SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 3/30/2021 Anaheim Ducks Colorado Avalanche 1207230 Ducks cannot keep up with streaking Avalanche 1207257 Avalanche dominates Ducks to extend points streak to 11 1207231 Road-weary Ducks prove no match for dominating games Avalanche 1207258 Chambers: College standouts Alex Newhook, Sampo 1207232 Ducks motivated by more than playing spoiler’s role down Ranta, Nate Clurman on path to joining Avalanche the stretch 1207259 Kiszla vs. Chambers: How crucial is No. 1 playoff seed in 1207233 ‘It was a long time coming’: Ducks’ Anthony Stolarz quiets West to Avalanche? doubters with a win and an assist 1207260 Avalanche extend point streak to 11 games with 5-2 victory over Anaheim Boston Bruins 1207261 ‘One of our best lines’: Avs third line continues to impress 1207234 Bruins rookie Zach Senyshyn is displaying an uptick in 1207262 Avs Player Grades: Colorado cruises past Ducks strength and speed 1207235 Bruins must find ways to manufacture goals Columbus Blue Jackets 1207236 Cassidy Sends Bat Signal To Sweeney For NHL Trade 1207263 Takeaways from a 'Motown' letdown include a key Deadline question: Have the Blue Jackets quit? 1207237 Boston Bruins Not Expecting Injured Rask Back This 1207264 Red Wings blitz Blue jackets with sweep of back-to-back Week games in Detroit 1207238 Boston Bruins Lose Two ‘Hit or Miss’ Video Reviews In 1207265 Blue Jackets still battling inconsistency with their playoff Defeat hopes in jeopardy 1207239 Bruins’ trade deadline needs only more clear after frustrating weekend Dallas Stars 1207266 Familiar territory: Stars enter another pivotal stretch that Buffalo Sabres could determine their fate this season 1207240 Mike Harrington: Seriously now, that kind of Sabres loss 1207267 Inside the workouts that transformed Stars’ Jason just can't happen Robertson into one of NHL’s top rookies 1207241 The Wraparound: Sabres spoil 3-goal lead, winless streak reaches 18 in OT Detroit Red Wings 1207242 Observations: Dylan Cozens' injury adds to litany of issues 1207268 Detroit Red Wings' Michael Rasmussen gets back on for Sabres score sheet, knows he must earn his role 1207243 Sabres notebook: Seth Appert returns to coach Amerks 1207269 How life has changed for the major sports teams in after whirlwind trip to NHL Michigan since the COVID-19 pandemic 1207244 Sabres game day: Snapping historic skid will require 1207270 Lessons learned from tough rookie season paying off for solving Flyers' Brian Elliott Wings' Michael Rasmussen 1207245 Travis Yost's Sabre Metrics: Differences between this 1207271 With NHL trade deadline looming, here are 11 Red Wings team and tank team? Not much who could be on the move 1207246 Sabres drop another scout amid changes to hockey 1207272 Red Wings did ‘unbelievable job’ of responding after operations under GM Kevyn Adams season’s low point 1207247 A hockey whodunit: Is this $10,000 puck the first goal in 1207273 Red Wings tight defensively, beat Columbus for weekend Sabres' history? sweep 1207248 Sabres blow big lead in third period, extend winless streak to 18 games Edmonton Oilers 1207274 Kyle Turris gets shot as second-line centre against Maple Calgary Flames Leafs 1207249 SNAPSHOTS: Tkachuk’s tumble a turning point as 1207275 Darnell Nurse has prescription for Oilers overtime winner Flames fall to Jets 1207250 After extended wait, Flames defenceman Stone relishes Florida Panthers return to NHL spotlight 1207276 Ekblad out 12 weeks with fractured leg. How will Panthers replace their top defenseman? Carolina Hurricanes 1207277 Aaron Ekblad will miss rest of Panthers season with leg 1207251 Aaron Ekblad’s leg injury rings familiar to Hurricanes fracture defenseman Dougie Hamilton 1207278 With Ekblad hurt, who could the Panthers get at the trade 1207252 ‘He’s never lacked confidence.’ How Martin Necas deadline? became the Hurricanes’ go-to player 1207253 Martin Necas’ Hurricanes breakout has reached critical Los Angeles Kings mass: ‘He’s always had the confidence’ — now we see 1207279 Kings fall to Golden Knights why 1207280 Rested Kings can’t conquer Vegas 1207281 When power-play goals dry up, so does Kings’ offense Chicago Blackhawks 1207282 Kings continue depth reshuffle by adding defenseman 1207254 GM Stan Bowman is ‘doing a lot of listening,’ but the Christian Wolanin in a trade Chicago Blackhawks’ abundant cap space and playoff 1207283 FINAL – KINGS 1, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4 – KOPITAR, prosp MCLELLAN 1207255 Slumping Blackhawks trying to ‘get back to the way we 1207284 GAME THREAD – KINGS @ GOLDEN KNIGHTS, 3/29 were playing’ as losses pile up 1207285 KINGS ACQUIRE DEFENSEMAN CHRISTIAN WOLANIN 1207256 Early return gives Kirby Dach an opportunity to prove the IN EXCHANGE FOR FORWARD MICHAEL AMADIO Blackhawks are his team now 1207286 3/29 PREVIEW – LINEUP NOTES, MANAGING REST & GAMES, BROWN VIDEO, MCLELLAN ON LEMIEUX Minnesota Wild Philadelphia Flyers 1207287 Monday's Wild-San Jose game recap 1207322 Flyers overcome late 3-goal deficit and stun Buffalo in OT, 1207288 Wild finally falls to Sharks 4-3 in eighth round of shootout 4-3; Sabres suffer 18th straight loss 1207289 Wild GM Bill Guerin talks trades, contracts and draft prep 1207323 Struggling Flyers goalie Carter Hart split with longtime 1207290 Wild back in action on the road vs. Sharks sports psychologist; has it affected his play? 1207291 Wild suffer 4-3 shootout loss to Sharks to open week long 1207324 Alain Vigneault leaning on Flyers’ leaders to make sure road trip they don’t take freefalling Sabres lightly 1207292 Wild’s Nick Bonino earns promotion with solid play on both 1207325 Flyers Notebook: Vigneault quietly lets veterans sink or ends swim against Sabres 1207326 Flyers' Carter Hart put on pause, heads back to goalie Montreal Canadiens school 1207293 Canadiens return following a week off, not quite certain 1207327 How's your blood pressure? Flyers take everyone on what to expect another wild ride of emotions 1207294 Lightning GM BriseBois makes grant to Carabins women's 1207328 Why Flyers have good plan for Hart, whose 'preparation is hockey program second to none' 1207295 Stu Cowan: Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield will join the 1207329 Why Samuel Morin changed positions, why it worked and Laval Rocket why it made the Flyers so happy: O’Connor’s 1207296 What the Puck: Canadiens should give newcomer Eric Observations Staal a key role 1207297 Canadiens make Cole Caufield a rich 20-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins 1207298 Canadiens will hold practice Monday night in Brossard 1207330 Empty Thoughts: Penguins 2, Islanders 1 1207299 How the Canadiens came out of their forced break and 1207331 Penguins hold off Islanders without goaltender Tristan what they can learn from other teams that did the same Jarry 1207300 The moments that prepared Cole Caufield for the 1207332 Penguins activate Jason Zucker from long-term injured Canadiens spotlight reserve 1207333 Penguins forward Frederick Gaudreau makes impact as Nashville Predators penalty killer 1207301 Nashville Predators suddenly in NHL playoff contention. 