday’s regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. Dolphins senior personnel executive Champ Kelly has been Miami’s interim general manager.

Aikman has been in the broadcast booth since he retired from a 12-year career during which he made six Pro Bowls and threw for more than 32,000 yards.

He called Miami’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 15 and was highly critical of McDaniel’s fourth-quarter decision-making and clock management.

“This is about as ridiculous a fourth quarter as I’ve seen in quite a long time,” Aikman said during the broadcast, as McDaniel and the Dolphins showed little urgency while trailing by multiple scores.

“So you’re telling me he didn’t like us not scoring points and taking up too much time,” McDaniel said Friday. “Neither did I. That was not the intent. And he’s doing his job. … Doesn’t bother me in the least. As a matter of fact, I think it would be funny if it did.”

The Patriots (13-3) enter Sunday’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins (7-9) having secured their first playoff berth since 2021. But with a victory against Miami and a loss or tie by the Denver Broncos against the Los Angles Chargers, New England could also secure the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye.

Focusing on those stakes was made more difficult after legal cases against receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive lineman Christian Barmore surfaced this week.

Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former private chef. Barmore is facing a domestic assault and battery charge after his girlfriend told police he threw her to the ground in August. The NFL is reviewing the cases, but both are eligible to play this week.

“It’s definitely an open case, so I can’t even say anything about it,” Diggs told reporters Friday.

Barmore said he was keeping his mind on the field. “I’m focused on Miami. I’m focused on playing football,” he said.

Coach Mike Vrabel believes the team has done the best it can to balance giving those situations the necessary attention while also focusing on the game.

“We’ve taken the allegations very seriously, and what comes of that, I think then we’ll have another discussion,” Vrabel said. “But I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now and let the process take its toll.”

Quarterback Drake Maye said the team has taken its cues from Vrabel. The biggest advice the coach has offered is to let Diggs and Barmore speak for themselves. That said, Maye said he’s available for any of his teammates if they need him.

“I’m going to support them anyway I can, support my teammates, and I love those guys,” Maye said. “Those two, really everybody, I’ve really got a good relationship with. And I feel like whatever they need from me, I’m here for them.”

Miami arrives in New England looking to play the role of spoiler, while also getting a jump on the future with rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers set to make his third consecutive start since Tua Tagovailoa was benched.

The Dolphins are trying to avoid being swept by the Patriots for the first time since the 2016 season.

Coach Mike McDaniel said he’s avoided letting feelings interfere with his decision-making regarding Tagovailoa’s status.

“It’s my job to be able to make tough decisions. Getting personal about decisions that have a lot of consequences for individuals in the collective whole, I take my job too serious to really allow myself to go there,” McDaniel said. “Generally the tough things, that’s what I signed up for and that’s what people are counting on me to be able to do.”

Defending the schedule

The Patriots have only had one victory over a team (Buffalo) that entered the final week of the regular season with a record above .500.

That equates to the 10th-easiest schedule since the 1970 NFL merger, and has drawn criticism as they prepare for the playoffs.

It’s not something that has bothered Maye, however.

“We play who’s on our schedule, and we can’t control that,” he said. “Just trying to go out there and win. A lot of these teams that we do play are good, and they’re in the National Football League for a reason.”

Achane’s spark

De’Von Achane continues to be a spark for Miami’s offense and was voted the Dolphins’ most valuable player for the 2025 season.

The third-year running back leads the NFL in rushing average (5.7) and ranks fifth in rushing yards (1,350). Achane was also named to his first career Pro Bowl, making him the ninth Miami running back to earn the honor.

Achane’s speed and shiftiness were well documented when he played at Texas A&M, but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has praised his vision and ability to maintain his balance after contact for extra yardage.

“Every time he shows up against an opponent, top of their agenda is to stop him,” McDaniel said. “And he can feel that the guys are trying to tattoo him and tackle him with aggression. When you’re able to combat that with successful, definitive, decisive action, his contact balance has improved.”

Campbell, Williams on track to return

The Patriots could get a boost with starters on both sides of the ball in line to return from stints on injured reserve.

Left tackle Will Campbell (knee) and defensive tackle Milton Williams (ankle) both practiced all week. Campbell has missed the past four games, while Williams sat out the previous five.

Williams’ return is particularly key for a New England run defense that has allowed 146.8 rushing yards per game while he was out. The Patriots allowed 84.7 yards over the first 11 games with Williams in the lineup.

QB signing

The Dolphins signed former North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller to the active roster off the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad Thursday.

Miller led the Bison to their 10th Football Championship Subdivision title last year, throwing for two touchdowns and running for two more in his 54th consecutive start as North Dakota State’s quarterback. The Raiders selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Miller isn’t likely to get any extended game action Sunday, but the young quarterback was signed to get acclimated with the team for the offseason.

Waller will miss the Dolphins’ regular-season finale at New England on Sunday, ending his lone season in Miami with 24 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns — tied for seventh most among tight ends — in nine games.

