DENVER -- Veteran goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 38 shots in his Colorado Avalanche debut, and his new team held off a late Nashville Predators surge to post a 5-2 victory on Saturday night.

Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist, Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and Ross Colton had a goal for the Avalanche.

Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista scored for Nashville, and Juuse Saros finished with 29 saves.

Colorado acquired Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Monday, and he made a great first impression in front of the home fans. He stopped the first 37 shots he faced before Stamkos scored with 6:57 remaining in the third.

"He's a big man. Obviously, it's not just his size; he has great ability," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said of his new, 6-foot-4 goaltender. "He moves really well in net. And tonight, he managed the game perfectly."

It's been a solid run for Blackwood in December; he just didn't have the wins to show for it while with the struggling Sharks. Last Saturday, in fact, he made 51 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.

"It feels great," Blackwood said after his winning debut. "It's been a tough week coming here, didn't skate much, but it was a great game to be a part of, and I'm so thankful we can come out with a win in the first one."

Evangelista made it a one-goal game on a delayed penalty with 4:52 to go, but MacKinnon and Lehkonen scored empty-net goals in the final two minutes to seal the win.

Midway through the second period, Stamkos got behind Colorado's defense and skated in alone on net, but Blackwood made the save to keep the game scoreless. Less than three minutes later, Colton gave the Avalanche the lead.

"It was Blackie's first taste of some Avalanche hockey," Colton said. "He was awesome, he made some huge saves, kept us in, and that gave us some momentum."

Blackwood joined the Sharks last season after spending five years with the New Jersey Devils. He has never appeared in more than 47 games in any one campaign, but Saturday's win was his 20th appearance this season, and he could be in line for plenty more with Colorado.

"You've got to appreciate that. It feels great," Blackwood said of the Colorado fans chanting his name during the win. "So, hopefully, I can continue to play well in front of them."

MacKinnon, who now has 50 points for the season, tops in the NHL, is heating up after a slow stretch. He had just one goal in 13 games in the last half of November, but he has scored five in December, including a goal in three straight games. He passed Michel Goulet for third on the franchise list in scoring with 948 points.

Nashville defenseman Roman Josi missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As the New York Jets prepare to play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, their more significant business will commence this week when they begin their general manager interviews, league sources told ESPN.

Included on the list of candidates expected to interview for the Jets job are former Titans GM Jon Robinson, who at one point helped build one of the league's better rosters in Tennessee, and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, who previously has worked in Philadelphia and Washington front offices.

There will be other candidates as well, and the Jets plan to announce or confirm each GM interview after it is completed, but Robinson's is expected this week, with Riddick's coming at a later date, according to sources.

The Jets are not married to hiring a GM first and a head coach second -- nor vice versa -- as the organization undertakes a thorough process aimed at yielding the best candidates in each position. It just happens that the interviews for the GM job will start first.

Robinson and Riddick are free to meet with the Jets any time they wish, whereas other candidates who are with NFL organizations cannot interview with the team until after the regular season ends. That's why the process with candidates not employed by other NFL teams starts this week.

During his time in Tennessee, Robinson oversaw the Titans' drafting of running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver A.J. Brown. The team never had a losing season and made the playoffs four times during Robinson's seven years as GM before he was fired in December 2022 in a move that floored people across the league.

Robinson is the second-winningest general manager in franchise history, with 69 wins (including playoffs), trailing only Floyd Reese (111).

Riddick has been linked to multiple front office vacancies in recent years and interviewed for the Steelers' GM job that went to Omar Khan in May 2022. Riddick is doing the color commentary for Monday night's Falcons-Raiders game, and in part because of his ESPN duties, is expected to interview in the coming weeks.

Riddick played seven seasons in the NFL for four teams after being drafted by the 49ers in 1991. He followed that with nearly 13 years in front office roles with Washington and Philadelphia, including leading the pro personnel departments of both franchises. Riddick also interviewed for GM openings in 2020 with the Lions and Texans.

The Jets recently retained The 33rd Team to support them in their GM and head coaching searches. Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and former Vikings GM Rick Spielman are leading the project for the NFL technology and media company. The 33rd Team has been providing its data analysis and lending its experience to assist the Jets.

The Jets (3-10) fired Joe Douglas as their GM last month, six weeks after ousting head coach Robert Saleh.

La Rochelle: Leyds; Nowell, Seuteni, Danty, Thomas; West, Kerr-Barlow; Wardi, Latu, Atonio, Douglas, Skelton, Jegou, Haddad, Alldritt (capt).

Replacements: Lespiaucq, Penverne, Colombe-Reazel, Dillane, Botia, Cancoriet, Berjon, Favre.

Bristol: Elizalde, Bates, Ravouvou, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye; Worsley, Randall Genge, Oghre, Chawatama, Luatua (capt), Owen, Grondona, Heenan, Mata.

Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Lahiff, Hodgson, Grondona, Marmion, Lane, Jenkins.

Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)

The two sides came into the game in fine form with Leinster unbeaten in the United Rugby Championship and off the back of an away victory in Bristol to start their European campaign.

Clermont, meanwhile, had enjoyed a bonus-point win against Benetton seven days prior and sat third in the Top 14.

Both rolled the dice in the selection of inside centres in new positions.

Short-term signing Barrett made his first Leinster start as a fullback, a position familiar to the 67-times capped All Black from earlier in his career but he had not worn the 15 jersey in two years.

For Clermont, Australian Irae Simone had never started a professional game at fly-half but was wearing 10 in Dublin.

The newcomer to the jersey had a hand in the game's opening try.

It was his grubber through that came off the boot of Max Deegan and was gathered Pierre Fouyssac. After the centre was hauled down short of the line, Raka crashed over from close range.

Across the opening quarter, a frustrated Leinster saw line-outs lost and passes both drift forward and go to ground.

It was not until the 21st minute when things really clicked, Garry Ringrose the beneficiary as he went over one pass after Deegan produced a brilliant offload out the back for Prendergast.

Clermont were foiled in their attempts to strike back immediately when a thrilling move ended when Alex Newsome lost the ball charging for the line and Leinster went straight up the other end to score.

This time, it was from a clever tap and go penalty five metres out with Barrett's second try in as many appearances for Leinster popular among the Dublin crowd.

Despite taking some time to move through the gears, Leinster would likely have felt that with a stronger line-out, they could have been further ahead at the turn.

Harlequins: Green; Isgro, Beard, Northmore, Murley; Smith, Care; Baxter, Walker, Kerrod, Herbst, Hammond, Cunningham-South, Chisholm, Dombrandt (c)

Replacements: Riley, Jones, Lewis, Browne, Kenningham, Evans, Porter, Evans

Stormers: Blommetjies; Davids, Simelane, Du Plessis, Senatla; Matthee, Ungerer; Matongo, Kotze, Sandi, Moerat (c), Evans, Ewers, Nel, Engelbrecht

Replacements: Venter, Lyons, Weilbach, Porter, De Villiers, Duvenage, Roche, Mars

Referee: Ludovic Cayre (Fra)

Adam Johnson made as big an impression off the ice as he did on it for the Nottingham Panthers.

The U.K. hockey team officially retired Johnson's No. 47 jersey on Saturday in tribute to the American forward who died after his neck was cut by an opponent's skate during a game over a year ago.

"Adam was a top player, but he was an even better human being," Panthers CEO Omar Pacha said at a pre-game ceremony attended by members of Johnson's family.

The Minnesota native, who briefly played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, died shortly after a collision with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave in the Elite Ice Hockey League in October 2023.

Johnson, who was 29, skated with the puck into Sheffield's defensive zone. As he pivoted to move inside, Petgrave was skating toward him. Petgrave had another Panthers player in front of him and appears to have made contact. Then, Petgrave's left skate elevates as the defenseman begins to fall and the blade hits Johnson in the neck.

A man, whose name has not been released, remains under investigation after being arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

The Panthers announced the jersey retirement a year ago, and on Saturday made it official as Johnson's parents, brother, aunt and fiancée watched from ice level.

"Adam was genuine. He was humble, modest, down to earth and never boasted about his accomplishments," said aunt Lynn DeGrio, who spoke on behalf of the Johnson family. "He lit up a room with his little smile and quick and witty comments.

"He loved to dream about what his future was going to look like, right down to the fine details," she continued. "One thing he knew for sure is that it would include the love of his life, Ryan Wolfe. They spent hours planning the perfect life together."

Donations to a memorial account will fund a scholarship for a high school senior to attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where Johnson played before turning professional.

"From the first minute he stepped on the ice in Nottingham, you could tell his speed and skill was elite," Pacha told the crowd. "His hockey IQ was on another level, and he made all the players around him better."

Other general managers told Pacha he made the "signing of the summer."

"His humble nature was something unique, especially for a player with such a high pedigree," Pacha added. "Players who have played at the highest level can sometimes come with an ego, but Adam did not have this. A quiet, positive leader, a committed player that guys loved and a huge calming presence in the locker room."

Johnson was living with Wolfe and studying at Loughborough Business School before his death.

South Yorkshire Police have not determined if charges will be filed -- there could be a variety of reasons for that.

Petgrave, a 32-year-old Canadian, has not made any public statements.

The U.K.'s top league made neck guards mandatory last Jan. 1, two months after Johnson's death.

VfL Bochum's goalkeeper was struck on the head by an object apparently thrown from the stands at Union Berlin, and both Bundesliga teams left the field on Saturday. When the game resumed, they ran down the clock without trying to score.