1207334 Mark Madden: Amid adversity, resilient Penguins have Here's why taken on Sidney Crosby's identity 1207302 Predators lock up top defensive prospect Farrance 1207335 Penguins Prospect WATCH: Nathan Legare extends 1207303 Poile surprised with TN Sports Hall of Fame induction scoring streak to 5 games 1207304 Is the NHL biased against the Predators? Will David 1207336 First Call: New questions about Ben Roethlisberger's Farrance play? Mailbag weight; Penguins player roasts Philadelphia 1207337 Jason Zucker in, Tristan Jarry out as Penguins cap New Jersey Devils season series against the Islanders with a win 1207305 More fans allowed at Devils games as Prudential Center 1207338 Jason Zucker back in Penguins lineup after being capacity increases this week | How to buy Devils ticket activated from injured reserve 1207306 How Devils’ Mackenzie Blackwood made save of the 1207339 Penguins notes: Bryan Rust has evolved into a ‘real season to preserve shutout | 3 observations from win over impact NHL player’ Bru 1207340 Yohe’s 10 observations: The indomitable Penguins will 1207307 NHL rumors: 3 potential trade partners linked to Sabres their way to another win and ex-Devils MVP Taylor Hall 1207341 Penguins Activate Jason Zucker, Evgeni Malkin Moved to LTIR New York Islanders 1207342 Zucker GTD, Gm36: Penguins Lines, Notes & What to 1207308 Islanders lose to Penguins, fall into tie for second place Watch vs. NYI 1207309 Islanders again fall behind early, fail to close gap in 1207343 What Should Penguins Do with Jason Zucker? Options & second straight loss to Penguins Consequences 1207310 Barry Trotz opts to play Ross Johnston over Kieffer Bellows San Jose Sharks 1207311 The Isles, the Penguins and four-point games 1207344 Erik Karlsson leads San Jose Sharks past Minnesota Wild 1207312 A year after brother’s death, Islanders’ Thomas Hickey 1207345 Sharks’ Bob Boughner gives injury update on Matt Nieto reflects on grief, doubt, motivation and staying in the 1207346 Sharks’ Patrick Marleau would ‘have to consider’ potential 1207313 Sluggish Start: Islanders Fall Behind Early in Loss to trade for Stanley Cup chase Penguins 1207347 Karlsson leads Sharks past Wild 4-3 in shootout 1207314 End Game: Islanders Lineups, matchups and Game Notes 1207348 Marleau passes Messier for No. 2 on NHL games played vs. Pittsburgh list 1207349 Karlsson's confidence clear in lifting Sharks to win vs. Wild New York Rangers 1207350 If Sharks deal Patrick Marleau, where might he end up? 1207315 Rangers ‘logjam’ means third-line beginning for Vitali 1207351 Viel Goes Wrong Way During NHL Debut Solo Warm-Up Kravtsov Lap 1207316 K’Andre Miller has made quick leap from roster bubble to 1207352 ANALYTICS Postgame Notes #34: Karlsson Scores 2, Rangers stalwart Shootout Winner, Sharks 4-3 1207317 Kevin Rooney and Colin Blackwell's success gives 1207353 Game Preview/Lines #34: Donato Has Boyhood Picture Rangers glut of forwards with Marleau, Boughner Defends Gabriel 1207318 Is Rangers defenseman Adam Fox turning into Brian 1207354 Scouts Talk Marleau’s Trade Value Leetch 2.0? Leetch 1.0 weighs in St Louis Blues Ottawa Senators 1207355 Hochman: Scratching Hoffman was a start, but Berube 1207319 Talks heat up with Pinto, Bernard-Docker and Sanderson and Blues must find motivation — or could miss playoffs after North Dakota's early playoff exit 1207356 Amid a major slump, Blues seek to reboot the sluggish 1207320 SNAPSHOTS: Austin Watson wants to play before the offense end of the season ... Christian Wolanin dealt to L.A. ... Ma 1207357 Gordo on the NHL: Trade chatter gets loud as deadline 1207321 Weekly Senators thoughts: Decisions for UND players, nears Christian Wolanin’s future, Pierre Dorion’s viral GIF 1207358 DGB weekend rankings: How many playoff teams are locked in? Are Blues in danger? Tampa Bay Lightning Websites 1207359 Familiar foes: Are Lightning meeting Blue Jackets at right 1207392 The Athletic / Who stays, who goes? Predicting which time? players from the NHL trade deadline board will actually b 1207360 Yanni Gourde sets example for Lightning teammates with 1207393 The Athletic / DGB weekend rankings: How many playoff nonstop motor teams are locked in? Are Blues in danger? 1207394 The Athletic / 2021 NHL Draft prospect ranking: Dylan Toronto Maple Leafs Guenther rises in Corey Pronman’s updated ranking 1207361 Jets and Maple Leafs square off in battle of top North 1207395 The Athletic / LeBrun: NHL’s goalie carousel could be set Division teams in motion ahead of the trade deadline 1207362 Maple Leafs close out season series with end-to-end OT 1207396 The Athletic / Is Canadian sports talk radio dying? Bell, loss to Oilers Rogers and the future of a changing industry 1207363 Edmonton Oilers cap season series against Toronto 1207397 Sportsnet.ca / Jets show with dominant win vs. Flames Maple Leafs with 3-2 OT victory they've mastered art of the rebound 1207364 Maple Leafs goalie Michael Hutchinson to start against 1207398 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs can take solace in defensive play vs. Oilers tonight Oilers despite latest loss 1207365 Oilers get last laugh, but Maple Leafs can take forward 1207399 Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Aaron Ekblad injury a defensive habits from season series massive blow to Panthers 1207366 Oilers get measure of revenge against Leafs with OT win 1207400 Sportsnet.ca / Well-rested Canadiens get opportunity to 1207367 SIMMONS: The better team lost in OT for second straight assert themselves in North Division Leafs game 1207401 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' comeback over Maple Leafs further 1207368 TRAIKOS: Oilers' Nurse shooting his way into the Norris cements growth of Nurse, Turris Trophy conversation — and a spot on Canada's Olympic r 1207402 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' goaltending uncertainty a 1207369 Hutchinson gets start for Leafs vs. Oilers as Campbell not cause for concern 100% 1207403 Sportsnet.ca / NHL Weekend Takeaways: Ovechkin, 1207370 Maple Leafs report cards: Oilers win in battle of top 2 Zibanejad terrorizing opponents teams in North Division 1207404 TSN.CA / Hutchinson starts as Campbell injury remains an 1207371 Why the Maple Leafs signed Alex Steeves: Video issue for Leafs analysis, coaches’ insight, depth chart fit 1207405 TSN.CA / Oilers’ season has been a tale of two teams 1207372 Monday Morning Leafs Report: Trade deadline wish list and what the Leafs need from John Tavares Winnipeg Jets 1207386 New line works wonders for Jets as they dominate Flames Vancouver Canucks 5-1 1207391 For Canucks, NHL trade deadline a matter of dollars, 1207387 What's the deal on a trade? sense for cap-strapped club 1207388 Scheifele shines after line change as Jets take rubber match against Flames Vegas Golden Knights 1207389 JETS SNAPSHOTS: North Division games not exactly like 1207373 Golden Knights top Kings for 6th straight home victory the playoffs right now, but it’s pretty close 1207374 Is Alex Pietrangelo close to returning for Golden Knights? 