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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 3/7/2015

Anaheim Ducks

768475 Former Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy faces emotional return to Anaheim

768476 Speed and exuberance of Ducks' third line paying dividends

768477 Ducks' comeback attempt comes too late in 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh

768478 Ducks' Despres gets to face his old team with Penguins coming to town

768479 James Wisniewski ecstatic to be back with Ducks

768480 Ex-Duck Lovejoy, now a Penguin, is back in Anaheim almost before he left 768481 Ducks have no second wind against Penguins, Hornqvist 768482 Anaheim Ducks’ winning streak halted by Pittsburgh Penguins

Arizona Coyotes

768483 Arizona Coyotes-Montreal Canadiens scouting report

Boston Bruins

768484 Bruins Extend Contracts of Torey Krug, Reilly Smith

768485 Lack of Discipline Haunts Bruins in Shootout Loss to Flames

768486 Bruins sign Torey Krug, Reilly Smith to contract extensions

768488 Bruins hand out big extensions to Reilly Smith, Torey Krug

768489 Chiarelli touts 'bright future' for Krug, Smith as Bruins

768490 Panthers holding fan tryout, so why not Bruins?

768491 Julien: 'March going to be a tough one' for Bruins

768492 What we learned: Shootout, schedule woes for Bruins

768493 'Good first game' for Talbot, but work to do

768494 Lack of discipline costs Bruins on penalty kill 768495 Krug gets 1-year extension, Smith 2-year deal from Bruins

Buffalo Sabres

768496 Sabres notebook: Johnson hurt in practice, misses first start 768497 Ottawa’s ‘Hamburglar’ swipes a win from Sabres

768498 Sabres recall Makarov after Johnson gets hurt 768499 Sabres squander lead, lose to Senators

Calgary Flames

768500 Five straight goals propel Flames over Wings

768501 Hudler making a name for himself in Calgary

768502 Live coverage: Calgary Flames at Detroit Red Wings

768503 Flames veteran Jiri Hudler leading on and off ice 1

Carolina Hurricanes

768504 Streaking Minnesota Wild surges past Canes in third period

Chicago Blackhawks

768505 Blackhawks starting to think big — catching the first-place Predators

768506 Friday's recap: Blackhawks 2, Oilers 1 (SO) 768507 Hawks exec John McDonough shares his knowledge with Leo students

768508 Blackhawks beat Oilers 2-1 on Antoine Vermette goal in shootout 768509 Johnny Oduya set to return, likely against Coyotes on Thursday

768510 Preds' losing streak gives Blackhawks hope of catching up

768511 Hawks' Teravainen has special mentor in Timonen

768512 Blackhawks fan cut by flying glass, chooses to finish game

768513 Vermette's shootout goal lifts Blackhawks over Oilers 2-1

768515 Toews' tip gives Vermette, Hawks the winning edge

768516 Konroyd's keys to a Blackhawks win: Keep it simple

768517 Johnny Oduya likely to return to Blackhawks next week

768518 Five things from Blackhawks-Oilers: Another slow start

Chicago Blackhawks cont'd

768519 Corey Crawford huge as Blackhawks get clutch to beat Oilers

768520 W2W4: Oilers at Blackhawks

768521 Johnny Oduya likely to return next week

768522 Vermette enjoys being in playoff race again

Colorado Avalanche

768523 Nathan MacKinnon suffers broken foot, to miss rest of Avs' regular season

768524 Nathan MacKinnon will miss rest of Avs' season after injury

Columbus Blue Jackets

768525 Blue Jackets, Devils at a glance

768526 Blue Jackets 3, Devils 2: Jackets tap into mean streak to end seven-game slide

768527 Blue Jackets notebook: Team record set for man-games lost to injury

768528 Three takeaways from the Blue Jackets 3-2 win over the Devils

768529 Blue Jackets young blue line on the rise

Dallas Stars

768530 Heika: Have overtime, shootout struggles cost Stars a playoff berth?

768531 Tyler Seguin skates, nears return; dark moments won’t affect Jhonas Enroth’s mask

768532 Observations: Two separate cases in hits against Stars show how Department of Player Safety can better send me

768533 GameDay: Dallas Stars at Tampa Bay Lightning

Detroit Red Wings

768534 Ericsson in for Red Wings tonight; Hudler back in town

768535 Sharp: Red Wings should pay up to keep Babcock

768536 Calgary 5, Detroit 2: Why the Red Wings lost 768537 Ex-Wing Jiri Hudler returns to familiar haunt 768538 Wings' Ericsson shrugs off sore shoulder, ready to play

768539 Red Wings fade after fast start, lose to Flames

768540 Red Wings' Darren Helm out for at least a couple more games; Johan Franzen skates briefly

768541 Detroit Red Wings Gameday: Team on pace to finish second in division, third in conference

768542 Red Wings expect to skate much better against Flames in second game following long trip

768543 Flames 5, Red Wings 2: No comeback this time, as Detroit's three-game win streak ends

768544 Second-period analysis: Flames 3, Red Wings 2

768545 Hudler's 2 goals lift Flames over Red Wings 5-2

Edmonton Oilers

768546 Weirdly, Edmonton Oilers often have Chicago Blackhawks number 768547 Edmonton Oilers lose in shootout to Blackhawks in Chicago

Florida Panthers

768548 Goalie Sam Brittain excited to get taste of NHL with Florida Panthers

768549 HELP WANTED: Florida Panthers go public in search for emergency goalie, ESPN's Linda Cohn is "available" 768550 SAM BRITTAIN: Making the most of his opportunity with the Florida Panthers

768551 Preview: Islanders at Panthers, Saturday, 7 p.m. 768552 Panthers holding open tryouts for practice goalie

Los Angeles Kings

768553 Kings defenseman Slava Voynov's domestic-violence trial delayed until April 768554 What we learned from the Kings' 4-3 shootout victory over Montreal 768555 Up next for Kings: Saturday vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

768556 Kings' Robitaille to be honored with Staples Center statue

768557 Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov’s domestic violence trial postponed to April 21

768558 L.A. Kings flirt with an embarrassing loss to the Canadiens, but win in a shootout, not that they were reassur 768559 L.A. Kings honor Luc Robitaille with statue at Staples Center 768560 Children’s Wish Foundation: Kings welcome Joshua Breeze

768561 Martinez, Pearson skate, handle pucks; video

768562 March 6 media availability: Darryl Sutter 768563 Waking up with the Kings: March 6

768564 The View from Montreal

Minnesota Wild

768565 TFD: Patrick Roy adds fuel to Wild/Avs rivalry with comments about cheap shots

768566 No rest for Devan Dubnyk, will make his 23rd consecutive start tonight in Raleigh

768567 State tournament: Wild's Yeo misses out on son's appearance

768568 Another Devan Dubnyk masterpiece, another Wild road win

768569 Wild-Carolina recap

768570 Wild notes: Newcomers have time to play, not practice

768571 Wild extend winning string to 5, beat Hurricanes 3-1

768572 No rest, no worry: Dubnyk saves Wild from slow start to beat Carolina

768573 Wild: Bob Mason is the calm in a consistently chaotic crease

768574 Wild: Illness forces Vanek to miss first game

768575 Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk to make 23rd straight start Friday

768576 Wild colors trending toward maroon and gold

768577 Minnesota Wild: Parise, Granlund spark win over Hurricanes

Montreal Canadiens

768578 Hickey on Hockey: Deadline deals give Habs depth, Therrien says

768579 No better way to celebrate her 90th birthday than watching a Habs game

768580 Canadiens vs. Coyotes preview: Habs looking for first win on road trip

768581 In the Habs Room: Canadiens lose high ground in uphill battle against Kings

768582 Canadiens vs. Coyotes preview: Embarrassment factor comes into play

Nashville Predators

768583 Predators' Eric Nystrom to miss 4 weeks

768584 Predators' Ponderings: 5 takeaways from Thursday's loss

768585 Predators' losing streak by the numbers

New Jersey Devils

768586 Blue Jackets Top Devils

768587 It's finally hitting Devils and Cory Schneider: 'Time is not on our side' 768588 Devils fall short in 3-2 loss to Columbus Blue Jackets | Rapid reaction

768589 Greetings from the press box: Does Peter Harrold figure in Devils' 20015-16 plans?

768590 Cory Schneider's memory of seeing 1995 Devils is painful 768591 What channel is the Devils-Columbus Blue Jackets game on?

768592 Devils great Martin Brodeur embracing the start of his second career in hockey

768593 Devils fall to returning Brandon Dubinsky, Blue Jackets 3-2

768594 Devils unable to gain ground in loss to Blue Jackets

New York Islanders

768595 The path to Rangers-Islanders showdown we’re desperate for 768596 Islanders' Matt Martin says NHL's disciplinary process is fair

New York Rangers

768597 Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist facing pucks on low shots

768598 The path to Rangers-Islanders showdown we’re desperate for 768599 The silver lining of Lundqvist’s injury that helps Rangers’ hopes

Ottawa Senators

768600 Anderson says "it's killing me" to watch in background

768601 Senators slow out of gate after road trip, but find a way to win

768602 Hammond's Everyman Story earns respect of Senators fans

768603 Senators goalie Andrew Hammond's the 'real deal' 768604 Emotional Craig Anderson takes the blame for starting snafu

768605 Senators goalie Craig Anderson's tears show he cares

Philadelphia Flyers

768606 Chasing Boston: Flyers finally face Bruins

768607 Flyers, goalie coach Reese unexpectedly part ways

768608 Breaking down Flyers and their opponents in playoff race

768609 Sources: Jeff Reese's spat with Flyers began over Steve Mason's injuries

768610 Sources: Flyers goalie coach out over rift regarding Mason’s injuries

768611 Flyers 'part ways' with goalie coach Reese

768612 Mason mentor Reese suddently leaves Flyers, who call it ‘mutual agreement’ 768613 Flyers ready for another must-win game in showdown vs. Bruins

768614 Flyers, goalie coach Jeff Reese mutually part ways

768615 10 observations from Flyers-Blues

768616 Flyers prepare for showdown with Bruins

Pittsburgh Penguins

768617 Penguins manhandle Ducks in 5-2 victory

768618 Ducks' Despres gets emotional discussing trade from Penguins

768619 Penguins beat Anaheim Ducks, 5-2

768620 Penguins Notebook: Despres stunned by trade to Anaheim

San Jose Sharks

768621 Sharks forward Patrick Marleau showing signs his scoring touch is returning

768622 Sharks defenseman Matt Irwin hurt during practice

768623 Numbers stacked against Sharks

768624 Sharks feel they’re ready to make late-season run

768625 Sharks not number crunching despite difficult task ahead

768626 Irwin hurt during Sharks practice on Friday

St Louis Blues

768627 Blues entertained idea of bringing back Polak

768628 Bluenotes: Polak would have welcomed return to Blues

768629 Jokinen glad to be back on contender

Tampa Bay Lightning

768630 Bolts’ home comfort level reaches new heights

768631 Stamkos marks one year as Lightning captain

768632 Namestnikov could stay through Saturday, Carle return next week?

Toronto Maple Leafs

768633 Fan behind offensive Maple Leafs tweet issues apology

768634 St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs; Saturday NHL game preview

768635 Kessel’s defence of Phaneuf a case of Leafs having “each other’s backs,” coach says

768636 Jokinen returns to Toronto, only now as a Blue

768637 Leafs' Kessel on his hot head and cold hands

768638 Motivation remains for Maple Leafs: Phaneuf 768639 Toronto Maple Leafs’ Peter Holland, teammates fight for jobs next year with playoffs out of sight 768640 Author of salacious tweet about Toronto Maple Leafs players and Elisha Cuthbert issues apology

768642 Toronto Maple Leafs need to be cut ‘down to the bone,’ says former coach Ron Wilson

Vancouver Canucks

768657 Canucks can't get too comfortable -- that's when they fail 768658 Matthias wings it, Vey gets it, Kenins sits as Canucks seek urgency against Sharks

768659 Canucks Hat Trick: Lack struts stuff against Coyotes, but does Markstrom need a start soon?

Washington Capitals

768644 Injury report: Ovechkin still feeling pain, questionable for Saturday

768645 Prospect Tyler Lewington talks signing entry-level contract 768646 Loss to Minnesota sours Curtis Glencross’ first goal with Washington

768647 Friday six-pack: Who will be top-line right wing?

768648 Ovechkin leaves ice early at Kettler

Websites

768660 ESPN / Now with Blues, Olli Jokinen ready to take it to Predators

768661 NBCSports.com / Bettman concedes there are ‘some members of the NHL family who would like to see fewer shootou

768662 Sportsnet.ca / Five things we learned Friday in the NHL

768663 Sportsnet.ca / Ryan Kesler: ‘Hockey players have feelings too’ 768664 Sportsnet.ca / 30 Thoughts: P.K. Subban now at another level 768665 Sportsnet.ca / McDonald’s offering burgers to honour Hammond

768666 Sportsnet.ca / Greatest Game: Gold in Salt Lake City

768667 Sportsnet.ca / Person of Interest: 411 on Andrew Hammond

768668 Sportsnet.ca / Top NHL Draft prospects show their Leafs love

768669 USA TODAY / Torey Krug, Reilly Smith signings still leave Bruins in cap quandary

768670 YAHOO SPORTS / Three Periods: Yandle wants to act like his Broadway idol; anti-injury technology; NHL notes

Winnipeg Jets

768649 Injury could sideline Byfuglien up to four weeks

768650 Myers has adapted quickly; stellar play has been godsend for the Jets

768651 Fightin' spirit not hurt 768652 Injury-plagued Jets in suck-it-up mode once again

768653 Catch-22 with No. 33

768654 Blue-line partner says Myers a great pickup

768655 Losing Byfuglien and Little is the biggest hurt yet to injury-ravaged Winnipeg Jets

768656 Injuries slam Jets again with Byfuglien, Little on the shelf

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

768475 Anaheim Ducks

Former Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy faces emotional return to Anaheim

By Lance Pugmire

Ben Lovejoy was as forthcoming as any Ducks player when he was in Anaheim. Upon his return to Honda Center as a Pittsburgh Penguin on Friday, he said one word that seems unbelievable.

Asked if he’s devoted any attention to the matter of why he was traded to Pittsburgh on Monday for younger defenseman Simon Despres, Lovejoy said, "No," and seemed interested in another question.

The trade hurt the 31-year-old defenseman, who for most of the season joined Cam Fowler as the Ducks' top defensive pair.

As the team skidded through a 6-7-1 slump that started in late January, Lovejoy was twice made a healthy scratch and once had a minus-three game amid rumors his team was looking for defensemen on the trade market.

The Ducks (42-17-7) acquired three -- Despres, James Wisniewski and Korbinian Holzer -- sending Lovejoy, a player General Manager Bob Murray described as “a good soldier,” back to his former team in Pittsburgh.

The goal changes now. Just four days ago, Lovejoy was pouring all of his energy and attention into Anaheim’s pursuit of a Stanley Cup. Now, he still wants it, and has a chance with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins (36-18-9).

Lovejoy returned to the beach-area home he was renting in Orange County, loaded up six duffel bags of belongings and will take them back with him to his new home.

"I'm excited to be a Penguin now, and this is going to be an emotional game for me," Lovejoy said. "I loved my time here."

He said battling against the Ducks is part of being “a professional,” saying he "still views them as the best grinding team in the league," anticipating that Friday night’s game will be more intense than the practice sessions in which he previously tried to defend Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler.

Lovejoy will wear his college number, 12, in what he called "Pittsburgh Penguins 2.0."

He expressed satisfaction with how his first game went playing with Derrick Pouliot.

"The people in Pittsburgh knew my work ethic, my personality. They have watched the things I’ve done with the Ducks and appreciated them,” Lovejoy said.

“I’m a completely different player than the last time I was a Penguin. The Penguins saw a need and felt my personality and my game and the fact I’d been there so long would be an easy fit to come back.”

That’s probably the best answer to why Pittsburgh made the deal.

The fan favorite who accommodated autograph seekers, who was kind enough to provide a smile and hello to reporters each morning, said he was emotional before arriving at the arena.

“If I didn’t have a problem touching people, because I don’t like germs, I would give everybody a hug,” he said.

LA Times: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Speed and exuberance of Ducks' third line paying dividends

By Lance Pugmire

Matching third-line Ducks center Rickard Rakell with forwards Jiri Sekac and Emerson Etem was more happenstance than detailed plotting, Coach Bruce Boudreau said.

First, the coach said, he sought to make sure that second-line center Ryan Kesler and forward Jakob Silfverberg remained together.

After that, Boudreau speculated a line of Rakell with Sekac and Etem made sense because of common traits.

"A little something to prove, a lot of energy, good speed -- it adds a lot of speed to our lineup," Boudreau said.

Since his acquisition from the Montreal Canadiens, Sekac has three assists in five games with the Ducks (42-17-7), Rakell has a game-winning goal and an assist while Etem has a goal and is plus-two.

"It's been working out real well so far. [Sekac] can do it all, I like the way we’re connecting,” Rakell said. “Skilled player. Likes to hang on to the puck and make things happen. If he can be a skilled guy with that technique, it’s going to open up more space for me and ‘Emmer.’ ”

Rakell said the common bond helps, as do the youthful legs. The line posted two takeaways in beating Eastern Conference leader Montreal on Wednesday.

In that 3-1 win, Rakell watched Sekac hit imposing Montreal defender P.K. Subban on a forecheck and force a turnover that Rakell dished to defenseman Hampus Lindholm for a shot.

“Jiri beat Subban back to the net and I got position in net [to score],” Rakell said. “If he wouldn’t have done that, we wouldn’t have scored.”

VATANEN, BELESKEY ON TRIP: Boudreau said he expects defenseman Sami Vatanen (unspecified lower-body injury) and forward Matt Beleskey (shoulder) to accompany the team on its three-game road trip that begins Monday in Vancouver, saying it was possible both will play.

Newly acquired defenseman James Wisniewski (foot bone bruise) also said he hopes to play on the trip.

GOALIE PLAN: Boudreau joked “a coin” will determine whether Frederik Andersen or John Gibson will start in goal through the regular season’s remainder.

Andersen matched the NHL record for fastest goalie to 50 wins in his Tuesday return from a head/neck injury, and Gibson was less than two minutes from blanking Montreal on Wednesday.

Andersen was first off the ice at Friday’s practice, so he’s expected to start Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who beat Pittsburgh native Gibson, 6-4, in the Oct. 9 season-opener.

“We’ll just go and alternate for a while to get Freddie back into it,” Boudreau said. “Gibby was strong. This is a time, we play every second day starting [Sunday]. They’ll get their equal fair share until April, and then we’ll see what happens then.”



Ducks' comeback attempt comes too late in 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh

By LANCE PUGMIRE

The Ducks are searching for why their second-period play is so less energetic than the other 40 minutes.

One thing they learned for certain in a 5-2 loss Friday is that committing such a dip against a team such as the Pittsburgh Penguins is too much to overcome.

By giving up three goals to the visitors in a span of 9 minutes 6 seconds in the second period, the Ducks (42-18-7) saw their four-game winning streak end.

Opponents have now outscored the Ducks, 80-65, in the second this season.

“It’s not our best period. We’re trying to figure that out, really don’t have any answers for it,” Ducks forward Corey Perry said after scoring his 28th goal in a third-period charge that was too late.

Penguins forward Blake Comeau found the net first, sending a deep shot that whizzed off the glove of Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen at 9:51 of the second.

Patric Hornqvist, a nemesis of the Ducks, upped his career goals total against Anaheim to 10 in 21 games with two goals Friday.

He slipped a shot from the left rear side of an unaware Andersen, the puck banging off the goalie’s backside to the net.

Hornqvist then positioned himself in front of Andersen and redirected a blast by defenseman Ian Cole that sneaked in with 1:03 left in the period.

“If we knew why we don’t play as well in the other periods, we’d correct it,” Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said. “It happens. It gets in your head. Surviving the second period seems to be what we have to do to win games.”

In the third, the Ducks were down, 4-0, after Andersen gave up Evgeni Malkin’s 28th goal — he extended a points streak to seven games. Returning NHL most valuable player Sidney Crosby contributed an assist and an empty-net goal.

Recently acquired Ducks forward Tomas Fleischmann scored his first goal for Anaheim to get his team on the board at 9:03 of the third. It was his 11th career goal against the Penguins (37-18-9).

“They stuck with their game plan and maybe we let off a bit,” Ducks forward Emerson Etem said. “Last 10 minutes of the third period … if we bring that for the full 60, there’s no reason we can’t come out with a better outcome.

“But they used their speed, their skill, and there was no surprise it was coming with a roster with two of the best players in the world.”

Andersen chalked defeat up to it being one of those nights rather than a testament to Pittsburgh’s talent.

“I’ve got to be better,” said Andersen, who’s expected to alternate starts through this month with goalie John Gibson (9-5), according to Boudreau. “I don’t think about their talent. It’s about the things we do.

“You refocus, bounce back, don’t get too down on yourself. The only way you get better is game time. Hopefully, I can get back in there soon.”

The game marked the return of defenseman Ben Lovejoy, who was dealt to Pittsburgh for 23-year-old defenseman Simon Despres on Monday.

Lovejoy had three hits and was plus-1 in 16:44 of ice time. Despres had six hits, but was minus-2 against his former teammates.



Ducks' Despres gets to face his old team with Penguins coming to town

March 5, 2015

Updated March 6, 2015 9:23 a.m.

BY ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – Two years ago, the Ducks pulled Ben Lovejoy out of Pittsburgh because the Penguins had a glut of up-and-coming defensemen. Simon Despres was one of them.

The Ducks went back into that well at Monday’s trade deadline, sending Lovejoy back to the Steel City in order to get Despres and insert him into their lineup.

Why would the 23-year-old Despres, a first-round pick in 2009, be made available? Ironically, the Penguins have a glut of up-and-coming defensemen.

“There is a lot of good defensemen in the organization, but there’s good defensemen here too,” Despres said. “It’s like that in every organization. I still don’t understand what happened, but I don’t try to think too much into it.

“I don’t want to lose much energy trying to think why it happened.”

Despres prefers to move forward. Now is about dealing with all the sudden changes that come with being traded. The hockey rink is the place to shut out all the off-ice distractions for a few hours.

His first two games with the Ducks have been seamless – more than 20 minutes of ice time in each, no minor penalties taken and a plus-4 rating over both. Coach Bruce Boudreau twice said he was “pleasantly surprised” with Despres’s early play.

It remains to be seen if Despres will stick with Cam Fowler, but his new partner has been impressed.

“He’s been good,” Fowler said. “He looks comfortable. He skates really well and makes good decisions with the puck. The transition has been pretty smooth for us. We seem to work well with each other. It’s been good so far.”

Said Despres: “Cam’s a top-end defenseman who’s easy to play with. He’s really fast. Made it an easy transition.”

The principals in the trade will face their old teams just three days after being traded when the Penguins visit Honda Center on Friday night . The personable Lovejoy was a fan favorite, and Despres will have to work to become that.

“I’ve never been traded before so it’s going to be a first for me,” Despres said. “It’s definitely going to be a little weird.”

The Penguins got the reliable Lovejoy, but the Ducks may have the defender that could soar higher, given his age, size (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) and barely tapped two-way potential.

“If we can get the same (type of player) at eight years younger, I think that’s great,” Boudreau said. “Ben was great for us. As a person, as a teammate. As a guy that contributed. Considering he was probably the eighth defenseman at Pittsburgh when he got traded, I thought he did great.

“If Simon can do what Ben did, we’re to the better.”

WISNIEWSKI UPDATE

James Wisniewski spent another day on the training table getting treatment for the bone bruise on his left foot, but the veteran defenseman is bullish on being able to join the Ducks on their upcoming road trip to start his second tour with the team.

“I think it’s very realistic, 100 percent,” Wisniewski said. “I don’t see any setbacks or anything like that. As long as I can handle pain or get my foot in my skate, I’ll be fine to play.”

The Ducks knew Wisniewski wouldn’t be sidelined too long when they got him from Columbus in a package that sent prospect William Karlsson to the Blue Jackets. Wisniewski was hurt when he blocked a shot Sunday against Pittsburgh.

VATANEN PROGRESSING

Sami Vatanen hasn’t played since suffering a leg injury on Feb. 15 but he’s starting to push his recovery after testing it Thursday with a strenuous skate in the Ducks’ optional workout.

The original timetable is the end of March, but Vatanen might be trying to beat that.

“We’ll go day by day here,” Vatanen said. “You never know how it feels the next day but so far it’s been going pretty quickly and feeling very good.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.07.2015


James Wisniewski ecstatic to be back with Ducks

March 6, 2015 Updated 10:33 p.m.

BY ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – James Wisniewski eagerly watched TV coverage of the NHL trade deadline Monday, and with good reason.

There was the certainty that he would be part of the discussion. Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen had already made it clear that trading him was a real possibility.

“When they asked for my list, I kind of had a feeling that they were shopping me around,” Wisniewski said. “When I started seeing some of the teams that I thought I might have gone to pick up other defensemen, the only team left was Anaheim.

“My wife even said, literally five seconds before they called, ‘Anaheim’s been kind of quiet this year.’ Literally five seconds later, I got my call.”

Minutes before the deadline took effect, Ducks general manager Bob Murray was welcoming Wisniewski back to the team he played for in 2008-09 and 2009-10. The tough-as-nails defender still needs to recover from a bone bruise on his left foot but that hasn’t dimmed his excitement.

Wisniewski was part of the Ducks team that upset top-seeded San Jose in the 2009 first round before taking Detroit to Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals. Six years later, the Michigan native is joining a team that’s expected to go far in the postseason.

“You’ve got to think anything but the Cup is unacceptable,” Wisniewski said. “It’s one thing that’s really exciting. The longest stint I had in the playoffs is with this team when I first got traded here. I’m looking forward to getting back in that playoff mode and being here for the long haul.”

Wisniewski can get acquainted with Southern California golf courses again. This isn’t just a playoff rental for the Ducks, who take on a $5.5 million salary cap number but owe in real money $5 million in 2015-16 and $3 million in 2016-17.

An experienced, right-handed shot defenseman was what the Ducks have long been seeking, and Wisniewski is that. The big difference with him aboard is that their long-sagging power play should get a boost.

The Ducks entered Friday’s game against Pittsburgh with a power play that’s tied for 21st with Ottawa. Wisniewski has seven of his eight goals and 21 of his 29 points while operating on the man advantage.

No one is viewing him as the missing piece in the Ducks’ Stanley Cup hopes, most notably himself. But the Ducks, the NHL’s current points leader, wouldn’t have gotten him if they didn’t think he could help.

“Obviously I’m not afraid to shoot the puck,” Wisniewski said. “And you have big, huge bodies that’ll be in front of the net. Perry’s one of the best in front of the net. Kesler. Getzlaf’s a world-class playmaker. Hopefully I can help as much as possible.”

GOALIE TIME-SHARE

It was supposed to be Frederik Andersen and John Gibson jockeying for the net at the start of the season but a groin injury to Gibson allowed Andersen to be the lead goalie up until his own injury last month.

Now the original plan is back in place. With some consultation from Ducks goalie coach Dwayne Roloson, Coach Bruce Boudreau said he is going to split up the playing time between the two netminders down the stretch to see which one may emerge as one that could start the playoffs.

“We’ll just go and alternate for a little while to get Freddie back into it,” Boudreau said. “Gibby was strong. … Me and Roli will talk. They’ll get their equal fair share until April. We’ll see what happens then.”

INJURY UPDATES

Sami Vatanen (leg) and Matt Beleskey (shoulder) are expected to practice with the Ducks on their upcoming trip that starts Monday in Vancouver.

Beleskey could be ready at some point on it while Vatanen may be back when the Ducks return home, Boudreau said.



Ex-Duck Lovejoy, now a Penguin, is back in Anaheim almost before he left


BY JEFF MILLER

ANAHEIM – He returned to his former neighborhood Friday, suddenly back to face his new old team as a member of his old old team, Ben Lovejoy opening his second act with his first employer as a visitor in a place that, just days earlier, had been home.

Got it? In other words, Lovejoy was right back here almost immediately after being sent there, a former Duck who is now a current Penguin on a trip that brought him back to Anaheim before he’s even made his first reappearance back in Pittsburgh.

If you’re confused, don’t worry. So is Lovejoy, his recent upheaval best symbolized by the fact he was forced to, in an instant, exchange a relatively traditional existence for spending several days living out of a few duffel bags.

“I have great memories,” the defenseman began before stopping himself so abruptly that his words – like skate blades – could have produced a spray of ice shavings. “They’re not even memories yet because they just happened.”

Usually, before doing what Lovejoy just did, players have time to reflect. He, however, hasn’t even had time to relocate.

Just four days after being dealt to Pittsburgh, Lovejoy was back at Honda Center, playing on this Friday night against a Ducks team he played for in this same building last Friday night.

He knew he’d be emotional, Lovejoy’s positive personality a hit here among teammates and fans alike. But that’s to be expected when a man’s name can also double as his mantra: love joy.

“If I didn’t have a problem touching people because I don’t like germs,” he explained, “I would want to give everyone a hug.”

Predictably, the Honda Center fans in return embraced Lovejoy with a warm welcome, even as he and the Penguins beat the Ducks. .

His story is just one of the quirks that can happen in and around the NHL trade deadline, an event that this year saw, in the span of just one day, nearly the equivalent of two teams worth of players being dealt.

Another one of those players was goaltender Michal Neuvirth, who was traded from Buffalo to the New York Islanders and learned of his fate via television while dining with his fellow Sabres.

“I was just enjoying my sushi, you know, and one of the teammates told me, ‘Look on the TV,’” Neuvirth explained. “It was a little shocking.”

The logistics of a sometimes logistically challenged system can produce bizarre results. At the 2003 deadline, Steve Thomas boarded a plane as a member of the Blackhawks and walked off as a member of the Ducks.

Adding another layer of strange, Chicago, at the time, was en route to Anaheim for a game. So, after one practice here, Thomas scored twice against the very team he had been playing for barely a day earlier.

On Wednesday, new Ducks winger Jiri Sekac experienced the thrill of beating his former team, the Canadiens, a week after being traded.

He joined the Ducks from St. Louis, where Montreal was starting a quick two-game trip, a trip for which Sekac packed an extremely limited amount of underwear and socks. And, by that, I mean one pair of each.

He also had the suit he was wearing, a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, his phone and the charger for his phone and pretty much nothing else.

So Sekac, following the advice of his new teammates and the directions of MapQuest, headed to South Coast Plaza, where he bought more boxers and socks, three pairs of shorts, flip-flops and sunglasses.

He also picked up a dress shirt since, in his rush to get to the St. Louis airport, he left the only dress shirt he had packed hanging back in the hotel closest.

While on his forced shopping spree, Sekac was recognized by the cashier who sold him the sunglasses.

“I guess he put it all together,” Sekac said. “Maybe he noticed the name on my credit card, I don’t know. I guess I looked pretty obvious, though, carrying a bunch of bags in both hands.”

Among the curiosities of this trading deadline was the stunning stability of Mark Arcobello, who wasn’t moved during a season in which he already has played for four NHL teams – Oilers, Predators, Penguins and Coyotes.

When he joined Arizona last month, Arcobello found a familiar face in Sam Gagner, a former Edmonton teammate who, in the span of one hour in June, was traded twice.

Yeah, the NHL can be a slippery existence. Even off the ice. Especially off the ice.

“I’ve rented everywhere I’ve gone,” Lovejoy explained of the reality of that existence. “I’m one of the players without that much security. My security is hopefully playing hard and being wanted.”

He was wanted back in Pittsburgh, where his career began. So now, Lovejoy is a Penguin again, the enemy, on this particular Friday night at Honda Center, hardly an enemy at all.



Ducks have no second wind against Penguins, Hornqvist


BY ERIC STEPHENS

ANAHEIM – They’ve got the most points in the NHL, but the Ducks aren’t viewed as the best team in a wide array of places. Brutal second periods won’t help their case at all.

No team has allowed more goals in the middle 20 minutes than the Ducks, and the Pittsburgh Penguins only added to their misery by scoring three unanswered goals in a one-sided, 5-2 victory before a mostly placid overflow crowd of 17,310 at Honda Center on Friday night.

Patric Hornqvist continued his career-long torturing of the Ducks with two of those goals after Blake Comeau got things started in the second, as Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen has had far better nights than this one.

Evgeni Malkin added a third-period goal that skipped in off Andersen and Thomas Greiss stopped 27 shots as the Penguins ended a four-game winning streak by the Ducks (42-18-7), who’ll digest their second defeat in nine games before starting a trip Monday in Vancouver.

Andersen made 16 saves but was nowhere near as sharp as his first start coming off a neck injury Tuesday in Arizona. Comeau opened the scoring at 9:51 of the second with a slap shot that flew by the Danish netminder’s usually reliable glove hand.

It was simply a rough night at the office.

“It’s fair to say,” Andersen said. “I think a couple of them were stoppable today. Just a couple bad bounces off the glove. That’s how it goes sometimes.”

Hornqvist hasn’t stopped being a pain to the Ducks even as he’s relocated from Nashville to Pittsburgh. Andersen gave up another goal that he’d ordinarily stop as the Swedish winger squeezed a shot inside a post that wasn’t completely sealed.

“Just puck luck in front of the net,” said Hornqvist, who has 21 goals. “I try to go there and it seems like I get the opportunity to score more against Anaheim. But I think it’s just luck.”

After two goals in just more than two minutes, the Penguins (37-18-9) took a little longer to register again but it was Hornqvist who added his 10th goal in 21 career games against Anaheim with a deflection of Ian Cole’s shot for a 3-0 lead.

“Every year,” Ducks winger Corey Perry said. “Every game we play him, he’s always done that.”

The Ducks have now allowed a league-worst 80 goals in the second period and their differential is a minus-15. This time, the deficit was too large to overcome even as Tomas Fleischmann got his first goal with the club and Perry hammered in his 28th to cut into a four-goal Pittsburgh lead.

Sidney Crosby added an empty-net goal with 10.3 seconds left for the final outcome.



Anaheim Ducks’ winning streak halted by Pittsburgh Penguins

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze

POSTED: 03/06/15, 12:01 AM PST | UPDATED: 56 SECS AGO

And then there are nights like Friday, when everything seems to go haywire all at once and the Ducks look less like NHL leaders and potential Stanley Cup champions and more like a collection mortals with flaws and blemishes and everything in between.

The Ducks’ hearts and minds seemed to be in the right place, but every small mistake and misplay seemed to lead to a goal and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated them 5-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 17,310 at the Honda Center.

Pittsburgh ended the league-leading Ducks’ four-game winning streak and provided a grim reminder that teams won’t simply bow to them down the stretch. The Ducks can finish with the league’s top overall record and win the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy, but it’s going to take work.

The Ducks have a 42-18-7 record, lead the second-place Nashville Predators by two points and the Vancouver Canucks by 15 in the all-but-settled Pacific Division race. They have 15 games remaining, but all but six of them are away from the Honda Center.

After a scoreless first period, the Ducks skated with a keen sense of purpose in the second. Their middle periods have been their worst all season, and nearing the midway point of a scoreless game Friday, they seemed to be playing with that in mind.

Suddenly, it all fell apart for the Ducks. The Penguins scored three times in the second period, then once more in the third before Tomas Fleischmann and Corey Perry drew the Ducks within 4-2 in the closing minutes of the final period.

In the second period, Blake Comeau fired a shot from the right wing that glanced off retreating Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler and past Frederik Andersen to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 9:51. Patric Hornqvist made it 2-0 at 11:53 with a bad-angle shot that ricocheted off Andersen and into the net.

Hornqvist then extended the Penguins’ lead to 3-0 at 18:57 with a deflection of Ian Cole’s perimeter shot as a slashing penalty to Simon Despres expired. Despres was on the ice for all three Penguins’ goals in the period, a nightmarish first game against his former team.

The Ducks and Penguins swapped defensemen Monday at the NHL trade deadline, with Despres leaving Pittsburgh and Ben Lovejoy heading in the other direction. Lovejoy said before the game it was difficult emotionally returning so soon after the trade.

He arrived in an Uber from his Orange County rental home with six duffel bags, saying he thought he worried the driver when he began to tear up. There has been a comfort level in rejoining the Penguins, the team that traded him to the Ducks on Feb. 6, 2013.

“I thought this door was closed,” said Lovejoy, who rented Bobby Ryan’s place after the Ducks traded Ryan to the Ottawa Senators during the summer of 2013. “I had a great five years with Pittsburgh. I just never thought I would be back.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768483 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes-Montreal Canadiens scouting report

Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 5:13 p.m. MST March 6, 2015

Saturday's game

Canadiens at Coyotes

When: 5 p.m.

Where: Gila River Arena.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Arizona-Plus/KTAR-AM (620).

Coyotes update: Winger Lauri Korpikoski sat out Friday's practice with a minor injury, but coach Dave Tippett said Korpikoski is fine to play Saturday. Goalie Mike Smith will be back between the pipes after his 32-save effort against the Canucks helped the Coyotes to a 3-2 shootout win, which snapped a 10-game losing streak. The team's roster has been in flux the past week, but it seems like the new group is starting to find a rhythm.

"It's hard when you make changes," Tippett said. "We made so many changes in a short amount of time to get everybody in and up and going. Time has helped that (and) a couple of good practices. I thought all the news guys played well (Thursday) night. Hopefully they're feeling more comfortable."

Canadiens update: This is the final stop of a four-game, West Coast road trip for the Canadiens, and they've yet to secure a win. They gave up a combined seven goals to the Sharks and Ducks while scoring only once over the course of those two games. Montreal, however, was able to bank a point Thursday when they lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Kings. This is the first time the Canadiens have lost three in a row since early December. Winger Max Pacioretty leads the team with 31 goals and 56 points. Goalie Carey Price ranks first in the league in wins (36), save percentage (.935) and goals-against average (1.92).

Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.07.2015

768484 Boston Bruins

Bruins Extend Contracts of Torey Krug, Reilly Smith

Jeff Pini

March 6, 2015 10:06 AM

With some tough decisions looming for the Bruins this offseason, the team took the opportunity this week to lock up two of their young players.

The Bruins announced on Friday that they had signed defenseman Torey Krug to a one-year contract extension and forward Reilly Smith to a two-year extension. Krug’s deal will keep him under team control through next season, while Smith’s contract goes through 2016-17.

Krug’s contract comes with a $3.4 million salary cap hit; Smith’s will take up an average of $3.425 million per year. Both players were scheduled to become restricted free agents after the season.

After spending last summer as RFAs, Krug and Smith held out for the beginning of training camp in September before the team was able to sign them both on Sept. 29, nine days before the regular season began.

Krug has played 59 games for the Bruins this season, scoring 11 goals with 20 assists, missing four games earlier in the year after breaking his finger in late October, but has played every game since returning on Nov. 10. He's played 141 games in his NHL career, tallying 25 goals with 48 assists.

Smith has suited up for all 63 games the Bruins have played this season, scoring 12 goals with 23 assists. He tallied 20 goals and 31 assists last season – his first with the Bruins – and was named the NESN Seventh Player Award winner.

Boston Globe LOADED: 03.07.2015


Lack of Discipline Haunts Bruins in Shootout Loss to Flames

March 6, 2015 12:28 AM

By Chris Chirichiello, Bruins Daily

One can argue that the Boston Bruins lack of finish was the biggest reason why they lost Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames, but don't ignore their lack of discipline in the 4-3 shootout loss.

The Black and Gold got the start they wanted, scoring the first goal in their sixth straight game off the stick of Brad Marchand, but the Flames hung around in the first period resulting in a power-play goal by Sean Monahan, his 23rd of the year. Matt Bartkowski committed his first penalty on the night on a hook that started the barrage of penalties for the hometown team.

It seemed as if the B’s couldn’t build momentum or build their lead due to another player heading to the box on top of their inability to score.

“You know I thought we had a great start there in the first period and two or three penalties right there at the end of the first kind of took it away from us there and they managed to tie the game,” head coach Claude Julien said. “Staying out of the box is an important part of the game for us, especially when you struggle to score goals and our penalty kill right now has been giving up too many goals. We’ve got to get ourselves right in that department.”

It was a back and forth game all night long. The B’s blew two leads, the Flames blew one of their own, but Boston eventually beat themselves.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s the recipe to win some games,” said newcomer Max Talbot, who notched 10:56 of ice time in his first game with the B's. “We were in the box and when you’re in the box your offensive guys are sitting on the bench. A little undisciplined, but you got to learn from that.”

It seemed as if some of the penalties resulted in the Bruins being lazy by not moving their feet. One example was Reilly Smith’s hold and Bartkowski’s second penalty of the night that led to the go-ahead goal by Jiri Hudler in the third period before Loui Eriksson tied it up.

One team was getting the calls, the other wasn't. Though the Bruins had the upper hand at even strength, they weren't making excuses afterwards.

“I think both teams got a little bit in penalty trouble,” Chris Kelly said. “I think it was the third period, it seemed back and forth, but penalties are penalties. They’re part of hockey just like anything else and you just play through them.”

“A couple soft calls but some calls we deserved,” added Milan Lucic. “It’s just the part of the game where we need to be better at it. We knew going into the game that they were the least penalized team in the league so we had to stay disciplined and unfortunately we gave them a lot of power play time and they were able to capitalize twice on that.”

Goaltender Tuukka Rask did all he could on the night, stopping 29 of 32 shots on the night (23 of 24 at even strength), but it just wasn’t enough. The Black and Gold committed too many penalties.

“Yeah, there were too many of them, obviously,” Rask said. “Some of them good, some of them bad. But still, we have to step up as penalty killers and get those kills. Today we really didn’t.”

Killing off a lot of penalties in hockey games tires a team. That was a prime example on Thursday night for the Black and Gold. Not only was their finish not there, but their legs were heavy towards the end of regulation. Playing smarter and more disciplined hockey is what should be on the Bruins’ mind right now, not how they lost in another shootout.

The B's were a well rested team heading into Thursday night’s game, but it wasn’t their readiness that should’ve been the concern; it’s their lack of discipline.



Bruins sign Torey Krug, Reilly Smith to contract extensions

By Amalie BenjaminGLOBE STAFF MARCH 06, 2015

Back on Sept. 29, after Peter Chiarelli had inked both Torey Krug and Reilly Smith to team-friendly one-year deals worth a cap hit of $1.4 million each, the Bruins general manager said that he would try to sign them to extensions “as soon as we can.”

That became reality on Friday, as the Bruins announced they had signed Krug to a one-year extension worth $3.4 million and Smith to a two-year extension worth $6.85 million. Smith will earn $3.35 million in the first year and $3.5 million in the second year.

“These are players we’ve always liked, and have a bright future for us,” Chiarelli said. “Term was important. It’s shorter term. It gives us more flexibility and it gives them more flexibility, as far as performing on a short-term platform and becoming more of a fixture with us going forward.”

That seemed to be particularly important for Krug, who would like to graduate out of the bottom-pairing role in which he has found himself throughout his tenure with the Bruins.

The defenseman has had a season that mostly aligned with expectations, as the quarterback on the power play and as a third-pairing defenseman. He has 11 goals and 20 assists. But he wants more, in terms of role, in terms of eventual contract, in terms of responsibility.

That is why he was comfortable going with a riskier one-year deal, rather than more term and more stability.

“I want to prove myself as a top-four guy,” Krug said. “My whole career I’ve been betting on myself, so it’s another opportunity to do that.

“I just want to expand my role. I think like any player would, they want to play more, they want to be a bigger part of the team. And that’s the reasoning behind the one year.”

As Chiarelli said, “Right now, if you just look at minutes, from the outside, you’d say he’s not a top-four guy. But he’s close.”

So what does he need to do to prove himself?

“With me, the question is defending,” Krug said. “I pride myself on how I defend and the amount I defend. I don’t defend as much as other people because I break the puck out of our zone and don’t spend a lot of time in our zone.

“You’ve got to win the coach’s trust, whether it’s last minute of a period or near the end of a game taking defensive-zone faceoffs. It’s all that.”

Smith, it could be argued, is getting more of a bump in salary than his play this season has warranted. The right wing seemed to take a step back from last season, when he scored 20 goals and added 31 assists while playing alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. This season, Smith has 12 goals and 23 assists, and has gone long stretches without scoring.

The argument all season has been that the team is not scoring as much, and so Smith is not scoring as much. He’s not picking up the points that he would in a better offensive season. That’s possible.

“He’s playing in our top six,” Chiarelli said. “I know he’s had a little bit of a struggle for a short period of time here, but he’s a good young player who is only going to get better.”

But Chiarelli was clear in saying that he believes he is purely paying market value for both Smith and Krug. That is what the players would get, as restricted free agents, in arbitration, and so that is what it took to sign them.

“Well, it is,” Chiarelli said, when asked if that was the going rate for a 20-goal scorer. “If you go through the comparables, it is. That’s where it stands.”

With the way their deals happened last season — one-year contracts, agreed to after both players missed most of training camp — Chiarelli said he felt an obligation to get the deals signed sooner rather than later.

Including these signings, the Bruins now have a little less than $58 million committed to 13 players for 2015-16 against the salary cap, not including

Marc Savard’s hit, according to salary data from Capgeek.com and NHLnumbers.com.

It has not been easy for Chiarelli and the Bruins to determine the contracts of the team’s unsigned players, with uncertainty surrounding what the cap will eventually be. The Bruins still have to sign restricted free agents Dougie Hamilton (nothing is brewing on him, at the moment, Chiarelli said) and Brett Connolly, and a group of unrestricted free agents led by Carl Soderberg, Adam McQuaid, and Matt Bartkowski. Milan Lucic is up after next season.

Asked if the uncertainty affected what the team has done and can do, Chiarelli said, “Yeah, a little bit. It’s more about having flexibility. I’ve been staying away from some longer-term notions because of that, and so I think really we have to know where the cap’s going to be.

“We’ve gone through different rosters at different cap numbers, but you really can’t execute until you know what the cap is.”

Connolly had surgery on the displaced fracture in his right index finger Thursday. He is out for six weeks . . . Gregory Campbell could return to the lineup as soon as Saturday against the Flyers after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.



Bruins extend contracts of Torey Krug, Reilly Smith

Friday, March 6, 2015

Stephen Harris

The Bruins face a very difficult and important weekend, hosting Philadelphia and Detroit in matinees tomorrow and Sunday. But the big B’s news of the day, not terribly surprising, is contract extensions for key young players RW Reilly Smith and D-man Torey Krug.

Krug gets a one-year add-on that will pay him $3.4 million; Smith gets two added years, with a cap hit of $3.425 million.

“These are two good young players and two good young people,” said GM Peter Chiarelli. “These are players we’ve always liked and have a bright future for us.

“Term was important. It’s shorter term. It gives us more flexibility, and it gives them more flexibility as far as performing on a short-term platform and becoming more of a fixture for us going forward. I’m happy to get these done.”

Lest any fan complain that Chiarelli was overly generous toward two young guys who haven’t yet fully established what they can be as NHL players, the GM explained that both, as RFAs this summer, could have gone to salary arbitration.

“And this what they would get,” said Chiarelli. “(The deals) weren’t very hard to bring together with the existing comparables out there.”

Krug said he wanted the one-year deal, because he hopes to prove next season that he is a top-four D-man.

“Why am I comfortable with (one year?): I want to prove myself as a top-four guy,” said the undersized Krug. “ My whole career I’ve been betting on myself. This is another opportunity to do that. I want to expand my role. I’m always comfortable betting on myself.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.07.2015


Bruins hand out big extensions to Reilly Smith, Torey Krug

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Stephen Harris

On the same day the Bruins announced the exorbitant prices season ticket-holders will pay next season — $90-$152 per game for one loge seat and $48-$105 in the balcony — the team made two promising young players quite wealthy.

Now, many observers might contend that it would make sense to compensate athletes based on what they have actually done, not what it’s hoped and believed they will do.

But apparently that’s not how it works in the NHL, and, at least in part, why tickets are so obscenely expensive.

That was proven again yesterday when the B’s handed right winger Reilly Smith, a 23-year-old who has scored 14 goals in his last 93 regular-season games, a two-year contract extension worth $3.425 million per season.

In the NHL these days, just the possibility that a player might score 20 goals gets him nearly $7 million.

At the same time, defenseman Torey Krug got one year added onto his contract, worth $3.4 million.

Many critics will jump all over B’s general manager Peter Chiarelli for what seems like more overly generous spending, but he offers a sound explanation: Both these players would have been restricted free agents, and had the right for salary arbitration.

“And this is what they would get,” said Chiarelli at a press conference yesterday. “(The deals) weren’t very hard to bring together with the existing comparables out there. They both have arbitration, so it’s more where they align that way.”

It’s almost enough to make you melancholy for the days of ex-B’s GM Harry Sinden complaining that every NHL player ought to have his salary cut it half, and they would still be quite well paid.

Chiarelli wants happy and contented players, and these deals should accomplish that, although Krug, to his credit, chose a one-year deal because he believes he can prove he’s worth more.

“These are two good young players and two good young people,” said Chiarelli. “These are players we’ve always liked and have a bright future for us. Term was important. It’s shorter term. It gives us more flexibility, and it gives them more flexibility as far as performing on a short-term platform and becoming more of a fixture for us going forward.

“I’m happy to get these done.”

Krug and Smith, of course, had to accept relatively low one-year $1.4 million salaries this season because of the team’s cap woes. Chiarelli mentioned he “kind of felt an obligation” to make it up to them.

Krug said he wanted the one-year deal because he hopes to prove something next season.

“Why am I comfortable with (one year?): I want to prove myself as a top-four guy,” said the undersized Krug. “My whole career I’ve been betting on myself. This is another opportunity to do that. I want to expand my role. I’m always comfortable betting on myself.”

Chiarelli clearly thinks Krug, even at 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, can be a top-four defenseman.

“With Torey it’s about defending at a higher level,” said the GM. “We know he can really move pucks and put up points. Torey wants to prove that he can provide those higher-end minutes, and I think he can. This gives a good platform for it.

“So, one year, it shows what he can do this year and next year and we see where he fits as far as being a top-four. Right now if you just look at minutes from the outside you’ll say he’s not a top-four guy, but he’s close.

“For Reilly, that (a two-year deal) is what he wanted. He’s playing in our top-six (forwards). He’s had a little bit of a struggle for a short period of time here, but he’s a good young player who’s going to be better.”

Smith sounded relieved that there will be no risk of re-living last year’s no-show for much of camp, which probably made him a less effective player in the early part of the season.

“It’s nice to get it behind me and just focus on hockey,” said Smith, who claims his lack of finish is simply part of a team-wide slump. “I just think as a team we’re not scoring as much. As a group we have to do a better job of getting pucks in the back of the net.”

And actually start earning those hefty paychecks.

Bruins notes

The Bruins face a very difficult and important weekend, hosting Philadelphia and Detroit in matinees Saturday and Sunday.

Coach Claude Julien said center Gregory Campbell, out four games with an undisclosed injury, may return today.

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.07.2015


Chiarelli touts 'bright future' for Krug, Smith as Bruins

March 6, 2015, 4:15 pm

Joe Haggerty

BOSTON – Torey Krug and Reilly Smith had their preparation for this season interrupted when they weren’t signed to contracts heading into training camp.

So, both the players and Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli were on the same page about getting something done ahead of time this season . Krug and Smith agreed to separate contract extensions on Friday morning.

Krug will get $3.4 million for next season and prefers to go year-to-year while “betting on himself” that he’ll merit a much bigger contract should he eventually become established as a top-four defenseman. along with being a power-play maestro.

Smith (.51 points per game) was signed for $6.85 million for the next two seasons, a deal similar to ones signed by very comparable young players, such as Cam Atkinson (.49 points per game) with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Mats Zuccarello (.64 points per game) with the New York Rangers. Smith and Krug, who each turn 24 in April, will be restricted free agents once again when their deals were up and Chiarelli said he felt compelled to get them signed now after both players signed team-friendly deals back in September amid some serious cap issues for the Black and Gold.

“These are players we always liked and have a bright future for us. Term was important. It’s shorter term and gives us more flexibility and it gives them more flexibility as far as performing on a short term platform and becoming more of a fixture of us going forward,” said Chiarelli. “The one and two year terms were important to us. These were deals that came about, the ideas and the philosophies came out a little bit more after we signed the one year deals.

“You’ll see Torey’s minutes have gone up this year and with Torey, it’s about defending at a higher level. We know he can really move pucks and put up points. Torey wants to prove that he can provide those higher-end minutes and I think he can...but this gives a good platform for it. It shows what he can do this year and next year, and we see where he fits as far as being a top four. Right now if you just look at minutes from the outside, you’ll say he’s not a top-four guy...but he’s close. For Reilly, you’ll have to ask him, but that’s what he wanted. He’s playing in our top six. He’s had a little bit of a struggle for a short period of time here, but he’s a good young player who’s going to be better.”

Krug followed a breakout rookie season, where he finished just outside the top-three as a Calder Trophy finalist, and has 11 goals and 31 points, while averaging 19:04 of ice time, this season. Krug actively pursued a one-year deal because he believes he can still improve greatly and has his eye on a deal such as the five-year, $20.5 million contract signed by Jake Gardiner in Toronto as his target.

“I want to prove myself as a top-four guy. My whole career I’ve been betting on myself and this is another opportunity to do that. I just want to expand my role just like every other player would want to do that,” said Krug. “You want to play more. You want to play a bigger part of the team. That’s the reasoning behind the one year. I’m always comfortable betting on myself, and this is another chance to do just that.”

For Smith, his numbers are certainly down from last season, when he posted 20 goals and 50 points for a Bruins team that was one of the best on offense in the NHL. But he’s still on pace for 16 goals and 46 points this season in a down year and had arbitration rights after this season, where he’d get the market value he’ll start being paid next season.

“It’s nice. We’d been talking through my agent for a while, so it’s nice to get it behind me and focus on hockey,” said Smith. “The timing of the deal fit just after the deadline. There’s probably a little more pressure [on me], but, as a hockey player playing in this organization at this level, you welcome that every day.

“When you’re team is struggling to score goals, your first instinct is to shoot the puck as fast as you can. But there are times when, if you have a little more patience, you can make an extra play and set up something a little easier. That’s something I’m focusing on in my own game.”

Smith is fifth on the team with the 12 goals and tied for third with the 35 points, but is also an ultra-streaky player capable of boosting things offensively in the final six weeks with the confidence he’s under contract for the next two years.

All that being said, however, there’s also cost certainty with a player such as Smith for the next two years. That makes the versatile right winger a much more tradable commodity this summer as Chiarelli looks to change up the team’s core just a bit.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.07.2015


Panthers holding fan tryout, so why not Bruins?

March 6, 2015, 3:45 pm

Staff

So this is a real thing.

The Florida Panthers have a bit of a goalie crisis on their hands. Roberto Luongo is out for a couple games, and backup goalie Al Montoya is out for a few weeks. They were both injured in the same game, and we were seconds away from seeing Panthers goaltending coach Rob Tallas forced into the game (he got dressed). But Luongo suited back up and fought through the injury.

Now, the Panthers need a serious replacement. So where are they going to look for another body to place between the pipes?

Duh. The stands!

Seriously, the Panthers are going to hold a fan tryout to address their backup goaltender void. Well, kind of.

Of course, the lucky fan won't actually get to play in a game, but he will be used in a practice as the backup goalie.

Still, pretty cool.

And that got me thinking . . .

Should the Bruins hold a fan tryout for a shootout specialist?

I mean, it can't hurt. Right?

After watching yet another dismal shootout performance by the B's Thursday night against Calgary -- in which Brad Marchand missed the net, Torey Krug lost the puck on his way to the net, Milan Lucic took the straight-line approach in every sense, and other disasters -- I think this is a great idea.

The winning fan can come on down to the team's practice rink in Wilmington, dish out some pointers, score a few goals, and be on his way.

Heck, he may even impress Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli enough to earn a three-year deal with a no-trade clause.



Julien: 'March going to be a tough one' for Bruins

March 6, 2015, 2:30 pm

Joe Haggerty

BOSTON – The Bruins went through the paces for a rare TD Garden practice on Friday with a pair of weekend matinee games against the Flyers and Red Wings Saturday and Sunday.

So, the Bruins went with the same lines as they did in the shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night and had their team picture taken on the TD Garden ice prior to skating around in their full uniforms.

The Bruins did stick with Chris Kelly back on the third line with Carl Soderberg and Loui Eriksson after that line caught fire in the second half of the game and had about a zillion chances for Eriksson that could have won the game. Instead, he tied things up with one goal in the third period, and then the B’s lost in the shootout for the seventh straight game.

“Tomorrow is a huge game for Philadelphia, and it should be a huge game for us,” said Julien. “Those are teams that are obviously gunning for us, and if we want some separation then we obviously need to win those kinds of games. I know we’ve got Detroit the next day, and then Ottawa at the beginning of next week. The month of March is going to be a tough one.”

The B’s coach is, of course, referencing the stretch of 11 games in 18 days, that the team capped off with the shootout loss to the Flames, and 15 total games in 31 days with 13 of those games against Eastern Conference opponents.

The month also has the Bruins in four sets of back-to-back games over the course of March, and that’s an area where the team has withered this season in the second night of those situations.

Claude Julien said they would make a game time decision on Gregory Campbell after he skated again on Friday and Brett Connolly had surgery on Thursday morning to repair his fractured right index finger.

“We need to make some decisions on the medical end, but that could be as soon as tomorrow [vs. the Flyers],” said Julien, when asked when Campbell might return to the lineup.

Here are the line combos and D-pairings based on Friday practice:

Lucic-Spooner-Pastrnak

Marchand-Bergeron-Smith

Kelly-Soderberg-Eriksson

Paille-Campbell-Talbot-Ferlin

Chara-Hamilton

Bartkowski-Seidenberg

Krug-McQuaid

Rask

Svedberg



What we learned: Shootout, schedule woes for Bruins

March 6, 2015, 11:30 am

Joe Haggerty

Here’s what we learned from the Bruins 4-3 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night at TD Garden.

1) It’s a difficult start to a grueling part of the regular season for the Bruins that will be “make or break” for their playoff chances.

The Bruins play 11 games in 18 days, with dates against the teams chasing them in the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators. They have four sets of back-to-back games, where the Bruins have pretty much mailed it in for the second game all season long.

They stand with a two-point lead over the Panthers for the second wild-card spot and the Flyers are fading at this point with a big Saturday matinee between Boston and Philly, but Ottawa is the team to watch out for at this point. They are the one gaining major ground by the week and have the talent to be able to overtake the B’s.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are holding a between-period contest for a fan to become their next emergency third goaltender in case both goalies get injured in the same game again. The Bruins have reached the sprint portion of their schedule and look forward to the importance this month’s gauntlet-like schedule represents to their fate.

Win and they’re in, lose and look out below.

“Nineteen games left, especially with this stretch. Today was the start of 11 games in 18 days and we know this is our season,” said Milan Lucic. “If we want to be in the playoffs this is the most important time of the year for us to get our game going, and get points, and not give points away, kind of like we did tonight. I’m more than confident with the group that we have. It’s just a matter of, like I said, being confident in those areas where we’re creating scoring chances and burying them.”

2) Interesting strategy to not use Patrice Bergeron sooner in the shootout.

I’m not averse to throwing Ryan Spooner and David Pastrnak into the mix because of their skill and speed, and I think that was a good call, even if it didn’t work out. Still, Bergeron showed why he should be in those top three shootout shooters by scoring and giving the Bruins a chance to win in the seventh round before Josh Jooris extended the NHL’s novelty act by also scoring.

That set up David Schlemko for the game-winning shootout goal tribute to Peter Forsberg, where he extended the puck away from his body and was able to reach the puck around Tuukka Rask for the winner. The results give the Bruins seven straight losses in the shootout dating to a November win over the Blue Jackets and even more confirmation that the B’s just don’t have enough skill in the shootout department.

That has cost them some valuable points this season that could have separated them from some of the teams trying to chase after them.

3) I’m beginning to think the Bruins should stick with Ryan Spooner and David Pastrnak skating with Milan Lucic for a while.

Once again they created a goal in the second period when Spooner and Pastrnak overwhelmed Deryk Engelland behind the Calgary net, Pastrnak took the puck away and tossed a quick feed to Spooner. Spooner then fed Lucic for a one-timer as he crashed the net, and 23-year-old Bruins center has created goals in four of the five games he’s played in place of David Krejci.

Those two young forwards have speed and skill for days, and that forces Lucic to really move his feet and skate at top speed in order to keep up with everything else that’s going on out on the ice. That brings out the best in Lucic and keeps him moving rather than standing around playing a stagnant game that doesn’t suit him. I wouldn’t be shocked if they stay with Lucic skating with Spooner and Pastrnak if it continues to work for them once Krejci is back in the fold.

Plus

*Jiri Hudler was the best player on the ice. He scored a goal in the second period, finished with two points, had five shots on net and eight generated shot attempts while creating offense all over the attack zone. He nearly won it in the final seconds with a shot that came in just high and bounced it over the top of the net.

*Spooner, who helped create the Lucic goal in the second period, now has points in four out of five games since being up with the Bruins. He generated seven shot attempts by playing full tilt with his skating speed. He made a couple of iffy decisions on the power play, but was otherwise excellent for the Bruins.

*Dennis Wideman finished with two assists, nine generated shot attempts and eight blocked shots in 33:04 of ice time in the win for Calgary. Where was that when he played for the Bruins?

Minus

*Reilly Smith finished without a shot on net, took a penalty that wiped out a Bruins power play in the third period and didn’t have much of an offensive presence in the game. He couldn’t rescue the game in the shootout when given the chance, either.

*Loui Eriksson had a goal in the third period, but he also had a handful of chances to win the game in regulation and couldn’t bury any of those chances. He could have had a hat trick in the third period alone, and didn’t finish most of those chances.

*No shots on net and 6-of-18 in the face-off circle for Carl Soderberg, who has zero goals in his past 17 games in the worst such streak of his career.



'Good first game' for Talbot, but work to do

March 6, 2015, 11:15 am

Joe Haggerty

BOSTON – Max Talbot started off the game with a relatively event-free shift, but did make an offensive zone penalty the first notable thing from his Boston Bruins career. Former B’s defenseman Dennis Wideman turned away from Talbot’s hit, which earned Talbot a boarding call. Things got better from there, but his debut effort wasn’t enough in the end as Boston fell in a 4-3 shootout decision to the Calgary Flames at TD Garden.

Talbot finished with 10:56 of ice time largely skating on the fourth line with Chris Kelly and Brian Ferlin, and was one of the penalty killers on ice for both power play goals scored by Calgary along with Jiri Hudler’s rebound goal in the second period. All in all, he felt good in his debut and feels optimistic about the chances for his new team.

“[It] feels good. Personally it’s—you know you feel that we’re a dangerous team. I think five-on-five we had the best of them out there but Calgary is a good team,” said Talbot. “First period legs were a little heavy, excitement out there, but generally I felt good.

“Maybe a little bit [too excited]. I went in the corner, I think and I know [Wideman] saw me before I went to hit him, but glad he’s not hurt. These plays sometimes are dangerous, but maybe [I was] a little too excited like you said.”

Talbot also finished with three shots on net, a hit, a takeaway and a blocked shot, and had chances to score in the third period just like everybody else. Karri Ramo did a good job of stopping a Talbot shot from the slot, and then stuffing his rebound attempt as the bodies around the net created sufficient chaos around the Calgary painted area.

Julien certainly liked what he saw even if it wasn’t a perfectly executed performance, and he clearly still has some practice-work coming on the penalty kill unit.

“Good first game,” said Julien, when asked of Talbot. “He worked hard and competed hard. I thought he had a good first game.”



Lack of discipline costs Bruins on penalty kill

March 6, 2015, 10:45 am

Joe Haggerty

BOSTON – The Bruins found a new and different way to lose a hockey game to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

Sure it’s old hat for the Bruins in dropping the 4-3 shootout decision that makes it seven shootout defeats in a row dating back to their last win on Nov. 21, and the general lack of offensive finish is a season-long lament. But the Bruins taking a whopping seven penalties in the loss to the Flames at TD Garden? That's new. And it's got to be frustrating, even as they did collect a point to stay ahead in the wild card playoff standings.

There may have been one soft call, but by and large the Bruins deserved all seven of the penalty calls and were simply getting lazy by reaching and grabbing rather than moving their feet against the attacking Flames. Two of those Bruins penalties wiped out Bruins power plays, and it exposed a struggling B’s penalty kill that allowed a pair of power play goals to the Flames.

“I thought we had a great start there in the first period, and two or three penalties right there at the end of the first kind of took it away from us there," Julien said. "They managed to tie the game. But again, in the third period, we got a power play, and then we get that whatever, interference call I guess is what they deemed it. So that was a power play that was nullified, and then another one later on. So staying out of the box is an important part of the game for us, especially when you struggle to score goals. Our penalty kill right now has been giving up too many goals. We’ve got to get ourselves right in that department.”

The two PP goals allowed to Calgary were killers: a Sean Monahan strike in the first period after Tuukka Rask lost sight of a puck during a scramble in front of the net that killed all of Boston’s momentum after dominating the period, and a Johnny Gaudreau wrist shot from the right wing circle for Calgary’s go-ahead goal in the third period. Those were particularly frustrating to a Bruins team that felt like they dominated the Flames during five-on-five play, and had their special teams let them down.

“You see five-on-five, we scored three five-on-five goals and they end up scoring two on the power play. A couple soft calls, but some calls we deserved,” said Milan Lucic. “It’s just the part of the game where we need to be better at it. We knew going into the game that they were the least penalized team in the league so we had to stay disciplined and unfortunately we gave them a lot of power play time and they were able to capitalize twice on that.”

The Bruins have also now allowed eight power play goals in their last eight games, and need to tighten up the penalty kill play, particularly if they plan on getting through a phase of undisciplined play like in the loss to Calgary.



Krug gets 1-year extension, Smith 2-year deal from Bruins

March 6, 2015, 10:30 am

Joe Haggerty

BOSTON - The Bruins had laid the groundwork out for contract extensions for Torey Krug and Reilly Smith when they signed them to a twin one-year deals in training camp. On Friday, they made good on those discussions by announcing a one-year extension for Krug, at $3.4 million for next season, and a two-year deal for Smith that will pay him a total of $6.85 million (cap hit of $3.425) over the next two seasons.

Krug, who turns 24 in April, has 11 goals (sixth on the team) and 20 assists (second among D-men) for 31 points with a plus-six rating this season after totaling 14 goals and 40 points in his first full NHL season. Smith, who joins only Gregory Campbell and Brad Marchand in playing in every game thus far this season for the Bruins, has 12 goals (fifth on the team) and 23 assists for 35 points (tied for second on the team) with a plus-11 rating that’s second-best on the team.

Smith, who also turns 24 in April, joined Krug in skating in his first full NHL season with Boston in 2013-14, establishing career-highs in all categories: 20 goals, 31 assists for 51 points, along with a plus-28 rating. Given Krug’s offensive numbers and the discount he took on this year’s contract to give the Bruins some salary cap relief, the $3.4 million salary for next season is perfectly reasonable.

Smith’s numbers have taken a bit of a dip this season, and the two-year commitment at a $3.425 million cap hit is a bit higher than one might have expected for a player that won’t be able to duplicate his 20 goals and 50 points from last season. But there’s also the chance that a two-year term on Smith’s deal could make him attractive to a trade partner if the Bruins perhaps came across pre-deadline discussions that intrigued them enough to pursue them again this summer.

The Bruins actually wanted to sign Krug to the same two-year term as Smith, per a source, but the offensively explosive D-man is more inclined to go year-to-year until he finds the long-term extension he's looking for.


768496 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres notebook: Johnson hurt in practice, misses first start

By John Vogl

on March 6, 2015 - 11:08 PM

OTTAWA – It didn’t take Chad Johnson long to learn what it means to be a member of the 2014-15 Buffalo Sabres. Next time he’s in the crease, he might be a member of the 2015-16 Sabres.

The goaltender, scheduled to make his Sabres debut Friday, suffered a lower-body injury just hours before a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Johnson took part in the morning skate in Canadian Tire Centre and got hurt just before it ended.

“Chad, unfortunately, hurt something lower body and he’ll be out for a while,” coach Ted Nolan said. “Not day-to-day, it’ll be for a while.”

Johnson, acquired from the New York Islanders on Monday, was eager to show his new organization it can count on him. The first impression will have to wait. With only five weeks left in the season, “a while” could be the remaining 17 games.

“It possibly could be,” Nolan said. “We’ll get our doctors to look at him, and we’ll see what happens.”

Anders Lindback, who played his first game for the Sabres on Tuesday, started in Johnson’s place. He made 34 saves and said he’s ready to play Saturday in Washington.

“I’ve been working toward this for a long time,” Lindback said. “I’ll be ready to go again.”

The Sabres recalled Andrey Makarov from Rochester to serve as the backup. The 21-year-old joined the Sabres for the third time in his career. He has yet to appear in a game. The goalie is 14-14-3 with a .899 save percentage and 3.04 goals-against average with the Amerks this season.

Nolan wasn’t sure if the Sabres would keep Makarov or send him back to Rochester and bring Matt Hackett to Buffalo.

Jerry D’Amigo says he let his first chance to be an NHL player slip away. He’s determined to do better this time.

D’Amigo, one of the Sabres’ three post-trade call-ups, played 22 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. He recorded one goal and three points before finishing the season with the Leafs’ minor-league team.

“When you let an opportunity slip away, it eats at you for a while,” the left winger said. “This is a second chance for me to show what I have and show that I can play in this league for a season. It’s a second opportunity, and I hope to do well in it.”

After a solid playoff with the Toronto Marlies – D’Amigo was second on the team with six goals and 14 points in 14 games – the Leafs traded the 24-year-old to Columbus. Buffalo picked him up in December in exchange for Luke Adam.

D’Amigo had six goals and 19 points in 31 games with the Amerks. He skated alongside center Tim Schaller and right wing Matt Ellis on Friday.

“Last year with the Leafs I played that fourth-line role and a shutdown role against top lines, so I think that’s what I’m going to have a niche to do,” D’Amigo said. “Being up here now, it’s a great organization to be in. It doesn’t feel good to lose and kind of have this cloud over you, but it’s going well so far.”

The Sabres will close their two-day visit to North American capitals in a building they don’t like. Washington is 8-2-2 against Buffalo during the last 12 games in Verizon Center. Overall, the Capitals have earned a point in six of the last seven meetings.

Washington captain Alex Ovechkin has 22 goals and 36 points in 24 career games against Buffalo. Nicklas Backstrom also torments the Sabres with eight goals and 23 points in 26 games.

There is no timetable for the return of Sabres forward Zac Dalpe, who left the team this week for personal reasons.

“The situation he’s going through, he’s going to take his time and get here when he can,” coach Ted Nolan said.

The pain of sitting is getting to Senators goalie Craig Anderson, who hasn’t played since suffering a hand injury Jan. 21. He’s well enough to serve as Andrew Hammond’s backup, but Anderson is far from 100 percent.

