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Tyler Bozak is supposed to enjoy a homecoming of sorts when his Toronto Maple Leafs play at the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.

When the 2016-17 NHL season started, it was expected that the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils would find themselves battling one another for playoff positioning within the competitive Metropolitan Division.

MIAMI -- Two of the proudest franchises in the NBA -- the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers -- will meet Thursday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, and neither one really wants to talk about the present.

CLEVELAND (AP) Kyrie Irving had 31 points and a career-high 13 assists, and LeBron James scored 29 as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their second game in two nights over the Milwaukee Bucks, 113-102 on Wednesday despite being without two starters.

LOS ANGELES -- The depth of the Los Angeles Clippers will allow them to overcome the absence of injured star forward Blake Griffin, coach Doc Rivers and his players say. That theory will receive an immediate stiff test when the Clippers play the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday at Staples Center in a matchup of two of the Western Conference's top three teams.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Ty Lawson turned back the clock to his younger, more explosive days and DeMarcus Cousins played the closer role from the free-throw line, helping the Sacramento Kings rally from 20 points down Wednesday night.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Austin authorities say a woman's exuberance over the Dallas Cowboys winning their football game Sunday night led her stepson to fatally stab her.

SYDNEY (AP) The navigator for super maxi Wild Oats XI, which holds the Sydney to Hobart line honors race record, said Thursday the 100-foot yacht could finish three hours faster than the mark it set in 2012, based on weather bureau projections for Monday's start.

Edmonton's fourth line combined for seven points, Cam Talbot stopped 28 shots and the Oilers beat the Arizona Coyotes in regulation for the first time in 26 games with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.

The Browns are two losses from becoming the second 0-16 team.

Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds scored in the shootout, Steve Mason made 36 saves and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Wednesday night.

With late-season success against notable opponents, it seems to have perked up the motivation for Vanderbilt and North Carolina State going into Monday's Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.

MIAMI (9-5) at BUFFALO (7-7)

SAN DIEGO (5-9) at CLEVELAND (0-14)

INDIANAPOLIS (7-7) vs. OAKLAND (11-3)

BALTIMORE (8-6) at PITTSBURGH (9-5)

ATLANTA (9-5) at CAROLINA (6-8)

TENNESSEE (8-6) at JACKSONVILLE (2-12)

NEW YORK JETS (4-10) at NEW ENGLAND (12-2)

MINNESOTA (7-7) vs. GREEN BAY (8-6)