sign in sign up
<<
Home , Abdul Kanneh, Al Secord, Andreas Borgman, Antoine Pruneau, Dan Sexton, Eddie Olczyk

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 11/11/17 Blackhawks 1082617 What we learned from the Ducks' 4-1 win over the 1082651 Blackhawks will face a lot of familiar faces Saturday in Carolina 1082618 Ducks’ Brandon Montour, Hampus Lindholm help pick up 1082652 Blackhawks try to keep the faith amid scoring slump scoring slack 1082653 Saturday's matchup: Blackhawks at Hurricanes 1082654 Blackhawks to honor with 'One More Shift' on Sunday 1082619 Coyotes return from road trip to face Jets 1082655 on his cancer fight: 'I think it’s OK to be 1082620 ‘Yotes Notes: Better goaltending stabilizing Coyotes scared' 1082621 Arizona Coyotes assign forward Michael Sislo to Tucson 1082656 Do the Blackhawks know they have less than 2 weeks to Roadrunners move into a playoff spot? 1082657 Experience helps Brandon Saad fight off mounting frustration 1082623 Brad Marchand will return to action vs. Maple Leafs 1082658 Blackhawks to honor Secord with 'One More Shift' 1082624 Owning Bruins has brought Jeremy Jacobs fortune and 1082659 Why Darling expects emotions to run high when he faces Fame Hawks on Saturday 1082625 As the Bruins can attest, more players taking college route 1082660 Days as Blackhawks' fill-in prepped Scott Darling for role to the NHL as Hurricanes' new No. 1 1082626 Bruins surrender with minute left, lose in OT to Maple 1082661 Big contingent of former Blackhawks helping each other Leafs settle in with Hurricanes 1082627 Patrick Marleau scores in OT, Maple Leafs beat Bruins 3-2 1082662 Brian Boyle's tearful return was triumphant, plus why the 1082628 Bruins notebook: Anton Khudobin puts in another strong Blackhawks are a bit of a mess effort in goal 1082629 Bruins hoping to see more shots out of Charlie McAvoy Colorado Avalanche 1082630 Morning Skate: Who is on the trade market? 1082663 From : 5 observations from the Avalanche 1082631 Marchand, Acciari both set to return vs. Maple Leafs overtime loss to Ottawa 1082632 Bruins were 'soft' on Maple Leafs game-tying goal 1082664 Ottawa beats Avalanche in OT in in Matt 1082633 Talking Points: Bruins don't have answer for van Duchene’s first game since trade Riemsdyk 1082665 In Matt Duchene's Senators debut, Ottawa outlasts 1082634 Bruins crumble late, lose to Maple Leafs in OT, 3-2 Avalanche in Sweden Columbus Blue Jackets 1082635 Sabres' Eichel is frustrated: 'I don't like my game right 1082666 Hurricanes 3, Blue Jackets 1 | Frustration builds after now' fourth straight loss 1082636 The Wraparound: Panthers 4, Sabres 1 1082667 Blue Jackets | Motte’s role may be diminished 1082637 Mike Harrington: Andreychuk's path led from the Aud to 1082668 Channel information for Blue Jackets and Cavs on the Hall Saturday November 11, 2017 1082638 Sabres Notebook: Luongo secures milestone win 1082639 Sully's Mailbag: off to an uninspiring start with Sabres 1082669 Stars juggling chainsaws in hopes of sparking lineup vs. 1082640 Robin Lehner said his tribute to Craig Lehner is for 'all he Islanders represents' 1082670 He said it: Players and coaches comment after Stars' 5-0 1082641 Officer and a goalie: Amherst's Parker Gahagen sets win against Islanders sights on U.S. Olympic hockey team 1082671 No panic here! The Stars' lineup changes pay off in 1082642 Former Sabre Bob Boughner working on his own rebuild in bounce-back win over New York Florida 1082672 Cold facts: Stars get back on track in 5-0 win over the 1082643 Five Things to Know as Sabres host Islanders 1082644 Inside the NHL: In Hall of Famers Housley and 1082673 How Ken Hitchcock's gamble with Gemel Smith paid off Andreychuk, Bowman struck it rich in '82 draft Flames 1082674 Detroit Red Wings: 'On the same page' as youth rounds 1082645 Flames' Smith due for R&R after carrying big load into form 1082646 Flames entertaining win over Wings breathes life into 1082675 Detroit Red Wings can't outscore their mistakes in 6-3 loss season at Calgary 1082647 Magical win over Red Wings just what Flames need to 1082676 Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: Time, TV, turn it on radio info 1082648 Jankowski, Jagr score first goals as Flames in 6-3 win 1082677 Home stretch to prove pivotal in Red Wings' season over Red Wings 1082678 Red Wings must capitalize on key home stretch 1082649 McDonald's sports hall of fame induction big win for Flames 1082650 Staal scores twice as Carolina beats Columbus 3-1 1082679 Milan Lucic was a big factor in Edmonton Oilers' win over 1082711 Donibrook: Now he's past first game as Senator, Matt Duchene will produce 1082680 Jesse Puljujarvi gets another crack with Edmonton Oilers 1082712 Fredrik Claesson's father thrilled to see son's home game as injuries ravage lineup in Sweden 1082681 Edmonton Oilers recall Jesse Puljujarvi from AHL 1082713 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says Ottawa Senators 1082682 Edmonton Oilers stars tough to stop in three-on-three need a new home overtime 1082714 Stone the overtime hero as Senators down Avalanche in 1082683 Lowetide: Grading the first three years worth of Peter Sweden Chiarelli trades 1082715 Anthem singer wears see-thru dress at Senators game in Sweden Florida Panthers 1082716 Nick Lidstrom is impressed with 1082684 Preview: Panthers at Devils, 7 p.m., Saturday 1082717 Karlsson, Alfredsson among the best Swedes all-time 1082685 During two-week absence, Roberto Luongo regains 1082718 Gameday: Senators @ Avalanche in Stockholm structure, returns sharp for Panthers 1082719 Senators ready for action in Stockholm 1082686 Panthers trade for minor-league defenseman Ludwig Bystrom from Stars 1082687 Without forward depth, Panthers tweak second power-play 1082720 Sizzling top line needs help for Flyers to climb in Metro unit 1082721 Flyers' Brandon Manning: A firefighter at heart 1082688 Panthers snap five-game losing streak with victory in 1082722 First Sean Couturier found his game, then his voice Buffalo on Friday 1082723 Five observations from Flyers' win, including young D's growth 1082724 After AHL season, Travis Sanheim knows how his offense 1082689 What we learned from the Kings' 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay will come with Flyers 1082690 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: NOVEMBER 10 1082725 Brian Elliott shows Flyers what he's made of 1082726 Flyers' top line delivers statement in win over Blackhawks 1082727 Flyers' Travis Sanheim knows the offense will come 1082692 Will Jason Zucker become the next member of exclusive eventually Wild 30-goal club? 1082728 Flyers 5 takeaways: Claude Giroux looks himself again at 1082693 Wild notes: Goalie Devan Dubnyk rewarded for staying the new home on left wing course 1082694 Wild-Flyers preview 1082729 Penguins notebook: Ryan Reaves dives into rivalry with Montreal Canadiens Capitals with fight 1082695 Canadiens’ Charlie Lindgren out to prove scouts wrong 1082730 , Nicklas Backstrom battling scoring slumps after going undrafted entering Penguins-Capitals game 1082696 First game as a goalie wasn't good for Canadiens' Charlie 1082731 Nothing special from Penguins in loss to Capitals Lindgren 1082732 The Penguins are ready to get back into divisional play 1082697 What the Puck: Canadiens crease crisis as Carey Price against Washington mystery deepens 1082733 Joe Starkey: Penguins surviving ridiculous early schedule 1082698 Canadiens Notebook: Goalie Zach Fucale called up from 1082734 Penguins fall to Capitals, 4-1 AHL Rocket 1082699 Godin: A game in the life of Ryan Poehling 1082735 Who will Sharks’ DeBoer choose: proven veteran or rising prospect? 1082700 Predators have new fangs to bare, just in time for the 1082736 Sharks establishing identity with defense Penguins 1082737 Aftermath of Hansen-Goldobin trade shows risks of playing it safe New Jersey Devils 1082701 Devils fall to Oilers: 6 observations | Why Nico Hischier St Louis Blues passed in OT 1082738 Allen will be wearing his patriotism against Islanders 1082702 Brian Boyle, Devils react to 1st goal since cancer 1082739 Preview: Blues vs. Islanders diagnosis 1082740 Despite shootout success, Yeo no fan of the format 1082703 NJ Devils: Brian Boyle gets 1st goal since cancer 1082741 Blues developing finishing touch diagnosis in incredibly emotional moment 1082742 Lightning has that 2014-15 feel. And that’s good. 1082704 Islanders can’t handle John Klingberg, fall to Stars 5-0 1082705 ‘Some heart would be nice to see’: Weight rips Isles after ugly ‘L’ 1082706 Doug Weight trying to jump start Isles’ Brock Nelson 1082707 Islanders missing in action with loss at Dallas 1082708 Looks like Rangers have found a ‘D’ partner for Kevin Shattenkirk 1082709 Rangers’ Boo Nieves set to return after suffering flu bug 1082710 Rangers prepare for Oilers’ young superstar Connor McDavid Maple Leafs Websites 1082743 Saturday game preview: Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins 1082777 The Athletic / Duhatschek Notebook: Bruins, Ducks hit 1082744 Maple Leafs save razzle-dazzle against Boston Bruins for hardest by injuries, why KHLers might not be at the Olym overtime 1082778 The Athletic / Siegel: 's win 1082745 Leafs' Marner passing up golden opportunity with Lightning was cherry on top of Hall of Fame cred 1082748 Reformed Marchand lets chirps fall where they may: 1082779 The Athletic / Bourne's Notebook: The best goal of the Arthur year, obsessive coaches and Paul MacLean 1082749 Leafs-Bruins doubleheader might have playoff feel 1082780 .ca / Mitch Marner appears to be getting back on 1082750 JVR, Marleau spark Leafs past Bruins the right track 1082751 Marleau marks 101st game winner 1082781 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews won’t play 1082752 Leafs rally for late win over Bruins to open home and Saturday vs. Bruins home series 1082782 Sportsnet.ca / Kariya finally gets closure with Hall of Fame 1082753 Battered Bruins will have Marchand back against Leafs induction 1082754 Mirtle: Are the Maple Leafs closer to getting Mitch Marner 1082783 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks trying to figure out if they’re real as back on track? a playoff contender 1082755 Dellow: Trouble in the work zone means not enough time 1082784 'HOCKEY WAS ALL THAT MATTERED' in the fun zone for Jake Gardiner 1082785 Sportsnet.ca / Breaking down Matt Duchene’s Senators 1082756 Wheeler: The complete Maple Leafs prospect ranking, first debut vs. Avalanche edition 1082786 Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: The power of ’embarrassing’ 1082757 Bourne's Notebook: The best goal of the year, obsessive your coach coaches and Paul MacLean 1082787 Sportsnet.ca / Person of Interest: The 411 on Canadiens goalie Charlie Lindgren Vancouver Canucks 1082788 Sportsnet.ca / Which players could one day contend for 1082774 Ed Willes: For Boeser or worse, Canucks committing to NHL games played title? Benning's vision 1082789 Sportsnet.ca / First goals for Jagr, Jankowski lead Flames 1082775 Perks and promises in 's handwritten breakthrough in secondary scoring Canucks contract 1082790 TSN.CA / Slow and steady is Leafs’ winning formula 1082776 Kuzma: Loui Eriksson talking a good game, now he needs 1082791 TSN.CA / Marchand returns against Maple Leafs to play one 1082792 TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week 1082793 TSN.CA / Hot Button Issues: Get ready for Jack Hughes 1082794 TSN.CA / Dreger Report: Keller staying focused after 1082758 Golden Knights get 5-2 win against Winnipeg at T-Mobile strong start Arena 1082795 TSN.CA / Blues beat struggling Coyotes in shootout 1082759 Golden Knights’ still adjusting to NHL 1082796 TSN.CA / Marner admits pass-first mentality lingers game 1082760 Engelland’s unlikely offensive contributions helping fuel Golden Knights 1082769 Jets hoping Lady Luck among hordes of Winnipeg fans in Vegas tonight 1082770 Knights stay golden at home dumping Jets 5-2 in Vegas 1082761 Chandler Stephenson’s wild month continues with 1082771 Jets fans complete friendly takeover: Thousands make the promotion to Capitals’ top line trip to Sin City for 1st game vs Golden Knights 1082762 Capitals’ special teams star in 4-1 win over Penguins 1082772 Jets outworked by Golden Knights: Sluggish effort leads to 1082763 Capitals find power-play success at home in win over first outright loss in nine games Penguins 1082773 Dellow: Jets' record is great but long-term success 1082764 You aren't alone—Trotz thought Kuznetsov was going to requires better generation shoot, too 1082765 Game 17: Capitals vs. Penguins Date, Time, How to Watch, Game Thread SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1082766 Braden Holtby is unimpressed by his own major milestone 1082767 4 reasons why the Caps beat the Penguins 1082768 3 stars of the game: The Caps' power play would not be denied and Braden Holtby did the rest 1082617 Anaheim Ducks

What we learned from the Ducks' 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks

Mike Coppinger

The Ducks' sluggish power play finally broke out Thursday with three goals in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Anaheim. Two of those man-advantage goals came off the sticks of defensemen, with the third going to Jakob Silfverberg, who added an even-strength goal in one of the team's best performances of the season. Here's what we learned: Power play comes alive: The special teams united ranked second to last in the NHL heading into the contest. The Ducks had converted on just 10.6% of their opportunities for a total of four goals. But against the Canucks, the unit was smooth. Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Montour scored on the man advantage, and it was another night when they were two of the best players on the ice. "That was huge for our confidence," said Lindholm, who fired a game- high five shots. "We have to build on that. We need to keep working on the good things we did." Montour stands out again: The second-year blueliner is making everyone notice his game. He isn't afraid to shoot, and when he does, pucks are finding the back of the net. The second-round draft pick already has five goals, which eclipses his mark of four from a season ago. And his skating is hard to miss. He's seemingly always in position. Chalk it up to a silver lining of Cam Fowler's injury. Montour is receiving more ice time with the top-pair defenseman out, and he's taken full advantage. making plays: The Swede's experiment as a center was short-lived, but he's creating even more chances at his natural wing spot. He's posted at least one assist in five consecutive games, and he had three on Thursday. His dynamic skating opened up the ice and allowed his teammates to easily find the slot. He's still looking for the net too, with four shot attempts in the win. LA Times: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082618 Anaheim Ducks Paul-Andre and Annie Roy were in person to hear their son, Kevin, give them the news of his promotion to the Ducks. Two nights later, they were at to see him in his first NHL game Thursday. Ducks’ Brandon Montour, Hampus Lindholm help pick up scoring slack “It’s pretty special to share that moment with them too,” Roy said. “For all they’ve done for me growing up and getting to this . It was really exciting.” By ERIC STEPHENS | PUBLISHED: November 10, 2017 at 6:38 pm | UPDATED: November 10, 2017 at 6:41 PM Roy, 24, had four shots attempts in his eight minutes of his action. One of them forced a save by Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom.

“Every first game in this league for everyone is a memorable one,” Roy ANAHEIM — The defense, when it comes to the Ducks, doesn’t rest. In said. “I’ll remember this one forever. I was happy to be there and happy fact, it has been quite active. to be part of that win.” With some of the team’s better goal-scoring talent inactive for extended Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.11.2017 periods, Brandon Montour and Hampus Lindholm have been making up for some of the lost production by providing some healthy scoring from the blue line. Each had power-play goals by jumping up in the play for the Ducks in their 4-1 win Thursday night over Vancouver but the scoring hasn’t been limited to one fruitful evening. Montour’s five goals are only one off the team lead while Lindholm already has three in the nine games he has played. “Obviously you want to help out,” Lindholm said. “Especially now when we’re down a lot of forwards. You got to help out any way you can. We got some good skaters on our blue line that can join the rush and help out with creating second chances and then putting some in ourselves too. “We should keep doing that. We should always do that because we have a good group of d-men.” The two are among the best skaters on the team and Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said it only makes sense to have them play a central part in a strategy to activate as options in the offensive zone. What they’re doing is only reflective of what he feels is a league-wide trend. “The modern-day defenseman is now making a contribution at a higher level,” Carlyle said. “And we’re no different. We want to utilize people who can get up on the rush and play in the offensive zone when the time is right. “We have some players who have that skill set so we want to make sure that they’re pushing the envelope. But pushing the envelope at the right time.” As a forward growing up, Montour has long possessed offensive instincts and ability. The Ducks drafted him in 2014, knowing full well that he was a high-risk, high-reward talent who just needed to learn when was the right time to take those risks. “Obviously you know you’ve got to pick your spots,” Montour said. “Not just Randy but everybody’s kind of they don’t want me to lose that in my game. When I get the chance, I just got to be smart about it. I feel like I’ve done a good job with that. “The green light’s there if it’s open. But obviously it’s not if there’s a play where I shouldn’t jump up. They’re pretty good with kind of letting me kind of decide on when and when not to go.” , who’s capable of regularly finding the net, scored his first on Tuesday. Montour believes the Ducks have a unit that can provide offense, noting that , Kevin Bieksa, Francois Beauchemin and Jaycob Megna have hard point shots that can aid in that. “We’re a mobile team,” Montour said. “We’ve got a lot of offense down there. It’s not just the three of us.” GIBSON RETURNS The Ducks had an optional skate where only a few players participated. John Gibson was one of them, making for a positive sign regarding their goaltending situation. Gibson had to leave Tuesday’s game against the Kings deep in the third period after getting struck in his mask by a shot. He did not dress Thursday and the Ducks would lose Ryan Miller to a lower-body injury in the third. Miller did not practice and is day-to-day but Carlyle is hoping that Gibson will be fully recovered to start Sunday against Tampa Bay. The Ducks will have a full practice session Saturday at Anaheim Ice. “Everything’s good now,” Gibson said. “We’ll see how tomorrow is and go from there.” UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT 1082619 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes return from road trip to face Jets