Patrick Drewes was preparing to take a goal kick at 1-1 in added time when he was hit by an object with a similar size and shape to a cigarette lighter. He sat down and was given medical treatment.

The referee suspended the game and led the teams off the field.

Nearly half an hour later, the game resumed and Drewes was replaced by striker Philipp Hofmann. With about three minutes left in the game, both teams agreed to not try to score.

Players passed the ball around the field, walked and had conversations with opponents while waiting for the referee to declare the game over.

"Our coach and their coach, they discussed it together and the coach told us that we'll go out there and bring the game to an end, and that's what we did," Hofmann told broadcaster Sky.

He indicated more than one object had been thrown around the time of the incident. Hofmann added Drewes was being treated by Bochum staff and that he didn't know his condition.

"It's not acceptable. No matter how hard he was struck, whether he's bleeding or not, it's just not appropriate," he said.

Union are likely to face disciplinary action over their hosting of the game, and Bochum could potentially ask for the result to be changed to a 3-0 win by default.

Bochum had already made substitutions at three different points in the game, meaning it would not have been possible to bring on another goalkeeper to replace Drewes. Bochum finished the game with nine players because of Drewes' absence and an earlier red card.

Ryan Reynolds treated Wrexham's locals to an early Christmas gift on his latest trip to north Wales -- and he brought more Hollywood celebrities along for the ride.

Reynolds, who co-owns Wrexham's soccer club with Rob McElhenney, watched the team draw with Cambridge 2-2 on Saturday in the company of actor and producer Channing Tatum, who appeared in the latest "Deadpool and Wolverine" movie alongside Reynolds.

Also at the match was Brandon Sklenar, who co-starred with Reynolds' wife, Blake Lively, in romantic drama "It Ends With Us," and Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong.

The previous night, Reynolds went to a pub in the centre of Wrexham and said he would be buying a round of drinks for everyone there. He joked the pub "might be bussing in another hundred people" to benefit from his generosity.

In video footage shared on social media, Reynolds took to the microphone in the pub and said: "If I don't come visit each and every one of you tonight in your homes, I just want to say happy holidays."

He said he couldn't stay long because he wanted to make the most of his "night off" away from his children.

Reynolds and McElhenney have owned Wrexham since 2021 and have overseen the team's rise from the fifth tier of the English game. The team's notoriety has increased since the owners launched a popular fly-on-the-wall TV series, "Welcome to Wrexham."

After the draw with Cambridge, Wrexham were third in League One, two points off the lead.

Real Madrid hit out at the referee's failure to award them a penalty in the club's 3-3 LaLiga draw at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, calling it "a match they could have won."

Madrid went 2-0 down in Vallecas to early headed goals from Rayo's Unai López and Abdul Mumin, before Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham responded to make it 2-2.

Rodrygo put the visitors ahead in the second half and Isi Palazón levelled for Rayo eight minutes later, as Madrid had to settle for a draw, leaving them a point behind leaders Barcelona at the top of the table.

After the game, the LaLiga giants posted a match report headlined "Controversial refereeing denies Madrid victory" on social media and on the club's website, attacking referee Juan Martínez Munuera's decision not to award a penalty for Mumin's second-half challenge on Vinícius Júnior.

"In the 75th minute came the most controversial play of the match," the club's report said. "Vini Jr. was clearly brought down inside the area by Mumin, but Martínez Munuera did not award a penalty, neither was there any warning from [Pablo] González Fuertes, the VAR referee."

Madrid have frequently criticised the performance of referees this season, regularly broadcasting videos on the club's TV channel, Real Madrid TV, highlighting officials' mistakes.

"Seeing a replay, the penalty looked very clear to me," coach Carlo Ancelotti said in his postmatch news conference, while praising his side's overall performance.

"There are draws and there are draws. The draws with Mallorca and Las Palmas [in August] were totally different to this draw... We're on the right track."

"The Mallorca and Las Palmas draws made me nervous, but this one didn't," Ancelotti added. "I thought it would be very difficult for us to find balance and attitude [this season] but we've found it. We have the same attitude as last year, the same commitment, the same quality.

"Rodrygo came back today. [Eduardo] Camavinga came back. [David] Alaba will come back. I start 2025 with a lot of enthusiasm We're in the fight for everything."

Ancelotti pointed out that Madrid had kicked off against Rayo missing a string of first-team regulars due to injury, including Kylian Mbappé, Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal, while Vinícius started on the bench.

"[Vinicius] didn't start because he hasn't played 90 minutes since his injury," Ancelotti said. "We preferred that he play the second half, which might be less intense. He had a good game."

Madrid are next in action on Wednesday, where they will play Pachuca in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.