The Dolphins are also dealing with injuries to several other key players entering Sunday’s game.

Veteran linebacker Jordyn Brooks, the NFL’s leading tackler, is dealing with a hamstring injury but will likely try to play. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will be sidelined for the third straight game with a calf injury. Running back De’Von Achane, Miami’s best offensive playmaker this season with an NFL-leading 5.7 yards per rush, has not practiced this week because of a shoulder injury.

If Achane can’t play, the Dolphins will turn to Jaylen Wright and rookie Ollie Gordon.

“You utilize all of your players, including your entire running back room and give them opportunities that they probably otherwise wouldn’t have,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said.

Edwards entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with the New York Jets in 2025. He played collegiately at Michigan, rushing for 2,251 yards on 422 carries with 19 touchdowns in 14 career starts.

Miami also released cornerback Clarence Lewis from the practice squad.

Aikman, who led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins and is now an ESPN analyst, isn’t expected to remain with the organization beyond their GM search, ESPN reported. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel welcomed the outside help.

“I’m not opposed to more information, ever,” McDaniel said Friday morning, adding that he was previously informed by Dolphins ownership of the decision. “I think Troy Aikman speaks for himself in terms of his relationships that he’s had within the National Football League, and (he) knows a lot of things. That information is a positive to me.”

The Dolphins fired longtime general manager Chris Grier on Oct. 31 after a 2-7 start to the season. McDaniel has remained head coach despite questions about his job security, and Miami is 7-9 entering Sunday’s regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. Dolphins senior personnel executive Champ Kelly has been Miami’s interim general manager.

Aikman has been in the broadcast booth since he retired from a 12-year career during which he made six Pro Bowls and threw for more than 32,000 yards.

He called Miami’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 15 and was highly critical of McDaniel’s fourth-quarter decision-making and clock management.

“This is about as ridiculous a fourth quarter as I’ve seen in quite a long time,” Aikman said during the broadcast, as McDaniel and the Dolphins showed little urgency while trailing by multiple scores.

“So you’re telling me he didn’t like us not scoring points and taking up too much time,” McDaniel said Friday. “Neither did I. That was not the intent. And he’s doing his job. … Doesn’t bother me in the least. As a matter of fact, I think it would be funny if it did.”

“I’m going to start with a couple of players deserving of game balls,” McDaniel said. “Rookies no more.”

McDaniel then rattled off several members of the Dolphins’ rookie class who played key roles in the victory.

With Miami already eliminated from playoff contention, the final games of the season have provided extended opportunities for young players. On Sunday, the Dolphins got meaningful contributions from their rookies — an encouraging sign as the franchise looks toward the future.

“I think we’ve been heavily reliant upon the rookie class,” McDaniel said. “It was very calculated, the types of people that we brought in for the reasons of needing to be able to be professional football players at the NFL level. It is not always an easy task for someone coming straight out of (college). You go out of your college play, you go into training for the draft and then you go from training for the draft right into NFL football.

“I think our group today exhibited one of the reasons why we felt good about the entire class right after the draft.”

Quinn Ewers, a rookie seventh-round pick, threw two touchdowns with no interceptions in his second career start and again appeared to show calmness and sound decision-making.

Ewers’ first touchdown was a 63-yard toss to fellow rookie Theo Wease Jr., an undrafted free agent who signed with Miami earlier this year.

“I think we’ve done pretty well,” Ewers said of Miami’s rookie class. “The way that we all came in together and built a relationship, being in the hotel together, hanging out outside of football — that chemistry only helps us. It’s been fun to watch the growth of these rookies on the team, including myself.”

Ewers also has showed unusual poise and leadership for a young player, his teammates noted. The 22-year-old challenged the team last week to remain motivated during the final games of the season despite not being in the postseason hunt.

“You’re inherently a leader when you’re a quarterback, so to me, he’s passionate about football,” McDaniel said. “Don’t let the Texas twang in his speech fool you. This dude is very, very, very smart, very on it, and he’s very comfortable when he’s playing the position. You can see that.”

All eight of Miami’s 2025 draft picks played on Sunday, in addition to three undrafted rookies. Ewers, defensive tackles Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea started.

Rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., a fifth-round pick, recorded his first career interception in the second quarter, picking off Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield on an underthrown downfield pass and returning it 24 yards. Marshall also recorded five tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass breakups and three special teams tackles.

Zeek Biggers, another seventh-round pick, blocked kicker Chase McLaughlin’s 55-yard field goal attempt late in the second quarter, marking the first time a Miami rookie blocked a field goal since Vincent Taylor at Baltimore on Oct. 26, 2017.

“I think it was a great game to see a lot of guys step up and make some plays,” veteran defensive tackle Zach Sieler said. “Obviously we all know, we’re not going to sugarcoat it, we’re not making playoffs, but to see guys go out there no matter the conditions and just play their best ball and show no quit … It’s been exciting to see these young boys grow up and look forward to keep playing and keep growing up.”