Richard Morin Published 3:16 p.m. MT Nov. 10, 2017

Saturday’s game Jets at Coyotes When: 8 p.m. Where: Gila River Arena. TV/Radio: Fox Sports Arizona/KTAR-FM (92.3). Outlook: The Coyotes (2-13-3) return home to face the Jets (8-3-3) after failing to secure a win on a three-game road trip that included games against the Capitals, Penguins and Blues. The Coyotes have played eight of their last 10 games on the road with a four-game road trip to follow Saturday’s game … The Jets have just one regulation loss in their last 10 contests, compared to six regulation losses for the Coyotes in their last 10 games. Arizona is still searching for its first win in regulation this season but has collected four points in its last four games. The Jets have registered at least one point in each of their last six contests … Coyotes rookie Clayton Keller leads all skaters on both teams with 11 goals, and his 17 points trail only Jets forwards Blake Wheeler (21 points) and Mark Scheifele (18). Wheeler entered play Friday tied for fourth among NHL points leaders … With Jets starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck getting the start Friday in Las Vegas, backup Steve Mason (0-3-0) could get the start between the pipes for Winnipeg on Saturday. In four games this season, he has a 4.84 goals allowed average and an .872 save percentage. Coyotes netminder Antti Raanta is expected to start for Arizona after making 36 saves in Thursday’s shootout loss to the Blues ... As a team, the Jets enter play Friday with 46 goals as a team compared to 44 for the Coyotes. Winnipeg has a plus-six goal differential having allowed just 40 goals this season, which is tied for third-best among NHL teams. The Coyotes have allowed a league-worst 71 goals this season, good for a minus-27 differential. Arizona Republic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082620 Arizona Coyotes “It was one of the worst moments in our life,” Tocchet said of himself and his teammates. “We were on a big roll and Pelle was one of the best goalies in the league and he might have been the most well-liked guy ‘Yotes Notes: Better goaltending stabilizing Coyotes there ever was. “It just shook our team and it obviously had a lasting effect on all of us and the organization.” BY CRAIG MORGAN Tocchet was in his second NHL season with the Flyers. He was just 21. NOVEMBER 10, 2017 AT 4:50 PM “It affected me,” he said. “If I didn’t have Dave Poulin and Tim Kerr and Brad McCrimmon — all these great teammates helped the young guys through it. That was the key. We were at Dave Poulin’s house a lot, SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes have held to the belief that if they talking about it and I think that helped. It was therapeutic for everybody.” just get better goaltending, their bottom line would improve. The last four games represent a small sample size, but Arizona has four points over Tocchet can’t help wonder what might have been with Lindbergh. The that span and is 1-1-2, despite a tough road trip through Washington, Flyers had already won 10 games in a row before his death (the streak Pittsburgh and St Louis. stretched to 13) and they finished first in the Wales Conference with 110 points. “They’ve done a nice job here the last week or two,” coach Rick Tocchet said Friday. “They’ve given us a chance to win and you can see the “We had a pretty darned good team,” Tocchet said. “The sky was the confidence in the team a little bit. They’re really well-liked guys from our limit. I don’t think it’s too shocking to say that he could have been a Hall- players and they want to do well in front of them.” of-Famer.” Backup Scott Wedgewood stopped 37-of-40 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss LOOSE PUCKS at Washington on Monday, and in his last three games, starter Antti Raanta has stopped 106 of 112 shots (.946 save percentage) and he — Defensemen Alex Goligoski and Niklas Hjalmarsson did not practice owns a .920 save percentage this season in seven appearances. Friday. Tocchet has not ruled out Goligoski for Saturday’s game. If he does not play, Joel Hanley would likely take his place. Raanta said the team’s improved play is not just about better goaltending. — The Coyotes re-assigned forward Michael Sislo to the Tucson Roadrunners of the on Friday. “The guys are doing a great job in front of me,” said Raanta, who is feeling no lingering effects of the muscle strain that sidelined him for — The Coyotes haven’t won a game in regulation through the first 18 three weeks. “They are taking the second opportunities away. As a games this season. That is one game short of matching the NHL record goalie, that’s always a big help.” of 19 set by the in 1999. PERLINI EMERGING Jets at Coyotes When Brendan Perlini returned to the lineup on Oct. 26 from an upper- When: 8 p.m., Saturday body injury, Tocchet was happy with his speed through the neutral zone Where: Gila River Arena, Glendale and the chances he was getting, but he wanted him to work on other details deep in the offensive and defensive zones. Tocchet said Perlini TV: FOX Sports Arizona Plus has been a receptive student. Radio: KTAR News 92.3 FM “He didn’t like his game in Pittsburgh (Tuesday) and we had breakfast and we talked about it,” Tocchet said. “In St. Louis, it was almost like he Records: Coyotes — 2-13-3. Jets — 8-3-3 took what we talked about… and he just had a really good hockey Injury report: Coyotes — D Jakob Chychrun (knee) is out indefinitely. D game.” Niklas Hjalmarsson (upper body) and D Alex Goligoski (lower body) are Perlini had two goals in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Blues on Thursday, day-to-day. Jets — F Mathieu Perreault (knee) has resumed skating but logging 13:32 of ice time. is still week-to-week. “I probably should have played him more,” Tocchet said. “I told him I Jets scouting report: C Mark Scheifele has 10 points (six goals, four want to get him out there more. He’s asking questions and he’s starting assists) in his past five games. … G Connor Hellebuyck is 8-0-2 this to get it, too.” season with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage, which ranks second in the NHL. His 10-game season-opening point Perlini said the coaches have never questioned his work ethic. It’s more streak is the longest in franchise history, and he’s the only goalie in the about sharpening details and playing with better technique. league who has not lost in regulation in 10 or more starts. … At 5-0-3 in their last eight games, the Jets could tie a franchise record for games “We were working on some stuff after practice today,” Perlini said Friday. with at least a point when they face Vegas on Friday. “Sometimes, it’s just little things like a body position, just having the inside position on the guy. It’s very minute things but it makes a big Arizona Sports LOADED: 11.11.2017 difference.” WHEELER RETURNS Coyotes fans may never forgive Winnipeg forward Blake Wheeler for his refusal to sign with the Coyotes after they drafted him fifth overall in 2004. Those feelings aside, Wheeler may be the least talked about superstar in the NHL today. Entering Saturday’s game at Gila River Arena, and before NHL action was complete on Friday, Wheeler was tied for fourth in the NHL in points with 21, and the Jets (8-3-3) were in second place in the Central Division with 19 points. He had nine points (one goal, eight assists) in a three- game point streak and 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his past five games. “He’s really good in the neutral zone, a big speed guy,” Tocchet said. “He’s got a great shot. He’s really solidified that power forward [position].” REMEMBERING PELLE Friday was the 32nd anniversary of the death of former Flyers goalie Pelle Lindbergh, who crashed his Porsche 930 into a concrete wall near an elementary school outside Philadelphia at 5:41 a.m., going about 80 miles per hour. He was taken off life support the next day. Tocchet was Lindbergh’s teammate. 1082621 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes assign forward Michael Sislo to Tucson Roadrunners

BY MATT LAYMAN NOVEMBER 10, 2017 AT 11:19 AM

The Arizona Coyotes announced Friday they had sent forward Michael Sislo back to the AHL Tucson Roadrunners. He was recalled on Tuesday. Sislo, 29, did not appear in either of the two games the Coyotes played while he was on the roster. He has played in nine games this year already for the Roadrunners, scoring four goals with two assists and a +4 plus-minus rating. Head coach Rick Tocchet told the Coyotes’ Dave Vest on Tuesday that Sislo was recalled “just in case,” because a few players on the team were nursing minor ailments. A corresponding move for Sislo’s demotion was not immediately announced. The corresponding move for his call-up on Tuesday was the re-assigning of goaltender Louis Domingue, who had only been on the Coyotes roster as part of what 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Craig Morgan called a “paper transaction.” Arizona’s next game is on Saturday at 8 p.m. against the Winnipeg Jets at Gila River Arena. Arizona Sports LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082623 Boston Bruins ■ Miscellany: Boston will host Toronto Saturday in the second half of the home-and-home set . . . Toronto leads the NHL in goals with 65 but is second-worst in goals allowed with 60 . . . Leading scorer Matthews was Brad Marchand will return to action vs. Maple Leafs held out of Wednesday’s win over Minnesota with upper-body soreness. He is day-to-day.

Boston Globe LOADED: 11.11.2017 By Kevin Paul Dupont NOVEMBER 10, 2017

TORONTO — Brad Marchand, who has been out the last two games, will be back in the Bruins lineup Friday, paired with usual running mates Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, for the game against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Coach hinted Thursday that Marchand was dealing with a concussion, noting that the veteran left winger was in “protocol.” Following the morning day-of-game skate here, Marchand would not specify the nature of his injury, even when asked specifically about returning from a concussion. “Marshy’s one of our best players and one of the best players in the NHL,” said Cassidy. “Always great to have him back.” Anton Khudobin will be in net for the Bruins, his first action since a win in San Jose Oct. 26. The affable “Doby” was injured soon after the club returned from that road trip, and the backup duty was handled by Zane McIntyre. “He’s given us a chance to win every night,” said Cassidy. “The San Jose game was his best; he was the difference in the game. He’s been rock- solid. At the end of the day, he’s always been there at the end. He’s been good for us.” Acciari in the lineup Noel Acciari, out since requiring surgery to repair a finger he broke on opening night Oct. 5, will return to action, a move likely to bump Frank Vatrano back to the press box. “Good to be back with the guys, a long time coming,” said Acciari, the former Providence College standout. Acciari broke the finger in an attempt to block a Nashville shot. “I tried to grip my stick after [getting hit] and I knew something was wrong,” explained Acciari. “I didn’t know whether it was a finger, a wrist, a knuckle, or whatever it was, but something didn’t feel right, that’s for sure. A shooting pain right up my arm.” In a short time, Acciari has built a reputation for being one of the fiercest hitters in the game. “He’s a little bit underappreciated,” said Cassidy. “Not from our standpoint, but maybe around the NHL. He’s a hard-nosed guy that can set the tempo for us physically. We missed him and [David] Backes. So his presence is welcomed back in the lineup.” Being nosy gets them nowhere The art of trash talk, of which Marchand is a lead purveyor, demands that those who dish it out be able to take it, too. To that end, Pastrnak has witnessed opposing players try to get at Marchand by insulting the Li’l Ball o’Hate about his, shall we say, prominent nose. “All players think they are going to get him on his nose,” said Pastrnak. “But it’ll never work. He doesn’t care about it. He’ll always have an answer for it. So, pretty tough.” Maple Leafs at a glance ■ When, where: Friday, 7 p.m., at Air Canada Centre, Toronto. ■ TV, radio: NESN, WBZ-FM 98.5. ■ Goals: Auston Matthews 10, 9, Connor Brown 7. ■ Assists: 11, William Nylander 10, Matthews 9, Ron Hainsey 9. ■ Goaltending: Frederik Andersen (9-6-0, 3.33 GAA), Curtis McElhinney (1-1-0, 4.10 GAA). ■ Head to head: This is the first of four meetings. Toronto won all four games last season. 1082624 Boston Bruins a different way. It became a confluence of assets that 40 years ago you never could have anticipated.

First, second, and third, the self-professed hot dog salesman viewed the Owning Bruins has brought Jeremy Jacobs fortune and Fame NHL game as a business, and it is hard to argue with the results. The league during Jacobs’s tenure has grown from 18 to 31 teams, including its late-’70s merger with the rival World Hockey Association, and this fall By Kevin Paul Dupont it became the first major sports league to start doing business in the Las Vegas desert. NOVEMBER 10, 2017 To join the club, the Vegas Golden Knights ponied up a league-record $500 million expansion fee, 50 times what Jacobs doled out for the Bruins and the Garden, and 10 times what NHL expansion clubs were BUFFALO — Jeremy Jacobs bought the Bruins 42 years ago, proudly charged in the early ’90s. noting during an interview in his downtown office at the time that he was a concessions guy. For decades a nonentity in terms of national television, the NHL is now in the thick of a long-term contact with both NBC and NBCSN. The league’s “A hot dog salesman,” the 35-year-old new owner told Globe hockey showcase New Year’s Day event, the Winter Classic, has become the writer Fran Rosa in November 1975, days after purchasing the team and anchor in an annual series of popular and lucrative outdoor games, two its rickety home on Causeway Street for a reported sum of $10 million, of which have been played here — the first at Fenway Park, and one “first, second, and third.” more recently at Gillette Stadium. Four-plus decades and a couple of billion red hots and craft beers later, Here in the Hub of Hockey, the Jacobs name remains, shall we say, a Jacobs, 77, will be inducted into the Monday night trigger point among fans. They witnessed Jacobs inherit a team that had in Toronto. won a pair of Stanley Cups over the five years leading to his purchase, Chairman of the NHL’s Board of Governors the last 10 years, Jacobs will and ultimately take 36 years to get back to the winner’s circle during his be enshrined in the Builders category, befitting a man who, beyond his reign. A run of 29 straight years in the playoffs, dating back to the spring longevity as Bruins owner, will be remembered most — both good and of ’68, offered little sustenance for their Cup starvation. bad — for his iron hand in collective bargaining talks through the years For a quarter-century or more, Jacobs was rarely seen or heard in with NHL players. Boston. He remained in Buffalo, living on a sprawling estate/horse farm Along with league commissioner Gary Bettman and a hard-line group of in suburban East Aurora, continuing to build a concessions and gaming fellow senior owners, Jacobs applied his businessman’s acumen and business that was driving some $200 million in revenue at the time, about unwavering devotion to the bottom line in the oft-contentious 7 percent of today’s figure. negotiations, which led to the design and implementation of a salary cap “I was 30-some-odd years old. I had a lot of business, and work to do,” in the wake of the lost lockout season of 2004-05. said Jacobs, who inherited the concessions-based business at age 28, It was that lockout, and a briefer one in 2012-13, that finally provided the when his father, Louis M. Jacobs, died at work at age 68. owners with the labor-cost certainty that is widely credited for much of the “My focus was, I didn’t want to get into . . . how do I say this? . . . but game’s growth and stability in recent years. there is lot of devotion of time and interest and depiction that you have to “I wanted to see a long-term relationship — a sport that could live,” said be there. And I had someone who was doing that. I really didn’t want to Jacobs. “We were going through owners because there was a [financial] interfere with that. I was happy with that.” loss that existed. I thought taking the long-term view instead of the short- That “someone” was Harry Sinden, Jacobs’s trusted and ever-quotable term view was going to be best for everybody — players and the game general manager, who had coached the club to Cup glory in 1970. itself. Sinden did all the talking, and was the object of much of the fan criticism. “There’s a lot of balance now. Who ever would have thought that The fan ire developed a narrative that Sinden was cheap and that Jacobs Nashville would be in the finals? These are things that are going on now was an absent, aloof penny-pincher, a Buffalo billionaire who cared more that I don’t think we ever anticipated.” about cups of beer than Cups of glory. Jacobs, whose Delaware North conglomerate generates some $3 billion “Did I like it? Probably not,” said Jacobs. “Was I willing to sacrifice the in annual revenues, sat here recently in his shiny new downtown office, direction we were going in for it? No. He was a darn good leader. And he and was reminded of his “hot dog” pedigree of decades earlier. taught me a lot about the game.” “That was then,” said Jacobs, his 12th-floor office offering expansive Jacobs played football in Buffalo at Canisius High, also wrestled, and put views of Lake Erie. “I am 42 years older and my experience is quite the shot on the school’s track and field team. He eloped at age 18, before different. I learned to love the game and really get involved with it. I still he entered SUNY Buffalo, and he and wife Peg were well on to having am in the concession business, and still in the building business, but we six children when he took over the family business in 1968. are different people.” His company was not entirely new to hockey upon his taking over the Jacobs, and not Delaware North, remains owner of the Bruins and NESN Bruins. In 1940, the year he was born, his father bought the American (in a continuing partnership with the Red Sox). The TD Garden, which Hockey League team in Syracuse and moved it to Buffalo as the Bisons. opened as the FleetCenter in 1995, is a Delaware North property, along Legendary Bruins defenseman Eddie Shore coached the Bisons to the with the sundry other buildings that continue to shoot up around the AHL title for Lou Jacobs in 1943 and ’44. Garden. Prior to buying the Bruins, Jacobs said, he also worked closely with the In 1975, Jacobs bought a tiny, and some believed worthless, Boston Knox family when it brought the expansion NHL Sabres to Buffalo for the Garden parcel in what remained of the old and dingy West End, the start of the 1970-71 season. neighborhood suffocated under the expanse of the hulking Central Artery and a screeching elevated Green Line trolley track. One Big Dig era gone Witnessing firsthand what the Knoxes encountered with their startup, by, the area in recent years has transformed into a vibrant growth hub, said Jacobs, convinced him all the more that the Bruins were a good with the combined Jacobs and Delaware North interests easily valued at deal. The team had history, a vested fan base, and a building, albeit a more than $2 billion. tired one. “None of it has been negative,” Jacobs said. “The best part, personally to Also, Boston was a city on the rise, with locals abuzz about the revived me, is the Bruins, because I enjoy it so much. But the real estate has Faneuil Hall market coaxing suburbanites to take a second look at a city worked out.” many bolted after World War II. It has been all the more satisfying, noted Jacobs, because the parties “It was a heck of a good buy for me,” said Jacobs. “We had the building, representing Storer Broadcasting, which sold him the Bruins and the the team, the concessions, and also the TV rights. The whole deal was Garden, emphatically told him prior to the sale that the land could not be put together so well. developed. It took decades, but he ultimately built the new arena for $160 million, and then gained more ability and space to build as the “I’d watched them try to construct it here in Buffalo after they had bought multibillion-dollar Big Dig unfolded. an expansion franchise, and I was deeply involved with [the Knoxes] at the time. I understood what they were going through and where they “We were fortunate to make the right moves,” he said. “But the city has were trying to go. It was just a good transaction at the time for us.” grown so much around us. The Big Dig put [customers] at the doorstep in Jacobs stepped down as CEO of Delaware North just under two years ago and named two of his sons, Jeremy Jr. and Louis, the company’s co- CEOs. His third and youngest son, Charlie, was named CEO and principal of all the company’s interests in Boston, save for the team itself and NESN. The senior Jacobs retains the title of chairman of Delaware North, and intends for his six children, including three daughters not active in the business, to share in the succession plan for the team and his portion of NESN. On Monday, Jacobs will join five other builders who made their way to the Hall of Fame via Boston, a group that includes Charles Adams, Weston Adams Sr., Walter Brown, Pat Burns, and Sinden. “A total surprise, I have to say,” said Jacobs, asked how he felt about the honor. “It’s humbling in the fact that it’s a peer thing. “Peers are bestowing an honor on you that you didn’t expect, and it is terribly meaningful to me because I have spent the past 42 years now involved in this sport and it went from arm’s length to something that is very near and dear to me.” Boston Globe LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082625 Boston Bruins defenseman, his career was all but derailed. The knee never right again, he played in only 36 NHL games prior to starting his coaching career at age 31 in 1996. As the Bruins can attest, more players taking college route to the NHL “Everyone at that age thinks they’re going to be an NHLer, no matter what,” said Cassidy, reflecting on his late teens. “Looking back, it would be nice to have that education to fall back on.” By Kevin Paul Dupont Marchand returns NOVEMBER 10, 2017 Marchand, out the last two games, was back in the lineup, paired with usual running mates Bergeron and David Pastrnak. TORONTO — Team NCAA, also known as the 2017-18 Bruins, took on Cassidy hinted on Thursday that Marchand was dealing with a the Maple Leafs Friday night, with no fewer than 11 of the 18 Black-and- concussion, noting the veteran left winger was in “protocol” — standard Gold skaters having selected the US college game as their preferred language nowadays for players who’ve been concussed. route to the NHL. Following the customary morning day-of-game skate at Air Canada What was once the anomaly (top of the mornin’, Bobby Miller), has Centre, Marchand would not specify the nature of his injury, even when become de rigueur for the Bruins: College kids increasingly frame the asked specifically about returning from a concussion. personnel picture. “Marshy’s one of our best players and one of the best players in the “In general, there are more American kids playing the game,” said coach NHL,” said Cassidy. “Always great to have him back.” Bruce Cassidy, asked about the growing influence of college players across the NHL. “I think that has a lot do with it. They’re naturally going to Khudobin starts gravitate toward college, as opposed to the junior route — and I think “He’s given us a chance to win every night,” said Cassidy. “The San Jose Canadian kids now are going the college route more and more because game was his best — he was the difference in the game. He’s been rock of the level of play.” solid. At the end of the day, he’s always been there at the end. He’s been A quick review of the college kids who are expected to suit up Friday for good for us.” the bookish B’s includes forwards Anders Bjork (USA): Notre Dame; Tim Acciari ready to go Schaller (USA): Providence; SeanKuraly (USA): Miami of Ohio; Danton Heinen (CAN): University of Denver; Riley Nash (CAN): Cornell; Noel Noel Acciari, out since requiring surgery to repair a finger he broke on Acciari (USA): Providence; and defensemen Charlie McAvoy (USA): opening night Oct. 5, returned to action — a move likely to bump Frank Boston University; Torey Krug (USA): Michigan State; and Kevan Miller Vatrano back to the press box. (USA): Vermont. “Good to be back with the guys, a long time coming,” said Acciari, the On Thursday, the Bruins returned center/wing Austin Czarnik (USA, former Providence College standout. Miami of Ohio) to Providence. And David Backes (USA, Minnesota- Mankato) remains on the mend after recent colon surgery. Acciari broke the finger in an attempt to block a Nashville shot. Of the other skaters to suit up for the Bruins Friday, only Patrice “I tried to grip my stick after [getting hit] and I knew something was Bergeron, Matt Beleskey, Jake DeBrusk, Jordan Szwarz, Paul Postma, wrong,” explained Acciari. “I didn’t know whether it was a finger, a wrist, a and Brad Marchand opted for Canadian major junior hockey. knuckle . . . or whatever it was—but something didn’t feel right, that’s for sure. A shooting pain right up my arm, that’s what I didn’t know what it Bobby Miller, among the first wave of US college kids to make their way was at first.” to the league, played two seasons at the University of New Hampshire and turned pro in the spring of 1977. Later that year, the speedy winger Acciari, in a short time, has built a reputation for being one of the fiercest joined the pre- Bruins, and remained with the club until he hitters in the game. was dealt to Colorado for Mike Gillis (who later was general manager in “He’s a little bit underappreciated,” said Cassidy. “Not from our Vancouver, including in 2011 when the Bruins beat the Canucks for the standpoint, but maybe around the NHL. He’s a hard-nosed guy that can Cup). set the tempo for us physically. We missed him and [David] Backes. So At the time, Miller was not only among the few US college kids in the his presence is welcomed back in the lineup.” game, but also among the few Americans. The league remained Trash talk is give and take ostensibly a Canadian boys club, stocked largely by the three major junior leagues across the provinces — , Quebec, and the Western To that end, Pastrnak has witnessed opposing players try to get at Hockey League). Marchand by insulting the Li’l Ball o’Hate about his, shall we say, prominent nose. Let it be duly noted that Miller was not the first Bruin to come to Causeway via college. Legendary netminder Frank Brimsek, proud son “All players think they are going to get him on his nose,” said Pastrnak. of Eveleth, Minn., played 11 games at St. Cloud State, turned pro in “But it’ll never work. He doesn’t care about it. He’ll always have an 1934, and then made the Boston roster in 1938-39. answer for it — so, pretty tough.” In the summer of ’82, the NHL’s stock still primarily Canadian, Cassidy Boston Globe LOADED: 11.11.2017 had a choice to make: Remain home in Ottawa and play major junior hockey with the local team, the 67s, or head off to college. He had a number of US schools interested, including Colgate. “I was a good student,” recalled Cassidy. “I was ready to go. I’d turned 17 and went to visit Colgate. It crossed my mind, but then I got drafted by my hometown team, fairly high, and went that route. It worked out. We won a Memorial Cup. “But I have regrets sometimes that I didn’t get my education. You can still do it in the summers, peck away at [studying], but it’s not quite the same.” Faced with the same options today, Cassidy might choose differently. “I would probably go to college,” he said. “That’s a generality. Playing junior, I think you are better prepared [to make the NHL] in terms of the length of the [playing] schedule. But I don’t know . . . it’s been a long time for me . . . I don’t know what the right or wrong route is. But now, yes, I’d probably go that route.” Part of Cassidy’s thinking is based on his injury history. Immediately following his draft day in June ’83, when he was selected in the first round by the Blackhawks, he blew out a knee while playing ball hockey back home in Ottawa. Considered a prime prospect as a puck-moving 1082626 Boston Bruins Boston Herald LOADED: 11.11.2017