1207390 BITS BY BILLECK: Stanley endears; exposing Morrissey? 1207375 Tomas Nosek rolling since COVID-19 scare, scores Please... game-winning goal vs. Kings SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1207376 Golden Knights use second period to run away from Kings 1207377 Golden Knights’ Cody Glass answers with energetic performance after sitting out 1207378 Golden Knights Start Busy Week In Vegas With 4-1 Win Over LA Kings Monday 1207379 Slow Start Doesn’t Deter Robin Lehner, Vegas Golden Knights 1207380 Vegas Starts Cold, Ends Hot in 4-1 Win Over KingsPublished 3 hours ago on March 29, 2021 1207381 Alex Pietrangelo Practicing With Golden Knights, Nears Return 1207382 Time to Silence the Doubters for Vegas Golden Knights Washington Capitals 1207383 Justin Schultz needed a reset after the 2020 season. He got it with the Caps. 1207384 Since returning from suspension, Wilson has been a difference-maker for Capitals 1207385 Laviolette lauds Ovechkin for doing the ‘dirty work’ on offense 1207230 Anaheim Ducks
Ducks cannot keep up with streaking Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks center Troy Terry scores a goal on a snipe past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer.
By MICHAEL KELLY ASSOCIATED PRESS MARCH 29, 2021 9:11 PM
DENVER — Philipp Grubauer got his 100th career win with a 13-save night to lead the Colorado Avalanche past the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Monday night.
Grubauer has 57 wins since joining Colorado before the 2018-19 season and notched his 21st this season.
Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Jost scored in the second period to help Colorado extend its points streak to 11 games (9-0-2). Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Compher and Valeri Nichushkin also scored, Cale Makar had three assists and Nathan MacKinnon added two.
Danton Heinen and Troy Terry scored for the Ducks. Ryan Miller made several highlight saves but was overwhelmed by 48 shots. He finished with 43 saves for Anaheim, which had its two-game win streak snapped.
It’s the sixth time in the last 11 games the Avalanche have put 41 or more shots on goal.
Rantanen and Heinen traded goals in the first period and it stayed tied into the second despite the Ducks going nearly 17 minutes without a shot on goal spanning the first and second periods.
Jost broke the tie when he scored on a rebound 3:59 into the second and Landeskog’s deflection at 16:20, his 12th goal, gave Colorado a 3-1 lead.
Terry, who played his college hockey at the University of Denver, scored at 3:19 of the third to make it a one-goal game. It was his seventh of the season and his fourth goal in the last three games against the Avalanche.
Colorado put it away later in the period with goals by Compher and Nichushkin, who also had an assist.
LA Times: LOADED: 03.30.2021 1207231 Anaheim Ducks
Road-weary Ducks prove no match for dominating Avalanche
By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: March 29, 2021 at 8:56 p.m. | UPDATED: March 30, 2021 at 12:35 a.m.
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The Ducks got caught on the wrong side of a game of keepaway Monday at Ball Arena in Denver. It might have been predictable, given their travel schedule, the mile-high altitude and the opposition, but it was a devastating blow to their hopes of extending their winning streak to three in a row.
The Colorado Avalanche skated circles around the Ducks en route to a dominating 5-2 victory, giving them a 9-0-2 mark since their last loss in regulation play on March 8 to the Arizona Coyotes. Only the superb goaltending of Ryan Miller kept the Ducks within striking distance.
The Ducks moved within 3-2 on Troy Terry’s third-period goal, but the Avalanche put the game out of reach with goals from J.T. Compher and Valeri Nichushkin. Miller made 43 saves as the Ducks gave up a season- high 48 shots. The Ducks also matched their season low with 15 shots.
“It was a tough situation to come into,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “End of a road trip, back-to-back, against an elite team. Even though they scored a handful of goals, (Miller) played an excellent game. It’s tough. It’s something we talk about, not to accept the game and try to dictate it.”
Colorado latched onto the puck to start the second period and never seemed to let it go, unleashing relentless pressure. Tyson Jost put the Avalanche ahead 2-1 only 3:59 into the period, pouncing on a rebound and beating Miller, and Gabriel Landeskog made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 16:20.
Miller was under siege for most of the game, but especially in the middle period, when the Avalanche outshot the Ducks by 22-2. In the end, it was remarkable that the score wasn’t more lopsided than 3-1 heading into the final period. The Ducks were outshot 34-9 through two periods.
The Ducks chased the game almost from the opening faceoff, a little more than 24 hours after they took a 3-2 overtime victory from the Blues in St. Louis. They had played the Blues better than even Sunday and then they rallied from a two-goal deficit to win on Josh Manson’s overtime goal.
Monday’s game against the Avalanche bore zero resemblance to Sunday’s victory or Friday’s 4-1 win over the Blues, which gave the Ducks their first sweep of a two-game set this season. Eakins tweaked his lineup, adding fresh players, including center Andrew Agozzino, but it didn’t pay off.
The Ducks were without leading scorer Rickard Rakell, who suffered an apparent head injury when he was knocked to the ice Sunday. Rookie defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned to the lineup after he was forced from Friday’s game after an awkward collision along the boards.
Mikko Rantanen gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead only 2:56 into the game. The Ducks countered with Danton Heinen’s equalizer at 9:14 of the first. The tie score after 20 minutes was deceiving, though. The Avalanche were the better team and they went out and showed it in the second.