What’s working

Establishing the run game was a point of emphasis for the Dolphins to take some pressure off Ewers and set up the play action. That worked on Sunday, with Miami recording 145 yards rushing. De’Von Achane had 18 carries for 83 yards, and Jaylen Wright added 56 yards on five carries.

What needs help

Third-down efficiency. The Dolphins moved the ball well enough, but they went 4 for 12 on third down. They’re 6 for 22 on third downs over the past two games.

Stock up

TE Greg Dulcich. He has been increasingly important in the passing game since being elevated to the active roster from the practice squad in October. Dulcich caught five passes for a season-high 58 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass.

Stock down

WR Jaylen Waddle. He did not record a catch for the first time this season and played only 14 snaps. Waddle was limited by a rib injury suffered in the second quarter.

Injuries

S Minkah Fitzpatrick missed his second straight game with a calf injury. … LB Chop Robinson is in the concussion protocol.

Key number

10 — The numbers of games this season in which Achane has recorded 100-plus scrimmage yards — he had 112 on Sunday — which is tied for second most in a single season in franchise history.

Next steps

The Dolphins visit New England in next week’s regular-season finale.

Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including a 63-yard toss for his first career score, and the Dolphins beat the slumping Buccaneers 20-17.

“We didn’t deserve it,” Evans said. “They played like they had a chance at the playoffs, and we played like we were ready to go home.”

The Bucs (7-9) remained one game behind the Carolina Panthers (8-8) in the NFC South after the Panthers’ 27-10 loss to Seattle on Sunday. The Buccaneers would still clinch their fifth consecutive division title and sixth straight playoff berth if they beat Carolina in next week’s regular-season finale to force a two-way tie.

If Tampa Bay, Carolina and Atlanta all tie at 8-9, the Panthers would win the division.

But Tampa Bay has lost four straight games, seven of its last eight and has barely looked like a playoff team during that stretch. The Buccaneers’ last four losses have all been by one possession.

“Everything is possible, and you’ve always got a chance to play,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “We just need to put it together and play, and that takes work. We work hard. We do it right in practice. Can’t explain it in the game, but we definitely as coaches and as players got to look ourselves in the mirror.”

Despite three turnovers and being outgained 145-53 on the ground Sunday, Tampa Bay pulled within three after a three-play, 91-yard drive that Baker Mayfield capped with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Evans with 54 seconds left.

A busted coverage by the Dolphins defense led to a 59-yard reception by Chris Godwin that set up the score, but Miami recovered the ensuring onside kick to end Tampa Bay’s comeback attempt.

“You go through the first drive, really move the ball well, they don’t seem to have an answer for what we were doing schematically,” Mayfield said. “After that it’s the momentum shift. When you are playing a team that they’ve got nothing to play for besides incentives, when you give them a little juice and momentum, that’s how they’re going to respond.”

Mayfield completed 33 of 44 passes for 346 yards with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Godwin on the game’s opening drive. The former No. 1 pick has thrown an interception in each game of the Buccaneers’ losing streak, including two on Sunday. The first was an underthrow to receiver Jalen McMillan that was picked off by rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.

The second came as the Buccaneers were driving down the field midway through the fourth, trailing by 10. Mayfield, one play after somehow escaping a sack attempt by Quinton Bell and completing an 11-yard pass to Evans, threw a red-zone interception to safety Ashtyn Davis.

After the Buccaneers forced a Dolphins punt, linebacker Bradley Chubb stripped Mayfield on a sack, which Bell recovered.

Ewers completed 14 of 22 passes in his second career start for the Dolphins (7-9). Rookie receiver Theo Wease Jr. took Ewers’ first TD pass 63 yards into the end zone, and tight end Greg Dulcich caught an 11-yard scoring pass.

“We’re not playing for a Super Bowl, but we did a really good job of coming out here and playing for each other,” Ewers said, “playing for our last names and playing for the organization. Showing that when adversity strikes, we’re going to respond.”

Running back De’Von Achane had 18 carries for 83 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry against Tampa Bay’s seventh-ranked run defense.

The Buccaneers took an early lead on a 16-play touchdown drive on their first possession of the game but gave up 17 straight points before Chase McLaughlin’s 33-yard field goal cut the deficit to seven points in the fourth.

McLaughlin had connected on 11 straight field goals from 55-plus yards entering Sunday but had a 55-yard attempt blocked late in the second.

Ewers led the Dolphins back down the field to set up Riley Patterson’s 33-yard kick that pushed the score to 20-10.

Injuries

Buccaneers: G Michael Jordan (concussion) and LB Haason Reddick (concussion) left and did not return. … CB Jamel Dean (shoulder) left early in the fourth.

Dolphins: LB Chop Robinson (concussion), LB Jordyn Brooks (hamstring) and LB KJ Britt (groin) left with injuries. … WR Jaylen Waddle was playing through a rib injury.