“It hurts to not play, and I’m doing everything I possibly can to get myself in that situation to play again,” said Anderson, near tears. “The best word is ‘frustrated’ that I’m not feeling as good as I hoped I would be feeling. It’s killing me inside to not play and to watch and to not be there for the guys. It hurts.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.07.2015


Ottawa’s ‘Hamburglar’ swipes a win from Sabres

By John Vogl

on March 6, 2015 - 11:04 PM, updated March 6, 2015 at 11:08 PM

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators laughed and shook their heads in amazement as soon as their dressing room door opened Friday. Dozens of cameramen and reporters made a beeline for Andrew Hammond, a previously unknown goaltender who has become the toast of Canada’s capital.

“It takes a little longer to get undressed, especially these days,” said Ottawa forward Matt Puempel, whose locker stall next to Hammond was uninhabitable due to the overflowing media. “But it’s good. He’s a lot of fun to have on your team – especially when he’s playing like this.”

Hammond entered the crease against the Buffalo Sabres on a historic roll. Despite a lackluster game by his lofty standards, he continued the run with a 3-2 victory to improve to 7-0-1 in his NHL career. Hammond gave up two first-period goals but stopped 24 shots as the Senators rallied to hand Buffalo its third straight loss.

The 27-year-old Hammond, thrust into action Feb. 16 after the Senators lost their top two goalies, entered the night with a .957 save percentage and 1.35 goals-against average. Add those numbers to an unassuming personality and a catchy nickname – The Hamburglar – and it’s easy to see why fans are climbing on the Senators’ bandwagon.

“Obviously, it’s a fun time,” Hammond said in Canadian Tire Centre. “It’s fun for the fans. It’s fun for me.”

Some people would shy away from the burgeoning spotlight. Not Hammond. After briefly believing his hockey career was over, he’s eager to embrace the long-awaited attention.

“If it ended today and I looked back and I wasn’t having fun with it, it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve worked hard for. There’s a fine line between having fun and doing your job still, and I think I’m able to handle that right now.

“I’m really enjoying it. It’s a lot of fun. The city is rallying around the team right now, and it’s been a blast.”

Hammond made an early mistake to let the Sabres take a 1-0 lead. As a dump-in neared the Ottawa net, the goalie balked at leaving the crease to get it. While he hesitated, Phil Varone accelerated and chipped the puck into the net with 7:22 gone.

Varone assisted on the Sabres’ second goal nine minutes later, setting up Tyler Ennis for a short-side shot that went through the screen of Jerry D’Amigo.

Ottawa got one goal back just 26 seconds into the middle period. The Sens exploded in the third, scoring twice in the opening 3:08 to go in front.

While he got help Friday, Hammond has carried the Senators into a previously unimaginable spot – the Eastern Conference playoff race. Ottawa is only three points behind Boston, owner of the second wild-card spot.

“He’s come in and shown everyone – players, management, other teams – that he can play in this league and play well,” Sens forward Mike Hoffman said.

While Hammond seems like an overnight success story, few tales are conjured from thin air. His story begins in 2007, when he hung up his pads after getting cut from a Junior A team following a forgettable debut.

“For two and half weeks I thought I was done with it,” said Hammond, who was urged by his former Junior B coach to play again. “He got me back on the team. That kind of reignited the flames. To have the game taken away, even it was for only a few weeks, kind of makes this more special.”

After excelling in Junior B, Hammond spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with the Junior A Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League. He did well enough to earn a scholarship to Bowling Green University and spent four years in Ohio.

He went pro last year at age 25 and played in 48 games for the Senators’ American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton. He was 25-19-3 with a .910 save percentage to help the team make the playoffs.

He had unimpressive numbers in Binghamton this season, going just 7-13-2 with an .898 save percentage. No one expected the Sens’ third-stringer to do much after Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner went down.

After Hammond went into Anaheim and Los Angeles and earned back-to-back shutouts, believers surfaced en masse.

“Obviously, I understand why it’s a big story and it can be perceived that I came out of nowhere,” he said. “At the same time, I’ve worked really hard for it. I feel like I’ve earned it. It’s something that I’m proud of.”

In addition to victories, Ottawa fans are enjoying free burgers from McDonald’s. The chain has jumped at the chance to attach itself to Hammond, who has a picture of The Hamburglar on his mask. Hammond earned the nickname at Bowling Green.

“As a goaltender you’ll obviously be called a thief or burglar sometimes,” he said. “I got called burglar a few times, and then after a few weeks that transitioned to Hamburglar.

“I think it’s funny. It’s all in good fun. Other people are starting to enjoy it more than me now, but it’s obviously pretty cool.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.07.2015


Sabres recall Makarov after Johnson gets hurt

Kevin Oklobzija, Staff writer 4:19 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

Chad Johnson's debut with the Buffalo Sabres has been put on hold due to a lower-body injury that he apparently suffered in today's morning skate at Ottawa.

Enter Rochester Americans goalie Andrey Makarov. Not to play — at least no one thinks he will — but to back up Andres Lindback.

Makarov traveled across Ontario this afternoon from Hamilton, where the Amerks play the Bulldogs at 7:30 tonight, to Kanata, where the Sabres play the Senators at 7:30. This is the third time he has joined the Sabres but he has never played in an NHL regular-season game.

Johnson was acquired from the New York Islanders on Monday in the deal that sent Michal Neuvirth to Long Island. Johnson was tonight's scheduled starter.

Matt Hackett obviously deserved the recall. But since he has been by far the Amerks best goalie, he stayed so he can play tonight's game.

The Amerks don't play again until March 13, and then they're off again until the following Friday. Should Johnson be out long-term, the Sabres very likely will re-evaluate the goalie callup situation.

Makarov remains in a prolonged slump and has started just one of the past seven games, and only two of the past 10.

Over his past nine starts he has a 4.43 goals-against average and .858 save percentage.

For the season, Makarov ranks 46th in the AHL in GAA (3.04) and 44th in save percentage (.899).

Not that those numbers necessarily matter when a goalie is promoted. Andrew Hammond's stats were even worse with the Binghamton Senators (3.51 GAA, .898 save percentage) and he is the current goalie sensation of the NHL. Since forced into duty because of an injury to Robin Lehner, he is 6-0-1 with a 1.35 GAA and .957 save percentage.

Backing up Hackett tonight for the Amerks will be Tim Boron. He was brought in from ECHL Wichita. But he didn't travel from Kansas. The Thunder are playing in Brampton, Ontario, about an hour from Hamilton. He'll fall into the the backup-of-convenience category.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 03.07.2015


Sabres squander lead, lose to Senators

Associated Press 12:31 a.m. EST March 7, 2015

OTTAWA – It would seem that as Andrew Hammond goes, so go the Ottawa Senators.

The man they call the Hamburglar didn’t exactly steal a win Friday. He was good enough to keep the Senators close after a five-game road swing in which they went 4-0-1. After a sluggish start against the Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa came back for a 3-2 win.

Mika Zibanejad and Mark Stone scored third-period goals as Ottawa rallied after two early goals against put them in a hole.

Zibanejad scored 1:34 into the third period to tie the game 2-2 after he took pass from Bobby Ryan and beat Anders Lindback. Stone put the Senators ahead for the first time less than two minutes later, scoring on a rebound after Marc Methot was stopped by Lindback on a wraparound attempt.

“We were fortunate to get the win and I don’t think I had my best game,” said Hammond. “It seemed like I was just fighting it all night, and for a while it seemed like it translated to the team.

“The start of the second period we had a good push back, and in the third as well to get the goals. From there it was just trying to will the rest of the game and play an ugly style of hockey.”

Eric Karlsson also scored for the Senators as they won for the seventh time in eight games, all started by the rookie Hammond, who improved to 7-0-1 to start his NHL career.

Hammond made 24 saves and helped Ottawa pull within three points of Boston for the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Hammond became just the second goaltender in the past 76 years to allow two or fewer goals in his first eight career NHL starts.

Phil Varone and Tyler Ennis found the net for the Sabres, and Lindback stopped 34 shots. Buffalo has lost three straight games and has the NHL’s worst record.

“It looked like we should have had more control of the game, but our foot was off the gas,” said Varone, who also had an assist.

The Sabres pulled Lindback with a little more than a minute to play, but they were unable to get a shot on goal.

“It’s disappointing,” said the Sabres goaltender. “We had the lead and we didn’t manage to keep it. They came out hard in the third, but I have to come up with the saves that keeps us in the game and I didn’t.”

The Senators spotted Buffalo’s 2-0 lead after the first period, It took just 26 seconds into the second for Ottawa to get on the board.

“We were way too cute early on and not doing the work,” Senators coach Dave Cameron said.

Karlsson took a point shot that deflected off Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian and past Lindback.

Buffalo’s first goal came as Varone raced into the Ottawa zone and took a back-handed swat at a loose puck that was bouncing toward Hammond. Later in the opening session, Ennis took a shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle that beat Hammond short side through a screen.

NOTES: The Senators play the second of a three-game homestand Sunday when they host Calgary. Buffalo travels to Washington in the fourth of a five-game road trip. … Jared Cowen and Colin Greening were scratches for the Senators, while the Sabres scratched Zac Dalpe, Tyson Strachan and Chad Johnson. … The last time the Sabres won in Ottawa was March 10, 2012. … Ennis’ first-period goal was his 200th career point.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 03.07.2015

768500 Calgary Flames

Five straight goals propel Flames over Wings

SCOTT CRUICKSHANK, CALGARY HERALD

Published on: March 6, 2015

Last Updated: March 6, 2015 9:37 PM MST

DETROIT – If he senses fatigue after an icing call, Bob Hartley asks his players if he needs to call a timeout.

He didn’t waste his breath this time.

“I didn’t hear him ask anyone,” said Brandon Bollig. “I think he knew we’d been out there for a pretty long shift. And I was probably bending over, on my knees, or something.”

Said Hartley: “We had a few guys, they were searching (for) air.”

Plus, the Calgary Flames coach realized a fresh-legged Pavel Datsyuk — a scary enough thought at all times — was hopping off the home bench.

So Hartley spent his only timeout early in the second period.

It worked. Like, really worked.

Typically it’s a preventative measure. It was all that — and the starting point of a turning-point goal.

Because not only did the Flames successfully clear the zone, but — on bit of a set play — they squared the contest en route to a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in National Hockey League action Friday at Joe Louis Arena.

“Huge goal,” said Brandon Bollig. “We were playing well, but it helped keep the momentum in our favour.

“A bit of luck and your average play.”

A verdict which sells short the members of the line.

Bollig — with possession of the puck, with the hosts expecting a dump-in and a line change — heard Matt Stajan shrieking for the puck. So the bearded winger rifled the puck off the end boards.

Stajan, racing over the blueline, one-timed a slapper past a startled Jimmy Howard.

“Bolls didn’t hard rim it or soft chip it, he played a kick-off,” said Stajan, wearing the fireman’s hat as the in-house man of the match. “And I was reading that. It’s nice when you can step into one like that. A good feeling.”

Sean Monahan had already counted on the power play — after a pair of first-period strikes from Justin Abdelkader — and Stajan’s tally made it 2-2.

From there, the Flames rolled.

“We find ways with our team,” said Stajan, whose team was outshot 35-24. “It starts with our goaltending. (Karri Ramo) has been great. And (Jonas Hiller), after not playing for a few weeks, came in and played a great game. He shut them down after the first two (goals).

“We were able to be opportunistic on our chances. From top to bottom, everyone did a job.”

Four minutes after Stajan’s goal, Jiri Hudler calmly weaved into a good shooting position. The crafty veteran then snapped a shot into the Detroit net to give the travellers the lead.

With the home crowd expecting a comeback, the Calgarians spoiled things.

Mason Raymond, thanks to the manly toil of linemates Josh Jooris and Drew Shore, whizzed home the 4-2 goal only 110 seconds after the second intermission.

“Our guys deserve credit,” said Hartley. “In our books, we gave up one scoring chance in the third period, which is unbelievable (when you’re) trying to protect a lead (against) such a dynamic hockey club like the Wings.

“Our guys did a wonderful job.”

Hudler added an empty-netter as the Flames improve to 6-1-1 in the second game of back-to-backs.

Why?

“Obviously, we’re just hard workers,” said Stajan. “Training camp was gruelling. And we practise hard. It takes every guy in this room … to make sure you’re in top shape and being a good pro. We have that in here. Everybody knows what their body needs and we’re able to be strong on Night 2 of doubleheaders.”

With only Sunday’s visit to the Ottawa Senators remaining — and with their inspirational leader, Mark Giordano, in Calgary — the Flames are 4-2-0 on this journey.

“Talking to Gio, he was upset that he’s out for the year,” said Stajan. “Everybody turned on us, saying we don’t have a chance. It’s been like that all year. And when you lose your best player, it’s even more of a challenge.

“We’re up against it all the time — we know that – and we want to prove people wrong. Gio’s helped us get to this position — he’s the reason we are where we are — and we’ve got to finish the last 17, 18 games to make sure … we get to the fun part of the season.”

Calgary Flames 5 at Detroit Red Wings 2

The Herald’s Three Stars

1. Calgary C Sean Monahan — Young centre powering his team through road trip. Two points against Wings, 12 points in his past 10 games.

2. Calgary LW Jiri Hudler — Veteran left-winger returns to Detroit, drains two goals against his former mates, including the game-winner.

3. Detroit C Henrik Zetterberg — Centrepiece of the hosts’ most dangerous line (with newcomer Erik Cole). A threat every time on the ice.

Why the Flames won:

* Because, even though they get behind, they … yada yada yada. You know what they do.

* Because G Jonas Hiller, in the shadow of G Karri Ramo these days, is steady.

The Scratches

* Calgary — D Corey Potter, LW Emile Poirier, D Mark Giordano (biceps), D Ladislav Smid (upper body), C Paul Byron (lower body), RW David Jones (lower body). Man-games lost: 179

* Detroit — D Jakub Kindl, RW Daniel Cleary, D Alexey Marchenko (oblique), C Darren Helm (oblique), RW Johan Franzen (concussion). Man-games lost: 154

Up Next

U.S. portion of their long trip complete, the Flames flap northward. Sunday at 5 p.m., they take on the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, the final stop of the seven-game odyssey.

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Hudler making a name for himself in Calgary

SCOTT CRUICKSHANK, CALGARY HERALD


Last Updated: March 6, 2015 8:36 PM MST

DETROIT – They can be found wedged together, one after the other, on the Calgary Flames’ all-time list of players.

* Hudler, Jiri

* Hull, Brett

Too, their names have been engraved — albeit in different springs — on the Stanley Cup.

Now — thanks to the Hudler’s handiwork in overtime Tuesday in Philadelphia — the two forwards are part of yet another exclusive club.

Membership: two.

Hudler and Hull are the only players in National Hockey League history to have scored 20 goals in a season for both the Detroit Red Wings and the Flames.

“Pretty cool,” says Hudler. “It’s awesome. I didn’t know that. Especially in that company.”

Their careers actually overlapped in Detroit in 2003-04.

Hudler, then 19, was taking his first strides in North America. Meanwhile Hull was scoring the last of his 741 goals in the NHL.

“I was fortunate enough to play a little bit with Brett,” says Hudler. “He was funny, fun to be around. Obviously, I was looking up to him like everybody else in that locker-room. Stevie Yzerman was still there. Nick Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, these guys.

“Just learning lessons every day.”

Now, nearly a dozen winters later, it is Hudler who supplies the savvy.

Wearing an ‘A’ on his chest, the wily winger is pacing the Flames in scoring, anchoring the right side of the top line every night.

And, yes, leading.

“His game is still progressing,” coach Bob Hartley says of Hudler, who signed a four-year pact in 2012. “More importantly, I feel his presence around the group in the locker-room, in the gym, around the team. That’s where I’ve noticed in Year 3 a big, big change. Not that there was anything bad before.

“We talked to many veterans about taking a bigger role in the new culture … in a way, they’re a reflection of our team, of our organization. Jiri has been unbelievable. He jumped right with (Mark Giordano) and all the veterans that we have.”

The value of Hudler to the Flames’ flock of kids is well-documented.

Last winter, he nursed/needled the likes of Sean Monahan and Joe Colborne. This season, he’s skated beside Johnny Gaudreau, Josh Jooris, Michael Ferland, Markus Granlund.

But the Olomouc, Czech Republic, native is growing weary of the storyline.

After all, he’s no grandpappy.

“You guys are always putting me on the spot,” says Hudler, a pleasant, if reluctant, interview subject. “I just turned 31 and I feel great. And I look better than those young guys. You know what? From Day 1, I’ve tried to be the same. Being a good teammate, I guess. It sounds like a cliche, but you want to make sure that the kids around you are feeling good. And they’re ready to play.”

But how, exactly?

Stuff behind the scenes generally stays behind the scenes.

But the coach does recall, at last year’s camp, approaching Sean Monahan — “Making sure our baby was doing good” — to see how he was doing, to see how he was liking the hotel.

The rookie informed Hartley that he was staying at Hudler’s place. The veteran had gone ahead and made arrangements without telling anyone.

“I’m sure you don’t see everything — I don’t see everything, also,” says Hartley. “At night or at restaurants, I’m sure that he does a great job.”

Lugging around the mantle of elder statesman hasn’t slowed Hudler, who’s crested the 50-point plateau for the fourth time. After picking two goals Friday night against the Wings, he’s only three points shy of his best-ever campaign, 57 in 2008-09.

“Look at this production on the ice,” says Hartley. “I think we’re getting double value from Jiri.”

Between Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia (where, with two points, Hudler rounded up his numbers to 20 goals, 30 assists) and Thursday’s game in Boston (where he gathered another two points), the Flames staged an optional skate at Boston University.

And, on Wednesday, there was No. 24.

Ever-present smirk in place, dashing around with a half-dozen others. Kids, mainly.

Hudler downplayed his participation, mentioning something about wanting to get some “motion” before back-to-back dates, then steering the conversation to Agganis Arena itself.

“Great ice,” he says. “Best ice I’ve skated on this year, for sure.”

Pressed, Hudler does acknowledge that offensive statistics are significant.

And he’s more than happy to knowingly contribute in that way, too.

“Players who say they don’t look at (point totals)? They know. It’s a lie, right?” says Hudler. “You don’t think about it, you don’t shoot for it, obviously. It’s pointless if you get two goals and you lose 5-2. I know where I am right now.

“Obviously, if I get the numbers higher, I think we’ve got a bigger chance to win every game.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Live coverage: Calgary Flames at Detroit Red Wings

By RANDY SPORTAK, Calgary Sun

First posted: Friday, March 06, 2015 01:53 PM MST | Updated: Friday, March 06, 2015 05:18 PM MST

Flames at Red Wings

TIME: 5:30 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet West

RADIO: Sportsnet 960 The FAN

THE MAIN STORYLINE:

One night after a wildly entertaining win over the Boston Bruins – capped by David Schlemko's highlight-reel shootout winner – the Flames play Game 6 of their seven-game road swing at the Detroit Red Wings.

The Flames have a 5-1-1 record this season when playing on the second half of back-to-back nights.

LINEUP NOTES:

For the first time this trip, G Jonas Hiller is to mind the net for Calgary, after G Karri Ramo has had the honours the first five outings.

Also for the first time on the trip, C Matt Stajan will suit up, having joined the team after the birth of his son.

LW Michael Ferland is also to suit up, with RW Emile Poirier and RW David Jones to come out. Jones was injured when he blocked a shot in the first period of Thursday's outing.

The Red Wings have pegged G Jimmy Howard to mind the twine at the Joe Louis Arena.

BURNING QUESTION:

Can Jonas Hiller step into the breach and sparkle? Hiller struggled his last couple of outings before Ramo stepped in for the first game of the sojourn and sparkled. On a couple of occasions Hiller has had to sit out for a few games and returned on-form. The Flames need that tonight.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Flames: C Mikael Backlund. He's found some offence again of late, but the real quest will be to keep in check part of Detroit's wicked one-two punch at centre, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.

Red Wings: LW Gustav Nyquist. He's having a very good season – 21 goals and 44 points – but has just one goal in 12 games and two in the last 15.

FAST FACT:

The Flames lead the NHL with eight overtime or shootout road wins this season. They've won 13 extra-time outings this season and lost only four.

Flames Lines

FORWARDS

Johnny Gaudreau - Sean Monahan - Jiri Hudler

Lance Bouma - Mikael Backlund - Joe Colborne

Mason Raymond - Drew Shore -J osh Jooris

Brandon Bollig - Matt Stajan - Michael Ferland

DEFENCE

Kris Russell - Dennis Wideman

TJ Brodie - Deryk Engelland

David Schlemko - Raphael Diaz

GOAL

Jonas Hiller

Karri Ramo

SCRATCHES: RW Emile Poirier, D Corey Potter,

INJURED: C/LW Paul Byron (upper body/lower body), D Ladislav Smid (upper body), D Mark Giordano (torn biceps), RW David Jones (lower body).

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Flames veteran Jiri Hudler leading on and off ice 1

BY RANDY SPORTAK, CALGARY SUN

FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 06, 2015 09:34 PM MST

DETROIT – Here’s one theory on why Jiri Hudler relishes his role mentoring the Calgary Flames young’uns.

He’s one himself regardless of what his birth certificate says.

“I just turned 31 and I feel great,” the Flames winger said with a sly smile. “I look better than all those young guys, and I feel better.”

He believes that, make no mistake, but Hudler also believes there’s a value in a being the Pied Piper to all the club’s fresh faces.

“I like to see them succeed, all these young guys,” he explained, rattling off the names of the club’s crop of kids. “It’s fun, but it’s serious the next 18 games. They’ve got to step up.”

On the ice, and off the ice.

To his credit, Hudler has been doing both this season.

After his team’s 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night, Hudler is pacing the squad with (54) points and second only to one of his proteges, Sean Monahan, with 23 goals.

(Hudler’s career bests are 25 goals and 57 points.)

Coach Bob Hartley is just as happy with Hudler’s contributions off the ice, too.

“His game is still progressing and more importantly, his presence around the group, in the locker-room, in the gym, around the team, that’s where I’ve noticed in year three, a big, big change,” Hartley said. “Not that there was something bad before, and it seems he looked around — we talked to many veterans about taking a big role with the new culture, making sure they’re a reflection of our team and our organization — and Jiri has been unbelievable.

“He jumped right in with Gio (captain Mark Giordano), all the veterans we have.

“And you look at his production on the ice, I feel we’re getting double value for Jiri.”

Hudler, in the third season of his four-year, US$16-million contract signed in the summer of 2012, arrived to a team which wanted to add players believing a playoff run could be in the cards.

Before his first season in Calgary was done, though, the rebuild was on, bringing the string of rookies into the fold.

Instead of demanding to be let out of the rebuild, he’s responded by bringing Monahan into his house to live with him to make him more comfortable in his rookie season, and without the coaching staff’s knowledge.

Around the rink, he tends to hang out with the kids, too.

“I’m sure you don’t see everything he does,” Hartley said. “But I probably don’t see everything also. At night, in restaurants, I’m sure he does a great job.”

For his part, Hudler insists he hasn’t made any extra effort since Giordano left the team due to a season-ending injury.

“No. From day one, I’m trying to be the same, being a good teammate,” he said. “It sounds like a cliché, I guess, but you want to make sure the kids around you feel good and they’re ready to play.”

But you know what they say about great guys in the dressing room: If they can’t do it on the ice, may as well leave them in the room.

Hudler is having his best season in Calgary — among his achievements, joining Brett Hull as the only players to have 20-goal seasons for both the Flames and the Red Wings — and his production is a source of pride.

“The player who says they don’t look at it, they know. It’s a lie, right?” he said when asked if he knew where he was at for the season. “You don’t think

about it, you don’t shoot for it, it’s pointless when you get two goals and you lose 5-2, but I know where I am right now and if I get the numbers higher, we have a bigger chance to win every game.”

In the crease

Bill Arnold, the AHL prospect who’s missed 15 games due to a separated shoulder, returned to action for the Adirondack Flames Friday night when they faced the Toronto Marlies … By the way, prior to the season, the betting site Bovada.ca had the Flames with a 71.5 over-under point total. They were at 74 before facing the Wings. The over/under for the Edmonton Oilers before the season kicked off was 80.5 … Speaking of the Oilers, Calgary’s win was No. 19 on the road this season. The Oilers have 18 wins in total. The Flames are now 29 points ahead of the Oilers in the standings.

Off the glass

Jaw-dropping play of this game: Henrik Zetterberg’s pass to Justin Abdelkader for the opening goal. Although, just as stunning was how Abdelkader was alone that far behind Calgary defencemen Kris Russell and Dennis Wideman … Calgary’s victory marks just the second in 10 tries on Friday nights … Want a bigger surprise than a Flames win at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit? All three stars on the official sheet were from Calgary: Hudler, Wideman and Jonas Hiller were given the star treatment.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768504 Carolina Hurricanes

Streaking Minnesota Wild surges past Canes in third period

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

03/06/2015 9:34 PM 03/06/2015 11:30 PM

Carolina Hurricanes coach Bill Peters didn’t raise his voice and didn’t have to. The disgust was evident.

The Canes were beaten 3-1 by the Minnesota Wild on Friday at PNC Arena and Peters wasn’t happy with any of it. While the Wild may be the hottest team in the league and goalie Devan Dubnyk the hottest in net, Peters was thoroughly displeased with nearly all of what he saw on the ice from his team.

The first period?

“Didn’t have any energy, didn’t have any jump, didn’t have any execution,” Peters said.

The Canes did tie the score 1-1 in the second period on Riley Nash’s first goal in 18 games and outshot the Wild 16-4 in the period. But the Wild’s Mikael Granlund and Zach Parise scored about two minutes apart early in the third and the Canes couldn’t find a way to get another puck past the 6-foot-6 Dubnyk, an agile big man in net who had 37 saves.

Peters made changes after the first. He paired Justin Faulk with Jack Hillen defensively, putting Ron Hainsey with Brett Bellemore. He moved winger Elias Lindholm onto Jordan Staal’s line and had Jeff Skinner and Alexander Semin as the wingers on Nash’s line.

“We couldn’t continue watching it the way it was. It wasn’t working, obviously,” Peters said.

But the Canes (24-32-7) couldn’t muster enough in the third. Granlund scored when a centering pass went off the skate of Canes forward Chris Terry and past goalie Anton Khudobin. A turnover in the Carolina zone by Hainsey led to Parise scoring off the rebound of a shot by Jason Pominville, who had two assists.

“We looked unorganized, we looked disinterested,” Peters said.

The Canes had 17 shots in the final period but Dubnyk, recently named the NHL’s first star for February, had all the answers.

As for Khudobin, he never looked comfortable in the crease. As Peters put it, “Just like the rest of us, didn’t look sharp at all.”

Peters didn’t stop there, quickly adding, “It didn’t look like we wanted to put the work in to be successful. We used to be this hard-working, honest group. We haven’t been the last two times out.”

The Canes, after winning three straight, were beaten 5-2 by the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. They had seemingly productive practices Wednesday and Thursday, but it did not translate to Friday’s game.

What has changed the past two games?

“I’m not sure,” Peters said. “But we’re going to have to get it figured out because we’re not going to watch this 19 more times, I know that.”

Nash’s last goal came Jan. 10 against the St. Louis Blues. He ended that drought, and picked up his eighth of the season, on a two-on-one rush with Skinner, who made a perfect setup pass.

Skinner and Lindholm each had five shots, and Skinner had a shot bang off the crossbar during a second-period power play. But Dubnyk’s large frame leaves little openings.

Since obtained Dubnyk from the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 14 for a third-round draft pick – the steal of the season – the Wild has gone 18-3-2 and moved into solid playoff position in the Western Conference. Dubnyk has started all 23 games, a franchise record, and lowered the impressive numbers – a 1.62 goals-against average, .938 save percentage – he had during the streak before Friday.

“Obviously he’s playing real well and stopping what he can see,” Skinner said. “He’s a big guy, and you have to find ways to get traffic and get second and third opportunities.”

Charlie Coyle had the game’s first goal for the Wild (36-22-7), scoring a few seconds after Carolina had killed off the first penalty of the game.

One highlight for the Canes was defenseman Rasmus Rissanen making his NHL debut. But the Canes have work to do – Saturday’s practice could be interesting – before facing the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday at PNC Arena.

“We’ve got to be ready from the puck drop and continue it on for 60 minutes,” Nash said.

It’s safe to say Peters will be demanding that.

News Observer LOADED: 03.07.2015

768505 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks starting to think big — catching the first-place Predators

By Chris Kuc

With the first-place Predators in a bit of a stumble, Blackhawks see opportunity.

It wasn't long ago that the Predators were running away and hiding with the Central Division title to such an extent that the Blackhawks lowered their sights to catching the Blues for second place.

Oilers defenseman Martin Marincin (85) belly slides onto the ice while trying to pass the puck as Chicago Blackhawks center Marcus Kruger (16) skates after the puck in the first period.

Now, suddenly, the Hawks have begun thinking bigger picture with the Predators stumbling for the first time this season. The Blues still remain the primary target, but first place is no longer a lost cause as long as the Hawks pile up points.

They took care of that Friday night — barely — when they dispatched the Oilers 2-1 in a shootout at the United Center for the Hawks' fourth victory in their last five games. The victory moved the Hawks to within two points of the Blues and six of the Predators. It also kept the red-hot Wild four points back in fourth place.

"You always think it's up for grabs," Hawks winger Patrick Sharp said of the division race. "There are a lot of great teams in the Central but if you look at how things played out last year … St. Louis was doing well all season long and Colorado caught them the last week. You never know what happens. We are watching the standings. You do all season long, all 82 games, but the most important thing is how you're playing as a team and that's what we're more focused on right now."

Antoine Vermette scored the game-winner in the shootout against the Oilers and goaltender Corey Crawford out-dueled Ben Scrivens to earn the victory. Brent Seabrook scored in regulation for the Hawks while Derek Roy did the same for the Oilers.

"Especially toward the end here teams are getting better so you can't give up points," Crawford said. "You have to get as many as you can. This was a really good win for us … not scoring all game but sticking with it and coming back and getting that extra point in the shootout."

While the Predators were building a double-digit points lead, planted somewhere in the back of the Hawks' collective mind was the idea that they eventually might get their turn to make a run.

"Nashville had a tough week and there's some room there," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Everybody is going to have some good and bad stretches over the course of the year. They were on an amazing pace … (and) I don't think they had a hiccup all year long. But St. Louis … I'm sure they're thinking of the top and we're looking at catching them. There's a lot of hockey left and there are a lot of teams in our division that all think they have a chance, too, so there's a lot to be sorted out."

Said winger Kris Versteeg: "Sometimes, you think teams will come back to earth. The (Predators) are still a great team but … you do think some teams will go through a bit of a tough stretch. That's just the way it is. It doesn't mean they're a bad team at all. All three teams are kind of going through a tough stretch at the same time and now it's about finding a way to get out of that and work through the adversity and try to catch that team ahead of you."

The Blues and Predators were both idle Friday night and following the Hawks' victory, they have played one more game than the Blues but have a game on hand with the Preds. The Hawks are done with the Preds but will face the Blues twice in the final week of the regular season.

"We understand where we're at right now but it's not so much looking ahead at the top team, it's now looking ahead at the next team and that's St. Louis," Versteeg said. "Hopefully we'll string a few wins together and catch a team like St. Louis before you even look at Nashville."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.07.2015


Friday's recap: Blackhawks 2, Oilers 1 (SO)

By Chris Kuc

Antoine Vermette scores the game-winner in 2-1 shootout victory over the Oilers.

Antoine Vermette scored the game-winner in the shootout and Brent Seabrook had a goal in regulation to lift the Blackhawks to a 2-1 victory over the Oilers on Friday night at the United Center. Corey Crawford out-dueled Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens to earn the victory as the Hawks won for the fourth time in their last five games. Derek Roy scored in regulation for the Oilers, who fell for the fifth time in their last six contests.

Tribune's three stars

1. Crawford: Net-minder was brilliant with 46 saves in regulation and three more in the shootout.

2. Scrivens: Very strong effort in the loss, finishing with 38 saves.

3. Seabrook: Tied the game late to push it to overtime and the shootout.

The quote

"Jonathan (Toews) said something before I jumped on. It kind of got my attention and it worked out. It's a secret, I can't say. No, he said it looked like something might be … available in the five-hole." — Vermette on his move in the shootout

Coming soon

Hawks defenseman Johnny Oduya was on the ice for the Hawks' morning skate and said afterward that he is targeting a return to the lineup next week. The veteran, who missed his fifth game in a row after suffering an upper-body injury Feb. 22 against the Bruins, said he is taking his time to make sure he's 100 percent.

"You don't want to have setbacks that will set you back more than maybe getting one or two days up front," Oduya said. "I'm just trying to be smart and prepare."

Key number

750. Career regular-season games for Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith.

Roster report

Andrew Desjardins made his Hawks debut after being acquired in a trade with the Sharks on Monday. Healthy scratches for the Hawks were Daniel Carcillo and Teuvo Teravainen. Sitting for the Oilers were Keith Aulie and Iiro Pakarinen.

Up next

Vs. Rangers, 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the United Center.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.07.2015


Hawks exec John McDonough shares his knowledge with Leo students

Posted: 03/07/2015, 12:04am

BY DAN McGRATH

Patrick Kane and Blackhawks executive Jay Blunk had just returned from the 2008 NHL awards ceremony in Toronto, where Kane received the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year.

Eight months earlier, Blunk and his boss, John McDonough, had come to the Hawks from the Cubs, which at the time was like trading in a Cadillac for a used Gremlin. The Cubs represented sellout crowds, absurdly loyal fans and a media profile second only to the Bears among local outlets.

The Hawks? Remember when home games weren’t televised and a United Center “crowd” was a misnomer?

As he and Kane moved through O’Hare in anonymity and stood at the baggage carousel unrecognized, Blunk realized the enormity of the task at hand. That one of the bright young stars in hockey was a virtual unknown in the city where he played spoke grimly of how irrelevant the Hawks had become to the Chicago sports scene.

“My job,” Blunk remembers telling Kane, “is to make sure this never happens again.”

Be careful what you wish for. The Hawks have won two Stanley Cup championships in the six subsequent years, with Kane and captain Jonathan Toews as front men for a young, dynamic core that has elevated hockey interest to unprecedented heights locally while restoring the team’s Original Six luster.

The Hawks, it’s safe to say, are not only the most successful team in town, they’re the coolest. And with that stature has come a level of media interest Blunk could not have envisioned as he and Kane moved undisturbed through O’Hare’s bustling maze of terminals 6½ years ago.

Much of that is McDonough’s doing — he’s as adroit handling reporters as anyone I’ve encountered over my time in this business. Moreover, repairing the sorry state of Hawks’ media relations was a top priority when he took over as team president.

McDonough also is extremely image-conscious. That side of him recognizes that media interest can be a two-edged sword, which he acknowledged in a chat with our students Friday at Leo High School.

It’s a sign of the times, as well as of the Hawks’ rock-star status, that media scrutiny now routinely crosses the line into the very personal, with one desperate-for-attention website regurgitating every rumor it can get its ears around and talk radio raising the ante with a typically reckless disdain for accountability.

Unless it involves conduct that could get him jailed or, perhaps, traded, an athlete’s personal life is nobody’s business. But that fading newspaper standard has gone the way of movie listings and the classified ads in an age when anyone with a laptop and Internet access can pose as a journalist.

That’s me ranting, not McDonough.

A less confident executive might have begged off from the Leo appearance until the nonsense recedes and the noise dies down, but McDonough showed up as promised, explaining that facing the music goes with his job and offers an opportunity to get his side of the story told. He answered every question, though the students were less interested in who’s sleeping with whom among the Hawks than in how a working-class kid born two neighborhoods southeast of Leo becomes one of the most powerful sports figures in Chicago.

It made for a good story. The kids ate it up.

As I listened to the conversation, I found myself thinking about how sports coverage has changed during the time I’ve been involved with it, and not for the better, I fear. I always kind of hoped that the athletes I was writing about would be good people, as well as good performers, and quite a few of them truly were. But I never expected it, especially not after writing a glowing feature about a young star’s renewed commitment to family and seeing, on

the first trip of the season, the young star leaving his hotel room with a woman who was not his wife.

He cornered me at the ballpark that night and insisted I hear an explanation that was lamer than the act that prompted it. But I never gave a thought to writing about his dalliance — not my concern. These days, somebody probably would.

Becoming great at anything requires a single-minded self-absorption that might leave an athlete unaware of, or unconcerned with, the qualities that go into being a good person. It’s always best to let the performance speak for itself. I wouldn’t care to have a beer with Barry Bonds, but I’d pay to watch him hit.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.07.2015


Blackhawks beat Oilers 2-1 on Antoine Vermette goal in shootout

Posted: 03/06/2015, 10:18pm | Mark Potash

Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp is stopped by Ben Scrivens on a breakaway in the second period Friday night.

For newcomer Antoine Vermette, it was an introduction to what the Blackhawks are all about — an uneven effort against an overmatched opponent; Corey Crawford making 46 saves to keep the Hawks in it; Brent Seabrook scoring the tying goal with a slap shot late in regulation.

And with a bonus — Vermette made the difference.

Taking advantage of coach Joel Quenneville’s faith in him and a tip from captain Jonathan Toews, Vermette scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Hawks a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night before 22,017 at the United Center.

“I didn’t know [what move to use],” said Vermette, who went forehand to backhand to beat nearly indomitable Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens. “I was approaching the goalie, trying to see my options.

“Jonathan said something before I jumped out there that he saw and it kind of got my attention. He said it looked like something might be available on the five-hold. It worked out.”

The shaky performance against the last-place Oilers (18-36-11) was the Hawks’ second consecutive victory since acquiring Vermette from the Arizona Coyotes and defenseman Kimmo Timonen from the Philadelphia Flyers. It moved the Hawks within two points of the second-place Blues and six points of the first-place Predators — and kept them four points ahead of the hard-charging Wild — in the Central Division.

It easily could have been a discouraging loss, as the Blackhawks after a sloppy first period, missed one chance after another in the final two periods. But Crawford made every big save against an unexpected barrage. The Oilers, who had been averaging 23 shots on goal in their last eight games, fired 47 at Crawford.

Still, it looked like his effort would be for naught, until Seabrook fired a slap shot past Scrivens with 6:02 left in the third period. It was Seabrook’s eighth goal of the season, with Toews and Marian Hossa assisting.

Crawford did the rest.

“Corey’s great. He kept us in the game,” Quenneville said. “They had a chance to go up by two on several occasions. I think we missed some high-quality chances around the net. We didn’t bury it. It looked like an empty cage on a few of them.

“But we hung in there. We’ll take the two points. It wasn’t our best, but certainly the two [points] are very valuable.”

Crawford allowed only Derek Roy’s first-period goal on a nifty spin move in the slot after a Hawks turnover behind their net. He stopped all three Oilers shots in the shootout — by Roy, Jordan Eberle and Teddy Purcell.

“We stuck with our game. We didn’t get frustrated,” Crawford said. “Their goalie was making some big saves. Their guys were getting in front and making blocks. But we kept playing, kept getting chances. It’s nice to get that one.”

“He was really solid,” Vermette said. “I’ve been here for two games — it’s certainly something I’ve noticed right off the bat. He’s a very strong goaltender. Gave us a great chance tonight. Sometimes you’ve got to win those 2-1 games and certainly he stood up big for us and gave us a chance.”

Vermette actually had several chances of his own to be the hero much earlier — including one golden opportunity on a fabulous behind-the-back pass from Niklas Hjalmarsson right in front of the Oilers net that was foiled by Scrivens.

“That was a great play [by Hjalmarsson],” Vermette said. “I saw him dangling. I had the best seat in the house to see him dangling in the sky. When he passed to me, I tried to out-wait the goalie to make him move and spread his legs a little bit. He made a good save.”

Vermette had other chances, but couldn’t not connect. But it’s only his second game with the Hawks.

“I try to see the positive,” Vermette said. “As a player experience tells you that’s a good sign. If you keep doing the right things, you’re going to get rewarded. We got a few chances myself around the net, wouldn’t go in — hit a few sakes on their D. But you stick with it, you’re going to get rewarded.”

Vermette is feeling rejuvenated after going from a non-playoff team to a Stanley Cup contender. He feels it.

“I haven’t been around here long, but I know what this team is capable of,” he said. “I’m sure it could be better. But the way it felt out there, it seems like we’re getting a lot of chances. Not necessarily getting shots on net. They blocked a lot of shots. But we were around the net and eventually if you keep doing the right things, eventually it’s going to go the right way.”

It bodes well for Vermette’s as he gets acclimated to the Hawks. He’s the kind of two-way player Quenneville gives a longer leash to than most. That Quenneville gave him the opportunity in a key moment in the shootout figures to help Vermette in his transition to a new team.

“I didn’t know what to expect [in the shootout]. It’s something we discussed in practice,” Vermette said. “It’s a position I’ve been comfortable [in] the last couple of years. I appreciate the trust. It was a good win.”

Whether it’s something to build on remains to be seen. With back-to-back victories, the Hawks will be attempting to win three consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 11 when they face the Rangers (39-17-7) on Sunday at the United Center.



Johnny Oduya set to return, likely against Coyotes on Thursday

Posted: 03/06/2015, 01:13pm | Mark Potash

Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (left, vs. the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 16) has two points and five points and is a minus-9 in 60 games this season.

Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya figures to join a better team than the one he left when he returns next week, likely against the Arizona Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz. next Thursday. The big question is whether the Hawks will be getting a better Oduya.

The 33-year-old veteran has missed the last four games since suffering an upper-body injury in a dreadful 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins at the United Center that marked the low point of the season for the Blackhawks. They had lost three consecutive games and five out of seven (2-3-2) when Oduya went out and Oduya’s struggles in a difficult season (two goals, five points, minus-9 in 60 games) were a contributing factor.

Oduya skated with his teammates at the Blackhawks morning skate on Friday at the United Center in preparation for Friday night’s game against the last-place Edmonton Oilers.

“It’s coming along good. I felt pretty good,” Oduya said. “Obviously nice coming back and skating with the guys after being in isolation for 10 days, so it’s nice to be back with the guys on the ice.

“You don’t want to miss any games. [But] that’s the reality of the [season]. Things happen. You do the best you can to stay healthy and if you do get hurt, you do the best you can to get back as quickly as possible.”

Though he will have missed 18 days since suffering the injury, he said he does not expect to have to ease back into it upon his return.

“I think any time, especially now, you’re out for a couple of games you want to make sure you’re in good shape and prepared the right way,” Oduya said. “Any time I go on the ice, I go full-throttle. I’m not going to pace myself. ”

Since Oduya left the lineup, the Blackhawks have lost Patrick Kane until late May with a broken clavicle, but added center Antoine Vermette, defenseman Kimmo Timonen and center Andrew Desjardins in trade-deadline deals. Even in the wake of the devastating loss of Kane, those moves appear to have invigorated the Hawks, who have won three of four games since Oduya was injured.

“I think it’s great,” Oduya said when asked about general manager Stan Bowman’s trade-deadline acquisitions. “Two great hockey players that are really good teammates. Vermy [Vermette] I played juniors with, so I know him from before. Kimmo obviously has been around for a long time. Just a solid guy, a good person. I think that’s that’s tremendous and is going to help our team a lot.”



Preds' losing streak gives Blackhawks hope of catching up

John Dietz

Just a week and a half ago, it seemed pure fantasy that the Blackhawks or Blues could catch the Predators for the Central Division title.

But suddenly, Nashville's vaunted defense and goaltending have sprung a leak and one of the NHL's top teams is in the midst of an ugly five-game losing streak. Goalie Pekka Rinne (.926) still ranks fifth in the league in save percentage, but he has stopped just 88.2 percent of his shots in his last four games.

"Yeah, five in a row … it's hard to believe," Predators center Mike Ribeiro told reporters after a 4-3 loss to the Islanders on Thursday. "But I think it's a good test, now that we're in this situation, to really battle out of it. No one said it was going to be an easy season. Now it's time to grind it out."

Four of the five losses have come against the top teams in the league, including one against Minnesota, which is 17-3-2 since Jan. 15. Nashville's schedule lightens up a bit with the next four games coming against Winnipeg (76 points), Arizona (49), San Jose (72) and Los Angeles (74).

This skid has allowed the Hawks to creep within 8 points of the Predators while playing two fewer games. But Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg and coach Joel Quenneville said their team isn't focused on Nashville just yet.

"Let's look to catch the team ahead of us (St. Louis)," Quenneville said. "I think that's our motivation. … Certainly Nashville had a tough week and everybody's going to have some good and bad stretches over the course of the year. Ourselves, we're looking to put a good stretch together."

Said Versteeg about watching the standings: "You pay attention, but it's not like it keeps you up all night. … Hopefully in the end you do catch that team ahead of you. We understand where we're at, and we know we need wins to get home-ice advantage."

Oduya skates:

Defenseman Johnny Oduya was on the ice Friday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on Feb. 22. The Hawks are hoping to have him back for Thursday's game at Arizona.

"It felt pretty good, obviously nice to come back and skate with the guys (after) being in isolation for 10 days," he said.

The 33-year-old veteran said there will be no easing back into the lineup, promising to "go full throttle" when he gets the green light.

"I'm not going to pace myself," he said.

'Excited' about debut:

Andrew Desjardins, whom the Hawks acquired from San Jose at the trade deadline Monday for Ben Smith, was asked how he was feeling hours before stepping on the United Center ice for the first time as a Blackhawk.

"I'm excited, but I'm also trying to stay composed a bit," Desjardins said. "I don't want to be going too crazy out there and having too much energy out there."

He also said he expected the national anthem to "fire me up. I can't wait."

He said it:

"It's a compliment to his consistency, his professionalism, his approach. When you talk about leaders, Johnny comes to the forefront of a lot of people's minds, including ours. Game in, game out he wants to be the best he can be. As a group, we couldn't ask for a better leader."

-- Coach Joel Quenneville on Jonathan Toews reaching the 20-goal mark in all eight of his NHL seasons

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.07.2015


Hawks' Teravainen has special mentor in Timonen

By Brian Hedger

Like most young Finnish hockey players, Teuvo Teravainen idolized Kimmo Timonen when he was young.

Years later, a trade last weekend made the 20-year old Teravainen teammates with the 39-year old Timonen on the Blackhawks.

He also become the veteran defenseman's chauffeur, of sorts, since they're staying at the same hotel.

"It's nice, but at the same time I've been driving him all around and he's the new guy here," Teravainen said after practice Thursday at Johnny's IceHouse West.

"He's asking me the questions like, 'What's going on there and there?' so it's kind of nice for (an) older guy, like, asking me the questions now. I've been asking everyone else (those questions). Now I know something."

Timonen knows more, of course, about life and hockey.

After battling blood clots for more than six months, he just started his 16th NHL season while playing for his third team.

Timonen, who has played in five Olympics for Finland, is comfortable mentoring a top young prospect like Teravainen -- even if his stint with the Blackhawks is just a handful of regular-season games plus the postseason.

"I like the kid," said Timonen, who made his season and Blackhawks debut Monday. "He could be my son almost. Obviously he's a little shy and quiet, but I'm sure I can help.

"If he's got something on his mind, he can talk in Finnish to me. He's got a lot of skill, but he's got a lot of work to do, that's for sure."

That work will have wait a little longer.

Teravainen appears headed for a healthy scratch Friday when the Hawks play the Edmonton Oilers at the United Center.

He played Monday against the Carolina Hurricane and showed some elite puck-handling skills, but coach Joel Quenneville wants to get his first look at newly acquired forward Andrew Desjardins at right wing on the third line.

Terevainen has 3 goals and 2 assists in 18 games with the Hawks but is more of an extra top-six forward.

Even without injured right wing Patrick Kane, there's just no room on the top two lines for the highly skilled Teravainen.

Quenneville likes to have a harder edge to the wingers on his checking lines, but he didn't sound displeased with Teravainen's latest performance.

He played with more confidence, which brought out some of the elite skills that convinced the Hawks to pick him 18th overall in the 2012 NHL draft.

The hope now is that hanging around with Timonen will bring out even more.

"That is something (Blackhawks general manager) Stan Bowman and I discussed when the trade was completed," said Markus Lehto, the Chicago-based agent for both players.

"He asked me, 'Is Kimmo the kind of a guy that can even help Teuvo?' And I said, 'You cannot find a better Finnish hockey player for a person who would be kind of a mentor and a buddy to deal with Teravainen.'

"Teuvo can learn just being close to him. Not just stuff that relates to his hockey, but his personal life."

It only has been a few days, but that process already has begun.

"He's a great guy," Teravainen said of Timonen. "It's great to have him here. I say he's like a dad for me here. It's great. He's seen the world. He's played 1,000 games, so he's got the experience."



Blackhawks fan cut by flying glass, chooses to finish game

Associated Press

CHICAGO -- A woman hit in the head by glass dislodged after a hard check into the boards in Friday's Oilers- Blackhawks game wrapped a cloth around her head as bandage and chose to stay and watch the rest of the hockey game.

The Blackhawks did not have the woman's name or much information after the game.

But Blackhawks TV play-by-play announcer Pat Foley said the woman was her 20s and was at her first Blackhawks game.

The glass was knocked out during the first period when Edmonton's Benoit Pouliot checked Chicago's Niklas Hjalmarsson into the boards.

According to Foley, the woman who looked to be in her 20s, sitting in the first or second row and wearing a red Blackhawks jersey, needed stitches, but planned to get them after the game.

She was attended to by the United Center staff.



Vermette's shootout goal lifts Blackhawks over Oilers 2-1

By MATT CARLSON

CHICAGO -- It didn't take long for the acquistion of Antoine Vermette to pay off for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Vermette, playing in his second game with Chicago, scored the lone goal of the shootout in the third round, giving the Blackhawks a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

Vermette, who came in a trade last Saturday from the sagging Arizona Coyotes, missed on several chances in regulation, but finally beat Ben Scrivens on a backhander in the tiebreaker.

"I haven't been here for a long time, but I know what this team is capable of," Vermette said. "It's nice we stuck with it and came away with two points."

The Blackhawks picked up the 32-year-old Vermette in a move to bolster their offense after leading scorer Patrick Kane underwent surgery last week for a broken collarbone. Vermette has scored on nine of his last 18 shootout attempts over the last two seasons. Six of those have decided games.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville was well aware of that stat when he made his picks for the shootout. Vermette followed Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp, who were stopped in the tiebreaker.

"We were visiting where he's at, where he's used, his effectiveness," Quenneville said. "That was very timely. I think that will be good for him as well. He can get excited going forward."

Chicago's Corey Crawford made 46 saves through overtime, then stopped all three Oilers in the shootout. The Blackhawks improved to 3-1 without Kane.

Chicago's Brent Seabrook scored on a screened drive from the blue line - and on the Blackhawks' 33rd shot - to tie the game with 7:02 left in the third period, spoiling Scrivens' shutout bid and setting up overtime.

"We stuck with our game," Crawford said. "We didn't get frustrated.

"Their goalie made some big saves and their guys were getting in front and making blocks. We kept playing, kept getting chances, and it was nice to get that one."

Edmonton's Derek Roy scored in the first period on a nifty move following a broken play and Scrivens finished with 38 saves through overtime.

Scrivens was sharp in blocking several prime Chicago chances through overtime. The Blackhawks struggled to maintain consistent pace and pressure against scrappy Edmonton, in last place in the Western Conference.

The injury-depleted Oilers, owners of the second-worst record in the NHL, opened a five-game road trip with seven regulars out. They've lost three straight and five of six.

"All 20 guys played hard, starting with Benny," Oilers coach Todd Nelson said. "He had an outstanding game.

"But I thought our whole team played well. I thought it was a game where we had opportunities that we could maybe score some goals. Crawford played outstanding."

Chicago had several early chances, including a point-blank attempt by Vermette, but was burned by sloppy play in a freely skated first.

Edmonton came on late, outshot Chicago 18-12 for the period and took a 1-0 lead on Roy's goal after Chicago's Duncan Keith lost the puck along the back boards. Chicago had players in position to recover, but Edmonton's Nail Yakupov slipped the puck into the slot, where Roy was wide open. He fired into an empty net after Crawford overreacted to Roy's fake and slid too far to his left.

"Missing some guys out of the lineup and the young guys came and played really well for us, Roy said. "We did a good job generating offense on a good hockey team."

The Blackhawks generated pressure and scoring opportunities in the second period, but Scrivens preserved the one-goal lead.

He stopped slumping Patrick Sharp on a breakaway. Sharp, who led Chicago last season with 34 goals and 78 points, has gone 17 games without a goal and has just two assists in his last 16.

Scrivens reacted quickly to deny Marian Hossa from the slot, then Jonathan Toews on a rebound from the edge of the crease.

Scrivens kicked out his left leg to make a close-in pad save on Kris Versteeg in the third. And Crawford made a point-blank stop on Justin Schultz with 40 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, Scrivens stopped David Rundblad in close and a tip-in attempt by Seabrook.

NOTES: The Blackhawks improved to 9-3 in shootout. Edmonton dropped to 5-5. . F Andrew Desjardins, acquired from San Jose hours before Monday's trade deadline, made his Blackhawks debut. Top prospect F Teuvo Teravainen and F Daniel Carcillo were Chicago's healthy scratches. ... Blackhawks D Johnny Oduya (upper-body injury), missed his fifth game, but has resumed skating and hopes to return next week. ... Edmonton's injury list includes F Taylor Hall (leg), F Tyler Pitlick (lacerated spleen), D Nikita Nikitin (shoulder), G Viktor Fasth (knee), C Anton Lander (shoulder) and F Iiro Pakarinen (knee).



Vermette's shootout goal lifts Blackhawks over Oilers 2-1

By MATT CARLSON

CHICAGO -- Newcomer Antoine Vermette scored the lone goal of the shootout in the third round, giving the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

Vermette, acquired on Saturday from Phoenix, missed on several chances in regulation, but beat Ben Scrivens on a backhander in the tiebreaker.

Chicago's Corey Crawford made 46 saves through overtime, then stopped all three Oilers in the shootout. The Blackhawks improved to 3-1 without injured leading scorer Patrick Kane.

Chicago's Brent Seabrook scored on a screened drive from the blue line - and on the Blackhawks' 33rd shot - to tie the game with 7:02 left in the third period, spoiling Scrivens' shutout bid and setting up overtime.

Edmonton's Derek Roy scored in the first period on a broken play and Scrivens finished with 38 saves through overtime.

Scrivens was sharp in blocking several prime Chicago chances through overtime. The Blackhawks struggled to maintain consistent pace and pressure against scrappy Edmonton, in last place in the Western Conference.

The injury-depleted Oilers, owners of the second-worst record in the NHL, opened a five-game road trip with seven regulars out. They've lost three straight and five of six.

Chicago had several early chances, including a point-blank attempt by Vermette, but was burned by sloppy play in a freely skated first.

Edmonton came on late, outshot Chicago 18-12 for the period and took a 1-0 lead on Roy's goal after Chicago's Duncan Keith lost the puck along the back boards. Chicago had players in position to recover, but Edmonton's Nail Yakupov slipped the puck into the slot, where Roy was wide open. He fired into an empty net after Crawford overreacted and slid too far to his left.

The Blackhawks generated pressure and scoring opportunities in the second period, but Scrivens preserved the one-goal lead.

He stopped slumping Patrick Sharp on a breakaway. Sharp, who led Chicago last season with 34 goals and 78 points, has gone 17 games without a goal and has just two assists in his last 16.

Scrivens reacted quickly to deny Marian Hossa from the slot, then Jonathan Toews on a rebound from the edge of the crease. He got help blocking shots from a cluster of teammates with just over a minute left in the second as the Blackhawks jammed the net area.

Scrivens kicked out his left leg to make a close-in pad save on Kris Versteeg in the third. And Crawford made a point-blank stop on Justin Schultz with 40 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, Scrivens stopped David Rundblad in close and a tip-in attempt by Seabrook.

NOTES: F Andrew Desjardins, acquired from San Jose hours before Monday's trade deadline, made his Blackhawks debut. Top prospect F Teuvo Teravainen and F Daniel Carcillo were Chicago's healthy scratches. . Blackhawks D Johnny Oduya (upper-body injury), missed his fifth game, but has resumed skating and hopes to return next week. . Edmonton's injury list includes F Taylor Hall (leg), F Tyler Pitlick (lacerated spleen), D Nikita Nikitin (shoulder), G Viktor Fasth (knee), C Anton Lander (shoulder) and F Iiro Pakarinen (knee).



Toews' tip gives Vermette, Hawks the winning edge

John Dietz

Give Antoine Vermette credit.

The new Blackhawks center already knows to listen closely when The Captain gives you advice.

It was a brief comment from Jonathan Toews that gave Vermette some valuable information when he jumped on the ice as the shootout's third shooter Friday night at the United Center, with a chance to send 22,017 fans home happy.

"Jonathan said something before I jumped on there that he saw," Vermette said. "It got my attention."

Vermette, playing in just his second game as a Hawk, proceeded to slip the puck under Ben Scrivens' legs, giving the Blackhawks a 2-1 victory and a 9-3 record in shootouts this season.

So what did Toews tell Vermette?

"It's a secret. I can't tell you," said the affable Vermette, cracking up the media horde in front of his locker.

But then he gave up the secret, saying Toews told him "something might be available in the five-hole."

Corey Crawford made 46 saves as the Hawks climbed within 2 points of St. Louis and 6 of division-leading Nashville.

"Corey's great. Real solid. Kept us in the game," said coach Joel Quenneville.

Scrivens was equally impressive, turning away 38 shots, many from point-blank range.

"He was amazing," Vermette said. "He was really big for them."

Quenneville gave Vermette a chance in the shootout based on the veteran's impressive numbers over the last two seasons. He's now 9-for-18 since the beginning of the 2013-14 campaign.

"We were visiting where he's at, where he's used," Quenneville said. "He's coming off two real good years. Very timely. I think that'll be good for him as well. Everybody leaves happy and can get excited going forward."

It nearly didn't turn out that way, however, as Edmonton held a 1-0 lead throughout much of the game and took the most shots of any Hawks opponent all season.

But Brent Seabrook saved the day by scoring on a blast from just inside the blue line with 6:02 left in the game. It was his eighth of the season and broke his 28-game goal-scoring drought.

Edmonton nearly won it late in overtime when the Hawks were caught in a change, creating a perfectly-spaced 3-on-2. But Duncan Keith showed why he's one of the best defensemen in the league by poke-checking the puck away and sending the game into the shootout.

The Hawks had multiple scoring opportunities turned away all night by Scrivens. The first came about eight minutes in when Niklas Hjalmarsson made a gorgeous pass to Vermette, who tried to make a move but was stoned by Scrivens.

Other great opportunities came on a Patrick Sharp breakaway, a Jonathan Toews rebound attempt and a Marian Hossa-Toews-Kris Versteeg flurry in a four-second span that Scrivens deftly turned away.

"I think we missed some high-quality chances around the net that we didn't bury where it looked like we had an empty cage," Quenneville said. "Hung in there (though). We'll take the 2 points. It wasn't our best, but the 2 are very valuable."

Said Vermette: "It's so exciting. The end result, getting 2 points being surrounded with the atmosphere around here – it's a great feeling."



Konroyd's keys to a Blackhawks win: Keep it simple

March 6, 2015, 2:15 pm

Steve Konroyd

1. Score the game's first goal: The Blackhawks have a lot of success when they score the games first goal; they're 27-7-2 with the initial light lamp. Recently, it’s been even more pronounced. Keep in mind, the Edmonton Oilers have allowed a league-leading first goal of the game 41 times this year already. They have only gone on to win eight of those contests. Make sure we hear Chelsea Dagger after the game's first goal.

2. Keep it simple: When the Hawks play the Oilers, chances are you are going to see some goals. Four of the last five games have seen the teams combine to score seven or more goals. Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa have already combined for nine points in the two games these teams played thus far. When you start to think scoring, you often get burned. Play a simplified game. Get it in at their end and get it out at yours. If you get into a track meet with these guys, you could end up on the wrong end of the score.

3. Aggressive forecheck: The Oilers lost a pretty good defenseman at the trade deadline in Jeff Petry. There may be some names back there for Edmonton that aren’t recognizable. It doesn’t mean they’re not good, but it does mean they lack experience. Oesterle, Klefbom and Marincin each have less than 70 NHL games experience under their belts. They might get intimidated by the Madhouse on Madison and rush their plays. Get the puck deep, and get on their D.



Johnny Oduya likely to return to Blackhawks next week

March 6, 2015, 1:00 pm

Tracey Myers

Johnny Oduya is feeling better each day he skates, and the Blackhawks defenseman said he should return to the lineup soon.

Oduya is out for Friday night and Sunday’s games but should play when the Blackhawks head on their trip to Arizona and San Jose next week. Oduya, who suffered an upper-body injury early in the Blackhawks’ Feb. 22 game against the Boston Bruins, said he’s not quite 100 percent but he’s getting there.

“It’s coming along good,” said Oduya, who joined the Blackhawks’ morning skate on Friday. “Obviously it’s nice to skate with the guys after being in isolation (solo skating) for 10 days or something like that.”

Oduya was hit along the boards early in the Blackhawks’ 6-2 loss to Boston. He said he was injured “in that incident but it wasn’t really the hit that made the biggest difference.” He said returning Sunday would be a little premature; the Blackhawks’ next game after that is Thursday in Arizona.

When he does return, Oduya expects to be 100 percent with nothing holding him back from playing his game immediately.

“I think any time, especially when you’ve been out for a couple of games, you want to make sure you’re in good shape and prepared the right way,” he said. “Any time I go on the ice I go full throttle. I’m not going to pace myself.”

Tidbits

• The Oilers enter Friday’s game having lost four of their last five games. Ben Scrivens is expected to get the start.

• Duncan Keith will play in his 750th career NHL game tonight.

[RELATED - Duncan Keith makes Blackhawks fan's dream come true]

• Blackhawks center Brad Richards is one point away from 900 for his NHL career. Richards hasn’t recorded a point in his last three games.

• Andrew Desjardins will make his Blackhawks debut tonight. He’ll play on the third line’s right wing, with Bryan Bickell and Richards.



Five things from Blackhawks-Oilers: Another slow start

March 7, 2015, 12:15 am

Tracey Myers

There have been ups and downs. There have been slow starts and hectic endings. There have been key players lost and key players acquired.

Through it all the Blackhawks have kept collecting points, winning four of their last five games including Friday night’s 2-1 shootout victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Certainly the Blackhawks would like to have more complete efforts leading to those points but at this time of year, every point is a valuable one regardless of how it looks collecting it.

So as the Blackhawks get back into the thick of the Central Division race, let’s look at Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ latest victory:

1. Gentlemen, start your engines - Maybe someone should wave a green flag for extra measure to get the Blackhawks’ attention because, once again, they were not ready at the start on Friday night. The Blackhawks went from listless through the first 20 minutes to decent in the second 20; the Oilers, however, were the more aggressive team through the first 40 minutes. The Blackhawks finally woke up in the third to tie the game and eventually win it, but as Kris Versteeg said, “they really put the full-court press on the first two periods. Once we got desperation back we found our game. But that’s not the 60 [minutes] we want to play.”

2. Well done, Corey Crawford - If anyone in a Blackhawks uniform showed up for all 60 – make that 65-plus – minutes, it was Crawford. After a shutout in Florida and a victory over Carolina on Monday, Crawford stopped a career-high 46 shots on 47 saves on Friday. With his latest numbers Crawford’s goals-against is back to 2.26 and his save percentage is .922, good for 10th in the NHL. If not for his outing, the Blackhawks don’t even get a sniff at a shootout.

3. Vermette in his (shootout) element - Antoine Vermette has always been pretty solid in the shootout department. On Friday, after being thwarted on some good scoring chances in regulation and overtime, Vermette was rewarded in that shootout. Vermette got some good advice from Jonathan Toews in the shootout – basically, he told him, “go five-hole” – and heeded it, scoring the game-winner. Not a bad second game for him. “It’s a position I’ve been comfortable with the last few years,” Vermette said of the shootout. “I appreciate the trust. It was a good win.”

4. Defense needs to tighten - The Blackhawks – make that Crawford – only gave up one goal but they gave up a lot of shots (47). That’s not their way. They had some bad turnovers, most of which Crawford kept from becoming goals and obviously allowed too many shots to get through them. Coach Joel Quenneville said the Blackhawks cannot be happy with that number.

5. Hat’s off to Ben Scrivens, too - If you came to Friday’s game hoping for a goaltending faceoff, you didn’t walk away disappointed. Scrivens was just as good as Crawford in regulation and overtime. When the Blackhawks had chances at the doorstep, he stopped them all. If not for getting screened by his teammates on Brent Seabrook’s shot late in the third period, we may be talking about his shutout instead of Crawford’s victory.



Corey Crawford huge as Blackhawks get clutch to beat Oilers

Tracey Myers

March 6, 2015, 10:30 pm

Antoine Vermette had a few prime scoring chances that he just missed against the Edmonton Oilers. But the newest Blackhawks forward didn’t get discouraged.

“Usually it’s a good sign,” Vermette said of the several good opportunities. “You keep doing the right thing, you get rewarded.”

In the shootout, he was.

Vermette scored the shootout winner and Corey Crawford stopped 46 of 47 shots in a stellar outing as the Blackhawks came back to beat the Edmonton Oilers, 2-1, on Friday night. The Blackhawks, who have won two in a row and four of their last five, are now just two points behind second-place St. Louis (85) in the Central Division. They trail division-leading Nashville (89) by six.

For most of the evening, however, the Blackhawks looked like they weren’t going to get any points out of this one. They looked sluggish early. They committed turnovers. They couldn’t complete simple passes from one teammate to another. The Oilers were the more aggressive squad, taking advantage of those miscues and turning them into great scoring chances.

And if not for Crawford, the Oilers would’ve scored on more than one of those chances.

“He was really solid,” Vermette said. “I’ve been here for two games, but it’s certainly something I noticed off the bat. He’s a strong goaltender. He stood up big, gave us a chance tonight.”

So when the third period began, with the Oilers still clinging to the 1-0 lead Derek Roy gave them late in the first period, the Blackhawks brought the energy and desperation that wasn’t there through the first 40 minutes. Ben Scrivens, who was as stingy as Crawford through most of this one, finally broke late in the third. Brent Seabrook’s blue-line shot got through a few Edmonton players and Scrivens to tie the game 1-1 with 6:02 remaining in regulation.

Then came Vermette’s last scoring opportunity of the night. He had a quick talk with Jonathan Toews, who missed on his chance to start the shootout.

“He said there may be something available five-hole there,” Vermette recalled.

Obviously there was, because that’s where Vermette put the shot, a backhand that gave the Blackhawks that much-needed second point.

It was another game in which the Blackhawks didn’t get the start they wanted but got the points they needed. As Kris Versteeg said, the Blackhawks can’t get into we-can-come-back mode too often — “you can’t make it a habit; it’s (happened) a little too much this season.” But for at least one more game, they’ll take it.

“Corey was great; real solid, kept us in the game, and they had a chance to go ahead by two on a few occasions. We missed some high-quality chances around the net we didn’t bury; it looked like we had an empty cage on a few,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We’ll take the two points. It’s certainly not our best, but the two (points) are very valuable.”



W2W4: Oilers at Blackhawks

March, 6, 201512:23PM CT

Powers By Scott Powers

CHICAGO -- Here’s what to watch for when the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers play at the United Center on Friday:

• The Blackhawks and Oilers’ previous matchups were each lopsided. The Blackhawks defeated the Oilers 7-1 in Edmonton on Nov. 22 and lost to them 5-2 in Edmonton on Jan. 9.

• The Central Division is getting more and more interesting by the day. The Nashville Predators are still in first place with 89 points through 66 games, but they have lost their last five games in regulation. The St. Louis Blues are in second place with 85 points through 64 games and are followed by the Blackhawks with 81 points through 64 games, the Minnesota Wild with 77 points through 64 games and the Winnipeg Jets with 76 points through 65 games.

• The Oilers have the second-worst record in the league. They are 18-36-10 with 46 points. They are on a two-game losing streak and 3-6-1 in the last 10 games.

• Jonathan Toews is carrying the hot stick for the Blackhawks. He has scored in four of the last five games and has five goals and one assist during that span. He’s second on the team to Patrick Kane, who is out the remainder of the regular season, with 53 points.

• The Blackhawks’ morning-skate lines were Kris Versteeg – Toews – Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp – Antoine Vermette – Brandon Saad, Bryan Bickell – Brad Richards – Andrew Desjardins, Joakim Nordstrom – Marcus Kruger – Andrew Shaw. The defenseman pairings are expected to be Duncan Keith – David Rundblad, Kimmo Timonen – Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson – Michal Rozsival.

• Desjardins is making his debut for the Blackhawks after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks on Monday. Vermette and Timonen are playing in their second game with the Blackhawks after being acquired last week.

• Jordan Eberle leads the Oilers with 44 points, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leads them with 16 goals.

• Corey Crawford will start in net for the Blackhawks. He is 25-14-4 with a 2.29 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. Ben Scrivens will start for the Oilers. He is 12-21-7 with a 2.97 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.

ESPNChicago.com LOADED: 03.07.2015


Johnny Oduya likely to return next week

March, 6, 201511:51AM CT

Powers By Scott Powers

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya practiced with the team Friday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on Feb. 22 and hopes to return to the lineup next week.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Oduya would likely return against the Arizona Coyotes on March 12. He will have missed six games if he returns against the Coyotes.

“It’s coming along good,” Oduya said after the team’s morning skate on Friday. “I felt pretty good. Obviously nice coming back and skating with the guys [after] being in isolation for 10 days or something or like that, so it’s nice to be back with the guys on the ice.

“I’m looking [to play] next week. If there’s no setbacks, I think that’s what we’re planning.”

Oduya suffered the injury during his lone shift against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 22. He declined to be specific on how the injury occurred.

Oduya has two goals, three assists, is a minus-9 and has a 49.8 Corsi percentage in 60 games this season.



Vermette enjoys being in playoff race again

By Scott Powers

CHICAGO -- Games began losing meaning for Antoine Vermette sometime in January with the Arizona Coyotes.

The Coyotes began dropping further and further below .500, and it became apparent they were going to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season. It became a less-than-motivating environment for the veteran center.

That all changed when Vermette was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks last weekend. Vermette was suddenly on a team in the midst of a playoff race, and every game had meaning again.

Vermette affected the Blackhawks' playoff position for the first time Friday. In his second game in the new sweater, Vermette slid the puck through Edmonton Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens' legs for the lone shootout goal to lift the Blackhawks to a 2-1 victory at the United Center.

Every point matters from here on out, and the Blackhawks picked up two important ones Friday. Chicago pulled within two of the St. Louis Blues for second place in the Central Division and kept the Minnesota Wild four points back in the chase for third.

Vermette enjoyed having that feeling again.

"To win a game is great," Vermette said. "It doesn't matter how you do it. We stayed with it. It's very refreshing where I'm coming from previously, obviously. It's definitely a position that you want to be as a player, very happy to be in right now."

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville spoke to Vermette at a recent practice about the possibility of participating in shootouts. Vermette assured him he was comfortable in that situation.

After Scrivens denied Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp and Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford had made three consecutive saves, Vermette got his opportunity. Toews mentioned to Vermette that he might be able to beat Scrivens through the 5-hole, and Vermette took that advice and scored with it.

