What do you need to know about last nights big stories? Pierre LeBrun gives us his take on the biggest and best.Feast at the Shark Tank: It was worth staying up for, to be sure, as I watched a potential Western Conference finals preview between the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks?at the Shark Tank on Wednesday night. Joel Wards short-handed goal in the first period held up as the winner in the Sharks 2-1 win, a high-end affair between two top contenders. I picked the Sharks to win the Pacific Division before the season and I certainly stand by that prediction, although Connor McDavid?scored the winner to give the?Edmonton Oilers?a 6-3 on the same night against the?Colorado Avalanche, keeping them two points clear of the Sharks. I truly believe the Oilers playoff chances are for real, finally, after a 10-year hiatus, but I think the Sharks will take the top spot in the Pacific. Reason to believe in a potential Blackhawks-Sharks conference finals showdown? The two guys in goal. Martin Jones and Corey Crawford were outstanding Wednesday night -- this should have been a higher-scoring game, but both masked men were unreal. Of concern for the Blackhawks is that captain Jonathan Toews left the game in the second period and didnt return. There was no immediate word from the club. Blackhawks fans are certainly hoping he doesnt join the long list of star players already hurt in this, the Year of the Injury.Superstar reminders: I wonder whether?Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby didnt text each other Wednesday afternoon to suggest putting on a show in their respective games to remind people theyre still around. I jest, of course, but in a season when the narrative has focused on the kids taking over the league, I love it when No. 8 and No. 87 make sure everyone remembers they can still play. Ovechkins hat trick led the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues, while Crosbys two goals and assist was at the heart of the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1 thumping of the New York Rangers as they avenged Mondays loss to the Blueshirts. Oh, and Crosby now leads the NHL with 14 goals -- in just 14 games. I think last springs Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP and recent World Cup MVP is feeling just fine, thank you.Told you so: Speaking of the kids, though, didnt I say just Wednesday not to fret about Auston Matthews? That 13-game goalless drought is a thing of the past after the Toronto Maple Leafs center scored twice and added an assist Wednesday night against the New Jersey Devils. Watch the goals and assists come in bunches now. Problem is, the Leafs blew 3-0 and 4-3 leads in a 5-4 shootout loss to the determined Devils. The game was a perfect microcosm of the young Leafs squad through the first quarter of the season: entertaining, high-scoring, but not much of a clue defensively. Theyll get better defensively under Mike Babcock, thats a guarantee, but the growing pains will continue. Michael Thomas Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Erik McCoy Youth Jersey . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-alvin-kamara-gold-jersey/ . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Drew Brees Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Erik McCoy Womens Jersey . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. LOS ANGELES -- The Clippers are playing stingy defense and having fun doing it.Blake Griffin had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Chris Paul added 19 points and Los Angeles rolled past the Portland Trail Blazers 111-80 on Wednesday night to improve to an NBA-best 7-1 with its fourth straight victory.When you play defense the way we have been, its a lot of fun, Griffin said. We enjoy getting stops and look forward to getting stops. Guys are just flying around, and even if someone makes a mistake, theres another guy to cover up for them. When you are playing basketball like that, its a blast.It was the second time the Clippers beat the Trail Blazers this season.This one was never close.The Clippers stunned Portland from the opening tip, shooting 59 percent in the first quarter. They built a 32-point lead in the first half, when Griffin had 17 points.Los Angeles bench opened the second quarter on a 14-2 run to go up 50-18 before extending the lead to 61-32 at halftime.We got our (rear ends) whupped, Blazers guard Damian Lillard said. They had a lot of energy and they wanted it more than we did. They hurt us on the glass and we didnt take anything away from them.Lillard, the NBAs second-leading scorer at 32.8 points per game, was held to eight. CJ McCollum, who was averaging 22.9 points, also scored eight for the Blazers.They didnt have anyone in double figures until Shabazz Napier hit a 3-pointer with under 2 minutes left. He led the team with 11 points.DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and nine rebounds and J.J. Redick added 10 points for the Clippers, who sat their starters for good at 3:54 of the third quarter while owning a 44-point lead.It was the fourth straight game that the Clippers had at least an 18-point lead in the first half.We kept telling each other to not play the score and respect the game, Jordan said of keeping up the defensive pressure. We wanted to make shots they took tough.Before the starters left, they began the quarter with a 17-3 run that stretched the Clippers lead to 78-35. Each of the five starters scored in thee spurt.dddddddddddd Paul and Luc Mbah a Moute each had a 3-pointer, and Jordan slammed down a two-handed, fast-break dunk off Griffins alley-oop pass.It was one of three signature dunks by Jordan in a period that ended with consecutive 3-pointers by reserves Marreese Speights and Austin Rivers, leaving the Clippers ahead 93-50.Los Angeles held Portland to 35 percent shooting. The Blazers shot just 6 of 30 on 3-pointers as their three-game winning streak was snapped.The Clippers beat us at both ends, coach Terry Stotts said. They were good at the rim, good on the free throw line, good at passing, good on defense, good in transition.TIP-INSTrail Blazers: They failed to score at least 100 points for the first time in nine games. ... They were held to 16 points in the first, a season low for a quarter. ... Portland was playing the second half of a back-to-back, having won at Phoenix by three points on Tuesday.Clippers: With his fifth rebound in the first quarter, Griffin reached 4,000 in 417 career games, the second-fastest player since 1983-84 to reach 8,500 points, 4,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists. Chris Webber did so in 408 games. ... Jordan played his 600th career game, joining Randy Smith (715) and Eric Piatkowski (616) as the only players in franchise history to do so.ALL INEveryone on Portlands roster saw action except Al-Farouq Aminu and Festus Ezeli, who are injured. All but Ed Davis scored. The only Clipper not to play was Paul Pierce, and all 12 of their players scored.SECOND UNITThe Clippers second unit was led by Speights with 12 points. The fourth was the only quarter won by the Blazers, who outscored the Clippers reserves 30-18.UP NEXTTrail Blazers: Host Sacramento on Friday, a team thats lost to the Blazers in six straight games and 10 of the last 12 matchups.Clippers: Visit Oklahoma City on Friday, the only team they have lost to so far. The Thunder won by two points in L.A. last week. ' ' '