Up next

Buccaneers: Host Carolina next weekend.

Dolphins: At New England next weekend.

Cade Cunningham had 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for Detroit and Marcus Sasser scored 18.

Detroit trailed by 22 in the second half and was still down 114-103 with two minutes left, but scored six straight points to make it a five-point game. Powell missed and Javonte Green hit a 3-pointer to get the Pistons within two with 46.4 seconds to play.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit a short jumper to make it a two-possession game, though, and Ausar Thompson’s turnover forced the Pistons to start fouling. Powell hit a pair of free throws — his first points of the fourth quarter — to clinch it.

Jaquez scored 19 points for the Heat and Andrew Wiggins added 17.

The Pistons can usually overcome their outside shooting struggles by dominating the offensive glass, but that didn’t happen in the first half. Miami pulled down 22 of 24 defensive rebound chances and held Detroit to 20% (2 for 10) on 3-pointers.

Powell finished the half with 19 points, including 5 of 8 on 3-pointers, as Miami took a 63-54 lead.

The Heat opened the third quarter with a 15-2 run to take a 22-point lead. Detroit missed its first seven shots and turned the ball over twice. The Pistons reserves cut the deficit to 94-81 at the end of the quarter, led by six points and five rebounds from Paul Reed.

Sasser’s outside shooting got Detroit within 98-92 with 9:09 left, but the Pistons struggled to get enough stops for a big run.

Up next

Heat: Host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

Pistons: Visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.

The teams were tied at 63 at halftime, with Jokic getting hurt with about three seconds left before the intermission. Miami then scored 47 third-quarter points to take full control.

Nikola Jovic scored 22 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20 and Bam Adebayo returned from a two-game absence to grab 10 rebounds for the Heat, who had gone 1-15 in their last 16 games against Denver — the one win coming in five-game defeat to the Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals.

Denver had also won the last 11 regular-season matchups between the clubs and hadn’t lost a game in Miami since 2018.

But everything changed after halftime, with Jokic remaining in the locker room areas for evaluation.

Jokic still led the Nuggets in scoring with 21 points, along with eight assists and five rebounds. Jamal Murray scored 20 for Denver and Spencer Jones — who stepped on Jokic’s left foot on the play where the three-time MVP was injured — scored 16 for the Nuggets, as did Tim Hardaway Jr.

Jokic was alone under the basket and appeared to step forward to help Denver’s Spencer Jones defend a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. as time was about to expire in the second quarter. While backtracking, Jones stepped on Jokic’s left foot and it seemed the center’s knee buckled.

Jokic collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee and writhing in pain.

The Heat topped the 140-point mark for the eighth time in the 2025 calendar year. Miami had seven such games from its inception in 1988 through 2024, combined.

Up next

Nuggets: At Toronto on Wednesday night.

Heat: At Detroit on Thursday night.

Norman Powell scored 23 for the Heat, who won for the second consecutive night. Miami outscored Indiana 44-22 in the final quarter, after leading 98-94 going into the last 12 minutes.

Miami had 83 points in the second half, and had a 60-23 edge in bench scoring.

Nikola Jovic scored 19 for Miami, with the Heat outscoring Indiana by 35 points in his 25 minutes. The Heat scored at least 140 points for the sixth time this season and seventh time in 2025, after reaching 140 points seven times — combined — from 1988 through 2024.

Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith returned after missing 19 games with a shoulder injury. He scored nine points in 19 minutes.

“He has worked extremely hard to get back to this point,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “And so now we’ve got to navigate this thing the right way.”

The Heat were again without Tyler Herro (toe) and Bam Adebayo (back). Both are progressing, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Herro has been limited to six games this season and has missed nine of Miami’s last 10 — while Adebayo has missed the last two, with nagging things that were turning into bigger issues.

“He really needed this time … he’s dealing with some (things) because of overcompensation,” Spoelstra said of Adebayo. “I think he’s feeling a lot better each day.”

Up next

Pacers: Visit the Houston Rockets on Monday.

Heat: Host the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

Kel’el Ware had 16 points and 13 rebounds in place of Bam Adebayo, who missed the game with a back injury. Andrew Wiggins had 18 points and Jamie Jaquez Jr. had 16 points off the bench.

The Heat had lost eight of nine games entering Friday, but got back over .500 at 16-15. Tyler Herro missed his eighth straight game with a toe injury. Larsson started after missing five games with a sprained left ankle.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 30 points and he also had seven assists. Jalen Johnson added 24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Wiggins turned in one of the plays of the game in the fourth quarter. He saved the ball along the sideline after stealing an inbounds pass, got a return pass and hit a running reverse layup to stretch Miami’s lead to 102-87 with 9:05 to play. A 9-0 run capped by an over-the-head layup by Powell later in the quarter pushed the lead to 17.