"He's coming off two really good years, probably 50 percent [success rate in the shootout] both years," Quenneville said. "Very timely. I think that will be good for him as well. Everybody leaves happy and get excited going forward."

Vermette said he felt more comfortable in his second game with Chicago -- and played that way. He and his wingers, Sharp and Brandon Saad, created some scoring chances, and Vermette won 11 of 19 faceoffs.

"I try to see the positive," Vermette said. "You want to score in every chance you get. As a player through the years, the experience gives you, it's usually a good sign. If you keep doing the right thing, you're going to get rewarded. We got a few chances, myself around the net, wouldn't go in, hit a few skates on their D on a couple occasions. Just stick with it, and you're going to get rewarded."

In the past, the sound of "Chelsea Dagger," the Blackhawks' celebration song, connoted something negative for Vermette. After hearing it again a few times Friday, he has come around.

"It’s the best. It's the best," Vermette said. "I love it."


768523 Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon suffers broken foot, to miss rest of Avs' regular season

By Terry Frei

Posted: 03/06/2015 09:18:24 AM MST3 Comments | Updated: about 9 hours ago

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche outstakes Nikita Nesterov.

The hits keep on coming for the Avalanche.

Second-year winger Nathan MacKinnon suffered a broken foot and will be out of action six to eight weeks, the Avalanche announced Friday.

That means MacKinnon will miss the rest of the regular season. Colorado has 18 games remaining, including at Columbus Saturday and at Minnesota Sunday. The regular season ends on April 11 against Chicago at home.

Because the Avalanche is nine points out of what would be the final Western Conference playoff spot — as of Friday, that second wild-card team was Winnipeg — it seems likely that Colorado won't make the playoffs and MacKinnon won't skate again in a game until next season.

After practice Friday, Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said MacKinnon took a shot to the foot against Tampa Bay on Feb. 22. "X rays were negative, and then he got another shot against Pittsburgh," Roy said of the Avalanche's 3-1 win Wednesday. "He came after practice yesterday complaining a bit about it, and after practice he had an MRI, and it revealed that he had a fracture. The doctors made a decision basically that he was out."

MacKinnon, 19, was benched against Dallas last week, playing only 100 seconds in the third period and overtime, and then played on the third and fourth lines in the Saturday loss at home against Minnesota. In the third period of that 3-1 loss to the Wild, he sustained a broken nose when taking a hit from Minnesota's Sean Bergenheim. Yet he was back on the top line against Pittsburgh Wednesday and in good spirits after the game before skating the full practice Thursday.

Had the foot injury affected his play since that Tampa Bay game nearly two weeks ago?

"I don't think so," Roy said. "Through a season, your players are going through different injuries. Then I would say, 'No.' "

MacKinnon, the reigning Calder Trophy winner as the NHL's rookie of the year and the No. 1 overall choice in the 2013 draft, hasn't missed a regular season game since joining the Avalanche. He has appeared in 64 games this season and has 14 goals and 24 assists. He had 24 goals and 39 assists as a rookie.

"It's never good news when you lose a player like Nate, especially at a key moment in our season," Roy said. "But ... it's been a year like this. We're going to have to find a way to win games without him."

Captain Gabriel Landeskog also is MacKinnon's linemate. "It's a tough break for us," Landeskog said. "It might change our lineup a little bit. It doesn't change our mindset at all. We still have the same mindset and the same goal in mind."

Landeskog said the injury "has been hurting him, but he's been fighting through it and working through it, just like anybody. We have defensemen blocking five, six shots a game and everybody's working through something this time of year. Nobody's skating around out there feeling good physically. It's certainly one of those things that didn't get better and ended up being bad for him. We're going to miss him, that's for sure."

Center Matt Duchene said of the piled-up injuries: "That's part of the game. I think every team has key injuries throughout the year and it's all about managing ... It's a tough bounce. Nate's obviously one of our best players, a guy who has been great for us lately especially and a guy who's always dangerous on the ice. We'll miss him for sure."

To complicate matters, center Joey Hishon had to be helped off the ice after a collision during practice Friday and didn't return. By the time he was heading to the dressing room, though, he seemed to be walking without support. Roy indicated Hishon would be able to play this weekend.

"We'll see tomorrow, but yes, the answer to your question as we speak is he will play tomorrow," Roy said. He added that the team would make a decision Friday about whether to call up another forward from the Lake Erie Monsters.

Roy said that in the game at Columbus, Cody McLeod would step into MacKinnon's spot on the line with Ryan O'Reilly and Landeskog, and that Hishon would center the fourth line with Daniel Briere and Marc-Andre Cliche.

Also on the injury front, defenseman Erik Johnson was on the ice after practice Friday, and Roy confirmed it was the first time he had skated since underdoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Jan. 26, nearly six weeks ago. The team originally said he would be out three to eight weeks, and Roy indicated "it will be in that range."

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768524 Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon will miss rest of Avs' season after injury

By Terry Frei, The Denver Post • Updated: March 6, 2015 at 10:05 am •

Second-year winger Nathan MacKinnon has suffered a broken foot and will be out of action six to eight weeks, the Avalanche announced on Friday.

That means he will miss the rest of the regular season. Colorado has 18 games remaining, including at Columbus Saturday and Minnesota Sunday, and the regular season ends on April 11 against Chicago at home.

Because the Avalanche is nine points out of what would be the final Western Conference playoff spot — as of Friday, that second wild-card team is Winnipeg — it seems likely that Colorado won't make the playoffs and MacKinnon won't skate again in a game until next season.

Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768525 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets, Devils at a glance

Friday March 6, 2015 5:24 AM

Staff

Blue Jackets at a glance

• Past 10 games: 2-7-1

• Power play: 20.7 percent (eighth in NHL)

• Penalty kill: 80.2 percent (22nd)

• Injury update: D Ryan Murray (ankle), D Kevin Connauton (lower body), RW Jeremy Morin (heart), RW Jack Skille (shoulder), RW David Clarkson (oblique), LW Matt Calvert (concussion) and LW Boone Jenner (back) are out.

Devils at a glance

• Past 10 games: 6-3-1

• Power play: 19.4 percent (ninth in NHL)

• Penalty kill: 80.3 percent (21st)

• Injury update: D Bryce Salvador (back) and LW Ryane Clowe (concussion) are out.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.07.2015


Blue Jackets 3, Devils 2: Jackets tap into mean streak to end seven-game slide

By Shawn Mitchell

The Columbus Dispatch • FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2015 11:41 PM

NEWARK, N.J. — It appears the Blue Jackets might not go meekly into late-season irrelevancy.

Three nights after racking up 40 penalty minutes in a loss to the Washington Capitals, the Blue Jackets kept up their mean streak Friday night in a 3-2 victory over another division rival, the New Jersey Devils, at the Prudential Center.

It was a prudent stance to take against tight-checking Devils, who did not smother the Jackets as they did at Nationwide Arena last week. Instead, the Blue Jackets jumped to an early lead, built on it in the second period and withstood a fierce push in the third. They did it all with a physical edge.

It was enough to end a seven-game losing streak and, perhaps more important, it was a display of pride and verve for which coach Todd Richards had been waiting.

“That’s our identity,” Richards said. “That’s what we did all last season. When we play our best hockey, that’s what we do. We bring that attitude.”

Justin Falk, Brandon Dubinsky and Marko Dano scored and defenseman David Savard had his first career fight for the Blue Jackets (27-33-4), who sent an early message to the Devils (27-28-10) by putting fourth-line right wing Jared Boll on the ice for the opening faceoff.

“It set the tone for our team,” Richards said.

Falk, acquired from Minnesota before the trade deadline on Monday, gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 6:41 of the first period when he flipped a long wrist shot through traffic for the second goal of his 144-game NHL career. It was the pinnacle of a strong first period by the Blue Jackets, who had been hampered by slow starts and early deficits for much of the season.

The Blue Jackets held the Devils without a shot for the first 8:29 and limited New Jersey to five shots in the opening period.

Dubinsky, who returned to the lineup after missing three games because of a concussion, made it 2-0 with a 4-on-4 goal at 2:24 of the second, when he teamed with Nick Foligno to turn a neutral-zone turnover by Patrik Elias into Dubinsky’s ninth goal of the season. The Blue Jackets took four penalties in the second period, and Devils forward Jordin Tootoo cut the lead to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 5:54.

Dano gathered a pass from fellow rookie Alexander Wennberg and made it 3-1 with a wrist shot from the left circle at 9:11. The Devils made a fierce push in the third, and it paid dividends when Peter Harrold beat Sergei Bobrovsky with 13:24 left.

But Bobrovsky, playing his second game since suffering a groin injury on Jan. 21, was at his best late in the game. He made 21 saves.

“We won a game that was important for us, especially for our pride and morale in the dressing room,” Dubinsky said. “It’s something that we’ve got to try to build from.”

Savard, who took three minor penalties and finished with a career-high 11 penalty minutes, fought Devils right wing Steve Bernier in the second period, engaging Bernier immediately after Bernier threw a high hit that flattened Scott Hartnell.

Bernier got the best of Savard in the ensuing bout, but Savard said he had no regrets.

“It was an instant reaction to grab him, and it went from there,” Savard said. “I’m not really a fighter. It was a weird situation, but I felt like I had to do it.”



Blue Jackets notebook: Team record set for man-games lost to injury

By Shawn Mitchell

FRIDAY MARCH 6, 2015 9:55 PM

NEWARK, N.J. — It was a foregone conclusion that the battered Blue Jackets would set a franchise record for man-games lost to injury this season, and the inevitable happened Friday night.

The Blue Jackets were without seven players because of injuries against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, bringing their season total to 413 man-games lost to injury with 18 games remaining. The Jackets lost 411 to injury during the 2011-12 season, when they finished last in the NHL.

“As coaches, I don’t know if anybody has been a part of and seen the number and the timing of injuries we’ve had,” coach Todd Richards said. “It’s been a unique year, I would say.”

Richards, though, said he wasn’t sure if he would consider this season his toughest as a coach.

“But it’s been trying,” he said. “Lots of learning moments as a coach, both on and off the ice.”

The Blue Jackets lost 292 man-games to injury last season and made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second time. They lost 343 to injury in their playoff season of 2008-09, a total exceeded only in 2011-12 and this season.

In the fold

The Blue Jackets signed forward Nick Moutrey to a three-year, entry-level contract yesterday.

Moutrey, 19, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2013 draft, which was held at the Prudential Center.

Moutrey has spent most of his four-year junior career with Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League. He has 53 goals, 95 assists, a plus-19 rating and 222 penalty minutes in 253 Ontario Hockey League games, including 18 with North Bay, to which the Saginaw captain was traded on Jan. 4.

Moutrey was the second Blue Jackets prospected selected in the 2013 draft to be signed to an entry-level deal this week.

The Blue Jackets signed defenseman Dillon Heatherington to a three-year deal on Sunday. Heatherington, a second-round pick (50th overall), has spent his entire junior career with Swift Current of the Western Hockey League and helped Canada win a gold medal at the world junior championships in January.

Happy anniversary

The Devils will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 1995 Stanley Cup finals sweep over the Detroit Red Wings this weekend at the Prudential Center.

The celebration includes an alumni game this afternoon that will feature more than 20 players and coaches of the 1995 team that won the title during a lockout-shortened season, including Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens, Claude Lemieux, coach Jacques Lemaire and goalie Martin Brodeur.

That team will be honored during a ceremony before the Devils’ game Sunday against Philadelphia.



Three takeaways from the Blue Jackets 3-2 win over the Devils

Rick Gethin

MAR 06, 2015 9:39p ET

Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was a big part of the reason that they won in New Jersey to halt a seven game losing streak.

One: They came out skating and for the first time in some time they weren't chasing the game. The Devils didn't clog the neutral zone as quickly as they have in the past and the Blue Jackets took advantage of that fact.

Two: Although New Jersey did a better job of executing the neutral zone trap in the second frame, the Blue Jackets were still able to make strides against the Devils that they were not able to in their last meeting. Sounding like a broken record, Marko Dano and Alex Wennberg are the real deal and hold much promise for the team moving forward.

Three: The final frame saw the Devils play a looser, more "Blue Jackets-like" game as they chased the score. They were able to keep the puck in Columbus' zone with regularity. The saving grace for the Blue Jackets, and a big part of the reason they won the game, was having a strong Bobrovsky in net.

foxsportsohio.com LOADED: 03.07.2015


Blue Jackets young blue line on the rise

Rick Gethin

It has been four days since the NHL trade deadline passed and the next step was set forth by the Blue Jackets organization. The day was coming when the emergence of the younger guys on the blue line would lead to changes on defense.

After four years in a Blue Jackets sweater for James Wisniewski, that day was Monday. But what were the circumstances that occurred to make Wisniewski expendable?

"I think the long-term plans for our defense," said Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen on Monday. "I think that we have some really good young defensemen emerging into the similar role that James Wisniewski filled with our team."

Kekalainen cited three players as part of the reason to trade the veteran defenseman to Anaheim. Those players are Ryan Murray, David Savard and Kevin Connauton. Although the 21 year old Murray has only played seven games for the team this season due to injuries, the latest of which is a high ankle sprain, Kekalainen is still very bullish on the second-year D-man.

"We have Ryan Murray who, in my mind, is one of the best young, emerging defensemen in the league," he said. "Unfortunately, he's been injured. But I truly believe that he can be an elite defenseman in this league once he gets healthy and grows with age and experience."

In 66 games last season, Murray recorded 4-17-21 and was credited with 62 shots. The injuries to his knee and the high ankle sprain have severely limited his time on the ice this year.

"David Savard is close to the most improved player on our team," Kekalainen said of the St. Hyacinthe, Quebec-native. "He's probably the most consistent defenseman on our team this year."

Savard, 24, began his emergence last season as he saw more and more time paired with Jack Johnson. This season, Savard has been a staple on the top pairing and having a career season as he gains more confidence.

"It's not easy to come in and get a spot on our team and stay there," Savard said. "It's great to see that Jarmo and the coaches have confidence in us. It carries with it more pressure. It means more ice-time and more responsibility. Everybody is going to have to push a little more."

He's posted 10-15-25 in 63 games this season and is one of only two players (Ryan Johansen is the other) to have played in all 63 games. The onus was put squarely on his shoulders by the organization to get better and he took that to heart. His bigger, stronger and faster this season than he has ever been.

The third player in this trio of young blue-liners is Kevin Connauton. The Blue Jackets claimed the 25 year old defenseman off waivers from the Dallas Stars on November 18. Maybe Dallas thought he would squeak through untouched, but is now cognizant of the fact that Jarmo Kekalainen has scouts seemingly everywhere, feeding him actionable information.

"Kevin Connauton has really shown us his power play ability this year," Kekalainen said of the waiver pick-up. "I think with added time in that role, it will do wonders for him. He's still a young defenseman who's going to grow and get better and improve. He works hard and is driven to get to the next level."

In 39 games since being claimed, Connauton has recorded 8-7-15 in a year that he was unsure of whether he would even play in the NHL. He was coming to terms with the fact that he would wind up riding a bus from game-to-game in the AHL before the Blue Jackets made that call.

"To me, it's pretty special that he mentioned my name in that context," said Connauton. "A couple of months ago I thought I was going down to the minors for the rest of my career. (Blue Jackets) gave me an opportunity."

Connauton is a playing that made a favorable impression almost from the very first day he was in Columbus. He gets with associate coach Craig Hartsburg after every game and goes over video of every shift he had in that game.

"I think I've done a good job with it so far, but that doesn't mean that the work is over. When you hear something like that from your GM, it's time to work even harder. You always want to make sure that you're pushing to be better and you've got to make sure that management is happy with what you're doing."

So at this point, the Blue Jackets have made the decision that the time is now for the youth to step up and grab the bull by the horns. There are no more tepid baby steps and wading into lukewarm water. These three players have shown promise in their development that allowed the team to make the call on Monday.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is putting his stamp on the organization and making it his own. He's showing that he will put faith in those that deserve it as he strives to reach the ultimate goal of making this a winning franchise. Along the way, a few eggs may be broken. But in the end, the omelette will be worth the wait.

"It's definitely a confidence-builder," Connauton said of Kekalainen's words, "but it's also a challenge to be better."

foxsportsohio.com LOADED: 03.07.2015

768530 Dallas Stars

Heika: Have overtime, shootout struggles cost Stars a playoff berth?

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 06 March 2015 07:13 PM

Updated: 06 March 2015 07:16 PM

TAMPA, Fla. — There’s a feeling of optimism in the Stars locker room these days, floating on the thinnest of air.

Buoyed by back-to-back wins in overtime and the shootout, Dallas has added four points and kept alive hopes of postseason play. And while sitting at 29-26-10 and eight points out of the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference with 17 games remaining is not desirable, it’s certainly better than not winning these last two games.

“It’s a tough way to lose points, and we’ve felt that all year,” said winger Colton Sceviour, who tallied the game-winning shootout goal Thursday in a 3-2 win at Florida. “Any team that’s on the bubble, you’re going look back … a couple of these go a different way, and it changes the whole landscape.”

Even with the two recent wins, the Stars are still 5-10 in shootouts and overtime.

Winnipeg, which hold the final wild-card spot, has 12 more points than the Stars do in overtime and shootouts but leads Dallas by just eight points overall.

Chicago, 13 points ahead of the Stars, has 12 points more than the Stars do in overtime and shootouts.

It’s a pool of lost points that could haunt Dallas in April.

“It’s very important,” center Jason Spezza said. “We’ve won the last couple, and it gives you a better vibe around the room. It’s a huge thing, and if you can have guys who are good at it [the shootout], it can make a difference in your season.”

The Stars have struggled in shootouts. Spezza, who is a career 36.5 percent shooter, has gone 1-for-6. Ales Hemsky is 0-for-3. Jamie Benn is 1-for-4. That forced Stars coach Lindy Ruff to go searching his bench Thursday, and he came up with John Klingberg and Sceviour as choices. Sceviour scored for the second time in two tries this season and added to a history that has been strong in the AHL.

The 25-year-old admits it’s not a bad thing to fly under the radar. He said his success in the AHL came from the lack of scouting and video work down there, and added that it’s good to be a bit of an unknown in the shootout.

“You can do the same thing over and over down there, but up here they scout it,” Sceviour said. “It’s easy to score a couple, but it’s hard to find ways to keep it different.”

Spezza is in that place right now. He was 18-for-44 to start his NHL career, but is 5-for-19 in the last two seasons. He said he’s overthinking his approach.

“I feel like I’m in the middle of a mental block with it,” he said. “Once I get rolling, I’ll get rolling again.”

Stars goalie Jhonas Enroth is on that roll. He is 6-0 in shootouts and has stopped 23 of 24 shots. That gives him a .757 career save percentage and an 11-5 career record.

“I picked up a lot from Ryan Miller in Buffalo. He really prepared for shootouts,” Enroth said of his teammate with the Sabres. “I think it’s pretty important.”

Ruff feels it’s so important he is considering using Enroth even if Kari Lehtonen takes a game to a shootout. Lehtonen is 37-26 in his career with a .720 save percentage, but he is 1-3 this season with a .667 save percentage.

“I would have to make sure Jhonas is comfortable with that,” Ruff said. “I worry about injuries, but we’ve talked about it. We have to try anything right now.”

Because the extra points are that important.

Seguin skates normal practice: The Stars allowed maintenance days for Hemsky and Alex Goligoski, so injured forward Tyler Seguin skated in Hemsky’s right wing spot next to Vernon Fiddler on Friday. Seguin, who has been out since Feb. 13 with a sprained MCL in his right knee, had no restrictions and is getting close to returning to play.

“He looked good,” Ruff said. “The plan is to progress, and hopefully we're looking at Tuesday.”

The Stars will return home for a day off Sunday and then skate Monday in Frisco before heading to Philadelphia for a game Tuesday.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.07.2015

768531 Dallas Stars

Tyler Seguin skates, nears return; dark moments won’t affect Jhonas Enroth’s mask

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 06 March 2015 01:51 PM


TAMPA, Fla. _ It was just a normal practice day for the Stars Friday.

Alex Goligoski and Ales Hemsky took maintenance days, as they often do, and Tyler Seguin skated in Hemsky's place on a regular line in a regular practice.

Wait. What?

Yep, Seguin has been looking good in his attempt to come back from a knee injury suffered Feb. 13 on a hit from Florida's Dmitry Kulikov. The original prognosis for a sprained MCL in his right knee was 4-6 weeks. Today was exactly three weeks from the hit. Seguin skated Thursday for an hour and really pushed his knee. Today was a day of normal skating.

"He looked good," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "The plan is to progress and hopefully we're looking at Tuesday."

The Stars will return home for a day off Sunday and then skate Monday in Frisco, before heading to Philadelphia for a game Tuesday.

Asked if there were any limitations on Seguin at this time, Ruff said no. However, he added: "He hasn't done any battling and he'd like to get in some of that to make sure he can handle that."

Ruff was asked if Val Nichushkin (who had hip surgery Nov. 18 and was skating with Seguin in Frisco) might join the Stars on the second leg of the trip starting Tuesday in Philadelphia, and he said no.

"Val is good," Ruff said. "I think the plan is to get him some games (in the AHL). He's had some long time off. I think it's done Nemeth some good…it wasn't easy for him at that level. It would be hard for him to step in at this level. Somewhere around the middle of the month is what we're looking at…to be playing, wherever that is."

Jhonas Enroth left the ice first today, usually a sign that he will be starting the next game. The former Sabres goalie now is fully decked out in Stars colors, including a helmet that has glow-in-the-dark highlights.

It was done by David Gunnarsson, and if Ben Bishop is in goal for Tampa Bay Saturday, you will probably see dueling glow-in-the-dark masks.

Enroth said he wanted something simple.

"I wanted something simple, not too many details," Enroth said. "He asked if he could put some glowing ink on there, and I said sure."

Asked if Enroth does feel better in the matching pads, and he said yes.

"Yeah, you do," he said. "I feel a little bit more official."

Enroth is now 6-0 in shootouts this season and has stopped 23 of 24 shots. Stars coach Lindy Ruff was asked if he would consider using Enroth in a shootout where Kari Lehtonen had played the game, and he said he would consider it.

"Oh yeah," he said. "I would have to make sure Jhonas is comfortable with that. I worry about injuries. I just have to make sure it's a comfort factor and it would have to be something where he is warming up. We've talked about it. We have to try anything right now."


768532 Dallas Stars

Observations: Two separate cases in hits against Stars show how Department of Player Safety can better send messages

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 06 March 2015 08:25 AM


Cody Eastwood brings you the fireworks from a 4-3 Stars shootout win Thursday in Sunrise, Florida. Watch it here.

Daryl Reaugh keeps it real in the back of the bus with the Curio Emporium here. Enjoy.

Dmitry Kulikov learned a valuable lesson on Thursday.

Matt Martin, I fear, did not.

And that all seemed to come together on an interesting day in South Florida where Stars fans got a rare glimpse of the vexing problem of player discipline in the NHL.

Like writer William Forrester, played so brilliantly by Sean Connery in the movie, Finding Forrester, we all look out our own small window. That's how we see the world, and there are times when that limited view can prejudice our opinions. But there are also times when we need that focus, when we need to put blinders on to really understand a very difficult subject.

Stars fans had that tunnel vision on Thursday.

Kulikov is a talented young defenseman for the Florida Panthers. You might remember him as a guy many Stars fans wanted to draft back in 2009 (they took Scott Glennie instead at No. 8, and Kulikov slid to No. 14). The kid has game, and he seems to be developing just fine in Sunrise. But on Feb. 13, he made a stupid, stupid play.

With Dallas holding onto a 2-0 lead in the third period of an intense game that had playoff implications for both sides, Kulikov came out of nowhere and tried to hip check Stars leading scorer Tyler Seguin. He went way too low, and he chopped Seguin out at the knees. It wasn't intentional, but it wasn't smart, and the kid needed to know that.

He was told immediately by his teammate Shawn Thornton _ who played with Seguin in Boston _ and he felt immediate remorse. He didn't know Seguin at all, but he told Thornton to tell Seguin he didn't mean it. The emotion surrounding the whole situation seemed real, and Kulikov received a four-game suspension, which sent a powerful message.

Fast forward to Thursday, and the emotion again seemed real…but for different reasons.

Kulikov had to answer questions from the media about possible retribution from the Stars. The man with just two fights on his NHL docket had to look at the rematch as a different kind of game. He had to stand up for what he did, he had to take whatever punishment the Stars deemed worthy, and he had to deal with all of the issues that were created by his stupid, stupid play.

And he did.

In fact, his teammates did, as well. During warm-ups, Kulikov planted himself near the red line just feet away from Stars skaters, and Dallas rookie Curtis McKenzie couldn't help but come over and exchange a few words with Kulikov. Things got heated, and veterans from both sides had to stand between the two youngsters.

Shawn Thornton stood by Kulikov in a bonding moment for the Panthers. Vernon Fiddler and Jason Spezza stood by McKenzie in a bonding moment for the Stars. It was the way these things used to be sorted out in the NHL, and it was actually a great view on how things can still be done.

McKenzie, fueled by that energy, scored for the Stars just 2:33 into the game. He then found the right moment to challenge Kulikov, and the Panthers defenseman answered the call. The two had a nice little fight at the 12:24 mark of the first period, exchanged some words in the penalty box, and then went on.

Kulikov used his energy to have one of the best games of his career. He came out of the penalty box in the second period and scored on a breakaway. He had an assist on Florida's third goal that gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead four minutes later. A Gordie Howe Hat Trick for Dmitry Kulikov? That's a phrase few NHL fans thought would ever be uttered.

The Stars battled back and sought their revenge on the scoreboard in a 4-3 shootout win over the Panthers, and that also helped send a message to Kulikov that this game meant something to Dallas.

Seguin also helped get that point across. The uber-talented, mega-fast forward who is on his way to becoming a superstar in this league traveled with the team and put in an exhausting skate in the morning. He has a sprained MCL in his right knee and is learning to play with a knee brace. He is determined to get back as quickly as possible, and he might be in the lineup next Tuesday when the Stars take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

All you had to do was see him in his stall answering questions for the media after his "conditioning skate" to know he is determined…and he is hurt.

That's right, Seguin is injured because Kulikov made a stupid, stupid decision. Hopefully, Kulikov knows that now, and knows that he can't do it again. Hopefully, that lesson was learned on Thursday.

Because Martin likely didn't learn anything.

The hard-hitting forward for the Islanders made a stupid, stupid play on Trevor Daley, and now Daley has the same rehabilitation to look forward to for a similar knee injury. Martin came flying in on the forecheck to deliver one of the hits he is known for, but he came in recklessly and he made a bad decision. You can say Martin was trying to "finish his check," as the Islanders fans did, but really take a look at the play.

He is out of position, and he sticks his leg out. Even the Department of Player Safety video calls the play "reckless." They try to soften the blow by saying, "While Martin is not leading with his knee, he ensures contact with Daley by leaning out with his leg, a part of the body with which he cannot legally deliver a check. His knee catches Daley, resulting in a significant injury."

So, let me get this straight: He wasn't trying to "knee" Daley, but his knee caught the Stars defenseman and caused a significant injury. In both situations, the Stars player had no option to get out of the way, and in both situations the league video made that clear. Yet Kulikov got four games and Martin got one.

It seems the league wants to draw a line here and say it wasn't intentional, and I get that. But Kulikov's wasn't intentional, either. It was simply a stupid decision…just like Martin's.

So Martin, who has a history of bad hits, gets a one-game suspension. Hmmm. Wouldn't this be the perfect time to remind him that his blindside hit of Vernon Fiddler in 2010 (when Fiddler was with the Coyotes) was also a stupid hit? Wouldn't this be the perfect time to remind him that his sucker punch of Max Talbot in 2011 was a stupid play?

Heck, if you want to go back to December, Martin made a hit that concussed Minnesota's Keith Ballard and received no discipline for that hit. It was a "hockey play," but it also was deemed "reckless" by many at the time.

Look, that's Martin's game _ he's the league leader in hits every year. But there also has to be consistency in the discipline system. Antoine Roussel was suspended two games for a cross-check, and he's learned to keep his stick down. Ryan Garbutt has needed a series of suspensions to help teach him to keep his game in line.

Truth be told, the Stars are probably grateful for the help with both of the forwards who are known for their physical play.

Matt Martin received a one-game suspension and his team won that game Thursday. There seems very little lesson learned on this incident.

We all see the world through our own little window, and that does color our opinions on these matters. But sometimes, a glimpse of the right situation in just the right light is what we need.

Players have policed the NHL very well for years. And while concussion lawsuits and the reduction in fighters makes it tougher to play "old time hockey," the league can look at two key Stars players working hard to get back on the ice Thursday and ponder what the "Player Safety" in their department name means.

Because they still don't seem to send that message as well as the players do.

Thursday was a day that Dmitry Kulikov will likely remember for the rest of his career. For Matt Martin, it seemed like just a day off.


768533 Dallas Stars

GameDay: Dallas Stars at Tampa Bay Lightning

03/06/2015 6:29 PM

03/06/2015 11:11 PM

Staff

Stars at Lightning

6 p.m. Saturday, Amalie Arena, Tampa, Fla.

TV: FSSW Radio: KTCK/1310 AM and 96.7 FM

Records: Stars 29-26-10, 68 points; Lightning 40-20-6, 86 pts.

About the Stars: Dallas has won two in a row, including Thursday’s 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in a shootoutin the first of a five-game road trip. … Stars forward Tyler Seguin practiced Friday, but coach Lindy Ruff told the team’s website that Seguin won’t play Saturday, but could return Tuesday against Philadelphia. Seguin sustained a knee injury Feb. 13, and the Stars are 3-5-2 since he was injured. … Defenseman Trevor Daley (knee) will miss 2-4 weeks.

About the Lightning: Tampa Bay has one of the best home records in the league (25-6-1). The 25 wins at home matches a franchise record. The Lightning have won three straight at home, including Thursday’s 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, and hasn’t lost at home since Feb. 12. However, the Lightning are 2-9-0 at home against Dallas in the Stars’ last 11 trips to Tampa. … Tyler Johnson scored two goals in the Lightning’s 5-3 victory at Dallas on Feb. 5. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist in the game. … Defenseman Braydon Coburn has a plus-2 rating and nine penalty minutes in two games since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers at the trade deadline.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 03.07.2015

768534 Detroit Red Wings

Ericsson in for Red Wings tonight; Hudler back in town

By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 12:46 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

After sitting out Thursday's practice as a precaution, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson skated this morning and said he's able to play tonight, against the visiting Calgary Flames (7:30 p.m., FS-Plus).

Ericsson injured his shoulder in the first period of Wednesday's 2-1 win over the New York Rangers.

"I am in," Ericsson said, before quickly correcting himself to say it is someone else's job to put him in the lineup.

Coach Mike Babcock popped into the locker room while the media was talking to Ericsson and asked whether he was ready to play. Babcock later told reporters that Ericsson will be in the lineup.

Ericsson said he and the trainers decided to skip Thursday's practice and let it injury heal.

"I think (the injury happened) when I was just battling with someone," Ericsson said. "Just try to kind of push off and play with your loose hand, and I kind of got out of position a little bit and strained some muscles."

Ericsson, 31, enters tonight's game with three goals, 11 assists and a plus-1 rating in 62 games .

Happy for Hudler: Ex-Wing Jiri Hudler enters tonight's game leading the Flames in assists (31) and points (52 in 61 games). He needs five points to match his previous career-high: 57, with the Wings in 2008-09.

"Huds is a great player, great kid," Babcock said. "One of my favorites. Ultracompetitive, ultraskilled. Good, good person. Grew up here. We watched him grow up.

"We offered him a contract. He chose to be a bigger part of things somewhere else. That's just part of the salary cap world. You make decisions on what things are worth and, usually, two years later, you say, 'Geez, that would be a steal of a deal now."'

Hudler left the Wings after the 2011-2012 season to sign a four-year, $16-million contract.

Smith's bro gets deal: The Boston Bruins announced today that they have signed former Michigan State defenseman Torey Krug to a one-year contract and forward Reilly Smith, the brother of Wings defenseman Brendan Smith, to a two-year extension. Krug's deal reportedly is worth $3.4 million, and Smith's will count $3.425 million against the cap for two seasons.

The Bruins are expected to have some cap issues this summer, but Brendan Smith said his brother was happy to get a deal done.

"I think Boston got a good deal out of it, if you look at comparables," Brendan Smith said. "He texted me. He's happy he got it over with. Now he can just focus on just playing."

Note: For the sixth year, Tim Hortons Cake & Bake Shop is selling a special "I Love The Red Wings" donut in Michigan for $1.25. Proceeds from the sale of the donut, which features an edible Red Wings logo and red and white sprinkles, have raised more than $145,000 for the Detroit Red Wings Foundation. The donut is available through March 15.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.07.2015


Sharp: Red Wings should pay up to keep Babcock

By Drew Sharp, 11:30 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

Will there eventually be red and white "Bab$" freeway billboards around town this summer?

Detroit gets a little overly sensitive in these free-agent matters.

It lost Max Scherzer to the highest bidder. It's possible it'll lose Ndamukong Suh now that he can openly negotiate with other NFL teams once the clock struck midnight Friday night. But it would sting more locally if Mike Babcock bolted from the Red Wings this summer once his contract expires.

It's different in hockey than in baseball or football. There are egos. But there's a better understanding of perspective, recognizing there's nothing more important than the quest for the Stanley Cup. There's also a better appreciation of privilege. Money matters. Who doesn't desire being the highest paid for their services? But there isn't another major sport that tunes out the peripheral noise better than hockey.

Babcock's worth every dollar he can get. Like Scherzer and Suh, Babcock gambled on himself with only one year remaining on his contract.

And like Scherzer and Suh, he's winning that wager. Big time.

The Wings are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. It might not have looked like it against Calgary on Friday night. Those who conveniently dismissed Jimmy Howard's brilliant game against the New York Rangers two nights earlier no doubt will point to his apparent struggles in the Flames' 5-2 victory.

But it can't be forgotten that Babcock has played a significant role in the Wings positioning themselves for a top-four conference seed, ensuring the Wings their first home-ice advantage in a playoff series in five years. This was supposedly another transition season, further fueling the speculation that Babcock might be more interested in a team that was much closer to serious Cup contention in 2016 than the Wings.

But perhaps the biggest advantage for the Wings as this storyline plays out over the coming weeks is a faster-than-expected transition.

Babcock was a finalist for the NHL coach of the year last season. But he has done an even better job this season considering the low early expectations. He constantly has pushed his team. Even in victory, he complains that the effort wasn't what it needs to be if they're serious about serious playoff contention.

That's a more valuable commodity than an ace of pitching staff or an anchor of a defensive line.

Babcock will become the highest-paid coach in NHL history. He deserves to be the highest paid. There's already rampant speculation within the Canadian hockey media that $5 million annually (nearly twice what Chicago's Joel Quenneville currently makes as the highest-paid head coach) might be the price tag for Babcock's services.

General manager Ken Holland provided the proper pieces. But Babcock molded them.

This has been his best coaching job in nine years with the Wings, adroitly meshing the internally developed youth with the precious few holdovers from the organization's last Cup final appearance six years ago. He clearly wasn't pleased with Friday's effort. But the coach deep inside understands that this might be the perfect confluence that potentially makes things better six weeks down the road when the playoffs start.

That becomes valuable currency.

Free agency has become a sore spot in this city. After Scherzer and what might occur with Suh, the possibility of Babcock realizing that Detroit remains the best career opportunity for him would salve the wounds of a city thinking it has been burned too often.



Calgary 5, Detroit 2: Why the Red Wings lost

By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 11:17 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

At Joe Louis Arena

What happened:

First period: The Wings weren't able to convert an early 2-on-1, but Justin Abdelkader scored on a breakaway at 3:05. Henrik Zetterberg made a long pass up to Abdelkader during a Flames' line change. Erik Cole also assisted on the goal, for his first point as a Wing. The trio helped give the Wings a 2-0 lead at 8:12 during a power play. Abdelkader took a pass form Zetterberg and scored his second goal of the night and 16th of the season. Sean Monahan scored at 10:26 during a power play to cut the deficit to 2-1 for the Flames. Brendan Smith had been penalized for interference at 9:57.

Second period: The Wings were penalized for too many men on the ice at 2:09, but managed to kill off the penalty. Matt Stajan scored on a slapshot at 6:05 to tie the game for the Flames. Ex-Wing Jiri Hudler scored his 22nd goal of the season at 13:09 to give the Flames a 3-2 lead.

Third period: Mason Raymond scored 1:50 into the period to give the Flames a two-goal cushion. The Wings were outshooting the Flames, 29-16. Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser was penalized for closing his hand on the puck at 2:30. Abdelkader was hit in the mouth by a stick as a Flames player was attempting a shot. Because it happened on a follow through, no penalty was called. Hudler scored his second goal of the game on an empty-net goal at 18:54.

Overheard: "They said he followed through there," Abdelkader said. "I thought he missed the puck. I don't know what the rule is on that if he doesn't hit the puck and makes it a high stick. You hope for a power play and even a four-minute power play. Didn't happen. We had a power play chance towards the end. If we could have gotten one there, maybe get another one, but it didn't work out that way."

Three stars: 1. Jiri Hudler, Flames. 2. Jonas Hiller (33 saves), Flames. 3. Zetterberg (two assists), Red Wings.



Ex-Wing Jiri Hudler returns to familiar haunt

Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 2:59 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

Detroit — He left three seasons ago,, and has staked his claim as a major offensive cog for the Flames.

Jiri Hudler gave the Red Wings some firepower in five complete seasons between 2003 and 2013. The 31-year-old has done much the same, mid-career, for the Flames.

“Well, Hoodsie is a great kid, a great player, one of my favorites,” Mike Babcock said after the optional morning skate, for the Wings. “Ultra-competitive, ultra-skilled; good, good person.

“We watched him grow up and were thrilled with it.”

The departure was a matter of business, the salary cap and Hudler’s decision, Babcock said.

“You know, we offered him a contract and he chose to be a bigger part of things somewhere else. That’s just part of the salary cap world. You make decisions on what things are worth, and usually two years later you say, geez, that would be a steal of a deal, now, because the cap grows.

“But, it was one of those decisions and Hoods is a good player for them, and we’re always happy to see him.”

Hudler did not play when the Red Wings beat the Flames 3-2 Jan. 7.

“We were happy his wife or his gal was having a baby when we in Calgary, so we didn’t have to play against him,” Babcock said, paying tribute to Hudler’s scoring.

“It was nice.”

Hudler leads the Flames with 52 points and 31 assists, going into the game Friday. He was second on the team with 21 goals. Sean Monahan has 23.

Hudler leads with 15 multi-point games, this season, six more than John Gaudreau and Dennis Wideman, who are second, on the Flames’ roster.

Last season, Hudler reached a career-high 37 assists. But he has yet to match his career high for goals, 25, for the Wings in 2011-12 ; or points, 57, in 2008-09.

Jimmy Howard is familiar with his old teammate’s game.

“He’s extremely smart. He’s extremely gifted offensively,” Howard said. “He’s just smart at finding the open ice, and he’s not afraid to go in the hard areas, as well, in front of the net. And, you know, he’s slippery out there.”

Pivotal phase

The calendar has turned, and a sense of urgency accumulates around the NHL.

With a 13-point lead over the ninth-place Panthers in the Eastern Conference, and games in hand on the teams ahead of them, the Canadiens, Islanders, Lightning and Rangers, the Red Wings are in good playoff position, hoping to improve their seeding.

But February is gone, and many of the teams they play in the last 19 games, over the next 34 days, will be desperate for playoff position, or consist of hungry players trying to land roster spots, for next season, on teams facing elimination.

“We have to find a way to be on the winning side of it,” Howard said.

“This is the fun time of year.

“You know, February is the month that usually seems to just drag on. Now, it’s just going to be extremely fast, extremely fun hockey.”

Bruins’ payday

Brendan Smith’s brother Reilly hit pay dirt with the Bruins.

The Bruins announced they signed Smith to a two-year extension for a reported $3.425 million per year, a significant boost from $900,000, per season.

After a 20-goal, 51-point season last year, Smith has 12 goals and 23 assists, through 63 games, on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.

“He texted me,” his older brother said. “And he’s happy he got it over with, and it’s done with. And now he can just focus on playing.”

The Bruins also extended the contract of Torey Krug, the former Spartans player, who is from Livonia, through next season.

Krug’s deal is reportedly, for $3.4 million.

Both players were set to be restricted free agents following the 2014-15 season.

Smith, 23, was acquired by the Bruins in the 2013 trade that sent Tyler Seguin to the Stars. He enjoyed a good first season with the Bruins, scoring 20 goals and adding 31 assists while playing in all 82 games.

Detroit News LOADED: 03.07.2015


Wings' Ericsson shrugs off sore shoulder, ready to play

Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 12:27 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

Detroit — High-scoring Jiri Hudler leads the Flames against the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena tonight, and Jonathan Ericsson's shoulder feels good enough for him to allow him to play.

"I told them I am in," he said. "I just hurt my shoulder, a little bit, and to give me a better chance to play we decided to take yesterday off, and give it a better chance to heal-up better."

Ericsson, who participated in the optional skate today, said he was injured Wednesday in the first period of the 2-1 overtime victory against the Rangers.

"I think was just actually battling with someone and you push off with your loose hand out of position a little bit and you just kind of strain some muscles."

Hudler, nicknamed "The Happy Hudler" by many in Detroit for his smiley nature, contributed 214 points (87 goals, 127 assists) in nine seasons (2003-04 and 2010-12) with the Red Wings. He spent 2009-10 with Moscow Dynamo.

He leads the Flames current roster with his 52 points and 31 assists. His 21 goals is second, behind Sean Monahan (23).

Jimmy Howard will start tonight for the Wings.

They enter the game with 83 points, three behind the Lightning and five behind the Canadiens. But the Wings have played four fewer games than Tampa Bay and three fewer than Monreal.

They have a 13-point lead over the first team out of the wild-card positions in the Eastern Conference, the Panthers.

Mike Babcock held an optional skate, today, and a few veterans did not participate.



Red Wings fade after fast start, lose to Flames

Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 12:23 a.m. EST March 7, 2015

Detroit — The Red Wings got off to a terrific start Friday, leading the Calgary Flames 2-0 about eight minutes into the game.

But then, the mistakes came.

The puck started going into the net behind Jimmy Howard, and, despite having played deep into a shootout the night before in Boston, Calgary was the better team in the second-half of the game, and beat the Wings 5-2, with five unanswered goals in the last 50 minutes.

Justin Abdelkader scored twice, and the line of Henrik Zetterberg, newcomer Erik Cole and Abdelkader played well throughout.

But those goals were the only ones the Wings' four lines could muster, though coach Mike Babcock juggled the other three units vigorously.

"We controlled a lot territorially, and did a lot of good things," Bacbock said of his team, which outshot the Flames 35-24. "But the puck went in our net consistently, and then we end up chasing the game."

While Howard failed to duplicate his miraculous play of Wednesday, when he stole a game from the Rangers with the team playing poorly in front of him, other Red Wings shouldered some blame in this one.

And mistakes were clearly made, including the Wings skating for nearly 30 seconds near the end of the game, with Howard out of the net, and only five players on the ice. Having pulled Howard with about three minutes left and two goals down, they then failed to deploy an extra attacker for a chunk of the closing moments.

Niklas Kronwall blamed himself for the Flames' power-play goal at 10:27 of the first that halved the two-goal lead.

"Obviously, their power-play goal in the first was a little unnecessary," Kronwall said. "I've got to do a better job of clearing that, make sure it goes deep.

"It gave them some life. It should have been 2-0 going into the second."

Howard also appeared screened on both Calgary goals in the second period.

"Well, the puck went in," Babcock said when asked about Howard's performance. "But, the other night, he stood on his head and got us points.

"We made a mistake on the penalty kill, and they shot it in our net. We made a mistake on a sort out, and we backed in (to their own zone) and they shot it in the net.

"We do it all together here. That's how we do it. Today we didn't do a good enough job."

The win for Calgary, which is struggling for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, halted the Wings' three-game win streak, and prevented them from gaining any ground on the idle Canadiens and Lightning in the Atlantic Division.

A power-play goal by Mason Raymond, his 12th of the year, 1:50 into the third period iced the win for the Flames.

While they outshot Calgary 35-24, the Red Wings failed to get one on net for the first 8:12 of the third.

Normally, the team that did not play the night before has the edge in energy in the third period. But in the final frame, the Flames outshot the Wings, 9-6.

Earlier, Abdelkader continued his best offensive season.

First, the former Spartans star took a long stretch pass from Zetterberg, who was at the right face-off circle in the Wings zone. Abdelkader got the puck at the Flames' blue line, went in alone and wristed it by Jonas Hiller.

Erik Cole, obtained from the Stars Monday, contributed his first assist on the play, finding Zetterberg clear across the ice with a pass from behind the net that curled perfectly around the boards to Zetterberg, and the Red Wings led, 1-0, 3:05 in.

Five minutes later, the same combination clicked again, in the same order, with Cole feeding Zetterberg inside the Calgary zone. Sharply to the left of Hiller, in the faceoff circle, Zetterberg fed a perfect pass to Abdelkader, camped on the crease well to Hiller's right.

It was an easy conversion, and he made no mistake for a power-play goal.

"I think we got those couple goals and kind of sat back and got sloppy, there," Abdelkader said. "And they got back in the game and got energy and found ways to create turnovers and get pucks into our net."

With Brendan Smith off for interference, and after Kronwall failed to clear it, Howard made a quick kick save with his left pad on a blast from the point from defenseman Kris Russell.

The rebound proved fat, and the beneficiary was the Flames' top goal scorer Sean Monahan, who made no mistake in quickly tallying, for his 24th of the season.

In the second period the Wings outshot the Flames 15-8, but yielded the only two goals.

Matt Stajan scored at 6:03, with a blistering shot from deep in the faceoff circle to Howard's right.

Then, at 13:10, former Red Wing Jiri Hudler got his first goal against his old club, and 22rd of the season.

Hudler added an empty-net tally, in the third, his 23rd.

"We had lots of plays but, in the end, we didn't do it good enough, long enough," Babcock said.

"You've got to give them credit, on back-to-back nights, they were better in the second half of the game than we were, and they had played and we hadn't.

"We've got to play way better as a group."



Red Wings' Darren Helm out for at least a couple more games; Johan Franzen skates briefly

Ansar Khan

on March 06, 2015 at 7:51 PM, updated March 06, 2015 at 8:11 PM

DETROIT - Alexey Marchenko has skated several times this week but Darren Helm has not been on the ice.

Both Detroit Red Wings suffered oblique strains Saturday in Nashville. General manager Ken Holland said on Friday neither will be ready to play in at least the next three games.

"It doesn't hurt Marchenko to skate, he can't do other things," Holland said. "It hurts Helm to skate, it doesn't hurt him to do other things."

Marchenko is practicing with the team, so he appears closer to returning than Helm.

"Yesterday I felt it pretty good with just tightness," Marchenko said. "It feels like a huge bruise on my side and today is like yesterday. It feels pretty good.

"I do everything like skating-wise and shooting. I can pass it like game passes, so pretty hard. (His) shot not there for sure, but it's getting better. I can shoot a little bit harder and lift the puck."

When Marchenko is cleared to play, the club might reassign him to the Grand Rapids Griffins. He's not likely to stay in Detroit as a healthy scratch.

Johan Franzen skated a few times, briefly, on his own at Joe Louis Arena this week, but it doesn't mean he's any closer to returning from a concussion.

He's gone on the ice for a few minutes every few days.

"He skated for a few minutes on his own each day this week," Holland said. "As long as he continues to feel good he'll try to make a little progression each day. We'll see where it leads."

Franzen has been out since Jan. 6, when he was elbowed in the head in Edmonton by Rob Klinkhammer.

Former Red Wing Jiri Hudler is leading the Calgary Flames with 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists).

"He's a great kid, great player. One of my favorites," coach Mike Babcock said. "Ultra-competitive, ultra-skilled. Good, good person. We watched him grow up."

Hudler signed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Flames in 2012, getting more money and term than the Red Wings offered.

"We offered him a contract and he chose to be a bigger part of things somewhere else," Babcock said. "That's just part of it, the salary cap world, that's the way it goes. You make decisions on what things are worth. Usually two years later you say, 'That would be a steal of a deal now' because the cap grows. But it was one of those decisions."

His former teammates aren't surprised by his success.

"He's got all the skills a forward would want to have," Jonathan Ericsson said. "All they're talking about is his size, but he moves fast, he's real good at protecting the puck, he's playing way heavier than what he looks like and he's got great vision out there. He always makes great passes and sees the ice really well. He's got a really fast shot, quick release as well."

Said Jimmy Howard: "He's extremely smart and extremely gifted offensively. He's smart at finding the open ice and he's not afraid to go in the hard areas as well in front of the net. He's slippery out there."

The Red Wings aren't likely to sign any of their players to extensions until the off-season.

Among players on the NHL roster, Gustav Nyquist, Joakim Andersson, Tomas Jurco and Brendan Smith are due to become restricted free agents.

Players in Grand Rapids who are in the final year of their contract include Teemu Pulkkinen, Mitch Callahan, Landon Ferraro, Nick Jensen, Louis-Marc Aubry, Tom McCollum and Jared Coreau. All are restricted.

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.07.2015


Detroit Red Wings Gameday: Team on pace to finish second in division, third in conference

Brendan Savage | on March 06, 2015 at 3:03 PM

GAME NOTES

• The Red Wings are third in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind first-place Montreal. But they've got games in hand on all of the other teams in the top 10 in the East, including three on Montreal and four on Tampa Bay, the teams they trail in the division. Based on their current paces, Montreal would finish with 111 points and win the East followed by the Rangers (110), Red Wings (109), Islanders (108) and Lightning (106).

• The Red Wings are 18-5-7 at home. No team has lost fewer games at home in regulation. ... Calgary is 18-13-1 on the road. ... The Red Wings have won three straight but are 5-3- 2 in their last 10 games. ... Calgary is 4-1 in shootouts and overtime.

• The Flames are playing for the second straight night after winning a 4-3 shootout Thursday in Boston. Goalie Karri Ramo made 34 saves in regulation and overtime before stopping seven of eight shots in the shootout. He's started five straight games so Jonas Hiller is likely to get the call against the Red Wings.

• Former Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler has a goal and assist in each of Calgary's last two games. He leads the Flames with 52 points and ranks second in goals with 21. ... Sean Monahan, who leads the Flames with 23 goals, has also scored in each of the last two games. ... The Flames have won two straight and three of their last four. ... Calgary is playing the sixth of a season-high seven straight road games. The Flames are 3-2 during that stretch.



Red Wings expect to skate much better against Flames in second game following long trip

Ansar Khan


DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings were not surprised they were sluggish on Wednesday; that's how it usually goes in the first game back after an extended road trip.

They expect to have more energy and skate much better tonight against the Calgary Flames at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit).

"We better be a lot better than we were," coach Mike Babcock said. "I expect our energy to be back and us to have no reason to play a lot better than we did (Wednesday). We got to tighten up our game again and get back to the level we need to be at."

Despite their issues, the Red Wings, thanks to a 39-save performance by Jimmy Howard, beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in overtime for their third win a row.

"We've been pretty resilient that way and we understand when we don't compete hard enough and don't play well enough ... it's not too hard to look at (Wednesday's) game and look at all the turnovers and all the offense we created for them," Babcock said. "Those are just things you're doing to yourself."

The Red Wings have allowed 40 shots in consecutive games for the first time this season.

"When we skate we execute a lot better and we have the puck a lot more, and that way we automatically play a lot more in their zone than the other way around," Niklas Kronwall said. "If we can get our legs going we could, hopefully, prevent them from taking 40 shots."

The Flames, on the sixth stop of a seven-game trip, have won two in a row. They're battling several teams for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Former Red Wing Jiri Hudler leads the Flames with 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists).

"Work like dogs, play fast," Babcock said. "Only seen them the one time (3-2 win in Calgary on Jan. 7) but they play real hard; it's going to be a playoff game for them. They're trying to get in and we're trying to get in. And we understand where we're at."

Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson is in the lineup after missing practice on Thursday.

"I just hurt my shoulder a little bit (in Wednesday's game)," Ericsson said. "To have a better chance to play today we took yesterday off. I got to practice this morning. I didn't feel too bad about it."

The Red Wings had an optional skate this morning. Here are their anticipated lines and defense pairs"

Tomas Jurco-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Tatar

Justin Abdelkader-Henrik Zetterberg-Erik Cole

Stephen Weiss-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist

Drew Miller-Joakim Andersson-Luke Glendening

On defense:

Niklas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson

Danny DeKeyser-Kyle Quincey

Brendan Smith-Marek Zidlicky

In goal:

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Jonas Gustavsson



Flames 5, Red Wings 2: No comeback this time, as Detroit's three-game win streak ends

Ansar Khan

on March 06, 2015 at 10:04 PM, updated March 07, 2015 at 12:24 AM

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings have made many comebacks lately, ranking among the league leaders with nine wins when trailing after two periods.

They didn't have another comeback in them on Friday, however.

The Calgary Flames scored four unanswered goals to erase an early two-goal deficit and went on to defeat the Red Wings 5-2 at Joe Louis Arena.

Justin Abdelkader scored both goals for Detroit (36-16-11), which outshot Calgary 35-24 but had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Former Red Wing Jiri Hudler scored a pair of goals, the last one into an empty net with 1:09 remaining. Jonas Hiller made 33 saves for the Flames.

The Flames scored twice in the second period to take a 3-2 lead.

Matt Stajan blasted a shot past Jimmy Howard at 6:05 to tie it. The puck went in and out so fast the goal light never came on, leading to a video review to confirm the goal.

Jiri Hudler snapped the tie at 13:10. He whipped a wrist shot between Niklas Kronwall's legs past a screened Howard. It was Hudler's first goal in six games against his former team. His second goal of the game gives him 23 for the season.

Calgary added to the lead at 1:50 of the third period, when Mason Raymond snapped in a wrist shot while Josh Jooris cut in front of the net. Stephen Weiss' turnover behind the net proved costly.

The Red Wings had much more energy and skated better during the first period than they did two nights earlier in a 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Rangers, in their first game back from a long road trip.

The line of Henrik Zetterberg, Abdelkader and Erik Cole collaborated on both goals.

Zetterberg sprung Abdelkader free on a breakaway with a 110-foot outlet pass from deep in his own zone on the first goal (3:05).

Zetterberg connected with Abdelkader again, on a shorter pass in the offensive zone, to set up the second goal, on the power play at 8:12. Cole's assists were his first points with his new team, in his second game since being acquired from the Dallas Stars.

Abdelkader has 16 goals, three in the past two games. Zetterberg has four assists in two games since returning from a head injury that sidelined him for four games.

The Red Wings have scored at least one power-play goal in 39 of their 63 games. They scored one or more power-play goals in 39 of their 82 games last season.

Sean Monahan scored on the power-play for Calgary at 10:27.

The Flames (36-25-4), battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, have won three in a row. These teams split their two-game series series.



Second-period analysis: Flames 3, Red Wings 2

Ansar Khan


DETROIT -- The Calgary Flames scored two unanswered goals in the second period Friday to take a 3-2 lead over the Detroit Red Wings after 40 minutes at Joe Louis Arena.

Matt Stajan blasted a shot past Jimmy Howard at 6:05 to tie it. The puck went in and out so fast the goal light never came on, leading to a video review to confirm the goal.

Jiri Hudler snapped the tie at 13:10 with his 22nd goal. He snapped a wrist shot between Niklas Kronwall's legs past a screened Howard. It was Hudler's first goal in six games against his former team.

The Red Wings are outshooting Calgary 29-15.



Hudler's 2 goals lift Flames over Red Wings 5-2

By Noah Trister, Of The Associated Press

Posted: 03/06/15, 11:10 PM EST |

DETROIT >> Jiri Hudler scored twice against his former team, and the Calgary Flames beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Friday night.

Sean Monahan, Matt Stajan and Mason Raymond also scored for the Flames, who rallied in convincing fashion after Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader scored the game’s first two goals.

Calgary moved into a tie for second with Vancouver in the Pacific Division, where four teams are scrambling for spots in the postseason behind first-place Anaheim. The Flames have one game remaining on a seven-game road trip — they’ve won four of the first six.

Detroit’s three-game winning streak was snapped, although the Red Wings outshot the Flames 35-24. Calgary’s Jonas Hiller made 33 saves, blanking Detroit after Abdelkader’s two early goals.

The Red Wings controlled the first few minutes, taking the lead after only 3:05 on a breakaway by Abdelkader. That goal was set up when Henrik Zetterberg one-timed a pass from near the corner in his zone all the way to Abdelkader, who was behind the defense near the opposite blue line.

Zetterberg assisted on the second goal, too, sending a pass from the right circle across to Abdelkader, who tapped it in from in front of the net for a power-play goal.

Monahan answered on a Calgary power play around the midway point of the first. Stajan tied it in the second when Brandon Bollig dumped the puck into the Detroit zone. It caromed right to Stajan, who slapped the puck past Jimmy Howard from the left circle.

Hudler, who played his first seven seasons for the Red Wings before signing with the Flames in 2012, slipped a wrist shot past Howard from the right circle in the second period. Raymond added an insurance goal early in the third, and Hudler’s empty-netter with just over a minute remaining made it 5-2.

The Flames have won three in a row and swept a back-to-back set at Boston and Detroit. Calgary is 6-1-1 in the second half of back-to-backs this season.

Stajan returned after missing five games due to the birth of his child. . Detroit was without RW Johan Franzen (concussion), F Darren Helm (side) and D Alexey Marchenko (side). . The Flames were missing RW David Jones (lower body) D Mark Giordano (arm), C Paul Byron (lower body) and D Ladislav Smid (upper body).

Macomb Daily LOADED: 03.07.2015

768546 Edmonton Oilers

Weirdly, Edmonton Oilers often have Chicago Blackhawks number

By Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal March 6, 2015

CHICAGO — It’s one of those mysteries, like how you put two socks in the washing machine and only one of them is sitting in the drier when you’re done?

It doesn’t figure but the Edmonton Oilers, one of the worst teams in the NHL the past five years, match up so well against the powerhouse Chicago Blackhawks, who have won two Stanley Cups since 2010?

Since the 2010-2011 season, the Oilers are a very respectable 7-8 against the Blackhawks in night after night of high-powered, turn up the offence games. In those 15 games with the Hawks over the past five years, we’ve seen 122 goals, or eight per game, so the chances of a 2-1 ho-hummer Friday at the United Center in the third and final matchup this season are as slim as seeing Patrick Kane on the Hawks’ bench after he broke his clavicle 10 days ago against Florida Panthers.

This season, the teams have split games with the Hawks winning 7-1 on Nov. 22 at Rexall Place and the Oilers rebounding nicely for a 5-2 victory Jan. 9, also at the Rexall. That’s 15 goals in the two games.

Fourteen straight games with the Hawks have featured five goals or more, and in four of the past five meetings, there’s been seven or more goals. While Oilers’ winger Jordan Eberle says “we can’t get into a run-and-gun game with them,” that’s not really true.

Eberle, for one, won’t miss Kane, at all. He’s got more points (36) than any other Hawks’ player against the Oilers.

“Hey, he’s one of the best players in the league and was leading in scoring until he got hurt. If you make a mistake around him, you’ll pay,” said Eberle.

“I watch the Hawks play a lot (TV) and the one thing Kane does better than anybody is he enters the zone with the puck. Other guys chip it by you but not Kane. I don’t know what it is if he’s changing speeds or what he’s always got space and time to cut across and hit a late guy. He’s special.”

Eberle’s special to the Oilers, too, but he hasn’t scored in over a month (Feb. 2 against San Jose). Thirteen games now. “I want to be known as a goal-scorer and when it’s not working it sucks,” he said.

ON THE BENCH — Kane, who hasn’t talked to the media since needing surgery which will put him out at least eight weeks, was seen at the team’s practice rink this week without a sling. He was moving around without too much discomfort … Playmaking Hawks’ captain Jonathan Toews has scored five goals in his last five games, opting to shoot and pick up some of the slack without Kanes … The Hawks will play former San Jose centre/winger Andrew Desjardins in his first game since the trade deadline. They got him for Ben Smith, trading skill for feistiness. He’ll take Finnish centre Tuovo Teravainen’s spot in the lineup … Hawks’ defenceman Johnny Oduya (upper body injury), who will be leaving after the season as a UFA, has been practising but is a few days away … With only 12 healthy forwards, obviously no change to the Oilers lineup. Defenceman Keith Aulie sits out again with Jordan Oesterle continuing his baptism under fire. This will be his fourth game, with Anaheim, St. Louis, LA and now the Hawks on his docket. Can there be any tougher start to an NHL career? No Coyotes or Sabres in there.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768547 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers lose in shootout to Blackhawks in Chicago

First posted: Friday, March 06, 2015 10:06 PM MST | Updated: Friday, March 06, 2015 10:22 PM MST

CHICAGO — Getting up off the canvas continues to be a trend for the Edmonton Oilers.

Three days removed from a beat down courtesy of the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers put up a gritty and inspired effort, on the road, against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Backstopped by goaltender Ben Scrivens, the Oilers pushed the Blackhawks to the brink, eventually losing 2-1 in a shootout. Scrivens made 38 saves in the contest, while Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford stopped 46 shots for the Blackhawks.

Antoine Vermette scored the lone goal in the shootout to give Chicago the hard-fought win.

“The guys were good (Friday) all 20 guys played hard, starting with Benny, he had an outstanding game,” said Oilers head coach Todd Nelson. “Our whole team played well. I thought it was a game where we had opportunities where we could score some goals. Crawford played outstanding. It was just a good hockey game to watch, I think it was fun for the fans.”

It was the type of effort the Oilers are starting to gain a reputation for under Nelson, who came a shootout goal shy of his 12th win in 28 games this season. His predecessor, Dallas Eakins, had seven wins in 31 games before being fired.

“Every time (after big loss) we have a heart-felt meeting, look at some video and then we cut it loose and we work hard just to get better and our guys have been doing that,” Nelson said. “I liked our practice the day after the game at home and it was just a good day, the guys worked really hard and it showed (Friday).”

Derek Roy scored for the Oilers, while Brent Seabrook responded for the Blackhawks in regulation.

Roy opened the scoring in the first period following good work behind the net from Nail Yakupov to win the battle against three Blackhawks. Yakupov fished the puck out from between Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and David Rundblad and slid it out front to Roy. The Oilers centre jumped on the puck, spun away from Keith, who was scrambling back into position, and fired a shot past Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford.

“I thought we battled all game long,” Roy said. “We’re missing some guys from our lineup and the young guys came and played really well for us. We did a good job generating offence on a good hockey team. They have a good club over there, they picked up some guys at the deadline, but we stuck with them and played hard.”

The Oilers were able to hold on to the lead through the second and period and into the third due mainly to Scrivens.

In the second period, Scrivens turned away Patrick Sharp on a breakaway, then got a pad out to rob Jonathan Toews on a rebound moments later.

However, it wasn’t all one-way traffic as the Oilers generated a number of good chances of their own.

The best in the frame fell to Justin Schultz, who jumped into the rush, cut to the front of the net but was turned away by Crawford.

“We had 47 shots on them, so it’s tough to be really upset about our performance,” said Oilers winger Jordan Eberle. “There was a lot of traffic and a lot of opportunities, but both goalies played well. We had a lot of chances and they did too. It could have gone either way. When you get into a shootout situation, anything can happen and we’ve seen that a lot this year. We battled hard and the effort was there for sure.”

The Blackhawks came out inspired to start the third period, but were fortunate not to go down, 2-0 as Oscar Klefbom found the puck in the slot and fired a shot that hit the crossbar.

Eventually the Blackhawks tied the game as Seabrook took a seeing-eye point shot that floated through a sea of bodies and past Scrivens.

The teams traded chanced through the remainder of regulation.

Schultz had a chance late, jumping into the rush and going in alone on net, but was able to stick-handle the puck past Crawford.

“To be honest, we don’t want to have to bounce back, we don’t want to have that bad effort and play consistently and do that throughout the season,” Eberle said. “We’ve addressed that, we have a chance here on this road trip to do that an put up some points, and hopefully, we can do that and keep going.”

The Oilers road trip continues Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second of a five-game road trip.

Three Stars

1. Ben Scrivens, EDM

The main reason the Oilers were leading heading into third period.

2. Corey Crawford, CHI

Chicago goaltender made his share of big saves in the contest.

3. Derek Roy, EDM

Scored a goal and was the most dangerous player on the ice.

OIL Grades

Offence C

Defence A

Goaltending A

Power play -

Penalty kill A

Toughness B

Effort A

The why

They got a great goaltending effort from Ben Scrivens. Yet when the goaltender wasn’t bailing his team out, the Oilers were doing a good job frustrating the Blackhawks with a gritty, hard-working effort. Unfortunately they gave up a third-period goal, then fell in a shootout.

big play

Derek Roy gets to a loose puck in front of the Blackhawks net. He collects it, spins away from a check and beats Corey Crawford for the first goal of the game.

big hurt

A female fan was cut in the head when a pane of glass came crashing down on her after Benoit Pouliot took Niklas Hjalmarsson into the corner. The fan left to get medical attention and returned to her seat in the second with a head bandage to watch the rest of the contest.

Up Next

Oilers at Carolina Hurricanes, Sunday (1 p.m.) PNC Arena.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768548 Florida Panthers

Goalie Sam Brittain excited to get taste of NHL with Florida Panthers

By George Richards

03/06/2015 7:29 PM

Sam Brittain’s first real taste of NHL life came in January when the Panthers called up the rookie goalie when the team was in Vancouver.

Backup Al Montoya left the team in Washington to be with his wife as she gave birth to their second child.

Florida needed someone to play opposite Roberto Luongo in practice and Brittain, knowing he would never even see the bench during a game, was more than happy to leave his ECHL team in Cincinnati for the opportunity.

“I don’t care how it happens. I’m just happy to be here to learn what it takes to be an NHL goalie,’’ Brittain said after that January practice in Vancouver. “To get a taste of this for a few days is invaluable.’’

On Tuesday, the Panthers found themselves with a big problem after both Luongo and Montoya were hurt in a loss to Toronto.

With both players out, veteran Dan Ellis was brought in from Florida’s AHL team in San Antonio, but so was Brittain.

Thursday, Brittain found himself taking part in his first NHL morning skate at BB&T Center and on the bench for his first game later that night.

How long Brittain sticks around, or whether he gets a chance to play in an NHL game isn’t known.

Luongo is out until at least Thursday with a shoulder injury, and Montoya could be done for the remainder of the regular season with a groin pull.

Brittain, 22, is just enjoying each day in the NHL as it comes. It’s possible he gets sent back to the minors after Saturday’s game because the Panthers don’t play again until Thursday.

“I was going to go wherever they wanted me to, work hard and do my best,’’ Brittain said in his first day as an NHL backup goalie on Wednesday.

“It’s just awesome I’m here in Florida with the big club. I’m looking forward to enjoying every moment and helping where I can. You have to prepare to play every day. You never know what can happen. I have to be ready and take care of business.’’

Ellis made his first start with the Panthers since last April, stopping 29 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Stars — the team he played for before being traded to Florida last year.

Of the three goals he gave up in regulation, two were deflected (one directly off the stick of teammate Brian Campbell), and the other could be attributed to a defensive breakdown.

“I thought he was good, real sharp,’’ coach Gerard Gallant said.

Ellis is expected to start Saturday against the Islanders and, if Luongo is healthy, take the bench Thursday against Winnipeg.

“I thought there would be some nerves, but I think playing against my old team, seeing some friends helped,’’ said Ellis, who is winless in six starts with the Panthers.

“I felt good in there, would have liked to get the second point, but getting one was a positive.’’

GOALIE CONTEST

Tuesday’s controversial goalie situation, in which goalie coach Robb Tallas suited up as Florida’s backup goalie in the third period, has spawned the team’s public search for an emergency goalie.

The Panthers officially unveiled their plan, called a “Goal of a Lifetime,’’ in which local amateur goalies (18 and over) will compete for the chance to work with the Panthers in practice for a day.

The team would also likely keep track of the participants in case they needed an emergency goalie for a practice, or again, even in the middle of a game.

Interested applicants need to apply through the team website and a competition will be held March 16 at the BB&T Center. Two finalists will compete for the job during an intermission of Florida’s game against Montreal on March 17.

A number of national hockey outlets picked up on the promotion with ESPN’s Linda Cohn tweeting a picture of herself in goalie gear to the Panthers with the message: “I’m available for backup duty.”

The Panthers responded, “We’d love to see you in net at the BB&T Center.’’

“We think we’re going to have a great response for this,’’ executive chairman Peter Luukko said. “[Assistant coach] John Madden told us they used to do this up in Minnesota so we figured, ‘Why don’t we do it as well.’ It should be a lot of fun.’’

▪ Florida went scoreless in a shootout for the second consecutive time as it has dropped to 6-10 in those games this season. The Panthers have lost six of their past seven shootouts.

“I’m putting the guys out there I think can win it for us,’’ Gallant said. “The goalies have been pretty good.’’

▪ Defenseman Shane O’Brien, recalled on an emergency basis Thursday when Erik Gudbranson fell ill, was returned to AHL San Antonio on Friday.

Miami Herald LOADED: 03.07.2015


HELP WANTED: Florida Panthers go public in search for emergency goalie, ESPN's Linda Cohn is "available"

GeorgeRichards

Tuesday's controversial goalie situation, in which goalie coach Robb Tallas suited up as Florida's backup goalie in the third period, has spawned the team's public search for an emergency goalie.

The Panthers officially unveiled their plan, called a 'Goal of a Lifetime,' in which local amateur goalies (18-and-over) will compete for the chance to work with the Panthers in practice for a day.

The team would also likely keep track of the participants in case they needed an emergency goalie for a practice, or again, even in the middle of a game.

Interested applicants need to apply through the team website and a competition will be held March 16 at the BB&T Center. Two finalists will compete for the job during an intermission of Florida's game against Montreal on March 17.

A number of national hockey outlets picked up on the promotion with ESPN's Linda Cohn tweeting a picture of herself in goalie gear to the Panthers with the message "I'm available for backup duty."

The Panthers responded "we'd love to see you in net at the BB&T Center.''

"We think we're going to have a great response for this,'' executive chairman Peter Luukko said. "[Assistant coach] John Madden told us they used to do this up in Minnesota so we figured, 'why don't we do it as well.' It should be a lot of fun.''



SAM BRITTAIN: Making the most of his opportunity with the Florida Panthers

GeorgeRichards

Sam Brittain's first real taste of NHL life came in January when the Panthers called up the rookie goalie when the team was in Vancouver.

Backup Al Montoya left the team in Washington, D.C., to be with his wife as she gave birth to their second child.

Florida needed someone to play opposite Roberto Luongo in practice and Brittain, knowing he would never even see the bench during a game, was more than happy to leave his ECHL team in Cincinnati for the opportunity.

"I don't care how it happens I'm just happy to be here to learn what it takes to be an NHL goalie,'' Brittain said after a lengthy workout in Vancouver. "To get a taste of this for a few days is invaluable.''

