Forsberg and Marchessault lead the Predators past Utah 4-0

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault each scored twice, helping Juuse Saros and the Nashville Predators beat Utah 4-0 on Saturday night.

Saros made 26 stops in his second shutout of the season and No. 25 for his career. Roman Josi had two assists for the Predators, who had dropped three in a row.

Connor Ingram made 17 saves for Utah, losers of three of four.

Saros and Forsberg, who leads Nashville with eight goals, have been the only bright spots for a Predators team that is just 5-9-1 on the season.

Saros' best save came at 2:57 of the first when he was able to kick aside a Nick Schmaltz chance just after Forsberg had given Nashville a 1-0 lead.

Utah: Failed to score for the second time in three games. It has been shut out four times in its 15 games this season.

Predators: After losing five of six overall, Nashville was in desperate need of a win. The Predators now head out on a two-week road trip where they hope to build off this victory.

Marchessault’s power-play goal at 11:58 of the first came after Utah killed off a full 2:00 long 5-on-3 power play for Nashville. The Predators remained on the power play since Utah’s Olli Maatta stayed in the box due to being assessed a double-minor for high sticking at the same time as Logan Cooley was sent off for hooking.

Utah did not score on its two power-play opportunities. It has failed to score a power-play goal in nine of its last 10 games, going 2 for 26 over that span.

Utah hosts the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. The Predators begin a five-game trip Monday in Colorado.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks a shot by Utah Hockey Club center Nick Schmaltz (8) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) is congratulated after scoring a goal against the Utah Hockey Club during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller, bottom, slides as he chases the puck with Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg, top, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) tries to block Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) as Cooley takes a shot during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon, left, and Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) chase the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Utah Hockey Club right wing Dylan Guenther (11) reaches for the rebounding puck between Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, left, and defenseman Luke Schenn (2) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg, left, celebrates his second goal of the game with Alexandre Carrier (45) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Hockey Club Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg, center, celebrates his second goal of the game with Steven Stamkos (91) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Hockey Club Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge recused himself Tuesday from presiding over Arizona's fake electors case after an email surfaced in which he told fellow judges to speak out against attacks on Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for the presidency.

In the Aug. 29 email, Maricopa County Judge Bruce Cohen lamented that he didn’t speak out when Harris was called a “DEI hire,” believes that white men must speak out against unfair treatment of women, and raised a historical lesson from the Holocaust about the need to speak up when people are attacked. Cohen didn’t specify who made the comment regarding Harris.

“We cannot allow our colleagues who identify as being a ‘person of color’ to stand alone when there are those (who) may claim that their ascension was an ‘equity hire’ rather than based solely upon exceptionalism,” the judge told his colleagues in the email. Cohen later wrote another email telling his fellow judges that he let his passion cloud his views and apologized to anyone affected by his lapse in judgment.

Lawyers for Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman, who faces nine felony charges in the case, sought the judge’s removal, arguing Cohen “bears a deep-seated personal political bias that overcame his professional judgment” and that their client has lost confidence in the judge’s impartiality.

Hoffman is one of 11 Republicans who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring that then-President Donald Trump won Arizona in the 2020 election. They include the former state party chair, a 2022 U.S. Senate candidate and two sitting state lawmakers. Two former Trump aides and five lawyers connected to Trump, including Rudy Giuliani, also were charged in the case. All 18 people were charged with charged with forgery, fraud and conspiracy.

In a court record, Cohen said the original email was a stand for decency and didn’t reflect a personal bias, but he recognized that others may view it differently than he intended. Cohen, who was appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano in 2005, was scheduled to retire in January. Most of the defendants had asked Cohen to throw out the charges under an Arizona law that bars using baseless legal actions in a bid to silence critics. The law had long offered protections in civil cases but was amended in 2022 by the Republican-led Legislature to cover people facing most criminal charges. Cohen recused himself before deciding whether to dismiss the case, which will be assigned to another judge.

The defendants argued that Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes tried to use the charges to silence them for their constitutionally protected speech about the 2020 election and actions taken in response to the race’s outcome. They say Mayes campaigned on investigating the fake elector case and had shown a bias against Trump and his supporters.

Prosecutors said the defendants didn’t have evidence to back up their retaliation claim and that they had crossed the line from protected speech to fraud. Mayes’ office also has said the grand jury that brought the indictment wanted to consider charging Trump, but prosecutors urged them not to. Two defendants have already resolved their cases.

Former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who worked closely with Giuliani, signed a cooperation agreement with prosecutors that led to the dismissal of her charges. Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino also became the first person to be convicted in the Arizona case when she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to probation.

The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Trump wasn’t charged in Arizona, but the indictment refers to him as an unindicted coconspirator.

FILE - Arizona Rep. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, left, and his attorney Timothy La Sota appear virtually for Hoffman's arraignment in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, June 6, 2024. (Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic via AP, Pool, File)