The Ducks’ best and perhaps only scoring chance in the second was Nicolas Deslauriers’ laser off the goal post. It didn’t count as an official shot on goal, but it would have given the Ducks a boost if it had been two inches to the left and hit the back of the net. Instead, it ricocheted out of harm’s way.
“It was a long trip,” Terry said. “I think we still had our legs for the most part. I don’t think that was the problem. We did some good things, but we were giving them a little too much respect. The penalties were kind of all over the place. You can’t take penalties against that team. That’ll change the game real quick.”
Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.30.2021 1207232 Anaheim Ducks “I had some people tell me I’d never step on the NHL ice again, but to be able to be out there and compete with these guys and lay it all on the line, it felt great. I had a great support system, everywhere I went. They Ducks motivated by more than playing spoiler’s role down the stretch kept pushing me, telling me to just keep getting stronger. Here I am playing with the Ducks. Defenseman Josh Manson says, “We’re just trying to climb and play good hockey. That’s part of being a professional." “I couldn’t be happier.”
Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.30.2021
By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: March 29, 2021 at 10:38 a.m. | UPDATED: March 29, 2021 at 9:24 p.m.
The Ducks have 19 games remaining after a 5-2 loss Monday to the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. They have 19 chances to escape last place in the West Division, make a move in the standings that might indicate forward progress has been achieved and, if nothing else, wreak havoc for the teams above them.
Tall order, right?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
It could be fun, though.
“Oh, for sure,” Ducks defenseman Josh Manson said. “We’re trying to win games here. We’re not looking at, ‘Oh, let’s disrupt this guy from climbing the standings.’ We’re just trying to climb the standings ourselves, no matter where we’re at in the season, no matter where we’re at in the standings.
“We’re just trying to climb and play good hockey. That’s part of being a professional. So, we don’t want teams to come in and think we’re just going to roll over and it’s going to be an easy two points, an easy night for them. We want them to come in and have to earn it against us.”
In fact, the Ducks took a two-game winning streak into Monday’s game against the Avalanche, the final game on their season-high five-game trip. They played the Minnesota Wild close twice to start the trip, but dropped a pair of one-goal games that previewed what was to come in St. Louis.
The Blues’ grip on the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division was a tenuous one after the Ducks swept the two-game set. St. Louis led the fifth-place Arizona Coyotes by one point and the sixth-place Kings by six going into Monday’s games around the NHL.
“It eases the frustration,” Manson said of defeating the Blues. “Coming out of (Minnesota), we were frustrated because we felt like we played two good games and we felt like we played well, but we came up empty handed. So, we began to feel a little frustrated, do you know what I mean?
“Coming out with the wins here (over St. Louis) just helps your mentality and knowing, hey, if we play this way, we can compete with the good teams in our division and we can hang in there every night. We’re not just a team that’s got to sit at the bottom of the standings and lose every night.”
STOLARZ BACKGROUND
At one point in his career, Anthony Stolarz and Carter Hart were considered the most likely competitors to be the Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltender of the future. But knee injuries and a chance to acquire Cam Talbot sent Stolarz on a hockey odyssey that led him to be in goal for the Ducks’ victory Sunday.
The Flyers’ loss was the Ducks’ gain.
Philadelphia dealt him to the Edmonton Oilers for Talbot on Feb. 15, 2019. The Ducks then signed him as a free agent July 2, 2019, and he played almost all of the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season with their AHL team, the San Diego Gulls, going 21-12-6 with a 2.66 goals-against average.
This season, he’s spent all but two games on the Ducks’ taxi squad.
“Looking back on it, those days of rehab and being on crutches for eight months in one year and watching all the games in Philly and bouncing back, it all leads to this moment and being able to celebrate,” said Stolarz, 27, after his first NHL win in more than two years. “It’s a great feeling playing again. 1207233 Anaheim Ducks Sunday’s game didn’t have a promising start. In the first period, Ryan O’Reilly beat Stolarz with a nice redirection of Vladimir Tarasenko’s centering pass to cash in a Rickard Rakell turnover, and Tarasenko blew ‘It was a long time coming’: Ducks’ Anthony Stolarz quiets doubters with a sizzling one-timer by him off a faceoff win on a St. Louis power play. a win and an assist The Blues led 2-0 after the first period.
But that was it. Stolarz settled in and let his 6-foot-5 frame do a lot of the work. He was calm, cool and collected. Pucks were eaten by his By Eric Stephens Mar 29, 2021 equipment, and there weren’t many crumbs left for the Blues to pounce on. And Stolarz didn’t fail to credit his teammates for throwing their
bodies in front of shots. Ben Hutton had a team-leading three blocked The goaltender position is inherently involved in a team’s fate. The puck- shots. The defenseman’s efforts in the final seconds helped get the stopper can’t help that. If too many get by him or her, the team is likely Ducks to overtime. taking an “L” at the end of the night. Keep more of them out of the net “I know for me personally early on, pucks weren’t sticking to me,” Stolarz than the opposing netminder and that letter changes to a “W.” said. “I kind of was giving up a couple chances and leaving extra It is also what makes that position appealing to those who seek the rebounds and the guys did a great job of clearing them out. As the game challenge. Anthony Stolarz has faced his share of challenges over seven went on, the shots were kind of coming from the outside, and that pro seasons. On only 28 occasions has a coach handed him the net in allowed me to get some confidence. Just control the first shot.” an NHL game. One of those came Sunday in St. Louis, where the 27- Anthony Stolarz. (Jeff Curry / USA Today) year-old got his second start in a Ducks jersey. In overtime, the only work Stolarz had to do was to make a pass to Not only did Stolarz do his part by stopping 38 shots to tie his NHL career Manson, as the defender stayed out on the ice and looked for a chance high, but he also got directly involved in Anaheim’s bid for a second to take advantage of a tired Blues player. That’s what happened, as consecutive victory over the Blues. Stolarz went from the Ducks’ taxi Manson made a power move around Brayden Schenn and flipped a neat squad to delivering the primary assist on Josh Manson’s impressive backhand shot over Jordan Binnington. overtime goal, which capped a comeback from a two-goal deficit in a 3-2 win. Long ago, Manson was a forward before switching to defense in his final season of junior hockey and becoming a blueline stalwart at “I kind of gave him a rocket of a pass,” said Stolarz, who became the Northeastern. Those forward skills haven’t completely disappeared. sixth goalie and the first Ducks netminder to have a primary assist on an overtime goal. “It wasn’t the flattest thing, but he did a great job picking it “I wasn’t expecting a shift in the overtime, to be honest,” Manson said. up, driving wide and chipping it over the goalie’s glove. It was a long time “When (Dallas) called my name, I was excited and I was thinking about coming. I was excited for him and excited for me at the same time.” what I was going to do if I felt like I was the last man back under pressure. … If anything happens, I’m just going to throw it back to Stolie. Long time, indeed. Stolarz had last won an NHL game on Feb. 12, 2019. On that night, the Edison, N.J., native was with Philadelphia and his 35 “Sure enough, (the puck) kind of had come up the wall and I felt like I saves were just enough in the Flyers’ 5-4 win over Minnesota. It was his was under a bit of pressure, and I didn’t want to