On Tuesday, the Panthers found themselves with a big problem after both Luongo and Montoya were hurt in a loss to Toronto.

With both players out, veteran Dan Ellis was brought in from Florida's AHL team in San Antonio but so was Brittain.

Thursday, Brittain found himself taking part in his first NHL morning skate at BB&T Center and on the bench for his first game later that night.

How long Brittain sticks around, or whether he gets a chance to play in an NHL game isn't known.

Luongo is out until at least Thursday with a shoulder injury and Montoya could be done for the remainder of the regular season with a groin pull.

Brittain, 22, is just enjoying each day in the NHL as it comes. It's possible he gets sent back to the minors following Saturday's game since the Panthers don't play again until Thursday.

"I was going to go wherever they wanted me to, work hard and do my best,'' Brittain said in his first day as an NHL backup goalie on Wednesday.

"It's just awesome I'm here in Florida with the big club. I'm looking forward to enjoying every moment and helping where I can. You have to prepare to play every day. You never know what can happen. I have to be ready and take care of business.''

Ellis made his first start with the Panthers since last April, stopping 29 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Stars -- the team he played for before being traded to Florida last year.

Of the three goals he gave up in regulation, two were deflected (one directly off the stick of teammate Brian Campbell) and the other could be attributed to a defensive breakdown.

"I thought he was good, real sharp,'' coach Gerard Gallant said.

Ellis is expected to start Saturday against the Islanders and, if Luongo is healthy, take the bench Thursday against Winnipeg.

"I thought there would be some nerves but I think playing against my old team, seeing some friends helped,'' said Ellis, who is winless in six starts with the Panthers.

"I felt good in there, would have liked to get the second point but getting one was a positive.''

-- Florida went scoreless in a shootout for the second straight time as it has dropped to 6-10 in those games this year. The Panthers have lost six of the past seven shootouts.

"I'm putting the guys out there I think can win it for us,'' Gallant said. "The goalies have been pretty good.''

-- Defenseman Shane O'Brien, recalled on an emergency basis Thursday when Erik Gudbranson fell ill, was returned to AHL San Antonio on Friday.

Saturday: Islanders at Panthers

When, where: 7 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV/Radio: FSFL; WQAM 560

Series: Panthers lead 42-36-8

Noteworthy: The two teams have split the first two games with the Islanders winning in a shootout at Sunrise and Florida winning 4-2 last month in its final trip to Nassau Coliseum. The Isles ended a two-game slide with Thursday's win in Nashville.



Preview: Islanders at Panthers, Saturday, 7 p.m.

By Harvey Fialkov

When/Where: 7 p.m., BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV: FSF; Radio: 560-WQAM

Scouting report: The flu-ridden Panthers have lost six of eight, including a 4-3 shootout loss to the Stars on Thursday. They trail the Bruins by two points for a wild-card spot, but the Flyers and Senators have joined the party. The Islanders and Panthers have each won a game in the other's area. Florida dropped a 4-3 shootout on Nov. 14, but got revenge on Feb. 3 with a 4-2 win on two goals by Jimmy Hayes. F Brandon Pirri has four goals in his last four games. Isles' Brock Nelson scored the game-winner in Thursday's 4-3 win over the Predators. They're 5-3-2 in their last 10 and trail the first-place Rangers by two points in the Metropolitan Division. They're led by C John Tavares' 31 goals and 67 points. Panthers D Willie Mitchell (flu) and D Erik Gudbranson (flu) probable. F Jaromir Jagr (flu) is a game-time decision.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.07.2015


Panthers holding open tryouts for practice goalie

By Harvey Fialkov

A few days after the Panthers ran out of goaltenders, they announced an open amateur tryout to find a backup practice goalie for a day.

While it was no laughing matter when both Panthers goalies, Roberto Luongo and Al Montoya, suffered injuries in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs, this "Goal of a Lifetime'' contest is more tongue-and-cheek.

Any Panthers fan with a Walter Mitty complex who wants to practice with the team can try out March 16 at 4 p.m. at the BB&T Center. It's open to all men and women 18 or older. Any interested applicants must submit their playing resume to FloridaPanthers.com/backupgoalie.

A group will be selected, and Panthers goalie coach Robb Tallas, who signed a professional tryout contract during Tuesday's bizarre game and actually donned the pads before Luongo returned, will oversee the tryout.

"We look forward to welcoming goaltenders from across South Florida to this open tryout," said Tallas, 41, who hadn't played in an NHL game since 2001. "It promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the goaltender who is selected to serve as our team's back-up practice goalie for a day."

The winning goalie will receive two complimentary tickets for each home game remaining in the 2014-15 regular season, a team-signed jersey and will be featured on Fox Sports Florida during an intermission segment.

"We are very excited to launch this contest and expect a great turnout for this ultimate fan experience," Panthers Executive Chairman Peter Luukko said.

Ellis to start

Panthers third-string goalie Dan Ellis, who made 29 saves while giving up three goals in Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Stars, earned his first point since Feb. 1, 2014 while with Dallas in a 2-0 win over the Ducks.

"I thought there'd be a little bit of nerves, but honestly maybe playing against my old team, having some friends on the team probably helps,'' said Ellis, who fell to 9-10 in shootouts and will start Saturday against the Islanders.

Two of Dallas' four goals, including the game-winning shootout goal by Colton Sceviour were deflections.

"Anytime you make saves you're going to be happy. It's better than the puck going into the net. But I felt good,'' Ellis said. "It's just nice to be able to contribute a little bit. I would have liked to get that second point though."

Flu bug

The Panthers, who have escaped serious injuries and the mumps epidemic throughout the season, got hit hard this week at a crucial juncture in their playoff drive.

Besides losing both goalies, albeit Luongo (shoulder) on a short-term basis, seven players came down with flu-like symptoms, including four who played sick Thursday.

"Everyone goes through some adversity through the season,'' said Panthers forward Shawn Thornton, who played 11:14 despite being ill. "It's unfortunate it's hitting us now while we're in this crunch stage, but the teams were battling against are going through it too, so there's no excuses. We got to find a way to figure out ways to win games instead of giving away points.''

Defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Willie Mitchell and wing Jaromir Jagr were missed the game, and Tomas Kopecky was among those playing while ill. …

The Panthers sent defenseman Shane O'Brien back to San Antonio so apparently Gudbranson was feeling better Friday. The Panthers cancelled practice because of the flu. They also sterilized the locker room.

Kulikov gets Howe hat trick

Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov had a goal, an assist and the expected fight Tuesday as a result of his illegal hit on Stars center Tyler Seguin on Feb. 13, which got him suspended for four games.

"They tried to scare me,'' Kulikov said about pregame warmup chirping. "Gladly, [Thornton] came in and said he got my back. I'm just glad I didn't get killed.''

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.07.2015

768553 Los Angeles Kings

Kings defenseman Slava Voynov's domestic-violence trial delayed until April

By Nathan Fenno

The trial of Kings defenseman Slava Voynov on a felony domestic-violence charge has been delayed again.

Motions in the case will be heard April 1, with jury selection slated for April 21, according to Craig Renetzky, one of Voynov’s attorneys.

The trial was scheduled to start earlier this week but was postponed one week because of a scheduling conflict by Deputy Dist. Atty. Frank Dunnick.

No reason was given for Friday’s continuance.

Voynov was suspended indefinitely with pay shortly after the alleged incident involving his wife, Marta Varlamova, last October.



What we learned from the Kings' 4-3 shootout victory over Montreal

By Helene Elliott

What we learned from the Kings’ 4-3 shootout victory over the East-leading Montreal Canadiens:

-- The Kings still have that knack for turning the worst disadvantages into advantages. They had lost seven straight shootouts after winning their first of the season and their shooters were merely two for 28 — with only Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter having succeeded -- but they pulled one out Thursday night when it was pretty nearly imperative because Calgary and Minnesota had won.

Gaborik and Carter scored, Tyler Toffoli didn’t, but Anze Kopitar did, giving the Kings a victory they needed in order to keep pace in the still-tight playoff race.

Coach Darryl Sutter said he had consulted goaltending coach Bill Ranford during the game to ask about a potential shootout lineup.

“Gabby was hot so it was good to see him go in,” Sutter said. “I asked Billy after the second period who we should use and the coaches all agreed those would be the three guys and then Kopi, so we were right on two of the three.”

Sutter, incidentally, coached his 1,002nd game, moving him ahead of Billy Reay for 16th on the all-time list of games coached.

-- Given the Western Conference standings and that the Wild and Flames had won, Thursday’s game was a must-win. Or was it?

“There’s no ‘must’ anywhere,” Sutter said. "You don’t have to do anything. You try and win. There is no such thing as a must win. Nobody gets locked up or thrown in the ocean or anything like that. Other than that, it’s just a game.”

Oh.

-- The Kings are still prone to defensive lapses but they continue to come up big at the right times. Gaborik was the big-moment player Thursday.

“He has that poise late in the game,” defenseman Jake Muzzin said. “He doesn’t force any plays and he takes advantage of what he’s given. It’s coming down to the crunch where we need our big guys, along with everyone else, to chip in, and we got those key moments tonight.”



Up next for Kings: Saturday vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

By Helene Elliott

Preview: Kings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday

When: 7.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 790.

Update: The Kings, who have won back-to-back games after losing three straight, didn't practice Friday and instead posed for their team photo. Center Anze Kopitar, whose scoring has slipped this season, contributed a goal and four points in those last two games. The Kings' penalty killers were three for three in Thursday's 4-3 shootout victory over Montreal and are 33 for 35 over the last 14 games. Before the game, the Kings will unveil a statue of Luc Robitaille at Star Plaza outside Staples Center. The ceremony will start at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. It also will be shown on screens inside the arena. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin took a six-game point streak into the team's game at Anaheim on Friday, with six goals and 12 points in that span.



Kings' Robitaille to be honored with Staples Center statue

March 6, 2015 12:51 p.m.

By RICH HAMMOND / STAFF WRITER

LOS ANGELES -- Luc Robitaille arrived here 29 years ago, a ninth-round Kings draft pick with a longshot NHL dream and limited English in his vocabulary. Staples Center hadn’t yet become a vision, let alone a plan.

Since then, he’s been called ''Lucky,’’ an obvious play on words but an inaccurate adjective. Robitaille has been fortunate, yes, and he’s the first one to proclaim that, but luck hasn’t played a part. It’s not by chance that Robitaille is set to become the seventh person immortalized with a bronze statue outside Staples Center.

''I was just a kid playing a game,’’ Robitaille said this week. ''I loved it. I gave everything I had, every day. Everything that has happened to me since, I just feel blessed.’’

Robitaille’s three-decade journey has been about work, on and off the ice, and that’s what will be recognized in a ceremony Saturday night before the Kings play the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of his other former teams.

Robitaille’s statue will join those of the Lakers’ Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Chick Hearn, champion boxer Oscar de la Hoya and Robitaille’s former teammate, Wayne Gretzky.

''I was 13 years old in 1979 and I had a picture of Wayne Gretzky in my room,’’ Robitaille said, ''and I watched him every time I could see him (on TV). Now there’s statues of Gretzky and me. It’s kind of weird.’’

Drafted in 1984, Robitaille made his Kings debut two years later and started a 19-season career. He retired in 2006 as the leading goal scorer in Kings history and as the highest-scoring left winger in NHL history.

It’s not just about the points. Robitaille, now 49, developed a fan following because of his engaging personality, and now he’s the public face of the franchise as the Kings’ president of business operations. It’s been quite a journey, one that started with Robitaille eating hot dogs, waiting to hear his name called.

On the day of the 1984 draft, Robitaille sat in the stands of the old Montreal Forum and ate hot dogs -- one per hour, he recalls -- as 170 names were called before the Kings selected him.

Robitaille made the most of it. He won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2002, had his jersey retired by the Kings in 2007 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009. Now the unheralded kid from Montreal will join Los Angeles sporting legends outside Staples Center.

''Actually, when I came here I said, 'One day I’m going to have a statue...’’’ Robitaille said with a big laugh.

Robitaille said he hasn’t seen the statue, but that the pose (taken from pictures) had been pre-approved by his wife, Stacia. The Kings will hold a 6 p.m. ceremony Saturday, an hour before the game against Pittsburgh.

VOYNOV TRIAL DELAYED

The domestic-battery trial of Kings defenseman Slava Voynov has been delayed until April 21.

The trial had been scheduled to start Monday in the Torrance branch of Los Angeles Superior Court, but Voynov’s lawyer, Craig Renetzky, said he and prosecutors mutually agreed to the delay.

Voynov has been charged one felony count of corporal injury to a spouse with great bodily injury because of an alleged incident with his wife in October. The trial delay seems to eliminate the already slim possibility that Voynov could play this season. The Kings’ regular season ends April 11.

BROADCASTERS BACK

No official announcement is expected until summer, but Hall of Fame television broadcaster Bob Miller intends to return in 2015-16 for a 43rd season. Miller, 76, works under one-year contracts and essentially has an open-ended invitation to return each season.

Miller’s partner, Jim Fox, is already under contract for 2015-16, which will be his 26th season.

IN PERSPECTIVE

Leave it to Coach Darryl Sutter, always quick with a quip, to diffuse tension about the Kings’ pursuit of a playoff spot with 18 games left. Sutter was asked if every remaining game had a ''must-win’’ feel.

''There’s no must,’’ Sutter said. ''You don’t have to do anything. Just try and win. There’s no such thing as a must-win. Nobody gets locked up or thrown in the ocean or anything. I’m not into that. It’s just a game.’



Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov’s domestic violence trial postponed to April 21

By Larry Altman, Daily Breeze

Posted: 03/06/15, 3:33 PM PST |

The domestic violence trial for suspended Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov that was supposed to begin next week was rescheduled Friday for April 21.

Voynov’s attorneys requested the delay, which was granted by Judge Eric Taylor, Deputy District Attorney Frank Dunnick said.

Voynov is charged with punching and kicking his wife, and shoving her head into a flat-screen television during a fight Oct. 19 in their Redondo Beach home. Police arrested Voynov, 24, when he took his wife, Marta Varlamova, to the emergency room at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. She suffered a gash above her eye, requiring eight stitches, and told officers and nurses it was not the first time Voynov hit her, court records show.

The National Hockey League suspended Voynov Oct. 20.

Varlamova, a Russian model, has refused to cooperate with police and prosecutors. She does not want her husband prosecuted and does not want to testify against him, calling what happened to her an accident.

Court records filed this week indicated investigators for the District Attorney’s Office put Voynov under surveillance in January when they could not locate Varlamova to subpoena her to testify. They served her when they found the couple together Jan. 28 in Marina del Rey.

Voynov’s lawyers, Craig Renetzky and Pamela Mackey, have asked Taylor to exclude statements Varlamova made to police and nurses in the emergency room about her husband if she is unavailable for the trial.

Prosecutors want them included. Taylor will hear arguments on April 1. Jury selection is set for April 21.



L.A. Kings flirt with an embarrassing loss to the Canadiens, but win in a shootout, not that they were reassured

By Mark Whicker, LA Daily News

Posted: 03/06/15, 6:27 AM PST |

The hockey gods apparently took the night off.

The Kings were presented with a triple dessert at Staples Center Thursday night. They got Montreal coming off a Wednesday night loss at Anaheim. They got Montreal with Dustin Tokarski filling in for MVP candidate Carey Price in goal. And they had far more motivation than the Canadiens, with Calgary having already won, moving ahead of the Kings by 2 points in the playoff race.

And the Kings indeed put the Canadiens in a sleeperhold in the first period, dominating their way to a 2-0 lead.

The fact that they let Montreal revive itself, and then needed a final-minute goal to tie this game and a shootout to win it, 4-3, was not reassuring.

But there is no category for “undeserved wins,” although the analytics people are working on it.

“It would be nice to win in regulation or in overtime, not a shootout,” said Jonathan Quick, after L.A. improved its shootout record to 2-7.

“We were the better team for 30, 35 minutes. Then they got back in it and we didn’t take control. We have to be better than that.”

They do, but the Kings did equal the Flames’ point total in the race for third place in the Pacific Division. Calgary still has the tiebreaker edge in ROW (Regulation and Overtime Wins), hence Quick’s frustration..

Again, the Kings suffered through defensive instability. They let Tom Gilbert skate unimpeded to get the first Montreal goal, after David Desharnais won a faceoff from Jarret Stoll. And Max Pacioretty’s 31st goal of the season tied it on a nice feed from Desharnais, as the Kings couldn’t win board battles or evict the puck from their zone.

It took a massive gaffe by Montreal’s Lars Eller to bail out the home team, as Eller high-sticked Drew Doughty with 1:35 left. That meant the Kings could get a 6-on-4 when Darryl Sutter pulled Quick, and Marian Gaborik used Jeff Carter as a screen on PK Subban, and scored on Tokarski with :45 left.

“In that situation you try to be patient, and I wanted to give the puck to (Anze) Kopitar,” Jake Muzzin said. “It’s important to get it to your best guy in that situation.”

Tyler Toffoli hit the crossbar in an overtime period that saw no Montreal shots on goal. Kopitar finally wrapped up the shootout.

It was far harder than it had to be, which is not an unusual method for the Kings. They have another opportunity at a tired Eastern team on Saturday, since Pittsburgh will be at Anaheim Friday night.

“That’s not a tough turnaround,” Sutter said. “It’s farther to the airport in Colorado (than it is from L.A. to Anaheim). I knew this would be a really, really tough game tonight.

“But we should have been ahead 4-0. We didn’t put it away when we had some glorious opportunities in the second period.”

Gaborik went solo on Tokarski and couldn’t convert, and then Nick Shore had another fly-by that brought nothing. Slowly the Canadiens figured out that they would get paid the same amount of money if they decided to participate in this game, and they were the controlling team for much of the second and third periods.

In the end the Kings owed everything to their penalty kill, particularly when Jordan Nolan lost some of his newfound composure and picked up a roughing call on Brandon Prust before the two of them picked up five minutes for fighting. Prust’s elbow had knocked Nolan out of the game briefly in the first period, so Round 2 was predictable. The Kings responded by denying every Montreal entry into the offensive zone, and making Tokarski work to stop some shorthanded tries.

The Kings have three games left with Vancouver, which is second in the Pacific and two points ahead of L.A. They also have a difficult five-game Eastern trip. Their final two games are against Calgary and San Jose, with whom they are elbowing for position.

“We’re going into every game thinking it’s a must game,” Muzzin said, which sounded fishy to Sutter.

“There’s no must games,, no must anything,” he said. “You try to win every game. Nobody gets locked up or thrown into the ocean or anything like that. It’s just a game.”

And the standings?

“If you’re Canadian you’re looking at the standings,” Sutter said.

Maybe they look better from the north.



L.A. Kings honor Luc Robitaille with statue at Staples Center

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze

Posted: 03/06/15, 12:01 AM PST | Updated: 30 secs ago

PENGUINS AT KINGS

Faceoff: 7 p.m.

TV/Radio: FSW, 790-AM

Update: The Kings will honor Luc Robitaille by unveiling a statue of him in Star Plaza outside Staples Center during a 6 p.m. ceremony. Then they’ll get back to work on the ice against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. The Kings have a two-game winning streak thanks to a late rally and a rare shootout victory Thursday over the Montreal Canadiens. The Kings (31-21-12) improved to 2-7 in shootouts, but awoke Friday to find themselves in ninth place in the Western Conference, one spot out of a playoff position. Marian Gaborik scored two goals Thursday, his 18th and 19th of the season. Jeff Carter increased his team-leading total to 22 with a first-period goal. Evgeni Malkin, rather than Crosby, led the Penguins with 27 goals and 65 points going into Friday’s game against the Ducks. Crosby had 20 goals and 64 points.



Children’s Wish Foundation: Kings welcome Joshua Breeze

Posted by JonRosen

Earlier today, 11-year-old Joshua Breeze skated with two of his favorite Kings, forward Dustin Brown and goaltender Jonathan Quick. The Calgary native was in town on behalf of the Children’s Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization in Canada that is similar to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the United States.

“Be thankful in our profession that we are able to do it and should do it,” Darryl Sutter said. “I think that speaks [of the] hockey world, how they connect with families and children in unique situations. Obviously it matters to me a lot because of our family and special needs, but it’s pretty cool to see – those kids are triplets.”

Breeze was diagnosed in 2007 with cystic fibrosis, a potentially life threatening genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, kidneys and intestines. The Kings learned about Joshua’s plight last season, and after consultation with Children’s Wish, welcomed him and his family to Southern California, where he took a tour of the team’s training facility on Friday. He’ll also visit Disneyland, Universal Studios and Magic Mountain while in town.

Quick, Brown and Sutter all took their time to welcome the Breeze family to the team’s areas at the Toyota Sports Center, with the Kings coach spending half an hour with the family while Joshua showed off an impressive wristshot.

“He’s a good little novice player,” Sutter said. “It’s what I told his sisters. It’s too bad they didn’t bring their skates. They’ll all have a great week. They’ll get the game tomorrow, they’re going to go to Disneyland, they’ll go to Universal Studios. They’ll have a great week, and the weather’s supposed to be good. The girls want to go to the beach. It’s awesome.”

The family will again be welcomed by the team during tomorrow’s game against Pittsburgh at Staples Center.

“Players thoroughly enjoy it,” Sutter said. “It’s heartwarming to see, and it’s special. I say it lots, our game is just a game at the end of the day, but when you can make it special for somebody else – Josh lives hockey. When you talk to him about it, he knows a lot about it.”

“It’s awesome. It makes you feel good.”

Story, video from Laura Booth of the Calgary Sun:

If he could have one wish granted, 11-year-old Joshua Breeze would want to meet his favourite NHL hockey team, the Los Angeles Kings.

On Thursday morning his wish was granted when he boarded a flight at the Calgary International Airport to the City of Angels with his parents and two sisters — Joshua is a triplet.

Joshua, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) when he was just four-months-old, is living his dream thanks to the L.A. Kings and the Calgary Children’s Wish Foundation.

“Sports is such a big thing for him and with cystic fibrosis it’s important to keep him active and hockey has done that, ” said Joshua’s mother, Joanne Breeze.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Martinez, Pearson skate, handle pucks; video

Posted by JonRosen

The Los Angeles Kings took their annual team photo earlier today as Vice President, Communications and Broadcasting Mike Altieri and Television Color Commentator Jim Fox looked on:

If you look even closer, you’ll see that the players took the ice in their skates. While most of the players removed their skates and left the facility after the team photo, injured skaters Tanner Pearson (broken lower fibula) and Alec Martinez (concussion-like symptoms) changed into black practice jerseys and took the ice for a light skate.

At first, Pearson and Martinez were confined to one end of the ice, away from the end where Fox, Jonathan Quick and Dustin Brown skated with Children’s Wish participant Joshua Breeze. But after Breeze, Fox, Quick and Brown left the ice, Pearson and Martinez had the ice to themselves.

Pearson suffered a broken lower left fibula on January 10, so today’s on-ice session was one day shy of eight weeks from the day of his injury; the timetable for his recovery is three-plus months. According to General Manager Dean Lombardi, Pearson first took the ice last week to test his ankle, though that skate was mostly just to test how the skate felt on his foot. There is still some swelling, and he’s still feeling some discomfort when wearing the skate, so it’s not as if any type of return to a practice setting is imminent.

“Until they can have full practice and full contact, they’re basically outsiders,” Darryl Sutter said.

As of now, there’s no change from the window in which Pearson could be expected to return. That window is almost certainly in April. When asked shortly after the Andrej Sekera trade whether there was a chance that Pearson could return before the end of the regular season, Lombardi responded, “I think there’s a shot.” As he did that afternoon, Lombardi also noted on Friday the impressive ability for young athletes to recover from injury.

Martinez’s presence, on the other hand, does signal a step forward in his attempt to return from concussion-like symptoms brought about from a hit by Tampa Bay’s Cedric Paquette on February 7. As reported by Lisa Dillman and I on Tuesday, Martinez had to pass two consecutive hard days on a stationary bike before he’d be able to return to limited on-ice activities. Hockey operations expressed optimism last night when asked about Martinez’s progress; the defenseman’s presence on skates today signals that he has passed the bike test. Like Pearson, there is no clear timetable on his return, though today’s session should be seen as progress in his recovery.

In 42 games this season, Pearson has 12 goals, 16 points and a plus-14 rating. In 45 games, Martinez has five goals, 17 points and a plus-11 rating.



March 6 media availability: Darryl Sutter

Posted by JonRosen

Several quick notes before Darryl’s quotes:

-The team did not practice on Friday. Instead, the group gathered on the ice for the annual team photo.

-Alec Martinez (concussion-like symptoms) and Tanner Pearson (fractured fibula) took the ice after the team picture for a light skate. They’re not at the point where they’re going to be available to chat with the media, but I’ll have a story up on their brief on-ice session later today.

-11-year-old Joshua Breeze also took the ice. A Calgary native who suffers from Cystic Fybrosis, Josh – who has an awfully good wristshot – took the ice with Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick as Martinez and Pearson occupied the other half of the rink. He’s a huge Kings fan and will be embedded with the team through tomorrow’s game against Pittsburgh in addition to visiting sights and amusement parks around the L.A. area. Photos and a story will follow this afternoon.

Darryl Sutter quotes:

On the team’s success in transition and getting pucks quickly to the forwards:

We have to do it. Hey…we win a few in a row and it’s glorious, and we lose two or three in a row and everybody says you’re not glorious. We have little goals that we’re trying to reach, and if we reach them, then we’ll be a playoff team. So it’s all part and parcel. There’s a lot more to it than just passing the puck quickly.

On the penalty kill’s success:

I think we have to get better. I think there’s been some drop in it, and I think we were a little better again last night than we were in the Edmonton game. Most of it is just the attention to detail. We were using some different forwards and not using guys quite as much. If you look at it, it’s a little bit different. You know what? As much as penalty killing is its own game – just like a power play is its own game during the game – there has to be some reason for you to be on it, too. And the reason to be on it is not to be on the ice when a goal is scored against you. Obviously it’s easy data to back it up. We looked at that, the biggest thing that we talked about during the All-Star Break was how we were going to get our penalty straightened out because penalty killing wins you more games than power play does.

On not being in as many shorthanded situations as the beginning of the season:

It’s not been a beginning-of-the-year thing. The Kings have been historically a high-penalized team, and now we’re in terms of penalties, I’m not sure what we’d be today, but your actual minor penalties, and if you’d break it down farther into actual time – which is more important; it’s not the ‘penalties’ – we’d be like 10-through-14 is where we’ve been. So that’s a significant improvement from past years, for sure. So from going from 25-to-30 to into that is significant.



Waking up with the Kings: March 6

Posted by JonRosen

The Los Angeles Kings took a circuitous route to earning a much-needed win over the Montreal Canadiens Thursday night at Staples Center, jumping out to an early two-goal lead before surrendering it during a 94-second stretch in the second period and having to fight from behind to win in a shootout after Max Pacioretty put the visitors in front midway through the third. Marian Gaborik’s two power play goals and shootout-opening snipe helped cement the win and earn the winger first star status in a game in which the Kings had plenty of opportunities to widen their two-nothing lead in the second period but were unable to do so. Scoring chances favored Los Angeles, as did shot attempts and shots on goal – though Montreal has not been a team to regularly out-shoot or out-chance its opponents despite its stellar record. Our favorite term “bearing down” would have been used repeatedly had the Kings not tied the game late in the third period, though it’s a moot point in the end considering the Kings scored three times and added one in the shootout to win a 4-3 game against the league’s stingiest defensive team (even if the Canadiens started their back-up goalie).

Montreal Canadiens v Los Angeles Kings

Though a more familiar power play unit was on the ice when Los Angeles tied the game late, two new-look units took the ice for the other power plays, and the re-tooled second unit found more success. When Torrey Mitchell was whistled for hooking at 2:27 of the first period, a unit of Sekera-Doughty-Carter-Kopitar-Toffoli took the ice. After a shift in which they struggled to move the puck effectively or generate any particularly dangerous looks, they were followed by a group of Muzzin-McNabb-Gaborik-Lewis-Williams that quickly cashed in when Marian Gaborik deftly deflected a low Brayden McNabb shot past Dustin Tokarski with his back to the net. With the type of power play drought that the Kings had entering the game – they were 2-for-32 with one of the goals an empty-netter – it’s not a surprise that Sutter opted for a change in personnel. Power plays run hot and cold, and perhaps last night’s 2-for-5 performance signals a shift upwards after hitting a seasonal nadir.

at Staples Center on March 5, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

The urgency was there for Los Angeles, and for the second consecutive game the Kings engineered an excellent start, out-shooting the Habs 13-2 and winning board battles regultarly against a team that was playing its third game in four nights. The intangibles are there for this Kings team, and on Thursday they again showed the same type of resolve that was oozing out of SAP Center, Honda Center, United Center, Madison Square Garden and Staples Center last spring. When the Kings needed a goal late, they calmly and efficiently moved the puck along the right wing without forcing any plays before Anze Kopitar found Marian Gaborik to Dustin Tokarski’s left, and without much resistance, Gaborik cut into an area in the front of the crease where many goals are scored from and deposited the puck past the goaltender’s right pad. There was no hurry or stress, only a surgical operation that produced a goal by getting the puck onto the sticks of the team’s best players. I asked Jake Muzzin after the game what his focus is on a late-game power play when the team trails by a goal. “Give the puck to Kopitar, really, is what I thought there,” he responded. “You want the puck in the hands of your best guy, and you want to take your time. You don’t want to force plays.”



The View from Montreal

Posted by James Nicholson

Pat Hickey: Habs Game Report: Gaborik leads Kings past Montreal 4-3 in shootout

“Los Angeles dominated the first period as they outshot the Canadiens 13-2 and took a 2-0 lead on goals by Gaborik and Jeff Carter.”

Pat Hickey: In the Habs Room: Canadiens lose high ground in uphill battle against Kings

“The Canadiens should have felt confident going into a shootout against a team with a 1-7 record in shootouts but the Kings, who had scored only twice in shootouts this season, scored three times on four shots to claim the win.”

Mike Boone: About last night … (west coast insomnia, Eller? Eller! ELLER!!! edition)

“The Kings are in a dogfight to make the Western Conference playoffs, and their desperation was evidenced by early domination.”

SB Nation: EYES ON THE PRIZE

Marc Dumont: Habs vs Kings recap: California Nightmare Part Three

“As has been the case throughout the California trip, Montreal once again failed to compete in the possession game.”

For French coverage of last night’s game, Le Journal de Montreal has you covered.


768565 Minnesota Wild

TFD: Patrick Roy adds fuel to Wild/Avs rivalry with comments about cheap shots

Posted by: Michael Rand Updated March 6th at 5:56pm

At the end of yet another loss to the Wild recently, the Avalanche and head coach Patrick Roy decided to goon things up. Cody McLeod made a run at Mikael Granlund in the closing seconds, then got into a fight with Charlie Coyle.

The Wild didn’t take too kindly to it — understandably. Our guy Russo wrote this in his postgame blog:

“That’s garbage is what it is,” Yeo said of McLeod’s antics. “You feel it was going that way all game long. They were obviously very emotional all game long. In an emotional type of game, we did a good job of keeping our focus and I really think that was the difference in the end.”

Asked what he thought of Roy putting out McLeod, Yeo said, “We’ve seen the league respond to things like this. There’s rules in place to try to prevent things like that and I’m quite certain that they’ll take a good long look at that.”

It set the stage for what should be a charged-up atmosphere at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday when the two teams play again. Roy, for his part, isn’t trying to defuse things. In fact, after practice Friday he doubled down when asked about it the growing rivalry with the Wild and the finish to the most recent game (comments start shortly after the 2:00 mark of that video link).

“Revenge or whatever, it’s not part of what we’ve been doing. If we were talking about revenge, we would have done something way before that when they hurt (Tyson) Barrie. … To me, garbage is what (Matt) Cooke did to Barrie, not what McLeod did at the end of the game.”

The reference, of course, was to Cooke’s hit on Barrie in last year’s playoffs. Minnesota won that series in seven games; Cooke was suspended for seven games.

If Roy is trying to be an even bigger villain in these parts, comments like that certainly will help him succeed.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.07.2015


No rest for Devan Dubnyk, will make his 23rd consecutive start tonight in Raleigh

Posted by: Michael Russo under On the road, Wild pregame skate Updated: March 6, 2015 - 12:28 PM

Afternoon from beautiful Raleigh, where the sun is out and the air is crisp.

I'll be on KFAN at 4:30 p.m. CT.

Wild, an NHL-best 17-3-2 in the Devan Dubnyk era and an NHL-best 15 wins and 31 points in 18 games since the All-Star break (15-2-1), faces the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in the parking lot of North Carolina State's football stadium.

Canes have won three of their past four and have been playing well since New Year's.

The Wild, winners of seven of its past eight overall, is an NHL-best 9-1-2 on the road since Dubnyk came to save the day and has won five straight on the road.

"If we don't respect these guys tonight, then it will be an awfully frustrating game," coach Mike Yeo said of the Canes.

Dubnyk will make his 23rd consecutive start tonight. He is 17-3-1 with the Wild with a 1.63 goals-against average and .939 save percentage, allowing a league-low 35 goals in the past 22 games (1.59 per game). Again, consider this: The Wild allowed 58 goals in the 14 games before he arrived (4.14 goals per game).

FIFTY-EIGHT GOALS IN FOURTEEN GAMES COMPARED TO THIRTY-FIVE GOALS IN TWENTY-TWO!

I thought I would amplify that.

Wild was 45 seconds from having a five-point lead in 9th today until Marian Gaborik forced overtime for the L.A. Kings and they won in a shootout.

Now, Wild still has a three-point lead, is one over Winnipeg and four from Chicago for third in the Central. If the Wild's not careful, it'll play itself right into a first-round series with St. Louis. crying

(I'm crying purely for selfish, travel-related reasons).

Tonight is the Wild's game in hand on the Jets, so if it can win, it would be three points up. Quite the accomplishment considering Minnesota was 14 back of the Jets on Jan. 27 and seven points behind eighth.

Why not rest Dubnyk and start Darcy Kuemper for the first time since Jan. 6?

"Number of reasons," Yeo said. "We look at this game as an extremely important game for us and we're treating it as such. You can talk about maybe resting or keeping an eye on games maybe two, three weeks from now, but those games don't mean a lot unless we win games right now.

"Part of the other reasoning is no skate this morning, no skate for the guys tomorrow with a mandatory day off and probably no morning skate on Sunday [because of a 5 p.m. game against Colorado]. Given that, I think in a lot of ways, it's important for him to almost have this game to keep sharp. And also, we only gave up 25 shots last night [in Washington]. So I don't think he should be too tired."

Jared Spurgeon (concussion) and Nino Niederreiter (lower body) skated this morning in a very optional skate. I'd guess Spurgeon won't play, but we'll see about Niederreiter. And if Niederreiter plays, we'll see who comes out because Jordan Schroeder was good last night with four shots.

Maybe Sean Bergenheim? Maybe a member of the fourth line, although I thought again last night that Erik Haula-Kyle Brodziak-Justin Fontaine looked good and they're all penalty killers and the Canes' power play ranks sixth in the NHL in 2015.

No. 1 ranked (Carolina) vs. No. 2 ranked (Minnesota) penalty kills tonight. Wild's power play is 1 for 19 the past 10 games. Yeo indicated the power play is the only thing about the Wild's game he doesn't like right now.

Looks like former Wild Anton Khudobin is starting for Carolina. The Wild shellacked him a few weeks ago in a 6-3 win.



State tournament: Wild's Yeo misses out on son's appearance

Article by: DAVID LA VAQUE and LOREN NELSON , Star Tribune

Updated: March 6, 2015 - 6:31 AM

Wild coach Mike Yeo watches hockey at least 41 nights a season inside the Xcel Energy Center. Unfortunately, Thursday was not one of those nights.

Yeo coached the Wild to a victory at Washington at the same time his son, Kyler, played for Hill-Murray in his first state tournament.

Yeo, a sophomore forward, was on the ice for the Pioneers’ lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Lakeville North in the first evening quarterfinal.

“Not knowing before I got here what the state tournament was, and then having the opportunity to take it in the last several years, I know that it’s something my kid and all those kids have been dreaming about,” Yeo said earlier this week. “These are the things that are tough to miss as a parent, for sure.”

Yeo, who also missed last week’s Section 4 championship game, joked, “Maybe I’ll take my cellphone on the bench” for updates during the Capitals game.

Rally falls short

Bemidji’s current crop of players hadn’t yet been born when large and legendary Lumberjacks star George Pelawa was pounding opponents into submission during the 1986 state tournament at the old St. Paul Civic Center.

“We haven’t even seen a team come down here from Bemidji, so it is kind of a first,” Bemidji senior defenseman Michael Forseth said after the Lumberjacks ended their 29-year state tournament drought with a 6-4 loss to two-time defending Class 2A state champion Edina.

Bemidji trailed 5-2 with 2:07 left when goals by Jack Johnson and Josh Lusby made it a one-goal game with less than a minute remaining as the decidedly pro-Lumberjacks crowd roared its approval.

“At the end there, when the crowd erupted, it was pretty loud,” Forseth said.

Millen makes return

Thursday saw the tournament return of Corey Millen, his first appearance in 33 years. This time, no crutches were needed.

Millen scored 46 goals in 18 games as a senior, propelling Cloquet toward its first state tournament in 1982. A broken ankle, however, made him the most significant nonparticipant in tourney history.

“It’s one of those moments I haven’t pondered too long,” he said. “I went to the University of Minnesota and later played in the NHL so I was fortunate to have some good hockey things happen after that.”

Millen moved back to Cloquet last year to coach the Minnesota Wilderness of the North American Hockey League. Purists might question Millen, a product of the community hockey model, for coaching in a league some prep players choose to join in lieu of their local high school.

“I haven’t heard a lot of backlash,” he said. “The NAHL is a great league to become a better player.”

Star Tribune staff writer Michael Russo contributed to this report.



Another Devan Dubnyk masterpiece, another Wild road win

Posted by: Michael Russo under On the road, Wild game coverage Updated: March 6, 2015 - 10:10 PM

The Wild keeps winning on the road even when not close to its ‘A’ game.

Devan Dubnyk did everything he possibly could do tonight to backstop the Wild to a 3-1 victory, the team’s eighth win in the past nine games to improve to an NHL-best 10-1-2 in its past 13 on the road, NHL-best 18-3-2 in its past 23 and 16-2-1 since the All-Star break.

Tonight was its final game in hand on Winnipeg, and the Wild capitalized by moving three up on the Jets. Remember, the Wild was 14 back on Jan. 17.

Mikael Granlund and Zach Parise scored third-period goals and each had two points, Jason Pominville had two assists one game after having two third-period goals and Dubnyk made 37 saves, his most with the Wild.

The Wild was outshot 38-19, including 16-4 in the second. But Dubnyk was outstanding to improve to 18-3-1 with a 1.60 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. MVP! MVP! MVP!

The Dubnyk story just gets more remarkable by the game and even players, while lauding him, are saying it’s become a broken record after every game talking about just what he means to this group.

Dubnyk called tonight a classic road game and said he just tried to keep things simple and not get lazy as far as finding pucks.

He said with the game 1-1, “that’s a real comfortable spot for us.”

On how the Wild didn’t have its legs or its general sharpness, Dubnyk said, “You’re going to see that sometimes in back-to-backs. When they started to push, the most important thing is just to keep that game where it is and let us have the opportunity to do exactly what we did – capitalize on a couple opportunities in the third period and then kind of grind it out from there.

“We found a way to make big plays when it counted.”

Mike Yeo said the shoddy play at times was a combination of heavy legs from playing the night before against a team that had a four-day break and just not playing well.

“If you played the night before and you’re taking 1:15 shifts, it’s not going to be very productive,” he said. “A lot of that turned into frustration and turned into lack of focus.”

But he gave the guys credit for not letting that frustration ruin the game. The team did a regroup in the third period and came out with the big two points.

Granlund had his fifth multi-point game since the All-Star break and was plus-3. He scored the winner. Parise scored his 26th.

You have to feel for Mikko Koivu. He was on fire before the trades and has dried up since as the Wild continue to look for chemistry on his line. He has no points in the past six games but is still playing well.

Thomas Vanek missed tonight’s game with illness, but Nino Niederreiter returned and set up Charlie Coyle’s game-opening goal.

Again, good win for the Wild as it continues to soar.

Big game Sunday, a game that could be pretty fiery with the Colorado Avalanche coming to town to close the season series. The Avs are 0-4 against the Wild and have scored once. The game in Denver last Saturday ended with Cody McLeod jumping Granlund and fighting Coyle. That triggered a bunch of trash-talking after the game and in the days since.

I will have an advance on all of that in Sunday’s paper. All check out my Sunday column. I talked to Chuck Fletcher about all the draft picks he has traded away the past three years.

I will unfortunately not be in town for Sunday’s game, but Kent Youngblood will be at the controls (@bloodstrib on Twitter). No practice Saturday.



Wild-Carolina recap

Updated: March 6, 2015 - 11:51 PM

MICHAEL RUSSO

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Devan Dubnyk, Wild: Made 37 saves — his most with Minnesota — to improve to 18-3-1 in 23 consecutive starts.

2. Mikael Granlund, Wild: Scored the winning goal, had an assist and was plus-3; 9 points in the past seven games.

3. Matt Dumba, Wild: Breakouts before two goals led to the rookie defenseman being plus-2 (plus-12 in his past 10 games)

By the numbers

30-10-1 The Wild’s record with Dumba.

5 Multi-point games since the All-Star break for Granlund.

36 Goals given up by Dubnyk in his 23 games with the Wild (1.56 per game).



Wild notes: Newcomers have time to play, not practice

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune


RALEIGH, N.C. – Sunday night against Colorado, Sean Bergenheim is expected to play his sixth game with the Wild. Disregarding morning skates, the recently acquired Wild forward will have had one full practice with his new team since that trade from Florida.

Chris Stewart and Jordan Leopold could be playing their fourth games. They will have had no practices with their new team since being acquired Monday from Buffalo and Columbus, respectively.

“It’s that time of year,” Leopold said before the Wild faced Carolina on Friday night. “That’s one of the reasons it’s so hard to get traded at the deadline.”

With the schedule so condensed these days, not to mention the four CBA-mandated days off per month, teams barely practice this time of year. The Wild had games Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, was off Wednesday and won’t practice Saturday.

“Anyone who’s ever been traded, especially at the deadline, knows it’s not easy to come into the locker room and come in and play a sound game,” Leopold said. “You don’t know the personnel as much, you don’t know the systems as much. You’re really just out there trying to read and play hockey.”

“It’s not ideal,” Stewart agreed. “It would be nice to get a couple practices in so you could learn more about teammates and their habits. As hockey players, we’re a creature of habits. But it’s also good to get thrown into the fire. I’ll pick it up on the go. I have no choice.”

Coach Mike Yeo said the Wild is relying on video work and teaching moments in games to help Stewart, Bergenheim and Leopold along. Luckily, all three have been in the NHL a long time and on numerous teams, so they should adjust quickly.

“I think the biggest thing when you get into a new locker room, you have to try to find where you fit in,” Leopold, traded eight times, said. “I know a lot of guys in here. I don’t know all of them. You try to learn a couple names a day, really, because when you’re on the ice, you want to call people by name. It makes things a lot easier rather than yelling, ‘Hey,’ and, ‘I’m open.’

“Ninety percent of the teams play similar. There’s different little tweaks here or there system-wise. It’s just a matter of getting those tweaks down. If you simplify it and work in small segments, it tends to get easier and you can minimize mistakes.”

One of the toughest things is adjusting to life off the ice, too. Stewart, knowing he would assuredly be traded at the deadline, packed for Buffalo’s road trip with two or three weeks’ worth of clothes. His wife and 9-month-old twin boys are visiting for the upcoming three-game homestand and will hopefully be moving to Minnesota later this month.

“Beautiful family. It’s a good time in life, but I miss them,” Stewart said.

Illness adjustments

Veteran Thomas Vanek missed Friday’s game because of illness, so Nino Niederreiter, who missed Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, returned on a line with Bergenheim and Mikko Koivu.

Koivu, Jason Pominville and Charlie Coyle are the only Wild players to play all 65 games.

Defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who is close to a return, missed his eighth game since suffering a concussion.

Mending in Iowa

Defenseman Gustav Olofsson’s first professional year in Iowa has been wrecked because of early-season shoulder surgery after one game, but the Wild hopes to get him back in a few weeks.

The 2013 second-round pick has started non-contact skating, although if Olofsson doesn’t feel completely comfortable once he takes contact, his return could be delayed.

“Everything has been positive so far regarding his recovery, but we’re not going to be rushing him,” assistant GM Brent Flahr said.

“It’s a shame. The injury set him back, but he has worked hard and hopefully can … have a big summer and come in strong next year.”



Wild extend winning string to 5, beat Hurricanes 3-1

Article by: Associated Press

Updated: March 6, 2015 - 9:50 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Minnesota Wild are on such a roll that just hanging close in games might be enough for them to accomplish their mission.

Mikael Granlund and Zach Parise scored in a two-minute span of the third period as the Wild won their fifth game in a row, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 Friday night.

"We didn't play our best hockey the first two periods, but we were still 1-1," Granlund said. "Then we were more detailed and we knew we could be better."

Charlie Coyle also scored for Minnesota, which won its sixth consecutive road game. Jason Pominville had two assists.

Devan Dubnyk made 37 saves for the Wild, continuing the team's strong stretch since the All-Star break. Minnesota is 16-2-1 since the layoff.

Dubnyk said he knew there were rough spots that the Wild could sort out so they would be able to win on back-to-back nights.

"The most important thing is to keep that game (tied) and let us have a chance," Dubnyk said.

Dubnyk did his part, particularly when the Hurricanes scored only once on 16 second-period shots.

"He's playing unreal and giving us a chance," Granlund said.

The third-period efficiency was pleasing to Wild coach Mike Yeo.

"The focus that we had and how we really went after it was a really good sign," Yeo said.

Riley Nash broke a scoring slump by producing the tying goal in the second period for the Hurricanes. Carolina goalie Anton Khudobin made 16 saves.

Hurricanes coach Bill Peters described his team as sluggish and uninterested.

"We were not very good," Peters said. "I didn't think we made a lot of plays."

Granlund's go-ahead goal with 15:38 remaining came when his delivery went off the skate of Carolina's Chris Terry. Parise scored his team-leading 26th after a Carolina turnover.

"You have to be opportunistic and wait for your chance," Parise said, realizing the outcome might not have seemed fitting after the first two periods. "Then everyone thinks you're playing a great game."

The Wild struck first when Coyle took a pass from Granlund and sent a shot past Khudobin midway in the first period for his first goal in 14 games. The Wild have scored first in 15 of their last 19 games.

Carolina's goal came late in the second period. Nash collected teammate Jeff Skinner's pass on a breakout and put the puck past Dubnyk, ending a 17-game goal drought.

That was part of a second period when the Hurricanes held a 16-4 edge in shots.

NOTES: Dubnyk started a 23rd consecutive game for the Wild. . Minnesota RW Nino Niederreiter was back after a one-game absence with a lower-body injury, but RW Thomas Vanek was out sick. . D Rasmus Rissanen made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes. . The Hurricanes began a five-game homestand in their first home game this month, which will include 11 total home games.



No rest, no worry: Dubnyk saves Wild from slow start to beat Carolina

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune


RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wild’s been the best road team in the NHL for nearly two months, and perhaps one reason is because road games are starting to feel and sound a lot like home games.

Yet again Friday night, despite Minnesota wearing its road whites in a 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, any time the Wild’s needed some urging, a “Let’s Go Wild!” chant broke out. Anytime a goal was scored, you had to double-check to make sure it was actually the Wild that scored because it was so loud.

Anytime Devan Dubnyk saved the Wild (which was often), the sound of “Dooooooooo” reverberated PNC Arena.

Whether the Wild’s 16-2-1 hot streak is causing more fans to travel or there’s just a ton of Minnesotans residing in Denver, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina’s Triangle, the Wild, an NHL-best 10-1-2 since Jan. 15 on the road, is sure enjoying the support.

“It’s awesome. It’s amazing,” Dubnyk said, smiling widely, after making 37 saves — his most work since his 23-game consecutive start streak began with a Jan. 14 trade from Arizona. “Colorado was something else [last Saturday], but every game — Washington, here. This is a long way from Minny, too.

“It’s pretty crazy. You can hear them, you can hear them when we score, you can hear them when we make good plays. It’s fun.”

The Wild, 18-3-2 in its past 23 and winners of eight of its past nine, has a three-point lead on Winnipeg for the top wildcard spot and remains four points back of Chicago for third in the Central Division. It was 17 back on Jan. 14.

Back in the Twin Cities, a debate among hockey fans not consumed by the high school state tournament was whether Friday was time to rest Dubnyk and sneak Darcy Kuemper into his first NHL start since Jan. 6.

After all, the ’Canes are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

But Yeo went with Dubnyk because the Wild’s legs could be mush from playing the night before, because these victories are critical, because he only faced 25 shots in Washington and because with no practice Saturday and no morning skate Sunday, he almost needed the game to stay sharp for Sunday’s game against Colorado.

If Dubnyk keeps playing like this, there may never come a time for rest.

The Hurricanes gave the Wild a scare, but despite the Wild being outshot 38-19 and 16-4 in a second period that included a span of 10 minutes, 45 seconds without a shot, Dubnyk put forth another sterling performance.

He improved to 18-3-1 with a 1.60 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

“We say the same thing after every game,” said Zach Parise. “He gave us a chance to rediscover the way we need to play. Again, he was a huge, huge part of our win.”

Charlie Coyle gave the Wild an early 1-0 lead, but the Wild was allergic to the offensive zone in the second, was pinned constantly in its own end by Carolina and saw that lead disappear on a Riley Nash goal that Dubnyk had no prayer on.

However, early in the third, Mikael Granlund (plus-3) and Parise scored goals less than two minutes apart.

Granlund’s attempted pass for Jason Pominville caromed in off a Hurricanes defender and Parise pressured Carolina into a turnover and buried his 26th goal off Pominville’s rebound.

“More of a mental adjustment,” Wild coach Mike Yeo said of what changed between periods. “Duby was outstanding in that second period and gave us a chance to collect ourselves.”

The Wild, playing a team coming off four days’ rest, began shortening its shifts, simplifying its game and playing with the puck for a change.

“I don’t think we were tired. We just didn’t have a very good first two periods at all,” Parise said. “They pressured us all over the ice and it just felt like we never had the puck. We were chasing it the whole night. Finally we were able to hold on and break through in the third, but it was a pretty frustrating first two periods.”



Wild: Bob Mason is the calm in a consistently chaotic crease

By Brian Murphy

Posted: 03/06/2015 12:01:00 AM CST | Updated: 68 min. Ago

Drawing a belly laugh from Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom is harder than winning the PowerBall.

Tell him you're writing a profile on Wild goalie coach Bob Mason, however, and the stoic netminder cannot contain himself.

"Oh, you must be bored!" Backstrom cackles, a good-natured jab at his longtime guru.

Actually, Mason might be the hardest-working coach on Minnesota's staff, juggling three goaltenders competing for one job after helping feather the nest for the savior.

The Wild won the lottery with the midseason acquisition of Devan Dubnyk from Arizona. His nearly flawless performance since mid-January at the most important position rescued Minnesota from total despair and perched the Wild among playoff teams in the Western Conference.

"Without that, we were drowning, and boy, was he a big-time life jacket," Mason said.

Since the Jan. 14 trade, Dubnyk was 17-3-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .938 save percentage before making his team-record 23rd consecutive start Friday at Carolina. No NHL goalie has been better during that span.

Coincidentally, no position has been as chaotically consistent in Minnesota.

Mason has managed the crease through 13 seasons of trades, injuries, sour grapes, youth movements and veteran stop-gaps. Only Detroit goaltending coach Jim Bedard, in his 18th season with the Red Wings, has been on the job longer.

Mason is working for his third coaching staff and second general manager with the Wild.

His thread line runs through Manny Fernandez, Dwayne Roloson, Backstrom, Josh Harding, Jose Theodore, Anton Khudobin, Matt Hackett, Ilya Bryzgalov, Darcy Kuemper and John Curry.

Remember Dieter Kochan, Derek Gustafson and Wade Dubielewicz? Mason recalls their brief layovers and tendencies with as much precision as the mainstays.

"We were so in tune, all he'd have to do is say one thing to me: 'Get our pivots going,' " recalled Roloson, who played for the Wild from 2001-06. "That's him understanding the guy, where all it took was one little thing to get over the top. He was great."

FROM CHAOS, CALM

Under Mason's tutelage, Roloson and Backstrom emerged from obscurity to become all-stars.

The Wild won the William Jennings Trophy in 2006-07 by allowing a league-low 191 goals. Harding led the league in GAA and save percentage during a half-season of excellence in 2013-14 before multiple sclerosis derailed his promising career.

"We've had good runs with most of our goalies here," Mason understated.

During his first six seasons under Jacques Lemaire's trapping defense, the Wild averaged a top-four finish.

"When I interviewed with Jacques, I met him in his office, where he put in a couple tapes of Manny," Mason recounted. "We talked about five minutes, me describing what Manny was doing and what he could have done better.

"Jacques said, 'You know what you're talking about.' I got hired a day later."

Notwithstanding a two-season dip during the ill-fated Todd Richards regime, Minnesota's goaltenders have ranked among the NHL's top half in

goals-against under Mason. Last season, the Wild finished seventh. Dubnyk's renaissance has them at 12th and rising.

When a goalie hot as Dubnyk is starting every game, preventative maintenance -- keeping him rested and confident -- is the priority. Mason is earning his salary keeping Backstrom and Kuemper mentally and technically sharp with games unavailable and practice time scant.

"We're definitely leaning on him heavily right now," coach Mike Yeo said. "How he keeps the guys' morale up, that's not an easy task. He's a guy that's played the game and understands the feelings they're feeling, what they need to be sharp."

Mason, 53, grew up in International Falls, Minn., and starred at Minnesota-Duluth.

Undrafted, he grinded out a career spanning 145 NHL games over eight seasons with five teams. He peaked in 1986-87 with the Washington Capitals. Mason started 45 games, was an all-star and played in one of the most memorable games in league history -- the so-called Easter Epic.

In Game 7 of their first-round postseason series, the Capitals and New York Islanders played on and on and on, all the way into a fourth overtime, a Saturday night game that carried over to Easter morning.

Mason and Islanders goalie Kelly Hrudey combined to make 127 saves and dueled for more than 68 overtime minutes of the longest Game 7 ever played before Pat LaFontaine won it for New York at 1:58 a.m.

Nearly three decades later, Mason said, "At least four or five times every season, someone will come up to me and say, 'Hey, you were in that Game 7 overtime game.' " Mason said. "It's kind of neat to be associated with it."

GOALIE WHISPERER

A generation later, Mason is known more around the Twin Cities for his scratch golf game than that long night's journey into history. Plus, of course, his even-tempered mentoring of those who play the sport's most demanding and unforgiving position.

Goalies can be the most intense and emotionally fragile of players. Tearing them down to build them back up can be counterproductive. Mason is part teacher, part psychological masseur, trying to identify and solve problems before they become destructive.

"Your eyes are another set of eyes for him," he said. "How's their footwork? Are they squaring up pucks? Mentally, you've got to be supportive. The good coaches I grew under, they were always behind me, and you can feel it."

Mason mentored under the late Warren Strelow, Herb Brooks' goaltending coach at the University of Minnesota and for the United States' 1980 gold-medal Olympic team.

Besides breaking down film, working on shot preparation and tailoring drills to sharpen technique, Mason absorbs as much of his charges' personality as he can.

Kuemper, 24, earned the starting job this season following an impressive opening act in 2013-14 that included 12 regular-season victories and three playoff wins.

This season, however, Kuemper's play and health suffered setbacks. So the Wild turned again to Backstrom, the unflappable but marginalized old pro. He was even worse, forcing the team out of desperation to trade a third-round draft choice for Dubnyk.

Kuemper, who has backed up the majority of Dubnyk's starts, has his entire career ahead of him. Backstrom, 37, likely will have his contract bought out by the Wild this summer.

Teams rarely if ever carry three goalies on the roster. Mason's biggest challenge is keeping Backstrom engaged in practice when there are only two nets available.

"He was our warrior for a long time, but his game time has diminished the last two years big time, so he's got to deal," Mason said. "Duby's got the net right now. It can change quickly, so both of these guys have to stay sharp."

Mason designs 3-on-3 drills and mini-scrimmages to dial up the intensity for the backups in practice and morning skates.

"You get away from that game-time stuff, and get thrown into a game," Mason says, pounding his chest, "it starts flickering pretty good. Reading plays, quick stuff around the net, when you're not playing, that stuff is hardest to get back."

TANDEM TUTOR

A decade ago, Mason successfully managed the superb tandem of Fernandez and Roloson, goalies as technically diverse as they were temperamentally.

Roloson was an angle-cutting, station-to-station tactician on the ice. In the dressing room his tranquil demeanor and wry sense of humor endeared him to teammates, who elected him to be their union representative.

Fernandez was an athletically gifted, flashy save maker -- a big-moment goalie whose mercurial mood filled the moat in front of his locker with eggshells.

Yin and yang battled for starts during Mason's first season in 2002-03 and carried the third-year Wild all the way to an improbable birth in the Western Conference finals.

Lemaire ultimately decided which goalie would start each game, but had Mason relay the message like a parent doling out one ice cream cone to warring siblings.

"Mase was always good at deflecting any grumblings Manny and I had," recalled Roloson, now the goalie coach for the Anaheim Ducks. "Every once in a while, somebody would say something about playing time and Mase would say, 'It's time for a union meeting.'

"His relationship between the two of us was all about what it would take to get us ready to work. He figured out everything we needed to get the best out of both us and adjust to whatever was thrown at us, which is why we had so much success."

Their relationship grew beyond player-coach during the 2004-05 lockout, when Roloson and Mason teamed up to run a goaltending clinic in the Twin Cities.

They expanded the business even after Roloson was traded in 2006 to Edmonton, where he worked under Oilers goalie coach Pete Peeters, another Strelow protege. Roloson knocked around with the Islanders, Maple Leafs and Lightning before retiring in 2012.

Now he and Mason are peers and their wives good friends.

"Warren taught Bob and Pete, who taught me everything I believed in about the game, and I've had a lot of fun giving back," said Roloson, who is in his third season coaching Anaheim's goaltenders.

FACE TIME

Mason is one of the first coaches on the ice at practice and always the last one to leave. He reserves face time with Backstrom and Kuemper, offering encouragement and pushing buttons to keep their motors running.

Dubnyk has been a godsend, making the saves he should, stealing others and not surrendering the softies that can devastate the bench.

His career has suffered enough downturns to keep Dubnyk humbled and focused during this revival. Reflection is a summer pastime.

"You've got to stay on edge, stay hungry, keep turning the page and doing what he's doing," Mason said. "That's good self talk for him. He's ready for anything."

Just like his teacher.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.07.2015


Wild: Illness forces Vanek to miss first game

By Chad Graff


RALEIGH, N.C. -- When this quick, two-game road trip started, only five Wild players had appeared in every game this season.

On Thursday in Washington D.C., that number fell to four when Nino Niederreiter was scratched because of a lower body injury. On Friday, the number fell to three when Thomas Vanek was a late scratch bceause of illness.

Only Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville and Charlie Coyle have played in all 65 games.

Niederreiter returned to the lineup Friday after a one-day hiatus. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon sat out his eighth straight game because of concussion symptoms.



Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk to make 23rd straight start Friday

By Chad Graff

Posted: 03/06/2015 12:01:00 AM CST | Updated: about 8 hours ago

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Goalie Devan Dubnyk is set to make his 23rd straight start for the Minnesota Wild here Friday night, returning between the pipes a night after backstopping Minnesota to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in the nation's capital.

Dubnyk has started every Wild game since being traded to the team Jan. 14 -- and he has been the best goalie in the NHL during that span.

His numbers -- a 17-3-1 record, 1.62 goals-against average and .938 save percentage -- have done little to suggest he needs a night off. But with the Wild suddenly back in the playoff picture, Dubnyk surely will need rest at some point before the season ends in mid-April.

It won't come Friday, though, for two main reasons, coach Mike Yeo said.

The Wild consider Friday's game against Carolina "extremely important" to win even though the Hurricanes rank second to last in the East. And Yeo wants Dubnyk to maintain his rhythm with the Wild taking the day off Saturday and not conducting a morning skate before their 5 p.m. game Sunday at home against Colorado.

"Given that, I think in a lot of ways it's important for him to have this game to keep fresh and to keep sharp," Yeo said. "And also, we only gave up 25 shots (Thursday to the Capitals), so I don't think he should be too tired."

Dubnyk has only started the second of back-to-back games once with the Wild. It was the only one of his 22 starts with Minnesota that he was pulled, and the only game in which he allowed more than three goals; he gave up four goals in 27:25 of action in a Jan.

20 loss at Detroit.



Wild colors trending toward maroon and gold

By Chad Graff


RALEIGH, N.C. -- When Erik Haula was in the process of selecting a college, he took a visit to the University of Minnesota and bunked in the dorm room of Jordan Schroeder.

Separated in age by just a year, the two become buddies, and Haula continued to visit Schroeder before declaring to the U, where he became a star in his three years with the Gophers.

"I ended up committing there because of that," Haula said.

Now the two friends are part of a Wild team that has four Gophers on the roster thanks to the trade deadline acquisition of Jordan Leopold.

Thomas Vanek, a teammate of Leopold's, completes the square for the red-hot Wild.

The four former Gophers will occasionally swap stories about their Dinkytown days, often leaving the younger two amazed by what the others got away with.

"Things have changed a little bit since they were there," Schroeder said.

Though all were good college players, their success stories aren't as comparable with Leopold in the mix.

Haula recorded 124 points over three seasons with the Gophers from 2010-2013, Schroeder recorded 73 points over two seasons (2008-10) and Vanek recorded 113 points over two seasons (2002-04).

Leopold recorded 144 points over four seasons (1998-2002) and won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's best college player.

"I think Leopold trumps us all with his Hobey," Vanek said. "I think he just has to say that and he wins."

Haula, who played and lived with some of the current players, follows the Gophers most closely. Schroeder follows the team on Twitter.

Vanek said he has followed the team ever since leaving but gets to watch more games on TV now in his first NHL season with the Wild.

He gets updates, too, from assistant coach Grant Potulny, one of his former teammates.

"I still haven't made it back to Mariucci (Arena), but I'm hoping to catch a game soon," Vanek said.

The Wild have two other Gophers in the system -- Keith Ballard, who suffered a long-term injury in December, and Stu Bickel, currently playing for AHL Iowa.

The connection isn't lost on Gophers 16-year head coach Don Lucia, who set the school's career victories record with a win Friday at Ohio State.

"That's probably why I'm still coaching, because I had players like that," Lucia said. "It's great for them and all those guys that are playing are good quality people. You don't last like Jordan has, the number of years, without being a good person, and he's obviously a good player."

Generally, though, the former Gophers will keep their reminiscing to themselves in the locker room.

"They don't talk about it," said Wild defenseman Ryan Suter, who played for rival Wisconsin. "They know better."

Dane Mizutani contributed to this report.



Minnesota Wild: Parise, Granlund spark win over Hurricanes

By Chad Graff

Posted: 03/07/2015 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated: 03/07/2015 12:26:11 AM CST

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Anton Khudobin lay helplessly on his back as a third goal was chipped over his glove hand Friday night, sending Zach Parise behind the net with one arm pumping.

Parise celebrated on one skate and hugged Jason Pominville behind the net. The two players who carried the Wild to a win the night before joined once again in the midst of another dominant third period in yet another win.

On a two-game road trip to the East Coast, the Wild played lethargic hockey at times, which is to be expected when a team plays back-to-back games in a pair of unfamiliar cities.

Against a Carolina team that ranks second-to-last in the Eastern Conference, the Wild had little going after two periods.

But as they did one night earlier in Washington, they erased some sluggish, less-than-entertaining hockey with a controlled third period, this time earning a 3-1 victory over the Hurricanes in an arena that was hardly half full.

"I give our guys a lot of credit in a back-to-back situation not to allow any excuses, not to allow that frustration to take you away," coach Mike Yeo said. "To regroup and come back the way that they did was very impressive."

Two more wins made for another successful road trip, making it six straight victories outside of St. Paul and five straight overall.

The Wild maintained the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference, a position that seemed highly unlikely when they acquired goalie Devan Dubnyk on Jan.

14. But they are 18-3-2 in that period with Dubnyk earning the start in net in each of those games, the most consecutive starts for an NHL goalie this season.

Friday, he was between the pipes for a second time in as many nights and kept the Wild in the game long enough to find a pair of opportunistic third-period goals.

The Wild played the first 40 minutes with heavy legs, a less-than energetic group that looked like they had consumed too much Carolina barbecue. They were outshot 16-4 in the second period and lucky to head to the third tied 1-1.

"It was a really frustrating first two periods, but you try not to allow yourself to get too bad," Parise said. "And then you have to be opportunistic and wait for your chance just like we did the last two games. Sometimes you wait for a turnover and then everyone thinks you played a great game even though you were chasing it for two periods."

As they did in the 2-1 win over Washington, the Wild's top line ensured they left another road building with two points.

Thursday, Pominville scored two third-period goals in less than five minutes. Friday, linemates Mikael Granlund and Parise combined for a pair of third-period goals 1:56 apart.

Granlund's goal came on a play meant for Pominville's stick. Granlund's cross-ice pass bounced off the skates of Carolina forward Chris Terry and into the Hurricanes' net.

That returned the lead to the Wild after Carolina tied the score late in the second period.

Parise added to the Wild advantage less than two minutes after Granlund's strike on the type of play Minnesota has come to expect. Parise forced a turnover with a strong forecheck as the 'Canes tried to break out, then flipped Pominville's rebound up and over the helpless Carolina goalie.

"We just stay to what we're doing," said Dubnyk, who stopped 37 shots. "It's easy to get frustrated, and if you look at the last two games, there could've been lots of opportunities for us to get frustrated and break away from what

has been successful for us but we don't. We just stick to it and know that we're one play away from tying the game or going ahead. And that's a real comfortable spot for us right now."

Yeo said the Wild's adjustments from the second to the third period weren't so much tactical as mental.

Playing for the second time in 24 hours, the Wild put in a strong final 20 minutes to close out another successful road trip.

"We knew there were going to be less-than-perfect moments and you have to weather those storms and make sure you bend but don't break," Yeo said. "The way that we came out in the third, with the focus that we had to get back in our game and how we really went after it, was a real good sign."


768578 Montreal Canadiens

Hickey on Hockey: Deadline deals give Habs depth, Therrien says

Pat Hickey,


Last Updated: March 6, 2015 8:24 PM EST

The Canadiens are 0-2-1 since the NHL trade deadline last Monday and that brings us to the question of the week: Are the Canadiens a better team following the acquisition of Devante Smith-Pelly, Jeff Petry, Brian Flynn and Torrey Mitchell?

“We have more depth, definitely,” coach Michel Therrien said after the Canadiens practised Friday at the Gila River Arena in preparation for Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes (7 p.m., CITY, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690).

“I like the addition of Petry, the depth up front,” Therrien added. “It takes time, it’s a process and the guys are getting used to the way we play. We did a lot of good things the last two games. We played five solid periods out of six. We wish the results had been there. But we have to grind it out and stay focused and do the right thing.”

Petry has made the biggest impact. He arrived with a reputation as a puck-moving defenceman, but he has shown an ability to play a physical game.

The Canadiens concentrated during the off-season on assembling a defence corps that was balanced as far as left- and right-handed shots, but Jeff Petry has found some chemistry with Tom Gilbert and they are both right-handed.

“It’s not the perfect scenario and we all know that, but they’re doing a great job,” Therrien said.

While Petry has been learning a new system that gives the defencemen more responsibility in the neutral zone, Gilbert has had to make the more difficult adjustment in moving to the left side.

“In the system here, you have to learn to step up in the neutral zone,” Petry said. “The style of play is coming to me. There’s still a learning curve, but each game has gotten better. Gilbert is kind of new to the left and he has the bigger adjustment, but sometimes I catch myself passing and I think he’s left-handed and the stick is on the wrong side. “

Said Gilbert: “There are certain things you have to get used to. You get used to pivoting a certain way and now you get crossed up. But (Petry) has done a great job of adjusting to me and the style. He came in under difficult circumstances, flying in just before the game (Monday in San Jose) but he’s been learning as fast as he could.”

Both defencemen said they benefitted from the practice Friday. It was first full practice since the trade deadline.

“We worked on some system things, things I’ve been told about and I’ve seen some video, but it was good to get out there and practise it,” Petry said.

Said Gilbert: “It’s hard to do it during the game. The more reps you get in practice, the better you’re going to be.”

Gilbert said he is playing with confidence and that he has a toehold on a top-four defence spot.

“This is the most comfortable I’ve felt,” Gilbert said. “At this point in the year, you should know what’s going on and be focused on being effective.”

Gilbert said it was important to come away from the desert with a win.

“Last game wasn’t the outcome we wanted,” he said of the 4-3 shootout loss Thursday in Los Angeles. “We had a great pushback and now we want to come back with a win. It’s always about the last game and we want to go home with some confidence.”

Gilbert was part of the pushback in L.A. With the Canadiens trailing 2-0 midway through the game, he made a break out of the corner following a faceoff and went hard to the net.

“You guys explain to me my thinking,” Gilbert said. “I was looking to pass, (Max) Pacioretty was in the slot, but it opened up for me. The last time I scored a goal like that was probably in practice with no goalie.”

But chemistry or not, Therrien said he may be going back to a more balanced approach when the left-handed Alexei Emelin returns to the lineup. Emelin has been out since Feb. 18 with a shoulder injury, but he has been cleared for contact and took a few hits in practice Friday.

“He’s getting closer,” Therrien said. “He won’t play tomorrow, obviously, but we’ll see about next week.”

P.A. Parenteau won’t play, either. He has played only three games since Jan. 2 because of a concussion, but says he’s “120-per-cent healthy,” which means he’ll be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game.

Therrien said Parenteau is a victim of circumstances because his return coincided with the acquisition of forwards Flynn and Mitchell.

“We got two centremen who also play the right side and I have to play them so I can get to know them,” Therrien said.

Therrien has alternated the newcomers at centre and right wing and said they give him options.

“I believe a centre can play the wing, but a wing can’t always play centre,” Therrien said.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.07.2015


No better way to celebrate her 90th birthday than watching a Habs game

Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette



Eva Clavel can’t think of a better way to celebrate her 90th birthday: watching the Canadiens play on TV surrounded by family members.

Clavel turns 90 on Tuesday and the National Hockey League schedule-maker gave her a gift: a game between the Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning that night at the Bell Centre.

“They’re playing on my birthday,” Clavel said in an excited voice this week. “We’re going out for dinner and then we’re coming back to watch hockey.

“I watch every (Canadiens) game, yes, sir,” she added. “But actually I’m a bit old now so I’m falling asleep. I watch one period very well, but by 8 or 8:30 I’m asleep. But I watch it the next day (taped).”

Members of Clavel’s family — she has seven children, 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren — organized the birthday party and a group will get together to watch Tuesday’s game at her N.D.G. apartment after having dinner.