The Heat outrebounded the Hawks 52-42 and forced 21 turnovers while committing 12. That resulted in 19 more field goal attempts for Miami.

The Hawks fell to 5-10 at home and are the only team in the NBA with a winning record on the road (10-7) and a losing record at home.

Dyson Daniels returned for Atlanta after missing one game with right hip inflammation. He had eight points and six rebounds.

Up next

Heat: Host Indiana on Saturday night.

Hawks: Host New York on Saturday night in their eighth back-to-back of the season, which is the most in the NBA.

Immanuel Quickley scored 18 for the Raptors — who got their 18th win in their 31st game of the season. They needed 57 games last season to get to the 18-win mark and are over .500 at Christmas for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 14 and Brandon Ingram finished with 12 for Toronto, which again played without RJ Barrett. He’s recovering from a sprained right knee.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 21 for the Heat, who are back to the .500 mark at 15-15 and have dropped nine of their last 11 games. They’ve been held under 100 points twice this season, both by Toronto and both in losses — with Tuesday’s 91-point figure the lowest. The Raptors beat the Heat 106-96 on Dec. 15.

Toronto won for only the fourth time in its last 12 games, with both wins over the Heat part of that span.

Norman Powell scored 17, Andrew Wiggins added 14 and Bam Adebayo grabbed 12 rebounds for the Heat. Miami played again without Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic and Pelle Larsson, all who remain injured.

The Heat shot 40.2%, their worst at home this season.

A 10-0 run in the fourth quarter pretty much put things away for Toronto, with that spurt giving the Raptors a 99-76 edge midway through the final period.

The Heat and Raptors don’t play again until a pair of matchups in Toronto on April 7 and April 9.

Up next

Raptors: Visit Washington on Friday, Toronto’s final road game before the calendar flips to 2026.

Heat: Visit Atlanta on Friday, the first of four meetings between the Southeast Division rivals this season.

Wagaman batted .250 with 28 doubles, nine home runs and 53 RBIs in 140 games as a rookie last season for the Marlins, finishing strong with a team-leading .328 average over 61 at-bats during the month of September. The 28-year-old Wagaman started 94 games at first base and 13 games in left field in 2025, after appearing in 18 games with the Los Angeles Angels in his debut in 2024.

Drafted in the 13th round in 2017 by the New York Yankees, Wagaman was designated for assignment earlier this week by the Marlins. He’ll provide the Twins more potential depth at first base along with Kody Clemens behind veteran Josh Bell, who signed a one-year, $7 million contract last month.

The Twins also designated infielder Ryan Fitzgerald for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for Wagaman.

The 24-year-old Bragg was a 17th-round draft pick by the Twins in 2023. He finished last season with Double-A Wichita.

He gets a $1 million signing bonus, a $12 million salary and the chance to earn $1 million in performance bonuses for appearances: $100,000 for 30, $200,000 for 40, $300,000 for 50 ad $400,000 for 60. If traded, he would receive a one-time $500,000 assignment bonus from the acquiring team.

The 32-year-old made a career-high 61 appearances with Tampa Bay last season, going 4-5 with a 2.83 ERA. He set a career high with 27 saves in 32 opportunities, while giving up seven home runs and 45 hits in 60 1/3 innings.

Fairbanks also finished last season ranked third among American League relievers in games finished (48) and seventh in saves.

He spent the past seven seasons with the Rays and went 20-22 with a 2.98 ERA. He recorded 96 walks and 317 strikeouts in 267 appearances. He made 12 postseason appearances with the Rays, including nine during the club’s World Series appearance in 2020.

The Rays declined an $11 million option on Fairbanks last month, allowing their closer to become a free agent. Fairbanks got a $1 million buyout.

Morel, 26, hit .219 with 37 runs, 16 doubles, 11 homers and 33 RBI in 105 games with the Tampa Bay Rays last season. He started 57 games in left field with a .971 fielding percentage, made one start in right field and one appearance at second base.

The Santiago, Dominican Republic, native was signed by the Chicago Cubs in August 2015, ranking as high as the organization’s No. 8 prospect by MLB Pipeline in 2021.

He played in 323 games with Chicago over parts of three seasons from 2022-24 and hit .228 with 43 doubles, eight triples, 60 home runs, and 168 RBIs.

The move is the first significant signing of the offseason for the Marlins, who finished the 2025 season with a 79-83 record under first-year manager Clayton McCollough.

The Marlins organization teamed up with Feeding South Florida and Tito’s Vodka to distribute meals to more than 1,000 families from Little Havana.

“Being able to just hand out food and, I don’t know who said it on stage, but just, you know, no hungry kids at nighttime, it feels good to be part of something like that,” said Marlins pitcher Anthony Bender.

Each family received a gift bag filled with roughly 15 pounds of food, including a 10-pound turkey for the holiday.

“So many people don’t have food and stuff, you know, and nobody to give to them, they live by themselves, they’re elderly like me and other people, and they don’t have nobody to turn to,” said one woman picking up food. “Joy to us.”