turn it over. I just ripped final game with the Flyers, who dealt him four days later to Edmonton for it back to Stolie. They thought they could get a change because they’d Cam Talbot. Stolarz then signed with the Ducks in July 2019. been out there for a bit. Stolie had the awareness to zip it back up to me, which is a great play.” It hasn’t been an easy road for Stolarz. Roadblocks have popped up since the Flyers drafted him in the second round in 2012, when he was Manson’s finish allowed Stolarz to enjoy a rare celebration. This NHL the fourth goalie taken behind Andrei Vasilevskiy, Malcolm Subban and season has been weird in many ways. One of the unique elements is the Oscar Dansk. Vasilevskiy, of course, might be the best goalie on the inclusion of a taxi squad. A maximum of six players can be on it, and one planet. Subban has been a backup in Vegas and now in Chicago. must be a goalie if the team isn’t already carrying three netminders on its active roster. Stolarz’s path has been more akin to that of Dansk — being an organization’s No. 3 goalie. It was that way in Philadelphia, and it is such Were this a normal year, Stolarz would be getting plenty of action in the in Anaheim. Edmonton gave Stolarz six games after the goalie swap, but American Hockey League with the San Diego Gulls unless the Ducks it was clear that he would not be a long-term solution, either as a starter had a pressing need for him. But now, as their No. 3 goalie, he spends a or as a backup. Add in knee surgeries that stalled his development and lot of time in Anaheim getting his work in with the scratched players. it’s been a bumpy ride. “He’s been full of adversity,” Eakins said. “Before he got to us, he had an “I had some people tell me I’d never step on the NHL ice again,” Stolarz injury. This year, I think the way the season’s set up at least with our said. “But to be able to go out there and compete with the guys, just lay it group, he’s probably had the most challenging time. He’s handled it all on the line, it felt great.” exceptionally well. He comes out to practice every day. And Gibby and Millsy, they’ve got the nets. He gets his extra shots before and after The opportunity popped up over the weekend. On Friday, John Gibson practice. stopped 33 of 34 shots to beat the Blues in his first start since missing two weeks because of a lower-body injury. But that wasn’t the injury that “We’ve been able to get him down a couple times to play in San Diego. kept him from playing Sunday. Coach Dallas Eakins said Gibson is But this is a guy that’s not whined, not complained once. Has worked his dealing with an unspecified upper-body issue that popped up before the tail off every day. That’s why when you see a performance like that and a team’s practice on Saturday. Eakins added that Gibson’s status is day-to- win like that, you feel real good for a kid like Stolie.” day and that there is not a major concern. (Insert your got-hurt-carrying- the-team joke here.) Maybe this game will give the Ducks a feel for Stolarz’s ability to back up Gibson in the future. This could be Miller’s final season. In January, the But instead of slotting in regular backup goalie Ryan Miller — with team signed Stolarz to a two-year extension worth $1.9 million. Part of Gibson out, the veteran had to make six straight starts, the most since that was related to the upcoming expansion draft, to make sure Gibson his final season in Vancouver in 2016-17 — Eakins turned to Stolarz for a would be protected and that the Ducks would have another goalie start for the first time since the final game of the interrupted and available to expose to the Seattle Kraken. shortened 2019-20 season. There was risk, given that Stolarz had played in only three AHL games this season plus one NHL game, when he came With promising prospect Lukas Dostal now playing AHL games and Olle on in relief of Miller during a rough night against Arizona before the Eriksson Ek off to a nice start this season with the Gulls, the Ducks could current trip. But this already is essentially a lost season, at least from the have a need for a backup with NHL experience in 2021-22, if that is a standpoint of making a playoff push. requirement. Stolarz could be that low-cost, in-house option. He may not have been through the NHL rigors like other goalies who could be on the “You know that he’s worked extremely hard,” Eakins said. “Everybody’s market in the offseason. But he has been tested in other ways. cheering for him. You know the guys are going to play hard. But still, the lack of playing time this year for him was going to be the question mark.” “It’s obviously tough because you’re not getting the game reps that you would in a normal season,” Stolarz said. “At the same time, there’s 30 other goalies who are going through the same thing as me and we all have to be ready.
“I think having that experience allowed me to kind of prepare myself for this year. Obviously, I’ve learned in the past that anything can happen. You can be thrown in there in the blink of an eye. So, I just want to be ready for my opportunity and when I get it, just try to make the most of it.”
The Athletic LOADED: 03.30.2021 1207234 Boston Bruins Ever since his matching game misconducts with Lemieux on March 13, Frederic has not been the same gnarly, irascible character we saw earlier this season. When at his nastiest, he looks a tiny bit like long-ago left Bruins rookie Zach Senyshyn is displaying an uptick in strength and winger Wayne Cashman, who made surliness his brand, especially along speed the wall and in the corners.
“I think he’s trying to be physical, get in there and stir the pot whenever possible,” said coach Bruce Cassidy, who feels opponents of late haven’t By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff, Updated March 29, 2021, 5:19 p.m. presented likely matchups for Frederic to fight. “The kind of nastiness is just something that came out of him and developed, and that’s great. You
need some of those guys that stir the pot in your lineup.” Sunday's loss to the Devils marked Zach Senyshyn's third NHL game of Rask is not ready the season. Tuukka Rask, his injured lower back slow to repair, did not skate and will The 1-2 punch of injuries and COVID entanglements has played a part in be sidelined at least the next two games. Jaro Halak and Dan Vladar will Zach Senyshyn seeing playing time of late in the Bruins’ patchwork quilt split the Tuesday (Devils) and Thursday (Penguins) starts, but Cassidy of a lineup. won’t reveal the rotation until Tuesday morning … Injured blue liners The rookie winger, a candidate to suit up for his 10th NHL game Tuesday Kevan Miller (knee) and Brandon Carlo (concussion) participated in the night in a Garden rematch with the Devils, buckled down last summer optional workout and are inching back toward a return … Assistant coach with some extra training at the Ottawa-based Canadian Strength Kevin Dean, absent from bench duty Saturday and Sunday because of Institute. close COVID contact, was on the ice for the late-morning skate … Sean Kuraly, out on COVID protocol since a week ago Thursday, briefly skated Chris Kelly, the Bruins’ player development coordinator and longtime on his own at Brighton before the club’s workout … As of Monday Ottawa Senator, recommended Senyshyn to CSI, where trainers Sean morning, the Bruins stood next-to-last in five-on-five goals, scoring 48 Young and Derek Froats focused on building the 2015 first-round pick’s times in 31 games. Only the Sabres (41 goals/33 games) are worse ... strength and speed. Tuesday is Senyshyn’s 24th birthday ... The Bruins sent thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of Bobby Schmautz, who passed away in The opportunities this season have been limited, but Senyshyn has Arizona on Sunday, his 76th birthday. The undersized Schmautz played looked more vibrant and engaged — faster on his feet and more inclined 13 NHL seasons, and was part of the Cup Final teams in 1974, 1977, to shoot. and 1978. His overtime winner in Game 4 of the ‘78 Final against Senyshyn gave credit to Young, Froats … and some backyard trees at Montreal highlighted the parts of seven seasons (1973-80) he spent on his home in Ottawa. The fourth-year pro said he chopped a lot of wood Causeway Street. during the pandemic pause last year as a means of building upper-body Boston Globe LOADED: 03.30.2021 strength.