Bruins surrender goal with minute left, lose in OT to Maple Leafs

Stephen Harris Saturday, November 11, 2017

TORONTO — The Bruins were looking for the solid 60-minute effort that has eluded them most of the young season, and they almost delivered it last night against the Maple Leafs. They fell just one exasperating minute short. Looking like winners after David Pastrnak’s power-play goal gave them a 2-1 lead with 5:30 left in the third period, the B’s couldn’t quite hang on, giving up a game-tying goal at 19:00 of the third period and then the game-winner at 1:03 of overtime by veteran Patrick Marleau, giving the Leafs a 3-2 victory. With a rare home-and-home matchup, the teams will collide again tonight at the Garden, with the Bruins feeling like they let a point slip away. “It was a good game,” said Bruin Patrice Bergeron. “Not much given out there on both sides. We talked about them being a good offensive team and I thought we did good job for the most part. So, yeah, (there were) a lot of good things to take out of it. But late in a game like that, you need to close it. You have to find a way. It’s on us. We have to learn and get right back at it (tonight).” This one was a heck of a tight battle from start to finish. In an era of up- tempo, run-and-gun play, this was much more of a tough, old-school, blue-collar grind. The teams traded goals late in the second period, Bergeron connecting off a nice Brad Marchand feed at 15:38, and Nazem Kadri answering with just 15.3 left before the intermission. Both clubs had chances in the third to grab the lead, and the B’s finally did when Pastrnak snapped in a Jordan Szwarz rebound. Szwarz and Anders Bjork did nice work on the forecheck to win the puck and get it out front. With just over a minute left, defenseman Brandon Carlo got beaten to an puck by James van Riemsdyk, negating an icing. The B’s then got pinned in their end for a long stretch. Three times they had opportunities to clear the puck out of the zone, but each time they failed. It had to be a tired group of defenders when Mitch Marner fed a sweet pass from the right circle to van Riemsdyk, left uncovered at the top of the crease, and he had an easy tip-in past B’s goalie Anton Khudobin (30 saves). “(On) the tying goal, three guys had the puck who we trust to get the puck out,” said B’s coach Bruce Cassidy. “We didn’t get it out. We were soft on it. I can’t sugarcoat it. That’s what happened. “If you have to ice it, we’re not against that in those situations. It’s not our first choice, obviously. But we didn’t. We didn’t get it out. They kept it in, they made a play. “It’s winning hockey, that’s what it is. We didn’t play winning hockey in that last minute. And we didn’t win.” The Bruins nearly did win early in sudden death, but then Pastrnak gambled, jumping up to pressure Marleau when he had the puck a few feet out from his net. Pastrnak nearly stole the puck, and would have been all alone on goalie Frederik Andersen. But Marleau managed to maintain possession, and then Pastrnak lost his footing and fell. That allowed the Leafs to break up ice 3-on-2. A pass from defenseman Jake Gardiner in the right circle found an open Marleau near the far post and he had an easy tap-in for the win. “In 3-on-3 you’ve really got to value the puck,” said Cassidy. “It happened quick. I don’t think (Pastrnak) expects to be in that position. It didn’t work out for us, and they made a play coming the other way. “That is the nature of 3-on-3. We had our (chance) just before that, real hard work by (Torey) Krug and Marchie and Berg down low, and their guy made a save.” Pastrnak said he was trying to make a play, and it didn’t quite work out. But he was happy with the team’s game. “I think we had a great game, a good start, finally, and got the first goal,” he said. “It’s unfortunate we got only one point. I think we deserved two. But it can’t bring us down. We have a new game (tonight). We need to start the same as (last night).” And this time it has to last 60 minutes. Not just 59. 1082627 Boston Bruins

Patrick Marleau scores in OT, Maple Leafs beat Bruins 3-2

Associated Press Friday, November 10, 2017

TORONTO — coach thought he'd be heading to Boston with nothing to show for the first meeting of a home- and-home series with the Bruins. Things turned quickly Friday night, with the Maple Leafs tying it with a minute left in regulation and Patrick Marleau scoring 1:07 into overtime for a 3-2 victory. "It looked like we'd get nothing and then suddenly we got two (points) so that's positive," Babcock said. David Pastrnak put the Bruins ahead with 5:30 to play and a second remaining on a Boston power play, batting in a rebound while goalie Frederik Andersen was sprawled out after turning away Jordan Szwarz. Babcock pulled Andersen with 2:04 to go looking for the equalizer and, with exactly a minute to play, James van Riemsdyk tied it at 2, redirecting Mitch Marner's slap pass from the top of the crease. Marner then started the rush on the winning goal, slowing up at the blue line while handling the puck to create some space before finding Jake Gardiner, who perfectly placed a low shot in a spot Marleau could get his stick on it. "Both really great plays," said Marleau. "(Marner's) coming into his own and playing really well." Added Babcock: "Great to see Mitch be important at the end and get a couple points. If you work real hard you're usually rewarded so good for him." Andersen had his second straight solid start, making 33 saves en route to Toronto's third consecutive win and fifth in a row against Boston dating to last season. Patrice Bergeron had the other goal for the Bruins, while Brad Marchand returned to the lineup after missing two games with an injury. "The tying goal we were soft on it, I can't sugar coat it," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "If you have to ice it, that's fine. We didn't get it out, they made a play." Anton Khudobin stopped 30 shots in defeat and wasn't being faulted by his coach after giving his team a chance to take two points on the road. "Guy's been real good for us, seems he's been tightening up his game," Cassidy said. "Give him credit, he was solid." Notes: Leafs forward Auston Matthews missed his second game with an upper-body injury. ... Hockey Hall of Fame inductees were introduced pregame, including players Danielle Goyette, Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi and Dave Andreychuk, and Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs from the builders category. Clare Drake, inducted as a builder, wasn't in attendance. UP NEXT: Bruins: Host Toronto on Saturday night. Maple Leafs: At Boston on Saturday night. Boston Herald LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082628 Boston Bruins The Leafs are then off until Thursday, so missing these games will give the 20-year-old about a week off for rest and healing.

How good is Matthews, who has 10 goals and nine assists in 16 games Bruins notebook: Anton Khudobin puts in another strong effort in goal with a plus-14 rating? Well, Marchand tweeted, probably sarcastically, about him late last month: “At what point do the Maple Leafs have to start playing Matthews 1-vs.-5 to make it fair for other teams??” Stephen Harris Saturday, November 11, 2017 That tweet apparently engendered quite a response in Toronto, which Marchand addressed yesterday. TORONTO — Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy had effusive praise for No. 2 “It’s unbelievable how something gets blown up here,” he said with a goaltender Anton Khudobin before the B’s faced the Maple Leafs last laugh. “He’s made some unbelievable plays this year; you’ve got to give night. He certainly didn’t feel any different after Khudobin’s fine effort in a the kid some credit. But I didn’t expect it to blow up the way it did.” 3-2 overtime loss. Boston Herald LOADED: 11.11.2017 It was Khudobin’s first appearance since Oct. 26, and his fifth start of the season, and he has performed the difficult backup job very well. “Absolutely,” said Cassidy. “I think he comes to play every night. He’s given us a chance to win every night. He’s been rock solid. We scored some goals for him early on, but at the end of the day he’s always been there for us in his role.” And Khudobin’s 30-save performance in a tough, grinding game last night? “Another strong game,” said Cassidy. “Listen, the guy’s been real good for us. It seems like he’s tightening up his game as this goes along. I think there were some rebound issues early; he seems to have them better under control. “Give him credit against a good offensive team. I think we played fairly well in front of him (but) he was solid.” Marchie returns Brad Marchand returned after missing two games with a concussion, and was probably the best player on the ice. He had an assist and three shots and frequently controlled play when he was on the ice. “That’s what he is: An elite player in the ,” said Cassidy. “He showed it (last night). We missed him obviously when he was out. We’re happy to have him back.” Hand it to him Key pieces are still missing, but the Bruins puzzle looked a lot more complete last night. Along with Marchand, winger Noel Acciari also returned to the lineup and registered a team-high five hits. “Noel is a little bit underappreciated, not from our standpoint, but maybe around the hockey world,” said Cassidy. “He’s a hard-nosed guy who can set the tempo for us physically. We missed a bit of that with him out and (David) Backes out. So his presence is welcome.” Acciari’s season barely got started before he was lost with a broken left index finger in the opener against Nashville on Oct. 5. He was hurt blocking a P.K. Subban shot and kept playing for the rest of his - killing shift even though he knew he was hurt. “I tried to grip my stick, (but) something was wrong,” he said yesterday in the crowded visitors room at AC Center. “I didn’t know whether it was finger, wrist, knuckle or whatever; something didn’t feel right, that’s for sure. It was a nice shooting pain right up my arm. That’s why I didn’t know what it was at first. There was some really good displacement in there. “The doctors did a really good job (in surgery) putting it back to together.” It sounded as though Acciari hasn’t regained 100 percent strength in the hand, but he intended to play his customary physical game, which he did. “I can use my shoulders,” he said. “I should be fine out there with that aspect of my game. I’m just going to do what I do and help out the team the best I can. I’m very happy to be back. It’s been a long time coming.” . . . gets the start tonight at the Garden in the second of the home-and-home. The B’s don’t play again until Wednesday in Anaheim, the start of a three-in-four days Western trip. . . . Center David Krejci missed his ninth game with a back ailment. . . . Fifteen games in, the Bruins have yet to earn two consecutive victories. Leafs star on shelf The Maple Leafs were without rising superstar center Auston Matthews, who missed his second game with an undisclosed injury (believed to be a sore back) and is expected to remain out for tonight’s game in Boston. 1082629 Boston Bruins

Bruins hoping to see more shots out of Charlie McAvoy

By Joe Haggerty November 10, 2017 6:28 PM

TORONTO – Charlie McAvoy has been nothing short of outstanding in his first month of NHL duty. The 19-year-old is the only NHL rookie averaging north of 20 minutes of ice time per game, he’s already logging penalty kill duty and facing the other team’s best players in a partnership with Zdeno Chara and he’s got a solid eight points of production in 14 games thus far. He’s a minus player right now which is clearly something to work on, and he’s taken a couple of penalties along the way as well. But perhaps the biggest area where the Bruins would love to see growth from right now is McAvoy rearing back and shooting the puck, something that can create offense when he does pick his spots with his hard, heavy and accurate shot. “Things happen quickly out there, and we trust his instincts and his vision. What you see is how you make the play, but, yes, we’d like to see him get more pucks to the net,” said Bruce Cassidy of McAvoy, who is on pace for a pretty solid six goals and 47 points as it is right now without any further shooting frequency. “I think it’s something that will gravitate to his game over time. I don’t think that’s something that will happen overnight, when you’re a certain type of player. We see with a lot of different guys where we’re overpassing, and we could shoot more often. We’re working on it.” McAvoy was joined by both Torey Krug and Patrice Bergeron in that category in the third period vs. the Rangers on Wednesday night, as both premier offensive players passed up good looks at the net in favor of passes that never connected. McAvoy didn’t have a single shot on net in either of Boston’s last couple of games, and has just one shot on net in his last four games. He’s talented enough to be a bigger factor on offense with more tries at the net per game, and then that can be added to his aggressive physicality and all-around workhorse game that he brings to the table. It’s certainly something that the youngster knows could be another component to an already impressive all-around game. “I think shooting the puck is something I want to do. It’s something where if a guy is open and he’s giving me the pass option I am going to make the play, and in that respect, I can be a pass-first guy,” said McAvoy. “But I’ve been talking to [Bruce Cassidy] about it, and he’s very good at expressing that he’d like to see me shoot the puck more. It’s something I want to do and it’s something I know I can do more. I just want to get more pucks to the net.” What better place than Toronto for a multi-skilled player like McAvoy, with a seemingly endless amount of talent, to start generating a little more offense by throwing a little more rubber at the net? Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082630 Boston Bruins

Morning Skate: Who is on the trade market?

By Joe Haggerty November 10, 2017 4:57 PM

Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading while pleasantly surprised that the reaction to the Justice League movie is fairly decent. *FOH (Friend of Haggs) and NBC Sports hockey analyst Eddie Olczyk opens up about his fight with cancer, and that it’s “okay to be scared.” We’re all standing with you, Edzo, in this battle where you’ve already shown so much courage and humanity. *Leave it to Biz Nasty to marry the worlds of Star Wars and hockey as it will be Paul Bissonnette “Obiz-Wan Kenobi” bobblehead giveaway night at Star Wars night for the Arizona Coyotes. If that can’t get the people out of their desert homes and into the Glendale arena then nothing will. *There are some juicy names like Evander Kane and Alex Galchenyuk that could be available on the trade market now that Matt Duchene has been shipped to Ottawa. One name I wouldn’t expect to end up on there: Zdeno Chara. If perhaps the bottom fell out for the Bruins then maybe they could have mulled it over a bit, but the B’s are hanging in there and still fully intend on signing their to a contract for next season. *A very emotional moment for Brian Boyle, who scored his first goal for the New Jersey Devils since coming back from his cancer diagnosis. *PHT writer James O’Brien has the Blackhawks putting together , and amid their scoring struggles this season. *Nolan Patrick is still suffering from a concussion, but should end up staying with the team despite missing time. *For something completely different: How about this news of Rian Johnson starting a whole new, separate Star Wars trilogy? I can dig it. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082631 Boston Bruins

Marchand, Acciari both set to return vs. Maple Leafs

By Joe Haggerty November 10, 2017 1:11 PM

TORONTO – Turns out there was good reason Bruce Cassidy hadn't ruled Brad Marchand out from a return. Marchand was at the Air Canada Centre bright and early on Friday and made it through the morning skate with no problem and is expected back into the lineup tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marchand missed the past two games with what the Bruins have termed a concussion, but it appeared he was healing from both that and a knee problem that had been bugging him in the past few games. It was a John Carlson low shot to his knee behind the play that sent Marchand off in the middle of the Washington loss and saw No. 63 smash his stick over the dasher in frustration when he made it back to the bench. “It’s a big game tonight and I always have fun playing here. [It’s a] fun matchup and it’s a very good team over there that’s fun to play against. I’m feeling good, and I decided to get back to playing,” said Marchand. “I’m feeling good and look forward to playing. The last few days were good, so I decided to come back. “I felt fine [against the Capitals] and then I just kind of stiffened up after the game, but I feel good.” The Bruins will also welcome hard-hitting fourth-liner Noel Acciari back after he missed the previous 13 games with a broken finger. The return of both players should make the Black and Gold a much tougher team to play against. Here are the line combos and D-pairings against the Leafs based on morning skate: Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak Heinen-Szwarz-Bjork Beleskey-Kuraly-DeBrusk Schaller-Nash-Acciari Chara-McAvoy Krug-Carlo Postma-Miller Khudobin Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082632 Boston Bruins

Bruins were 'soft' on Maple Leafs game-tying goal

By Joe Haggerty November 11, 2017 1:34 AM

TORONTO – The Bruins failed to hold a one-goal lead in the final minute of Friday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it ended up costing them a point, and some pointed words from their head coach. The Bruins had their shutdown defenseman pair on the ice with Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo, and they had another trusted defender in Riley Nash out on the ice with Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari. A number of those players had chances to clear the puck after Toronto had pulled their goalie, but instead, James van Riemsdyk redirected a goal amid a scramble in front to tie things in an eventual 3-2 overtime win for Toronto. The Bruins allowed a power play goal to van Riemsdyk in the second period that was also a scramble in front of the net, and the Maple Leafs scored little more than a minute into OT after David Pastrnak’s gamble turned into an odd-man rush for Toronto. But it was the lack of execution in the defensive zone in the final minute of the third period that weathered the sharpest arrows from a displeased bench boss following the game. “On the tying goal we had three guys with the puck that we trust to get the job done, and we just couldn’t get it out. We were soft on it. We can’t sugarcoat it. That’s what happened,” said B’s head coach Bruce Cassidy. “If you have to ice it, that’s fine. We’re not against it in those situations even if it’s not our first choice obviously, but we didn’t get it out and they made a play. Once you get that many guys around the net you get fatigued, and they had one more guy out on the ice than we did. They found him.” The unfortunate part of the whole thing is that one minute of shoddy defense at the end of the third period wiped out 59 minutes of good, hard work that had put Boston in a position to take two points out of Toronto against a Leafs team playing without Auston Matthews. Instead, they gave up a point in the OT loss that should have been theirs, and the Bruins have to hope that doesn’t become one of the wasted points at the end of the season that plays a role in their Stanley Cup playoff lives. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082633 Boston Bruins

Talking Points: Bruins don't have answer for van Riemsdyk

By Joe Haggerty November 10, 2017 11:24 PM

GOLD STAR: James van Riemsdyk was an absolute beast in front of the net, and something the Bruins didn’t have an answer for when they really needed to. JVR finished with both goals during regulation after winning battles in front of the net, had a game-high seven shots on net, 10 shot attempts and a couple of hits in his 16:57 of ice time. The first goal came during a Toronto power play where Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo couldn’t corral JVR, and the second was a couple of failures to clear the puck leading to van Riemsdyk once again stepping up and snapping in a shot after a scramble around the paint. JVR has had some pretty effective games against the Bruins over the years, but this will stand as one of the better ones. BLACK EYE: It wasn’t a very strong night from Zdeno Chara, and that’s reflected in the way – and when – Toronto scored their goals in regulation. Chara was on the ice for both goals against, had three giveaways and took a pair of penalties in his 23:56 of ice time while not really looking like he was skating well most of the time also. But the real damning part was where James van Riemsdyk scored the goals in front of the net, which is usually Chara’s office and where he does the dirty work eliminating would-be invaders from getting into the scoring areas. But he couldn’t stop JVR from either of the two damaging goals, and didn’t have a particularly good road trip with a couple of physical, demanding games in New York and Toronto. TURNING POINT: The Bruins had multiple chances to clear pucks from the defensive zone in the closing minute leading up to the tying goal, but couldn’t make strong enough plays to either clear it or simply ice the puck. Instead, it became a melee around the front of the net where eventually James van Riemsdyk stepped in and pushed things into the extra session. That inability to hold strong through the end of periods is beginning to become a bit of a “thing” for the Bruins, and it bears watching moving forward to see if it really becomes a full-blown problem. It certainly cost them a valuable point against an Atlantic Division League foe on Friday night. HONORABLE MENTION: Patrice Bergeron played his butt off once again logging 22:49 of ice time, firing off a team-high six shots on net and scoring a second-period goal after once again teaming up with Brad Marchand for the offense. He finished 19-for-28 in the face-off circle, had a hit, a takeaway and a blocked shot to go along with everything, and generally did himself very proud on a night where he wanted to honor his Hall of Fame friend, Mark Recchi. The only shame of it was that there weren’t enough players on the Bruins roster that could execute like No. 37 did for the full 60 minutes of hockey. Bergeron has been sensational since coming back from his early-season injury, and Friday night was another example of that. BY THE NUMBERS: 5 – the number of Stanley Cup rings for about-to- be-inducted Hall of Famer Mark Recchi, who had the three from his playing days along with two rings from each of the last two seasons as Player Development coach with the Penguins. That is an impressive collection of jewelry. QUOTE TO NOTE: "On the tying goal the puck was on the stick of 3 different guys we trust to get the job done & we didn't get it out. We were soft on it." – Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, who clearly didn’t like what he saw from his guys in the final minute of regulation leading to the tying goal. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082634 Boston Bruins

Bruins crumble late, lose to Maple Leafs in OT, 3-2

By Joe Haggerty November 10, 2017 10:03 PM

TORONTO – The Bruins looked poised to take a win out of Toronto in a big home-and-home series vs. the Maple Leafs, but instead they found a way to lose in overtime. A James van Riemsdyk goal in the closing minutes of the third period pushed it to overtime, and then Patrick Marleau tipped home a Jake Gardiner feed little over a minute into OT for the 3-2 win for Toronto over the B’s at the Air Canada Centre. David Pastrnak scored in the closing minutes of the third period on a gritty play in front on the man advantage to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead, but then the B’s buckled with the last-minute score allowed to James van Riemsdyk camped in front of the net. The Bruins had been struggling on the power play headed into Friday night’s game, and had been stressing the need to up their work ethic around the net. So that’s exactly what happened as Jordan Szwarz jammed away at a couple of pucks in front of the net before Pastrnak crashed and slammed home the loose puck for his 10th goal of the season. The Bruins finally scored midway through the second period on a play that you’ve seen dozens of times before. Brad Marchand wheeled through the zone with the puck and fed Patrice Bergeron in the face-off circle for a shot that was locked and ready to go. Bergeron sizzled it inside the far post for his fourth goal of the season, and once again Boston’s dynamic duo came through for them offensively. Unfortunately, the Bruins were whistled for four penalties during the first couple of period and the last one ended up doing some damage to the Black and Gold. After Anton Khudobin was able to stop a couple of shots in front, JVR finally broke through after battling with Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo in front of the net. The Bruins again traded goals in the third period to set things up for a finish in the extra session. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082635 Buffalo Sabres The team looked good during Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Washington. They looked bad while falling back into last.