Bruce Clavel — one of Eva’s four sons — is flying in from Calgary for the party he helped organize. He thought at first about making it a surprise, but then changed his mind.

“There are a couple of things that are going to surprise her, but for the whole event we don’t want to surprise a 90-year-old because you never know what you’re going to get there,” he said with a chuckle.

Eva is still sharp as a tack mentally and is able to get around on her own with the help of a walker.

“She has a walker and she needs that, but when she gets on that walker she’s booting around pretty good,” Bruce said. “Her eyesight and her hearing are not the best, but she gets by and she gets excited watching the Habs … sometimes a little too much.”

Eva’s passion for hockey comes from her late husband, Roger Clavel, who passed away six years ago. She grew up in England and as a 15-year-old in 1940 was the bridesmaid at a wedding where she first met Roger — who fought overseas during the Second World War as part of Canada’s Royal 22nd Regiment of the Van Doos.

“I was only 15 and I wasn’t allowed to meet Canadians,” Eva recalled. “My father scared me of the Canadians. (Roger) wanted to come home with me (after the wedding) and I said no way. He asked where I lived and I wouldn’t tell him. He followed me and my father let him in because he had a package of cigarettes.

“He bought me for a package of cigarettes,” she added with a laugh.

Roger spoke little English at the time, but was able to charm Eva and her parents.

“My mother liked him so much and she laughed at his bad English, but he learned fast,” Eva said. “And his English eventually became better than mine.

“I never met anyone as interesting and as nice as him … and he loved people,” Eva added. “He was my rock.”

Two years after they met, Eva and Roger had a wedding of their own in England in 1942. Four years after that they moved to Canada, eventually settling in N.D.G. to raise their family.

“When I came over here, it was Hockey Night in Canada!” she recalled. “We had no TVs then, but his family — he had eight brothers — they would listen on the radio and they were all shouting in French. I just thought it was a bit crazy then, but I listened. And then we bought a TV.

“Every Saturday the hockey was on … oh, my God! I had no choice but to watch it.”

Eva eventually became as big a fan of the Canadiens as her husband and his brothers. Her favourite all-time player is Guy Lafleur.

“Oh, he was wonderful,” she said. “He was so fast. Maurice Rocket Richard was playing when I first came over. He was the star. But Lafleur … he was it for me.”

Her favourite player today is Max Pacioretty. Bruce got in touch with the Canadiens to let the club know about his mother’s birthday and they sent her a birthday card signed by Pacioretty.

“She was over the moon … she was bringing it around showing it to strangers and she lost it,” Bruce said. “She was crying … she was so upset. She thinks she mixed it up with her recycling. I was telling her don’t worry about it … you had it for a week. But that’s her player, though.”

Said Eva: “Somewhere, I lost that card and I cried all day. Oh, geez, I was really upset about that.”

She’s also a big fan of Carey Price.

“I like Price … he’s great. The Price is right,” Eva said with a laugh.

While Tuesday’s party will be a celebration, the Clavels will also be thinking about Roger, who was 90 when he passed away after fighting cancer. All four Clavel boys — Al, Phil, Bruce and Bob (the girls are Annette, Linda and Debbie) — played hockey while growing up in Montreal and for years Roger was the hockey chairman for Patricia Park in N.D.G.

“It was his love of the Habs that was passed on … he used to tell stories about paying 50 cents for a standing-room ticket at the Forum to watch a game with the Rocket and Boom Boom (Bernie Geoffrion),” Bruce said. “He was a bus driver in Montreal for 30-plus years. He could never afford season tickets, but every once in a while he’d scrape some money up somewhere for tickets.”

The Clavels will share a lot of Canadiens and family memories Tuesday night and Eva will be counting her blessings on her 90th birthday.

“I feel much younger … I really do,” she said. “I’m very lucky, actually.”



Canadiens vs. Coyotes preview: Habs looking for first win on road trip

Pat Hickey,



Canadiens vs. Coyotes

Saturday at Arizona’s Gila River Arena, 7 p.m., CITY, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690

Must-win game: There are so many reasons why the Canadiens can’t afford to lose this game. Sure, the team is all but assured a playoff berth — the number crunchers at sportsclubstats.com figure the Canadiens have a 99.99 per cent probability of playing beyond April 11 — but they need a win to avoid losing four in a row for the first time this season. The Canadiens (41-18-6) are two points ahead of Tampa Bay (40-20-6) with a game in hand, but they have a showdown with the Lightning when they return to the Bell Centre on Tuesday night.

Embarrassment factor: The Canadiens also need a win to prove they can beat up on the NHL’s have-nots. The Canadiens are 0-2-1 on the current Western U.S. road trip, but they’ve faced three teams that have legitimate Stanley Cup hopes. The Coyotes, on the other hand, are terrible and it would be a major embarrassment for the Canadiens if they lost. The Coyotes (21-37-7) are 25 points out of a playoff spot and 39 points behind the Canadiens, but that doesn’t mean the Canadiens can take these dogs for granted. The Vancouver Canucks did that Thursday night and left the desert on the short end of a 3-2 count in a shootout. That was the Coyotes’ first win at home since Jan. 4 and ended a nine-game losing streak.

The usual suspects: Carey Price continues to lead the NHL in most of the key goaltending statistics with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage, but the offence still relies too heavily on the top two lines. Max Pacioretty leads the team in goals (31) and points (56) and also boasts the NHL’s best plus/minus figure at plus-36. The Canadiens have three players closing in on 20 goals with Alex Galchenyuk and Tomas Plekanec each at 19 and Brendan Gallagher with 18.

Price gets start: Price will start in goal against the Coyotes, while Mike Weaver — who played in Los Angeles — will be a healthy scratch on defence to make room for Sergei Gonchar.

How bad are the Coyotes? Pretty bad. The good news in Phoenix is that the power play ranks sixth in the NHL with a 21.3 per cent success rate, but the Coyotes rank 29th in goals scored with an average of 2.11 per game and 29th in goals allowed at 3.31. The team scoring lead is shared by Sam Gagner and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson with 32 points each. Ekman-Larsson has a team-best 17 goals with nine of those coming on the power play. Veteran captain Shane Doan, who has resisted any attempt by the team to trade him, has 12 goals and 30 points. And we should mention the Coyotes continue to be one of the worst draws in the NHL, averaging about 13,000 fans a game. The team has had two ownership changes in the past year. And while the owners have pledged their loyalty to the beleaguered taxpayers of Glendale, you can’t help but think this franchise would look better up the road in Las Vegas, in Seattle, in Quebec or just about anywhere else.

Injury update: Defenceman Alexei Emelin is still out of the Canadiens lineup with a shoulder injury. Forward P.A. Parenteau has been listed as a healthy scratch for the past two games, but you have to wonder whether his absence is related to the concussions that sidelined him for most of January and February. Mikkel Boedker, who has 14 goals for the Coyotes, is a long-term casualty with a ruptured spleen, while Martin Hanzal is done for the season after undergoing back surgery last month.



In the Habs Room: Canadiens lose high ground in uphill battle against Kings

Pat Hickey,


Last Updated: March 6, 2015 7:58 AM EST

The Canadiens had the Los Angeles Kings where they wanted on two occasions Thursday night.

Montreal had a 3-2 lead with two minutes to play but an unlucky penalty to Lars Eller led to a power-play goal by Marian Gaborik to send the game into overtime.

The Canadiens should have felt confident going into a shootout against a team with a 1-7 record in shootouts but the Kings, who had scored only twice in shootouts this season, scored three times on four shots to claim the win.

The Canadiens had only themselves to blame for the loss because they had to fight an uphill battle after falling behind 2-0 in the first period.

Action from the Montreal Canadiens vs. Los Angeles Kings NHL game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Thursday March 6, 2015.

“We thought we came out slow but we recouped pretty well, got some bounces and we used that for momentum,” said Max Pacioretty, whose 31st goal of the season at 7:17 of the third period gave Montreal its only lead. “We have to find a way to close games out. We were 40 seconds away from a two-point win in regulation. We can’t let that happen.”

The Canadiens were outshot 13-2 in the first period but the momentum swung on two plays in the third. Backup goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped Marian Gaborik on a breakaway and then Tom Gilbert made a strong rush to the net to score the first goal on Jonathan Quick.

“That was a great play and that’s the kind of locker room we have where anyone can step up and it was his turn tonight,” Pacioretty said.

Tokarski singlehandedly put us back in the game and it’s especially frustrating that we couldn’t get the win for him.” — Max Pacioretty

“We worked hard to get the bounces,” he added. “You can say we weren’t getting bounces early on but it was a result of us not playing hard enough.”

Pacioretty said the Canadiens have to play smarter to close out games but the odds were stacked against them after Eller took a high-sticking penalty with 1:35 to play.

“Lars played well but he was unlucky on that penalty,” coach Michel Therrien said.

The Kings pulled the goalie for a two-man advantage and overwhelmed the Canadiens around the net as Gaborik scored his second goal of the game.

Brendan Gallagher said Tokarski deserved credit for keeping the Canadiens in the game.

“He battled hard,” said Gallagher, who tied the score at 2-2 with his 18th goal of the season. “When it was 2-0 early, it would have been easy for him to give up on us but he battled and gave us a chance to come back. He made some big saves to keep us from going down 3-0.”

We have a lot of character and we showed that by battling back but I have to make a save to seal the game.” — Dustin Tokarski

When asked if there was a shot he would have liked to see again, he said: “When you let three out of four in on the shootout, you never did your job. I would have liked to battle it out and stop one or two of those.”

The shootout went four rounds with Anze Kopitar getting the winner. Gaborik and Jeff Carter also scored for the Kings while Pacioretty and David Desharnais replying for the Canadiens. Montreal now stands at 6-3 in shootouts this season.



Canadiens vs. Coyotes preview: Embarrassment factor comes into play

Posted by Stu Cowan

Must-win game: There are so many reasons why the Canadiens can’t afford to lose this game. Sure, the team is all but assured a playoff berth — the numbers-crunchers at sportsclubstats.com figure the Canadiens have a 99.99 per cent probability of playing beyond April 11 — but they need a win to avoid losing four in a row for the first time this season. The Canadiens (41-18-6) are two points ahead of Tampa Bay (40-20-6) with a game in hand, but they have a showdown with the Lightning when they return to the Bell Centre Tuesday night.

Embarrassment factor: The Canadiens also need a win to prove they can beat up on the NHL’s have-nots. The Canadiens are 0-2-1 on the current Western U.S. road trip, but they’ve faced three teams that have legitimate Stanley Cup hopes. The Coyotes, on the other hand, are terrible and it would be a major embarrassment for the Canadiens if they lost. The Coyotes (21-37-7) are 25 points out of a playoff spot and 39 points behind the Canadiens. But that doesn’t mean the Canadiens can take these dogs for granted. The Vancouver Canucks did that Thursday night and left the desert on the short end of a 3-2 count in a shootout. That was the Coyotes’ first win at home since Jan. 4 and ended a nine-game losing streak.

The usual suspects: Carey Price continues to lead the NHL in most of the key goaltending statistics with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage, but the offence still relies too heavily on the top two lines. Max Paciotetty leads the team in goals (31) and points (56) and also boasts the NHL’s best plus/minus figure at plus-36. The Canadiens have three players closing in on 20 goals with Alex Galchenyuk and Tomas Plekanec each at 19 and Brendan Gallagher with 18.

Price gets start: Price will start in goal against the Coyotes, while Mike Weaver — who played in Los Angeles — will be a healthy scratch on defence to make room for Sergei Gonchar.

How bad are the Coyotes? Pretty bad. The good news in Phoenix is that the power play ranks sixth in the NHL with a 21.3 per cent success rate, but the Coyotes rank 29th in goals scored with an average of 2.11 per game and 29th in goals allowed at 3.31. The team scoring lead is shared by Sam Gagner and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson with 32 points each. Ekman-Larsson has a team-best 17 goals with nine of those coming on the power play. Veteran captain Shane Doan, who has resisted any attempt by the team to trade him, has 12 goals and 30 points. And we should mention that the Coyotes continue to be one of the worst draws in the NHL, averaging just over 13,000 fans a game. The team has had two ownership changes in the past year. And while the owners have pledged their loyalty to the beleaguered taxpayers of Glendale, you can’t help but think this franchise would look better up the road in Las Vegas, in Seattle, in Quebec or just about anywhere else.

Injury update: Defenceman Alexei Emelin is still out of the Canadiens lineup with a shoulder injury, but took part in Friday’s practice in Arizona. Forward P.A. Parenteau has been listed as a healthy scratch for the past two games, but you have to wonder whether his absence is related to the concussions that sidelined him for most of January and February. Mikkel Boedker, who has 14 goals for the Coyotes, is a long-term casualty with a ruptured spleen, while Martin Hanzal is done for the season after undergoing back surgery last month.

Here’s how the lines and defence pairings looked at Friday’s practice:

Pacioretty – Desharnais – Weise

Galchenyuk – Plekanec – Gallagher

Eller – De La Rose – Smith-Pelly

Prust – Flynn – Mitchell

Malhotra – Parenteau

Markov-Subban

Gilbert-Petry

Beaulieu-Gonchar

Emelin-Weaver


768583 Nashville Predators

Predators' Eric Nystrom to miss 4 weeks

Mike Organ, 3:16 p.m. CST March 6, 2015

Predators forward Eric Nystrom will miss four weeks with a lower body injury he sustained in Tuesday's game against New Jersey, coach Peter Laviolette said Friday.

Nystrom crashed into the boards during the 3-1 loss. He skated off the ice and appeared to be favoring his left ankle or knee.

"We don't like to lose anybody, but guys have done a really good job of filling roles," Laviolette said. "Certainly his role is important and he's handled it really well. That being said, it's an opportunity for somebody else to get valuable minutes, whoever that might be."

In Thursday's game against the Islanders, Taylor Beck filled in for Nystrom and got off three shots while logging 10:39 minutes and playing on 16 shifts.

"I thought Taylor Beck came in and had a really good game," Laviolette said.

Nystrom and Beck are similar players, though Nystrom is more of an aggressive forechecker.

Nystrom is in his ninth NHL season and second with the Predators. He has seven goals and five assists in 60 games this season.

Tennessean LOADED: 03.07.2015


Predators' Ponderings: 5 takeaways from Thursday's loss

John Glennon, 4:19 p.m. CST March 6, 2015

Here are five takeaways from the Preds' 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday:

Sometimes when a team is nearing the end of a losing streak, it will play a very good game and still suffer defeat. That seemed to be the case for the Predators on Thursday. I thought they were the better team in two of the three periods against the Islanders, who have the second-most points in the Eastern Conference. If the Preds stick to what they did well Thursday – playing with high energy from the start and creating plenty of scoring chances – they're likely to stop the bleeding soon.

Is Preds goalie Pekka Rinne showing signs of being human lately? He's been tremendous all year, probably the biggest reason – in my opinion – for Nashville's big turnaround this season. But his numbers are down of late. Rinne is 1-5-1 over his last seven games and his save percentage in those contests is .892, compared to his overall save percentage of .926 this year.

The power play continues to be a sore spot for the Preds. Nashville only had one man-advantage opportunity against the Islanders, but didn't capitalize on it. That means the Preds' power play has gone 1-for-13 during the five-game losing streak and 2-for-28 over the past nine contests. Overall this season, the Predators have the league's 25th-best power play with a success rate of 16.7 percent.

Former Preds coach Barry Trotz used to talk about the difficulty of "catching a moving train" when he referenced the challenge of players returning from long injury spells. Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis took a step in the right direction on that front Thursday, when he played for just the second time in 26 contests. It will take a while for him to return to top form, but he did pick up an assist on Nashville's second goal.

Defenseman Cody Franson got nearly 10 minutes more ice time on Thursday than he did in Tuesday's loss to New Jersey, and he turned in some nice defensive plays. Franson blocked three shots, including one that snuffed out a dangerous two-on-one rush for the Islanders in the first period.



Predators' losing streak by the numbers

John Glennon, 4:14 p.m. CST March 6, 2015

The Predators will once again try to rediscover their winning ways Saturday when they play host to the Winnipeg Jets.

The 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday was Nashville's fifth in a row — in the wake of an 8-1-1 run over the previous 10 games.

Here's a by-the-numbers look at the losing streak, and at where Nashville stands in the big picture with 16 games left in the regular season:

1 — Power-play goals the Predators have scored (in 13 attempts) during the streak. Their 16.7 percent power-play success ranks 25th in the league for the season.

2 — Where the Predators rank in points in the NHL and the Western Conference after several weeks atop both. The losing streak has them stalled at 89 points, behind Anaheim (91 going into Friday). Montreal (88) and the New York Islanders (87) are just behind Nashville in the overall standings.

3.8 — Goals-against average during the losing streak, in which the Predators have surrendered 19 goals. Their overall GAA this season: 2.38.

4 — Points the Predators have earned in three games against Winnipeg this season, with 2-0 and 2-1 victories and a 3-1 defeat.

5 — Times during the streak the Predators have surrendered the game's first goal. Overall they've given up the first goal in 10 straight games and posted a 3-6-1 record.

6 — Times the Predators play on the road in their next nine games. They are 15-12-6 away from Bridgestone Arena, including 1-3-1 in the past five games.

7:48 — Minutes and seconds the Predators have held a lead during the 300 minutes of the streak. Their only lead in those five games was last Saturday against Detroit, from late in the second period to early in the third. Otherwise, they have either been tied or trailed.

8 — Days in which the Predators played their last five games. Starting next week, they will only have one more stretch of five games in eight days for the rest of the season.

10 — Goals the Predators have scored during the five-game streak, an average of two per game. That's a drop from their 2.88 average, which is eighth in the league.

111 — Points the Predators are on pace to finish the season with, which would be a franchise record. Their current record is 110, set in 2006-07.


768586 New Jersey Devils

Blue Jackets Top Devils

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMARCH 6, 2015

Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup after a concussion, and the injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets ended a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the host Devils. Jordin Tootoo and Peter Harrold scored for the Devils, who remained 8 points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

■ The Colorado Avalanche expect to be without forward Nathan MacKinnon for at least six weeks after he broke his foot. MacKinnon, 19, may return to the ice this season if the Avalanche make the playoffs. Colorado is currently outside the Western Conference postseason picture.

New York Times LOADED: 03.07.2015


It's finally hitting Devils and Cory Schneider: 'Time is not on our side'

Rich Chere


NEWARK — It was the condensed version of the Devils' entire season.

After falling behind, they made a late comeback that seemed promising, only to score what would have been the tying goal after time had expired. The result: A 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

As for the season, this late push will come up short. The result will be missing the playoffs for a third straight season.

"Time is not our side. We're running out of games here so obviously every game is critical," goalie Cory Schneider said. "It's tough to lose in regulation at home to a team we beat a week ago.

"This was a game we had to have."

• Cory Schneider's memory of the 1995 Devils

• Bobby Holik on the 1995 Stanley Cup reunion

They had pulled to within a goal with almost 14 minutes left. And after pulling Schneider for an extra attacker, Mike Cammalleri scored just after time ran out.

"It was kind of bang bang," Cammalleri said. "I was hearing the buzzer as I shot."

Too late. Like their season.

"I don't think we can think that way," said defenseman Peter Harrold, who once again played right wing and scored the Devils' second goal. "Obviously we know where we are in the standings, but it's a day to day thing. We're in it until they say we're not."

You can say it now, although not officially.

"Give Columbus credit. They came our ready to play and they put us on our heels a little and we are some mental mistakes that we have not been making. And made some decisions that we haven't been making," GM/coach Lou Lamoriello said.

"We should've gotten the puck deep and we didn't do that. We tried to be cute and we paid for it. And then we came on just a little too late."

You can say the same thing for their season.

Schneider stopped 21 of 24 shots.

"It's a game of mistakes. We made some mistakes," Schneider said. "I wasn't able to make that one save I've made lately."

Lamoriello said of Schneider's comment: "Cory will feel that way no matter how difficult a save may be."

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.07.2015


Devils fall short in 3-2 loss to Columbus Blue Jackets | Rapid reaction

Rich Chere

on March 06, 2015 at 9:34 PM, updated March 07, 2015 at 12:11 AM

NEWARK — The Devils got goals from Peter Harrold and Jordin Tootoo, but fell short in a 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday night at Prudential Center.

The loss ended the Devils' 2-game winning streak. It was the first win in eight games for Columbus (1-6-1).

The Devils pulled goalie Cory Schneider and Mike Camalleri scored after time had expired.

HIGHLIGHTS

Jordin Tootoo scored a power play goal for his seventh of the season. Tootoo has points in six of his last eight games.

Defenseman Peter Harrold, playing right wing, beat Sergei Bobrovsky with an accurate shot in the goalie's glove side early in the third period.



Greetings from the press box: Does Peter Harrold figure in Devils' 20015-16 plans?

Rich Chere

on March 06, 2015 at 5:30 PM

NEWARK — Having made the transition to a young defense corps, the Devils should be strong in that area next season.

So what will it mean for veteran Peter Harrold, who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer? Will there be a spot for him next season, or are these Harrold's last few games for the Devils?

"I don't know. I would love to stay here. There's a great foundation here built for the future and I'd like to be a part of it. That's a two-way street and something we'll worry about after the season," said Harrold, who will play right wing Friday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Prudential Center.

He has been an ideal sixth or seventh defenseman for the Devils, able to step in when needed and play well while earning a reasonable $800,000 salary. It is a role he might be asked to continue next season.

"It's a role I've kind of had for a while now," said Harrold, 31. "I won't say every team needs one, but it's nice to have one, I think. If that's the role I can fill, I'm more than happy to do it. It's something I'm comfortable doing if need be. If it turns into something bigger, that's great."



Cory Schneider's memory of seeing 1995 Devils is painful

Rich Chere


NEWARK — Cory Schneider was nine years old when the Devils won the Stanley Cup in 1995.

But the Devils' current goalie attended a game even though he was growing up in Massachusetts. It was in the old Boston Garden.

"I was at one of those games, actually. I got pneumonia that night at the Garden. So good riddance," Schneider said. "I'm glad they got rid of it. I do remember that. I think (Cam) Neely and (Claude) Lemieux fought, if I remember correctly."

Schneider is among a few Devils who are interested in seeing Saturday's 1995 Stanley Cup reunion alumni game to be played in AmeriHealth Pavilion.

"Anytime you get a collection of talent like that it's a fun hockey experience," Schneider said. "I personally, back in '95, wasn't paying that much attention to it because I was nine years old. But it means a lot to this franchise and this area. It was the first Cup they won and it was the beginning of a great era in Devils hockey.

"Even if you're just a hockey fan, seeing names like (Martin) Brodeur and (Scott) Stevens and (Scott) Niedermayer and (Ken) Daneyko come out to play is pretty cool. Whether you were invested in it or not, it was a fun experience."

Dainius Zubrus was teammates with several of the returning players: Brodeur, Brian Rolston, Bobby Holik, Sergei Brylin and Valeri Zelepukin (1998-99 with the Flyers).

"Valeri Zelepukin is coming back. I'd like to see him. Obviously I see Sergei Brylin quite often," Zubrus said.

"I watched a (1995 playoff) game a couple days ago (on TV) and it was interesting to see. I met Mike Peluso at a golf charity. He was No. 8, so we talked a little bit about that. He said he collects No. 8 jerseys."

Keith Kinkaid said he was too young to remember the 1995 Devils, but wants to see some of the reunion game with his goalie coach, Chris Terreri, in net.

"It's going to be pretty funny. I've been around (Brodeur) and Bone (Terreri) a few times. I've been with Bone this season," Kinkaid. said. "I might try to catch a little bit of it."



What channel is the Devils-Columbus Blue Jackets game on?

Rich Chere


NEWARK — The Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets meet for the second time in a week Friday night at Prudential Center.

They'll meet again Mar. 31 in Columbus, where the Devils skated to a 2-0 victory last Saturday.

"It's funny how the schedule breaks down sometimes. You don't see a team for three or four months and all of a sudden you have them a lot here," said Devils goalie Cory Schneider.

"It can help because you're familiar with them. You don't necessarily have to spend as much time scouting. Hopefully for us it allows us to be more prepared."

The Devils are 6-1-1 in their last eight games. They are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games at Prudential Center.

"We always knew they were an excellent hockey team. They've had a lot of injuries throughout the year," Devils GM/coach Lou Lamoriello said of the Blue Jackets, who are 0-6-1 in their last seven games.

• Has captain Bryce Salvador played his last game for Devils?

• Martin Brodeur on his new career

TV & RADIO SCHEDULE

DEVILS vs. BLUE JACKETS

When: Tonight, 7 p.m.

Where: Prudential Center, Newark

TV: MSG Plus (Steve Cangialosi, Ken Daneyko)

Radio: WCBS-AM 880 (Matt Loughlin, Sherry Ross)

Peter Harrold will skate at right wing again

The Devils dressed seven defensemen against the Nashville Predators Tuesday night as a precaution if Damon Severson was unable to play much in his first game back from a fractured ankle.

Severson was fine and defenseman Peter Harrold played well enough at right wing to stay there. He wound up taking 12 shifts on the wing and will play there again against the Blue Jackets.

"It's better than not playing, isn't it? It's fine. I don't have any problem with this," Harrold said. "It's something I've done before and I'm relatively comfortable with. Forward is a bit of a different mentality. Switching back and forth in the game is a little more difficult, but it's something I've done before so it's something I can handle."

Here are 3 stories you need to read before face-off:

1. Cory Schneider's shutout in Columbus.

2. Bobby Holik on Scott Gomez' comeback.

3. Chico Resch will call 1995 Stanley Cup reunion game webcast.



Devils great Martin Brodeur embracing the start of his second career in hockey

Steve Politi

on March 06, 2015 at 6:00 AM, updated March 06, 2015 at 10:52 AM

Thirty-eight days into his "retirement," Martin Brodeur sleeps a lot better. Gone are the aches and pains from a lifetime getting smacked by a frozen hunk of rubber, but just as importantly, gone is the mental grind of being an NHL goaltender.

"You don't drag the losses around with you as much," Brodeur said over the phone from his new home in St. Louis. "I'm sure it would be different if I had a little more responsibility, but when you're just there to put your two cents in, it's a lot less stressful."

Less stressful, yes. Less work? Not even close. That's been the most jarring for Brodeur as he has transitioned into his new role in the St. Louis Blues front office. He spends most of his work days now shadowing general manger Doug Armstrong, and those days are long and the decisions plentiful.

"I thought you'd show up for a game, make a decision or two, but the implication of everything is — it's a lot," Brodeur said with a laugh, and it's why the goaltender who retired with a victory total that will never be broken is approaching his new life with just as much patience and passion as his old one.

But first, he gets a chance to step back into the past this weekend. Brodeur will return to the Prudential Center for the first time since retiring — for the first time, really, since he skated off the ice for the final time last spring — to join his old teammates and celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the 1995 Stanley Cup run.

There's no debate for Brodeur: The first Cup was the best Cup, as it likely is for most hockey players lucky enough to have their names etched onto the most famous trophy in North American sports. He looks forward to putting his pads and No. 30 jersey back on for an alumni game on Saturday, and then taking his bow on the ice the next day for the official celebration.

Mostly, though, he can't wait to see his friends. It isn't like the '95 Devils have lost touch over the years — several still have prominent roles in the organization — but a weekend of telling old stories and sharing laughs, well, who wouldn't enjoy that?

That Devils team was the start of a great run for this franchise. It had suffered the Game 7 heartbreaker against the Rangers the season before, then waited through a lockout for the chance to try again. This time, in sweeping the Detroit Red Wings in the Cup finals, they left no doubt.

"We finished sixth in our conference, so it's not like we were dominating anybody," Brodeur remembered. "We just went on this great run that everybody is going to remember for the rest of their lives. Nobody is going to take it away from you. Your name is on the Stanley Cup, it's something we accomplished together, and it's the first Stanley Cup for that organization. That makes it even better."

He's not even thinking about the fact this the cheers he hears at the Prudential Center will be just a taste of what he gets, sometime next fall, when his No. 30 goes into the rafters. Brodeur has a job to do in St. Louis, where the Blues are real Stanley Cup contenders. He'll stay with the team through the end of the playoffs and help out with the draft if asked.

And then? Brodeur doesn't have the answer to that one. He would like to return to New Jersey and still has his house here, but he plans to keep his options open this summer. One thing he knows for sure: He isn't going to rush this process and push for a management job until he's ready, and he's smart enough to know what he doesn't know.

Really, that's just another sign that Brodeur will make a good GM someday — and given his knowledge of the game and his pedigree, there's little doubt he'll get a shot eventually. If the new Devils owners are smart (and they are), they'll make sure that transition takes place with the same franchise where he registered 688 of his 691 career wins.

"I'm taking it really slowly, especially for what I've seen the last few months," he said. "I'm going to have to spend a lot of time on the outside looking in before jumping into a position like that myself. There's no doubt about that. I don't know what I'm going to do in the future, but I am enjoying what I'm doing right now."

Until then, he'll keep working ... and sleeping better.



Devils fall to returning Brandon Dubinsky, Blue Jackets 3-2

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 12:10 AM

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — In a season marked by a team record for injuries, getting a player back in the lineup was just what the Columbus Blue Jackets needed against the New Jersey Devils.

Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and an assist in returning from a concussion, and the injury-riddled Blue Jackets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory Friday night.

“We were able to generate some chances in front of the net and that is why we won this game,” Dubinsky said. “I think from the outset, we were able to forecheck and get chances.

“We’re excited to get the win. We lost some games that we deserved to win. They put a lot of pressure on us down the stretch and we found a way to weather the storm.”

Dubinsky looked great after missing three games. He played almost 17 minutes, had 23 shifts, and worked on both the power play and penalty kill.

“It was a little bit of a worry, a scary experience for me,” said Dubinsky, who scored with each team playing with four skaters. “The real pain for me was in my neck, but they thought concussion, so it was best to get cleared and checked out. I’m just happy to get back playing. It’s been a tough season for me. It felt good to be back out there.”

Recently acquired defenseman Justin Falk got his first points of the season with a goal and an assist. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves as Columbus beat the Devils for the first time in three meetings this season.

Marko Dano also scored on a night the Blue Jackets set a single-season team record for total man-games lost to injury with 413, two more than the old mark.

Jordin Tootoo and Peter Harrold scored for New Jersey, which remains eight points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

“Time isn’t on our side and we’re running out of games, “ said goaltender Cory Schneider, who had 21 saves as the Devils lost at the Prudential Center for only the third time in 12 games (8-3-1). “Every game is critical and it gets tough to lose in regulation to a team we beat just a week ago. Hey, Columbus played hard.”

The Devils dominated the final two periods and came close to tying the score. Harrold, a defenseman playing a forward position, cut the lead to 3-2 with a great move on Falk and a shot over Bobrovsky’s shoulder at 6:36 of the third period.

Bobrovsky made an outstanding save on a blast by defenseman Eric Gelinas less than a minute later and he got lucky later when a deflection by Jacob Josefson hit off the post and slid across the crease.

The Devils pulled Schneider with less than a minute to play and got a good shot by defenseman Adam Larsson. Mike Cammalleri scored a couple of seconds after the final buzzer.

Falk and Dubinsky, who missed three games with his concussion, staked the Blue Jackets to a 2-0 lead with goals in the first and second periods, respectively.

The goal was originally credited to Artem Anisimov, but it was changed late in the second period.

“I knew it had been a while, since my rookie year, but we’ll take it when they come,” said Falk, obtained from the Wild. “I’m excited to be here. It’s a fresh start for me. I feel more comfortable with my new teammates. I just have to go out there and play and not worry about things.”

Dubinsky, who got the secondary assist on Falk’s second career goal in 144 games, beat Schneider with a wrist shot early in the second period. Nick Foligno set up the goal, stealing Patrik Elias’ no-look pass at the Blue Jackets blue line and leading a 2-on-1 that Dubinsky capped with his ninth goal.

Tootoo got the Devils back in a game with a power-play goal. Adam Henrique set it up with a pass between his legs that Tootoo slammed home from point-blank range.

Dano stretched the margin to 3-1 with a goal that developed quickly. Falk sent a cross-ice pass that Alexander Wennberg redirected to Dano for a shot into the top of the net. The puck was in and out of the net so fast the shot had to be reviewed, and the goal was upheld.

New York Daily News LOADED: 03.07.2015


Devils unable to gain ground in loss to Blue Jackets

By Associated Press

March 6, 2015 | 9:49pm

Jordin Tootoo and Peter Harrold scored for the Devils, but it wasn’t enough as they suffered their first loss to the Blue Jackets this season, 3-2, Friday night at the Prudential Center.

The Devils remain eight points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and an assist in returning to the Columbus lineup after a concussion and the injury-riddled Blue Jackets snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Cory Schneider had 21 saves for the Devils, who lost at home for only the third time in 12 games (8-3-1).

“Time isn’t on our side and we’re running out of games,” Schneider said. “Every game is critical and it gets tough to lose in regulation to a team we beat just a week ago. Hey, Columbus played hard.”

Recently acquired defenseman Justin Falk got his first points of the season for the Blue Jackets with a goal and an assist. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves.

The Devils dominated the final two periods and came close to tying the score. Harrold, a defenseman playing a forward position, cut the lead to 3-2 with a great move on Falk and a shot over Bobrovsky’s shoulder at 6:36 of the third period.

Bobrovsky made an outstanding save on a blast by defenseman Eric Gelinas less than a minute later and he got lucky later when a deflection by Jacob Josefson hit off the post and slid across the crease.

The Devils pulled Schneider with less than a minute to play and got a good shot by

defenseman Adam Larsson. Mike Cammalleri scored a couple of seconds after the final buzzer.

New York Post LOADED: 03.07.2015

768595 New York Islanders

The path to Rangers-Islanders showdown we’re desperate for

By Brett Cyrgalis

March 6, 2015 | 2:38pm

It’s time to start seriously looking at it because you know front offices are.

All teams in the NHL now have 20 or fewer games to be played before the start of the postseason. In the East, there are three, maybe four teams that have now gotten into the conversation for the final wild-card spot, while the other seven are pretty well solidified.

So, the question is — who wants who?

The Rangers have totally woken up, added some valuable new pieces at the trade deadline and have even continued to win without franchise cornerstone Henrik Lundqvist, who remains out at least another two weeks with a vascular injury in his neck. Once he returns to the ice sometime later this month, it seems inevitable it’ll take a while for him to regain his form. Being out for a month and a half is a long time, especially for a goalie. But is mediocre Lundqvist just as good as Cam Talbot? Probably. And that leaves the Rangers still fighting for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Which I think they’d love to have, thus avoiding a first-round matchup with the Islanders. Assuming the Isles don’t fall off the map — and it sure isn’t looking like they’re going to, with a 4-3 win over the first-overall Predators on Thursday — they will likely be battling with the Rangers for that top spot. The Penguins aren’t exactly scaring anyone right now, and it surely wouldn’t be too surprising to see them get passed by the Capitals for third place in the Metro.

So rather than project who will win the division — I can see my email inbox filling up already — let’s instead project that either the Rangers or Islanders will win the division, yet that they won’t catch the Canadiens or Lightning for first in the conference. Both of those Atlantic teams have too many games remaining with the sad-sack Maple Leafs and Sabres.

And that would leave the Rangers and Islanders not playing each other in the first round, but both playing someone in the division — either the Capitals or Penguins, assuming whoever finishes lower between those teams doesn’t get passed by the second wild-card (unlikely). Both of those matchups are good for both teams.

Lundqvist doesn’t lose to the Capitals, and the Blueshirts should take down a rather flawed Penguins team. The Islanders would love the Pens in the first round, the memory of that first-round series from two years ago still brewing. They’ve struggled in the past with the Capitals — Alex Ovechkin has more goals against them than any other team — but although that might be a tightly contested and high-flying series, it’s one the Isles should win.

And that would get us to where we all want, right? A Rangers-Islanders matchup, this one coming in the second round. There is still a lot of hockey left, and things could change drastically, but this seems like the most likely scenario. We’d take it.

This happened to the Panthers, not the Blue Jackets?

On Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla., the Panthers had to sign their goalie coach Robb Tallas to a Professional Tryout contract due to injuries to starter Roberto Luongo and to backup Al Montoya. Tallas never played, as Luongo came back from the hospital and quickly changed from his street clothes to go back in.

What was really shocking is that something like this hasn’t happened to the Blue Jackets. They’ve gone through such injury woes — can you even believe that David Clarkson actually gets traded there, then hurts his oblique and is out for the rest of the season? One reporter asked coach Todd Richards if he was surprised it didn’t happen to them.

“The way it’s gone … you’re right,” Richards said.

Reportedly, the conundrum of the third goalie was discussed at the general managers’ meeting in November and will be addressed at another meeting of the GMs in Boca Raton, Fla., later this month. (Tough gig being a GM, huh?)

Laviolette’s real test

As Peter Laviolette’s Predators came through New York — playing the Rangers and Devils here, then the Islanders in Nashville on Thursday — every opposing coach went out of his way to mention that the Preds are one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the league. Well, following the Isles’ 4-3 win, they’ve now lost five in a row, all in regulation.

“We keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” captain Shea Weber said after the team’s 4-1 loss to the Devils on Tuesday. They are still holding on to first in the Central — which shows you how well they played up to this point — but the Blues and Blackhawks are coming, no doubt. Laviolette’s club will make the playoffs, but how it handles the next two weeks with a trip out to the powerhouse Pacific — and how the coach handles his team with its first big bump in the road — should determine how the Predators do once they get to games that really matter.

Stay tuned . . .

The best race in the league is with the underlings of the Pacific Division. The Ducks are running away at the top, but the Canucks, Flames, Kings and Sharks are all still alive. Have to think the Kings are going to keep rising, while the Flames are crushed as captain Mike Giordano will miss the rest of the season after biceps surgery.

With the Wild and Jets holding down the wild cards out west, that should be an exciting month of hockey.

Rapid reaction rankings

1. Ducks: Big splash at the trade deadline, picking up sniper Tomas Fleischmann from the Panthers, defensemen James Wisniewski from the Blue Jackets and Simon Despres from the Penguins, along with big-bodied forward Jiri Sekac from the Canadiens. Add this to the best team in the league? Hand them the Presidents’ Trophy now.

2. Rangers: Serious win-now moves at the deadline, and they just keep winning without Lundqvist.

3. Wild: They’re 15-2-2 in the past 19 games, while goalie Devan Dubnyk has made an unbelievable impact since coming over from the Coyotes in mid-January, starting 22 games straight.

4-7: Islanders: It’s impressive how they keep finding ways to win with big injuries up front, with Kyle Okposo and Mikhail Grabovski still hurting.

15-20: Devils: Lou Lamiorello was smart in trading Jaromir Jagr at the deadline, and his team is still competing and winning quite a bit — 6-3-1 in the past 10.

Parting shot

I think Phil Kessel saying the Toronto media “should be ashamed of themselves” for the way they treat Dion Phaneuf was ridiculous. But you know what? I’m happy Kessel came out and took a stance.

I totally understand where a player is coming from in this situation. His captain is getting lambasted, and it must be hard to hear or read (but they don’t read or watch TV, right?). Kessel is an interesting guy, even if he’s reticent and shy at times. Following a trade deadline where he was dangled out on the market and found no suitor, and that was soon after he was put on the cover of The Hockey News with the headline “Coach Killer?,” I get the bitterness.

Either way, it’s almost refreshing to see a player come out and take a stance like this — even if he’s wrong.


768596 New York Islanders

Islanders' Matt Martin says NHL's disciplinary process is fair

Updated March 7, 2015 1:56 AM

By ARTHUR STAPLE

SUNRISE, Fla. - Matt Martin hasn't been through the NHL player safety hearing process in several years, not since the infamous February 2011 "brawl of the century" between the Islanders and Penguins.

So Martin didn't know what to expect from his phone hearing with player safety director Stephane Quintal after Martin's knee-on-knee hit to the Stars' Trevor Daley on Tuesday.

Even after being hit with a one-game suspension, served in Thursday night's 4-3 win over the Predators in Nashville, Martin appreciated the process.

"It was a good conversation and I think the whole process was fair," Martin said after he and a handful of Islanders practiced here Friday. "[Quintal] and I talked for 20 minutes, and I think the NHL knows I'm not a dirty player."

Martin occupies an interesting space in the NHL's world. He's on his way to leading the league in hits for a fourth straight season and he's among the top 10 in the league in fighting majors, but he's as sensitive as they come to anything that's not an attempt to play the game fairly.

The 25-year-old wing was bothered that his hit on the Wild's Keith Ballard in December caused not only a concussion and facial fractures that still have Ballard sidelined, but prompted calls of dirty play. Martin wasn't penalized or suspended for that hit.

But he likely knew something was coming after Tuesday's play. Martin said he braced to make body contact but ended up catching Daley with his knee. Daley will be out two to four weeks, hurting the Stars' already slim playoff hopes.

Martin also appreciated the interaction he had via text with Daley.

"I texted him and told him I was sorry for the play, and he wrote back saying he knew it wasn't my intent and that he loves the way I play," Martin said. "You hear that from a guy you compete against, it's good. He certainly could have been real sour about the whole thing and I wouldn't have blamed him."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768597 New York Rangers

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist facing pucks on low shots

BY Justin Tasch

Friday, March 6, 2015, 6:51 PM

Henrik Lundqvist is excited by how well the Rangers have played in his absence.

It’s been a month since Henrik Lundqvist has played in a game after suffering a sprained blood vessel in his neck, but the Rangers goalie is feeling “pretty good” and has started facing pucks on low shots. He doesn’t know yet when he’ll be cleared for contact.

“It’s hard,” Lundqvist said Friday. “I know we’re moving in the right direction, but we haven’t set any date. Until then I’m just gonna focus on staying in shape and working on the ice. If I was unable to skate, it would’ve been a bigger issue, because I’d have to take a longer time to get game ready. Now I can skate, stay in shape and work hard.”

Lundqvist said because he’s been able to condition, he’ll “absolutely” be close to game-ready once he’s cleared by doctors and he feels he’ll ultimately be fresher during the playoffs.

After the injury, Lundqvist played an entire game against the Panthers before the diagnosis. He has no second thoughts about playing in that game.

“The way I felt, I felt like I was ready to play,” he said. “It’s not something I’m second-guessing at all. Obviously after we did the evaluation and we talked about it, I think we all felt it was good that we caught this.”

The now 33-year-old – his birthday was Monday – said he’s missed playing the game but is excited about how well the Rangers have played in his absence. They’ve won 10 of 15 games since he’s been out with backup Cam Talbot holding down the fort in net.

General manager Glen Sather was busy leading up to the trade deadline, acquiring defenseman and power-play specialist Keith Yandle from Arizona and depth center James Sheppard from San Jose. Lundqvist explained it’s always tough to see teammates traded, but he’s enthusiastic about the moves.

“I think we all feel excited about what’s ahead here, and now it’s about pushing ourselves to the limit here when it’s time to go into the playoffs and be peaking at the right time,” Lundqvist said.

Lundqvist spoke at the Helen Mills Event Space in Manhattan where the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation was hosting an exhibition for six goalie masks he’ll wear once each designed by celebrity friends including John McEnroe, Tiesto, Jeff Gordon, Michael J. Fox and Mario Batali.

There’s also one mask he won’t be wearing: An entirely crystal-encrusted mask designed by artist Don Blanton, a neighbor of Lundqvist’s.

The auctions for the masks began Friday with the proceeds benefitting his foundation and the Garden of Dreams. Bidding is taking place at www.HLundqvistFoundation.com/TheMask.

New York Daily News LOADED: 03.07.2015


The path to Rangers-Islanders showdown we’re desperate for

By Brett Cyrgalis

March 6, 2015 | 2:38pm

It’s time to start seriously looking at it because you know front offices are.

All teams in the NHL now have 20 or fewer games to be played before the start of the postseason. In the East, there are three, maybe four teams that have now gotten into the conversation for the final wild-card spot, while the other seven are pretty well solidified.

So, the question is — who wants who?

The Rangers have totally woken up, added some valuable new pieces at the trade deadline and have even continued to win without franchise cornerstone Henrik Lundqvist, who remains out at least another two weeks with a vascular injury in his neck. Once he returns to the ice sometime later this month, it seems inevitable it’ll take a while for him to regain his form. Being out for a month and a half is a long time, especially for a goalie. But is mediocre Lundqvist just as good as Cam Talbot? Probably. And that leaves the Rangers still fighting for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Which I think they’d love to have, thus avoiding a first-round matchup with the Islanders. Assuming the Isles don’t fall off the map — and it sure isn’t looking like they’re going to, with a 4-3 win over the first-overall Predators on Thursday — they will likely be battling with the Rangers for that top spot. The Penguins aren’t exactly scaring anyone right now, and it surely wouldn’t be too surprising to see them get passed by the Capitals for third place in the Metro.

So rather than project who will win the division — I can see my email inbox filling up already — let’s instead project that either the Rangers or Islanders will win the division, yet that they won’t catch the Canadiens or Lightning for first in the conference. Both of those Atlantic teams have too many games remaining with the sad-sack Maple Leafs and Sabres.

And that would leave the Rangers and Islanders not playing each other in the first round, but both playing someone in the division — either the Capitals or Penguins, assuming whoever finishes lower between those teams doesn’t get passed by the second wild-card (unlikely). Both of those matchups are good for both teams.

Lundqvist doesn’t lose to the Capitals, and the Blueshirts should take down a rather flawed Penguins team. The Islanders would love the Pens in the first round, the memory of that first-round series from two years ago still brewing. They’ve struggled in the past with the Capitals — Alex Ovechkin has more goals against them than any other team — but although that might be a tightly contested and high-flying series, it’s one the Isles should win.

And that would get us to where we all want, right? A Rangers-Islanders matchup, this one coming in the second round. There is still a lot of hockey left, and things could change drastically, but this seems like the most likely scenario. We’d take it.

This happened to the Panthers, not the Blue Jackets?

On Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla., the Panthers had to sign their goalie coach Robb Tallas to a Professional Tryout contract due to injuries to starter Roberto Luongo and to backup Al Montoya. Tallas never played, as Luongo came back from the hospital and quickly changed from his street clothes to go back in.

What was really shocking is that something like this hasn’t happened to the Blue Jackets. They’ve gone through such injury woes — can you even believe that David Clarkson actually gets traded there, then hurts his oblique and is out for the rest of the season? One reporter asked coach Todd Richards if he was surprised it didn’t happen to them.

“The way it’s gone … you’re right,” Richards said.

Reportedly, the conundrum of the third goalie was discussed at the general managers’ meeting in November and will be addressed at another meeting of the GMs in Boca Raton, Fla., later this month. (Tough gig being a GM, huh?)

Laviolette’s real test

As Peter Laviolette’s Predators came through New York — playing the Rangers and Devils here, then the Islanders in Nashville on Thursday — every opposing coach went out of his way to mention that the Preds are one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the league. Well, following the Isles’ 4-3 win, they’ve now lost five in a row, all in regulation.

“We keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” captain Shea Weber said after the team’s 4-1 loss to the Devils on Tuesday. They are still holding on to first in the Central — which shows you how well they played up to this point — but the Blues and Blackhawks are coming, no doubt. Laviolette’s club will make the playoffs, but how it handles the next two weeks with a trip out to the powerhouse Pacific — and how the coach handles his team with its first big bump in the road — should determine how the Predators do once they get to games that really matter.

Stay tuned . . .

The best race in the league is with the underlings of the Pacific Division. The Ducks are running away at the top, but the Canucks, Flames, Kings and Sharks are all still alive. Have to think the Kings are going to keep rising, while the Flames are crushed as captain Mike Giordano will miss the rest of the season after biceps surgery.

With the Wild and Jets holding down the wild cards out west, that should be an exciting month of hockey.

Rapid reaction rankings

1. Ducks: Big splash at the trade deadline, picking up sniper Tomas Fleischmann from the Panthers, defensemen James Wisniewski from the Blue Jackets and Simon Despres from the Penguins, along with big-bodied forward Jiri Sekac from the Canadiens. Add this to the best team in the league? Hand them the Presidents’ Trophy now.

2. Rangers: Serious win-now moves at the deadline, and they just keep winning without Lundqvist.

3. Wild: They’re 15-2-2 in the past 19 games, while goalie Devan Dubnyk has made an unbelievable impact since coming over from the Coyotes in mid-January, starting 22 games straight.

4-7: Islanders: It’s impressive how they keep finding ways to win with big injuries up front, with Kyle Okposo and Mikhail Grabovski still hurting.

15-20: Devils: Lou Lamiorello was smart in trading Jaromir Jagr at the deadline, and his team is still competing and winning quite a bit — 6-3-1 in the past 10.

Parting shot

I think Phil Kessel saying the Toronto media “should be ashamed of themselves” for the way they treat Dion Phaneuf was ridiculous. But you know what? I’m happy Kessel came out and took a stance.

I totally understand where a player is coming from in this situation. His captain is getting lambasted, and it must be hard to hear or read (but they don’t read or watch TV, right?). Kessel is an interesting guy, even if he’s reticent and shy at times. Following a trade deadline where he was dangled out on the market and found no suitor, and that was soon after he was put on the cover of The Hockey News with the headline “Coach Killer?,” I get the bitterness.

Either way, it’s almost refreshing to see a player come out and take a stance like this — even if he’s wrong.



The silver lining of Lundqvist’s injury that helps Rangers’ hopes

By Brett Cyrgalis

March 6, 2015 | 10:22pm

When Henrik Lundqvist went down with a sprained blood vessel in his neck in early February, it seemed as if the bottom was falling out of the Rangers’ world.

Now, more than a month later, with Lundqvist still recovering, the team is in terrific position for the playoffs and the injury is getting spun into a positive.

“That’s the way I look at it right now,” Lundqvist said on Friday night before an event in Manhattan where six to-be-used masks, plus one encased in crystal, went up for auction, with the proceeds going to his namesake charity foundation.

“You can choose so many ways to approach this. For me, right now I’m taking this as an opportunity to rest and I’m super excited to come back playing. I can’t wait, but until then I’ll focus on things I can control. I definitely think it can [help me] stay fresh down the line.”

Lundqvist, who turned 33 on Monday, had no clearer timetable for his return, saying, “It’s hard to know when this is healing, so it’s more for the doctors to take a look at it.”

The Rangers’ franchise cornerstone was injured on Feb. 2 in a game against the Hurricanes when his own captain, Ryan McDonagh, inadvertently lifted Lundqvist’s mask with his stick and a Brad Malone shot hit him in the throat. Lundqvist said he neck snapped back so hard, that a blood vessel in the back of his neck was the one sprained.

“First week or so was little so-and-so, but that was more from the puck hitting it,” Lundqvist said. “But after that I’ve been feeling fine, so it’s just waiting for good results.”

When Lundqvist was injured, he was checked out by the medical staff and stayed in the game. He then played two nights later against the Panthers, after which it came out the symptoms were not going away and that he could have suffered a stroke if he kept playing.

But asked if there was any second-guessing about the doctors’ diagnosis, Lundqvist answered, “No.

“The way I felt, I felt like I was ready to play,” he said. “So it’s not something I’m second guessing at all. Obviously after we did the evaluation and talked about it I think we all felt it was good that we caught this because it’s a unique situation. Different type of injury. I’m just glad they caught it and nothing really bad happened.”

Lundqvist has been on the ice for more than a week taking shots, and even tweeted out a video of himself working with goalie coach Benoit Allaire earlier on Friday.

“Another day of quick feet workout,” he wrote. “REALLY miss playing.. patience is key right now.”

Lundqvist also said he “feels good,” but wasn’t admitting to any sort of target date for a return.

“I know we’re moving in the right direction, but we haven’t set any date for it,” he said. “Until then I’m just going to focused on staying in shape and working on the ice. If I wasn’t able to skate it would be a bigger issue it would take me much longer to get game-ready. But now I can skate and stay in shape. It’s just the contact part I have to cut out.”

The good news for Lundqvist is that when he does return, he doesn’t have to be some sort of savior for a team in peril. The Rangers have gone 10-2-3 in the 15 games he has missed, and sit two points behind the Islanders for tops in the Metropolitan Division.

And with trade-deadline acquisitions Keith Yandle and Jimmy Sheppard starting to settle in, things seem to be falling into place for the Blueshirts.

“[I’m] excited to see what the new guys bring,” Lundqvist said. “I think we all feel excited about what’s ahead here. Now it’s just about pushing ourselves

to the limit so when it’s time to go into the playoffs, we’re peaking at the right time.”

— Additional reporting by Dan Martin


768600 Ottawa Senators

Anderson says "it's killing me" to watch in background

Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen



As The Hamburglar’s stock continues to rise, Craig Anderson is growing increasingly frustrated as the Ottawa Senators back-up goaltender.

Anderson is not upset at the success of Andrew Hammond – “Hammer’s playing great, the team is playing great,” he said Friday morning – but he appeared on the verge of breaking down as he discussed his inability to fully recover from the right hand injury that has kept him from playing since Jan. 21.

The Senators goaltending situation has had more twists and turns than a soap opera in recent weeks and Anderson is blaming himself for the odd twist on Wednesday. Senators coach Dave Cameron was forced to backtrack after originally announcing that Anderson would be starting that night against the Winnipeg Jets. Hammond drew the start and was outstanding in the 3-1 win over Winnipeg, improving his record as an NHL starting goaltender to 6-0-1, before facing the Buffalo Sabres Friday.

“It’s frustrating for me not to play,” said Anderson. “It hurts to not play and I’m doing everything I possibly can to get myself in that situation to play again. The best word is ‘frustrated’ that I’m not feeling as good as I hoped I would be feeling. It’s killing me inside to not play and to watch and to not be there for the guys. It hurts.”

The Senators are secure enough in having Anderson dress as a back-up, even though he doesn’t yet feel comfortable enough to start.

“There might be some other solutions we can try, but we haven’t gone down that path yet,” he said.

While Anderson remains tied for third in the NHL in save percentage (.927) among goaltenders who have seen extensive game time, Hammond’s remarkable performance has allowed the Senators to buy time in his recovery. Fellow Senators goaltender Robin Lehner, who suffered a concussion on Feb. 16, isn’t anywhere close to returning.

The original plan called for Anderson to make his return Wednesday against Winnipeg, following Tuesday’s game in Minnesota, but somewhere along the way, there was a breakdown in communication. Anderson blames himself for putting Cameron in a tough spot and for the resulting confusion. Hammond first learned he was starting the game after reading reporters’ tweets.

“I like to be in there, I want to be in there,” Anderson said. “It was one of those things, where if we have a morning skate (in Winnipeg), I think maybe things get resolved a little quicker, a little sooner. I should have spoken up sooner and taken the onus upon myself to be a little more vocal.”

Ultimately, Anderson says, he’s going to have a find a way to play through some discomfort.

“I’m going to have to play through some pain if I’m going to play. At that point, when I’m ready to do that, I don’t know when that’s going to happen. At the end of the day, I’ve got to give the team positive feedback to let them know it’s 100 per cent that I go in if they play me.”

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.07.2015


Senators slow out of gate after road trip, but find a way to win

Peter Robb, Ottawa Citizen



The “Hamburglar Mojo” provided just enough magic to counter the “Trap Game Effect” Friday night at the Canadian Tire Centre.

It was a game that was in doubt until the third period. As Senators coach Dave Cameron said about his team, “They were way too cute early on and weren’t doing the work. To be honest, tonight’s game played out the way I thought it would. Credit to them, they found a way to get two (points).

“They came out in the third and gave a good push back.”

Despite knowing what they needed to do, the Senators allowed the worst team in the league to take a 2-0 lead after the first period for only the 14th time all season. Ottawa failed to register its second shot on net until almost halfway through the first.

In addition, two relatively “bad” goals dented the Ottawa net and the Hamburglar’s reputation. The first was scored by a relative unknown, Philip Varone, who tapped in a bouncing puck that “shorthopped” Andrew Hammond. Adding injury was the fact that former Senator André Benoit picked up an assist on that opening marker.

“I was just trying to fight myself mentally and get in a groove. There weren’t a lot of opportunities to make saves. When it’s like that, it’s hard to get a feel for the puck,” Hammond said after the game.

The second Buffalo goal was a snap shot from the Sabres’ leading scorer, Tyler Ennis, who snuck one in from a bad angle. It could have easily been 3-0 after the first as Ennis rang one off the right post moments later.

Friday’s game was the fourth meeting of the season between the longtime rivals, with Ottawa winning three.

The two teams are headed in opposite directions, with the Sabres holding onto the worst record in the NHL and Ottawa improbably in sight of the playoffs. The Sabres, in the middle of a massive makeover, currently have 43 points and have lost their past three games.

Their starting goalie was the gigantic but usually sieve-like Anders Lindback. He was in goal because the Sabres’ new No. 1 man, Chad Johnson, was hurt in practice Friday morning. Lindback proceeded to shut out the Senators in the first, bringing up memories of his last win over Ottawa Jan. 13 in Dallas when he was a member of the Stars.

Just before Ennis scored, Lindback made a miraculous stop on Matt Puempel , flicking the puck away just as it looked like it would drop into the net. But things changed at the top of the second, with the captain coming through with his 16th goal and 50th point of the year. Eric Karlsson, from Milan Michalek and Mark Stone, scored at 26 seconds. The captain now leads NHL defencemen in scoring.

“We all knew we were going to be tired coming home. We obviously didn’t get the start that we wanted. We just told ourselves to stick with it; we knew we were going to grind them down” and it worked out, he said.

“He (Hammond) has been bailing us out quite enough, it was time we paid him back,” Karlsson said with a nod to the goalie. “I think everybody is feeling pretty good about the way we are playing right now.

“Guys are finally realizing that this is what we are going to have to do as a team right now” to be successful. Up next are the Calgary Flames on Sunday night at the CTC.

The third period proved Karlsson’s point as it started with a dominating shift by the Mika Zibanejad line, with No. 93 finishing off a slick passing play from Mike Hoffman and Bobby Ryan for his 17th of the season.

The Senators had clearly finally found their legs and they started to get the Sabres running around. The result: Stone’s 16th of the season as he jammed the puck past Lindback, assisted by Marc Methot and Michalek, with his second point of the night.

Even then, there were some nervous moments before the final buzzer sounded.

With the win, the Senators are three points out of the final wild-card spot held by Boston and have games in hand on both Philadelphia and Florida who are also chasing the Bruins. So there is more than hope now, there just might be momentum.

Boston plays Philly Saturday and Detroit on Sunday. It is conceivable that after Sunday night Ottawa could be three back with a game in hand before the Bruins come to town Tuesday for what now looks like the most meaningful regular-season game played at the Canadian Tire Centre in the past two seasons.



Hammond's Everyman Story earns respect of Senators fans

Ken Warren,



Time to address the notion of good fortune and Lady Luck shining down on the Ottawa Senators and The Hamburglar during the unexpected run at a playoff spot.

Nobody is carrying around a tiny Buddha doll in his shaving kit, a la Tom Chorske. Nobody is following the lead of Bruce Gardiner and dipping his stick in the holy water of the toilet bowl.

And there are no certainly no eccentric superstitions surrounding Andrew Hammond, who ran his incredible streak as a starting NHL goaltender to 7-0-1 in Friday’s 3-2 comeback win over the Buffalo Sabres.

In fact, what stands out about Hammond is just how unassuming he is, playing a position so often associated with odd behaviours.

Returning home to Ottawa after leading the team to its most successful road trip in franchise history, Hammond discovered that Senators followers were literally singing his praises. For evidence, witness TSN 1200’s Ballad of the Hamburglar, sung to the tune of Billy Idol’s White Wedding.

But Hammond was the same guy as he was before the road trip, understanding – but not getting caught up – in the fuss about his hot streak.

“He’s the most normal goaltender I’ve ever met,” says defenceman Mark Borowiecki. “He’s an easy guy to talk to. He’s not weird on game days. He’s just a normal guy and I think that’s what is so cool about him. You get some goalies, where they’re either so intense on game days you can’t even look at them, or some of them that have so many weird superstitions.”

That said, the environment in the past two weeks has no shortage of weirdness written all over it, beginning with the loss of Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner to injuries. Into the void stepped Hammond, with a run of outstanding netminding.

Due to that stellar play and the Hamburglar character on his mask, Hammond has brought back memories of a 35-year-old McDonald’s advertising campaign. It’s the least McDonald’s can do to offer free hamburgers to Friday’s ticket holders. If the company really wanted to embrace the blast from the past, they would go a step further and bring back Grimace to offer up Shamrock Shakes, as well.

Hammond gets what it’s all about, understanding he’s in the entertainment business, even though he’s not getting lost in the sudden attention.

“I’m having a lot of fun with it,” he says. “It’s something that if it ended today and I looked back on it and I wasn’t having fun, it wouldn’t be worth it. This is something I’ve worked hard for. There’s a fine line between having fun and doing your job and I think I’m still able to manage it.”

Appropriately enough, Aerosmith’s Dream On was playing in the background Friday as the video scoreboard replayed the highlights from the performance of Hammond and his teammates during the road trip.

For all the warnings about it being a dangerous trap game for the Senators, the night didn’t start well. Philip Varone slipped behind the Senators defence and chipped the puck over Hammond to open the scoring. Late in the first period, Tyler Ennis scored on a sharp angle shot past a screened Hammond. Only a post kept the Senators from falling behind 3-0.

From there, the Senators worked their way back into the game, taking the play to the inexperienced Sabres lineup and to goaltender Anders Lindback, receiving goals from Erik Karlsson, Mika Zibanejad and Mark Stone to put even more pressure on the Boston Bruins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

At some point, Hammond will hit a bump in the road, but no matter what happens from here, he has earned himself respect from the fans. Everyone loves an underdog and there’s clearly an Everyone element to Hammond’s rise from a relative unknown into a household name in Ottawa.

“I understand why it’s a big story,” he says. “I understand why it’s perceived that I came out of nowhere and I get that, but at the same time, I’ve worked really hard for it. I feel like I’ve earned it and it’s something that I’m proud of.”

The fact that Hammond re-discovered his love for the sport after quitting for three weeks as a teenager – taking a step back and re-tracing his steps with the Vancouver-based Junior B Grandview Steelers before earning a scholarship to Bowling Green University – also sends a message fans can associate with.

“If anybody can take something from my story in their lives, that’s great,” he says. “There was a point in my life where I thought hockey was over and when you work hard and recommit yourself to the game, you can see what happens. People in different walks of life can take that into their own lives.”

On a much larger scale, it’s that survival instinct which made Tim Thomas such an appealing character, fighting through rejections and a series of backwards and sideways steps before establishing himself as an elite NHL goaltender with the Boston Bruins.

It was a great story until Thomas made himself an oddity, going public on Facebook with a political manifesto that put him firmly in that class of weird goaltending characters.

Hammond is nothing of the sort, a straightforward type who is like the kid from next door. When opportunity knocked on that door, well, you know the rest of the story.



Senators goalie Andrew Hammond's the 'real deal'

By Don Brennan, Ottawa Sun

First posted: Friday, March 06, 2015 07:29 PM EST | Updated: Friday, March 06, 2015 07:54 PM EST

On the morning of his first NHL start, Feb. 18 against the Habs, Andrew "The Hamburglar" Hammond was asked if he did interviews on the day of the game.

Some goalies refuse for fear it will disrupt their focus.

"I don't know," shrugged Hammond, who had spent the first season and four months of his pro career in Binghamton. "No one has ever asked before."

On Friday morning, with the Senators back at home for the first time since their most impressive road trip in history, the author of their rally back to relevance was surrounded by 15 or so members of the media. Almost lost in the crush was Matt Puempel, the Hamburglar's good friend and new next-stall neighbour.

"I'm pretty fortunate to be on this side (of the room) now," Puempel said with a touch of sarcasm. "I've got Andrew Hammond here. It takes a little longer to get undressed, especially these days."

Included in all the attention on Hammond these days is another stroke of genius from TSN1200's Steve Warne, who penned, performed and on Friday unveiled The Ballad Of The Hamburglar.

Hammond said he heard the song on the radio when he arrived at Canadian Tire Centre.

"I'm just glad people are having fun with it," he said. "I'm having as much fun as I can, but at the same time you've got to make sure you're ready when it's time to play.

"I remember in Vancouver they used to make those songs about the Sedins," the B.C. native added, referring to twin Canucks Henrik and Daniel.

"Sedins are Gods there."

Fans attending Friday’s game are to able to redeem their tickets for a free McDonald’s hamburger at participating restaurants in Ottawa on Saturday, March 7, obviously in a tribute to the Hamburglar.

On Thursday, Hammond's wife Marlee went shopping at a local mall.

"She bought a hamburger backpack," said Hammond. "It was on sale. No one wanted to pay the $70 asking price, so she paid $15 bucks."

Staying with that theme, a reporter later asked coach Dave Cameron if he believes Hammond is the "real deal." Maybe "real meal deal" would have been more appropriate.

"Well he's the real deal until the streak ends, at least," said Cameron. "He hasn't beaten bad teams. he's gone right into the fire with no knowledge that he was ever going to play a game. So let's give him credit. Let's not call him a flash in the pan. He's the real deal to me, he's the real deal to our hockey club right now. We wouldn't be where we are, closing in on the gap, if it wasn't for him."

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.07.2015


Emotional Craig Anderson takes the blame for starting snafu

By Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun


Craig Anderson is emotionally drained and frustrated.

The Senators' No. 1 goaltender told reporters Friday he's to blame for coach Dave Cameron naming Anderson the starter in Winnipeg Wednesday and then moments later declaring Andrew Hammond would make his seventh straight start.

While it was assumed Anderson was ready to play when he came off the injury list in time to backup Tuesday in Minnesota, Anderson didn't tell Cameron until after he'd already spoken with reporters he wasn't ready to play.

"That was my fault," said Anderson, who got emotional with reporters when he wrapped up the scrum. "I'd like to be in there. I want to be in there. It's one of those things where if we have a morning skate there things get resolved a little quicker and a little sooner.

"I should have spoken up sooner and taken the onus and put it on myself to be a little more vocal. At the end of the day, if I need to go in there and have to play, I have to go in there and do it."

Anderson said he's okay to backup. The hand injury he suffered on Jan. 21 against the Leafs just isn't comfortable

"I'm going to have to play through some pain if I'm going to play. I don't know when that will happen," he said.

There was no update injuries to Clarke MacArthur (concussion), Robin Lehner (concussion), Chris Neil (thumb), Chris Phillips (back) and Zack Smith (wrist)



Senators goalie Craig Anderson's tears show he cares

By Don Brennan, Ottawa Sun


Finally, we could feel Craig Anderson's pain.

Not with whatever's going on in his right hand, we still don't understand that. But the pain he's going through while letting his teammates down again -- and perhaps the feeling that no one gets it.

"It's killing me inside to not play," Anderson said Friday morning, his eyes starting to water. "To watch, and not be able to ... (long pause) ... and not be able to be there for the guys.

"It hurts."

With that, the scrum broke up and Anderson turned to take care of some business at his stall. I hung back for a second, and when I leaned over to say something to him, I noticed his upper lip was trembling. He was crying. Not bawling like a baby, not weeping uncontrollably with tears rolling down his face. But an emotional, choked up sob.

He smiled at the joke I cracked, but he was obviously still upset.

To me, this was a good thing. This showed how much he cares. Watching him practice the last couple of weeks but not declare himself ready to go, you wondered.

Surely, Anderson knows at least a portion of the public is calling him soft and unreliable. This is his fourth injury in four winters, the fourth time he's disappeared when his team needs him for a stretch run. But this injury -- a deep bone bruise that has kept him from playing for more than six weeks -- is the most confounding. To us and to him.

"The best word is frustrated, that I'm not feeling as good as I hoped to be feeling," Anderson had said earlier. "We're trying everything we possibly can. At this point ... short of ... I don't know, there might be some other solutions we can try, but we haven't gone down that path yet. I'm just trying to get back as quick as possible."

Anderson says he'll have to play through the pain at some point, but there was never a chance it would be this game against the Sabres. Super Dave Cameron didn't even know if Anderson would be available to start Friday.

"I didn't ask him," the Senators coach said in the morning. "He's going to back up. There was no discussion on who's starting tonight. I was going to take (Andrew) Hammond out (Wednesday) because it was back-to-back, and he's tired, but sometimes the best decisions are the ones you don't make."

Anderson is still not comfortable playing with his bruised hand -- ultimately he may have to go down that other "path". But by dressing him now as the backup, it appears the team is thinking at least part of the problem is in his head.

That too would be painful for Anderson.

STARTS AND STOPS

Only three Senators were guilty of being too casual on Buffalo's first goal. Marc Methot and Erik Karlsson allowed somebody named Philip Varone to speed between them to a loose puck, and Hammond mostly watched them do it ... At that point, one scribe wondered if the Sabres were going to make the Hamburglar and his teammates leave the building with a Grimace ... With his second period goal, Karlsson recorded his 287th career point and moved to within one of matching Chris Phillips' total. Karlsson was playing his 377th NHL game while the Big Rig has 1,179 under his belt ...

BETWEEN PERIODS

Cameron said he talked to concussed winger Clarke MacArthur Friday and while he still has "symptoms", he's "feeling better". As for the concussed Robin Lehner, Cameron said "I don't think he's making as much progression." Lehner was spotted in the hallways at CTC Friday morning wearing a oversized pair of sunglasses ... Still looking for his first NHL goal, Matt Puempel dove for a puck and one-handed a shot that was fluttering

toward the open net when Johan Larsson tipped it away. "Everyone wants to score goal," Puempel said earlier in the day. "But there's a lot of other parts of the game, in order to play in this league that you have to master first." ... Puempel and D-man Mike Sdao were the only two B-Sens to attend Hammond's wedding last summer, but not because the rest of them didn't like the goalie. "I think the geography wasn't suitable for a lot of people," said Puempel, whose home near Windsor is about an hour drive from the venue, which was Toledo, OH. ... Cameron wanted everyone to know a couple of PEI acquaintances, Romey Fraser and Franklyn Fraser, were in Ottawa to get a medal of bravery from Governor General David Johnston. They rescued a man from a burning house in Newport last April. "I'm proud to know them," said Cameron ...

MAKE YOU GO HMMM...

Mike Hoffman was worried about a possible concussion when he was hit head-first into a Jet Wednesday. "That's the first thing that goes through your mind," said Hoffman, who escaped the collision with nothing more than a cut that required four stitches to close ... Along with his six points on the five-game road trip, Hoffman also came back with a sore ankle from blocking a shot. "I'm just a warrior, just a grinder now," cracked the Senators top sniper ... Among the many ice follies on this evening was the second period miscommunication between Hammond and Karlsson that almost gave Marcus Foligno an empty net goal ...


768606 Philadelphia Flyers

Chasing Boston: Flyers finally face Bruins

Marc Narducci, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Saturday, March 7, 2015, 3:01 AM

For the last week, Flyers coach Craig Berube has talked about his team's singular focus, how nobody would look past an opponent even with a key game coming up in Boston.

Now that game in Boston is upon the Flyers, Saturday's 1 p.m. meeting at TD Garden that should have a playoff feel.

The Flyers trail Boston by four points for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff berth although they have played two more games than the Bruins.