“Sure did,” said the smiling Lumberjack Zach, noting, “Through snow, through rain, through a lot of other kinds of stuff … we were kind of using anything and everything possible to get the upper edge on guys.”
Zach Senyshyn has yet to find the net this season.
Senyshyn skated at right wing in Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Devils, riding with center Charlie Coyle and Anders Bjork. He logged nine minutes in ice time (16 shifts), fired three times, and landed two on net. If he suits up Tuesday night, he’ll be looking for his first point in four games this season. He’s averaging two shots a game, an indication of a shot-ready mentality.
“A younger version of myself might be looking around and waiting for some other guys to do some stuff,” he said, “but for me right now, I’m coming in guns blazing, ready to make an impact. I think I’d only be talking myself out of a job if I started to look at other guys to do stuff.”
Senyshyn showed minimal pop in his first three years at AHL Providence, but this season, perhaps because of improved strength and speed, he posted a more robust 5-4—9 line in 11 games before being summoned to Boston.
Feeding off anger
Trent Frederic, who hasn’t logged so much as a two-minute minor the last six games, still leads the Bruins with 53 penalty minutes, in part because of scraps earlier this month with Brendan Lemieux (ex-Ranger now in LA) and Washington superheavyweight Tom Wilson.
Playing angry, Frederic believes, brings up his all-around level of play.
Trent Frederic fights for position against Philadelphia's Mark Freidman in a game earlier this season.
“Yeah, I believe so,” he said following Monday’s optional workout. “In the past, when I was in Providence, I think every time I got in a fight I think I might have scored later in the game, or something like that for a little bit there.
“There’s definitely some translation for sure. When you’re playing angry, you’re playing with a little extra fire and a little extra stuff goes a long way.”
In the absence of the COVID-sidelined Brad Marchand, Frederic moved up the last two games to top-line duty with Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. He also saw some time on the No. 2 power-play unit. 1207235 Boston Bruins “I thought he had some opportunities to attack and he deferred a little bit … so we’ll keep working on that part of his game to grow the offense and hope he brings the nastiness,” said Cassidy.
Bruins must find ways to manufacture goals Frederic is not naturally a shoot-first player.
“Switching to wing you have more opportunity to go down the left side By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: March 29, 2021 at 6:03 p.m. | and you have more chances to shoot. Probably in the past I’ve always UPDATED: March 29, 2021 at 6:26 p.m. been in the middle kicking it out to those guys and not getting as many of those looks that I should probably be putting on net, I’d be looking to make a pass. I have to work on that and have that shot mentality,” said Frederic. When Bruins’ fans first saw the NHL’s intramural divisional schedule, there’s no doubt many of them figured they might get sick of seeing Studnicka has been considered the B’s top prospect for the past couple teams like the New Jersey Devils by the end of the season. of years. His current role as fourth-line center may not fit him perfectly, but that’s how he’s in the lineup. It’s up to him to make something of it. They just didn’t know exactly how much they’d hate seeing the sons of Lindy Ruff, and why. “I thought he did a decent job when the opportunity presented itself, but like a lot of young guys, when you’re opportunity comes, if you’re an When the B’s play their sixth game against the Devils on Tuesday, they offensive guy then you’ve got to play to your strengths and create a little will be looking for their first 5-on-5 goal of the season series and the first bit. If you’re more of a PK or energy then you bring that element. That’s goal of any kind in the last 121:06 against Jersey. where he’s at right now,” said Cassidy. “I think he’s had some moments While there were some encouraging signs of injured players taking steps where he’s been pretty good for us and other moments where he can be forward in their rehabilitation at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday, it is still better on the puck, stronger on pucks and create a little more. That’s unknown which, if any, players currently out from injury or virus protocols where his game’s at right now and we’ll see where it leads down the will be available to turn the tide against the Devils, for whom the Bruins road.” have provided nearly a quarter of their season wins (4 of 13). Rask remains out With the number of important players out of the lineup right now, the B’s Tuukka Rask did not participate in the B’s optional practice on Monday. are no doubt in some semblance of water-treading mode, doing their best Cassidy doesn’t expect him to play this week and wasn’t willing to to keep their heads above the surface. Their 48 5-on-5 goals are the venture a guess when he’d be ready. second fewest in the league, currently above only the historically bad Sabres. Still, they’ve given up only 48, allowing them to cling to a playoff “I tried to speculate before on that, didn’t think there was much going on spot. but obviously it was a more serious injury than we first anticipated. So no use going down that road till he’s in a full practice,” said Cassidy. Considering the circumstances, coach Bruce Cassidy, whose team had a four-game point streak snapped Sunday, said a crisis of confidence has Sean Kuraly, who has been on the COVID protocol list since March 18, not befallen his players. skated with assistant Kim Branvold prior to the practice. He remains on the list, however. “Not yet. We’re still getting points. Not as many as we’d like. We’re not going to sugarcoat it. Nobody is happy losing to New Jersey 1-0 the last “I’m not completely clear on this, but guys are allowed as they get closer two times and by a goal the previous time. Whoever the opponent is, we to the end to do some activity by themselves,” said Cassidy. feel we can beat any team in this league. We’ve played well against some of the top teams. Not the Islanders but certainly Washington and Marchand and Jake DeBrusk also remained on the list. Pittsburgh and Philly early in the year when they were winning,” said In the good news department, Brandon Carlo, who hasn’t played since Cassidy on Monday. suffering a head injury on March 5, and Kevan Miller, who hasn’t played Cassidy and his staff had begun the year trying to emphasize getting since Feb. 18 because of recurring knee issues, both took part in the shots through from the blueliners, which has not worked particularly well, practice and took contact. Cassidy didn’t rule either player out for especially lately. Tuesday, though he did not think Miller would be in the mix. Ideally, both players would be able to go through a couple of full practices, but those “We have a good group here. We’ll reset. Again, we’re going to look at will be few and far between with this compacted schedule. some things we feel could help us score. We’ve done a lot of that this year. Obviously we haven’t found the magic formula yet,” said Cassidy. Mourning Schmautz “Some of that is ‘What are we doing as a staff to help them?’ And some The Bruins Alumni announced that Bobby Schmautz died at the age of of that is their execution and their willingness to finish plays and get to 76. Schmautz was an eight-time 20-goal scorer and was a member of the the inside themselves. It’s a mix. We’re going to keep hammering away 1977-78 B’s team that had a record 11 20-goal scorers, including at it, maybe with forwards driving in a little more. We’ve been going low Schmautz, who had 27 that year. to high because teams have been collapsing. And (we’ve got to) recognize when we can go to the net ourselves as forwards. That’s Boston Herald LOADED: 03.30.2021 where our experience is in scoring. So take it upon yourself a little more. That’ll be part of the message. Understand when there is no room. That’s when you use your D. We’re still figuring some things out.”