"We scored one goal," Eichel said. "I just felt like we didn't create as Sabres' Eichel is frustrated: 'I don't like my game right now' much. I felt like we probably turned too many pucks over. "It just wasn't there. We didn't make a lot of plays. We were chasing the ByJohn Vogl | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, 2017 game a bit, and that's what happened. They played a pretty patient game, made some plays, made more plays than we did, and that's why we lost." The Sabres deservedly fell back into last place. Their star played poorly Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 and knows he hasn't scored in seven games. All is not well. "Yeah, I'm frustrated," Jack Eichel said after Friday's 4-1 loss to Florida. "Yeah, I am. I don't like my game right now. I'm forcing things. "I'm obviously not producing. I don't feel like I'm making an impact. It's tough. It's frustrating, you know?" Oh, yeah. People know. People in Sabreland know almost nothing but frustration. Buffalo backers again streamed out of KeyBank Center before the final buzzer, this one signifying a loss to the worst team in the Eastern Conference. Well, Florida was the worst team. After it improved to 5-8-2, last place belonged to the 5-9-2 Sabres. Players have said the team is better than the record indicates, but that philosophy is gone after the loss to the Panthers. "That's what the record says, that's what we are," forward Kyle Okposo said. "There's no bones about it. We are where we are for a reason. We've got to realize it and try and get better every day. "It's been a lot of learning experiences this year, and I'm sick of learning experiences. It's not fun." The fun has definitely departed Eichel's hockey world. He hasn't scored since Oct. 21 in Boston. The center has three assists during the seven- game slump. The stat line was ugly Friday. He was minus-3 with two giveaways and three shots. "I obviously didn't play well," Eichel said. "The best way to look at it is we've got another game." The Sabres visit Montreal on Saturday night, though historically that doesn't mean a breakout game for Eichel. In nine meetings with the Canadiens, he has no goals, four assists and a minus-4 rating. Overall in 16 games this year, he has four goals, 14 points and a minus- 7. That's not the start he was looking for after signing an eight-year, $80 million contract extension that kicks in next season. He's felt pressure to perform his whole life, so that's not where the troubles start. He's not sure where they start. "I don't know what it is right now," Eichel said. "I'm trying to pinpoint it, but I've got to be better." Coach Phil Housley sees a player who is doing too much on his own. "He cares, and he's a tremendous competitor," Housley said. "But I think he's got to focus his energy in making the right decisions. I know he puts a tremendous burden on himself. I think he's got to simplify his game and take what really is given. "If you're going one against two, the good decision is to get it in deep. He means so well that it comes back against him, and now he's spending his energy going back to the defensive zone and spending the wrong energy down there defending." Eichel wasn't alone in the defensive end. The Panthers swarmed the Sabres for long stretches, especially when the 1-1 game was still up for grabs. The Wraparound: Panthers 4, Sabres 1 "Coming off a really good game, and we lay an egg for the last 40 minutes," Okposo said. "We've just got to find a way to be more consistent. It's everybody. It's especially our forwards. I think we bear the brunt of the responsibility in that game. "We didn't manage the puck. We weren't hard enough to play against down low. We let our D get just plastered all night, and we didn't have enough outs for them. We've got to be better as a group." 1082636 Buffalo Sabres Military honors: The Sabres celebrated Veterans Day and Military Appreciation Night with a ceremonial puck drop. Korean War veterans Richard Costo, Melvin Quast and William Webb, who also fought in The Wraparound: Panthers 4, Sabres 1 World War II, were honored at center ice. The trio was joined by Sabres Hall of Famers Danny Gare and Rene Robert, who accompanied the veterans on a trip to Washington on Monday. ByJohn Vogl | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, 2017 Standing ovation: The family of fallen Buffalo Police K-9 Officer Craig Lehner attended the game, and the fans gave them a standing ovation when they were introduced during the first commercial break. Robin Lehner wore a commemorative jersey honoring Craig Lehner during The situation was the same as last time. There was one period left, and warmups, and the goalie was scheduled to present it to the late officer's the game was up for grabs. family after the game. Unlike Tuesday, the Sabres couldn't take control. The winner is …: The Sabres are handing out a bobblehead on Fan Buffalo again failed to get a winning streak going, falling 4-1 to the Appreciation Night at the end of the season. The finalists were Gilbert Florida Panthers on Friday. The Sabres hoped to build off the 3-1 victory Perreault and Dominik Hasek. Fans voted via noise during the second over Washington that was also tied, 1-1, but they instead lost to the only period, and Hasek was the winner. His bobblehead will free at the game team that was behind them in the Eastern Conference. April 4. Florida improved to 5-8-2, while the Sabres fell to 5-9-2. Counting the house: The Sabres announced 17,812 tickets sold. Snapping a tie: The Panthers made it 2-1 with 16:10 remaining. Sabres Next: The Sabres complete their fourth of 16 sets of back-to-back games goaltender Robin Lehner never saw the shot. Saturday when they visit the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs have won three of their last four, but they're down to their No. 3 goaltender. Carey Defenseman Ian McCoshen took a shot from the left point, and it traveled Price and Al Montoya are both injured, leaving the crease to Charlie through traffic and slipped betweeen Lehner and the post. McCoshen Lindgren. has three goals, which is three more than the Buffalo defense corps. Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 Sealing it: Aleksander Barkov sent the puck into an empty net with 1:32 remaining, sending the fans to the exits after they unleashed a boo. Those who stuck around saw another empty-netter. Vincent Trocheck scored with 1:15 left. Feel the glove: Florida goaltender Roberto Luongo drew a gasp from the crowd when he got a glove on Sam Reinhart's point-blank blast with 6:30 remaining, keeping the Sabres in a one-goal hole. Power returns: The Sabres' power play entered the game in a 1-for-25 slump. It struck on its first opportunity. Defenseman Victor Antipin took a waist-high shot from the right point, and Kyle Okposo reached out to redirect it past Luongo with 6:58 left in the first. Okposo's second of the season and first at home gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead. Evander Kane earned an assist, giving him 16 points in 16 games. Nullifying a mistake: Antipin heard someone call for the puck in Buffalo's zone, and he blindly sent it to the middle of the ice – right onto the stick of the Radim Vrbata. The Florida forward skated in alone on Lehner, but the goaltender hit the ice and reached out his right pad to stop the attempt with 3:15 left in the first. Buffalo finished the period with a 1-0 advantage. Earning the tie: Florida came out flying in the second period, taking eight of the first nine shots. Lehner turned aside the opening seven. The Panthers made it 1-1 on the eighth. After yet another scrum in front of the Buffalo net, Evgenii Dadonov spotted the loose puck and found an opening with 6:52 gone. Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau earned assists, giving the trio 48 points in 15 games. Busy period: The Panthers outshot Buffalo, 15-9, during the second. Lehner stopped 14 to send the teams into the final period in a 1-1 tie. Lehner's top save came two minutes before Florida scored. The puck was available in the slot, and Sabres defenseman Marco Scandella tied up Dadonov's stick to prevent him from scoring. Buffalo's Benoit Pouliot came flying in and inadvertently pushed the puck toward the net, but Lehner reached out to put his stick on the goal line. Another fight: For the second straight game, there was a fight. The Panthers' Micheal Haley high-sticked with 10:51 left, and Jordan Nolan went after Haley and earned a decision. Jake McCabe stuck up for Sam Reinhart against Washington's Tom Wilson on Tuesday. Beaulieu is back: The Sabres welcomed Nathan Beaulieu back to their blue line. He returned after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. Beaulieu skated with Antipin. The other pairings were Marco Scandella with Justin Falk, and McCabe with Taylor Fedun. Josh Gorges was the healthy scratch on defense. 1082637 Buffalo Sabres Andreychuk will certainly reminisce about his youth days in Hamilton, his junior career in Oshawa and all his NHL stops. Notably Buffalo, Toronto, New Jersey and Tampa Bay, with 77 games thrown in between Boston Mike Harrington: Andreychuk's path led from the Aud to the Hall and Colorado. Andreychuk is 14th on the all-time list with 640 goals and is the league's all-time leader on the power play with 274, most of which came from ByMike Harrington | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, within 10 feet of the net. He scored 368 goals for the Sabres, more than 2017 anyone except Perreault and Rick Martin, finished second to Perreault in points at 804 and is the all-time leader in power play tallies at 161.

"As a 16- or 17-year-old, that's when you realize my bread and butter TORONTO -- At the start of his Hall of Fame weekend, Dave Andreychuk was going to be made in front of the net and not a lot of pretty goals to be spent plenty of time Friday afternoon thinking about where his NHL honest," he said. "I don't know if there's any highlight reel goals. But at odyssey started. the same time you had to go there and do the dirty work to get those goals and that's what I did." Memorial Auditorium is just a hole in the ground these days but it was the site where yet another Hall of Fame career was born. Bowman had compared Andreychuk to when he drafted him. As a contemporary, Andreychuk and Philadelphia behemoth Tim Andreychuk was taken by the Sabres at No. 16 in the 1982 draft, 10 Kerr were the guys who stood in front and made it their personal office spots after current coach Phil Housley. He stayed for 11 years and then through the '80s. came back for one more in 2000 in what's now KeyBank Center. "Sometimes it's not the easiest job but for me, that's the only way it was But the Aud was where it was at. Andreychuk, 54, still remembers the going to happen for me," he said. "I played with a lot of good players who roar from the top row of the Oranges all the way to the Golds. The got me pucks in front of the net and I was able to finish them off." shaking of the glass. Milt Ellis on the PA system. Like we all remember if you're a certain age (kids, ask your parents). Andreychuk had a 12-year wait to get selected and said he was thankful for former Toronto teammate Doug Gilmour stumping for his candidacy. "It was fun. The fans were into it when you think about that building," he And he said he had a good cry last week at a reunion with his 2004 said Friday in the Great Hall, where his new plaque has already been Stanley Cup championship teammates in Tampa Bay, who were as installed. "It obviously fit my game. With all these new buildings now, we emotional as he was in discussing this weekend. miss that in our game today. Especially at The Aud." "They really were," said Andreychuk, now a community development vice Andreychuk said he knew a lot about the Sabres when he was drafted by president for the Lightning. "I thanked them for what they did, putting me then-coach and GM Scotty Bowman from watching their games against over the top and what it meant. Lots of tears. I think eventually I knew it the Toronto Maple Leafs. would happen. I just didn't know when. There's 600 goals on the resume. "I knew the team but I had never been in the building before," he said. "I It's got to happen eventually." knew Scotty, and Gilbert Perreault was there. There were a lot of Andreychuk's induction means every 600-goal scorer in the NHL will now veterans when we got there and it helped us a lot." be in the Hall. Andreychuk came on board at a time when Housley, a red-head from the "I eventually knew it was going to happen," he said. "And the one thing Minnesota high school ranks, was the rage. Now he's the Sabres head I'm happiest about the most is that my parents will be here this weekend. coach and a Hall of Famer as well. That was the most important thing." "It is quite an honor," Andreychuk said. "We look back on our careers, the Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 both of us, and we were together for a long time. We made each other better. We both went on to our different teams but we grew up together for sure." Andreychuk said he talked to Housley at length last year in Nashville and felt his former teammate had become ready to take the next step on his coaching career. "I watched him from afar when he was with the US team (in the World Juniors) and he's going to be OK." Andreychuk said. "He's always had that in him. You could tell as a player he knows the game very well. It's going to take some time there. He's got to get the right players in that system but he's the perfect guy for it." Mike Harrington: No snow job from Housley necessary as Sabres actually play pretty well What else stands out about Andreychuk's time in Buffalo? His five-goal game at Boston in 1986, which he still has pucks from in his Tampa office. He was reminded of his winning goal against the Bruins in a 1983 game that saw Buffalo wipe out a 6-1 deficit to emerge with a 7-6 victory ("What a night that was"). Neither feat has since been repeated in club annals. And the magic of Rick Jeanneret's voice. Andreychuk said he loved "La- La-La-La-LaFontaine." You can't emulate Jeanneret's calls but players certainly try to all the time. "Nobody can," Andreychuk said. "We listened to them the next day. We watched the highlights and made sure he was on. We made sure he was on and we were all cheering the next day for the goals. Good man." Andreychuk was part of a seven-member class that received its Hall rings Friday from chairman Lanny McDonald, whose trademark moustache is still going strong at age 64. Boston Bruins owner and Buffalo native Jeremy Jacobs is in the class. So are longtime NHL stalwarts Teemu Selanne, Paul Kariya and Mark Recchi, Canadian women's star Danielle Goyette and legendary Canadian college coach Clare Drake, a mentor to the likes of Mike Babcock, Ken Hitchcock and Barry Trotz. The class will be honored all weekend, starting with Friday night's Leafs- Bruins game, and will give their formal induction speeches here Monday night. 1082638 Buffalo Sabres We've got to keep playing a team game and everyone's got to do better. Every one. Every single person on this team. Me included."

When Bob Boughner comes to Buffalo, he usually takes a minute to go Sabres Notebook: Luongo secures milestone win past the spot where Memorial Auditorium stood. He remembers playing the last year in the old Aud and moving a few ByAmy Moritz | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, 2017 blocks to the new arena. And one of the things he remembers are the banners.