"It's a little extra [excitement] because you are chasing them obviously," Berube said after the Flyers' brief practice Friday at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. "We need to get two points and need to go into New Jersey and get two points."

Berube was alluding to Sunday's game in New Jersey against the Devils.

Then sensing that he was maybe hyping the Boston game too much, Berube backed off.

"So if you want to make the game bigger than it is, you guys can make it bigger than it is," he said. "It's a big game. New Jersey is going to be a big game too."

The Flyers have so little margin for error with 17 games remaining, although the players say they've had to play with extra urgency for quite some time.

"Let's be honest, we played like this the last 10-15 games," said winger Jake Voracek, who has 19 goals and 46 assists. "Every game is a must win."

Boston is 2-0 this season against the Flyers. The Bruins won a 2-1 home decision on Oct. 8, when Chris Kelly scored the game-winner with 1 minute and 51 seconds remaining. It was the season opener for both teams.

Boston also won, 3-1 at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 10, getting the first two NHL goals from 18-year-old David Pastrnak.

In the two games, the Flyers were 1 for 9 on the power play.

The Flyers should have momentum after Thursday's comeback 3-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Blue. Trailing 1-0, the Flyers answered with three third period goals.

The Bruins lost at home on Thursday in a shootout to Calgary, 4-3. The Bruins, who saw their two-game winning streak snapped, have now lost seven consecutive shootouts.

There are other teams competing for that final playoff berth such as Florida, Ottawa and New Jersey, but Boston is the team that occupies the eighth spot, giving the game a playoff feel.

"They realize how important a game this is, as we do and it will be an extremely fun game to be part of," Flyers goalie Steve Mason said. "We just have to make sure to do everything we can do and come out the right side of it."

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.07.2015


Flyers, goalie coach Reese unexpectedly part ways

Marc Narducci, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Saturday, March 7, 2015, 3:01 AM

The news Friday that Flyers goaltending coach Jeff Reese is no longer with the team hit nobody harder than goalie Steve Mason.

In a statement released by the team, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall described the departure as "a mutual agreement between both parties."

Mason said that Reese helped resurrect his career, one that had been sputtering in Columbus.

"Hockey is a game all about confidence, especially from the goaltender position," Mason said after Friday's brief practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. "When I got here, I had zero confidence in my game anymore. I was beat down in Columbus and didn't enjoy the game."

And that is where Reese had a major impact, according to Mason.

"Reeser was a big part of bringing me here at the trade deadline two years ago, and he instilled the belief that he had and the organization had that I could find my game back," Mason said. "From an on-ice perspective and off-ice perspective, there was nothing but good things from him."

Other than Mason, nobody was saying much about the situation.

"Jeff was an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons, and we wish him well," Hextall said in the statement.

The Flyers GM said the team would have no further comment.

Coach Craig Berube added little.

"It was a mutual agreement; no further comments," Berube said.

When asked what Reese meant to the coaching staff, Berube replied: "Reeser was a great coach - that's it. You read the release."

Reese, who will turn 49 on March 24, issued this statement through the team:

"I would like to thank the Flyers organization for the opportunity to coach the Flyers for the past six seasons. I have enjoyed my time here and wish the Flyers all the success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate if the media respect my privacy, as I will not be making any further comment."

Mason said he heard about it a few days ago and briefly talked to Reese on Thursday.

"Yesterday's game was a real hard game to focus on because of the circumstances with what was going on," Mason said about Thursday's 3-1 win over the visiting St. Louis Blues.

Berube and the team didn't have an answer as to when a new goaltending coach would be named. Mason said it's possible that he and backup Ray Emery will work together as their own coaches for the rest of the season.

Contacted Friday night, former Flyers goalie Brian Boucher said he would be interested in the goalie-coach position if approached. Boucher is a Flyers analyst for Comcast SportsNet.

But on this day, there were few definitive statements, other than Mason detailing how much he will miss his now-former goaltender coach.



Breaking down Flyers and their opponents in playoff race

Sam Carchidi

Posted: Friday, March 6, 2015, 1:03 PM

Give the Flyers credit for climbing back into the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

Yes, they have sputtered at times - especially against weaker teams - but they have gained nine points in the playoff race since Jan. 16, inching to within four points of Boston for the final berth in the Eastern Conference.

The Flyers, who play their most important game of the season Saturday afternoon in Boston, are one of five teams battling to win the final playoff spot. Florida and rampaging Ottawa have the toughest remaining schedules, and there are many head-to-head matchups between contenders that will play a major role in determining who gets a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.

Six of Boston’s final 19 games are against teams trying to earn the last playoff spot, including three with Florida.

Ottawa, which is five points behind the Bruins, has the most games left (20) and the most at home (11) and is a very dangerous team.

The Flyers are hoping their final game of the season - at home against the Senators - has some meaning. But, starting Saturday in Boston, they have a lot of work to do to make that happen.

Here are the teams in the hunt and their schedule highlights:

BOSTON (72 points).

Games left: 19.

Games vs. teams in a playoff spot: 10.

Games vs. teams not in a playoff spot: 9.

Home: 8.

Away: 11.

Key games against those fighting for the last playoff spot: vs. Flyers Saturday; at Ottawa Tuesday; at Ottawa March 19; at Florida March 21; vs. Florida March 31; at Florida April 9.

FLORIDA (70 points)

Games left: 17.



Home: 10.

Away: 7.

Key games against those fighting for the last playoff spot: vs. Boston March 21; at Ottawa March 29; at Boston March 31; vs. Boston April 9.

FLYERS (68 points)

Games left: 17.



Home: 8.

Away: 9.

Key games against those fighting for the last playoff spot: at Boston Saturday; at New Jersey Sunday; at Ottawa March 15; vs. Ottawa March 17.

OTTAWA (67 points)

Games left: 20.



Home: 11.

Away: 9.

Key games against those fighting for the last playoff spot: vs. Boston Tuesday; vs. Flyers March 15; vs. Boston March 19; vs. Florida at Flyers on April 11.

NEW JERSEY (64 points)

Games left: 18.



Home: 8.

Away: 10.

Key games against those fighting for the last playoff spot: vs. Flyers Sunday; at Florida April 11.



Sources: Jeff Reese's spat with Flyers began over Steve Mason's injuries

Frank Seravalli, Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, March 6, 2015, 12:31 PM

Sitting in his stall after practice, Steve Mason pulled on a ball cap and tried not to look up while he spoke.

“Sometimes, things happen that are hard to understand in the game of hockey,” Mason said. “Honestly, for me, it just happened out of the blue.”

Flyers goaltending coach Jeff Reese abruptly left the organization on Friday after six years of service, the team announced in a brief media release.

For just about everyone outside the organization, Reese’s departure came out of the blue, especially with just 17 games left in the season.

The truth is, Reese’s simmering relationship with the Flyers’ front office bubbled over beginning with Feb. 26’s game in Toronto when Mason was summoned off the bench.

According to multiple sources, Reese was peeved that Mason relieved starter Rob Zepp after two goals, since Mason was told that day he would not play unless Zepp sustained serious injury.

Sources said Mason was given that word by the team, asking him to suit up because the team had salary cap issues and could not afford another backup goaltender for the game.

That jibes with what Ron Hextall said this past Monday, in his post-trade deadline press conference, revealing specifically that the Flyers skated by the $69 million cap with just $48,000 to spare “the other day.” On Feb. 24, the Carolina game before Toronto while Mason was still injured, the Flyers used an “emergency goaltender exemption” to add rookie Anthony Stolarz to the roster, temporarily exceeding the 23-man limit for 48 hours.

Two days later, Mason said after the team’s pre-game skate in Toronto: “I’d be able to go in there and do the job, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. The game is not there yet. I haven’t had a good skate yet because of the schedule.”

When Mason was then asked during the game that night to go in cold for Zepp, it put Mason in the unfair and awkward position with seemingly no other choice but to say yes.

In his post-game press conference that night following the 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs, coach Craig Berube admitted Mason “would have preferred Zepp to finish the game … but that’s my gut and I went with it.” Mason limped out of Air Canada Centre that night to the team’s bus.

Mason underwent surgery to remove 60 percent of the meniscus in his right knee on Feb. 10, just 16 days prior to playing. The Flyers’ original timeframe for Mason’s return was two-to-four weeks.

Reese voiced his support in defense of his goaltender - and how his injuries have been handled this season - causing friction with the brass that led to his sudden departure on Friday.

Last week in Toronto was at least the third questionable use of Mason since December. He was pulled off the bench on Jan. 27 against Arizona in the first game back from the All-Star break, after not getting as much as one full practice in since first injuring his right knee on Jan. 10. Mason was also used in three consecutive games, despite showing obvious signs of injury, leading up to that Jan. 10 game that he left early against Boston. The Toronto incident was just the cherry on top.

Reese, 48, was not seen at the Flyers' win over St. Louis on Thursday night. He watches each game - at home and on the road - from the press box, and usually joins the team on-ice for practice.

"It was a mutual agreement between both parties," Hextall said in the team’s statement. "Jeff was an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons and we wish him well."

Reese issued a brief statement through the team Friday morning, saying: "I thank the Flyers organization for the opportunity to coach the Flyers for the past six seasons. I've enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the

success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate it if the media would respect my privacy, as I will not be making any further comment.”

When presented with further reporting, Reese and Mason each declined comment to the Daily News. Hextall did not respond to a message seeking comment.

“I’m sorry, I just have no comment,” Reese said in a text message. “I have nothing to say.”

Reese did not confirm or deny this report when presented with details. In a text message, Mason referred all comment to Hextall.

It is unclear whether other issues were standing between the Flyers and Reese, just that Mason’s injuries just served as a catalyst.

Mason, 26, was clearly bothered after the Flyers’ practice on Friday. If it wasn’t for Reese, who spends hours watching video of opposing goaltenders, Mason may well have not landed on his feet. Reese was the main reason the Flyers acquired him from the Blue Jackets on April 3, 2013 in a small trade deadline day deal which ultimately resurrected his career.

Mason enters Saturday’s all-important game in Boston tied for 5th in the NHL with a .926 save percentage.

“Hockey is a game all about confidence, especially from the goaltending position,” Mason said. “When I got here, I had zero confidence. It was well-documented. I was beat down in Columbus. I didn’t enjoy the game.

“He instilled the belief in this organization that I could find my game back. From an on-ice and off-ice perspective, he was nothing but good things for me. He was very receptive to my input. He was someone that was easy to work with. He was someone I felt I could confide my feelings to. He is somebody that I owe my career to. If it wasn’t for ‘Reeser,’ I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”

Mason admitted Thursday’s win against St. Louis was “a real hard game to focus on just because of the circumstances and what was going on.”

So, why now? Why on the day before the perhaps the Flyers’ biggest game of the season in Boston, a do-or-die game against the team they’re chasing?

Berube did not have an answer. He said he was not concerned about how Mason would react on Saturday in such a pivotal moment.

“‘Reeser' is a great coach,” Berube said, referring all other questions to the team’s statement. “You read the release. No further comment.”

When asked how the Flyers will handle goaltending coaching over the final 5 weeks of the season, Berube said: "We'll figure it out.” The sense is Flyers scout Neil Little will assist as needed to finish out the year.

Reese was hired by the Flyers on June 25, 2009 after spending the previous decade working with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was a member of the coaching staff for Tampa Bay's 2004 Stanley Cup championship.

Reese took on some large projects in goal with the Flyers over the years - from a combative Ray Emery to Michael Leighton to Ilya Bryzgalov to Mason’s revival. He dealt with a three-ringed circus goalie carousel in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs and used hand motions to work with Sergei Bobrovsky. Leighton credited Reese with making physical changes to his game, positioning him better further back in the crease. It paid off with a trip to the 2010 Stanley Cup final on the back of a guy who was on waivers in December of that season.

Still, through all the coaching and mechanics aspect of the game, Reese's biggest role was as confidant, motivator and cheerleader.

“He was the one who got me to the point that I am in my career,” Mason said. “Yesterday was an extremely difficult day for myself, just trying to play over everything in my head. I owe a ton to him.”



Sources: Flyers goalie coach out over rift regarding Mason’s injuries

FRANK SERAVALLI,

Posted: Sunday, March 8, 2015, 4:01 AM

SITTING IN HIS stall after practice, Steve Mason pulled on a ballcap and tried not to look up while he spoke.

"Sometimes, things happen that are hard to understand in the game of hockey," the Flyers goaltender said. "Honestly, for me, it just happened out of the blue."

Goaltending coach Jeff Reese abruptly left the organization yesterday after nearly 6 years of service, the team announced.

For just about everyone outside the organization, Reese's departure came out of nowhere, with only 17 games left in the season.

The truth is, Reese's simmering relationship with the Flyers' front office bubbled over beginning with the Feb. 26 game in Toronto, when Mason was summoned off the bench.

According to multiple sources, Reese was peeved that Mason relieved starter Rob Zepp after two goals, since Mason was told that day he would not play unless Zepp suffered serious injury.

Sources said Mason was given that word by the team, asking him to suit up because the team had salary-cap issues and could not afford another backup goaltender for the game.

That jibes with what general manager Ron Hextall said last Monday, in his post-trade deadline news conference, revealing specifically that the Flyers skated by the $69 million cap with only $48,000 to spare "the other day." On Feb. 24, the Carolina game before Toronto, while Mason was still injured, the Flyers used an "emergency goaltender exemption" to add rookie Anthony Stolarz to the roster, temporarily exceeding the 23-man limit for 48 hours.

Two days later, Mason said after the team's pregame skate in Toronto: "I'd be able to go in there and do the job, but I hope it doesn't come to that. The game is not there yet. I haven't had a good skate yet, because of the schedule."

When Mason was then asked during the game that night to go in cold for Zepp, it put Mason in the unfair and awkward position with seemingly no other choice but to say yes.

In his postgame news conference that night following the 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs, coach Craig Berube acknowledged Mason "would have preferred Zepp to finish the game . . . but that's my gut and I went with it." Mason limped out of Air Canada Centre that night to the team's bus.

Mason underwent surgery to remove 60 percent of the meniscus in his right knee on Feb. 10. The Flyers' original time frame for his return was 2 to 4 weeks.

Reese voiced his support in defense of his goaltender - and how his injuries have been handled this season - causing friction with the brass, the sources said, which led to his sudden departure.

Last week in Toronto was at least the third questionable use of Mason since December. He was pulled off the bench on Jan. 27 against Arizona in the first game back from the All-Star break, after not getting as much as one full practice in since first injuring his right knee on Jan. 10. Also, Mason was used in three consecutive games, despite showing signs of injury, leading up to his early exit in that Jan. 10 game against Boston. The Toronto incident was just the cherry on top.

Reese, 48, was not seen at the Flyers' win over St. Louis on Thursday night. He watches each game - at home and on the road - from the press box, and usually joins the team on the ice for practice.

"It was a mutual agreement between both parties," Hextall said in the team's statement. "Jeff was an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons and we wish him well."

Reese issued a brief statement through the team yesterday morning, saying: "I thank the Flyers organization for the opportunity to coach the Flyers for the

past six seasons. I've enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate it if the media would respect my privacy, as I will not be making any further comment."

When presented with further reporting, Reese and Mason each declined to comment to the Daily News. Hextall did not respond to a message seeking comment.

"I'm sorry, I just have no comment," Reese said in a text message. "I have nothing to say."

Reese did not confirm or deny this report when presented with more details. In a text message, Mason referred all comment to Hextall.

It is unclear whether other issues were standing between the Flyers and Reese, and that Mason's injuries just served as a catalyst.

Mason, 26, was clearly bothered after the Flyers' practice yesterday. If it wasn't for Reese, who spends hours watching video of opposing goaltenders, Mason might well have not landed on his feet. Reese was the main reason the Flyers acquired him from the Blue Jackets on April 3, 2013, in a small trade-deadline day deal that has ultimately resurrected his career.

Mason enters today's all-important game in Boston tied for fifth in the NHL with a .926 save percentage.

"Hockey is a game all about confidence, especially from the goaltending position," Mason said. "When I got here, I had zero confidence. It was well-documented. I was beat down in Columbus. I didn't enjoy the game.

"He instilled the belief in this organization that I could find my game back. From an on-ice and off-ice perspective, he was nothing but good things for me. He was very receptive to my input. He was someone that was easy to work with. He was someone I felt I could confide my feelings to. He is somebody that I owe my career to. If it wasn't for 'Reeser,' I wouldn't be where I am right now."

Mason ackknowledged Thursday was "a real hard game to focus on, just because of the circumstances and what was going on."

So, why now? Why on the day before the perhaps the Flyers' biggest game of the season in Boston, a do-or-die game against the team they're chasing for a playoff berth?

Berube had no answer. He said he was not concerned about how Mason would react today in such a pivotal moment.

" 'Reeser' is a great coach," Berube said, referring all other questions to the team's statement. "You read the release - no further comment."

When asked how the Flyers will handle goaltending coaching over the final 5 weeks of the season, Berube said, "We'll figure it out." The sense is Flyers scout Neil Little, a former goalie in the organization, will assist as needed to finish out the year.

Reese was hired by the Flyers on June 25, 2009, after spending the previous decade working with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was a member of the coaching staff for Tampa Bay's 2004 Stanley Cup championship.

Reese took on some large projects in goal with the Flyers over the years - from a combative Ray Emery to Michael Leighton to Ilya Bryzgalov to Mason's revival. He managed a three-ringed goalie circus in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs and used hand motions to teach Russian-tongued Sergei Bobrovsky. Leighton credited him with making physical changes to his game, positioning him better farther back in the crease. It paid off with a trip to the 2010 Stanley Cup final on the back of a guy who was on waivers in December of that season.

Still, through all the coaching and mechanical aspects of the game, his biggest role was as confidant, motivator and cheerleader.

"He was the one who got me to the point that I am in my career," Mason said. "[Thursday] was an extremely difficult day for myself, just trying to play over everything in my head. I owe a ton to him."

Slap shots

Craig Berube said he did not anticipate any lineup changes today in Boston, leaving Zac Rinaldo in the lineup and Vinny Lecavalier as a healthy scratch . . . Nick Grossmann ("upper-body" injury) did not practice yesterday . . . Phantoms coach Terry Murray issued a retraction to the Allentown Morning Call yesterday for his comments Thursday when he said prospect Shayne Gostisbehere would be shut down for the season.



Flyers 'part ways' with goalie coach Reese

Posted: Friday, March 6, 2015 4:15 pm

Wayne Fish

The Flyers won’t say goaltending coach Jeff Reese was fired and Reese wouldn’t say he just quit, so those outside the organization are left to their own conclusions as to why the two have parted ways.

This much we do know: Right now, the Flyers are operating without a goaltender coach with five weeks left in the season and perhaps the biggest game of the campaign, a Saturday date in Boston, staring them straight in the face.

General manager Ron Hextall would not elaborate on what might have triggered this strangely-timed move other than to call it a “mutual agreement between both parties.’’

Reese, who served here six years and is generally credited with getting Steve Mason’s career back on track, was equally tight-lipped.

"I'd like to thank the Flyers organization for the opportunity to help coach the Flyers for the past six seasons,’’ Reese, 48, said in a message through the Flyers’ public relations department.

“I've enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate if the media would respect my privacy as I will not be making any further comment."

As for whether Mason and Reese (or Hextall and Reese) had some kind of falling out, there’s bound to be speculation.

But the numbers speak for themselves: Mason’s current .926 save percentage is tied for fifth-best in the NHL. If there happened to be a conflict there, it didn’t show in the work.

In fact, despite three stints on the injured list, Mason is right up there with Jake Voracek, Claude Giroux and perhaps Wayne Simmonds for team MVP.

Mason’s career was in a rut when he was traded here from Columbus in 2013. But Reese made some changes and now Mason is back on track.

“He instilled the belief in this organization that I could find my game back,’’ Mason told reporters at the Skate Zone on Friday. “From an on-ice and off-ice perspective, he was nothing but good things to me.

“He was very receptive to my input. He was someone that was easy to work with, someone I could confide my feelings to. He is someone that I owe my career to. If it wasn’t for ‘Reeser,’ I wouldn’t be where I am right now.’’

So the Flyers go on without someone to keep an eye on the goaltenders, at least for a while.

They could bring in someone like former Flyers/Phantoms goaltender Neil Little, a scout with the organization who consulted with Reese about Phantoms goaltenders such as Rob Zepp and Anthony Stolarz.

Coach Craig Berube’s comment? “We’ll figure it out.’’

Burlington County Times LOADED: 03.07.2015


Mason mentor Reese suddently leaves Flyers, who call it ‘mutual agreement’

By Rob Parent,

Posted: 03/06/15, 2:12 PM EST |

VOORHEES, N.J. >> The Flyers and their goaltending coach, Jeff Reese, have termed their rather sudden parting “a mutual agreement,” but the timing of the move certainly suggests otherwise.

Reese, who served as an “eye in the sky” assistant coach in the press box during games, worked Tuesday night during an overtime loss to Calgary. But he was not seen Thursday night when the Flyers beat the St. Louis Blues.

Reese, 48, had been the goaltending coach since the start of the 2009-10 season, after serving eight years in the same capacity for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has been close to Flyers starting goalie Steve Mason since he arrived here two years ago.

Mason told reporters and camera crews at the Skate Zone Thursday the Reese departure “has come out of left field,” and credited Reese for “getting me to the point where I am in my career now. I owe a ton to him.”

General manager Ron Hextall officially thanked Reese for his service, saying Reese’s exit resulted from “a mutual agreement between both parties. Jeff is an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons and we wish him well.”

Hextall declined to discuss the situation directly and the club says there will be no further comment about Reese’s departure. Reese also issued a statement, and made it clear he wasn’t interested in talking about the reason he’s leaving.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the success in the world,” Reese said in the statement. “Having said that, I would appreciate it if the media would respect my privacy, as I will not be making any further comment.”

Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.07.2015


Flyers ready for another must-win game in showdown vs. Bruins

March 6, 2015, 2:45 pm

Tim Panaccio

VOORHEES, N.J. — They had a challenge. They met it.

The best that can be said for the Flyers' 3-1 win over St. Louis is that they were able to rally from a third-period deficit Thursday against one of the top clubs in the NHL that had lost just one time all season in regulation when leading after two periods.

“Coming back from a real defensive team in the third period being down 1-0 coming up with some huge goals is something good and to feel good about,” Steve Mason said.

Mason had something personal to feel good about. It’s been an incredibly long climb, but the Flyers' goaltender finally reached the .500 summit with this victory — 13-13-8.

“It’s been a grind to get back to this point the way the season started,” Mason said. “A large part of that is our team has really come around the last little stretch and helped contribute to the wins.

“Now you got to get above the .500 mark and keep going from there. Fifty wins with the Flyers is something special. I hope there are quite a few more down the road.”

He goes into the Boston game amid the sudden departure of goalie coach Jeff Reese.

Whether Reese’s exit is a distraction to the Flyers remains to be seen.

Flyers coach Craig Berube would not comment on that but said he wasn’t worried.

“Do I look worried?" Berube said Friday at practice. "No, I’m not worried at all."

Berube called the Bruins game, “a huge challenge.”

“They are fun games to be a part of, but this is a time of year where playing hockey is extra fun just because there is so much on the line,” Mason said.

“Especially for us right now when every game is a must-win. I think if we’re finally able to get back into these playoffs, we could be a dangerous team just because we’ve been playing must-win hockey for a long time.”

The Flyers go into Boston on Saturday four points behind the Bruins for the second wild-card spot.

“They are a team in the same situation as us, where every game coming down the stretch is a must-win,” Mason said. “Just because they have teams chasing them, they realize how important [Saturday's] game is just like we do.”

As good as that seems, it’s tempered with this thought: the Flyers were four points behind the Bruins as far back as Feb. 21 and still have not caught them.

At one point a week ago, they could have been tied with the Bruins had they not lost consecutive road games in Carolina and Toronto.

That’s why Berube was rather blunt in saying he wasn’t happy at how close his club was to a playoff spot because it’s been that way for much of the second half of the season.

Nothing has changed. Every game has an impact now in the standings.

“It’s a huge game obviously, but they’re all huge now,” Berube said. “I don’t really have to go and tell my team how big the game is. They’re all big from here to the end of the year. It’s obviously a big game against a team we’re chasing. [We are] four points behind them. If we can get a win, we’re two points.”

The four-point reach has been like Everest for the Flyers to climb this season, no doubt influencing the odds makers against the Flyers.

Sportsclubstats.com still gives them virtually no shot at making the playoffs — 3.9 percent.

Yet the Flyers believe their fate can change. They need a victory in regulation at Boston and can’t afford to give the Bruins any points in overtime or a shootout.

The Flyers should have little trouble getting up for Boston. Their one constant during a year of inconsistent performances is that they play their best hockey against teams better than them in the standings.

“Part of it I guess is that you don’t want to be embarrassed,” Mason said. “That’s not to take anything away from teams that are on our level and below us.

“When you’re playing a team, especially like St. Louis, where they are strong and can really wear you down, you got to make sure you take it to them instead. If you don’t, you’re going to be on the wrong end of it pretty quickly”.

First time

Defenseman Luke Schenn had his first multi-point game as a Flyer with two assists and a plus-2 rating against St. Louis. As irony would have it, his last multi-point game in the NHL was Feb. 9, 2012 — against the Flyers.

Penalty kill

The Blues were 0 for 1 on the power play. The Flyers have killed off 29 of 31 opponent power plays during their last 12 home games.



Flyers, goalie coach Jeff Reese mutually part ways

March 6, 2015, 12:30 pm

Updated: 2:58 p.m.

Tim Panaccio

VOORHEES, N.J. — Flyers goalie coach Jeff Reese and the club have abruptly parted ways Friday by mutual consent.

The announcement with 17 games left in the regular season is highly unusual and it comes before what is arguably the team and Steve Mason’s biggest game of the season: Saturday at Boston where the Flyers find themselves four points behind the Bruins for the second wild-card playoff berth.

“It was a mutual agreement between both parties,” Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said in a statement. “Jeff was an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons and we wish him well.”

Reese, who replaced Reggie Lemelin, joined the Flyers on June 25, 2009, after a decade with the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching staff, including the Lightning’s 2003-04 Stanley Cup championship season.

Reese also had a statement: “I’d like to thank the Flyers' organization for the opportunity to help coach the Flyers for the past six seasons.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate it if the media would respect my privacy as I will not be making any further comment.”

Flyers coach Craig Berube was equally tight-lipped.

“It’s a mutual agreement — you read the release, no further comment,” Berube said.

Berube would not respond as to whether there were any issues with the handling of any of the goaltenders this season.

“Reeser is a great coach,” he said.

Reese was instrumental in helping Mason restart his career once he arrived here from Columbus late in 2012-13.

Mason won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 2008-09 with 33 victories, a 2.29 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

It would be his last full season in which his GAA was under 3.00 and he later said he was too immature to handle the success of that year. It was here as a Flyer, working under Reese, that Mason was able to resurrect his career and even earn a three-year, $12.3 million extension in January of 2014.

Reese even advised then-general manager Paul Holmgren on the acquisition of Mason from the Blue Jackets in April 2013 for Michael Leighton.

“This is something that has come out of left field,” Mason said. “I don’t want to comment on it too much. I will say that with Reeser, he was a huge part of getting me to the point where I am in my career now.

“I owe a ton to him. Sometimes, things happen that are hard to understand in the game of hockey. I think like Hexy said, it was a mutual thing from the organization’s standpoint and Reeser’s standpoint. I don’t want to [delve] too much into it. If it wasn’t for Reeser, I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now.”

Reese was not at Thursday's game against St. Louis. The irony there is Mason finally reached the .500 mark (13-13-8) on Thursday, while also recording his 50th career win as a Flyer.

Whereas Lemelin was old school, hard-nosed and could sometimes be unbending in dealing with his goalies, the younger Reese seemed opened to ideas from players, regardless of age or experience.

“He was very receptive to my input,” Mason said. “He always told me I was easy to work with. [He was] somebody that I felt I could confide my feelings into away from the game. I consider him a friend.

“He was somebody that right from the start was a large factor in bringing me here for the trade. Right from the start of working with him, he expressed a ton of confidence in my abilities to get back to the point where he knew I could play at.”

Mason came here, admittedly, as a goalie whose confidence had been rocked, and despite injuries and some tough breaks because of the club in front of him, at times, sees himself as an asset who has earned the No. 1 job and is confident he can retain it.

Mason admitted he had difficulty focusing on Thursday’s game against the Blues knowing Reese had already departed. The Flyers won, 3-1, and Mason had 28 saves.

“It’s been a tough couple days here,” Mason said. “[Thursday's] game was a real hard game to focus on just because of the circumstances. What was going on. Like I said, he is somebody I owe my career to. I wish him the best.”

Several team sources told CSNPhilly.com they had not seen Reese around the dressing room for a few days prior to Friday. Some had no idea he had parted ways.

It was unclear whether this was a contract matter that had not been resolved or something of a personal nature.

It’s hard to believe it was contractual. No coach quits over a contract this late in the season.

“It happened out of the blue for me,” Mason said. “I found out a couple of days ago where he was at. It was a mutual feeling from the organization and Reeser’s standpoint.”

Ray Emery said he knew in advance something was going on.

“A couple days he hasn’t been here,” Emery said. “I don’t want to comment on circumstances because I don’t know what happened.

“I knew I really enjoyed working with him. He’s a really good goalie coach. A great guy, besides that.”

Emery said Reese’s best attribute was his love for the game of hockey.

“His passion for the game,” Emery said. “He’s a student of the game. He came to work every day. He approached it different ways. Whether it was constructive criticism or repetitions in there or scouting teams. Any way he could help, he did.”

So who is the goalie coach?

“Guess it’s me and Razor talking to each other,” Mason said as he left the dressing room.

Comcast SportsNet Flyers analyst and former goalie Brian Boucher has not been contacted about the position and Flyers scout Neil Little could not be reached for comment.



10 observations from Flyers-Blues

March 6, 2015, 11:00 am

Tim Panaccio

The Flyers on Thursday answered a challenge, as they now prepare for a tough game against the Bruins in Boston on Saturday afternoon.

The Flyers more than met that challenge, hosting one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the St. Louis Blues, by beating them, 3-1 (see game story).

Here are 10 observations from the Flyers' encounter with the Blues at the Wells Fargo Center:

1. This marked the second game in a row that a Flyers defenseman committed a turnover off the breakout that resulted in a goal against. Against Calgary Tuesday, Michael Del Zotto was stripped. In this one, Mark Streit tried to make a risky cross-ice pass and it was picked off by the Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko, who quickly fed Jaden Schwartz for a 1-0 lead.

2. Del Zotto finished the game with a goal, an assist and was a plus-3 — his best outing this season.

3. Besides having lightning-quick moves, the 23-year-old Tarasenko has one of the best sticks in the league, both offensively and defensively. He nearly scored himself shortly after assisting on the Blues' lone goal.

4. In the first period, the Flyers had just one shot on their first power play, while also adding a turnover and surrendering a short-handed chance. They've lived and died on the power play all season, but it's on a downward slide right now, going just 2 for 15 in their last five games.

5. Gotta like the patience Matt Read showed in the third period, waiting for teammates going into the zone. He dished it off to Streit, and then moved to the middle of the high slot for a shot that Wayne Simmonds scored on. Simmonds' goal pushed the Flyers to a 2-1 lead. Nothing wrong with allowing the play to develop.

6. St. Louis came into the game with a 25-1-2 record when leading after two periods. The Flyers were 2-20-4 when trailing after two periods. Somehow, the Flyers scored three times in the third period to win this game. That doesn't happen often.

7. The Blues did a decent job keeping the Flyers' chances to the outside for most of the first two periods. Ryan White was one player that seemed to find a way to the net, either for himself or his teammates. White had a great chance in the second stanza off a Brayden Schenn feed, but goalie Brian Elliott made an outstanding save at the post on him. White had an energetic game early, setting up R.J. Umberger, whom Elliott snuffed out as well.

8. Umberger's glorious chance in the first period saw a large chunk of net staring at him like freshly fallen snow, and his shot popped off the post. Conversely, Del Zotto didn't have much to shoot at in the third period with all those bodies in front of Elliott, but hammered a shot that nicked Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson to tie it, 1-1.

9. Flyers head coach Craig Berube changed his lines in the third period with his team trailing, 1-0. He put Simmonds back with Sean Couturier and Read and reunited Jakub Voracek with Claude Giroux and Michael Raffl on the top line. Voracek took spots on three different lines in the game.

10. It was nice to see Steve Mason (28 saves) finally get to .500 this season, while also picking up his 50th victory in a Flyers uniform. He's now 13-13-8 on the season.



Flyers prepare for showdown with Bruins

Dave Isaac, Courier-Post 6:57 p.m. EST March 6, 2015

PHILADELPHIA – As Flyers defenseman Mark Streit was doing his postgame interview with a handful of media, he couldn't take his eyes off one reporter's phone.

On the small screen was a live feed of the Boston Bruins hosting the Calgary Flames with both teams going into a shootout.

Streit was just in the middle of answering a question about the Flyers needing every point this season when he cut himself off.

"Did he score?" he asked the reporter, looking at the phone.

Nope. No one did until the seventh round and new Flame David Schlemko scored again in the eighth to keep Boston from getting an extra point.

That's life for the Flyers recently: a lot of scoreboard watching, mostly against the Bruins who have the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"We take the two points," Streit said after beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 Thursday night, "but obviously Saturday, a huge game for us. We want to prepare for that now, but one game at a time. You can't do anything else."

To Streit's point, the Flyers game-plan one contest at a time. It's not like they've been looking at video of Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and Co. for weeks. They have, however looked at their team ahead of them in the standings all season.

Even if the Flyers beat the Bruins Saturday, they can't pass them. They'd get within two points of that elusive last playoff spot.

"Obviously that's huge," Flyers leading goal-scorer Wayne Simmonds said. "That's a four-point swing there. If we can grab those two points from them, that's two more points that they can't get. That's in our favor. We've gotta be really prepared for that game and start from the drop of the puck and be ready for the whole 60 (minutes)."

That's something that they haven't done consistently enough this season. It didn't happen in recent losses at the hands of the lowly Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres, all losses that partially explain why they aren't at least tied with Boston, which has two games in hand.

"Now we have probably our biggest game of the season coming up on Saturday in Boston so this is a great effort overall and something to feel good about," goalie Steve Mason said after that win over the Blues. "You can't waste it on if we have a bad game on Saturday we have to go right in there and pick up where we left off (Thursday)."

"They have a good team. They've been really good for a lot of years now," Streit added. "We know their style and how they play. Good structure, good goalie. I think it's gonna be a similar game to (Thursday). We have to check well, play really well defensively and be patient."

•Reese no longer with Flyers: Goalie coach Jeff Reese wasn't in the building for that Flyers win Thursday. He wasn't on the ice Friday for the Flyers' practice, either.

Turns out he is no longer with the club.

"It was a mutual agreement between both parties," general manager Ron Hextall said in a press release. "Jeff was an integral part of our coaching staff for the past six seasons and we wish him well."

Reese, 48, played 174 career NHL games and has been a goalie coach in the league since 2001.

"I'd like to thank the Flyers organization for the opportunity to help coach the Flyers for the past six seasons," Reese said in a press release through the team. "I've enjoyed my time here and I wish the Flyers all the success in the world. Having said that, I would appreciate if the media would respect my privacy as I will not be making any further comment."

Neither side wants to comment, but position coaches don't just leave teams with 17 games left in the season. Why Reese was extra important to the Flyers has a lot to do with the starting goalie.

Mason has credited Reese for his revival in the NHL. When he was traded from Columbus in 2013 he had no confidence in his game and every step along the way has said Reese was the key to his success.

Courier-Post LOADED: 03.07.2015

768617 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins manhandle Ducks in 5-2 victory

By Josh Yohe

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 12:57 a.m.

Updated 8 minutes ago

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Team owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle and CEO David Morehouse stood outside the Penguins locker room at Honda Center on Friday night, all wearing smiles.

This was the kind of performance the trio envisioned when it made sweeping changes last summer and gave general manager Jim Rutherford the flexibility to acquire four players in the past three months.

Two days after a dud in Denver, the Penguins dominated most of the evening against the NHL's best team in a 5-2 victory against the Ducks.

Anaheim entered the game with the NHL's most points but fell behind the Penguins, 4-0, before making a third-period charge.

“We knew we had to play well tonight,” coach Mike Johnston said. “It was a good test for us. We met it.”

The Penguins were disgusted with their performance in Colorado. This night was completely different as the Penguins were physically superior from the game's first shift.

Centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby produced a goal and an assist each. Malkin is now tied for the NHL's points lead, and Crosby trails by one.

Right wing Patric Hornqvist scored twice and has 21 goals in 51 games.

After a scoreless first period, right wing Blake Comeau opened the scoring with his 15th goal.

“We knew we had to have a good start,” Comeau said. “Anaheim had been playing really well. Those first couple of periods in Colorado were disappointing. A much better effort tonight.”

The Penguins unanimously agreed the second period was their best Friday.

After Comeau's blast from the top of the right circle opened the scoring, Hornqvist scored twice. He banged a goal off goaltender Frederick Andersen to make it 2-0 and deflected defenseman Ian Cole's shot seven minutes later to give the Penguins a 3-0 advantage.

Always at his best around the net, Hornqvist said the Penguins needed a win like this.

“We didn't play our best (in Denver),” he said. “We wanted to show each other how well we could play. It's a big win for us.”

Goaltender Thomas Greiss stopped 27 of 29 shots to earn the victory.

However, Greiss did allow two third-period goals, something that has been an issue for him this season.

After Malkin scored to give the Penguins a 4-0 lead, Greiss allowed goals from Tomas Fleischmann and Corey Perry that pulled Anaheim within two.

“That third period is going to leave a bad taste in our mouths,” right wing Craig Adams said.

Still, it won't leave as bad a taste as the performance against Colorado did.

The Penguins were an inspired bunch throughout the evening, routinely beating Anaheim to loose pucks. One of the newest Penguins, Cole, noticed a difference.

“We were running around in those last 10 minutes,” Cole said. “But man, those first 50 minutes were really, really good.”

It was a particularly good night for members of the Penguins' blue line.

Defensemen Kris Letang and Paul Martin denied stars Ryan Getzlaf and Perry significant scoring opportunities. The duo of Derrick Pouliot and Ben Lovejoy was strong again, with Pouliot's aggressiveness paying dividends throughout.

Cole, meanwhile, earned his first point with the Penguins.

Another defenseman, Anaheim's Simon Despres, didn't enjoy such of a strong evening. He finished the evening with a minus-3 rating.

“You always hear about the thing air in Denver,” Lovejoy said. “It felt pretty thick when we were trying to breathe it. We didn't have a great game. We didn't use our attributes. We struggled. These three California teams are really good. We wanted to get back to our winning ways. We handled them pretty handily tonight.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.07.2015


Ducks' Despres gets emotional discussing trade from Penguins

By Josh Yohe

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 12:01 a.m.

Updated 5 hours ago

ANAHEIM, Calif. — It took being traded for Simon Despres to show emotion.

Despres was one of the quietest players in the Penguins locker room, his natural personality and the fact that English is his second language making Despres' inner thoughts often a mystery.

The 23-year-old defenseman made it clear Friday morning that his heart belonged in Pittsburgh and that being traded for defenseman Ben Lovejoy on Monday was difficult.

His voiced cracked when Despres was asked about playing against his former teammates, which he did Friday at Honda Center in Anaheim.

“I've never done that before,” he said. “It's going to be different.”

Despres said he was shocked by Monday's trade.

Although Despres' level of play had dipped after an outstanding start, he had developed into a top-six defenseman while getting a chance to play every game under coach Mike Johnston.

The previous coaching staff never felt comfortable with Despres in the lineup.

“It's been very hectic,” Despres said. “I wasn't expecting this. I've just been trying to focus on hockey.”

Despres said he isn't sure if the trade to Anaheim will be the best path for career success. The Ducks own hockey's best record.

“I haven't really thought about that,” he said. “It's still very soon right now. I'm just trying to focus on one day to the next. It was definitely a big surprise for me. It was a very emotional day. I wasn't expecting it at all.”

Despres did not offer any harsh words toward the Penguins. In fact, he was quite complimentary of Johnston and his staff.

The Penguins inserted Despres into the lineup on opening night, and he immediately thrived while skating with veteran defenseman Rob Scuderi.

“They were great to me,” Despres said. “I got better as the season went on. (Penguins coaches) Gary Agnew, Rick Tocchet and Mike Johnston did a good job with me.”

Despres has started in strong fashion with the Ducks. He is a plus-four in two games with Anaheim, scoring one assist in a top-four role.

“He's been really good for us,” goalie John Gibson said. “You can see that he's a talented guy, and so far, he's gotten the job done. He's a big and skilled guy.”

Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau admitted that he didn't know much about Despres and didn't pay attention to him when the Ducks opened the season in Pittsburgh.

However, Boudreau has been paying attention since the trade, and he likes what he sees.

“He's a big young man,” Boudreau said. “He's physical. And he can make plays, too. So, there's a lot to like about him. He's been very good with the puck, hasn't made any panic turnovers. He might be nervous tonight playing against his old boys. But so far, he's been very good.”

Despres was the Penguins' first round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Always dominant at the AHL level, he appeared poised for an NHL role when former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma called him “a top-four defenseman” in June 2013.

Despres, however, only played 59 games in Pittsburgh during the 2013-14 season, rarely in a top-four role. The Penguins used him primarily on their third pairing this season.

Going west appears to have given Despres the chance he's been waiting for.

“I'm not sure what my role is yet,” he said. “I'm just going to do my best.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.07.2015


Penguins beat Anaheim Ducks, 5-2

March 7, 2015 12:52 AM

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Logic and reason dictate that these Penguins were the same ones that played two nights ago.

It was just tough to tell.

Only 48 hours after looking listless in a loss to Colorado, the Penguins beat the NHL’s best team on its home ice with a 5-2 win against the Ducks Friday night.

The difference in the Penguins’ play was evident from the opening faceoff. They swarmed Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen’s net and appeared more energized and focused than they did in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to Colorado, an effort that captain Sidney Crosby described as “flat.”

“You always like the way your team rebounds,” Penguins coach Mike Johnston said. “If you’re in a situation where you haven’t played your best game, to come out and play a better game — especially against a top team — that’s a good sign for our group.”

The Penguins scored three goals in the second period Friday — the first from Blake Comeau and two more from Patric Hornqvist — to jump ahead.

“It was nice to get the first goal and just go from there,” Comeau said.

The Ducks, who lead the NHL with 91 points on the season, scored twice in the third period, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

“Everybody knows how good that team is and we were able to handle them pretty handily tonight,” said Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy, playing in his first game against his former team since being traded from the Ducks back to the Penguins Monday.

Comeau put the Penguins up 1-0 at 9:51 of the second period with his 15th goal of the season. On a feed from Derrick Pouliot, Comeau rifled a slap shot over Andersen’s left shoulder that ricocheted off the back post and out of the net.

Hornqvist added to the lead with his 20th goal of the season a few minutes later when he banked a puck off Andersen and in from behind the net to put the Penguins up 2-0 at 11:53 of the second period.

“I know the goalie’s going to move a little bit because he can’t see what’s behind him, so he probably thinks I’m going to pass,” Hornqvist said. “That usually opens up a little spot. I got lucky on that one.”

Hornqvist’s second goal of the night came on a deflection at 18:57 off a shot from Ian Cole, who registered his first point as a Penguin and tied for the team lead with three shots on the night.

That goal came just four seconds after former Penguin Simon Despres exited the penalty box for slashing. Despres played 16:32 Friday, but was on the ice for three of the Penguins’ five goals.

Evgeni Malkin extended the Penguins lead to 4-0 2:03 into the final period when his writ shot from the right side just got past Andersen and bounced over the line. The goal, plus Malkin’s assist on Comeau’s score, extended his point streak to seven games. He has seven goals and seven assists in his last seven games.

“When he’s got the puck, he does some pretty special things,” Comeau, Malkin’s lineman said. “You just try to get open, get around the net, try to get some shots.”

Tomas Fleischmann got a goal back for the Ducks at 9:03 of the third period on a shot from the right circle that deflected off the glove of Penguins goalie Thomas Greiss and into the net.

Corey Perry further cut the lead to 4-2 at 13:08 of the final period, and the Ducks looked threatening to score after that, but the Penguins’ lead held.

Crosby added an empty-netter with 10 seconds left for the final score.

Greiss, who was starting in place of Marc-Andre Fleury on the first night of back-to-back games, didn’t always look perfect, but finished with 27 saves and did enough to keep the Ducks at bay for most of the night.

“I thought [Greiss] was good,” Johnston said. “At times, for both goaltenders, they weren’t tested for a while and didn’t get a lot of chances and then all of a sudden you get a really good chance, either on the power play or five-on-five.”

The win moves the Penguins up to two points behind the Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re still four points back of the first-place Islanders.

Post Gazette LOADED: 03.07.2015


Penguins Notebook: Despres stunned by trade to Anaheim

March 7, 2015 12:00 AM

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

ANAHEIM, Calif. — NHL players are conditioned to expect the unexpected when the trade deadline approaches, but Simon Despres never thought he’d be here, playing against the only NHL team he had known just four days after being dealt.

The Penguins traded the Despres, 23, to the Ducks for defenseman Ben Lovejoy on Monday, ending his tenure in Pittsburgh as one marked by seemingly major potential, but inconsistent results.

“Yeah, [I was] definitely surprised, was definitely emotional a bit,” Despres said before the Penguins game Friday against the Ducks. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

Despres has played two games for Anaheim since joining the team earlier this week, playing at least 20 minutes both nights. He only topped the 20-minute mark in nine of his 59 games with the Penguins this year.

Despres scored his first point as a Duck Tuesday night, notching an assist on Andrew Cogliano’s winning goal in Anaheim’s 4-1 victory against Arizona.

“There’s a lot to like about him,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “He’s been very good with the puck, he hasn’t had panic turnovers. He might be a little bit nervous tonight playing his old boys, but so far he’s been really good with it.”

Despres said hello to some of his former teammates at the morning skate, but said he wasn’t afraid about trying to get under their skin on the ice.

Plus, playing your former team so soon after being traded has some advantages,

“I’ve been in Pittsburgh for six years, been practicing with them for a long time,” Despres said. “I know their moves, I know how they play. I don’t need a refreshment about it.”

Boudreau faces old ’friends’

While the Penguins haven’t faced the Ducks since beating them in the season opener, Boudreau is familiar with the the team’s personnel.

Boudreau coached the Washington Capitals from 2007-11, and compiled a 12-1-3 regular season record against the Penguins in that time.

“The Caps and Pittsburgh always had such a great rivalry, it was always more of an emotional game than it was just straight systems and everything else,” Boudreau said. “Especially when they beat us in the playoffs in seven games [in 2009], after that, every time we played them we wanted to beat them more than we wanted to beat anybody else.”

A little sunshine

For most of the Penguins, this weekend’s trip to Southern California is a chance to see the sun in the middle of a bleak Pittsburgh winter.

For Beau Bennett, it’s also a chance to see friends and family.

Bennett, a native of Gardena, Calif., just southwest of Los Angeles, said he’ll have people in attendance both Friday night in Anaheim and tonight in Los Angeles.

“It’s going to be pretty crazy both nights,” Bennett said.

Post Gazette LOADED: 03.07.2015

768621 San Jose Sharks

Sharks forward Patrick Marleau showing signs his scoring touch is returning

By David Pollak

Posted: 03/06/2015 01:45:03 PM PST0 Comments | Updated: about 7 hours ago

SAN JOSE — Sharks forward Patrick Marleau has goals in three of his past four games as he works to salvage his scoring numbers in a season that has seen them drop off dramatically.

Yet to hear him tell it, he hasn't changed all that much in his game as of late.

"Keep trying, keep trying to bury the chances you get, try and stay positive — I think that's the biggest thing," Marleau said after Friday's practice in preparation for Saturday's rematch with the Vancouver Canucks. "Know it's going to go in. Believe it. You know you're going to get those chances and just keep working on them."

San Jose Sharks’ Patrick Marleau (12) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.,

San Jose Sharks' Patrick Marleau (12) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, March 2, 2015. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) ( Nhat V. Meyer )

Even with the three goals, Marleau has only 15 for the season and is on pace for 19 — his fewest since he scored that number in 2007-08. Since then and excluding lockout-shortened 2012-13, he has put the puck in the net between 30 and 44 times each season.

Coach Todd McLellan said that in addition to gaining confidence in his ability to finish off plays around the met, Marleau has shifted his style of play somewhat in recent games.

"I think physically he's been more involved over the past seven or eight games. It shows up," the coach said, defining physicality as playing "just harder, bumping guys off pucks, in the blue paint longer. That type of thing."

In Tuesday night's 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Marleau ended his streak of three games with a power play goal. But he showed the physical side of his game when he stripped the puck from Daniel Sedin to set up Matt Nieto for the timely goal that stunted a Vancouvery rally.

McLellan said he and Marleau talked shortly before the Feb. 6 game against the Detroit Red Wings. The coach wanted to be realistic with Marleau — that this wasn't going to be a season where he would end up with 35 or 40 goals.

"It would be nice if that happened, but it's real, it's not going to," McLellan said he told Marleau. "But, you could still do so much to help us get where we want to go, and if we get there, then who knows what happens in the playoffs. You could lead the whole league in scoring, who knows? But let's get there."

Marleau wasn't giving up on having a respectable number of goals at the end of the regular season.

"We've got 17 games left," he said. "We've got lots of games left to play and who knows where the numbers will end up."

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Sharks defenseman Matt Irwin hurt during practice

By David Pollak

Posted: 03/06/2015 12:43:52 PM PST0 Comments | Updated: about 9 hours ago

SAN JOSE — Sharks defenseman Matt Irwin left Friday morning's practice early with an upper body injury and his status is uncertain for Saturday night's game against the Vancouver Canucks.

"He tweaked something shooting a puck, and went off just as a precaution, right now," coach Todd McLellan said. "We'll see how he is after some treatment and in the morning. Don't know if he'll be available."

Irwin, 27, struggled to get in the lineup earlier this season, but has been playing his best hockey as of late with points in four of his last five games. Most recently paired with Brent Burns on the blue line, he has seven goals and 15 points this season.



Numbers stacked against Sharks

By David Pollak

Posted: 03/06/2015 09:08:35 PM PST

Updated: 03/06/2015 09:56:18 PM PST

SAN JOSE -- Sharks coach Todd McLellan insists he has not tried to figure out what his team's record needs to be over the final 17 games to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Nor does he have any plans to give his players a targeted number of points to shoot for if they want to make the postseason.

"I don't know what the number is, so I'd be lying to them if I went in there," McLellan said Friday. "No, we're not doing that. We're playing against Vancouver tomorrow, and we need to win."

Friday, the fewest points among teams in the West that would qualify for the playoffs was 76 -- four more than the Sharks. Those 76 points turn into a projected 95.8 for the full season.

Based on current point totals, let's project that it will take 95 points to reach the playoffs. The Sharks would need 23 in their final 17 games. They would have to finish something like 11-5-1 -- a pace they did exceed in one stretch this season when they went 12-4-1 between Nov. 29 and Jan. 6.

Breaking it down another way, the Sharks have captured 55.3 percent of all available points through 65 games and would need to capture 67.6 percent the rest of the way to reach 95.

Daunting data -- and something that might make it hard for a coach to get players to go full-bore until the very end.

"If we're not successful right off the bat, we just tap out?" he asked. "Another team has to do what they're supposed to do, too. Just play. Just play tomorrow's game."

Two of his players -- Logan Couture and Tommy Wingels -- are on board, saying their focus is only Saturday's rematch against the Vancouver Canucks. Patrick Marleau offered the same initial response but acknowledged the challenge of the bigger picture.

"Yeah, we're going to have to string a lot together here," Marleau said. "You don't know what's going to happen with other teams, but you think, regardless of what happens with other teams, how many wins it's going to take. You guys do the math, too. You know it's going to take a lot of wins."

It's almost impossible to predict the outcome of hockey games, but let's go down that treacherous path anyway.

San Jose's final 17 conveniently break down into three unequal segments -- four at home against playoff contenders, seven on a trip through two distant time zones, and a final sprint to the finish line with six in April.

Let's take a look at each segment, trying to be realistic.

Four tough ones at home.

Saturday night: The Sharks and Canucks have split four games this season with the visitors winning each time.

Monday night: The Pittsburgh Penguins bring the better record to the first meeting between the teams, but the Sharks have not lost to them at home since 1997.

Thursday night: The Nashville Predators made the Sharks look bad on the road Feb. 17 after San Jose shut out the Predators at home Dec. 13.

March 14: The Chicago Blackhawks and Sharks, too, have split their previous games.

Outcome: The Sharks have played their best hockey against top teams, but this is a tough stretch. Still, they earn five points.

The seven-game trip.

March 17: The Winnipeg Jets, like the Sharks, are on the playoff bubble. San Jose has won both meetings this season.

March 19: The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the NHL's bottom dwellers and lost 3-1 at San Jose on Jan. 15.

March 21: The Montreal Canadiens will be looking to avenge that 4-0 loss to San Jose earlier this week and are an impressive 22-7-4 at the Bell Centre.

March 23: In this case, it'll be the Sharks looking to avenge their recent loss to the Ottawa Senators, who won 4-2 last Saturday in San Jose.

March 26: The Detroit Red Wings beat the Sharks 3-2 on Feb. 26, but McLellan has a 13-7-2 record against his former employers.

March 28: The Philadelphia Flyers are 10th in the East and have not beaten the Sharks on home ice since Dec. 21, 2000.

March 29: The Sharks are 6-5-1 overall in Pittsburgh and 1-1 at the new Consol Energy Center.

Outcome: Probable wins over Maple Leafs and Flyers, sub-.500 elsewhere, and San Jose comes home with eight points.

The final sprint.

Three at home: None involve playoff contenders, starting April 1 against a Colorado Avalanche team that the Sharks beat Oct. 28 and now sits at the bottom of the Central Division. The Arizona Coyotes, who beat San Jose in a shootout but lost twice to San Jose at home, arrive April 3. And the home season closes out April 6 against the Dallas Stars, a team the Sharks have topped twice.

Three on the road: The second of back-to-backs with Arizona comes April 4, and the Sharks face Edmonton, the weakest team in the West, on April 9, though the Oilers already have denied the Sharks three points in four games this season. Then it's the archrival Los Angeles Kings in the season finale on April 11.

Outcome: Stretches like this on the schedule are never as easy as they appear, but the Sharks do pick up eight of 10 points leading up to the finale. That gives them 93 -- with that playoff spot on the line against Los Angeles.

western conference teams battling for playoff spots

Team G Pts Div. (seed)Vancouver 64 76 Pacific (2)

Calgary 64 74 Pacific (3)

Minnesota 64 77 Central (4)

Winnipeg 65 76 Central (5)

Los Angeles 64 74 Pacific (4)

Sharks 65 72 Pacific (5)

Complete standings, PAGE 5

Note: top three seeds in each division, two wild cards qualify for playoffs

SATURDAY'S GAME

Vancouver (36-24-4) at Sharks (32-25-8), 7 p.m. CSNCA

PLAYOFF RACE

Six teams are separated by seven points in the hunt for the final four playoff spots in the Western Conference. The top three seeds in each division, plus two wild cards, qualify for the playoffs.

Team G Pt Div. (seed)Vancouver 64 76 Pacific (2)

Calgary 65 76 Pacific (3)

Minnesota 65 79 Central (4)

Winnipeg 65 76 Central (5)

Los Angeles 64 74 Pacific (4)

Sharks 65 72 Pacific (5)

Complete standings, PAGE 5



Sharks feel they’re ready to make late-season run

By Ross McKeon

Updated 5:35 pm, Friday, March 6, 2015

Whether it’s winning consecutive games, the passing of the trade deadline or Sunday’s players-only powwow, the Sharks feel there’s a new positive vibe around the team.

Make no mistake, San Jose is still in a position of having to hunt teams down with time running short on the season. Just the same, the team appeared to struggle more mentally than physically in February when the Sharks were just 3-8-2.

“We knew what was in here when we weren’t winning games,” defenseman Matt Irwin said. “We knew it was just a matter of time and we were still confident in here.”

The question is whether the Sharks have allowed themselves enough time to catch two of the three teams above them in the Pacific Division — Vancouver, Calgary or Los Angeles (Anaheim will win the division in runaway fashion) — or to rack up enough points for a wild-card spot to reach the playoffs for an 11th consecutive year.

“We’ve got to keep our foot on the gas,” Irwin said. “We’ve got games at home against playoff teams, and we need these wins.”

All games down the stretch are pivotal, but considering that the Sharks venture out on a seven-game Eastern swing at the end of the homestand, the next four on home ice starting with Saturday’s visit by Vancouver are critical. Playoff-bound Pittsburgh, Nashville and Chicago follow the Canucks in next week.

San Jose coach Todd McLellan said the team’s back-to-back wins Monday and Tuesday should help going forward.

“It should give everyone confidence and make everybody feel a little bit better,” McLellan said. “You can’t get to two if you don’t get the first one. And that first one was good on a tough day.”

The Sharks displayed their best 60-minute effort in over a month Monday in a 4-0 defeat of Montreal, accomplished just hours after the trade deadline passed. Four players departed the locker room and one newcomer joined it that day.

“To have fewer people around here and everyone wondering if they do fit in or don’t fit might be a better thing for our team right now,” McLellan said. “The guys who are here know for the most part if they’re going to play, or they’re going to have to play hard to stay in the lineup. I think that’s energized them somewhat.

“We also know this is it, this is the group, there’s no cavalry, there’s no one coming, so let’s play and let’s get it done.”

To get it done, however, the Sharks, who have 72 points in 65 games, might need some help from others. Winnipeg, the No. 2 wild card in the West, is on pace for 96 points. The Sharks could get in with a point or two less if they can secure the third-place spot in the Pacific. If so, San Jose probably needs to earn 23 points over its final 17 games. In other words, the Sharks need to win from 10 to 12 the rest of the way. If the Sharks manage to win only 10 of 17, they’d need to reach overtime (and pick up one point) at least three times in their seven losses.

Are they scoreboard watching yet?

“Not hockey. I watch basketball,” forward Logan Couture said. “We’ve just got to worry about our own games.”

Flame on: Calgary may be missing captain Mark Giordano, but the Flames are finding ways to win. On Thursday in Boston, defenseman Kris Russell was credited with 15 blocked shots during 32:22 of ice time as the Flames blocked 37 as a team to win their second straight without Giordano.

Pucks stop here: Devan Dubnyk was scheduled to make his 23rd straight start for the Wild on Friday. Since arriving from Arizona via trade in January, he was 17-3-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .938 save percentage before the game at Carolina. ... Ottawa was expected to go with Andy

Hammond (6-0-1) against visiting Buffalo on Friday as No. 1 Craig Anderson remains out. Anderson broke down and said through tears how difficult it is to miss time right now.

Slap shots: The Avalanche were a long shot to reach the playoffs, but news that forward Nathan MacKinnon has a broken foot seals their fate. … The Flyers parted with goaltending coach Jeff Reese on Friday, a surprise to most in the organization. Reese was very close to No. 1 goalie Steve Mason. No reason was given for Reese’s departure. … The Jets will be without defenseman Dustin Byfuglien for two to four weeks due to an arm injury.

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 03.07.2015


Sharks not number crunching despite difficult task ahead

March 6, 2015, 1:30 pm

Kevin Kurz

SAN JOSE – There isn’t any number crunching going on in the Sharks' dressing room or coaches office when it comes to how many points will be necessary to make it to the postseason.

“You guys do the math,” Patrick Marleau said in his media scrum on Friday. “You know it’s going to take a lot of wins.”

It is. The number that’s been floated out in order to qualify in the Western Conference this season is 96, give or take a couple. It’s not an exact science, of course, but it’s probably a good benchmark. It means the Sharks, who enter Saturday’s game with 72 points (32-25-8) and 17 games left, will need to accumulate around 24 of a possible 34 available.

To put that in perspective, the Sharks’ best 17-game stretch this season came from Nov. 29 – Jan. 6, when they went 12-4-1 for 25 points.

“We know we need to win the majority of games to get where we want to get,” Tommy Wingels said. “Do we have a number out of those games in mind? No.”

The schedule may be their biggest hurdle.

The Sharks will open up their final lengthy homestand on Saturday with the Canucks. After that, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks – all legitimate Stanley Cup contenders – visit SAP Center over the next week.

After that, 10 of the final 13 are on the road, including a seven-game trip primarily through Canada and the Eastern Conference.

“We’ve got that long trip coming up. We all know that,” Logan Couture said. “It’s going to be a tough one for us, and we need to get as many points as possible right now.”

Saturday’s game with the Canucks looms large, as Vancouver is still a team that the Sharks could potentially catch in the standings. The Canucks are four points ahead of San Jose with one in hand. If the Sharks lose in regulation, the Canucks will likely become just another team that’s out of reach.

Win, though, and San Jose will have its first three-game winning streak since Jan. 21- 31 when it knocked off Los Angeles, Anaheim and Chicago in succession. That would earn the club some confidence headed into those next three challenging home games.

“I think first and foremost this game against Vancouver is very, very important,” Wingels said. “That being said, if we take care of business in this game, we’ll have quite the opportunity over the next stretch in those tough games. … You’re playing playoff teams and playing teams that you would have to go through in order to win a Stanley Cup.”

Couture said: “Good opponents, big games for us. We seem to play well against very good teams, so we’ll see.”

San Jose is just 15-14-5 at SAP Center, but ended an eight-game home losing streak with Monday’s impressive 4-0 shutout of the Canadiens.

“We’ve got to build off that,” Marleau said. “We’ve got to get back to having our building be a tough building for other teams to come into.”

The more they win, no matter where the games are played, the more likely that calculator app will remain unopened.

“I don’t know about points. I just know wins,” Marleau said. “We can’t afford to lose any games, basically.”



Irwin hurt during Sharks practice on Friday

March 6, 2015, 12:30 pm

Kevin Kurz

SAN JOSE – Sharks defenseman Matt Irwin suffered an upper body injury while taking a shot on Friday, and left the team’s practice about midway through.

His status for Saturday’s home game against the Canucks is uncertain.

“He tweaked something shooting a puck, and went off just as a precaution right now,” Todd McLellan said. “We’ll see how he is after some treatment and in the morning. Don’t know if he’ll be available.”

McLellan said that Irwin was “fine going out” for practice before having to depart.

Irwin has been arguably the Sharks’ most improved player since the All-Star break. A pending unrestricted free agent that was being shopped by the Sharks earlier in the year, the 26-year-old has at least one point in six of his last eight games, including a four-game point streak. He has been an even or plus player in nine straight, and 12 of the last 13.

Irwin, who has a career high seven goals, has been paired most recently with Brent Burns in wins over Montreal and Vancouver.

The Sharks have one spare defenseman in Scott Hannan, who would likely be reinserted back into the lineup should Irwin not be able to play.

John Scott returned to the ice on Friday after missing Thursday’s skate due to an illness. The Sharks, still carrying just 12 forwards, had not yet recalled anyone from Worcester as of Friday afternoon.


768627 St Louis Blues

Blues entertained idea of bringing back Polak

8 hours ago • By Jeremy P. Rutherford

TORONTO • Former Blues defenseman Roman Polak says he wouldn't have been opposed to a return to St. Louis at the trade deadline.

The club inquired and is believed to have had trade talks with Toronto about Polak, whom the Blues dealt to the Maple Leafs for Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round draft pick last summer. But the deadline passed and Polak stayed put.

"It would be kind of awkward if they bring me back," Polak said Friday. "It's kind of like, 'Why did they trade me in the first place? Now they're trying to get me back?'

"(But) yeah that would be great. I would love it because they have a great team and I think they're going to do some damage in the playoffs.

"I heard there were lots of teams that tried to (trade for him). I don't know what happened. I wasn't ready for it, but I kind of expected I'm probably going to get traded ... but it didn't happen."

The Blues, meanwhile, had interest in Arizona's Zbynek Michalek, whom they wound up acquiring in a deal for prospect Maxim Letunov.

Michalek did skate Friday for the first time since suffering the concussion on Feb. 14. He went on the ice, along with Kevin Shattenkirk, following the team's practice.

"It was good to get on the ice again," Michalek said. "I haven't skated in three weeks, so it was nice. I feel like a hockey player again."

DEMITRA DOCUMENTARY

On Sunday, the Blues and their alumni group are hosting a one-time screening of the movie "38: Pavol Demitra" at Peabody Opera House.

Demitra died Sept. 7, 2011, when a plane carrying his Russian hockey team crashed, killing 44 passengers. He was 36.

Demitra played in St. Louis from 1996-2004 before signing as a free agent with the LA Kings. He remains No. 6 on the Blues' all-time scoring list with 204 regular-season goals.

Tickets are $38 with proceeds benefiting the Blues 14 Fund and the Pavol Demitra Fund. There is also a limited amount of VIP packages for $138, which includes reserved seating, complimentary parking in the Abrams Garage, all-inclusive food and drink as well as access to a roundtable discussion featuring Demitra's former teammates.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or on the Blues’ website, www.stlouisblues.com.

ODDS & ENDS

• The Blues led 1-0 heading into the third period of Thursday's game against Philadelphia. They gave up three third-period goals in their 3-1 loss, which was just their second of the season (in regulation) when leading after two periods. They are now 25-2-2.

• Olli Jokinen will play Saturday night in Toronto, where he spent two weeks with the Maple Leafs before being traded to St. Louis. In Friday's practice, Marcel Goc skated with the extras.

• Brian Elliott will be in goal against Toronto on Saturday.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.07.2015


Bluenotes: Polak would have welcomed return to Blues


TORONTO • Former Blues defenseman Roman Polak says he wouldn’t have been opposed to a return to St. Louis at the trade deadline.

The Blues had trade talks with Toronto about Polak, whom they dealt to the Maple Leafs for Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round draft pick last summer. But the deadline passed and Polak stayed put.

“It would be kind of awkward if they bring me back,” said Polak, who was drafted by the Blues in 2004 and spent eight seasons with the organization. “It’s kind of like, ‘Why did they trade me in the first place? Now they’re trying to get me back?’

“(But) yeah, that would be great. I would love it because they have a great team and I think they’re going to do some damage in the playoffs.”

Instead, the Blues traded for Pittsburgh’s Robert Bortuzzo and Arizona’s Zbynek Michalek.

Bortuzzo made his debut with the club in Thursday’s 3-1 loss to Philadelphia, registering five hits in 16:30 of ice time.

Michalek is out with a concussion, but he skated Friday for the first time since suffering the injury Feb. 14. He went on the ice, along with injured Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, following the Blues’ practice.

“It was good to get on the ice again,” Michalek said. “I haven’t skated in three weeks, so it was nice. I feel like a hockey player again. It’s a good day and hopefully the rest of the day goes well for me, too, and I can get back on the ice tomorrow and do some more.”

Michalek had hoped to skate sooner but said the stress of being traded and leaving his family led to some recurring issues.

“Once I settled, I started feeling better and I was able to ride a bike for a few days pretty hard, and it got to a point where I was cleared to skate,” he said. “I’m just following the protocol.”

There is no concrete date for Shattenkirk’s return to the Blues’ lineup, either, but he continues to make progress from last month’s abdominal surgery.

“Obviously Shattenkirk is a major player on our team, one of our most important players,” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. “Seeing him out there getting closer every day is a good sign.”

DEMITRA DOCUMENTARY

On Sunday, the Blues and their alumni group are hosting a one-time screening of the movie “38: Pavol Demitra” at Peabody Opera House.

Demitra died Sept. 7, 2011, when a plane carrying his Russian hockey team crashed, killing 44 passengers. He was 36.

Paul Stastny will be one of the Blues’ players in attendance at Sunday’s screening. His older brother, Yan, saw the film last summer.

“I asked my brother how it was and he just said one word: ‘Powerful,’” Stastny said. “He said it’s a touching story, a tough story to take, and it was well done. I’m excited to see it just out of respect to him and how big of an impact he had on everyone.”

Tickets are $38, with proceeds benefiting the Blues 14 Fund and the Pavol Demitra Fund. There is also a limited amount of VIP packages for $138, which includes reserved seating, complimentary parking in the Abrams Garage, all-inclusive food and drink as well as access to a roundtable discussion featuring Demitra’s former teammates.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or on the Blues’ website, www.stlouisblues.com.



Jokinen glad to be back on contender


TORONTO • Finnish forward Olli Jokinen was shocked when the Nashville Predators dealt him to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 15, two weeks ahead of the NHL’s trade deadline.

At the time, the Predators, with whom he signed a one-year free-agent contract last July, led the NHL standings with 82 points. The Maple Leafs were tied for the third-fewest in the league with 51.

“I really liked my time in Nashville,” Jokinen said. “It was a good team, great group of guys. It felt like a punch in the stomach when I got traded. I wasn’t really expecting that was going to happen.”

But the 17-year veteran, who would be playing for his ninth team in Toronto, wasn’t a Leaf for long. The club had indicated to Jokinen that it would attempt to move him again and followed through on its word Monday, trading the 36-year-old to the Blues in exchange for Joakim Lindstrom and a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2016.

“I got the call and they said ‘St. Louis,’ I almost dropped the phone,” Jokinen said. “It’s a team that has a chance, has a chance. A player at my age, you want to be in a situation like this.”

Jokinen picked up his phone long enough to chat with Blues general manager Doug Armstrong about his role. He then flew from Florida, where Toronto was playing, to Nashville to see his family and then make the five-hour drive to St. Louis.

“Talking to Olli, I really got the sense that he’s excited,” Armstrong said. “He said that he knows what it feels like to win the lottery.”

Appropriately enough, Jokinen will be wearing lucky No. 13 when he steps into the Blues’ lineup Saturday night against Toronto. Some have jokingly dubbed the game at Air Canada Centre a “homecoming” for Jokinen, who only played six games with the Maple Leafs. He shook some hands and said “hello” to a few folks Friday before practicing at the rink with his new team.

“I liked it over there,” Jokinen said. “Two weeks, a short time, but everything was first class and hopefully they can turn it around and have a playoff team because it’s a great city to play. For me, I’ve always been in a place where hockey matters, and that’s the case. There’s nothing bigger than hockey there, but you can see it’s really hard for the players.”

Jokinen is hoping to play hockey that matters in St. Louis. He’s still searching for that elusive Stanley Cup and worse yet, despite ranking eighth among all active NHL players with 1,223 games played, he has made just six playoff appearances.

But Jokinen, who was originally the No. 3 overall pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 1997, believes the Blues give him a chance to change that dubious distinction.

“You look at the past five or six years, this team has always been there in the postseason and is always making a push and there’s a lot of good players here,” Jokinen said. “They’re a hard team to play against, they defend well. Any time you play St. Louis, you know you’re going to go into a battle, you have to be able to battle. They’re a really hard team to play against so it’s good to be on this side now.”

It’s not hard to figure out why Jokinen is relishing this opportunity with the Blues, especially after landing in Toronto, but why was the club attracted to him?

“Jokinen just brings us an experienced player,” Armstrong said. “When I look at our roster, I like our group of 12 very much. But our ability when a top-nine player gets injured ... we really didn’t have a player that could slide up and play consistently in that top nine. Coming in now, he’s comfortable, he’s played in that environment before and he has experience in those areas.”