“Thank God for them helping the community, I appreciate it,” said a woman.

As music filled the air, the event helped bring relief, warmth and holiday cheer to those in the community who need it most.

“Putting smiles on people’s faces is one of the most rewarding things you can do, and so that’s what giving back is all about,” said Marlins manager Claytin McCullough.

Several families left the park with more than just smiles as they brought home a warm holiday meal to put together and a heart full of gratitude.

“It means so much because one time last Thanksgiving we didn’t have anything at all, like, to the point that me and my mom lived in a hotel, we didn’t have no Thanksgiving so it makes me want to cry,” said one woman picking up food.

Additionally, Frankie Piliere was promoted to vice president of amateur forecasting and player evaluation initiatives, and Vinesh Kanthan was moved to senior director of baseball operations.

Kapler will be the club’s sixth general manager after beginning his tenure with the Marlins in 2024 as an assistant GM focusing on player, coaching and staff development.

This past season, the Marlins’ minor league system made club history with four different affiliates reaching the postseason at their respective levels. That includes Jacksonville, which claimed the Triple-A National Championship.

Kapler spent the previous six seasons as a manager with Philadelphia (2018-19) and San Francisco (2020-23). The Los Angeles-native was also the World Series champion Dodgers’ director of player development from 2015-17, during which he worked with Marlins manager Clayton McCullough.

Miami outperformed many expectations in McCullough’s first season, going 79-83. The Marlins had an over/under of 62 1/2 wins before the season, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Their 16 1/2-win overperformance was the best in baseball, and they won 13 of their final 17 games.

“It is an exciting time to be part of the Marlins organization, and I am ready to continue the great work we are doing here, alongside Peter (Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix) and our entire Baseball Operations staff,” Kapler said in a statement. “The growth and momentum we’ve built are a direct reflection of a clear vision, a strong culture, and an incredible team working together toward a shared goal. I’m proud to help continue that progress and contribute to what’s ahead.”

Piliere joined the Marlins as director of amateur scouting, overseeing the club’s amateur scouts and draft. And Kanthan, before coming to Miami, spent five seasons with the Texas Rangers organization.

And they were armed with paintbrushes, not hockey sticks.

The Panthers — a few hours before their Winter Classic outdoor game at the Miami Marlins’ ballpark against the New York Rangers — unveiled a couple dozen panther sculptures, all painted in a unique way and now being auctioned off with hopes of raising $1 million for cancer research.

Gretzky commissioned a sculpture that displays some of his stats, Johnson arranged one depicting a scene from Augusta National, Bublé’s is adorned in rhinestone braille, the NBA’s Heat commissioned a pair of sculptures with some of the team’s themes, artist Romero Britto painted one as well and Navratilova didn’t technically paint hers — she dipped tennis balls into paint and then served them into the panther, creating a polka-dotted splash of various colors.

“To be able to have the privilege to reach out and make those contacts and have those folks say, ‘Of course,’ what a gift that was,” Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. “It’s just so neat.”

About $700,000 has been raised already, Zito said. The idea for the fundraiser — “Panthers on the Prowl,” they call it — is loosely built around Chicago’s “Cows on Parade” art project. Zito and his wife Julie co-chair the Panthers’ project; she is a breast cancer survivor, and Zito has lost a number of relatives to the disease.

“It was my wife Julie’s idea,” Zito said. “And we lived in Chicago during ‘Cows on Parade,’ and then Romero Britto said we should auction them. I can’t take credit for any of it.”

Many of the panthers were on display at LoanDepot Park on Friday, where about 35,000 fans attending the Winter Classic would see them.

“There’s a tear and a smile,” Zito said. “And then you think, you know what, there’s a reason that everybody is engaged. There’s a reason that everybody gave their time and their talent. And it’s because it works and it’s right.”

“Next time,” it read, “let’s go OUTSIDE the box.”

The play on words was clear. A seed was planted. And for the next few years, the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers kept talking about how they could bring outdoor games to the Sunshine State.

On Friday, the waiting ends. At loanDepot Park, home of baseball’s Miami Marlins, a sold-out crowd is expected to watch the Panthers host the New York Rangers in the first outdoor game to take place in Florida. The retractable roof on the ballpark — which has been shut while air conditioning has been piped in to help ice-builders create a playing surface suitable for hockey — will be opened not long before puck drop.

“I know it’s cliche, but it’s like little kids at Christmas,” Panthers hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito said, when asked to describe the feeling going into the game. “It’s anticipating this wonderful celebration of our game on all the levels and with our families and with our friends and new fans and our fans.”

The outdoor game will be the first of two in Florida this season; the Lightning get their home game Feb. 1 against the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For each of the last six years — Tampa Bay in 2020, 2021 and 2022, then Florida in 2023, 2024 and 2025 — a Sunshine State team has made its way to the Stanley Cup Final, with the Lightning and Panthers both winning twice in that span.