"I've always loved coming back here. It's sort of where it all started," Roberto Luongo knew he was one win away from passing Curtis Joseph Boughner said. "Every time I go by the open area where the Aud used to for most career wins by a goalie in the National Hockey League. be, I remember taking the banners down the last game and putting them back up here. There are a lot of good memories about being a Buffalo "The media reminds me every day," the goaltender said with a smile. Sabre." The personal accomplishment Friday night was, truth be told, not all that Boughner, now the head coach of the Florida Panthers, was part of one important to the 38-year-old. What was important was getting the win for of those banners, playing for the Sabres in the 1996-97 season when his team to help drag the Florida Panthers out of a five-game winless they won the Northeast Division. streak. The defenseman played in parts of three seasons with the Sabres, who Luongo met both marks, making 24 saves in the Panthers 4-1 win over acquired him on Feb. 1, 1996 in exchange for a draft pick from the the Buffalo Sabres in KeyBank Center. Florida Panthers. Two days later, he made his NHL debut with Buffalo. He recorded no points but picked up 12 penalty minutes. The team win was important. Career win No. 455? Well that means "not much right now," Luongo said. That was par for the course with Boughner, who played in 177 games with the Sabres recording 13 points with 484 penalty minutes. "I think it's nice but for me it's about getting wins and getting into the playoffs. These accomplishments are for a rainy day when you're sitting Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 at home and not doing much. For right now, I think the focus is on getting some points in the standings and winning some games and getting into the playoffs." There's a long way to go for the Panthers to get into playoff contention. Friday's win brings them into a tie with the Sabres in the Atlantic Division, though both teams are still at the cellar of the Eastern Conference. But the Panthers were able to exhale slightly Friday. "The first win is always the toughest one to get coming out of a slump," Luongo said. "We've just got to try and build on it." Wins have been plentiful for Luongo against the Sabres. In his 30 career games against Buffalo he is 19-8-0. He entered Friday's matchup with a 1.99 career goals against and a .933 save percentage against the Sabres. "I think sometimes you feel more comfortable against certain teams than others," Luongo said. "With that being said, I couldn't tell you the reason why. Just something that happens, so I'll take it." In this win, he was called on to make a few key saves in the final seven minutes with the Panthers clinging to a 2-1 lead. The first big save was a rebound that came to Sam Reinhart with 6:32 left in the game. Then with 1:57 left, Evander Kane was on the doorstep, but Luongo held his ground. After that, the Panthers got a pair of empty net goals for some breathing room. "They only had one or two (Grade A chances) I can think of," Luongo said of the late push by the Sabres. "The guys did a great job in front of me. They were picking up sticks so I could only remember one situation where there was a rebound. The guys did a good job letting me have the first shot. Other than that it was out of the zone. That's the type of defense we want to be playing." It was just the second win of the year for Luongo, who missed six games with a lower body injury. He leads all active goaltenders in games played (972), wins (455) and shutouts (73). On the other end of the ice, Robin Lehner made some spectacular saves, particularly in the second period. He gave up the game-winner in the third when Ian McCoshen used a screen perfectly to beat him from the blue line. It was a bit of bad luck. But for Lehner, bad luck comes to teams for a reason. "We didn't deserve to win this game," Lehner said. "Something was going to go in and it usually bounces in the right team's favor." Lehner noted that the Sabres were turning the puck over too much in this game and that the team clearly failed to apply the principles from their recent win over the Washington Capitals. "We didn't keep doing what was successful against Washington. That’s why we get these results," Lehner said. "I think we got lucky a couple of times in the first where they didn't capitalize on some of our turnovers, but we had turnovers in the first. We tried to address it in the locker room here but it didn't get addressed. It's a high-scoring team over there. 1082639 Buffalo Sabres The Bills would need to cut four of last year's free agents before their 10th game to qualify for a third-round compensatory pick. The list incluces Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Stephen Hauschka, Andre Holmes, Sully's Mailbag: Phil Housley off to an uninspiring start with Sabres Patrick DiMarco, Vlad Ducasse and Ryan Davis. There's no chance the Bills cut four guys from that list to get an extra third-round pick. General manager Brandon Beane said as much this ByJerry Sullivan | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, week. 2017 Paul George asks: Mike Tolbert as backup to Shady is driving me nuts. Are there no other backs on the roster who can run the ball? Before we get to more pressing issues, I have a bone to pick with the Sully: Tolbert is nominally a tailback, though he had been a fullback the National Toy Hall of Fame. This year's three-member class was previous five seasons. He's certainly a downgrade from the Bills' backup announced on Thursday and it includes: Paper airplanes, the overrated tailbacks of the previous two seasons: Karlos Williams (2015) and Mike board game Clue and the Wiffle Ball. Gillislee (2016). Both led the NFL in yards per rush as backups to McCoy. Williams tied for the league lead at 5.6 in 2015; Gillislee led last I was glad to see Wiffle Ball finally get its due. I played for hours in the year at 5.7 driveway behind my house with my buddies as a boy, and served up many a homer to my son in our back yard in North Buffalo in the early Tolbert has 48 carries for 181 yards, a 3.8 average. His long run is 18. In 2000s. Tolbert's defense, LeSean McCoy is averaging 3.7 yards a rush, down from 5.4 a year ago. So Tolbert's numbers reflect the overall decline of From what I can gather, Wiffle Ball is the first sports item ever inducted. the Bills' running game. Still, they could do better. What about sports board games? Life, Scrabble, Monopoly and Candyland are in the Hall. But Clue does not belong in before Strat-O- Tony Schiappa asks: Celtics are off to 10-2 start, despite the loss of Matic Baseball, the best sports board game ever invented. Gordon Hayward and with only four players from last year's conference finalists. Who deserves more credit, Kyrie Irving or Coach Brad Stevens? I might have to take a trip down the Thruway to Rochester, where the toy hall is located, to make my pitch in person. And now, the Mailbag: Sully: Irving has been predictably solid, averaging 22 points a game. But the Celtics' success has been largely the product of coaching. Stevens, @EdShelly1 asks: Before the season, I felt it was realistic to give the the best young coach in the NBA, has done a remarkable job with his Sabres 'til Thanksgiving to learn Housley's system. Still disappointed. team, despite two-thirds of the roster being turned over. Sully: They say Sabres season doesn't begin until the Bills are done; it's Stevens is a fine defensive mind, which he showed when he led Butler to early. But you're not the only one who's disappointed in the first month two straight NCAA title games. The Celts lead the NBA in scoring under Housley. He was supposed to turn them into some offensive defense (94.6). They're third in field-goal percentage D. Stevens is adept dynamo, but as of Friday they were averaging 2.5 goals a game. at creating favorable matchups, a key factor in the NBA. Housley's system is designed to liberate defensemen to be more Even Irving, who was a weak and often indifferent defender with the aggressive offensively. The Sabres don't have a single goal from a Cavaliers, has bought in and been good on defense thus far. defenseman this season, which sounds suspiciously like last year's group. They've often been a train wreck in their own end. Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 Opening up the offense is rarely as simple as it sounds, in any sport. They're good enough to climb onto the fringes of the playoff hunt, but the roster still lacks the depth of talent. You can't blame this on Dan Bylsma. It's an organizational failure that goes back to the tank. Housley was a reflection of everything Sabres fans despised as a player. Is it any surprise that his team would be soft defensively and not hard to play against? Give him time. He's going to need it. * * * Bill Nowak says: What a shame it would be to see Evander Kane leave while the Sabres stumble thru mismanaging their cap and sticking with soft, underachieving players. Agree? Sully: Sort of. Kane sticks out on a roster of underachievers. He's having his best season at age 26 and has been their best player. Since last Dec. 1, he is second in the NHL in even-strength goals behind Auston Matthews. He leads the league in short-handed goals with three. Kane is a rare blend of speed, skill and power that would be hard to replace. That's the argument against moving him -- there's no one like him in the system and they would be looking to find a player just like him as soon as he left. Still, it's complicated. Kane will be a free agent after the season and seeking at least $6 million a year in a long-term deal. The Sabres have 14 players whose contracts expire after this season. They've overpaid for the likes of Kyle Okposo and Ryan O'Reilly. GM Jason Botterill has to make some difficult choices. He can't afford to let Kane walk after the season for nothing. But he can't overpay him, either. He has to worry about financial balance. Plus, who knows whether Kane will revert to his bad-boy ways after getting a monster extension? So a trade might be unavoidable. Maybe they can get a quality D man, which they sorely need. It would be tough for fans to swallow. But if one player is perceived as indispensable on a team that hasn't made the playoffs in six years, what does that say about the franchise? Ray D asks: I understand the Bills could receive a compensatory draft pick if they meet certain criteria with players on the roster. Where does that stand? And do recent trades impact that at all? Sully: The system for compensatory picks is convoluted, and it has never been made public. Essentially, a team gets draft compensation if it has a net loss of unrestricted free agents who meet certain criteria. Trades are not a factor. 1082640 Buffalo Sabres

Robin Lehner said his tribute to Craig Lehner is for 'all he represents'

ByAmy Moritz | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, 2017

Robin Lehner didn't have any personal ties to Craig Lehner, the Buffalo K-9 officer who died during a police dive team training exercise last month. But the Buffalo Sabres goaltender understood how the death impacted the Western New York community. And so Friday night, on Military Appreciation Night and what would have been Craig Lehner's 35th birthday, Robin Lehner will honor the fallen hero. During warm-ups Friday night when the Sabres host the Florida Panthers, Lehner wore the team's special military-themed jersey with "C. Lehner" on the back. The jersey will be No. 43 instead of Lehner's usual No. 40, an homage to Craig Lehner's radio call sign, which was K-9 43. "You really felt the loss through Buffalo here," Robin Lehner said after the team's morning skate in KeyBank Center. "I have a few friends that told me a lot about him. Some of them served with him. There have been a lot of fans, actually, on social media that have sent me some messages. It just feels right. What they do for this country, him being in the Army and being a police officer. It's not just him, it's for all he represents. "It just felt right being military night. He served in the Army and obviously touched a lot of people in the city." While the Sabres are putting the pre-game jerseys up for auction to benefit the Buffalo Sabres Foundation (the auction is currently live at Sabres.com/auctions with bids closing at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18) Lehner's jersey will be presented to Craig Lehner's family. "I'll give the jersey to the family after the game. Maybe meet some of the family after the game, too. It's for everyone in law enforcement and the military. Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082641 Buffalo Sabres During Wulkan's discussions with the Army hockey coaches, they came up with one final idea. The Army has a World Class Athlete Program. It provides outstanding soldier-athletes with the training needed to succeed Officer and a goalie: Amherst's Parker Gahagen sets sights on U.S. in competitions leading up to Olympic and Paralympic Games while Olympic hockey team maintaining a professional military career and promoting the U.S. Army to the world.

The problem for Gahagen was only individual athletes had been admitted ByJohn Vogl | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, 2017 to the program. There were wrestlers, runners, marksmen and boxers, but no hockey players.

Though he was a victim of bad timing with Mattis' ruling, Gahagen caught When Defense Secretary James Mattis took away hockey, Parker a break regarding the Olympics. The NHL has decided not to send its Gahagen went out and made history. Now he wants to make the U.S. players to South Korea in February for the 2018 Games, so countries are Olympic team. looking elsewhere for talent. The Army goaltender simply wants to be all that he can be – but it's been Jim Johannson, the general manager of USA Hockey's Olympic team, far from simple. sent a letter of recommendation for Gahagen to the World Class Athlete Program. Johannson said Gahagen was on the country's list of potential "I've been talking to four-star generals and colonels," said Gahagen's goalies for the Games. agent, Michael Wulkan. "It's crazy." That was enough. In late October, Gahagen became the first team player Gahagen, an Amherst native who played for Williamsville North High accepted to the World Class Athlete Program. School and the Buffalo Junior Sabres, nearly reached the pinnacle of his sport in the spring. After completing an award-filled collegiate career for "It's definitely a great opportunity to be the first one through, but at the the Army at West Point, Gahagen agreed to a contract with the NHL's same time there's some uncertainty while you're going through it," San Jose Sharks. Gahagen said. "You kind of just have to trust in the process and the people that are involved." "The contract is basically in a drawer right now," Wulkan said. Among the most trusting were the San Jose Sharks. Goaltending jobs There were rumblings in March and April that the newly appointed Mattis are limited, so holding a spot for a player who might not be available for was determined to make another policy change regarding military two years or more is tough. athletes. On and off since the mid-1980s, exceptional athletes have been allowed to turn pro and fulfill their military duties while they played or after "Obviously, you're worried about the Sharks giving up," said the their careers ended. Although it seemed remote Mattis would change Williamsville-based Wulkan, "but they've been pretty cool with the that, Gahagen and the Sharks were cautious and didn't file the contract. situation." On April 29, the rumblings shook Gahagen's world. The Army allowed Gahagen to briefly join the Sharks for their development and rookie camps this summer. After achieving World Class "The military academies and ROTC exist to develop future officers who Athlete status, he joined their minor-league team in San Jose last week. enhance the readiness and lethality of our military services," Mattis wrote He's on an amateur tryout contract, made necessary since Gahagen in a memo. "During their first two years following graduation, officers will can't collect paychecks from both the team and military. serve as full-fledged military officers carrying out normal work and career expectations of an officer who has received the extraordinary benefits of "It's nice to finally be out here, that's for sure," Gahagen said from San an ROTC or military academy education at taxpayer expense." Jose after working out with the Barracuda of the American Hockey League. "I didn't really doubt that I'd get out here, it was just more the The hockey career of Gahagen, who is a second lieutenant, was process I had to go through. That's the problem with being the first one suddenly on hold. through the door is you have to work out the kinks." "I definitely understand the policy," the 24-year-old said this week. "It's He also has to work out the kinks in his goaltending. While others have just that they go back and forth on it a lot." been playing games and practicing, Gahagen has continued his officer Before the 1980s, there was no ambiguity. Athletes at the military training. He attended Adjutant General School at Fort Jackson in academies fulfilled their duties before playing professionally. The most Columbia, S.C., learning personnel management. famous example is Roger Staubach, who won the Heisman Trophy as His wife, Kaitlyn, graduated from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. the best college football player in 1963 but served in the Navy for four Every other weekend, the couple would make the 4½-hour drive from years – including a tour in Vietnam – before starting his Hall of Fame South Carolina to Virginia so Gahagen could practice with Liberty's club career in the NFL. hockey team. Things changed in the mid-1980s with a pair of Navy athletes. Napoleon That's a big difference from facing professionals, so Gahagen needs McCallum was allowed to play in the NFL, and David Robinson jumped more practice with the Barracuda before playing. to the NBA. The trend has continued, though there have been war- related interruptions. Just last year, Navy's Keenan Reynolds graduated "It's just getting back to where I was and getting to the level where they to the NFL to join other military officers. want me to be at and I want to be at before they throw me in," he said. No more, said Mattis. Service before self. Before the career uncertainty, Gahagen was at an elite level. He ranks first on Army's career list with a .926 save percentage in 104 starts. He Gahagen wants it known he's not trying to dodge service. He knew recorded a .934 save percentage as a senior while leading the team to nothing about the Army until it heavily recruited him during his two the semifinals of the Atlantic Hockey Association playoffs. seasons with the Junior Sabres from 2011 to 2013, so he studied the military academy and understood what attending West Point meant. "He is an athletic, rising goaltender that has especially shown good consistency the last two years," Johannson, the USA Hockey general But as he grew into one of the top collegiate goalies in the nation, his manager, said by email. "He is a candidate on our eligible long list for the dream of following in the professional footsteps of Robinson, Reynolds Olympics, and we are hopeful he gets some quality playing time over the and others came closer to reality. next seven weeks to be evaluated and considered for a roster spot on "It'd be great to serve my country, but at the same time it's been my the 2018 Olympic team." dream since I started playing hockey to play in the NHL," Gahagen said. Gahagen's inclusion on the team could be a marketing windfall for the "I would love to be able to see it through and see how far I can get, military and USA Hockey, a made-for-television tale about a soldier and whether I do my service after I play out my career or even just be able to athlete representing his country in dual roles. serve the Army in a way that's more marketing or advertisement based. It would, of course, need to be based on merit, too. There are "I can't be thankful enough for what Army and West Point have done for approximately eight goalies in consideration for three jobs, including me. They've given me this opportunity, and they've been amazing in Williamsville native David Leggio, who is playing professionally in supporting me and helping me take each of these steps. I definitely want Germany. The team is expected to be announced in late December. to give back to them as well, but at the same time I want to serve them in a way that I can pursue this dream in hockey." So far, nothing has stopped Gahagen – not even America's secretary of defense. The issue went all the way to Mattis' desk, but no exception was made. "It's something that I definitely did not see coming," Gahagen said of the Olympic chance. "Your dream is always to play in the NHL and do whatever you can in order to achieve that. This is just like frosting on the cake. "It's a great opportunity to serve your country. I've been able to do it in a different way, but it would be an honor to be on the team." Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082642 Buffalo Sabres

Former Sabre Bob Boughner working on his own rebuild in Florida

ByAmy Moritz | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017

When Bob Boughner comes to Buffalo, he usually takes a minute to go past the spot where War Memorial Auditorium stood. He remembers playing the last year in the old Aud and moving a few blocks to the new arena. And one of the things he remembers are the banners. "I've always loved coming back here. It's sort of where it all started," Boughner said. "Every time I go by the open area where the Aud used to be, I remember taking the banners down the last game and putting them back up here. There are a lot of good memories about being a Buffalo Sabre." Boughner, now the head coach of the Florida Panthers, was part of one of those banners, playing for the Sabres in the 1996-97 season when they won the Northeast Division. The defenseman played in parts of three seasons with the Sabres, who acquired him on Feb. 1, 1996 in exchange for a draft pick from the Florida Panthers. Two days later, he made his NHL debut with Buffalo. He recorded no points but picked up 12 penalty minutes. That was par for the course with Boughner who played in 177 games with the Sabres recording 13 points with 484 penalty minutes. He's fighting different battles these days, ones to help the Florida Panthers get back on track. The Panthers enter Friday's game against the Sabres in KeyBank Center two points behind Buffalo in the Atlantic Division standings. And so much of the rhetoric coming from Boughner and the Panthers sounds awfully familiar to the talk coming from the Sabres room. "It's been a rollercoaster," Boughner said Friday morning in KeyBank Center. "I thought we had a great camp and there's some good things in preseason. I thought we started really well. We hit a little bit of an injury bug five, six games ago that sort of set us back, I think. We're starting to get guys back healthy now and even though it hasn't shown up in the standings, we're playing a little bit better in our own end and we're just really looking for that one game to get us back on track and I believe it's going to happen and so do the guys." Boughner, 46, knew the deal when the took his first NHL coaching job with the Panthers on June 12. Boughner spend the last two seasons (2015-17) as an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks and was an assistant for the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2010-11 season. "I knew what to expect, I think," Boughner said. "I knew it was a young team. There's a lot of teaching to do every day. Sometimes on the older teams that have been together for a while, you hit the ground running right out of training camp and there's not a lot of teaching because you have everyone there from the previous year. There's been a lot of teaching, a lot of detail work, here which is fine. It's what we all signed up for. I think once we all get together and everyone feels good about it and we start executing and seeing results, I think it's going to be a little easier." Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082643 Buffalo Sabres per game. The others are Vegas (two points in one game) and Tampa Bay (39 in 37).

O'Reilly has 15 points in the last 14 meetings, while Reinhart has five Five Things to Know as Sabres host Florida Panthers goals and eight points in the past seven. Buffalo is looking to win its second straight after a 3-1 victory over ByJohn Vogl | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 Washington on Tuesday. "We've got to make sure we defend first, and the rest will come," Pominville said. "When we do that, we're a good team. When we kind of The Sabres are welcoming Nathan Beaulieu to their lineup and the deviate from it and get away from it, we're not as good. military to their arena. "Everyone saw it last game. We're playing a solid team. We defended Here are Five Things to Know as the Sabres host the Florida Panthers at hard against one of the best offensive teams in the league in the previous 7 p.m. Friday in KeyBank Center. five, six, seven years. That's the way we've got to play." 1. It's Military Appreciation Night Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 Actually, it's a week of appreciation. Alumni Danny Gare and Rene Robert accompanied veterans to Washington on Monday. The players visited the Coast Guard station on Wednesday. Military members and their families attended Friday's morning skate, and players will wear commemorative warmup jerseys prior to the game. Sabres boost military appreciation efforts The most impactful sweater will be worn by goaltender Robin Lehner. The nameplate on the back will read "C. Lehner" in honor of fallen Buffalo Police Officer Craig Lehner. The warmup jersey will also be No. 43 instead of Lehner's No. 40 to recognize Craig Lehner's radio call sign, K-9 43. Robin Lehner will present the jersey to Craig Lehner's family following the game. "I didn't know him personally, but I deeply respect what he represents," Robin Lehner said Friday. "It's important to this town." Sabres' Robin Lehner will pay tribute to fallen K-9 Officer Craig Lehner 2. Lehner versus Luongo Lehner will start for the fifth straight game and seventh time in eight games. He is 4-5-1 with a .902 save percentage. The Panthers will go with Roberto Luongo in net. Slowed by injuries this year, Luongo is 1-3-1 with a .912 save percentage in six appearances. Luongo has 454 career victories. The next will move him past Curtis Joseph for fourth all time in the NHL. Luongo is 18-8 against Buffalo with a .933 save percentage, 1.99 goals- against average and five shutouts. 3. Help on defense Beaulieu will return to the blue line after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. Acquired from Montreal in the offseason, he has two assists in eight games. Beaulieu should help the power play, which has dropped to 30th. "We're moving the puck a lot better and shooting better," said Beaulieu, who has been watching. "Now the biggest thing is to capitalize. We're getting our chances, but we're not getting rewarded. We've just got to bear down, but our retrievals and entries have been a lot better. "It's trending in the right direction, but not we've got to capitalize because results are everything in this league." Sabres Notebook: Ristolainen downgraded; Beaulieu on power play; Kane scoring Beaulieu practiced with Victor Antipin. Jake McCabe was with Taylor Fedun, and Marco Scandella skated with Justin Falk. Josh Gorges is expected to be the healthy scratch. 4. Success for Florida The Panthers (4-8-2) are the only team below Buffalo (5-8-2) in the Eastern Conference, but they've had success against the Sabres. The Panthers are 7-2-1 in their last 10 visits to Buffalo. They are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings overall. 5. On the prowl Three Sabres – Jason Pominville, Ryan O'Reilly and Sam Reinhart – have enjoyed playing the Panthers. Pominville has 15 goals and 38 points in 38 games against Florida, making it one of three NHL teams against which he's recorded a point 1082644 Buffalo Sabres Andreychuk was traded to Toronto in 1993 and it took him until 2004 to finally win a Stanley Cup, when he captained the Tampa Bay Lightning. By then he was 40 but Bowman still recalled that lithe 18-year-old he had Inside the NHL: In Hall of Famers Housley and Andreychuk, Bowman in Buffalo 22 years earlier. struck it rich in '82 draft "What he did with Tampa that was so special was that he was a kid who was ready-made offensively who grew up into a guy who was so good defensively," Bowman said. "He was taking faceoffs, on the penalty kill ByMike Harrington | Published Fri, Nov 10, 2017 | Updated Fri, Nov 10, when they were two men short. He became more known for his defense 2017 and his career came full circle. It was the icing on the cake for him the way he found a niche in Tampa.