As Cassidy pointed out, the B’s could use some production from their proven commodities. David Pastrnak put 11 shots on net in the past two games, but he’s still looking to snap a three-game goal-less skid. Patrice Bergeron missed on a chance to add to his legend after scoring what appeared to be the equalizer on Sunday after having his nose enlarged by an inadvertent Trent Frederic elbow, but it was taken off the board for goalie interference. He hasn’t found the back of the net in seven games.
But a little boost from the kids wouldn’t hurt, either. Jack Studnicka, pegged to be a top six centerman at some point, has just 1-2-3 totals in 18 games this year. Anders Bjork had positive moments recently but has just 2-3-5 totals in 27 games. And Frederic, as valuable as he’s been in re-establishing a belligerence for this team, has not yet been able to seize the chance given to him when he was bumped up to the top line in Brad Marchand‘s absence. He was the only Bruin not to land a shot on net on Sunday. 1207236 Boston Bruins In that series and in their five-game series loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs in the bubble last spring, lack of scoring and the ability to make clean zone exits and entries led to their Cassidy Sends Bat Signal To Sweeney For NHL Trade Deadline demise. As far as Cassidy is concerned, even if Sweeney can get a top 6 winger before the NHL Trade Deadline, it won’t completely solve the Bruins’ scoring woes. To do that, especially in the playoffs, the Bruins can’t continue to just lean on Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk to push By Jimmy Murphy the puck up ice. They need more than four borderline AHLers (and that’s meant with no disrespect to Jeremy Lauzon, Jakub Zboril, Connor Clifton and Jarred Tinordi). With the NHL Trade Deadline two weeks from today, Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy has officially sent out the bat signal to Bruins “Obviously, ‘Gryzz’ [Grzelcyk] and Charlie [McAvoy] have some ability General Manager Don Sweeney to make a deal that will jumpstart his there, a little more than the others and we saw it with both of them the team’s dormant offense and at the top of his NHL Trade wishlist, is a other night against Buffalo and it resulted in two goals,” Cassidy pointed puck-moving defenseman. out. “So, that’s a little bit of where it can start for us and obviously the off- net chances that the forwards have, they have to bear down and at least Following a second straight 1-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils and the make sure that make the goalie have to make a save, and then get fifth this season by that same score, Cassidy didn’t pull any punches on inside.” what’s plaguing the Bruins and what Sweeney can do before the April 12 NHL Trade Deadline to save the season and not let the Bruins miss the The Boston Bruins have been linked to Nashville Predators defenseman playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season Mattias Ekholm but according to a trusted NHL management source, the asking price would be rookie forward Jack Studnicka, one of Jakub “We’re fighting to stay in the mix,” Cassidy said bluntly. “I think we’ve Zboril, or Urho Vaakanainen, and a 2021 first-round pick. For now, the done a good job of that; we’re in every game. We are like I’ve said, Bruins are holding back on Ekholm and it is not known if they have offensively, I think we’re a better defensive team makeup in terms of our looked into Arizona Coyotes puck-moving defenseman Oliver Ekman- roster anyways, that’s why our numbers are very good defensively. Larsson again. Ekman-Larsson agreed to waive his NMC to be dealt to Offensively, we’re not built to outscore teams but right now, we do need a either the Bruins or Vancouver Canucks this past offseason. little more. …for example, I’ll use their goal. With the Florida Panthers potentially losing their best defenseman, Aaron “Their D makes a move up top; nothing fancy, just finds a shooting lane, Ekblad, to a gruesome injury on Sunday, they will now compete with the it goes in off a body. So, it’s a lucky goal, it really is, and we didn’t get Bruins for a top-four defenseman in a crowded and expanding NHL trade any of those breaks tonight but the fact that he got it past the first layer market focused on the same thing. The Bruins aren’t losing because of when you’re up top, is huge to creating offense. Especially, when you’re lack of effort and if they miss the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, it won’t be teams that play against us. They know that we’re struggling to generate because Cassidy and the players stopped trying. Now we’ll see if from up there so they pack in even more, and that’s where the teaching Sweeney got Cassidy’s Bat Signal and rewards that effort the players has to be better and the execution on the ice needs to be better in terms have shown amidst an array of injuries and COVID Protocol issues. of getting it past the first layer. Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 03.30.2021 So, you have some opportunities for tips and deflections or some of those lucky goals or at least it goes below the goal line and you can generate something from there. So obviously that’s one part of the offense where we need to get better at.”
He’s not lying about the Bruins being in survival mode these days and if not for Carter Hart’s disastrous season, the Bruins (17-9-5, 39 pts, .629) would likely be trailing the Philadelphia Flyers (16-13-4, 36 pts, .545) for the final playoff spot in the East Division. While the Flyers and Hart can’t keep the puck out of the net, the Bruins appear to be lost in the dark streets of Gotham and there are no nets on the street corners.
The Bruins have scored 83 goals this season and only four other teams have scored less. The Anaheim Ducks (81 GF), Detroit Red Wings, and the Devils (79 GF), and the Buffalo Sabres, who are dead last in the NHL with just 68 goals heading into their game with the Flyers tonight in Buffalo. They have scored just 47 goals 5-on-5 and their powerplay has been wildly inconsistent as of late, going 0-for-5 in that loss to the Devils on Sunday night. Here are some other not-so-promising stats for the Black and Gold.
-Shooting percentage 5-on-5: 6.0% (league average: 7.7 %)
-Corsi for 5-on-5: 1323 (league average: 1393)
-Expected goals for: 25.8 (league average: 34.7
-Goal differential: +10
-High-Danger chances for: 74 (league average: 100). *47 of those chances have gone in the Bruins’ favor.