Jokinen posted career highs in goals (39) and points (91) with Florida in 2006-07. But he’s topped 20 goals just once in his last four full seasons and had just three goals and six points in 48 games with Nashville before last month’s trade. But based on this year’s matchups against the Predators, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock believes he can still contribute.

On Dec. 30, Jokinen had two assists in the Preds’ 3-2 win and was named the game’s No. 3 star.

“He was one of the stars,” Hitchcock said. “That’s the game I remember him from. I like him. To me, he is a lot like (Blues assistant coach Kirk Muller) was at the end of his career where he’s learned to adjust. He’s smart. It was really hard playing against him, and if he brings that type of effort here, he’s going to really help us.”

Jokinen watched his first game with the Blues from the press box, but he will be in the lineup Saturday, replacing Marcel Goc.

“I understand my role, that there’s possibilities I’m not going to get dressed and play every night,” he said. “I think any player, once you get in the lineup, you want to play well and stay in the lineup. But at the same time, I’m good with any role. It’s just great to be here, to be honest.”

And it wouldn’t bother him to help the Blues knock Nashville off its perch and make a long playoff run.


768630 Tampa Bay Lightning

Bolts’ home comfort level reaches new heights

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff Erik Erlendsson on Google+

Published: March 6, 2015 | Updated: March 6, 2015 at 10:13 PM

TAMPA — With one more victory at Amalie Arena, the Lightning will set a single-season franchise record.

At 25-6-1, the Lightning own the best home record in the Eastern Conference. And since Tampa Bay has nine games remaining at home, starting Saturday against Dallas, establishing a team mark seems a mere formality.

At the start of the season the Lightning set out to make Amalie Arena a difficult place for opposing teams to play. Suffice it to say, mission accomplished.

“Before I was here, it was almost like, ‘Come in to Tampa, have a nice warm stay and get some points,’ ” goaltender Ben Bishop said. “That changed starting last year in training camp and carried right on through into this year.

“We have a good team and we play well at home. And it’s easy to get up for a game when the building is full. It’s easy to want to play well in front of your fans.”

Earlier this season, the Lightning set a team record with 10 consecutive home victories. They have won 14 of the past 16 heading into Saturday night, including three in a row.

“To be able to come home, there is a real comfort here. The crowd is into it and we are into it,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “You dig your heels in a little bit and say, ‘This is our house and we have to protect it.’ And we’ve done that.’’

So, heading down the stretch with a home-heavy schedule — nine of the final 16 are at Amalie Arena — Tampa Bay would seem to be in prime position to grab home-ice advantage in the postseason. And, depending how things fall, potentially all the way through the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Lightning trail Montreal and the New York Islanders by two points for the top spot in the conference.

Last season, when the Lightning had a 25-10-6 record at home, the mantra down the stretch was to push to get home ice in the opening round, which they accomplished by finishing second in the Atlantic Division. They opened at home against Montreal, but dropped both games.

So, does that same message carry into the stretch run this season?

“If you are going to give me the option do we want home ice, there is no question we are taking home ice,’’ Cooper said. “But is it going to be the end of the world if we don’t get home ice? No, we just want to be in the playoffs. And the playoffs are different. Home ice or visiting ice, it kind of goes out the window a little bit.’’

This time around, talk in the Lightning locker room has not centered much around making a push for home ice.

With three division games left against both Montreal and Boston, as well as two each against Detroit and Florida, the message is pretty clear.

“You are looking at the standings, everybody knows where you are and maybe you start scoreboard watching a little bit and realize what other teams are doing,” right wing Ryan Callahan said. “But it’s about us more than anything, and how we are playing going into the playoffs.

“But at the same time, you are trying to get as high as you can.’’

Tampa Bay seems content to let the points fall where they may, which is a different message than a season ago.

“We saw it last year that (home-ice advantage) didn’t really mean much,’’ captain Steven Stamkos said. “We are obviously going to be happy with whatever happens, but we just want to finish as high as we can.

“Usually, when you finish high, that means you get home ice. That could be a little goal of ours heading down the stretch, is to just finish strong and try to get some momentum so we can continue to play well at home.’’

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 03.07.2015


Stamkos marks one year as Lightning captain

Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

Friday, March 6, 2015 7:29pm

TAMPA —- The Lightning had just finished a lackluster second period Thursday, and Steven Stamkos wasn't happy.

As he has several times this season, the 25-year-old captain made his voice heard in the locker room at intermission. Everybody listened, then pulled out a 4-2 win over Toronto.

"He let us know we're a better team, we've got to compete harder, win battles," said veteran wing Brenden Morrow, 36, a former Stars captain. "If (speaking up) wasn't something he was comfortable with before, you wouldn't be able to tell now. It's not fake or made up; it's coming from the heart.

"He's not pointing fingers at anyone. He always says, 'It starts with me.' It's not, 'Do what I say, not what I do.' It's 'Do what I say, do what I do.'"

Friday marked the one-year anniversary of Stamkos being named captain. It wasn't how Stamkos would have drawn it up, unexpectedly having to take over from good friend Marty St. Louis, who had forced a trade to the Rangers the day before.

But since Stamkos wore the "C" for the first time March 6, 2014, during warmups for a home game against Toronto, the All-Star center has made a seamless transition into the role, growing more comfortable speaking up in the room while continuing to lead by example on the ice.

As the Lightning heads for a playoff push, Stamkos embraces the responsibility.

"I've always seen myself as a guy who can do that, at any level, so I'm definitely comfortable with it," he said. "Obviously, the eyes are on you a little bit more when you wear the 'C.' But as you go along, you get more comfortable with it, and I'm definitely at a stage where I'm comfortable."

That Stamkos is one of the game's top stars, a two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner in his seventh season, gives him cache.

"He's just got a presence about him," said defenseman Mark Barberio. "He's a natural leader."

But coach Jon Cooper said Stamkos respected the hierarchy of the captain before getting the job, deferring to St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier before him. Stamkos said he has tried to be a combination of St. Louis and Lecavalier though neither of them was very vocal.

"Until someone is put in that situation, you don't know how they're going to react," Cooper said. " 'Stammer' has elevated his leadership capabilities. He's more vocal in the room. He's not so over the top that he's a guy that you'd tune out. He picks his spot.

"As time goes on, I think he's recognizing that he himself is the leader, where maybe a year ago, he probably didn't recognize it as much other than it was the letter on his jersey."

Stamkos said he'll never forget the day he was named captain. Besides replacing St. Louis, Stamkos had just been cleared to play after missing 45 games due to a broken leg. Cooper and general manager Steve Yzerman summoned Stamkos to the office for a short-and-sweet meeting.

"We wanted to start a fresh page here, a new chapter with our team," Stamkos said. "And I think we've done a good job."

Stamkos makes it clear the Lightning has a "leadership group," with veterans Morrow, former Rangers captain Ryan Callahan and Brian Boyle, among others, chipping in, which makes it easier on him.

But Stamkos' teammates see how much he puts on his shoulders as the face of the franchise. Boyle is amazed by how Stamkos always stops to sign autographs in the parking lot after practices and games. When Boyle signed a three-year deal in July, Stamkos called to welcome him and his wife, Lauren.

"It's impressive to see, at 25, maturity-wise, with everything," Boyle said. "He's a rare, rare talent. But as a guy, as a person, I feel fortunate to have him in this room leading us."

After games, Stamkos is almost always available at his locker, win or lose, which takes pressure off a young team. In those interviews, Stamkos will send messages to the team, whether it was saying not to be satisfied with getting just one point after an overtime loss in Nashville or calling Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Panthers "unacceptable."

Morrow said Stamkos is getting a feel for the pulse of the team, when it needs a kick or something subtle.

"I'm a guy who is going to tell it like it is, for the most part," Stamkos said. "Obviously, there's certain times where you have to put a positive spin on things or be constructive. But other times, when the truth needs to be told, whether that's keeping myself accountable or keeping my teammates accountable, guys have to be aware that we have to be able to police ourselves in this room."

And Stamkos takes the lead.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.07.2015


Namestnikov could stay through Saturday, Carle return next week?

Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

Friday, March 6, 2015 4:24pm

Lightning rookie Vladislav Namestnikov certainly didn't look like someone close to getting sent back to AHL Syracuse, practicing with the third line Friday afternoon.

And it appears Namestnikov, 22, on an emergency recall with J.T. Brown (upper body injury) might at least stay through Saturday's game against the Stars at Amalie Arena. Brown, who suffered the injury Tuesday, continued to participate in practice, but admits he's still limited a bit and wants to return when he's able to play his style of game.

Coach Jon Cooper said Brown could sit out Saturday and return as early as Tuesday. If the Lightning returns Namestnikov to the AHL when Brown can play, it won't burn one of its four available post-deadline call-ups.

"We want Brownie in our lineup, he's a big part of our team," Cooper said. "But if he's not 100-percent, you don't want to risk further injury. So we'll re-evaluate him (Saturday). Brownie wants to play as well. But if the body's not letting him, the body's not letting him."

In other injury news, defenseman Matt Carle continued to skate with a regular colored jersey and is making progress. It sounds like he could return by next weekend, though Cooper wouldn't rule out Carle coming back by next Thursday's game in Boston.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.07.2015

768633 Toronto Maple Leafs

Fan behind offensive Maple Leafs tweet issues apology

By: Star staff Published on Fri Mar 06 2015

The Toronto hockey fan who posted an offensive tweet that appeared on TSN, riling the Maple Leafs, tweeted an apology on Friday night.

Anthony Adragna’s inflammatory comment appeared on TSN’s trade deadline live crawl Monday — TSN made a public apology on Tuesday — which picked up tweets including #tradecentre. Leafs Joffrey Lupul and Dion Phaneuf, plus Phaneuf’s wife Elisha Cuthbert, prepared to take legal action.

“The tweet included rude, uncalled for, false and hurtful words about Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul and Elisha Cuthbert,” said the statement posted to Adragna's Twitter account on Friday. “Although this remark was only meant to be seen by a select few, it does not excuse my decision to post this tweet. I now realize that everything I post online is not just for a select few, but in fact, the entire world to see.

“I want to tell Dion, Joffrey, and Elisha how truly sorry I am. I am also sorry for the trouble and hurt this has caused for others. I honestly hope that this apology will help make things right.”

Cuthbert accepted the apology via Twitter.

“Thank you for your apology and accountability. It's a brave thing to step up and doing so brings change, Dion and I are proud and commend you!”

Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.07.2015


St. Louis Blues at Toronto Maple Leafs; Saturday NHL game preview

By: Curtis Rush Sports reporter, Published on Fri Mar 06 2015

The Leafs host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night (7 p.m., CBC/Sportsnet 590 The FAN). Some things to know about the Blues:

OLD FACES

The Blues’ lineup features three former Leafs: Olli Jokinen, Carl Gunnarsson and Alex Steen. Jokinen was a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Flyers but will make his St. Louis debut Saturday.

LONG ROAD

The Blues are 2-1-1 on a five-game road trip that ends at the Air Canada Centre.

NEW KID

Defenceman Robert Bortuzzo will play his second game with the Blues after being dealt by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

MR. CLUTCH

Vladimir Tarasenko has been the Blues’ scoring leader and trails only Montreal’s Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec in clutch goals (with seven, two behind the Habs pair). A clutch goal is scored in the last 10 minutes of the third period when the differential is one goal or less, or in overtime.

CHASING NASHVILLE

The Blues (40-19-5) are four points behind the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators with two games in hand, and 5-4-1 in their last 10. The Predators have lost five straight.

HURTING

Defencemen Kevin Shattenkirk (abdominal surgery) and Zbynek Michalek (concussion).

Toronto Star LOADED: 03.07.2015


Kessel’s defence of Phaneuf a case of Leafs having “each other’s backs,” coach says


Phil Kessel returned home unrepentant, but less talkative about his Florida attack on the media.

He stands by what he said in defence of captain Dion Phaneuf and the abuse he said has been piling up. But he still won’t explain why he aired this grievance. Many suspect he was angered by a tweet that aired on TSN during the network’s deadline-day coverage. TSN has since apologized.

Kessel said early this week that certain members of the media “should be embarrassed” by their treatment of Phaneuf.

“I’m sure you guys know why I was mad,” Kessel said at the Air Canada Centre on Friday as the Maple Leafs prepared to face the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. “That’s all I’m going to say about it.”

Phaneuf said Kessel’s words confirmed “how tight (the team is) as a group in the (dressing) room,” while Leafs coach Peter Horachek suggested it was noble of Kessel to come to the defence of a teammate.

“As a team, all our players need to have each other’s backs,” Horachek said. “They need to stand up for each other. That was his version of doing that, so I applaud him for that.”

Kessel has had his own issues, with just six goals in his last 34 games, and eight points in his last 23.

“It’s been a struggle, hasn’t it?” Kessel said, shaking his head. “I’ve got some chances. Right now we’re not getting no bounces. No breaks, you know? You need that sometimes to get going.”

The coaches have talked to Kessel, at times telling him to relax, at other times telling him to bear down. “You want him to just keep pushing and showing the rest of the team he’s pushing,” Horachek said. “I think that’s all you can really do.”

The focus for the Leafs will be making the most of the 17 games that are left, starting with St. Louis. While the Blues have the third-best record in the Western Conference, they have dropped their last two games, a shootout loss in Vancouver last Sunday and a 3-1 loss in Philadelphia on Thursday. Olli Jokinen will be in the St. Louis lineup for the first time since being traded by the Leafs on Monday.

Horachek believes the newest Leafs — forward Zach Sill and Joakim Lindstrom and defenceman Eric Brewer — are blending in well. Brewer, with 992 games on his NHL resume, brings valuable experience. And Sill brings smiles.

“Siller is a funny guy,” Horachek said. “He’s engaged all the time. He’s kind of loud. He talks a lot. He’s been good. He steps right in.”

Horachek said that, with the Leafs out of playoff contention, everyone is going to get a chance to show what he can do.

“I think they’re all getting opportunities now, every one of them,” Horachek said, adding they have to prove they can be consistent. He likes the potential of 24-year-old Richard Panik.

“I see bursts of brilliance in what he can do, and there are times he may turn the puck over. That’s something he has to learn,” Horachek said. “He’s going to learn to make the next step or stay where he is. If he makes the next step, he’s going to be a brilliant hockey player.”



Jokinen returns to Toronto, only now as a Blue


A week ago, Olli Jokinen was a member of the Maple Leafs. When he entered the ACC on Friday with the St. Louis Blues, it was like a breath of fresh air.

The 36-year-old Finn’s candor has been a nice change from the stock answers most players deliver.

The Finnish journeyman, acquired from the Leafs at the trade deadline after a short time in blue and white, will be in the lineup with the Blues on Saturday night. He was a healthy scratch on Thursday in Philadelphia, but Blues coach Ken Hitchcock confirmed on Friday that Jokinen will be in the lineup.

Three former Leafs will give this game something of a homecoming feeling. Along with Jokinen, defenceman Carl Gunnarsson and forward Alexander Steen will be back in the house.

Jokinen was full of praise for the Leafs and their management.

He’s been to big cities like New York, he said, but no other team in the league has a setup like Toronto with the upscale locker rooms and training facilities.

“It was amazing to see in two weeks,” he said. “Everything is first class. You get a hot breakfast and hot lunch every day. You get meals after the game.”

He said the Leafs are like the New York Yankees in baseball with the way they treat their players.

He added that he sees no reason why free agents wouldn’t want to sign in Toronto.

“Maybe it’s because of you guys,” he said looking at a handful of reporters, drawing laughs all around.

This, of course, brought up the subjects of the media scrutiny and how players like Leafs’ Phil Kessel sometimes react in defending a teammate like Dion Phaneuf.

“Good for him,” he said, “I like Phil as a guy. He cares. He’s a good teammate. Maybe he just had enough.”

Jokinen said that he didn’t mind the media in his short stay here, and that was largely because he doesn’t pay attention to what reporters write or say.

When the team’s winning, he said, players like to read the great things the reporters are writing about them. They get into a cycle where they have to read about themselves all the time.

The one piece of advice he would offer players is not to pay attention to the media. Only pay attention to what the coach says, what management says and what your teammates say.

He paused and added “and your wife,” and this drew more laughs.

In Toronto, he said, you can score two goals and be a hero, and the next game, you’re a minus-2 and you’re a bum.

However, he said as a hockey player you want to be in a city where hockey matters.

“Hopefully they can fix things here,” he said, “because the city of Toronto deserves to have a good team. It would be unbelievable for the league and for the sport.”

Jokinen says he learned a long time ago to worry only about the things you can control, and he looks ahead one day at a time.

He has been traded twice already this year, but reminded the media that prior to this he was not traded for five years.

Jokinen said that when he was moved to Nashville for the 2014-15 season, his wife told him no more moves. He would retire there after a couple of more years.

When Nashville traded him to Toronto, he felt like it was “a punch to my stomach.”

However, the Leafs honoured his wishes to be traded to a playoff contender.

The conversation with Leafs general manager Dave Nonis was short, and Nonis thanked him for everything he did in Toronto in two weeks.

“I really respect, Dave. He was a man of his word. They could have done anything. They could have put me in the minors.”

He said he was worried that the trade might not happen.

“I’m a pretty smart guy,” he said, “It’s not like my stats are that good that there would be teams lining up to make a trade, you know. I was very excited there was one team that needed depth, and it worked out well for me.”

However, he said he played hard in Toronto and tried to show the younger players how he prepares every day.

Jokinen is playing for his 10th team and he is playoff hungry. Over his career, he has only played in six NHL playoff games.

The Blues, he said, are a team that wants to go far every year.

He’s been living day by day for the last seven or eight years. That way life is a lot easier, he said.

“After tomorrow’s game, I don’t even know who we play next,” Jokinen said.

Jokinen was also reminded he is a free agent as of July 1, but that was too far off for him to comment on.



Leafs' Kessel on his hot head and cold hands

By Rob Longley, Toronto Sun


He is, right now, the most unnatural of natural goal-scorers.

Phil Kessel will admit as much. He may still remain the statistical leader on the Maple Leafs, but the notoriously streaky player is on one of the worst slides of his pro career.

Almost nightly, it seems, shots are fired wide. On occasion, sticks are smashed in frustration. And goalies are making routine saves on shots that once found the back of the net after Kessel’s lethal quick release.

In the mess of this shattered Leafs season, Kessel’s frustration has been hard to contain as we saw somewhat dramatically when he hit the boiling point this week in Florida with his passionate, well-meant defence of captain Dion Phaneuf.

But what pushed the high-priced, supremely skilled winger over the edge, in a move that was respected by his teammates while predictably causing a stir in the hockey mecca that is his home?

Kessel wasn’t keen on elaborating on Friday, when the weary Leafs skated at the Air Canada Centre after a 4-2 loss in Tampa Bay the previous night and a home date with the St. Louis Blues up next on Saturday night.

But what is clear is that the frustrations of a season gone south — both personally and for the team — and the public stir that has accompanied it, hasn’t been easy in the second season of his eight-year, $64-million contract.

“That was a big deal for him to do that,” Leafs coach Peter Horachek said on Friday. “You can look at it the right way or the wrong way. Should do it, shouldn’t do it. All I take from it is that’s him sticking up for the captain and one of his teammates.”

The other thing to take from it is that, through the weeks of losses and speculation leading up to the trade deadline, Leafs players were ready to snap. No one has ever suggested that it’s an easy market to make a living in as an NHL player and it’s infinitely more difficult when the team is on a near-historic slide downward.

“I think this is a market where everything has a snowball (effect), whether it’s a positive or a negative,” said Blues defenceman Carl Gunnarsson, who saw it first-hand in his five seasons as Leaf. “When you don’t get the results on the ice, it’s easy to point fingers here and there and all the focus on it makes everything bigger.”

While he shouldn’t be singled out for all that ails the team, Kessel’s status as the Leafs’ leading scorer and highest-paid player comes with some responsibilities. With just three goals in his past 15 games (and none in the past four), the slump is entrenched and he has seemed powerless to snap it.

On Thursday in Tampa, he didn’t manage a shot on net through the first two periods as the once productive line of Kessel, Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk remains stone cold. With 23 goals in 65 games, Kessel needs to pick up the pace or risk not reaching 32 goals, his previous low for a full 82-game schedule.

So what gives?

“It’s been a struggle, hasn’t it?,” Kessel said following Friday’s practice. “I’ve got some chances. Right now, we’re getting no bounces, no breaks. You need that sometimes to get going. Right now, there’s been nothing.”

As for his much-discussed outburst earlier in the week, Kessel was asked the motivation on Friday, flatly responding as follows: “I’m sure you guys know why I was mad. That’s all I’m saying about it.”

Actually, it wasn’t exactly clear what self-pushed Kessel into a spotlight he generally abhors. Was it the ridiculous tweet that made it to air on TSN, disparaging Phaneuf and Joffrey Lupul? Was it the buildup to the trade deadline where the captain was discussed as serious trade bait? Or was it something deeper?

For the first time in his career, Kessel was left to play the final 20-plus games of a season with no hope of the playoffs. For a guy who has shown all the promise of being a 40-goal scorer or better some day, it has to be frustrating.

“We spent time talking to him,” Horachek said, when asked what can be done to re-ignite one of the more dangerous snipers in the league. “We tell him to relax. We tell him to get intense. You want consistency out of your top guys and you want him to just keep pushing and showing the rest of this team he is pushing.”

Blues forward Paul Stastny has played with Kessel and van Riemsdyk on Team USA last winter at the Sochi Olympics and is good pals with fellow University of Denver alumnus, Bozak. As a result, Stastny has heard the stories — and sympathizes.

“Two years ago, when they made the playoffs, those guys said there’s nothing better than being on a winning team in Toronto,” Stastny said following the Blues practice at the ACC. “It’s tough, but in a big market like this, it comes with the territory. It’s a fine line.”

And when it’s going as bad as it has lately, not an easy one to walk.

AN APOLOGY FINALLY

A Twitter user, whose tweet appeared on the TSN airwaves this week, unwittingly set off a controversy around the Maple Leafs, has apparently apologized.

Anthony Adragna issued an apology via Twitter on Friday night to Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Phaneuf’s wife, actress Elisha Cuthbert, for a suggestive tweet that ran on TSN during trade deadline day.

The three threatened a lawsuit against TSN and Adragna.

“The tweet included rude, uncalled for, false and hurtful words about Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul and Elisha Cuthbert,” the tweet from Adragna’s account said. “Although this remark was only meant to be seen by a select few, it does not excuse my decision to post this tweet.

“I want to tell Dion, Joffrey and Elisha how truly sorry I am. I am also sorry for the trouble and hurt this has caused for others.”

LEAFS GET RAVES FROM JOKINEN

If, in the future, Leafs president Brendan Shanahan needs some help recruiting free agents to Toronto, he might want to recruit a guy the team barely got to know before dealing him on Monday.

Olli Jokinen’s time as a Leaf may have lasted just a couple of weeks, but some of the high-end perks surrounding the team made a strong impression on the forward, who was dealt to the St. Louis Blues at the NHL trade deadline on Monday.

“I’ve been in New York and a lot of nice places, but nobody’s got a setup like Toronto,” Jokinen said following the Blues afternoon practice at the Air Canada Centre. “The locker rooms and everything. It was amazing to see. Everything is first-class.

“It would actually be a great place to play.”

Jokinen will make his debut with the Blues on Saturday night at the ACC, a building he was last seen in setting up James van Riemsdyk for an overtime-winning goal for his only point as a Maple Leaf.

Now on his 10th NHL team in a lengthy pro career, Jokinen certainly has no shortage of reference points. He raved about the food the players get here “hot breakfasts and hot lunches” plus the saunas and hot and cold tubs and gym facilities.

“Everything is top-notch,” Jokinen said. “I don’t know why the free agents don’t want to sign here. Maybe it’s you guys (he added with a smile, referring to the media.)”

Jokinen had another observation as well, formed from his observations surrounding the team in the midst of its lengthy losing streak. The Finn hinted that some of his short-lived Toronto teammates may be thin-skinned.

“They get into this cycle that they have to read about themselves all the time,” Jokinen said. “I think here with the players, they pay too much attention (to) what the people outside say because at the end of the day, it shouldn’t matter.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.07.2015


Motivation remains for Maple Leafs: Phaneuf

By Rob Longley, Toronto Sun


With the trade deadline behind them, the Maple Leafs are essentially left to play out the string on the 2014-15 NHL season.

But that string is 17 games long, leaving the remaining players to seek whatever motivation they can find to both get through it and improve themselves in the process.

“I think that we’re motivated in the sense that we’re playing in the National Hockey League and you’ve got to be professional,” Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf said on Friday. “We’ve got to come to work every day with the right attitude, put in the work and try to improve.

“For us, we’re going to take that (spoilers) role and embrace it. We have an opportunity to have an impact on the standings.”

With plenty of new faces in the Leafs room from trades over the past few weeks, the team will be looking to develop chemistry and play the spoiler role down the stretch of the season.

“We want to play for each other,” Leafs forward Phil Kessel said. “We want to finish the year strong and try to win as many games as possible.”

LINE ’EM UP

With no possibility of challenging for a playoff, there could be roster moves in the remaining 17 games, but Leafs coach Peter Horachek says he has no plans to mess with the team’s purported top line.

When asked about breaking up the Kessel-Tyler Bozak-James van Riemsdyk unit, Horachek didn’t sound enthused at the idea.

“We’ve experimented with that all year long,” Horachek said. “That’s always a possibility, but right now they have to put it on themselves. They have a chemistry there. I think right now it’s better for them to stay together.

“That’s not to say I won’t change it up, but for the last little while it’s looking for a little bit of consistency and getting used to who you are playing with.”

FEELING BLUE

It wasn’t the most welcome news for new Leafs forward Joakim Lindstrom when he learned Monday he was being dealt from the playoff-bound Blues to Toronto.

But the young Swede is trying to remain as upbeat as possible about the new assignment.

“It was a little bit of a surprise for sure at first,” said Lindstrom, who dressed for 34 games with the Blues this season but saw limited ice time. “Once that sinks in a little bit, I realized it was a good opportunity for me to come and compete in these last 17 games.

“I’m highly motivated for a lot of reasons. From a personal standpoint, for a contract and to showcase that I belong here.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Horachek on the chance that awaits for young Leafs players over the remainder of the schedule: “I think they are all getting an opportunity right now. Every one of them. And the better they play, the more opportunities they’re going to get.” ... Of the Leafs 17 remaining games, 10 are at the Air Canada Centre including the next three — Saturday versus the Blues, Monday versus the Islanders and Wednesday against Buffalo ... Though the Leafs didn’t land in Toronto until 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning after playing in Tampa, the team had a quick practice and video session at the ACC on Friday ... When the Leafs departed for Washington and three-game road trip last week, then Leafs forward Olli Jokinen took all his belongings with him, reasonably certain that he would be dealt. On Saturday, he will be back at the ACC but as a member of the Blues.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.07.2015


Toronto Maple Leafs’ Peter Holland, teammates fight for jobs next year with playoffs out of sight

Michael Traikos | March 6, 2015 10:05 AM ET

TAMPA, Fla. — Peter Holland was worried about what his mom would say.

From Salutegate to the infamous tweet on TSN: This Leafs season has been full of strange moments

Another day, another fire to put out.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, who changed their entire public relations staff heading into this season, it has been a busy six months on the job. There has been Salutegate, jerseys tossed on the ice and accusations that the star player is a coach killer.

And now this: On Wednesday, Joffrey Lupul appeared to challenge someone on Instagram to a fight (for charity, of course) after the user made disparaging comments.

On the ice, the Leafs will not collect enough points to make the playoffs; off the ice, they have will have a scrapbook full of strange items, only some of which were of their own doing.

Read more…

She is not a big fan of fighting. Normally, neither is Holland. But with the Toronto Maple Leafs practically eliminated from the playoffs and using these final games to evaluate which players to keep for next season and which players to let go, the 24-year-old understands that he has to stand out any way he can.

On Thursday night, in a 4-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning, that meant dropping the gloves for the first time in two years.

“I’m sure she was turning her head away,” Holland said of his mom, who was in the crowd for the road game to watch her son set up a goal and then get into his first NHL fight 10 minutes later. “She doesn’t like it too much. But it’s not something I do very often, so I’m sure she’s not entirely thrilled she was in the stands tonight.”

Holland’s mom might not have been thrilled, but his head coach certainly was. It is not that Peter Horachek wants to see Holland get into nightly fights. But he does want to see him push out of his comfort zone and play with the kind of physical edge that has been missing — not just with Holland, but the entire team — from his game for the past two months.

“He has to do that if he wants to be a top-two line centre,” said Horachek.

That’s the carrot dangling for many of the Leafs during this final stretch of the season. As much as these seem like meaningless games, they hold plenty of meaning for certain Leafs.

For Holland, who began the season on the fourth line, it is a chance to show that he is capable of a bigger role. For 24-year-old Richard Panik, who scored his 10th goal of the season against the team that had placed him on waivers, it is an opportunity “to prove I can play in the top three lines.”

And for David Booth, who scored for the first time in 32 games on Thursday and is without a contract for next season, it’s simply an audition for his next job — perhaps in Toronto.

“I liked playing here,” said Booth, who had two goals. “It’s close to home for me and my family’s able to watch all those games. It’s not the way I wanted to start the season [he broke his foot] and that was tough … I still have a lot to offer and I feel like if I started on the right foot, no pun there, I think I can contribute.”

Holland is of the same mindset. A 2009 first-round pick (he was selected 15th overall by the Anaheim Ducks) who was traded to the Leafs last season, he believes he has more to give than he has previously shown. Now is the time to prove it.

“I think at this time of year it’s important to establish yourself and fight for a job next season,” said Holland, who has 10 goals and 21 points in 55 games. “Obviously, it seems like some change is coming with all the moves that have kind of been happening in the last couple of weeks.

“As young guys, we’re still fighting for spots in the league.”

Horachek said there is no reason that Holland cannot take the next step. With his size, skill and skating ability, he could be an offensive force in this league. All that is missing is consistency and a desire to be more physical.

Holland seems to have recognized that. Last week, he used his 6-foot-2 frame to drive the net in a game against Philadelphia and had several Flyers out for blood after giving goaltender Steve Mason a whack with his stick.

“I want to make sure I’m using my size to my advantage by being more physical,” said Holland. “I think it’s creating more space for myself and my linemates. I’m finding I’m getting the puck more when I get it. I just need to stick with it. My game’s when I have the puck so I’m just trying to be more physical.

“It’s just kind of one of those things where I’m looking at taking my game to the next level. I think that’s an area that I identified I can be better at.”

Holland’s fight against Cedric Paquette, which was the Toronto forward’s first since October 2013, was another example of becoming physically engaged. It started with a couple of hits. And before he knew it, the gloves were off.

“I had a couple of hits out there before it started and then we just kind of confronted each other after the whistle,” he said. “My dad always told me make sure you’re the first one to know you’re in a fight, so it’s just kind of what happened.”

National Post LOADED: 03.07.2015


Author of salacious tweet about Toronto Maple Leafs players and Elisha Cuthbert issues apology

Kaitlyn McGrath | March 6, 2015 | Last Updated: Mar 6 9:15 PM ET

Anthony Adragna responded on Friday to a call for an apology.

Twitter screengrabAnthony Adragna responded on Friday to a call for an apology.

Four days after his tweet caused a national television controversy, the Twitter author of a salacious comment involving Toronto Maple Leafs players Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Phaneuf’s wife Elisha Cuthbert has apologized over social media.

Anthony Adragna, the author of the tweet that was aired on the screen during TSN’s live TradeCentre broadcast, posted an apology to Twitter on Friday evening, saying “I want to tell Dion, Joffrey and Elisha how truly sorry I am. I am also sorry for the trouble and hurt this has cause for others.”

Earlier in the week, Lupul, Phaneuf and Cuthbert, through their lawyer Peter A. Gall of the Vancouver law firm Gall Legge Grant and Munroe LLP, sent a letter to TSN requesting a formal apology and damages. In a release their lawyer said they were “sending a similar letter to the author of the tweet, Mr. Anthony Adragna.”

Following the threat of legal action, TSN host James Duthie apologized live on air to Lupul, Phaneuf and Cuthbert for their error. However on Tuesday, Gall said they were still trying to track Adragna down.

In Adragna’s Twitter apology, which was posted from the same account the original tweet came from, he explains he was “not thinking about the consequences that could occur.”

“The tweet included rude, uncalled for, false and hurtful words about Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul and Elisha Cuthbert,” he wrote. “Although this remark was only meant to be seen by a select few, it does not excuse my decision to post this tweet. I now realize that everything I post online is not just for a select few, but in fact, the entire world to see.”

At the end of his letter Adragna wrote, “I honestly hope that this apology will help make things right.”

In an interview earlier this week, Gall did not explicitly say what kind of redress his clients sought from Adragna. Gall has not yet replied to an email seeking comment on Friday’s development.



Toronto Maple Leafs’ Peter Holland, teammates fight for jobs next year with playoffs out of sight

Michael Traikos | March 6, 2015 10:05 AM ET

TAMPA, Fla. — Peter Holland was worried about what his mom would say.

Another day, another fire to put out.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, who changed their entire public relations staff heading into this season, it has been a busy six months on the job. There has been Salutegate, jerseys tossed on the ice and accusations that the star player is a coach killer.

And now this: On Wednesday, Joffrey Lupul appeared to challenge someone on Instagram to a fight (for charity, of course) after the user made disparaging comments.

On the ice, the Leafs will not collect enough points to make the playoffs; off the ice, they have will have a scrapbook full of strange items, only some of which were of their own doing.

She is not a big fan of fighting. Normally, neither is Holland. But with the Toronto Maple Leafs practically eliminated from the playoffs and using these final games to evaluate which players to keep for next season and which players to let go, the 24-year-old understands that he has to stand out any way he can.

On Thursday night, in a 4-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning, that meant dropping the gloves for the first time in two years.

“I’m sure she was turning her head away,” Holland said of his mom, who was in the crowd for the road game to watch her son set up a goal and then get into his first NHL fight 10 minutes later. “She doesn’t like it too much. But it’s not something I do very often, so I’m sure she’s not entirely thrilled she was in the stands tonight.”

Holland’s mom might not have been thrilled, but his head coach certainly was. It is not that Peter Horachek wants to see Holland get into nightly fights. But he does want to see him push out of his comfort zone and play with the kind of physical edge that has been missing — not just with Holland, but the entire team — from his game for the past two months.

“He has to do that if he wants to be a top-two line centre,” said Horachek.

That’s the carrot dangling for many of the Leafs during this final stretch of the season. As much as these seem like meaningless games, they hold plenty of meaning for certain Leafs.

For Holland, who began the season on the fourth line, it is a chance to show that he is capable of a bigger role. For 24-year-old Richard Panik, who scored his 10th goal of the season against the team that had placed him on waivers, it is an opportunity “to prove I can play in the top three lines.”

And for David Booth, who scored for the first time in 32 games on Thursday and is without a contract for next season, it’s simply an audition for his next job — perhaps in Toronto.

“I liked playing here,” said Booth, who had two goals. “It’s close to home for me and my family’s able to watch all those games. It’s not the way I wanted to start the season [he broke his foot] and that was tough … I still have a lot to offer and I feel like if I started on the right foot, no pun there, I think I can contribute.”

Holland is of the same mindset. A 2009 first-round pick (he was selected 15th overall by the Anaheim Ducks) who was traded to the Leafs last season, he believes he has more to give than he has previously shown. Now is the time to prove it.

“I think at this time of year it’s important to establish yourself and fight for a job next season,” said Holland, who has 10 goals and 21 points in 55 games. “Obviously, it seems like some change is coming with all the moves that have kind of been happening in the last couple of weeks.

“As young guys, we’re still fighting for spots in the league.”

Horachek said there is no reason that Holland cannot take the next step. With his size, skill and skating ability, he could be an offensive force in this league. All that is missing is consistency and a desire to be more physical.

Holland seems to have recognized that. Last week, he used his 6-foot-2 frame to drive the net in a game against Philadelphia and had several Flyers out for blood after giving goaltender Steve Mason a whack with his stick.

“I want to make sure I’m using my size to my advantage by being more physical,” said Holland. “I think it’s creating more space for myself and my linemates. I’m finding I’m getting the puck more when I get it. I just need to stick with it. My game’s when I have the puck so I’m just trying to be more physical.

“It’s just kind of one of those things where I’m looking at taking my game to the next level. I think that’s an area that I identified I can be better at.”

Holland’s fight against Cedric Paquette, which was the Toronto forward’s first since October 2013, was another example of becoming physically engaged. It started with a couple of hits. And before he knew it, the gloves were off.

“I had a couple of hits out there before it started and then we just kind of confronted each other after the whistle,” he said. “My dad always told me make sure you’re the first one to know you’re in a fight, so it’s just kind of what happened.”



Toronto Maple Leafs need to be cut ‘down to the bone,’ says former coach Ron Wilson

Sean Fitz-Gerald | March 6, 2015 9:05 PM ET

TORONTO — On Thursday morning, three days after telling a national television audience he still hated the Toronto Maple Leafs for firing him, Ron Wilson was on local radio, saying the team needed to cut “down to the bone” in its rebuild, and that “it’s gonna take a good seven or eight years to get the Leafs back to where everybody’s comfortable with them.”

On Thursday night, the Leafs lost for the 22nd time in 27 games. That closed a road trip in which one Leafs player lashed out at the media and one lashed out at a social media troll and joined a teammate in a potential legal action against a Canadian sports network.

And then, on Friday, the team was back at home.

“It’s been a struggle, hasn’t it?” said winger Phil Kessel.

He was speaking about his slumping production on the ice, though it somehow seems like a broader existential statement for the entire team. With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, there is almost nothing left of consequence for the Leafs this season.

They are out of playoff contention with 17 games remaining. That is five weeks of toiling in a paradox. If they win, they risk hurting themselves in the long term by diminishing the odds of their draft lottery position.

So if Kessel were to regain his scoring touch, it could hurt the team.

Some players have said they will find motivation in using their remaining games as a sort of audition for a job next year. Except, in the early stage of a rebuild, there is a chance the general manager they are auditioning for will not be the general manager in charge.

Other players might be playing for contracts, but none of those are part of the core group on the roster — a roster that still faces the carving knife Wilson described Thursday.

In short, it seems like they cannot win.

“It’s never fun,” said Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul. “I’ve been through this situation once before … it’s not ideal, but it’s still fun to play hockey and come to the rink and practise and see the guys. But obviously, it’s not what we had in mind at the start of the year.”

The Leafs practised at Air Canada Centre on Friday ahead of a home game against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Toronto is opening a stretch of three straight home games, and not one of them matters. At least, they do not matter in the traditional sense.

In the long term, it matters more that they lose. The notion of motivation — where it can be found in dark, hopeless times like these — was raised more than once on Friday.

“It’s your job,” said Lupul. “Some days, it’s not the same as when you’re chasing a playoff spot or whatever. But we want to compete. We don’t want to lose all these games down the stretch.”

It will be a long stretch. Toronto will not play its last game until April 11.

“I think that we’re motivated in the sense that we’re playing in the National Hockey League, and you’ve got to be professional,” said Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf. “We’ve put ourselves in this situation, but in this final stretch, we’ve got to be professional.”

The season has already tiptoed along the edge of madness. In January, the Leafs banned three fans for a year for throwing jerseys onto the ice in protest during play. There have been feuds with the media, and with fans. Lupul and Phaneuf retained legal counsel this week after a lewd and suggestive social media message made it to air on TSN.

If they were in a playoff fight, players might be able to use that as motivation, as a kind of rallying point. But there is no rallying point on the horizon, no playoffs. More than a couple of the players suggested on Friday they would find motivation in playing for the other players in the room — even though,

with several new faces, it seems unlikely they would even know all the players in the room very well.

What is left is a bleak form of limbo. The meaningful season is over, dead, and players will be faced with the prospect of revisiting the obituary for the next month. For now, the only things that matter will happen off the ice.

Wilson did not lead the Leafs to the playoffs during nearly four seasons behind the bench, a fact that contributed to his firing three years ago. During his segment on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Thursday, Wilson said he felt burned out as a coach by the end of his time in Toronto.

When it is bad, it can be bleak. And Wilson was suggesting it would be bad for a while.

“I don’t really hate the Maple Leafs,” he said. “But I don’t want them to do well.”



Author of salacious tweet about Toronto Maple Leafs players and Elisha Cuthbert issues apology

Kaitlyn McGrath | March 6, 2015 | Last Updated: Mar 7 1:29 AM ET

Anthony Adragna responded on Friday to a call for an apology.

Four days after his tweet caused a national television controversy, the Twitter author of a salacious comment involving Toronto Maple Leafs players Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Phaneuf’s wife Elisha Cuthbert has apologized over social media.

TSN to stop airing tweets during live broadcasts after post about Toronto Maple Leafs’ Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf and Elisha Cuthbert

Anthony Adragna, the author of the tweet that was aired on the screen during TSN’s live TradeCentre broadcast, posted an apology to Twitter on Friday evening, saying “I want to tell Dion, Joffrey and Elisha how truly sorry I am. I am also sorry for the trouble and hurt this has cause for others.”

Earlier in the week, Lupul, Phaneuf and Cuthbert, through their lawyer Peter A. Gall of the Vancouver law firm Gall Legge Grant and Munroe LLP, sent a letter to TSN requesting a formal apology and damages. In a release their lawyer said they were “sending a similar letter to the author of the tweet, Mr. Anthony Adragna.”

Following the threat of legal action, TSN host James Duthie apologized live on air to Lupul, Phaneuf and Cuthbert for their error. However on Tuesday, Gall said they were still trying to track Adragna down.

In Adragna’s Twitter apology, which was posted from the same account the original tweet came from, he explains he was “not thinking about the consequences that could occur.”

“The tweet included rude, uncalled for, false and hurtful words about Dion Phaneuf, Joffrey Lupul and Elisha Cuthbert,” he wrote. “Although this remark was only meant to be seen by a select few, it does not excuse my decision to post this tweet. I now realize that everything I post online is not just for a select few, but in fact, the entire world to see.”

At the end of his letter Adragna wrote, “I honestly hope that this apology will help make things right.”

Following his apology, Cuthbert responded on Twitter, thanking Adragna for his response.

“Thank you for your apology & accountability. It’s a brave thing to step up! & doing so brings change, Dion & I are proud and commend you,” she posted from her account.


768644 Washington Capitals

Injury report: Ovechkin still feeling pain, questionable for Saturday

By Alex Prewitt March 6 at 2:01 PM

Friday morning, when the Washington Capitals filtered onto their practice rink for warm-ups, forward Alex Ovechkin took the ice early. He skated around, testing the lower-body injury that sidelined him for a 2-1 loss against Minnesota, his first absence in 96 games. He approached a puck and crushed it toward the net, then bent over and glided toward Coach Barry Trotz.

After a brief conversation, Ovechkin retreated into the locker room. He did not return and, because he did not participate in practice, was not available to comment.

“He was just seeing if there was any pain and he had a little bit, so I just said go,” Trotz said later. “He’s probably questionable for tomorrow. But his injury should come around fairly quickly.”

Ovechkin suffered the injury Tuesday in Columbus, missed Thursday’s morning skate and ruled himself out for that night’s game before warm-ups began. Rookie Andre Burakovsky performed well in his stead, skating beside fellow Swedes Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson, but the Capitals lost in regulation for just the second time this season after scoring first.

With cellar-dweller Buffalo coming to Verizon Center on Saturday, and three full days between games after, Trotz said “there’s a temptation” to shelve Ovechkin against the Sabres and let him rest for next Wednesday’s critical Metropolitan Division matchup against the playoff-bound New York Rangers.

“But it’s not a major injury,” Trotz said. “It’s a minor. It’s more, if he can do what he needs to do and be able to perform the way he needs to perform without it bothering him.”

It was the first time Ovechkin sat since Jan. 2014, one of just 26 missed games in his career. The Capitals are 13-11-2 all-time without Ovechkin, his initial thought at the total number was, “Really? That’s it?”

“He doesn’t miss very much time,” Trotz said. “It’s amazing because he does go against the top and heaviest people in the league and he doesn’t play an easy game. He plays a hard game. It is quite surprising. It’s a genetic gift, I guess.”

Given Ovechkin’s uncertain status, the Capitals kept Burakovsky around, after indicating plans to return him to the American Hockey League if Ovechkin had gotten healthy. The top line – “Tre Kronor,” as Trotz called them, a reference to the Swedish national emblem meaning “Three Crowns” – produced several scoring chances against the Wild, including two iron bars Johansson struck.

“They’re good,” Trotz said. “They had a lot of chances. I said last night, even JoJo, he hit a crossbar, hit a post, Burt had a good look, they all had pretty good looks. Backie had a real good look of the rush. They move the puck really well, they skated well, they were pretty engaged, so they were good.”

>>Defenseman Brooks Orpik also received a maintenance day, leaving the Capitals practicing with five active defenseman and Dmitry Orlov (wrist), but Trotz said the veteran should face the Sabres.

“If he wasn’t, we’d be calling someone up,” Trotz said.

>> Forward Michael Latta, meanwhile, missed his second straight day with an upper-body injury incurred against the Blue Jackets, on a hard check from behind by forward Jared Boll. Trotz said there was no concern about structural damage in the injured area, roughly around Latta’s left shoulder, and that the rookie could return after the weekend.

“I think he’ll be back sometime next week,” Trotz said. “I don’t know if he’ll be back the first game. We’ll just see how it goes.”

Washington Post LOADED: 03.07.2015


Prospect Tyler Lewington talks signing entry-level contract

By Alex Prewitt March 6 at 11:31 AM

Earlier this week, Tyler Lewington was riding the team bus, a 20-year-old captain for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, when he read a press release on his cell phone, announcing the biggest news of his career. He had known this moment would come, after getting sent the contract, signing and faxing it back. But now, looking at the words – “The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Tyler Lewington to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2015-16 season…” – it was now publicly official.

“It was definitely exciting,” Lewington said. “I was with all the guys. They were definitely all happy for me. Not too many of them knew before. I kept it on the down-low, didn’t talk about it too much. It was definitely an exciting time.”

Surprising, too, given Lewington’s path. The Capitals drafted him 204th overall in 2013, a seventh-round flyer after his second season with Medicine Hat. He attended training camp that year, getting the lay of the land. This season, the Capitals expected more of the same: Bring Lewington to rookie camp last fall, let him practice against NHLers then return him to juniors.

Instead, Lewington showed well at the rookie game against Philadelphia, earned a preseason debut and was later called “pretty solid” by Coach Barry Trotz, a strong vote of confidence later supported when Washington approached his agent about signing a deal.

“I think I just went into camp, worked my hardest to play my game, and I think with them giving me an opportunity to play in the preseason there, I think it showed that I can play at the next level and set my game up,” Lewington said. “I think I impressed them with my game.”

The two parties had talked during the year, but as March drew closer, the negotiation ramped up. Monday, the Capitals said the announcement was coming soon. Wednesday evening, it was released. (Since the contract doesn’t kick in until next season, the Capitals won’t have to worry about numbers; even so, they are one deal shy of the NHL-maximum 50.)

“They just said they liked the way my development’s going along, just kind of keep working on things, don’t change too much,” Lewington said. “Just be the player you are. They think I have a good future.”

That game, described by Hershey Coach Troy Mann as a “meat-and-potatoes” and “stay-at-home” style, helped boost Lewington into the captaincy for Medicine Hat, where through 62 games this season he has recorded eight goals, 30 assists and 93 penalty minutes. Nearing the end of their regular season, the Tigers are third in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Calgary Hitmen and 18 behind the first-place Brandon Wheat Kings.

Since the Tigers have already clinched a playoff spot, Lewington ensured a longer stay for what should be his final WHL season. The third member of Washington’s 2013 draft class to sign a contract, a source of pride given his low-round selection, Lewington will be eligible to join Hershey on a tryout agreement once Medicine Hat finishes its season. He didn’t want to look ahead just yet, but he could drop into a Calder Cup run with the Bears.

“I’ll definitely be thrilled to go there at the end of the year, obviously get a little more experience, then I could definitely see myself playing at their level, seeing what it’s like,” Lewington said. “My goal right now for next year is to play at the highest level possible, keep improving and help my game and all that. I don’t have a set goal, but I want to play at the highest level.”

With the contract inked, he moved one step closer.

“Not all guys who get drafted sign, and being a seventh-rounder, there’s some odds stacked against you,” Lewington said. “It gives you extra motivation to show them that even though you weren’t a high pick that you’re still a good player and prove some people wrong.

“I’m always trying to get better. I think it just showed that I don’t think you can ever take your foot off the gas during your career. It just gave me the motivation to bear down even more.”



Loss to Minnesota sours Curtis Glencross’ first goal with Washington

By Alex Prewitt March 6 at 8:47 AM

Somewhere along the road during his seven-plus NHL seasons, somebody had observed how Curtis Glencross celebrated goals and appropriately dubbed him, “Scoreface.” The forward’s first home game with the Washington Capitals seemed a fitting time for Verizon Center fans to learn why. As his first-period puck zipped past Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk, the lone goal for his new team in a 2-1 loss, Glencross wheeled around the net, raised both arms into the air and rocked onto his heels. His eyes bulged. He hollered loud, flashing a mouth-guard grin.

Moving to Washington had rejuvenated the 32-year-old winger, who peppered each interview with praise for the tightness inside his new locker room, and now Glencross could repay the favor. Just as he had following his first Capitals’ practice Monday after coming from Calgary for two draft picks, Glencross never stopped smiling.

“When I score, I don’t know, my face…I don’t know what it was,” Glencross said. “Someone had a brain wave on and went with it.”

Something similar could be said for Glencross himself, when he put the Capitals ahead 1-0 on a power play snipe, less than three minutes into his second game since the trade. After Thomas Vanek whacked Tom Wilson in the mouth and sat for high-sticking, forward Evgeny Kuznetsov carried the puck toward the red line, directing traffic on the second power play unit.

With Joel Ward and Mike Green already positioned at the blue line, Kuznetsov deked toward then, pivoted around and flung the puck toward Glencross, who trailed the breakout. Glencross never broke stride, taking the pass and darting around forward Kyle Brodziak, who tried flailing his stick but got left in Glencross’ wake. Just before forward Ryan Suter reached him, Glencross quickly whipped the puck over Dubnyk’s shrugging shoulder, almost surprising the NHL’s hottest netminder with the sudden release.

“Went as fast as I could up the wing,” Glencross said. “[Kuznetsov] gives me a nice pass wide and just tried to get a step on the guy and throw it to the net. Lucky enough it went in.”

The eventual result somewhat soured Glencross’ moment, when Minnesota forward Jason Pominville scored twice in five minutes during the period, but until then that power play strike – Glencross’ 10th goal of the season – held up for the Capitals and netminder Braden Holtby.

“Yeah, it always feels good to get the first one with the new team, but at the end of the day probably disappointed with the loss,” Glencross said.

Still, Glencross couldn’t help but smile when, after breaking down Minnesota’s frustrating “trap game” and discussing the “tough” absence of forward Alex Ovechkin to a lower-body injury, someone mentioned the word, “Scoreface.”

“I knew that comment might come up sometime,” he said.



Friday six-pack: Who will be top-line right wing?

March 6, 2015, 3:00 pm

Chuck Gormley

It’s Friday, so let’s line up our Penn Quarter Sports Tavern Friday Six-Pack, where we answer your most pressing questions on the Capitals. Let’s do it:

OK, so we’re trying to keep it real, right? Andre Burakovsky has the skill to play in the NHL and that’s why he made the Caps out of training camp. Barry Trotz and his staff saw a player with great vision and a deadly shot and thought he was ready for the NHL. So did everyone else who saw the 19-year-old Swede. And for three or four weeks he was all that. But as November rolled into December Burakovsky’s decision-making and defensive positioning showed some flaws, much like any young player. That’s when the Caps had a decision to make. They were healthy at the forward position and could have sent Burakovsky to play in the World Junior Championships. Instead, he sat out eight of 11 games from Dec. 6 through Jan. 1 when he could have been playing with and against the world’s best under-20-year-olds. When Burakovsky returned to the lineup he put up three goals and three assists and was a plus-4 in 10 games – better stats than most of the Caps’ bottom six forwards – but was again pulled from the lineup for five of the Caps’ next eight games. And it wasn’t until the Caps acquired Curtis Glencross that they finally decided the best thing for Burakovsky’s development is to play lots of minutes in Hershey. But instead of leaving him there for four weeks, they recalled him when Michael Latta and Alex Ovechkin went down with injuries. Hindsight is always 20-20 but if the Caps could do this season all over again, I think they would have allowed Burakovsky to play with Sweden in the WJCs, play for Hershey from January until March, then call him up after the trade deadline for the stretch run. But just like Tom Wilson last season, the Caps saw tons of potential and wanted to see if Burakovsky could make an impact as a 19-year-old. It still may happen, but the plan now is to send Burakovsky back to Hershey and let him play big minutes for the next four weeks before recalling him for the final week of the regular season and the playoffs. In all honesty, I think Burakovsky is still maturing physically and could use a summer of weight training. With another 10 pounds of muscle I see him being a more dominant player in the years ahead, much like that “other guy” in Nashville.

If you’ve been reading my Friday six-packs for the past two seasons you know how much I like Tom Wilson and believe he can be an impact player, especially in a physical playoff series. I think one part of Wilson’s game that gets overlooked is the number of penalties he draws. Among players who have played 40 or more games this season Wilson ranks third in the NHL, drawing 2.0 penalties per 60 minutes. He did it again Thursday night when Thomas Vanek came up high with his stick on Wilson’s first shift of the game and Curtis Glencross followed with a power-play goal. The argument against Wilson is that he has just four goals and 10 assists this season. But although he leads the Caps with 145 penalty minutes I think Wilson’s hands can be used for more than just making fists. He had 58 points in 48 games two seasons ago with the OHL Plymouth Whalers and he has shown flashes of offensive capabilities, especially when playing with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. The problem I see with Wilson on that top line is two-fold. For one, he can be guilty of having big loops in his game, skating by plays instead of stopping, starting and finishing. Secondly, he is not always in good defensive position when the Caps are without the puck. If he can improve on those two areas of his game – and he has to be willing to put in the work – I think Wilson can be a top-six power forward capable of scoring 30 goals. As for Eric Fehr, why mess with success? He’s been an excellent fit on that third line, where he is equally adept at defending top lines while posing a scoring threat. The only question I have with that third line is who should play left wing. Jason Chimera and Brooks Laich have been good there at times but not long enough to stay there.

OK, let’s start with where I think the Caps will finish. With 80 points, they are one point behind the third-place Penguins, five points behind the second-place Rangers and seven behind the first-place Islanders in the Metro Division. The Caps have played the same number of games as the Islanders, but three fewer than the Rangers and Pens. They are also eight points ahead of the eighth-place Bruins, who have three games in hand. With all of that in mind, I see the Rangers winning the Metro, followed by the Islanders, Penguins and Caps. Assuming Montreal finishes with the most points in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens would face the Bruins [or

Florida Panthers] in the first round of the playoffs, while the Pens face the Islanders, and Tampa faces Detroit. Now, let’s break down the head-to-heads. Against the Islanders the Caps went 2-0-2 with two games decided in overtime and another in a shootout. Against the Rangers the Caps are 0-1-0 [a 4-2 loss] with three games to play. Against the Penguins the Caps went 3-1-0, outscoring them 13-5. Against Montreal the Caps are 0-0-2, with one game decided by a shootout and the other in overtime, with one game to play. Against Tampa the Caps went 2-1-0, outscoring the Bolts 12-9. Against Detroit the Caps are 1-1-0, winning 3-1 and losing 4-2, with one game to play. Against the Bruins the Caps are 1-0-0 with a 4-0 victory, with two games to play. And against Florida the Caps went 2-0-1, with two games decided in a shootout. Put it all together and the Caps are 11-4-5 against the eight teams they could face in the Eastern Conference playoffs. So, to answer your question, I think the Caps have as good a chance as any team in the East to get to the Staley Cup Final. To me, the Canadiens, Rangers and Red Wings are the three teams that would give the Caps the most trouble in the playoffs.

As with everything in sports, it all depends on how they fit and how much they’ll cost. Let’s start with Curtis Glencross. He’s 32 and is making $2.5 million. He’ll probably want a four-year deal and NHL teams will probably want him for three. If Glencross has a strong finish to the regular season and is an impact player in a long playoff run, yes, the Capitals will consider re-signing him. But the Caps also need to see where Andre Burakovsky fits in the mix. If they see him as a right wing, the Caps likely would move Marcus Johansson back to second-line left wing next season. A lot can happen between now and July 1, but I do not see Glencross being here next season. Tim Gleason, also 32, probably has a slightly better shot at staying with the Caps. At $1.2 million he brings a lot to the table at a reasonable cost. He would also provide a steady veteran presence if the Caps plan on breaking in a young right-handed defenseman like Connor Carrick or Madison Bowey next season.

I actually asked this question at practice today and got very little help. Braden Holtby declined to say which teammate he would like to see replace him in the event of injury. Barry Trotz’s first response was that it would NOT be goaltending coach Mitch Korn, then said his first option would be video coach Brett “Stretch” Leonhardt, who dressed as an emergency goalie for the Capitals once before. Trotz said Caps director of media relations Sergey Kocharov would be his second choice and that if he had to choose a player to replace both Holtby and Justin Peters it would be … Evgeny Kuznetsov. Hey, I just ask the questions.

From their list of restricted free agents, I definitely see them re-signing goaltender Braden Holtby, who is earning every penny of his $2 million this season, along with forwards Marcus Johansson [$2.175 million] and Evgeny Kuznetsov [$900,000] and defenseman Nate Schmidt [$625,000] and goaltender Philipp Grubauer [$600,000]. I also think they’ll re-sign defenseman Cameron Schilling [$625,000], but I’m not convinced on forwards Chris Brown [$900,000] and Stan Galiev [$550,000], although I wouldn’t be surprised if Galiev was offered an AHL contract. I also have doubts about the Caps re-signing defensemen Patrick Wey [$640,000] and Tomas Kundratek, goaltenders Edward Pasquale [$550,000] and Brandon Anderson [$550,000] and forward Garrett Mitchell [$550,000]. As for their UFAs, I definitely see Eric Fehr [$1.6 million] returning with a nice raise, and Jay Beagle [$1 million] as well. I mentioned Glencross and Gleason as possibilities above, depending on how they look down the stretch and in the playoffs. I think if the Caps can get Joel Ward {$3 million] to stay at a lower price they would consider it, but not sure if that will happen. Mike Green [$6.1 million] would also need to take a significant pay cut and I’m not sure that will happen, either. Defenseman John Erskine $2 million] will be off the books, along with left winger Aaron Volpatti [$600,000]. I could see defenseman Steve Oleksy [$550,000] signing an AHL contract to remain with the Bears, along with Casey Wellman [$550,000] but that’s about it.



Ovechkin leaves ice early at Kettler

March 6, 2015, 12:30 pm

Chuck Gormley

The good news for Capitals fans is that after missing Thursday night’s 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild with a lower body injury, Alex Ovechkin was one of the first players on the ice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Friday.

The bad news is that the 29-year-old captain left the ice about 10 minutes later after telling Capitals coach Barry Trotz that he felt ‘a little bit” of pain.

Trotz said he will leave it up to Ovechkin as to whether he will play on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres. The Capitals have three days off between facing the Sabres on Saturday and the Rangers on Wednesday.

“He’s probably questionable for tomorrow,” Trotz said. “But his injury should come around fairly quick, There is a temptation [to keep him out of Saturday’s game] but it’s not a major injury, it’s a minor one, and if he can do what he needs to do and perform the way he needs to perform without it bothering him [he’ll play].”

Trotz said he was surprised to see Ovechkin has missed just 26 games in his 10-year NHL career – the Caps are 13-11-2 in those games – especially considering the way he plays.

“It’s amazing because he does go against the top and heaviest people in the league and he doesn’t play an easy game, he plays a hard game. It is quite surprising. It’s a genetic gift I guess.”

With Ovechkin unavailable for practice, rookie Andre Burakovsky returned to a top all-Swedish line with Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson.


768649 Winnipeg Jets

Injury could sideline Byfuglien up to four weeks

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 12:35 PM | Comments: 30 | Last Modified: 1:17 PM | Updates

If the Winnipeg Jets are going to the Stanley Cup playoffs, they’re going to have to show all the pluck and more that they brought during their November-to-January injury crisis.

That’s because another one has struck.

Jets coach Paul Maurice announced early this afternoon that anchor defenceman Dustin Byfuglien is out two to four weeks after being injured Wednesday night in the loss to Ottawa.

Byfuglien had to leave that game during the second period because of an upper-body issue and did not return.

Maurice also dropped another bomb on fans after today’s practice, that top centre Bryan Little will likely miss the next two games for the Jets also because of an injury sustained on Wednesday.

The team was already missing productive left-winger Mathieu Perreault, who’s out until early April, and defenceman Ben Chiarot, whose broken hand will keep him out until about the same time.

Left-winger Matt Halischuk also remains out another week or two, though he did practise again today.

The Jets leave today for a four-game road trip that starts Saturday night in Nashville. Winnipeg is still in a playoff spot in the Western Conference at 76 points but is now only two points above the playoff line.

Today’s revelation that Byfuglien and Little are out feels a lot like last March’s injury predicament. Last year, after a long climb to to a tie for the final playoff spot, the team was dealt a crushing blow when centre Mark Scheifele, who was starting to play an impactful game, was lost to the team for the rest of the season after a knee check from New York Islanders’ Calvin de Haan.

Maurice said today that Little’s situation is kind of murky but that more will be known by the middle to late next week.

The coach sounded sure Little won’t play against Nashville on Saturday nor against St. Louis on Tuesday.

"Bryan Little’s going to make the trip but I don’t expect him for the front end of that," Maurice said. "It may be longer than this trip but there’s a chance he plays towards the end of it.

"And there’s a chance he doesn’t. We’ll know probably more in five to seven days on that."

And there was also a lack of certainty on how long Byfuglien will be sidelined.

"Dustin Byfuglien is going to be out two to four weeks," the coach said. "There’s always that grey area of how injuries heal but that’s typical."

The impact of Byfuglien’s loss is significant, and beyond the 15 goals and 42 points he’s brought so far this season.

"I won’t give you the exact poundage but we’re going to miss him," the coach said. "He’s a force back there for sure. We’ve dealt with a number of these injuries on our back end. We have good people to put in the lineup and they’ve played well and won games."

Little’s absence has prompted the team to recall centre Eric O’Dell from the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps.

As if things weren’t bad enough with injuries, there were two other minor issues today that may not amount to much.

Captain Andrew Ladd missed today’s practice, taking a maintenance day, but that’s fairly normal and the coach said he’ll be a player Saturday night.

And late in today’s practice, defenceman Mark Stuart deflected a puck with his own stick and into his face.

The team believes he’ll be OK but Maurice cautioned he wouldn’t say so for sure until Stuart is thoroughly checked out by the medical staff today.

Byfuglien’s absence will mean that Adam Pardy will return to the lineup as a full-time defenceman.

Should Stuart be a no-go, Paul Postma is also waiting in the wings.

Maurice said today that increased minutes for others will not be a problem for his team, which rallied through a key period starting in late November when it had four of its starting six defencemen in sick bay.

"So the other veteran players have to make sure their game is at their best and they’re trying to every night," the coach said. "But you have to make sure everybody has the no-passenger concept. Everybody’s got to add something to it.

"If we’re going to suffer an injury to our group, having someone go down on the right D, means we’ve still got enough minutes. Jacob Trouba wants to play more minutes and Tyler (Myers) clearly can. So we have some depth at that position.

"Jake plays better the more he plays."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.07.2015


Myers has adapted quickly; stellar play has been godsend for the Jets

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 3:00 AM | Comments: 14 | Last Modified: 10:14 AM

Lesson No. 4,567 in human physiology: a man who stands 6-8 in his flip flops -- close to seven feet in skates -- looks down, literally, not figuratively, on most of the folks wandering this green earth.

And so it was while standing near the back of a media scrum surrounding towering Winnipeg Jets defenceman Tyler Myers earlier this week when one media type whispered this to another colleague: "I've really got to work on my triceps. It's a lot of work holding my microphone straight up like this for a long time."

Now, here's the thing about Myers, a member of the Jets for all of 23 days: the initial fascination with his size may be fading now, but the appreciation for his game is growing.

In fact, it could be said with Dustin Byfuglien's status uncertain -- he left Wednesday's loss to the Ottawa Senators with an upper-body injury and an update won't be available until after practice today -- Myers' role with the Jets is going to become that much more important in the days ahead.

Myers, paired with Toby Enstrom in his eight games with the Jets, is averaging 23 minutes and 31 seconds of ice time, plays on the power play and penalty kill and has flashed some offensive flair with two goals and five assists.

It's wrong to suggest his game has been a revelation -- he was, after all, the NHL's top rookie in 2009-10 -- but the weight of expectations coupled with the slow disintegration of the Buffalo Sabres from a playoff team to one attempting a rebuild must have been crushing at times.

And so while the change of scenery may have been needed for Evander Kane, the exact same could be said for the 25-year-old Myers.

"Maybe in some sense, yeah," said Myers. "When you're coming from a 30th-place team, things aren't obviously going well. It was a lot of weight on all of our shoulders in Buffalo. It wasn't a good feeling. Coming here and the situation we're in now, especially since I've come in and seen... it's a different game. The guys play a hard game.

"The one thing I've noticed ever since I've been here is everyone is on the same page and when you have all the guys knowing what each other is doing on the ice it makes it that much easier to do your job. It brings a certain level of trust to the ice with your teammates and it's a fun way to play."

One of the wisest decisions the Jets made after acquiring Myers -- and unheralded, too -- was lining up Myers with Enstrom. The slick-skating Swede has been the perfect partner for so many Jets D-men who have struggled in the past and he and Myers -- the long and the short of the team's defensive corps -- have worked well together.

"He came into that hole because we wanted to move as few parts around as possible when you introduce a new player," said Jets coach Paul Maurice. "We wanted to disrupt as few things as possible and hope that he would see some chemistry there. When you take the size out of it, you would describe them similarly: both skate really well, they've got really good defensive sticks and make a great first pass.

"We were looking for some sign of chemistry (in the first game) and then in practice after that they started to look really good together.

"He's been so good defensively," Maurice continued. "The points are great and he's changed games with what he's been able to do offensively -- in Detroit with the rush, the slapshot when we were down a goal to Edmonton -- he's had a real impact on that. But we can move people around on our back end, in terms of matchups, because of the way he and Toby have played together. He's given us a lot of options and so much is because of what he's doing defensively."

Interestingly, years from now Myers might prove to be the most critical component in the trade with the Sabres for the Jets. Drew Stafford, as solid as he has been, is an unrestricted free agent and could sign elsewhere this summer. Brendan Lemieux and Joel Armia are prospects, but hardly

guaranteed to be key cogs for the franchise in the days ahead. Same goes for the late first-round draft pick the Jets got as part of the deal.

But Myers has already made an impact in a big way.

"It was a hectic first few days (after the trade)," said Myers. "But the guys in the room have been great and the coaches made the adjustment pretty easy in terms of figuring the system out and the way they do things here. I feel like I've settled in.

"When it first happened I didn't really know what to think. I've never been part of anything like that before. The toughest part was leaving good teammates behind, we had a good group there in Buffalo. But coming here, it's a real good group here, too. I wish all the guys there the best.

"And I know it's early, but I've really found a home here."



Fightin' spirit not hurt

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 3:00 AM

There's no telling what's beneath the surface for the once again injury-plagued Winnipeg Jets.

Though unlikely, it could be panic.

But what was offered Friday, on the news Dustin Byfuglien is out of the lineup two to four weeks with an upper-body problem and possibly worse and that Bryan Little will miss at least the next two games with an undisclosed injury, was mostly confidence with a touch of defiance.

"It's truly nothing new this time of year in this game," said Jets defenceman Jay Harrison, whose minutes, like most others' are likely to increase. "It comes, no different than the flu bug comes. Everyone has to deal with it. You hope it's a 24-hour bug and gone."

The team begins a four-game road trip today in Nashville (6 p.m. Sportsnet, TSN 1290) and provides no soft landing spots.

'It's truly nothing new this time of year in this game. It comes, no different than the flu bug comes. Everyone has to deal with it. You hope it's a 24-hour bug and gone'

-- Jets defenceman Jay Harrison

"We've been doing it a lot this year so it's really nothing new for us," chimed in right-winger Blake Wheeler. "We've been dealing with adversity all year. Just another good challenge for our team. It's never easy losing guys, especially as important as they are.

"Everyone's got to pick up the slack. In the past, we've shown that some of our best hockey follows when we have these tough games in front of us."

The Jets more than survived a November-to-January injury crisis that saw five defencemen out for long stretches, including at the time, the top four on their original depth chart. During that time, in fact, their record improved significantly.

"It's a perspective thing," Harrison said Friday "We've dealt with injuries in this room before. My first introduction to the club was because of it. The team handled that adversity really well and having handled that, to rely on and have that confidence in each other, to pick up and fulfill roles for guys when they're not in the lineup, that's a huge part of what makes us the tight group that we are. We know we can do this together.

"The group is always more than the sum of its parts. When we play well, we play a team game top to bottom, start to finish."

Wheeler even looked at it from a healthy vantage point, and with humour.

"It's almost weird when we're all healthy, like an adjustment to deal with a full lineup," he smiled. "It never gets easier, losing guys from your lineup, but we're accustomed to it and it seems we rise up to the challenge when we're forced to."

The playoff line has crept closer to the Jets, with rivals winning more often plus making up games in hand. At 76 points today, the Jets haven't been below the line since the first few days of November.

All of which makes the trip ahead -- to St. Louis on Tuesday, Florida on Thursday and Tampa next Saturday -- imposing.

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a concern, it's definitely a challenge," Harrison said. "We're playing really good hockey clubs and a couple that we're chasing that have proven to be top-tier teams. That's three of them and then Florida is fighting for their playoff lives, not unlike us, and we expect four really hard games.

"We need our best hockey. It doesn't matter who's in the lineup. This is how careers are made. Guys step in and play big roles unexpectedly. A lot of the best players in this league, that's how they got their start. You have to look at it as opportunity."

Wheeler said the identity of the coming opponents is secondary.

"It doesn't really matter so much who we play this time of year. The games are huge..." he said.



Injury-plagued Jets in suck-it-up mode once again

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 3:00 AM

As the playoff line draws nearer, the Winnipeg Jets will require even greater resolve than they've shown in past injury crises this season.

Jets fans got additional bad news on Friday when head coach Paul Maurice announced anchor defenceman Dustin Byfuglien will be lost to the lineup for two to four weeks because of an upper-body injury that caused him to leave Wednesday's home game against Ottawa during the second period.

That blow hurt even more when Maurice added some piling on -- top centre Bryan Little will miss the next two games and maybe more due to an injury sustained Wednesday.

The Jets start a four-game road trip tonight in Nashville.