“We just kept on talking about it,” said Steve Mayer, the NHL’s president for events and content. “And then we got a lot more comfortable with the ice build, the temperatures — we did a lot of research, this just doesn’t happen — and now we’re here. I can’t believe we’re here, but we are.”

How ice happens

By Miami standards, it’s cold these days. The high temperature has been struggling to get out of the 60s Fahrenheit, and lows have gone into the low 40s overnight.

And the NHL couldn’t have timed this cold snap any better.

The league’s equipment arrived at the Marlins’ ballpark in mid-December. Custom refrigeration units were installed, and thousands of gallons of coolant will run through hoses onto the field to chill aluminum trays that were placed under what became the playing surface.

From there, ice — about 25% thicker of a sheet than usual — started being made in what is a long, slow, gradual process. A water-soluble paint was added to whiten the ice, and this week lines and logos were painted onto the surface.

The process in Tampa will be slightly different; with no roof on Raymond James, the league will build a tent to help build the ice, then take the tent down before the Lightning-Bruins game. The rink used for the Panthers-Rangers game will be trucked over to Tampa not long after Friday’s game.

Panthers finally get a game

Florida was one of two teams never to play in an outdoor game. The Utah Mammoth are the other.

Some Panthers players have taken part in outdoor matchups — Brad Marchand is about to play in his fourth — but many are getting to experience it for the first time. And Marchand said the idea of playing in front of 35,000 or so fans in Miami will only continue the growth that hockey is enjoying all over Florida.

“They’re opportunities that don’t come around very often,” said Marchand, who went 3-0-0 in outdoor games with Boston. “They tend to be kind of crazy, a lot of mayhem, but they’re moments that when you look back on your career they’re some of your favorite times. They’re the ones that you always go back and talk about. That’s a great opportunity for everyone. … I just think the environment that we’re going to be in will be very unique and special. It’s not often you get to play outdoors in a climate like this.”

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky played in his first outdoor game 14 years ago. He’s about to set a record for the longest span between outdoor game appearances. And Panthers coach Paul Maurice will coach an outdoor game for a third time.

He said putting on a good show for fans is important.

“It’s not going to look like anything we normally are doing,” Maurice said. “And for some guys, it’ll be the only one they ever play in. So, you want to make sure you appreciate it.”

No Tkachuk

Matthew Tkachuk is nearing his season debut after having surgery in August to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia — issues that dogged him since February and through last season’s run to Florida’s second straight Stanley Cup title.

He practiced Thursday when the Panthers skated on the Marlins’ field, but Maurice said he won’t play on Friday.

By the numbers

2 — Golf carts will be utilized to carry the goaltenders from the ice to the locker rooms, simply because the distance involved would make it impractical to have them walk.

5-0-0 — The Rangers’ record in outdoor games.

15 — loanDepot Park will become the 15th Major League Baseball stadium to host to an outdoor game.

44 — It’ll be the 44th outdoor game in NHL history, dating to 2003. Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings played an outdoor preseason game in Las Vegas in 1991 against the Rangers; the Kings won, but it’s not part of the official outdoor game records.

65 — It was 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius) for a 2016 game in Denver pitting the Colorado Avalanche against the Detroit Red Wings. That’s the warmest game-time temperature in NHL outdoor game history (not including that 1991 preseason game in Las Vegas, when the temperature exceeded 90 degrees). Forecasters do not believe Friday’s game will break the 65-degree record.

Suzuki also scored late in regulation to tie the game for the Canadiens, who improved to 6-1-3 in their last 10 games. Cole Caufield also scored for Montreal.

Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, but Marchand was called for roughing 1:27 into overtime — giving Montreal a 4-on-3 advantage.

The Panthers paid tribute to Marchand’s 1,000th career point in a pregame ceremony. Marchand got the milestone point in mid-November, but chose this game — against Montreal, one of his longtime rivals when he was with Boston and a team coached by one of his idols, Martin St. Louis — for the formal celebration.

The game was scoreless after two periods, just the 11th such game in the NHL this season and the first for both the Panthers and the Canadiens. And it was the first time a Florida-Montreal matchup saw no goals in the first 40 minutes of action since Feb. 14, 2013 — a contest that ended up as a 1-0 road win for the Canadiens.

But the final 10 minutes were wild.

Marchand opened the scoring at 10:18 and Reinhart connected with 4:59 left to put Florida up 2-0. Back came Montreal, with Caufield scoring 32 seconds after Reinhart’s goal and then Suzuki tying it up with 1:22 remaining.

It was the final game of 2025 for both teams. Montreal’s 21 wins going into New Year’s Day are its most since having 21 wins at this point during the 2018-19 season. And Florida — which has played in each of the last three Stanley Cup Finals, winning the last two titles — played its 106th game of the year, the third straight year in which the Panthers have topped 100 games.

Up next

Canadiens: Visit Carolina on Thursday.