"They had Vinny Lecavalier, Brad Richards, Marty St. Louis, Ruslan Come Monday night, two of the Buffalo Sabres' trio of first-round draft Fedotenko. This was a team that could score but Dave was the guy who picks from 1982 will be members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. One is settled things down defensively. He took his role seriously. It would have current head coach Phil Housley, who became an honored member in been a very sad thing to not get a Cup." 2015. The other is Dave Andreychuk, who will accept induction during this year's annual ceremony in Toronto. Andreychuk waited a long time for his Hall call, sitting for 12 years because many voters pegged him a "compiler" of large numbers due to Housley's reaction: "Well, Scotty must have known something, right?" longevity. Remember, he never won a major NHL award. He's talking about fellow Hall of Famer and former Sabres coach/General But here's what former Tampa Bay defenseman Brad Lukowich told Manager Scotty Bowman, a 14-time Stanley Cup champion who hit the NHL.com at the Lightning's '04 reunion two weeks ago: "It's about time. jackpot twice that June draft day in Montreal more than 35 years ago. How does he not just get off the ice and walk right into the Hall?" Bowman, of course, knew how to mine prospects and turn them into NHL Added St. Louis: "For me, he's been a Hall of Famer from day one. I'm stars. But he had superscouts working on his behalf. Among other things, proud that he's finally getting the recognition." Rudy Migay is in the Sabres Hall of Fame for his work taking Housley at No. 6 from the Minnesota high school ranks and Andreychuk at No. 16 Come Monday, all of his accomplishments will coalesce into one final from the Oshawa Generals. moment for Andreychuk. Housley, who famously pulled out his old Jofa helmet as a prop during his induction speech, knows what his old "Rudy saw a lot of Phil Esposito in him," Bowman said of Andreychuk teammate will be feeling. when reached by The Buffalo News on his cellphone Thursday in Philadelphia. "Rudy said about Dave, 'This guy is a goal scorer. You can't "Until you drive up and have your first meeting at the Hall to see your move him. He scores a lot of goals, not from long shots but from being in picture up on the outside of the building, then it really hits you," Housley the scoring area in front of the net. They can't move him. He's got the said. "You know you're going to be part of something special. strength and vision.' " "And then right when you step on the podium, right before you get set to Migay was certainly right. Andreychuk scored 368 of his 640 career goals deliver your speech that's when it really hits you. And that's why I think with the Sabres and played a shade more than half his career games in you see a lot of guys who are really emotional because it hits you like a Blue & Gold (837 out of 1,639). He's sixth in franchise annals in games hammer." played and is the all-time leader in power-play goals with 161 for Buffalo and 274 overall. More wisdom from Bowman "Dave was really able to dig in with that big body, get position on guys," * On Housley as a head coach: "Phil will do a great job if they have Housley recalled. "One of the best puck-tippers back in the day and I enough personnel but it doesn't seem like they have enough yet. They're don't think people really give him credit for the shot he has. He could pick going to have get it in the draft. It was unbelievable to see what they did a corner. He could protect a puck as well as anybody. He'd get that big with that defense in Nashville. They really transformed that group and arm out there and be circling the net. Those are just some of the high they were ahead of the curve. Now all the teams want to do that. skills he had." * On the change in philospohy in attacking: "The new style of hockey The '82 Sabres were a unique team, with five young rookies in Housley, once we went without the red line was that the stretch pass was the Andreychuk, fellow first-rounder Paul Cyr, Hannu Virta and Mike Moller. flavor of the day. That's no longer the case. You do too many of those They were a resilient group that finished with 89 points and made the passes now because your defense can't help on the attack and be that playoffs after starting the season 2-5-1. Then they swept Montreal in a second wave. That's what Nashville showed and what teams want." memorable three-game opening-round series before losing a * On Tampa rookie Mikhail Sergachev, taken one pick after the Sabres heartbreaker in Game Seven of the second round at Boston on Brad selected Alex Nylander in 2016 and acquired by the Lightning from Park's overtime goal. Montreal over the summer for Jonathan Drouin: "I see Sergachev every As it turned out, that was the only playoff series Housley and Andreychuk night staying down there so I have an advantage. But as a 19-year-old, would win in Buffalo. The team was first-round losers to Quebec the next the things he can do are really amazing. He's on the second power play, two years despite seasons of 103 and 90 points, respectively. After a playing with a lot of confidence, playing with a good player in Anton rebuild around No. 1 overall choice Pierre Turgeon in 1987, the Sabres Stralman who really helps him with his experience." lost three straight first-round series before Housley was traded to This corner's reaction: Nylander -- who is still not practicing in Rochester Winnipeg following the 1989-90 season, when a 98-point campaign went after suffering what's believed to be a major groin or hamstring injury on for naught in a six-game series defeat to Montreal. the first night of the Prospects Challenge in September -- has a long way "Scotty really never got to see it through," Housley said of Bowman, who to go to prove that former GM Tim Murray didn't make a major mistake was fired during the '86-87 season. "It was a young team, Pierre Turgeon passing up Sergachev. came in and that 1990 team was really good and we were all still young Nov. 1 is a breaking point but they made some changes because we didn't have success. You would have liked to have seen it play through but that's part of the Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman has maintained what he calls "the Nov. 1 business. I understand that. The '80s teams were quite successful." stat" in his weekly 31 Thoughts blog and it doesn't bode well for the Sabres this year. Bowman agreed with the notion that the '80s teams in Buffalo get mostly overlooked because of the franchise's playoff successes in the '70s and Since 2005-06, only six of 48 teams that were at least four points out of a '90s. playoff spot after games played on that date came back to make the playoffs. The Sabres were one of the six, in 2010-11. "You look at the division we were in, it was very tough," Bowman said. "Our seasonal point records were very good but we were playing No one was in that spot last year due to the season's late start from the Montreal coming off four in a row, the first year I was there in '79-80. World Cup but there are six candidates this year. Joining the Sabres Quebec was very good. The Statsnys, Hunter and Goulet. Boston had were Arizona, Edmonton, Florida, Minnesota and Montreal. Bourque young, Rick Middleton, traded for Cam Neely. That Adams Division was a tough division. Oddly enough, the Sabres hit Nov. 1 this season with a 3-7-2 record -- exactly the same mark they had in the '10-11 season, which turned after "You go in the standings and we were rebuilding the team with the big completed his purchase of the club and the team finished trade with Detroit. We had a few veterans left like Craig Ramsay but not 16-4-4. Buffalo lost a first-round series in seven games to Philadelphia many. It would have been a better team in the era we have now because and hasn't returned to the postseason since. we had really good young players. We just didn't have the experience." Iafallo gets No. 1 After 13 games without one, Eden's Alex Iafallo scored his first NHL goal Nov. 4 for the Kings in a 4-3 overtime loss in Nashville. The tap-in off an Anze Kopitar feed in the first minute of the third period sparked a comeback from a 3-0 deficit that got the Kings a point. Iafallo told Los Angeles reporters after the game that, as you would expect, his phone had blown up with congratulatory texts and e-mails. "All my friends and old teachers and old coaches and all that kind of stuff," he said. "It was pretty cool to get that support and I couldn't thank them enough." Special goal for Boyle Incredible moment in the Devils' overtime loss Thursday to Edmonton as Brian Boyle scored his first goal after returning from chronic myeloid leukemia. Boyle exulted on the ice but was head-down on the bench and admitted during an intermission interview with MSG that he was overcome with emotion. "I've never cried after a goal before," Boyle said. "It's a lot. It's everything ... These guys, my wife, my kids. They've been through a lot too. My parents, my siblings. It's a good feeling." Around the boards * Leafs coach Mike Babcock is thrilled with the way veteran Ron Hainsey has lifted Morgan Rielly on his top defense pair in a sort of coach-on-the- ice way. "It makes it easy for you. Suddenly you look like a lot better player, lot smarter player, lot more confident player," Babcock said. "And it isn't the coach nattering at you. It's your teammate, so you don't even think it's natter." * Babcock on Auston Matthews' upper-body injury that kept him out of Wednesday's game against Minnesota, the first miss in his NHL career: "The one thing I know is you can't go to a guy and ask him every day if he's ready. You're putting pressure on him. When they're ready to play, they'll tell me." *West Seneca native Lee Stempniak has been assigned by Carolina to Charlotte of the AHL for conditioning purposes. The 34-year-old has not played this season due to an upper-body injury. Stempniak played all 82 games for the Canes last year, collecting 16 goals and 24 assists. *Former Sabres and Amerks center Cal O'Reilly has been named captain of the Iowa Wild, Minnesota's AHL club. He had been captain in Rochester the last two years. It's the second straight former Sabre to lead the I-Wild as defenseman Mike Weber was their captain last season. Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082645 Calgary Flames Our shooting percentage is down, but we’ve created a lot more chances. But it’s a matter of time — if guys get some confidence, they’ll break through and score more goals.” Flames' Smith due for R&R after carrying big load HAMONIC SET TO RETURN? Travis Hamonic skated again on Friday and will participate in the team’s Kristen Odland, Postmedia full practice on Sunday, following Saturday’s day-off. Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 The 27-year-old blueliner has been dealing with a lower body injury since 9:07 PM MST last Thursday’s 2-1 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. “He seems to be on track,” Gulutzan said. “(Sunday), that’ll be the pivotal day for Travis.” There was a slight scare during Thursday’s game when Mike Smith appeared to be struggling with his glove hand. The Flames were originally scheduled to have Friday off but switched it to Saturday because the Flames were attending ‘Uncorked for ALS,’ an That being said, the 35-year-old Calgary Flames goalie was able to finish event Friday night in support of the Calgary Flames Foundation and ALS the game and was fully participating in Friday’s practice which were all research, spearheaded by Mikael Backlund and his fiancee Frida good signs. Engstrom. Engstrom lost her mother to ALS five years ago, and the couple has dedicated efforts to raising funds to find a cure. Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan confirmed that Smith was just fine — an even better sign considering this city has just started getting used to The day-off, Gulutzan said, will be a nice reward for the players after having a regular, everyday starting netminder for their National Hockey collecting eight of a possible 12 points on this extended homestand. League team. “I said it’s not often that you get a Saturday off in the NHL,” Gulutzan “A long time ago, I went in net and those glove saves look so easy,” added. Gulutzan said. “Every shot that came felt like I got hit with a 95-an-hour fastball in my hand. I’m like, ‘How do you guys do this?’ They’re like, Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.11.2017 ‘Well … you don’t catch it with your hand.’ How can you even do that — it’s coming so fast? Sometimes they catch these things and it hurts more than you’d think. “But they’re so good at catching it in the webbing. He got a couple in the hand and it stung him — like a 95-an-hour fastball that you catch a little awkwardly.” Smith has started 15 games, including Thursday’s game, and has a 9-6-0 record with a 2.55 goals against average and .924 save percentage. Heading into Friday’s action, no netminder in the NHL had faced more shots (497) or made more saves (459). Given those facts, plus Gulutzan’s indication that they still have another goalie on their staff (Eddie Lack), expect to see Smith taking a night off soon. The Flames wrap up a seven game homestand on Monday against the St. Louis Blues (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan) which happens to be the team that Lack started against on Oct. 25. It’s also the same team that Lack previously posted a 6-0-0 record, a 1.63 goals against average and a .938 save percentage against the Blues in his career (prior to a 5-2 loss that night, the second half of a back-to-back on the road). And, the reality is — the Flames cannot ride Smith for the next 66 games and into the 2017-18 NHL post-season if they qualify. “(Lack) has looked really good and has kind of gotten his game back,” said Gulutzan. “At the end of the day, it’s tough for goalies to play 75 games. As good of shape Smitty is in, you still only want him to be in the 60s (in games played). So we’re going to get Eddie going here right away.” DEFENCE NOT SO GOOD Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings was the closest thing to river hockey as it comes. So, no, Gulutzan wasn’t entirely thrilled about his team’s performance, particularly the defensive side of things. “I wasn’t in love with our game,” Gulutzan said. “I thought we’ve played better games and not gotten points. But at the end of the day, our big guys came to play, and we capitalized and converted which is a good thing. Lots of guys got on the board … we had energy, and we had life, and we made some real good plays. But I’d like to tighten it up defensively.” The Flames were out-shot 42-34 while their penalty kill allowed one power-play goal on three chances. The good news? Nine players got themselves on the scoresheet, including the third line of Sam Bennett, Mark Jankowski and Jaromir Jagr. “We get fixated on the scoring goals part of it, and they were a welcome addition (Thursday) because it gives guys confidence,” Gulutzan said. “But we have it in our stats and a lot of the metrics you see around, we’re one of the top teams at creating chances in the National Hockey League. 1082646 Calgary Flames Those who often forget that the NHL is in the entertainment business are now reminded it’s not just about wins and losses – it’s about providing fans with something they can feel good about paying for. Flames entertaining win over Wings breathes life into season On Thursday, everyone got their money’s worth. Gaudreau is third in league scoring by doing what has always got locals ERIC FRANCIS out of their feet – churning those legs of his through the neutral zone with entries that, quite frankly, no other NHLer is capable of. Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 1:46 PM MST Stopping, winding, turning on a dime before dishing or making a move, he’s now seemingly cognizant of adding another dimension by shooting more regularly. It’s hard to believe what happened at the Dome on Thursday night won’t “It was an exciting night,” said Gaudreau, whose perfect pass on a 2-on-1 have a lingering effect. set Jagr up for his snipe, sending No. 13 darting for the keepsake puck. For Calgary Flames fans and, more importantly, for the players. “It’s great for Janko getting his first goal. I remember mine. It’s a pretty special feeling. Then we got Jags his first of many first goals for a team. I This one just felt different. was pretty fortunate to be part of that goal. Then Gio (captain Mark Giordano) had his little baby (girl) — all around, it was a special night for When locals look back on the season, here’s betting they’ll remember the whole team.” Game 0239 on the NHL docket. Even Bennett may be able to parlay his second assist into some Jankowski’s first NHL goal, Jagr’s first goal with the Flames, Gaudreau’s momentum. three-point night, Sam Bennett’s first point of the season, and perhaps the first time it appeared the boys on the bench appeared to be having Two years ago, he went 18 games without a goal, picking up just one fun. assist along the way. Then he scored. One game later, he had his four- goal night as part of a binge that saw him score eight times in five It was the first time this year a Flames player on one of the bottom two games. lines scored and was one of the first times the team didn’t have to lean heavily on goalie Mike Smith to win the game. Maybe this is his turning point as well. Smith was typically solid, but the brilliance of Gaudreau and the guys up Certainly there’s a feeling the Flames, as a whole, could be using front carried the day in a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Thursday’s emotional night as a turnaround of sorts. The smile on Mark Jankowski’s face on the bench and in the dressing At 9-7, this team is underachieving. room proved infectious, with everyone sharing the joy of a youngster who’d paid five years of dues in college and the minors before cashing in Yet given how much they’ve leaned on goaltending and their top line, it’s alongside the big boys. probably exactly where they belong. The thrill of having his fluky marker assisted by Jaromir Jagr wasn’t lost The best, it appears, has yet to come for this bunch. on the crowd, which was buzzing noticeably following Jankowski’s goal. They were likely jacked up over a combination of Jankowski’s milestone Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.11.2017 moment, a third-line goal, the assist by Jagr and/or the first point by Bennett. Lots to chew on. Heck, even Troy Brouwer got in on the action, drawing a rare roar from the crowd after pummeling Justin Abdelkader following a disagreement in front of the net. “There was a really lively attitude on the bench,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan of a residual effect he’s hoping will carry into Monday’s final tilt of a seven-game homestand. “Guys were liking Jags’ big-time shifts. There was some energy there. We need that moving forward. This league gets hard — it’s close every night, and you need your guys to feel confidence and have some fun. I think (Thursday night) really helped that. “Jags gives us some energy, and he puts it in the building, too. He gives those young guys some jump.” Jankowski couldn’t wait to get the obligatory photo after the game holding his prized puck, but he wanted it to be alongside Jagr who held his puck, too. Quite the keepsake, especially since Jankowski was sporting the Calgary police hat as the team’s game star. It was the 12th time in Jagr’s 27-year career he’s assisted on a player’s first NHL goal, but the millionth time he’s helped inject hope, life and excitement into a room and onto a bench. His goal and inspiring effort demonstrated why the $1-million investment GM Brad Treliving decided to make in the 45-year-old Czech rock star was full of upside. It’s fun to be at the Dome when Jagr is in the lineup. Not just because the Travelling Jagrs – or reasonable facsimiles – class up the joint, but because he’s a novelty act that will … umm … never get old. Four points in eight outings interrupted by a groin injury isn’t too shabby either. But he brings so much more. 1082647 Calgary Flames Those who often forget that the NHL is in the entertainment business are now reminded it’s not just about wins and losses – it’s about providing fans with something they can feel good about paying for. Magical win over Red Wings just what Flames need to turn it on On Thursday, everyone got their money’s worth. Gaudreau is third in league scoring by doing what has always got locals ERIC FRANCIS out of their feet – churning those legs of his through the neutral zone with entries that, quite frankly, no other NHLer is capable of. Published:November 10, 2017 Stopping, winding, turning on a dime before dishing or making a move, Updated:November 10, 2017 1:46 PM UTC he’s now seemingly cognizant of adding another dimension by shooting more regularly.

“It was an exciting night,” said Gaudreau, whose perfect pass on a 2-on-1 It’s hard to believe what happened at the Dome on Thursday night won’t set Jagr up for his snipe, sending No. 13 darting for the keepsake puck. have a lingering effect. “It’s great for Janko getting his first goal. I remember mine. It’s a pretty For Calgary Flames fans and, more importantly, for the players. special feeling. Then we got Jags his first of many first goals for a team. I was pretty fortunate to be part of that goal. Then Gio (captain Mark This one just felt different. Giordano) had his little baby (girl) — all around, it was a special night for When locals look back on the season, here’s betting they’ll remember the whole team.” Game 0239 on the NHL docket. Even Bennett may be able to parlay his second assist into some Jankowski’s first NHL goal, Jagr’s first goal with the Flames, Gaudreau’s momentum. three-point night, Sam Bennett’s first point of the season, and perhaps Two years ago, he went 18 games without a goal, picking up just one the first time it appeared the boys on the bench appeared to be having assist along the way. Then he scored. One game later, he had his four- fun. goal night as part of a binge that saw him score eight times in five It was the first time this year a Flames player on one of the bottom two games. lines scored and was one of the first times the team didn’t have to lean Maybe this is his turning point as well. heavily on goalie Mike Smith to win the game. Certainly there’s a feeling the Flames, as a whole, could be using Smith was typically solid, but the brilliance of Gaudreau and the guys up Thursday’s emotional night as a turnaround of sorts. front carried the day in a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. At 9-7, this team is underachieving. The smile on Mark Jankowski’s face on the bench and in the dressing room proved infectious, with everyone sharing the joy of a youngster Yet given how much they’ve leaned on goaltending and their top line, it’s who’d paid five years of dues in college and the minors before cashing in probably exactly where they belong. alongside the big boys. The best, it appears, has yet to come for this bunch. The thrill of having his fluky marker assisted by Jaromir Jagr wasn’t lost on the crowd, which was buzzing noticeably following Jankowski’s goal. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.11.2017 They were likely jacked up over a combination of Jankowski’s milestone moment, a third-line goal, the assist by Jagr and/or the first point by Bennett. Lots to chew on. Heck, even Troy Brouwer got in on the action, drawing a rare roar from the crowd after pummeling Justin Abdelkader following a disagreement in front of the net. “There was a really lively attitude on the bench,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan of a residual effect he’s hoping will carry into Monday’s final tilt of a seven-game homestand. “Guys were liking Jags’ big-time shifts. There was some energy there. We need that moving forward. This league gets hard — it’s close every night, and you need your guys to feel confidence and have some fun. I think (Thursday night) really helped that. “Jags gives us some energy, and he puts it in the building, too. He gives those young guys some jump.” Jankowski couldn’t wait to get the obligatory photo after the game holding his prized puck, but he wanted it to be alongside Jagr who held his puck, too. Quite the keepsake, especially since Jankowski was sporting the Calgary police hat as the team’s game star. It was the 12th time in Jagr’s 27-year career he’s assisted on a player’s first NHL goal, but the millionth time he’s helped inject hope, life and excitement into a room and onto a bench. His goal and inspiring effort demonstrated why the $1-million investment GM Brad Treliving decided to make in the 45-year-old Czech rock star was full of upside. It’s fun to be at the Dome when Jagr is in the lineup. Not just because the Travelling Jagrs – or reasonable facsimiles – class up the joint, but because he’s a novelty act that will … umm … never get old. Four points in eight outings interrupted by a groin injury isn’t too shabby either. But he brings so much more. 1082648 Calgary Flames From a defensive perspective, there wasn’t much to like about the Flames’ game except for goalie Smith remaining sharp in facing 42 Wings shots. Jankowski, Jagr score first goals as Flames in 6-3 win over Red Wings Luckily, their offensive game was on-point. “I ran into (Wings head coach) Jeff (Blashill) in the hallway, and we said it Kristen Odland, Postmedia was an open game,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “Us coaches don’t like it that open — there were a lot of chances. But some Published:November 9, 2017 nights, it’s like that. I think (the Red Wings are) really fast and skilled. The game opened up a little bit with some of the goals, but it was good we Updated:November 10, 2017 7:05 AM UTC had our offensive flair.” They also had some continued production and support from their first two lines. Between the two of them, Jaromir Jagr and Mark Jankowski have 767 National Hockey League goals. Micheal Ferland gave the Flames a 3-0 lead in the second period while Tkachuk scored to put the Flames up 4-1 following Martin Frk’s power- Jagr, after scoring his first goal with the Calgary Flames in Thursday’s 6- play marker for the Wings on an excellent set-up by Anthony Mantha. 3 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings, has 766 of them. Tkachuk’s goal was challenged for goalie interference when he planted Jankowski, the Flames’ five-year project and emerging young star, has himself in front of Mrazek and tipped Brett Kulak’s point-shot. the other, again in the team’s lastest victory. Still, even after the goal was allowed, the Red Wings continued to test After scoring, one player was trying to hide his Christmas morning-style the Flames defence in the second period. Frans Nielsen, with 4:11 grin, especially after hearing the Scotiabank Saddledome erupt like it did. remaining, and Mantha, with 3.3 seconds left, had the other Wings The other, understandably, acted like he’s one of the most prolific scorers markers. in the game and that he’s done it a few hundred times before, despite A perfect win? No. getting a standing ovation from the fanbase of his first Canadian team. Entertaining? Yes. “Yeah, it was pretty cool,” Jankowski said. “When you hear your name called and everyone’s cheering that loud, you’re trying hard not to smile And the biggest takeaway? and just stay focused and stay serious. Then, (Jagr)’s was about three times as loud. It was pretty crazy. He’s a legend. It’s pretty special to The Flames third line finally found the back of the net. (Sam Bennett, share this with him.” though, is still without a goal this season.) Jankowski’s marker — at 9:15 of the first period to put the Flames on the “For our team to go somewhere and be an elite team in the league, the scoresheet — came from his own confident rush up the middle of the ice third and fourth lines have to start scoring,” Jagr said. “We don’t have and a perfectly timed hand-off to his linemate Jagr. many opportunities, and we don’t get much power play time, so we just have to make sure we play good 5-on-5 and make sure we are a plus in Jagr, like he’s done over 5,600 times in his 1,718-game career, took a the game — and that’s what we did (Thursday).” shot on net. Jankowski, playing his ninth (!) NHL game, was in the right place at the right time and managed to let the rebound hit off his thigh The Flames (9-7-0) have collected eight of a possible 12 points and wrap and bounce into the net. up their seven-game homestand on Monday against the St. Louis Blues (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). Not exactly a highlight reel goal, but … hey … the big centreman will gladly take the puck and keep it for his collection. Fittingly, his grandma, Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.11.2017 Rosanne, was in the stands — and was the first person he saw following the game. And the other guy? “Of course any first goal for any team is special, especially in Canada,” Jagr said. “I can see how much the fans appreciate it, how much they love hockey … “Since the first day I’ve signed here, they have been so good to me, so I try to play my best.” Let’s be honest … deep down, Petr Mrazek, the Red Wings Czech goalie, probably wasn’t all that upset over Jagr scoring like he did — a two-on-one with Johnny Gaudreau with only Wings Jonathan Ericsson to defend. Speaking of Gaudreau, the slippery 24-year-old left winger had a heckuva night with a goal in the first period to help give the Flames a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes and an assist on Jagr’s goal in the second. He was a headache for the Red Wings defenders and Mrazek all night and, fittingly, scored the empty-netter to seal the deal. Early on — especially after the Red Wings came out and had four shots on Flames goalie Mike Smith within the first two minutes — Gaudreau made an incredible play in the neutral zone, cruised into the Wings offensive zone unmanned and sent a shot at Mrazek. Shortly after, Mrazek robbed Gaudreau with an excellent glove save on the Flames’ only power-play of the first period. It continued. Although he couldn’t connect on a breakaway after hit him with a head-man pass in the neutral zone, Gaudreau was relentless on the puck — especially on a one-on-one battle to strip Nick Jensen behind the Wings net. “I talked to him many times,” Jagr said of Gaudreau. “I told him he’s got such a great talent, but it’s up to him how he’s going to take it. With his talent, he can win the scoring (race) every year. “It’s just up to him. It’s tough to shut him down one-on-one.” 1082649 Calgary Flames Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan says he remembers being star-struck the first time he met the 64-year-old McDonald several years back.