-High-Danger chances that have led to goals: 6 (7.5%) (League average: 15, 12.6%)
Surely, Cassidy isn’t going to complain if Sweeney can finally land that top-six scoring winger he’s been coveting on the NHL Trade and Free Agent markets since he took over as Bruins GM prior to that last non- playoff season. To his credit, he tried hard and was able to bring in the biggest name on the 2018 NHL Trade market, former NHLer Rick Nash, but concussions derailed that project and eventually led to Nash having to retire. Sweeney’s Bruins have made the playoffs four straight seasons and came within one game of the 2019 Stanley Cup, losing Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues on home ice. 1207237 Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins Not Expecting Injured Rask Back This Week
By Joe Haggerty
BRIGHTON, Mass – Not to sound any alarm bells or warnings, but it sure sounds like the Boston Bruins aren’t expecting to see ailing No. 1 goaltender Tuukka Rask anytime soon.
Rask was missing from Monday’s optional Bruins practice at Warrior Ice Arena as Dan Vladar and Callum Booth took the practice ice after Jaroslav Halak was the losing netminder in a 1-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.
“Tuukka wasn’t on the ice today, so he won’t play tomorrow,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’ll look at our week here with [Vladar] versus [Jaro], but both goalies were very good this weekend. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was at the other end finishing off plays. As Tuukka gets back into practice we’ll determine when his next game is going to be.
“My guess would be closer to later in the week, but until he’s back practicing, we don’t know. We tried to speculate before on that when we didn’t think there was much going on, but it was obviously a more serious injury than we first anticipated. So, there’s no use going down that road until he’s had a full practice and a certain amount of work. I suspect it will [Vladar] and Halak for this week.”
The 23-year-old Vladar is 2-0-0 with 1.50 goals against average and a .952 save percentage in two starts since Rask was injured, and Halak is 3-3-2 with a 1.94 goals against average and a .931 save percentage in March while shouldering the bulk of the goaltending load.
Rask appeared to initially injure his back in the latter moments of a March 7 shutout loss to the New Jersey Devils after colliding with Miles Wood in his crease. The injury was apparent when he had major difficult getting off the ice for the extra skater at the end of the game.
Heres Tuukka Rask leaving the ice for the extra attacker late in the 3rd period. Appeared to be shaken up after a collision with Miles Wood a few minutes prior. Doesn’t look great pic.twitter.com/RcaBeBuQwu
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) March 8, 2021
Then Rask attempted to return last week against the Islanders, and lasted a single period making six saves before leaving with a recurrence of the same issue that had bothered the 34-year-old Boston Bruins goalie previously.
Brandon Carlo (upper body) and Kevan Miller (knee) were both practicing and taking some contact at Monday’s practice as they progress from their injuries, but it sounded like Carlo was a little closer to a return than Miller at this point. Sean Kuraly (along with Jake DeBrusk and Brad Marchand as of early Monday afternoon) is still in the NHL’s COVID Protocol at this point, but he’s hit a stage where he’s allowed to skate and practice at the B’s practice facility by himself.
The bottom line: It sounds like Brandon Carlo might be the only player with a chance at returning for Tuesday night’s game as the Bruins battle against both injuries and COVID Protocol.
Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 03.30.2021 1207238 Boston Bruins Instead of a feel-good moment at the end of the third period where they battled to secure at least a point, the Boston Bruins are left with the undeniable feeling that goals are becoming extremely hard to come by Boston Bruins Lose Two ‘Hit or Miss’ Video Reviews In Defeat for a hockey club struggling for offense.
Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 03.30.2021
By Joe Haggerty
BOSTON – The Boston Bruins certainly could have used a break in the scoring column on Sunday afternoon.
They were shut out for the second straight game against the New Jersey Devils by a 1-0 score with Mackenzie Blackwood stopping 40 shots this time around at TD Garden, after Scott Wedgewood made 40 saves the last time around against the Black and Gold.
The rubber met the road with 1:10 to go in the game amidst a third period where the B’s outshot the Devils by a 17-5 margin, and it appeared they scored the game-tying goal when Patrice Bergeron banged home the scrambling rebound of a point shot. It was a play where David Krejci kept things alive by poking at the puck as Blackwood trapped it under his glove as bodies were flying all around the Jersey net.
The Devils challenged that the play was goaltender interference, and ultimately after a video review the NHL Situation Room found “that Boston’s David Krejci dislodged the covered puck from under the glove of New Jersey goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood prior to Patrice Bergeron’s goal.”
According to Rule 38.11, “The standard for overturning the call in the event of a “GOAL” call on the ice is that the NHL Situation Room, after reviewing any and all replays and consulting with the On-Ice Official(s), determines that the goal should have been disallowed due to “Interference on the Goalkeeper,” as described in Rules 69.1, 69.3 and 69.4.” It was a bang-bang play that was ruled a goal on the ice and there was pretty clearly debate from both sides as to whether Blackwood had adequately covered the puck with desperate traffic all around the New Jersey goaltender.
New Jersey challenges for goaltender interference and Bergeron’s tying goal is negated. pic.twitter.com/po5mDzjrtV
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 29, 2021
“I think the goalie interference call could have gone either way. [The referee] signaled a goal and he was right in front of it,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “Typically, I thought it needed to be something egregious and I guess they deemed that egregious. I think the overhead does us no favors. I don’t know. What am I supposed to say on that? They make the call, and it didn’t go our way. We haven’t had a lot of luck with those calls. I think that’s the second one that’s come back on us against Jersey this year.
“Not a lot of puck luck for us. We really, really have to work to score goals and then when we do they come back [off the board]. They have to make that call, they did, and we move on. I think another night they might count it. That’s just the way it is. It’s hit or miss on those ones sometimes. People say they even out. I don’t know if I believe that, but we’ll see over the course of the year.”
The second play happened in the final seconds of the game as Nick Ritchie fired a shot from the net-front that looked like it may have crossed the goal line before Blackwood kicked it away from trouble. It was called “no goal” on the ice and the video didn’t show overwhelming evidence that the original “no goal” call should have been overturned.
GOAL OR NO GOAL?!?#NJDevils | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/LsUuvvToVX
— NHL on NBC Sports (@NHLonNBCSports) March 29, 2021
Instead, it was a great save by Blackwood, and the Bruins felt like they just couldn’t catch a break while starved for even-strength offense these days.
“There are other years where you can outscore some of those calls, but we’re not in that position right now clearly,” said Cassidy. “Every goal matter to us, so it’s tough when those [disallowed goals] happen. But it was another solid effort in the third where we outplayed the other team and tried to generate second and third chances against this guy, but it didn’t work out.” 1207239 Boston Bruins wrister on goal. What made Smith’s shot dangerous was that it slipped past would-be shot blockers Grzelcyk and Charlie Coyle. The puck deflected off Kyle Palmieri’s leg and past Jaroslav Halak for the game’s Bruins’ trade deadline needs only more clear after frustrating weekend only goal. For Smith, New Jersey’s 2018 first-rounder, it was his 17th assist.