The team had been no worse than the Western Conference's first wild-card team each day since Nov. 4 but at 76 points, fell to the No. 2 wild-card slot, only two points above the playoff line, on Thursday night.

When the bad news came Friday, a couple of key players were already missing.

Productive left-winger Mathieu Perreault is out until early April and defenceman Ben Chiarot has a broken hand that will sideline him until about the same time.

Left-winger Matt Halischuk also remains out another week or two, though he did practise again Friday.

Previously, the worst of the injury spells began in late November and continued well into January, when progressively, Zach Bogosian, Toby Enstrom, Jacob Trouba, Mark Stuart and Grant Clitsome went out for long periods. Clitsome's season eventually ended with back surgery.

During that time, however, the Jets managed to advance from a team one game over. 500 to 10 and more over that mark.

Maurice said Little's current situation is kind of murky, but more will be known by the middle to late next week.

"Bryan Little's going to make the trip but I don't expect him for the front end of that," Maurice said, indicating Tuesday's game in St. Louis is out. "It may be longer than this trip, but there's a chance he plays towards the end of it.

"And there's a chance he doesn't. We'll know probably more in five to seven days on that."

And there was also a lack of certainty on how long Byfuglien will be sidelined.

"Dustin Byfuglien is going to be out two to four weeks," the coach said. "There's always that grey area of how injuries heal, but that's typical."

The impact of Byfuglien's loss is significant, and beyond the 15 goals and 42 points he's brought so far this season.

"I won't give you the exact poundage, but we're going to miss him," the coach said. "He's a force back there for sure. We've dealt with a number of these injuries on our back end. We have good people to put in the lineup and they've played well and won games."

Jets right-winger Blake Wheeler sees a hole where Byfuglien is concerned.

"You miss him everywhere," Wheeler said. "He's such a physical presence. He's tough to play against for the other team's forwards. Nobody wants to go into the corners with him.

"He gives our team momentum with his big hits and his ability to create turnovers with his instincts. He's a big hole to fill, literally and figuratively. We're going to miss him and hopefully he can heal up quick and get back."

Little's absence has prompted the team to recall centre Eric O'Dell from the AHL's St. John's IceCaps.

Byfuglien's absence means Adam Pardy will return to the lineup as a full-time defenceman.

Maurice said increased minutes for others will not be a problem.

"You have to make sure everybody has the no-passenger concept," the coach said. "Everybody's got to add something to it.

"If we're going to suffer an injury to our group, having someone go down on the right D, means we've still got enough minutes. Jacob Trouba wants to play more minutes and Tyler (Myers) clearly can. So we have some depth at that position.

"Jake plays better the more he plays."



Catch-22 with No. 33

By: Gary Lawless

Posted: 3:00 AM

NASHVILLE -- It's one thing to form the group and produce the first hit. It's another to keep the band together.

Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has stacked up prospects and brought effective young players into the NHL. Keeping them all sounds great, but it is improbable.

The task is hard enough for a GM with means to spend to the cap each season. But for Cheveldayoff, who must work within an internal budget, it's even more difficult.

Cheveldayoff will have decisions to make, and key among them will be what he does with his blue-line.

Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba make for an enviable group of right-shot defencemen, but can the Jets afford to pay all three and give all three the ice time they require?

Myers and Trouba may or may not be aware, but their play over the next couple of weeks could determine which path the Jets will be taking concerning the future of Byfuglien.

Myers wasn't just an upgrade to the Winnipeg Jets blue-line when he was acquired in a February trade, he also became an insurance policy should Byfuglien prove too expensive to retain at the end of next season.

The Jets announced Friday morning Byfuglien will miss at least the next two weeks with an upper-body injury. Myers and Trouba will see their roles increase, and how they handle the heavier workload will provide Cheveldayoff with a window into how a future without Byfuglien might look.

Food for thought: Over the last five games, including the last against Ottawa when Byfuglien was injured, both Myers and Trouba logged more minutes in each match than No. 33.

Myers is signed to a cash-friendly, long-term contract and Trouba still has another year left on his entry-level pact and is at least five years away from UFA status. They aren't going anywhere. The 29-year-old Byfuglien, however, is eligible for unrestricted free agency in July of 2016 and presumably, he's going to want big money and term to remain in a Jets uniform.

Dion Phaneuf is the same age as Byfuglien and not as productive a player. He signed a seven-year deal worth $49 million last year. P.K. Subban is 25 and he signed an eight-year deal worth $72 million last year. Agents work off comparables and Byfuglien's representatives will use these numbers to build a case for what they want for their player.

Byfuglien has arguably been Winnipeg's most important player this season. But he'll be 31 when his current deal wraps up and Cheveldayoff will have to weigh a lot of factors when determining whether to give Byfuglien what he wants.

The options are varied, and some will be unpopular.

Re-signing Byfuglien will allow the Jets to retain a unique force in the NHL. A player who can play both forward and defence and provide offence as well as an unparalleled physical presence. Byfuglien is a remarkable player.

But he's aging and Cheveldayoff won't want to be paying top dollar for a player with sliding numbers and increasing injury time. Maybe Byfuglien plays at a high level until he's 37. Or maybe it's 35 or 33. That's the gamble.

All the while Cheveldayoff is pondering what to do with his all-star defenceman, he'll also be spending money on other players. Andrew Ladd is heading towards the end of his deal, while Trouba and Mark Scheifele are headed for raises. Michael Frolik heads a class of eight players eligible for UFA status this summer.

It's a never-ending juggling act. Each time Cheveldayoff gives a player more, he eats away at a pie that is limited.

If Cheveldayoff determines he can't, or won't, be able to keep Byfuglien beyond next season, he'll have to consider trading him to try and get a return.

This scenario gets thornier with the passing of time. If Cheveldayoff can't come to terms on an extension with Byfuglien this summer, a game of chicken will commence.

Imagine getting to the trade deadline next season with the Jets in a playoff spot and Byfuglien contributing but still not re-signed? Cheveldayoff just went through this with Frolik, but with Byfuglien, the stakes would be much higher. What could Byfuglien fetch on the draft floor this June? What will his worth be at the deadline next March? One might argue his value has never been higher and if the Jets are to move their lone all-star, it should happen this summer.

All these things must be bouncing around in Cheveldayoff's head.

Byfuglien is a rare player and this has been his most impactful season with the Jets. But is this the apex of his career? Slipping numbers and health are inevitable. But when will the beginning of the end arrive?

Myers and Trouba are insurance. But will they provide enough return for the Jets to live in the style they've become accustomed to under Byfuglien's roof?

Cheveldayoff is about to get a little taste. We'll know if it's to his liking or not by the way he proceeds.



Blue-line partner says Myers a great pickup

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 2:11 AM

THE usual suspects could dislike anything from apple pie to puppy dogs to the play of Winnipeg Jets' acquisition Tyler Myers.

Not Myers' new, regular defence partner Toby Enstrom. He falls in the happy category.

Enstrom, who rarely speaks to reporters, left no doubt in a Friday interview.

"Everybody knew how good he is as a player," Enstrom said after Friday's practice at the MTS Centre. "We knew it and we've seen it in Buffalo. He's a top player in the league. He's great to play with.

"He sees the game in a similar way that I do. He's a very easy guy to play with, big and strong and good stick, and loves to join the offence, too.

"It's probably been tougher for him to come in here and get adjusted to our system, but he's been doing it really well and that shows how good he is as a player."

Enstrom just shrugged -- like most of his teammates -- Friday about the lately injury news that will see defenceman Dustin Byfuglien missing two to four weeks.

"That's a part of the game, unfortunately," Enstrom said. "Every team has it and it happened to us a lot this year. But the team has been dealing with it really well. Same thing now with whatever injuries come up here. We're focused on what's ahead of us and we'll deal with it and keep fighting."

Enstrom was asked why the team has had success in this area this season more than others.

"You know what, that's a tough question," he said.

"But I think the team is very focused on getting that playoff spot and the group has come together really tight and playing for each other.

"I think that's the biggest key, that the group's getting tighter and tighter every day. That's such a big thing."

What's ahead for the Jets is a daunting four-game road trip, though their road record of 15-10-7 features the fewest regulation losses of any teams in the difficult Central Division.

"I think, first of all, here we just have to look at these one at a time," Enstrom said. "Tomorrow we're playing Nashville. I think we have to stay focused on that one. They're a tough team and they're doing well this season. They're tough to play against in their building and they have a good goalie.

"There are some important games after it and every game is pretty important coming up, here but we're looking forward to the first one, we're excited and we want that playoff spot."

JETCETERA: Friday saw another injury scare, as a puck deflected off Mark Stuart's stick and hit the defencemen in the face. He was helped off of the ice at practice and was being checked out. Jets coach Paul Maurice said he thought Stuart would be OK and the veteran did accompany the team to Nashville on Friday... Jets captain Andrew Ladd missed Friday's practice but will be in the lineup tonight, the coach said... The Jets have lost three of four to the Predators so far this season.



Losing Byfuglien and Little is the biggest hurt yet to injury-ravaged Winnipeg Jets

By Paul Friesen, Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Friday, March 06, 2015 05:18 PM CST | Updated: Friday, March 06, 2015 05:48 PM CST

It figures. Along comes the spring thaw, only to reveal a couple of major potholes on the Winnipeg Jets’ road to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Friday’s news that all-star defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, as feared, suffered a significant injury in the last game — he’ll miss at least two weeks, as many as four — was only half the story.

Head coach Paul Maurice said the Jets will also have to navigate the beginnings of this twisty trail without their top centre, Bryan Little.

Also hurt in Wednesday’s loss to Ottawa, Little boarded Friday’s charter flight to Nashville and the beginning of a four-game road trip, but there’s no guarantee he’ll do anything more than attend meetings and eat press-box popcorn.

“I don’t expect him for the front end of that, and it may be longer than this trip,” Maurice said. “There’s a chance he plays toward the end of it, and there’s a chance he doesn’t.”

As for Byfuglien’s game-count, he’ll miss between six and 12 of Winnipeg’s last 17, given Maurice’s two-to-four-week estimate.

Top defenceman down, top centre down — can this lead to anything other than a complete plane crash?

If it were just Byfuglien, that’d be one thing. The Jets have depth on the blue line, where fellow right-handed shooters Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba can eat almost as many minutes as No. 33.

But Little? We’re about to find out just how underrated No. 18 is.

“We’ve been comfortable with he and Andrew (Ladd) just being in our lineup the whole time,” Maurice said. “And that becomes a bigger problem... what you look like up front, in terms of who fills that hole, your options at centre ice. There may be some movement on the lines to get what we like.”

You could say that.

Rookie Adam Lowry will take Little’s spot, if not his place.

Fourth-line centre Jim Slater will move up, and farmhand Eric O’Dell gets the call.

The team’s four healthy centres, Lowry, Slater, O’Dell and Mark Scheifele, have combined for 19 goals in the NHL this season.

Little has 24.

The Jets will have to replace that offence by a committee of 20.

As bleak as that sounds, the CEO would have no part of the gloom and doom, donning his rose-coloured glasses and pulling out some tried and true cliches for good meaure.

“You are the sum of your parts,” Maurice began. “So your parts maybe aren’t as talented as they were. But that doesn’t’ mean the sum can’t be as good. It’s an opportunity.

“I know that’s cliche. But in some ways you’ve got 23 small businesses in there. Somebody’s going to get a chance to play.”

That’s an interesting analogy. Based on annual revenue, it’s accurate.

No doubt they’ll try like the dickens to keep the cash registers humming.

But the Jets have lost brains and brawn at the very top of the food chain.

If Little specializes in strategic planning with a knack for closing the deal, Byfuglien is the chairman of the boards.

Opposing players were scared to face the Jets because No. 33 patrolled the blue line with a nasty streak as wide as Lake Minnetonka.

Without him, the intimidation factor shrinks exponentially.

“It’s huge,” goalie Michael Hutchinson said of the Byfuglien presence. “Players on other teams don’t want to come down, one-on-one... he kind of lulls them in to the point where they don’t think they’re going to get rubbed out too hard. And then he just brings it down on them.

“Every time he makes a big hit it really gets everyone going.”

Who’ll do that, now?

Adam Pardy, no small man in his own right, will dress in Byfuglien’s place, but he won’t come close to filling his skates.

The Jets on Friday became just another team in the race, without really anything to fear.

“We’ll miss him,” Maurice allowed. “He’s a force back there for sure. I wouldn’t want to get by him. But... we’ve got enough physicality with our game. It’s not defined by one player.”

I beg to differ.

The Jets new identity as the neighbourhood kid you don’t mess with was defined, and led, by Byfuglien.

He was virtually untouchable.

If this team is going to make the playoffs now, it’s going to have to do it the hard way.

There will be no backing in through a door opened by somebody else, no taking advantage of other teams’ injuries.

Just the challenge to overcome their own.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.07.2015


Injuries slam Jets again with Byfuglien, Little on the shelf

By Paul Friesen, Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Friday, March 06, 2015 12:31 PM CST | Updated: Friday, March 06, 2015 06:47 PM CST

The Winnipeg Jets have been hit hard by the injury bug once again.

All-star defenceman Dustin Byfuglien is out two to four weeks, while No. 1 centre Bryan Little will miss five to seven days, maybe even all of a four-game road trip that begins in Nashville, Saturday.

Head coach Paul Maurice delivered the double-whammy of bad news after Friday’s practice.

“You are the sum of your parts,” Maurice said. “So your parts maybe aren’t as talented as they were. But that doesn’t’ mean the sum can’t be as good.”

Byfuglien and Little were hurt in Wednesday’s home-ice loss to Ottawa, although Little finished the game and will get on a plane to Nashville today.

“Bryan Little’s going to make the trip,” Maurice said. “I don’t expect him (to play) for the front end of that. and it may be longer than this trip. There’s a chance he plays toward the end of it, and there’s a chance he doesn’t.”

With Byfuglien out, the Jets lose their most intimidating player.

But Maurice says Little might be even more difficult to replace.

“We’ve been comfortable with he and Andrew (Ladd) just being in our lineup the whole time. And that becomes a bigger problem in terms of what it does, what you look like up front, in terms of who fills that hole, your options at centre ice.”

Ladd also missed Friday’s practice, but he’s expected to play tomorrow, likely on a line with Adam Lowry and Michael Frolik.

Mark Scheifele skated with Blake Wheeler and Drew Stafford.

The Jets have called up Eric O’Dell from St. John’s to be the fourth centre.

Adam Pardy will take Byfuglien’s spot alongside Jay Harrison on the blue line.

Defenceman Mark Stuart left practice after taking a puck to his face, but Maurice was hopeful he won’t miss any games.

The Jets go into the road trip with a shaky, two-point grip on the last wildcard playoff spot in the NHL West.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.07.2015

768657 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks can't get too comfortable -- that's when they fail

BY IAIN MACINTYRE, VANCOUVER SUNMARCH 6, 2015

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Vancouver Canucks do not do “comfortable” well. They’ve lost the muscle memory of how to run at the front of the pack. When they’re satisfied, they lose. When they’re desperate, they win.

The Canucks were comfortable when the work week began. Fortunately, they’ve now rid themselves of that affliction and again are looking over their shoulders. Losing two games in March will do that, especially when the teams behind you are running the table.

The Canucks’ dramatic 6-5 shootout win Sunday against the powerful St. Louis Blues gave Vancouver a five-point cushion in the Pacific Division playoff race, their biggest buffer since November. The Canucks were a solid second in the division. There was daylight between them and the chasing Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks had only to hold off any two of those three teams to qualify directly for the Stanley Cup tournament and avoid the wild-card minefield in the Western Conference.

Players and management spoke optimistically about the team’s potential to advance in the playoffs, not just make them. No moves were made at Monday’s National Hockey League trade deadline — a show of confidence.

Several key players who were injured had one foot back in the lineup. More good news. Too much good news.

In a span of 50 hours, the Canucks were thumped 6-2 by the Sharks and, on Thursday, beaten 3-2 in a shootout by the Arizona Coyotes, who had merely lost 10 straight games before that. And Vancouver, atrocious in the first period and down 2-0 late in the third, was lucky to get a point, enabled only by the brilliant work of goalie Eddie Lack.

And while this was happening to the Canucks, the Flames rallied in Boston to beat the Bruins in a shootout and the Kings rallied at home to beat the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout and the Sharks, resting after beating Montreal and Vancouver on consecutive nights, watched gleefully.

The Flames, Kings and Sharks were a combined 6-0 since Sunday — Calgary played in Detroit Friday night — and the Canucks are 0-1-1.

The Canucks should have displayed urgency on Thursday, not complacency.

“Yeah, they should have,” Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said after Friday’s practice in San Jose. “And they know that. Like, they know that. Whatever a guy tells them, they know they should have been better. It’s tough. You’re all accountable for how you play and what you do. At the end of the season, they don’t want to look back at that game. And if they don’t want to look back at it and worry about it, we better play good from here on in. That’s the only way we can make up for it.”

Tonight is probably a good time to start. The Sharks, seven points behind the Canucks and looking dead in the water on Sunday, can move within two of Vancouver with a win here tonight.

Suddenly, nothing feels comfortable.

“This game was going to be important no matter what happened (in Arizona); there’s no difference for us,” captain Henrik Sedin said. “For our team, we’ve played our best hockey against the best teams. That’s why I’m excited to be playing these teams in the next couple of weeks — L.A. and Anaheim and San Jose. I think it’s good for us.”

The Canucks, who open a four-game homestand against the division-leading Anaheim Ducks on Monday, have beaten 13 of the top 15 teams in the NHL this season. But they’ve also lost to four of the stinky six teams that have dropped off the back of the NHL peloton and are trying instead to win the Connor McDavid draft sweepstakes.

“We’ve been through this so many times this year, finding so many different ways to lose,” Canucks winger Jannik Hansen said. “And we’ve always managed to put it behind us and focus on the next game. We can analyze or do whatever you want about that game (against the Coyotes), but we can’t get any more points from it.”

Defenceman Luca Sbisa, who spent the last four seasons in Anaheim, conceded his new team is much less consistent than his old one. He compared the Canucks with the Swiss national team, where he’s a regular.

“We’re an underdog team most of the time, so when we play against Canada, the U.S., Russia, all those teams, we know we have to be good,” Sbisa said. “But you play against Norway, Denmark, Latvia and Belarus, teams we’re expected to beat, and it’s tough and we don’t go into those games with the same mentality.”

Sedin said it was “unbelievable” how the Canucks gave away the puck against the Coyotes and called the game one of the worst he has played in 10 years.

But none of the Canucks canvassed Friday believes the team lost urgency because it gained a cushion in the playoff race.

“If that game against the Coyotes had happened a month ago, the same thing would have happened,” Sbisa said. “You hate to admit it, but you don’t go into those games with the same mindset as you do against a top team. I think every time we have to win games against good teams in tough situations, most of the times we’ve come through. And I’m very confident that we’ll do it again.”

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Matthias wings it, Vey gets it, Kenins sits as Canucks seek urgency against Sharks

March 6, 2015. 4:19 pm •

Ben Kuzma

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Shawn Matthias back on wing, Linden Vey back from purgatory and Ronalds Keninis back to reality.

In what looks more like a playoff-ready lineup — one that will be bolstered when Brad Richardson returns from an ankle injury — the Vancouver Canucks talked Friday about getting their heads and their games into postseason mode as they prepare to face the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Good teams rarely lose to bad teams and that’s the psychological hurdle the Canucks must clear to maintain a playoff position. They won’t have any problem getting up against the Sharks — 3-2 and 3-1 victories here earlier this season were the product of Ryan Miller making 34 and 31 saves respectively — but sustainability has been an issue. Losses to Arizona, Buffalo and New Jersey in the last two weeks are more than just minor irritants, they are a major concern.

The Canucks fought back for a point in a shootout loss Thursday to the Coyotes on the strength of Eddie Lack’s 33-save performance, but the game exposed another slow start, another poor power-play effort and perhaps some mental fragility. After a 4-2 home-ice loss to the Sharks on Tuesday, you’d think motivation wouldn’t have been a problem two days later.

“They should have (had urgency) and they know that,” said Canucks coach Willie Desjardins. “They know they should have been better. You’re all accountable and you don’t want to look back at the end of the season and worry about it. If they don’t want to look back and worry about it, then we better play better from here on in. That’s the only way we can make up for it.

“A lot of it is mental. It’s finding your way. If you’re at 90 per cent, you’re not going to win. You have to get pucks to the net. On one shift in a 1:20 span (Thursday), we turned it (puck) over six times and if we take it to the net, something happens. We have to manage the puck better.”

At Friday’s practice, Desjardins moved Matthias from centre to wing between Nick Bonino and Radim Vrbata, he put Vey between Chris Higgins and Alex Burrows after the centre was scratched Thursday and had Derek Dorsett back with Bo Horvat and Jannik Hansen. Bonino didn’t skate Friday and Higgins left practice early, but both could play Saturday. It means Keninis sits because after a great initial spurt and his infectious hard-hitting enthusiasm, he has one goal in his last 10 games and 10 points (3-7) in 16 games since being recalled. Others have struggled, too, but a more veteran lineup should bring a higher panic threshold. And there should be more pressure on Vey because Kenins hasn’t been that bad and his compete level is high. The leash is shorter now on the 23-year-old Vey, who has one goal in his last nine games, yet it has been yanked on Kenins.

“He hasn’t played as well the last three games and he was so good early,” Desjardins said of the 24-year-old Kenins. “That’s the tough part for a young guy. Sometimes you get in and get a little comfortable and want to do a little more and maybe he’s trying to do a little bit too much right now.”

That would be putting himself out of position to run at the opposition and being a defensive liability. The Canucks can’t afford that in this stretch drive and that was hammered home before they took the ice Friday.

“It’s playoff hockey now,” said Matthias. “We addressed some issues in our meeting and now it’s time to execute. We can’t be worried about the past and we just have to get ready and use that as motivation. We’ve got 18 games left and we need each and every guy to be at this best — that was the message. We have to compete and play as a team.”

A natural centre, moving Matthias to wing is nothing new for Vancouver coaches. John Tortorella did the same early last season with Ryan Kesler, believing he’d be better coming off the wall for scoring chances than the demands of playing a strong two-way game down the middle. But as a prime shutdown centre, the experiment didn’t last. With Matthias, it might be different and help build on his 16 goals.

“It was a little bit of a struggle at the start of the year to adjust to it, but I like playing wing,” he said. “I feel comfortable there and it fits in with my style of

our game and our system. With how I like to drive to the net with my speed and catch the puck and take it hard to the net, I’ll get more looks at wing than centre. It suits me for attacking with speed and getting in on the forecheck quickly.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.07.2015


Canucks Hat Trick: Lack struts stuff against Coyotes, but does Markstrom need a start soon?

March 6, 2015. 8:01 am •

Steve Ewen

Here are three things we’re thinking after the Canucks stumbled to a 3-2 shootout loss to the Coyotes Thursday.

1. After giving up five goals to both the Sabres and the Blues in his last two starts, an Eddie Lack bounce-back was crucial. You can fault him on not blocking the pass out from behind the net on the Coyotes’ first goal, but he was superb other than that. Seven stops in overtime? The vast majority of those point-blank chances? He was the reason Vancouver picked up a point.

Which begs the question: when do you go back to Jacob Markstrom in the Vancouver net? How long do you want him to sit idle after the eight-minute, three-goal, four-shot outing against San Jose? The longer he waits, the more he stews, the worse it is.

And he’s not some stop-gap guy holding the fort as Lack’s backup until Ryan Miller is ready again. Markstrom is touted as a chunk of this team’s future.

The Canucks visit San Jose Saturday and then are home to Anaheim Monday. Massive divisional showdowns. Then comes another Pacific rival, Los Angeles, next Thursday at Rogers Arena. Then it’s Toronto at home next Saturday. A national TV showcase?

And Lack seems to have found his game again.

After that, it’s Philadelphia in Vancouver on March 17. That will be two weeks from Markstrom’s last start. That’s a long, long time for him to wait.

If you're Willie Desjardins, do you start Jacob Markstrom prior to the March 17 game against Philly?

Yes. He needs a chance to show what he can do after the San Jose game.No. The team is in a playoff hunt and Eddie Lack is the guy.

2. The stats sheet tagged Vancouver with eight giveaways.

That’s on the night.

Yes, we thought that was overtime alone.

Can we mention again how good Lack was?

Chris Higgins (background) scores a goal against Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes Thursday, just his second of the calendar year. (Ross D. Franklin, AP)

Chris Higgins (background) scores a goal against Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes Thursday, just his second of the calendar year. (Ross D. Franklin, AP)

3. Chris Higgins’s goal was his first in 17 games and his second since the calendar turned to 2015. He does have points in three straight games. Maybe he’s starting to right the ship.

He’s at eight goals in 63 games, after getting 17 last year, 10 in 41 games in 2012-13 and 18 the campaign before that.

He’s one of several guys who needs to figure it out down the stretch.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.07.2015

768660 Websites

ESPN / Now with Blues, Olli Jokinen ready to take it to Predators

By Pierre LeBrun

TORONTO -- No, one doesn't suspect there will be a video montage honoring Olli Jokinen's two-week sojourn with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

But isn't it indeed ironic that the 36-year-old center will be making his St. Louis Blues debut here in Toronto, where he parked himself temporarily after a trade from the Nashville Predators on Feb. 15?

The irony that Jokinen especially appreciates is that he's now on the team that's chasing his old Predators club in the Central Division standings.

"Yeah, absolutely. I really liked my time in Nashville. It was a good team and a great bunch of guys," Jokinen said Friday after practice at Air Canada Centre. "It felt like a punch in the stomach when I got traded because I wasn't really expecting that was going to happen, you know? Now, I'm on the team that, when I was in Nashville, this was the team that they were keeping an eye on, St. Louis and Chicago. Those were the key teams when I was in Nashville; when we played against them they were four-point games. Now, I'm on the other side of it. Yeah, I don't think Nashville would have made this trade [to St. Louis] a few weeks ago."

The Blues have themselves a motivated player in Jokinen, disappointed the Predators moved him and now licking his lips at the opportunity at hand with the Blues.

Leafs general manager Dave Nonis told Jokinen after the Feb. 15 trade with Nashville that he would try to find a spot for Jokinen on a contender.

"I really respect Dave," Jokinen said of the Leafs GM. "He was a man of his word. Obviously, you need two teams to make the trade, but they could've done anything: They [the Leafs] could've put me in the minors, they could've told me to stay home. 'We just ate your salary.' It was a very respectful move by Dave. He handled it very well."

Jokinen was hoping for, but not banking on, a trade.

"I'm a pretty smart guy -- it's not like my stats are that good and that there would be teams lining up to make a trade," said Jokinen, now on his 10th NHL team. "I was very excited that there was one team that needed that depth. It worked out well for me."

It was only two weeks but it was fascinating to hear Jokinen's take on the Leafs.

"I have to say, I've been in New York, I've been a lot of nice places, but nobody's got a setup like Toronto with the locker rooms and everything," Jokinen said. "It was amazing to see in two weeks. Everything's first class. It would be actually a great place to play."

Which is interesting to hear when you consider how his former Leafs teammates seem to think it's a burden to play here.

Asked specifically to point out what made the Leafs' "setup" so special, Jokinen dove into the details.

"Everything is top notch," Jokinen said. "You got cold tubs, hot tub saunas. It's not those metal ones. It’s the built-in ones. Big gyms. … All the staff, team service guys, all the trainers, they're unbelievable guys. It's not just the players; it's the staff around the team. I feel really bad for them -- it's a good group of people. Everybody says it's like the New York Yankees in baseball playing in Toronto. I liked the two weeks. I don't know why the free agents don't want to sign here. Maybe it's because of you guys."

He was referring to the media, of course, although Jokinen was chuckling when he said it.

"I didn't mind you guys. I didn't mind you because I don't really pay attention to what you guys are writing and saying," he said. "The guys have tendencies when things go well, they like to go read stuff about themselves. They get in this cycle that they have to read about themselves all the time. But one [piece of] advice for the players that play in a Canadian market, or any market: At the end of the day, all that matters is what the coaches say, management says and your teammates. That's it. And your wife. I think that's all you need

to do. I think here with the players, they pay too much attention what the people outside say because, at the end of the day, it shouldn't matter.

"You guys know better than any of us how it goes here. One game you score two [goals], you're a hero. Next game you're minus-2 -- things are not that good. I don't know, maybe I'm crazy enough. I kind of liked that style because you as a player, you want to be in a place that hockey matters, and at the same time, you want to be part of the good teams, too. Hopefully, they can fix things here because I think the city of Toronto deserves to have a good team, a winning team. It would be unbelievable for the league and for the sport."

Well, I pointed out to Jokinen as his media scrum wrapped out that he is an unrestricted free agent on July 1, you know.

"Yeah, I am," he smirked.

ESPN LOADED: 03.07.2015

768661 Websites

NBCSports.com / Bettman concedes there are ‘some members of the NHL family who would like to see fewer shootouts’

Jason Brough Mar 6, 2015, 1:10 PM EST

One day after Bruins coach Claude Julien became the latest to add his voice to the burgeoning anti-shootout movement — “They suck,” he said (albeit after Boston lost another one of them) — ESPN’s Craig Custance reports that NHL general managers are expected to debate the issue when they gather for meetings in Baco Raton starting March 16.

“I think there are some members of the NHL family who would like to see fewer shootouts,” commissioner Gary Bettman told Custance. “We’re not hearing that from fans. Fans like the way the game is. That’s something we’re going to discuss. I’m not sure anybody is ready to make a change.”

Bettman has long maintained his support for the shootout, pointing in the past to “research that we do on a regular basis” that “tells us overwhelmingly our fans like” the tie-breaking procedure.

But that hasn’t stopped Brian Burke from calling it a “circus stunt” or John Tortorella from labeling it a “gimmick” that “should be out of the league.”

Players such as Milan Lucic have also wondered if 3-on-3 overtime, like they’re trying this season in the AHL, might be a better way to settle more games.

As Custance notes, “Through March 3, just 5.6 percent of the AHL’s games have been decided in the shootout. That’s down from 15.6 percent last season when the AHL mirrored the NHL’s rules.”

In contrast, there have been 135 shootouts (14.0 percent of games) this season in the NHL.

NBCSports.com / LOADED: 03.07.2015

768662 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Five things we learned Friday in the NHL

MIKE JOHNSTON MARCH 6, 2015, 11:58 PM

Devan Dubnyk continued his unbelievable hot streak with the Wild, the Oilers continued to struggle on the road despite a brilliant effort from Ben Scrivens, Tyler Ennis got his 200th NHL point, Frederik Andersen had a rough second period and the Blue Jackets did the Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, Coyotes, Oilers and Sabres a favour by beating the Devils (read: McDavid sweepstakes).

On what turned out to being anything but a quiet Friday night in the NHL, here are five more things we learned.

Thursday’s shootout win over the Bruins showed the Calgary Flames have a flashy side. Friday’s 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on the other hand showcased their resolve. After going down 2-0 early, the Flames clawed back and outworked the Red Wings to picked up a third straight victory on what’s turning out to be a successful Eastern Conference road trip – they’re 4-2 with the only hiccups being hard-fought, one-goal losses to the Rangers and Islanders.

The Flames are 3-0 since the trade deadline and look like a group galvanized by the season-ending injury their captain, Mark Giordano, suffered last week. Bob Hartley’s group is now tied with the Vancouver Canucks for second in the Pacific Division. It’s not just that the Flames are winning, it’s the way in which they’re winning that’s most impressive.

Roger Millions on Twitter

‘Hamburglar’ delivers on hamburger night

After Andrew Hammond allowed two goals on the first five shots the Buffalo Sabres offered him Friday, we thought for a second we jinxed the streaking Ottawa Senators goalie after giving you the 411 on the man setting the NHL on fire.

Instead, the 27-year-old showed poise after a poor start and ended up leading the Sens to yet another win and joining some elite company in the process – on hamburger night no less!

NHL Public Relations on Twitter

Justin Abdelkader is an underappreciated contributor

Gustav Nyquist was selected 121st overall in 2008, Pavel Datsyuk went 171st in 1998 and Henrik Zetterberg went 210th in 1999. That’s all you really need to know about the Red Wings’ ability to find forward talent deep in drafts. Outside of locating these hidden gems, one reason Ken Holland’s team is such a consistently effective team is the fact they always manage to fill their roster with impressive role players as well. Justin Abdelkader is one of these players and he scored the only two goals for his team in a losing effort against the Flames. Abdelkader is having a career year and looks great playing on the second line with Zetterberg and newly acquired Erik Cole. That’s a positive sign heading into the post-season if you’re a Red Wings fan. Prior to Friday, the Red Wings were 7-0-0 all-time when Abdelkader scored at least two goals in a game.

Having expensive tickets isn’t always worth it

If you could afford front-row tickets to an NHL game, you’d take advantage, right? Well, after seeing what happened to one woman during the first period of the Blackhawks-Oilers game, you might re-think where you choose to sit in an arena.

“I’d rather have my nose bleeding than my head bleeding,” joked Blackhawks fan Alexis Bovard in reference to her seats after she suffered a cut on her head while attending her first ever NHL game.

Lindback with grand larceny…make that ‘Larsson-y’

The Buffalo Sabres’ season is a wash – it has been since mid-October if we’re being honest – but that doesn’t mean the players aren’t giving it their all when they lace up the skates. They gave up a 2-0 lead, losing 3-2 to the Senators Friday, but Anders Lindback (with some help from winger Johan Larsson) made this excellent second-effort stick save to rob Matt Puempel of a goal.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.07.2015

768663 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Ryan Kesler: ‘Hockey players have feelings too’

MIKE JOHNSTON MARCH 6, 2015, 7:05 PM

There were 43 players dealt on NHL trade deadline day earlier this week and Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler says he knows about all the anxieties those men are feeling.

Last June, Kesler and a third-round pick were traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the Ducks for Nick Bonino, Luca Sbisa, first- and third-round picks.

“I wanted a trade out of Vancouver [last] off-season for several reasons. That’s no disrespect to the fans, my teammates, or Canucks ownership, but I think both sides needed a change,” Kesler explained in an op-ed piece he wrote for the Players’ Tribune Friday called The 30-Year-Old Rookie. “I’ve got three kids at home. I just wanted a more normal life for them away from the rink. Playing in Canada can be a fishbowl not just for players but for families, too. That said, this was really hard.

“I know you read that all the time, but Vancouver was my home since I was 19. I grew up with Kevin Bieksa, Alex Burrows, and the Sedins. These guys will always be my close friends. One day you wake up and you realize, Wow, I’m really leaving my buddies. It’s weird because I spent all summer preparing for a move, but when I actually got the call from my agent that I was headed to Anaheim, a little bit of anxiety rushed in.”

Kesler is a polarizing figure in the NHL. If he’s on your team you love him, but if you have to play against him you hate the guy. Off the ice, however, things aren’t as simple.

From the Players’ Tribune:

“My first thought [after being traded] was: Sunshine. ‘Shorts and flip-flops. Nice.’ My second thought was: ‘Getzlaf and Perry. Interesting,’” Kesler said. “Then came a rush of really complicated thoughts: ‘How am I going to tell my six-year-old daughter that she has to say goodbye to her best friends? What happens with my Canadian bank account? How do those taxes work? Where do I live? How do you even move furniture and stuff?’

“I had spent my entire career in Vancouver. I probably called my agent 20 times that week with some variation of, ‘Uh, Kurt, this is really embarrassing, but how do I do [this thing]?’

“This is the part in every article where a bunch of people write comments like, ‘Hey, you guys are millionaires! Just shut up!’ … But hockey players have feelings, too. Or at least our families do.”

“I remember the moment when it hit me hardest – I had to break the news to my four-year-old son that we were moving to the U.S. He was born in Canada. It’s all he knows. He loves to sing the national anthem before my games. When I realized that he only knew the words to O Canada, I got a little choked up.”

Kesler is in the midst of his best season since his Selke Trophy-winning campaign in 2010-11. The Olympic silver medallist says it took him a while to adjust to his new team – especially considering his longtime rivalry with Corey Perry.

“I’ll never forget the feeling of that first day at training camp, though. There I am, a 30-year-old man, and it felt like the first day of school,” Kesler added. “Everybody knows that I’m a talker. I love to chirp. I love to keep things loose. But that first week, I sat there, getting dressed, not saying a peep…Pro-tip for the guys who just got moved at the deadline: Don’t come into the locker room guns blazing. Don’t try to make any jokes the first week. Feel the room out first. Be respectful.”

Judging by the fact the Ducks are the top team in the NHL through 66 games, things are going as well as Kesler could have imagined.

“We’re a big, heavy team who loves to grind, which is perfect for my style. It’s a lot easier to line up on the same side as Getzy and Perry. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t strange how it’s all worked out.”


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Sportsnet.ca / 30 Thoughts: P.K. Subban now at another level

ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN MARCH 6, 2015, 2:03 PM

In NFL circles, they call it “The Body Bag Game.”

Washington vs. Philadelphia, Nov. 12, 1990. Philly coach Buddy Ryan had a brutal defence, led by Reggie White, Seth Joyner and the late Jerome Brown. With two quarterbacks already out of the lineup, Washington only dressed Jeff Rutledge and Stan Humphries at the spot.

The Eagles mangled their opponents that evening, as at least five of them were carried off the field. That included both quarterbacks, with running back Brian Mitchell eventually having to take over the position.

It was so bad, The Washington Post reported Eagles players were yelling, “You guys are going to need an extra bus just to carry all the stretchers!” And, “Do you guys need any more body bags?” (Hence the nickname.)

The NFL changed some rules after that carnage. If a team had only two quarterbacks dressed on its 45-man roster, a third would be allowed to suit up, “but if he enters the game during the first three quarters, the other two quarterbacks are thereafter prohibited from playing.”

Later, the league dropped the prohibition and allowed 46 active players.

Watching Roberto Luongo and Al Montoya both get injured during Florida’s 3-2 loss to Toronto reminded me of that game. The circumstances aren’t completely similar (there was no intent to injure), but the effect on the afflicted team was the same.

Just like Joe Gibbs watched helplessly as his team fell behind, Gerard Gallant steamed as an injured Montoya gamely tried his best to man the position. His tremendous effort was not rewarded, as Peter Holland scored the winning goal.

What really stood out, though, was the craziness around the Panthers bench. Derek MacKenzie and Scottie Upshall went back to put on the goalie equipment. Luongo showed up in his street clothes, going back into the game after a trip to the hospital. GM Dale Tallon angrily storming around the hallway. Watching on TV from a restaurant near Anaheim, I couldn’t figure out why Gallant and Tallon were so furious.

As we now know, the team had a plan in case this extreme situation occurred, dressing goalie coach Robb Tallas. The former NHLer did this two years ago when one Panther netminder went down, so there was precedence and protocol. This time, however, there was a problem. The league did not immediately approve Tallas to play.

You can’t blame the coach and GM for losing it. Those minutes must have seemed like hours. You’re sitting there, an unlikely playoff chaser, one win away from tying the Boston Bruins for the final spot. Your opponent is on a 16-game road losing streak. It’s tied. You’ve got to like your chances.

One goalie goes down. Another goalie goes down. You’ve got a plan, but you’re not allowed to use it. Aaaaaaaargh!

The craziest thing was thinking how much time and effort the NHL has put into Florida. Through all the ownership changes and local challenges, the league’s done everything it can think of to make things work.

A surprise run to the playoffs is the best-case 2014-15 scenario for the Panthers. Imagine if they miss by two points?

Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported the league will look at this at the GM meetings starting March 16.

It’s an easy fix. Just like the NFL did, add an extra spot to the lineup sheet. List an emergency goalie, someone who only dresses in case of injury. The Panthers found a way to laugh at the predicament, creating a fan contest to fill the position.

It’s a marketing home run, but you know the hockey operations guys are gritting their teeth. Teams have found replacements before. Make them official, and no important in-game time gets wasted.

30 THOUGHTS

1. Does anyone else think the Las Vegas expansion team gets announced at the NHL Awards?

2. Everyone’s weighed in on what happened with Dion Phaneuf, so allow two more theories. First, there wasn’t enough time for the Maple Leafs and Red Wings to put together such a complex deal on short notice. Second, the Braydon Coburn trade changed everything. Whatever the two teams may have considered, that was altered by Philadelphia’s return for the non-rental defenceman (Radko Gudas, a first-round pick and a third-rounder).

Toronto considers Phaneuf a better player than Coburn, so it would look at that return and say, “We’ve got to have at least that.” Coburn’s contract is nowhere near as onerous as Phaneuf’s, though.

3. My guess is the pre-Coburn plan centred around Phaneuf, Stephen Weiss and Brendan Smith. The Maple Leafs understood they’d have to take Weiss’s contract to make it work. Smith makes sense because, like the Toronto captain, he’s a left-shot. He’s also due for a raise so adding salary means someone has to go.

There were reports the Maple Leafs asked for Anthony Mantha, but I’m not sure that was a major sticking point.

You should ask high, understanding your trade partner will probably say no. The bigger issue might be draft picks. GM Ken Holland made it very clear he wasn’t trading his first-rounder and their second went to Nashville in the David Legwand trade. So, any draft considerations would have had to wait until 2016. If the two teams want to re-visit this after the season, some groundwork has been done.

No doubt Toronto will try to see if anyone who loses in the playoffs decides Phaneuf can help them.

4. The whole situation in Toronto this week brought back memories of Montreal in 2009, when the newspaper La Presse reported a few players had ties to organized crime. Hockey Night in Canada did a game in Pittsburgh the night before the story broke. The Canadiens were looking for reporters after the game, quietly asking if they knew who was going to be mentioned and what was going to be said.

Some of them were really scared and others were furious. It was like wildfire burning out of control. On top of everything else, the frustration of not being traded compounded the situation for some of the Maple Leafs. The season is ending terribly, you feel under siege, some idiot makes a Twitter accusation and it’s like Southwest Airlines — “Wanna Get Away?”

It’s an ugly, ugly combination. Bob Gainey cleaned house that summer to start fresh. He had many free agents, so it was easier to do so. But Toronto is going to try.

5. The salary cap floor is $51M. Right now, Toronto is committed to spending almost $51.5 million on players who are not in their NHL lineup. They are Nathan Horton ($26 million, won’t play again), Mikhail Grabovski $14.3 million (compliance buyout), Tim Gleason $5.3 million (regular buyout), Mike Komisarek $2.3 million (compliance buyout), Colton Orr $925,000 (in AHL), Matt Frattin $800,000 (in AHL), Frazer McLaren $700,000 (in AHL), Troy Bodie $600,000 (in AHL), Carl Gunnarsson $400,000 (retained salary in trade) and Daniel Winnik, approximately $160,000 (retained salary in trade).

Komisarek, Orr, McLaren, Bodie and Winnik come off the books in July. You can’t say ownership isn’t willing to help.

6. Chicago’s Patrick Sharp also defended himself against ugly Internet rumours that popped up amidst reports he was going to be traded. Sharp’s contract carries a clause that, if the Blackhawks want to trade him, they can ask for 10 places he will go to and he must submit within 48 hours, or he can be sent anywhere.

That didn’t happen. What is possible is the team got calls — from Washington, among them — but never took it to Sharp, because the ask was high and potential partners didn’t like the request. It is believed, for example, the price for the Capitals included Joel Ward and a first-rounder, too much for their taste. Chicago is going all out to win again before the Kane and Toews extensions kick-in, so don’t be surprised if this is re-visited in the summer.

7. When you look at the cost of rentals, it shouldn’t be surprising Tampa paid that price for Coburn. At the 2013 NHL Draft, Edmonton thought it was getting Coburn for three second-round draft picks, only to have then-Flyers GM Paul Holmgren change his mind at the last minute.

Holmgren, who acquired the defender from Atlanta, has great affinity for him. At his best, Coburn could really skate with the puck. Whatever the reason

(confidence, injuries), he’s struggled with that. If the Lightning can get him back to that level, he’s going to be a big help.

8. There’s no doubt Tampa looked at how it lost Richard Panik on waivers and felt there was no way to allow the same possibility with Brett Connolly. They’ve developed so many good young forwards there just isn’t room for them all. There were a few GMs disappointed they didn’t get a chance to make the same offer Boston did. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bryan Murray was one of them. Connolly is exactly the kind of player the Senators are looking for.

9. Look at Boston’s right wing: Connolly (once he gets healthy), Loui Eriksson, David Pastrnak and Reilly Smith. Eriksson and Smith shoot left, but there’s no way those four guys are all on that side for the Bruins next season, is there?

10. Thought the Bruins played it smart. They made a mistake on the Tyler Seguin trade. Why compound it with another short-term move, especially when this is not going to be their year? If I was either Peter Chiarelli or Claude Julien, I’d let a Stanley Cup, a second Finals berth and last year’s Presidents’ Trophy speak. Let the chips fall where they may.

11. Received an interesting note from a source who indicated that last June he’d heard the Islanders offered the fifth overall selection in the draft to Arizona for Keith Yandle. Both teams denied that, but when you pencil in how things would be different, it’s better for both organizations it never happened.

If the Islanders get Yandle and Dan Boyle (who they also wanted), they don’t acquire Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy and the Coyotes don’t receive the extra picks and prospects from the Rangers. Apparently, it was a Glen Sather phone call three days before the deadline that ignited Yandle talks.

12. Arizona could not trade Martin Erat because there was no more space to retain salary. Teams can retain three, with the Coyotes maxed out on Zbynek Michalek, David Rundblad and Keith Yandle. Someone snickered when I mentioned Rundblad, but the draft pick obtained with his move to Chicago became Christian Dvorak. He’s having a huge year with OHL London.

13. One appreciative Coyote on Michalek: “He played through injuries that made you shake your head and respect him even more.”

14. The goalie market this summer is going to be fascinating. It’s no secret Ottawa planned to make some kind of Craig Anderson/Robin Lehner decision. Lehner’s disappointing season muddles that because they can’t be certain he’s a full-time starter. And, what does his performance do to his trade value?

Andrew Hammond’s sudden surge adds an interesting variable. This is too small a sample size to make any sweeping judgments, but, if you’re the Senators, which one do you try to trade? If Anderson gets you the most, will you go into 2015-16 with a Hammond/Lehner combo?

15. From the outside, there is a growing belief Toronto isn’t ready to make a full-time financial commitment to Jonathan Bernier. They’ve dipped their toes in the water on him, seeing what’s out there. Logic suggests San Jose would be a fit, but another exec suggested the Sharks will wait to see every available option before choosing whom to pursue.

There have been several reports of the Oilers heavily scouting Bernier and James Reimer, but, again, it does not look like they are Edmonton’s first choice. The Oilers were also in the Antti Raanta race when he first came to North America, but word is they aren’t interested in re-visiting that idea, either.

16. Teams also warn not to count out San Jose among teams interested in NCAA goalie Matt O’Connor. Sharks director of scouting Tim Burke lives in Massachusetts. Short commute.

17. The more you look into it, the more you get the impression Anaheim will have the most influence in these conversations. The Ducks have Frederik Andersen and John Gibson, young talents who both look like number ones. They’ll see how the playoffs go before making any kind of decision, and what complicates matters for other teams is it makes sense for GM Bob Murray to wait another year. (I tried to ask Murray about it this week but he wasn’t biting.)

Andersen and Gibson each have one more season before their contracts end, at a combined $1.9 million. That kind of cost certainty is extremely valuable for a budget team. I could see Buffalo, Edmonton, San Jose, Toronto and others all interested in what this team does.

18. The Sabres are expected to look at some youthful options, but if they chase a veteran, it’s believed they have interest in unrestricted free agent

Antti Niemi. If that doesn’t work, would Kari Lehtonen be a fit? Lindy Ruff is going to have a stroke if this continues and Jim Nill talked in this space about how difficult Lehtonen finds the adjustment on a better defensive team as opposed to a porous one. He could could help the Sabres, because while Buffalo hopes to improve, it’s unlikely they would be airtight.

19. Mikhail Grigorenko is expected to get time between Marcus Foligno and Brian Gionta this weekend, and plenty of minutes for the rest of the season. His entry level contract is up this summer, and this is going to be a fascinating negotiation. No doubt the Sabres are happier with his effort, but he’s still not where anyone hoped he’d be as an offensive player.

Something to look for: in the defensive zone, does he go get the puck himself, or does he play a little higher, hoping someone gets it to him?

20. For me, Anaheim was the most interesting deadline team. They made a lot of changes for a group that was within two points of the NHL lead. But, after going there for two days, it was clear executives, coaches and players thought it was a mirage.

“There’s no question we are better now,” Francois Beauchemin said. “Our goalies were bailing us out,” a teammate said.

The Ducks thought they handled the heavier opponents, but were rag-dolled by the speed demons. It went back to last year’s playoff series against Dallas, and continued through this season, with a particularly bad performance last month in a 4-1 home loss to Tampa.

21. Once Korbinian Holzer and James Wisniewski get healthy enough to play, that will make 16 defencemen to dress for Anaheim this season — with nine potentially available on any given night. Wisniewski isn’t known for his speed, but the Ducks wanted him because of his shot. He’s got a good one, and they don’t feel anyone else on the blueline gives them a similar weapon.

22. Bob Murray did share some excitement over the acquisition of Simon Despres. He said he was going to draft Despres in 2009 with an early second-round draft pick (37th overall), but the Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup that season, grabbed him with the final selection of the first round. A lefty shot, Despres played the right side in his first game for Anaheim. Not sure they want that to continue.

23. I had some interesting conversations with Eastern Conference teams about Pittsburgh and Montreal. Post-deadline, the Penguins blueline combos in Colorado were Kris Letang/Paul Martin, Ben Lovejoy/Derrick Pouliot and Ian Cole/Rob Scuderi.

When we did a Pittsburgh game in Edmonton last month, coach Mike Johnston was concerned about the compete level 15-20 feet in front of the opposition net. Were his players willing to battle in the greasy areas to score? Opponents are more curious about the other end. That defence will move the puck very well, but if trapped in their own end, will need that same battle level, especially from back-checking forwards. It is not a heavy group.

24. Johnston’s other concern that day was pace. There are some quick teams in the East and he thought they were falling behind. Right-shooting David Perron likes to play the left side, but was temporarily sent to Sidney Crosby’s starboard.

He said, “I played with Taylor Hall, but there is something” about Crosby’s first steps through the neutral zone that make him even faster. Perron explained that the extra half-second it takes to accept a pass on the off-wing slowed him down just enough to upset the line. Patric Hornqvist’s return has him back there, so it’s something to monitor.

25. One Eastern Conference executive: “P.K. Subban is so much better a defenceman now than when he won the Norris Trophy. It’s not even close.”

In fact, he (and others) believe Subban isn’t getting enough consideration for this year’s award.

26. Subban’s great improvement is in using his stick to break up plays, and knowing when to carry the puck up ice as opposed to supporting the rush. The Canadiens prefer their defencemen to support it, because, if a defender is doing so, it usually means forwards have to stop or slow down to accommodate a later arrival.

Subban’s gifts give him more carries than others, but he’s more judicious about it. He’s also played more 30-minute games than anyone else, and gritted through a sore foot two weeks ago when the Canadiens desperately needed it.

27. Carey Price is Carey Price. You know how hard beating him is going to be. But, after him, wearing down the Subban/Andrei Markov pairing is your top priority in a playoff series. It’s hard to hit Subban, because he’s so strong

and knows how to use his back to shield himself. Watch the Anaheim game from Wednesday. The Ducks got him a few times, and teams will look at that to see if there’s any magic to where they put the puck or situations they put him in.

In last year’s playoffs, Subban’s power created situations where opponents shied away from a hit. The desire is to come after him hard, hoping that a hit in Game 1 pays off in Game 5.

28. Michel Therrien gave his players a day off after the 4-0 loss in San Jose, then held more of a practice than a morning skate in Anaheim. Tom Gilbert told Jeff Petry not to get down on himself when he made the inevitable early mistakes switching to the Canadiens’ system, because Montreal uses its defence on the neutral-zone forecheck a bit differently than most. They are asked to challenge more, so the forwards have to be prepared to cover. (Brian Flynn and Torrey Mitchell said it was much different than Buffalo.)

29. One of Charlie Huddy’s first jobs after acquiring Tyler Myers? Getting Myers to better utilize his reach.

“He’s got an extra three feet,” the Jets’ assistant coach said. “Can he use it to pin (an attacker) on the boards, to create hesitation?”

Huddy says Myers has a habit of keeping two hands on the stick. There are times when that’s necessary, but not when you have the wingspan he does and hope to disrupt an opponent’s offence.

30. San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said this week he would not coach an NBA game in July, even if it was a Game 7.

“Count me out. Life is too short,” he told reporters.

The question came in response to an idea floated by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to extend the season into that month. Jim Rutherford, when the GM in Carolina, had the same idea for the NHL. He said it would ease the hard in-season schedule and wouldn’t affect TV audiences, because fans who want to watch the Stanley Cup would still do so.

There’s good logic to it, but there’s probably a better chance of me getting a Sharknado 3 cameo than this occurring.


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Sportsnet.ca / McDonald’s offering burgers to honour Hammond

JEFF SIMMONS MARCH 6, 2015, 4:25 PM

The Ottawa Senators have teamed with McDonald’s for a promotion to celebrate the recent success of goaltender Andrew Hammond, nicknamed the Hamburglar.

Fans who attend Friday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres will be able to redeem (using their game ticket) a free McDonald’s regular hamburger in the Ottawa area on Saturday.

The promotion is inspired by Hammond’s recent run of success. The 26-year-old has recorded six wins in his past seven starts, allowing only eight goals during that span. He was named the NHL’s first star of the week on Monday.

With Hammond’s success, Ottawa has collected nine of a possible 10 points on a recent road trip, posting a record of 4-0-1.


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Sportsnet.ca / Greatest Game: Gold in Salt Lake City

CASSIE CAMPBELL-PASCALL MARCH 6, 2015, 12:33 PM

In Sportsnet magazine’s latest digital issue, The 25 Greatest NHL Games of All Time (it’s free!), five of our insiders recall the greatest hockey game they’ve ever witnessed. Here, Cassie Campbell-Pascall remembers the Canadian women’s hockey team’s Olympic gold-medal win in 2002.

CAMPBELL

In my opinion, we had no business winning. The U.S. had beaten us eight times in a row—it was their dream team. They put a ton of money into the program and they were centralized for four years. We won one game against them that year and it happened to be the Olympic gold-medal game—even with all the penalties that were called against us.

When Jayna Hefford scored with two seconds left in the second period to put us up 3–1 for the first time against the U.S. all year, I saw a confident team and I saw a team that was gonna win. I think that goal was just, “We’re gonna do this, no matter what.” We had a lot of adversity that year. That particular game, everyone bought into their role for the first time, maybe because of the magnitude of it and the willingness to win. Heff’s goal, it gave us confidence.

We’ve ranked the 25 Greatest

NHL Games Ever Played. Get the free, digital-only edition of Sportsnet magazine on your iOS or Android device right now.

When we came into the room in the intermission between the second and third, we were positive and everything was good, but I just felt that in order to win—the U.S. was a lot better than us—I felt we needed to be mad. We needed the hatred to be even more so. That’s when I told the girls the story about the Canadian flag in the U.S. dressing room. Our team staff heard through the grapevine that the U.S. girls had the flag on the ground as they walked out of the dressing room and onto the ice, and that they were actually stepping on it. I never saw it. I have no proof. Since then I’ve talked to [former American captain] Cammi Granato and she denies it—and I believe her; she’s a great person. But I had that story in my back pocket for a few days, and that’s when I told it, during the intermission. I never thought it would be public. Our coach didn’t even speak to us; she heard me tell that story and that was it. It’s not a Herb Brooks moment, but a lot of people didn’t know about it, and I think a lot of people were upset.

What really sets that game apart is how it ignited the game in Canada for young girls. For my generation, that’s what they remember. Little boys watched that game and they knew about women’s hockey, and men watched that game and they knew about women’s hockey. I think that was the start of where women’s hockey has come to in this country.

And to me, it was the start of many gold medals for Canada. That was a tough one for the U.S. program to get over. They had done everything that they thought they could possibly do and still weren’t able to win.—As told to Kristina Rutherford


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Sportsnet.ca / Person of Interest: 411 on Andrew Hammond

MIKE JOHNSTON MARCH 6, 2015, 10:14 AM

For the past two weeks, Andrew Hammond of the Ottawa Senators has taken the NHL by storm.

In seven starts this season, the 27-year-old White Rock, B.C., native is 6-0-1 with a remarkable .957 save percentage, 1.35 goals-against average and two shutouts. He hasn’t allowed more than two goals in any game, was recently named first star of the week and has helped the Senators climb back into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

If you’re still unfamiliar with Hammond, here’s what you need to know about the streaking Sens netminder.

Age: 27

Catches: Left

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 216 pounds

Hometown: White Rock, B.C.

Drafted: Signed with Sens as undrafted free agent in 2013

Contract status: $720,000 salary. Set to become a RFA at end of season.

He had an unconventional road to the NHL

While most North American NHL goalies are developed in the Canadian Hockey League, Hammond never played major junior. Instead, after two seasons of Junior A in the British Columbia Hockey League, he elected to attend Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He spent four seasons there before signing a two-year entry level deal with Ottawa in March 2013.

He spent the 2013-14 season and the start of the 2014-15 campaign with the Binghamton Senators before being recalled in February after Craig Anderson injured his hand. When Robin Lehner went down with an upper-body injury, Hammond took the reins and hasn’t looked back.

He has a great helmet and nickname

Not only is Hammond in the midst of a near-perfect start to his NHL career, but he also sports one of the best nicknames and helmets in the league. His nickname is “Hamburglar” – yes, like the McDonald’s character – because a former college teammate said he was notorious for “for eating up pucks.”

He pays homage to that little burger and bun thief on his goalie mask.

Hamburglar

He comes from a great hockey factory

As mentioned above, Hammond didn’t have your standard journey to the NHL. The Vernon Vipers are a Junior A team out of the BCHL, but the organization has produced some serious NHL talent. Hammond went 48-29-2 in two seasons with the Vipers from 2007-2009, joining a list of alumni that includes current NHLers Mike Santorelli and Aaron Volpatti, former NHLers Dave “Tiger” Williams, Murray Baron, Rod Pelley, Bill Lindsay, Dallas Drake, plus current Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland.

Even former MLB outfielder Nyjer Morgan played for the Vipers.

He has never played this well at any level

Prior to his eight appearances this season with the Sens, Hammond’s best save percentage over the course of a full season was .917 in 29 games during his final year of college. His best GAA was 2.30 in 43 games with the Vipers in 2008-09. Obviously he wasn’t facing top competition in those seasons, which makes what he’s doing in the NHL all the more impressive.

He’s lucky he was a younger brother

In this 2011 Q & A while Hammond was still in college, he goes into detail about why he looked up to fellow goalie Jordan Sigalet – currently the goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames – and how his older brother helped shape him into the player he is today.


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Sportsnet.ca / Top NHL Draft prospects show their Leafs love

STEVE DANGLE MARCH 6, 2015, 1:01 AM

Leafs Nation isn’t the cheeriest place to be right now.

The two most popular topics of discussion involve losing as many games as possible and media scandals. In fact, it was recently revealed that Toronto is one of the top cities on NHL players’ no-no lists.

Who on earth would want to become a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

The answer: A bunch of the top picks in this upcoming draft, apparently.

I started to realize this when Mount Brydges, ON native and Kingston Frontenacs standout Lawson Crouse posted this picture on Instagram on Thursday.

Peek-a-boo

This cute, little picture reminded me of when I read about junior hockey super-phenom Connor McDavid saying that it would be a dream come true to become a Maple Leaf in this post from early February.

I'm pretty sure most Leafs fans would agree with you, Connor. It might also be worth mentioning that McDavid is from Newmarket, ON, just a short drive north of Toronto.

Shortly after I tweeted out the Lawson Crouse photo, my attention was directed to a picture that Connor McDavid's teammate and Mississauga, ON native Dylan Strome posted about two years ago when the Leafs were in their first round playoff matchup with the Boston Bruins.

Once again, Strome is another projected Top 10 draft pick in this summer's NHL Draft.

Let's not forget London Knights standout and Thornhill, Ontario native Mitchell Marner. He's another potential Top 10 pick in this summer's draft and this article from the London Free Press highlights his Leafs fandom.

Obviously Max Domi has to give him some stick for that.

So who wants to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs? Apparently the players ranked first (McDavid), fourth (Crouse), fifth (Strome), and seventh (Marner) in NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings.

You would assume there are others, as well.

This doesn't really mean anything. The Leafs might not even pick any of these guys. At this point though, I figured Leafs Nation could use a little hope.


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USA TODAY / Torey Krug, Reilly Smith signings still leave Bruins in cap quandary

By: KEVIN ALLEN 18 hours ago

Friday’s much-needed re-signings of defenseman Torey Krug and forward Reilly Smith give the Boston Bruins two fewer contractual headaches this summer.

But Krug’s new salary cap hit of $3.4 million for one season and Smith’s hit of $3.425 million for two seasons, although both reasonable and important to the team, underscore that the Bruins face more cap struggles this summer.

With those two signings, the Bruins are closing in on $60 million committed for next season with the salary cap expected to be in the $71 million to $72 million range.

The reduction in the value of the Canadian dollar threatens to reduce the salary cap by a modest amount, but even a drop of a few hundred thousand dollars could be difficult for the teams that are close to the cap ceiling.

The Bruins still need to re-sign Dougie Hamilton, who would be the fifth defenseman under contract, plus backup goalie Niklas Svedberg. Brett Connolly and Ryan Spooner are also restricted free agents.

Carl Soderberg, Adam McQuaid, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille are among the unrestricted free agents.

It seems likely that Soderberg, plus one or two of the free agents, will end up elsewhere, although there has also been some speculation that the Bruins might consider trading Loui Eriksson ($4.25 million cap hit) this summer to give themselves maneuvering room.

Much of the emphasis now is about the Bruins trying to keeping the talent they have. But the other issue is the Bruins have not performed up to expectations this season and it could be time to make significant changes.

Salary cap flexibility is needed to make over a team, and the Bruins simply don’t have that.

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YAHOO SPORTS / Three Periods: Yandle wants to act like his Broadway idol; anti-injury technology; NHL notes

Nicholas J. Cotsonika

March 5, 2015 1:27 PM

Keith Yandle was a fan of Brian Leetch growing up, and hopes to bring a bit of the Rangers legend's game to New York. (USA Today)

Nicholas J. Cotsonika’s Three Periods column appears on Thursdays. This week’s topics include how Keith Yandle fits with the New York Rangers; how NHL teams are using technology to try to reduce injuries; plus notes on the morning skate, something teams needed to avoid before the trade deadline, a good point on analytics by Brian Burke, a good point on money by Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli and one player’s trade deadline ups and downs.

Keith Yandle never hated the New York Rangers. He grew up in Boston and liked the Bruins, of course. But he was a fan of the NHL, especially of Brian Leetch, who had grown up in New England, spent a season at Boston College and gone on to Broadway.

Yandle had a banner with Leetch’s picture on it. He wore Leetch’s No. 2 until high school. He loved how Leetch generated offense as a defenseman.

“You’ve got to root for a guy like Brian Leetch, the way he plays,” he said. “Try to emulate his game a little bit.”

Now Yandle might be “the final piece,” in the words of Arizona Coyotes general manager Don Maloney, as the Rangers go for their first Stanley Cup since 1994, when Leetch won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player.

Rangers GM Glen Sather went all-in Sunday by acquiring Yandle, minor-league defenseman Chris Summers and a fourth-round pick from the Coyotes for defenseman John Moore, stud forward prospect Anthony Duclair, a first-rounder and a second-rounder.

Yandle is not Leetch. But he will try to emulate his game a little bit.

“I think he’s going to be real good,” said Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. “You can see the poise he has with the puck 5-on-5 and on the power play. He’s going to get used to the way we play here, and I’m very confident he’s going to be a real efficient player for us.”

Yandle spent nine seasons with the Coyotes. He put up as many as 11 goals and 59 points in a season and played as deep as the Western Conference final. But he heard his name in trade rumors, partly because of other teams’ interest in him, partly because of the development of the Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

The Coyotes have been awful this season. Management was looking to the future. Yandle had one year left on his contract, so he could bring more of a return than if he were a pending unrestricted free agent.

“I thought maybe if I was going to get traded,” Yandle said, “it probably would have been this year.”

The Coyotes were in Boston on Saturday night. After a 4-1 loss to the Bruins, a ninth straight defeat, the dressing room was quiet. Center Antoine Vermette fought back emotion, knowing he was about to be traded. Captain Shane Doan fought back frustration, embarrassed by the loss, upset he would be saying goodbye to teammates.

Yandle didn’t have much to say in the hallway on his way to visit family and friends. Asked if he’d spoken to Maloney, he said: “No. They do their job, and we do our jobs. There’s nothing we can do either way.”

As the Coyotes were taking off for Phoenix, Vermette spoke to Maloney and found out he had been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Coyotes weren’t sure they wanted to part with Yandle but got serious when the Rangers offered Duclair. They agreed to pay half of Yandle’s salary to get the deal done. His cap hit will be only $2.75 million for the Rangers.

Yandle heard the news Sunday, flew back across the country and played at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. He got in a practice Tuesday, flew to Detroit and then played the Red Wings on Wednesday night without a morning skate.

It isn’t an easy adjustment. Yandle has never been traded before. He has never had to adjust on the fly like this and plays the type of game that requires chemistry. But soon the Rangers should have a defenseman who will get turned around at times, who will turn over the puck at times, but who helps slot the defense better and makes things happen.

The Rangers now have three pairs with a blend of offense and defense: Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi, Yandle-Kevin Klein, Marc Staal-Dan Boyle. Vigneault can even out ice time if he wants. He has more options in more situations. Yandle and Boyle can play the points on the power play.

“We’ve got a good, balanced ‘D’ corps,” Klein said. “Any of us can play 20 minutes a game and be solid out there.”

Yandle fits a team that activates its defensemen and attacks with speed – and has Henrik Lundqvist in goal to clean up mistakes when healthy.

“It’s huge,” said Rangers center Derek Stepan. “It’s the way we want to play. As soon as he builds that chemistry with all of us, and you’re starting see it a little bit, it’s going to be really cool to see.”

SECOND PERIOD: Can a device on your back help protect your legs?

The Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers are using technology to monitor players in practice in an attempt to reduce injuries. At least six other NHL teams are interested in starting next season, said Ben Peterson, the sports performance manager at the company Catapult. Some players’ agents are interested, too.

The Sabres and the Flyers have players wear compression shirts with devices that sit between the shoulder blades underneath the pads. The devices have accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers that record 1,000 data points per second used to identify specific movement patterns. They can measure things like the strength of a skating stride or the force of a hit.

Say a graph shows a player striding with less force than usual, or a player striding with less force on one leg than the other. Analysts might be able to tell something’s wrong – fatigue, overcompensation for another injury – and take action before the player hurts his groin.

Say a player is returning from a groin injury. Analysts might be able to know more accurately when he’s back to full strength.

In a recent presentation at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Peterson said the average NHL team lost 252 man-games and $7.53 million in lost salary per season to injuries. He cited a 1999 study that found 79 percent of groin injuries were non-contact and 23.5 percent recurred – and a player was five times more likely to pull a groin during practice.

For now, NHL teams can use this technology only in practice. The Flyers have been using it for two years, the Sabres one. (Asked if they had prevented any injuries, Peterson said that was private information.)

“They basically are self-managed,” Peterson said. “We kind of like support. If they have questions, we can log on and look at stuff. But they do all the work, and they’re the ones putting in the effort and getting the value out of it.”

What about other teams?

“It really kind of started growing after this season had started, and you can imagine it’s hard to really sit down and look at this stuff during the season,” Peterson said. “So I would say we’re having active conversations during the season now with the hope of solidifying those in the off-season. I would say next season you would see a larger number.”

What about the NHL? What about games?

“We have had some very preliminary conversations about looking at stuff like that, but nothing’s been formal or finalized,” Peterson said.

THIRD PERIOD: Notes from around the NHL

— Workload was an issue in other sports at Sloan. Marshall Faulk, the retired NFL running back, said: “A lot of my talents were used up in practices, not in games.” NFL teams have cut back on practices and rearranged schedules. NBA teams have been monitoring not only minutes, but distance run. You wonder what this means for the NHL and the morning skate. NHL teams have skipped more practices and morning skates over the past three seasons, because a lockout and an Olympics compressed schedules and a new labor agreement required more off days. But the morning skate remains a tradition. If we had better workload data, would it show a benefit or detriment to performance?

— Toronto Maple Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas talked about five different kinds of bias: confirmation, recency, information, sample-size and simplicity. He said recency bias could hurt the most before the trade deadline. “You’re in a discussion with another team,” Dubas said. “They say, ‘We want Player X from you.’ We say, ‘OK, what are you going to give us?’ And they say, ‘We’ll give you Prospect A, B, or C and a fourth-round pick.’ ” So the scouts rush to an AHL city, watch the prospects and report that A was OK, B was great and C was OK. “Immediately our discussion shifts to Prospect B,” Dubas said. “We’re eliminating hundreds of games that we’ve scouted and many data points that we have, and we’re putting it on one game on Feb. 23, 2015, when we’ve watched this player for four or five years.”

— Dubas is not saying there is no need to scout. Quite the opposite. He is saying there is no need to spend time and money getting to that one game, watching that one game, getting back from that one game and discussing that one game, when you can go back through video and reports to paint a more complete picture. “We have the ability to dig deeper,” Dubas said. “That’s the greatest thing this movement so far has generated. You have to go watch players. I think what analytics will do at least in hockey is create the need for more scouts and more people out there watching the game and more people generating reports on players. Everyone seems to think it’ll make it less. I think it’ll make it more. You’re going to want more views on more players at different levels and to add that to your video system and generate more data and information.”

— Several NHL teams attended Sloan. No one shared the specifics of what his team was doing, at least not publicly. But this might have been Brian Burke’s best criticism: “We think we have the best analytics guy in hockey in Chris Snow,” said Burke, the Calgary Flames’ president of hockey operations. “We just don’t talk about what we do. These teams that go to conferences and talk about what they do with their analytics, it doesn’t make any sense to me. You might as well show them your scouting reports, too.”

— Money was a huge factor leading up to the trade deadline, as teams retained money and took back contracts to facilitate deals. Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli raised an interesting point: Teams can retain money on only three contracts at a time, so some were reluctant to do so with an eye on the off-season and a looming salary-cap crunch. “They think because of where they feel the cap’s going to be, there might be players available where they can make deals,” Chiarelli said. “They want ultimately flexibility where they can get some players but they might have to retain salary on players going out. There’s a lot of teams near or at the cap that want teams to retain money.”

— The trade deadline is a roller coaster when you’re on the market. Erik Cole heard rumblings he might not play for the Dallas Stars on Sunday night with the deadline the next day. He asked coach Lindy Ruff if they were true, because if they were, he would skip his pregame routine and spend time with his son. “No,” Ruff told him, “you’re playing.” So Cole napped, went to the rink and started warming up. He was playing soccer in the hall when Ruff approached him. “I’m taking you off the power play,” Ruff said. Cole was stunned. Ruff was joking. “No,” Ruff said, “Jim wants to see you.” Cole went off to see GM Jim Nill, who was trading him to Detroit.

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