“When I was in that other room down the hall with Dallas, I know he McDonald's sports hall of fame induction big win for Flames came to see Nieuwy (Joe Nieuwendyk) and I thought that was a pretty big thrill for me,” said Gulutzan. ERIC FRANCIS “To meet him, he’s such a class act. When he walks into that room. he’s one of those guys who has that calming aura about him. Such a Published:November 9, 2017 gentleman. You can feel it. If the players didn’t know (about him), I’m sure their dads would let them know how big a deal a player like this is.” Updated:November 10, 2017 10:32 AM UTC Dougie Hamilton’s dad apparently did.

“He’s a little before my time – for me, I think of Iginla and Theo Fleury,” On the wall high above the stalls in the Calgary Flames dressing room is said Hamilton, 24. an enlarged photo of the Stanley Cup being held aloft. “But I’m definitely aware of how special (McDonald) is in Calgary and It’s representative of what every player who has ever entered the room what he’s done. There are pictures of him everywhere. It’s the same guys strives to do. that create the culture and the organization and stuff, and he’s one of those guys that is a Flame legend and everyone tries to follow and be There are no faces in the picture, but everyone who has ever played for like.” the club knows the man holding the Cup is, in fact, the face of the franchise. There are few, if any, greater people or ambassadors the city, the organization or the game has ever produced than the farmer’s son from Lanny McDonald. Hanna. “I’m pretty sure that’s him right there and you can’t even see his head,” Seeing the Hockey Hall of Famer receive more accolades brilliantly said Flames forward Sean Monahan, with a smile, motioning towards the reinforces that. mural, which only shows McDonald’s left hand grasping glory. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.11.2017 “You know that moment there – I’ve seen it plenty of times since I’ve been here. He’s a big face of this organization and in this city.” In the hallway outside the dressing room, the most famous moustache in hockey history is pictured sitting atop a scruffy orange beard that perfectly frames the grin of a man who played 1,228 NHL games before finally uniting with Lord Stanley’s mug. It’s all part of the iconic team photo taken on the ice at the Montreal Forum mere minutes after every Flames had a chance to parade their prize around the rink. McDonald is front and centre in the pic – a position perfectly illustrating exactly where he stands today in the club’s pecking order. McDonald was inducted into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame in Toronto on Thursday based on many things, including his storybook goal in his final game, helping clinch organizational greatness in 1989. His name, his No. 9 and his story have since been synonymous with a club he later worked for and has since represented as brilliantly as any other. The greatest ambassador the team has ever had, he’s also one of its greatest players, leaders and cheerleaders. “You think of the Calgary Flames, you generally think of Lanny or Jarome (Iginla),” said Flames forward Kris Versteeg who grew up in nearby Lethbridge. “I know being from southern Alberta, those are the two guys that really signify the Calgary Flame name. He’s the first guy as a Flame to lift the Stanley Cup, and when I was four, five, six years old, he was the guy who everyone wanted to emulate. He’s such a big figurehead in Southern Alberta, and when guys come from elsewhere to play for the Flames, they think of Lanny McDonald.” As they should. Iginla is the most prolific, longest-serving and maybe even the greatest Flames player of all-time. But it’s the time McDonald has put into this community for almost four decades that cements him as the ultimate Flame. Anyone who has ever shaken the meaty paw that houses his prized bauble is aware of the magic he possesses with a simple smile and quick conversation. “You definitely feel that when you meet him,” said Flames forward Matt Stajan. “He is a big deal – he has a lot of respect and deservedly so – he’s a great person. One thing that stands out when you meet him is he talks to you like he’s known you forever. He’s very personable, and that’s what makes him so great.” “Lanny is a face here in Calgary, for sure, and when I grew up outside Toronto he was a face there. His career here was a lot more significant, winning a Stanley Cup. He’s always great to see around the rink when we run into him.” 1082650 Carolina Hurricanes

Staal scores twice as Carolina beats Columbus 3-1

AP Sports Writer NOVEMBER 10, 2017 10:54 PM

Jordan Staal got himself into the right place at the right time on Friday night. Twice. Staal had two goals, Cam Ward made 25 saves and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 for their second straight victory. Right after Ward smothered a breakaway for Cam Atkinson, Staal snapped a 1-1 tie 8:54 into the third period when he lifted the puck over Sergei Bobrovsky from the slot. Teuvo Teravainen dished it off to Staal for his second assist of the game. "The less I think the better, so I was just trying to get it off as quick as I could, and I was fortunate enough that it kind of jumped off my stick the right way," Staal said. Brock McGinn added an empty-net goal with 25 seconds left. Brandon Dubinsky scored for Columbus (9-7-1), and Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots in the Blue Jackets' fourth straight loss. Columbus' NHL-worst power play struggled again, with no goals in two chances. Dubinsky put Columbus in front in the first period. Tyler Motte grabbed a loose rebound in the defensive zone and fired a long pass that Dubinsky carried in and stuffed past Ward with a backhand. It was Dubinsky's second goal of the season, giving him four points in the last four games. Staal tied it with his fifth of the season 3:50 into the second period, thanks to some sloppy puck-handling by Columbus that allowed Carolina to keep it in the zone. Staal was waiting at the doorstep to tip in a pass from Noah Hanifin, who had faked a slap shot and drew Bobrovsky out of position. "We played with speed tonight," Staal said. "We were skating, but moving the puck better, too. Our execution has been slowly improving, and it's a continuing process we have to do day in and day out if we want to win games." The consecutive wins for Carolina (6-5-3) come on the heels of a four- game slide, two of them in overtime. "We've played a lot of tight games," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. "We're not getting much offensively. We've got to work on that. I think it's going to come." Meanwhile, Columbus has been struggling to put together a complete game, playing poorly in the first period and squandering some chances late. "We have four or five really good opportunities in that third period, the right people with the puck on their sticks and we don't get it done," Columbus coach John Tortorella said. "So no matter how bad we were (early), we still had a chance to win it, and we don't find a way in the third." NOTES: Ward replaced Scott Darling on the first night of a back-to-back. Darling will face the Blackhawks, his old team, on Saturday night. ... Carolina D Brett Pesce was back in the lineup after missing three games due to a concussion. ... Columbus C Zac Dalpe missed his second game with an upper-body injury. ... Hanifin has four assists in the past three games. ... C Patrick Brown, F Lee Stempniak and D Klas Dahlbeck were scratches for Carolina. ... In addition to Dalpe, Columbus scratched D Scott Harrington and D Gabriel Carlsson. UP NEXT Hurricanes: Host Chicago on Saturday. Blue Jackets: Visit Detroit on Saturday. News Observer LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082651

Blackhawks will face a lot of familiar faces Saturday in Carolina

Chris Hine

If you tune in to the Blackhawks game Saturday night, you’ll see a bunch of familiar faces wearing red and white sweaters — including some of the opponents. Saturday will mark the first time the Hawks will face the Eastern Conference version of themselves in the Hurricanes, who have six former Hawks on the roster, three of whom played significant roles for the Hawks last season. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, center Marcus Kruger and goaltender Scott Darling were wearing Hawks sweaters a season ago. They joined former Hawks forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Joakim Nordstrom and defenseman Klas Dahlbeck in Raleigh this season. “When you’re going somewhere new and not knowing anyone, it makes it tough,” van Riemsdyk told the Tribune this week. “So when you can avoid all that, it feels really comfortable right from the get-go.” Van Riemsdyk’s situation couldn’t be more different than it was with the Hawks. They allowed him to go in the expansion draft to the Vegas Golden Knights as part of a package that included the Knights trading for Kruger to take his approximate $3.1 million salary-cap hit off the Hawks’ books. The Hurricanes then traded for Kruger and van Riemsdyk in separate deals. Van Riemsdyk, 26, is the second-oldest defenseman on the Hurricanes — just 18 days younger than Dahlbeck. Van Riemsdyk is part of a promising young defensive corps that includes Noah Hanifin and Brett Pesce, van Riemsdyk’s former college roommate at New Hampshire. “It’s definitely a change from how it was in Chicago,” van Riemsdyk said. “But you see all these young guys here, they all have a few years of experience under their belt. They’re such highly regarded guys. … That’s always an exciting thing, to be a part of the direction they’re going.” Van Riemsdyk is playing in front of a familiar face in net. The Hurricanes signed Darling to a four-year, $16.6 million contract after trading the Hawks a third-round pick for his negotiating rights before free agency. Darling is getting his first chance to be an NHL starter, and in 10 starts entering Friday he had a 4-3-3 record with a 2.35 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. “He’s an awesome story, and now playing the majority of games, he’s done a great job,” van Riemsdyk said. “Night in and night out, he’s given us a chance to win. He makes those big saves like in Chicago that you’re used to seeing him make where he slides across and sticks that big pad or glove out there.” That won’t be the only familiar sight for Hawks fans Saturday night. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082652 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks try to keep the faith amid scoring slump

Chris Hine

Hockey often requires blind faith — believing that if you do most things right, the hockey gods will reward you with goals and assists. But the hockey gods can be fickle. They give you goal off a defender's skate, or you get a lucky deflection. The Hawks, who have scored just 12 goals in their last seven games, are going through a crisis of faith. But as captain Jonathan Toews said, they have to keep believing. “It comes down to — it’s the only choice you’ve got,” Toews said. “If you choose to let it get to you, you’re going to spend a lot more time going through … a negative phase of the season. We have to … create that positive feeling in our locker room and just go out there and play loose and say, ‘Hey, if we’re hitting rock bottom it can’t get any worse.‘ Then we can go out there and play loose, like we got nothing to lose.” That might be the attitude, but there is still plenty to lose, starting with Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes. For all the talk of the Hawks’ lack of experience and depth on the blue line, that hasn’t been their main issue. The Hawks’ big-money players — Toews, Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp — just aren’t producing. The team is in a collective funk unlike any it has seen during this decade of success. Toews has one goal in his last 11 games. Kane hasn’t scored in seven games while Saad, who had six goals in his first six games, hasn’t scored in his last 10. “A few games there I went without chances, it was definitely frustrating,” Saad said. “But lately I’ve had some more chances, more looks. I think that helps with getting your swagger back and your confidence back. (Thursday) I had some looks, too. They’re going to go in. You’ve just got to stick with it.” Coach Joel Quenneville has tried every trick to get the Hawks going. He changed up the lines for Thursday’s game, and when the Hawks didn’t start the way Quenneville wanted, he changed them again entering the second period. During practice Friday he changed lines again, moving Nick Schmaltz over to a wing with Kane and Artem Anisimov at center. Saad was back with Toews and Richard Panik on the top line. Alex DeBrincat skated with Tanner Kero and Lance Bouma, while Tommy Wingels centered Ryan Hartman and a left wing rotation of Patrick Sharp and John Hayden. “I think we have to be better managing the puck in the offensive zone,” Quenneville said. “Around the net, we get a little hurried. … But the effort has to be there first and foremost. You got to play right to get those chances.” That goes back to believing. “We all just have to have a little faith that we’ll stick with it,” Toews said. “Once we see a few go in everyone is going to feed off that confidence and feed off that energy those goals give us.” Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082653 Chicago Blackhawks

Saturday's matchup: Blackhawks at Hurricanes

Chris Hine

TV/radio: 6 p.m. Saturday; WGN-9, WGN-AM 720. Storylines: The offensively challenged Blackhawks will try to find a spark and might have to do it against their former backup goaltender, Scott Darling, one of six former Hawks on the Hurricanes. Darling was 4-3-3 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .910 save percentage entering Friday. Trending: The Hawks power play has converted 12.8 percent of its chances, third-worst in the league entering Friday. The Hurricanes weren’t much better at 13.3 percent. The Hawks penalty kill had an 85.2 percent conversion rate, sixth in the league. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082654 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks to honor Al Secord with 'One More Shift' on Sunday

Paul Skrbina

Al Secord, who spent portions of eight seasons with the Blackhawks during his 12-year career, will be honored Sunday when he takes part in the team’s “One More Shift” program before its 6 p.m. game against the Devils. The program pays homage to former Blackhawks by allowing them to be with the team in full gear on the ice after starting lineups have been announced. Secord, whose 213 goals put him eighth in franchise history, is one of three Blackhawks, along with Bobby Hull and , to score at least 50 goals in one season. He had 54 in 1982-83. Secord had six hat tricks with the Blackhawks, and twice he scored four goals in a game. The second time, Jan. 7, 1987, he scored all four during an 8-minute, 24-second stretch of the second period against the Maple Leafs, the shortest span during which anyone has score four in team history. Secord will be the second participant in “One More Shift” this season, joining Bryan Bickell. Denis Savard, Steve Larmer, Roenick and Ed Belfour participated last season, when the program began. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082655 Chicago Blackhawks

Eddie Olczyk on his cancer fight: 'I think it’s OK to be scared'

Phil Rosenthal

“I think it’s OK to be scared,” Blackhawks TV analyst Eddie Olczyk said of his cancer fight in an interview on Thursday night. “I still am, because I’ll have to deal with cancer the rest of my life.” Olcczyk began a half-year chemotherapy regimen after an August diagnosis of Stage 3 colon cancer days before his 51st birthday and had surgery to remove a tumor the size of his fist. He told WGN-Ch. 9’s Julie Unruh he views the ordeal in transactional terms. “I’m trading in, hopefully, six months for 50 more years,” Olczyk said. “That’s my goal. Like, that’s the thing, for as hard as it is and as hard it’s going to be, that’s what I’m doing.” Hugely popular in the Chicago area where he grew up and still lives, Olczyk first made a name for himself as a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team at age 17. He went on to play for the Blackhawks and five other teams over a 16-season NHL career, coach the Pittsburgh Penguins two-plus seasons and get inducted in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Olcyzk recently has worked locally alongside play-by-play man on Blackhawks telecasts, and nationally as NBC Sports’ top hockey color commentator. He also contributes to NBC’s coverage of major horse races, speaking from his home with host during last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Classic broadcast. Olczyk has said in earlier interviews he intends to reclaim some normalcy to his life as the ups and debilitating downs of his medical treatment cycle allows. Last month, on back-to-back days, he called a Blackhawks game in St. Louis with Mike “Doc” Emrick on national cable’s NBCSN and a Blackhawks-Oilers game from the with Foley for WGN. A father of four who this summer celebrated his 29th wedding anniversary, Olczyk reiterated to WGN’s Unruh that the support of family, friends and the Blackhawks has been essential in getting him through this challenging time. “My life is complete … when everybody else around me is fine,” Olczyk said. “It’s always been that way. I felt like I let everybody down initially. That’s the first thought I had when I got sick. I’m glad it’s me and nobody else in my circle because I wouldn’t be able to live if it was somebody else.” Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082656 Chicago Blackhawks

Do the Blackhawks know they have less than 2 weeks to move into a playoff spot?