Panthers: Host the New York Rangers in the Winter Classic at Miami on Friday.

Oops. Nearly a full year passed before his second NHL point.

“After the first, I’m like, ‘Oh, this, it’s not too hard,’” Marchand said. “But I had a pretty rude awakening after that. You just see how hard it is every night to play in this league.”

He has never forgotten the lessons that came after that first point, what it was like to go scoreless in 21 consecutive games, how it felt to get sent down from Boston to the team’s minor league affiliate in nearby Providence. And they were still in mind Tuesday night, when the Florida Panthers — who acquired him in a trade last season — paid tribute to Marchand joining the NHL’s 1,000-point club in a pregame ceremony before playing host to the Montreal Canadiens.

Marchand hit the milestone more than a month ago; the Panthers let him and his family choose when they wanted to have the ceremony, and this game was the pick. Flowers were presented to Marchand’s wife and mother, gold mini-sticks were presented to his three children. The NHL sent a Tiffany crystal to present to Marchand, and he got a commemorative gold stick and plaque from Panthers hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito as well.

Several NHL coaches and players sent video tributes as well, including many of his former Bruins teammates as well as Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby. “Super proud of you,” former Bruins teammate Zdeno Chara said.

Marchand watched the ceremony from a corner of the ice, surrounded by family.

“I have all my family in town,” Marchand said. “These are moments throughout your career that don’t happen often. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate things that I definitely never thought would ever become possible. … It’s a great opportunity for everyone to enjoy a very special thing.”

Getting to 1,000 points is a testament to plenty of things, his longevity included. Marchand had 100 points in a season exactly once; he’s basically been just about a point-a-game guy for the entirety of his 17-year career.

“It’s just such a large milestone to hit,” Marchand said. “Your dream is to play a game in the NHL. I never really thought about what it takes to get to this point. You hope to play and then stay. That’s all you’re really worried about is just trying to stay and hold onto it for as long as you can. Even when I was 10 years in I didn’t think that this was possible.”

Panthers coach Paul Maurice often tells a story of last season’s playoffs, a first-round game at Tampa Bay where Florida was down 5-1 late in Game 3 of that series. Everyone was ready for Game 4, except Marchand, who was shouting encouragement to teammates and trying to get a comeback try started.

No rally happened, but what Marchand did that night still resonates with his coach.

“He’s not 25 anymore,” Maurice said of the 37-year-old Marchand. “What he’s been able to do, the consistency of his game, has been incredibly impressive. I think you’ll find, older players, when they get into the playoffs, can find another level, but October through Christmas, sometimes they may not. The juice is hard to find. But not for him.”

It was fitting that the ceremony came with Montreal in town; the Canadiens were a huge rival for Marchand for all those years he spent with the Boston Bruins, and coach Martin St. Louis — another pesky, diminutive forward who just knew how to put pucks in nets, just like Marchand — is one of the Panthers’ star’s idols.

“It’s always a special team to play,” Marchand said. “And it’s pretty cool to have Marty on the bench, being my favorite player growing up.”

Marchand got the first 976 points of his career with the Bruins. He joined Florida in a trade that shocked many — especially given how the Bruins and Panthers had developed a playoff rivalry in recent years — late last season. The Panthers went on to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup, which was the second Cup of Marchand’s career as well.

And Tuesday was the Panthers’ final game before the calendar flips to 2026. By any measure, 2025 — with the trade, a Cup and a milestone point — was a year for Marchand to remember.

“It was a hell of a year,” Marchand said. “Lot of ups and downs, but if I could categorize it, I’m just very grateful for all of it.”

The Capitals (20-14-5) have lost four of five.

Florida came back from a third-period deficit to pull out the win, getting goals from Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and Reinhart.

The Capitals led 3-2 early in the third on a goal by Dylan Strome, who also had two assists. But Marchand tied the score by batting in his own rebound past goalie Logan Thompson at 6:16 of the third, and Ekblad put Florida ahead for good about seven minutes later.

Reinhart added an empty-netter to seal matters for Florida.

Tom Wilson got both Washington goals in the opening period, giving the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 3:53 and then tying the score at 2-2 with 43 seconds remaining on a power-play chance.

With the two goals, Wilson has four multigoal games this season — and his second multigoal period, the first of which came Nov. 19 against the Edmonton Oilers.

Between Wilson’s goals, the Panthers tied the score on Anton Lundell’s goal at 4:35 of the first, with Reinhart scoring his 20th of the season for a 2-1 lead at 12:45.

Wilson had a three-point night, getting the primary assist on Strome’s third-period goal. Strome assisted on Wilson’s two goals in the first.

After a scoreless second, the scoring picked up again in the third.

The game was Florida’s first since forward Matthew Tkachuk practiced for the first time this season, following offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia. Tkachuk practiced Sunday, but there is no timetable for his return to game action.

Up next

Capitals: Host the New York Rangers on Wednesday.

Panthers: Host Montreal on Tuesday.