Steve Rosenbloom

So. Much. Bad. Your 2017-18 Blackhawks, ladies and gentlemen. The Hawks desperately need more speed and quickness at both ends of the ice. They’re begging for an education on moving as five-man units. One of the most decorated power-play units in the league has been a joke. But wait. There’s more. The Hawks are failing to get the big offensive contribution from defensemen that GM said would come. Heck, they’re failing to get a big offensive contribution from anyone, period, but especially their $10 million men Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Fact is, the Hawks have played lousy since the fool’s gold of the first two games in which they scored 15 goals and allowed just two against opponents playing backup goalies in the second game of back-to-backs. Following those first two games, the Hawks are under .500 and, after their dreadful 3-1 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia on Thursday night, their goal differential is a putrid minus-eight. That’s not Coyote ugly, but it’s Oiler awful. Oh, and one other thing: The Hawks could use more urgency when looking at the standings. “There’s still lots of hockey to be played,’’ Hawks winger Brandon Saad said. “Even though you lose a couple, our division’s still pretty tight, there’s still a lot of points to be had.’’ You can see why Saad believes that. The Hawks have played just 16 of 82 games. With 16 points, they stand sixth in the wild-card race. Yes, they’re only one point out of a playoff spot, but they hold sixth place based on tiebreakers such as games played and wins. They rank worse in the Central Division, sixth of seven teams, two points behind the third- place Predators, who have a game in hand. So, Saad, and probably a lot of people including everyone drawing a paycheck from , believes they’re close and have time. But no, not really, and here’s why: The Hawks are less than two weeks from the American Thanksgiving, as my Canadian hockey friends say, and while it isn’t the official finish line in April, it might as well be. If you’re not sitting at the playoff table on the American Thanksgiving, you are largely unlikely to eat in the spring. Since the NHL recast the league from three divisions to two in each conference in 2013-14, seven of eight playoff spots were decided by the American Thanksgiving. That’s 87.5 percent of the playoff field decided by about the 20-game mark for every team. You can consider it a small sample size, four seasons. I get that. But we’re talking seven of eight playoff teams every year. It has not been five of eight one year and eight of eight another, for instance. No, it has been seven of eight for each of the last four years in the current setup. Only one team holding a playoff spot on the American Thanksgiving fell out. If you go back another 10 years or so, the percentage of playoff teams known by the American Thanksgiving was more than 75 percent. That’s a bigger sample size, but not particularly encouraging. So, no, Brandon, you’re wrong. There is not a lot of time. Tell your friends. There is less than two weeks for the Hawks to have themselves a season instead of a bloodletting that likely will start higher than former assistant coach Mike Kitchen’s position. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082657 Chicago Blackhawks

Experience helps Brandon Saad fight off mounting frustration

11/10/2017, 03:02PM Mark Lazerus

RALEIGH, N.C. — The first couple of weeks of Brandon Saad’s NHL career were exhilarating. A surprise to make the roster out of a four-day, post-lockout training camp in 2013, Saad found himself thrust into a top- line role as an injury replacement in the second game, suddenly playing a major role — and playing it well — on a team that was just starting a 21-0-3 run to open the season. But there was one problem: Saad couldn’t score. Oh, he was around the net all the time, playing alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. But the puck wouldn’t go in. He was stopped on breakaways, denied on the doorstep, hitting posts and chipping shots just wide. At just 20 years old, it was tough to fend off the mounting frustration. “You just want to get you first one out of the way,” Saad recalled. “Sometimes you’re all over the net, and the pucks just aren’t bouncing your way.” Saad is going through a similar drought now — after scoring six goals in his first six games (four of them game-winners), he hasn’t found the back of the net in 10 straight games. But at 25, with a breadth of experience that most players at 35 don’t have, Saad is better equipped to handle it. He’s won two Stanley Cups and gone to another conference final. Then he’s suffered through a miserable first season in Columbus, only to enjoy the defiant fun of a remarkable turnaround last season. Saad went 17 games without a goal during the 2013 playoffs, but still won a Stanley Cup. He went 18 games without a goal late int he 2014 season, spilling into the playoffs, but still made his impact with his stellar two-way game. And he went 11 games without a goal in 2015-16, but still finished with a career-high 31 goals. So one little slump isn’t going to faze him at this point. “You have that experience that you can fall back on, and know that it’s something you’ve been through before,” Saad said. “You know how to get out of it and not to panic. But still, when you’re losing games, you want to score even more.” Saad — like so many other Hawks during this team-wide scoring slump — feels he’s agonizingly close to breaking through. He had his best game in weeks Thursday night in Philadelphia, with a career-high eight shots on goal. And he’ll be reunited with Toews and Richard Panik on the top line Saturday at Carolina, a line that Joel Quenneville said gives the ever-changing Hawks lineup some much-needed “predictability.” “We were pretty dominant early on, and then we had some lulls,” Saad said. “We had some chemistry going there early on, and we’re looking to get that back.” The whole team has been looking for the chemistry that Hawks showed in two emphatic wins over the Penguins and Blue Jackets to open the season. But like Saad, everyone seems snakebitten. As a result, the Hawks are a .500 team this late in the season for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign. And given the Hawks’ lofty stature in recent years, mediocrity feels apocalyptic. But once again, Saad has the experience to know better. His 2015-16 Blue Jackets finished 27th in the league. “Going through all that, you know you’re going to face adversity throughout the year,” Saad said. “That [2015-16] season is something you can fall back on, knowing how bad it can get, but knowing it’s a long season and that we can pull ourselves out of this.” And looking around this Hawks room — and looking in the mirror — Saad doesn’t get the same vibe he got in that Blue Jackets room. He sees frustration, yes, but he also sees optimism. “The guys are still positive,” he said. “We have a lot of talent and depth in this room. There’s no reason to hang our heads or anything like that. We’ve just got to stick with it and do what we’re supposed to do on a consistent basis, and we’ll be fine.” Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082658 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks to honor Secord with 'One More Shift'

John Dietz

The Blackhawks will honor Al Secord with their One More Shift promotion before their game against New Jersey at the United Center on Sunday. Secord played parts of eight seasons with the Hawks (1980-87, 1989-90) and ranks 18th in franchise history in goals with 213. He is one of just three Hawks with 50-goal seasons to their name (Bobby Hull, Jeremy Roenick). Secord scored 54 in 1982-83. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082659 Chicago Blackhawks "It took me a little bit to adjust, but I'm getting there with the new group, new city."

Darling (4-3-3, .910, 2.35 GAA) got off to a slow start this season, Why Darling expects emotions to run high when he faces Hawks on allowing 3 or more goals in five of his first eight starts. He really stepped Saturday up in the last two games, though, turning away a combined 53 of 55 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss to Arizona and a 3-1 win over Florida. John Dietz In the postgame interview after the victory over the Panthers is where you can see how much Darling has grown as a leader. He's poised, confident, expects the best out of himself and expects his team to figure out how to win those tight contests. Scott Darling spent his entire childhood rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks. In the fourth grade, he even wrote that his dream was to "When you're tied going into the third period, you have to find a way to play goalie one day for his hometown team. win the game," Darling said. "Don't wait for somebody else to do it. Go make it happen. That's something you just have to get instilled in your Somehow, some way -- after overcoming more roadblocks than perhaps belief system as a team and we're getting there." any professional athlete in the history of sports -- those dreams came true and he even helped the Hawks claim the Stanley Cup in 2015. Peters also likes what he sees out of Darling. Blackhawks vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 6 p.m. Saturday "Real good human being," Peters said. "Real quality teammate. I know he's enjoyed the opportunity to become a number one guy in the NHL." TV: WGN As for Darling's pedestrian record, it would look a lot better if the Radio: WGN 720-AM Hurricanes could figure out a way to score. Sixteen of the team's 35 goals came in three games; in the other 10, the Hurricanes averaged 1.9. The skinny: The Hurricanes won/lost at Columbus on Friday night. Cam Ward started in net so Scott Darling could face his former team Saturday. Carolina (5-5-3) was at Columbus on Friday, and Peters put backup "I think the team knew that I would like the opportunity to play against goalie Cam Ward in net so Darling could face his former mates Saturday. them," said Darling, who played with the Hawks from 2014-17. "It (will) be fun to play against (my) old friends and teammates." ... Much like the Darling appreciated the move and is truly looking forward to facing his Blackhawks, coach Bill Peters' team has struggled offensively, and buddies. But he's also focused on the future -- one in which he hopes the especially on the power play where they ranked 27th in the league before Hurricanes become a consistent force in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Friday's games. "There's a lot of close games that we've played," Peters said. "We've started to see some real good progress in our 5-on-5 play. "Obviously I miss Chicago," Darling said. "I miss living there, I miss the We made enough (roster) changes in the off-season, but it takes a little guys. while to get acclimated to a new team, a new system, a new city. I think "But I'm super happy in Raleigh, and the biggest thing for me is I wanted that's underway and we're on our way to bigger and better things." the opportunity to play every night. That's the opportunity they gave me Next: New Jersey Devils at United Center, 6 p.m. Sunday here so I decided to come here and take that next step." He spent the last two seasons as perhaps the best backup goalie in the • Columbus Blue Jackets insider Brian Hedger contributed to this report. league behind Corey Crawford, then parlayed that success into a Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 lucrative deal with the Carolina Hurricanes last summer. Before leaving Chicago, though, Darling barely held it together during his end-of-season news conference at the United Center, and then wrote an emotional goodbye to the city of Chicago in the Players' Tribune in June. "In writing this story, I got choked up four or five different times," wrote Darling, who is a recovering alcoholic. "Maybe that sounds ridiculous, but that's only if you don't know how low of a place I clawed my way up from." So to say his emotions will be running high when he faces his former team for the first time Saturday might be the understatement of the season. Carolina acquired Darling in May by giving the Hawks a third-round draft pick so they could negotiate with the 6-foot-6 Lemont native before he became a free agent on July 1. It didn't take long for the sides to agreed upon a four-year, $16.6 million contract, a deal he earned after going 64-39-17 with a .923 save percentage and 2.37 goals-against average with the Hawks. "I like the fact that we were aggressive in obtaining his rights," Carolina coach Bill Peters said in a phone interview. "It's been an excellent deal for both sides and he's played real well for us." Carolina is basically Blackhawks East these days as Darling is one of six former Hawks on the roster. Also in Raleigh are forwards Teuvo Teravainen, Marcus Kruger and Joakim Nordstrom and D-men Trevor van Riemsdyk and Klas Dahlbeck. Kruger and van Riemsdyk came aboard about two months after Darling signed. "I was really excited that they grabbed them -- obviously for their on-ice reasons, and just because they're great dudes too," Darling said. "It's nice to have friends in a place where you don't know a lot of people. "Not just that. I love playing with TVR. I love the way he plays 'D'. And Krugs obviously, he goes to work every night." Despite all the familiar faces, Darling admitted he didn't feel comfortable until about two weeks ago -- a fact that took him by surprise. "I was kind of shocked because I'm so used to switching teams," said Darling, who played for 10 different organizations from 2010-15. "But I just got so comfortable in Chicago. And for me, it's not easy to get comfortable somewhere and feel part of a group, and really love the guys you're playing with and the organization. … 1082660 Chicago Blackhawks

Days as Blackhawks' fill-in prepped Scott Darling for role as Hurricanes' new No. 1

By Tracey Myers November 10, 2017 2:50 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Scott Darling was used to dealing with the on-ice pressure from his time with the Blackhawks. From his stellar performance against the Nashville Predators in April 2015 to taking over when Corey Crawford had appendicitis last December, Darling showed he could handle a No. 1 goaltending job someday. But for Darling, earning that status has been as much about the right attitude as the experience. “I don’t know if the transition to starter was that tough. It’s always something I’ve been excited about and really enjoyed when I got the opportunity in Chicago if Crow was hurt or sick or something. It’s (more) the big life change, to move (somewhere) I’ve never really been other than to play the Hurricanes,” Darling said. “So that transition, it took a little bit and I’m finally comfortable.” Darling had a few tough games but is getting back to form lately, giving up just two goals in his last two games. And he’ll start on Saturday night when the Hurricanes host the Blackhawks at PNC Arena. As of Friday, Darling is seventh in the league with a 2.35 goals-against average, and Carolina coach Bill Peters said Darling’s transition to starter has been “fairly seamless.” “He’s playing really well for us,” Peters said. “It’s a good combination of our goaltenders. There’s a bit of a different style among the two (Darling and Cam Ward) and the things we’ve asked Scotty to work on, he’s done an excellent job. So I think he’s really trending in the right direction.” Darling is one of six former Blackhawks on Carolina’s roster right now and having that many familiar faces has helped him get used to the new surroundings. On the ice, the Hurricanes have either struggled to score goals or have given up leads late. It’s led to some disappointing outcomes and players say Darling’s deserved a better fate in some of those games. “We’ve played 13 games and we’ve had a chance to win them all. They’ve been close games. We know we can always trust him and he’s been playing great for us,” Marcus Kruger said of Darling. “Hopefully we can win a few more games here for him because he really deserves that.” Carolina forward Jeff Skinner said Darling has had a calming influence on the Hurricanes. “He’s big and steady, big and strong back there and settles everyone down. I think obviously when you add a player of his pedigree, especially in that position, it can settle guys down,” Skinner said. “We have a lot of young guys who have played a lot of minutes and played big roles on our back end, but having him back there has definitely been a positive.” Asked about playing that settle-down role, Darling said, “I think it’s just they’ve been through some tough years here recently, and not just myself but having all of these new guys who have a winning pedigree the last couple of years and want to win and know how to win, it’s been good for the whole team and all the young guys. It’s just knowing what to say in the locker room, not getting flustered or giving up if we get down a goal or something like that.” Darling’s biggest transition was off the ice, getting used to a new city and a new organization. Considering the on-ice situations he faced in the hopes of eventually getting a No. 1 goaltending job, the adjustment to that has been fairly smooth. “It’s a new organization, new people, new bosses, learning how things work here. So that’s been a transition,” Darling said. “But on the ice it’s just hockey and I feel pretty comfortable.” ESPNChicago.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082661 Chicago Blackhawks

Big contingent of former Blackhawks helping each other settle in with Hurricanes

By Tracey Myers November 10, 2017 1:15 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The names of former Blackhawks dotted the Carolina Hurricanes locker room, making those who are here now a lot more comfortable. “Even Dahly, who was my roommate in Rockford, so we go way back,” said Scott Darling, referring to former Blackhawks defenseman Klas Dahlbeck. “Six of us from Chicago? It’s definitely huge off the ice, definitely makes the transition easier.” The Hurricanes are the latest team to have a big influx of former Stanley Cup-winning Blackhawks on their roster. There are, indeed, six there now: Joakim Nordstrom and Teuvo Teravainen were already there when Darling (rights traded from Chicago), Marcus Kruger and Trevor van Riemsdyk (acquired through the Vegas Golden Knights) arrived over the summer. Dahlbeck was picked up off waivers in October. Off the ice it’s about transitioning to new surroundings. On the ice, the former Blackhawks bring a winning pedigree that the Hurricanes have tried to feed off. “They’ve had a lot of success in their careers and a lot of them are still young. They’ve been there, they know what it takes,” Carolina forward Jeff Skinner said. “For us in the locker room, anyone who hasn’t [won the Cup], it’s a good opportunity to learn from those guys.” Hurricanes coach Bill Peters, who coached the IceHogs from 2008-11, said the new acquisitions have been adjusting on and off the ice. “They’re getting their feet wet. It’s an adjustment period, getting into Raleigh and getting settled in. Once that becomes second nature it allows you to concentrate on simply playing hockey,” he said. “We all know they’re very qualified hockey players. We like the additions we made in the summer and they’re starting to pay off. Guys are settling in and getting comfortable in the way they have to play for us to be successful as a team.” The Hurricanes are trying to get back among the NHL’s best, and bringing in some of those guys doesn’t hurt. The start of this season, however, the Hurricanes and Blackhawks have been similar in other ways: both teams have gotten good-to-great goaltending, both teams have struggled to score and both know they should be higher in the standings. “Was hoping for more points than we have so far,” Kruger said. “We’ve had chances to get more and we’ve been giving up [goals] late in games. Hopefully we can just get some victories in a row and build some confidence because I think that’s what we’re lacking right now, especially at the end of games. We’ve been playing well but we have to play well for the whole game. That’s what we’re trying to do here now.” Trevor van Riemsdyk agreed that overall confidence will get there. “Especially early on in the year you’re trying to get the confidence in your game and that confidence when it’s tight and it’s late,” he said. “I think we have a lot of guys who are confident in their abilities but just getting those reps and game experience. When you get those wins, there’s nothing like that. You build on it. Throughout the year you just pick up things that you did or didn’t do and hopefully that translates into wins along the way.” The Hurricanes have had some growing pains this early season. It’s to be expected for a team that has a good amount of youth. But the Blackhawks they acquired have brought a winning pedigree and Carolina hopes it helps build the Hurricanes into a consistent winner again. “The main thing is [to] learn from them like you would any other teammate but obviously they have a little something more to offer than most guys,” Skinner said of the former Blackhawks. “It’s been fun getting to know them, getting to play with them, and hopefully we can continue to build something good here.” ESPNChicago.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082662 Chicago Blackhawks Team USA line chart for #DeutschlandCup opener vs Slovakia. Puck drops at 10 am ET. More details: https://t.co/atFwEjZ37b pic.twitter.com/lsWc6oS1es Brian Boyle's tearful return was triumphant, plus why the Blackhawks are — USA Hockey (@usahockey) November 10, 2017 a bit of a mess Hey, Russia: We know you may or may not send your KHL players to the Olympics. But if they go ... WHATCHU GONNA DO WHEN TEAM USA 7:13 PM ET UNLEASHES THE AWESOME POWER OF RYAN MALONE, JIM SLATER AND DAN SEXTON ON YOU?! Greg Wyshynski Blackhawks gripes

It has not exactly been the happiest of times for the Chicago Blackhawks. Hello, and welcome to the Weekly Reader, which will run every Friday and collect news and views from around the hockey world on the week's The Hawks are 7-7-2, having lost two straight. That record is a tribute to biggest stories. Seen something worth highlighting here? Hit me at the stellar start by goaltender Corey Crawford (.942 save percentage). [email protected], or do the same if you have suggestions for Otherwise, Chicago has been a bit of a mess -- including a 2.75 goals- the column going forward. Enjoy! per-game mark, which is 20th in the NHL and drops even farther if you eliminate the 10-goal burst against the Pittsburgh Penguins on opening The goal -- and the reaction -- was the essential Brian Boyle. night. Playing against the Edmonton Oilers at home on Thursday night, the Brandon Saad has one point in 10 games. Jonathan Toews has a goal veteran forward crashed the crease and took advantage of a fumbled and an assist in his past seven. Patrick Kane has two assists in his past puck by goalie Cam Talbot, putting the rebound in the net to give the six games. New Jersey Devils an early lead. It was the type of blue-collar goal that -- along with winning faceoffs and growing facial hair that would make Inigo Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane haven't had much to high-five about Montoya envious -- has defined Boyle's 11-year career. lately, as even a brief reunion on the Blackhawks' top line didn't bear fruit. Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire Except this time, Boyle openly wept after scoring. As John Dietz notes in his autopsy of the Blackhawks' offense, there are "I've never cried after a goal before. Usually, I can keep it in check," problems throughout this lineup but few solutions. Heck, the Blackhawks Boyle said. "These guys -- my wife, my kids, my parents, my siblings -- even reunited Patrick Sharp, Toews and Kane on a line that a few years they've been through a lot." ago would have been among the best in hockey. That reunion lasted an entire period against the Flyers on Thursday night. His comportment was overcome by catharsis. It was the first goal of the season for Boyle, who returned on Nov. 1 after being diagnosed in the Things are bad enough internally, and externally, fans bemoaned the preseason with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable organization for apparently getting yet another outdoor game. The Chief form of cancer that affects the bone marrow. Hopes were high that he reported that the long-gestating Winter Classic game at Notre Dame in could play this season -- winger Jason Blake got the same diagnosis in 2019 will feature the Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. It would be 2007 and then played a full season with the Toronto Maple Leafs -- but Chicago's sixth NHL outdoor game. the toll on Boyle hasn't only been physical. Mary Clarke says enough is enough with these Blackhawks: "Yes, Brian Boyle's first goal of the season came in his fifth game back on the outdoor hockey in one of the most historic sports venues in the world. ice -- and less than two months after Boyle was diagnosed with chronic And the NHL doesn't need the Blackhawks to do it." myeloid leukemia. Satchel Price of Second City Hockey drinks those tears: "Let's embrace "After you see what he went through, [you realize that] it's not just a the Blackhawks Outdoor Barnstorm Tour and have them play outdoors in physical thing -- it's a mental thing that he went through," Devils head a different part of the country every year. It's fun, and it irritates just about coach John Hynes said. "It's energy-draining." everyone who isn't a Blackhawks fan. Let us cherish these special moments." Boyle, 32, is a husband and a father of two children under age 3. He is also one of 13 siblings from a large Irish-Catholic family that hails from Kevin Bieksa is undercover, boss the Boston suburbs. He's had many long nights with his loved ones since his diagnosis. It's been taxing. Hence, when he scored, he felt an The Anaheim Ducks are blessed with and Kevin Bieksa. uncontainable rush of emotions. OK, maybe not contractually, but from a comedy perspective these former Vancouver Canucks remain the gold standard for cringe "A lot of things went through my head in such a short amount of time. I weirdness. Please recall the Kesler-Bomb stunts and the time that Bieksa was thinking about my family. How huge they've been, letting me conducted an entire interview as Kesler to an oblivious reporter. continue to play and ... the stuff that's going on behind the scenes," he said. "I can usually separate it. But it was a wave of a number of different The tradition continued this week as Bieksa followed up a stunt in which things. My wife's been through the wringer here. She's had a lot more to he pretended to be an intrusive "shovel boy" during a Ducks game with deal with than I'd say I have. I'm not here tonight if it's not for her and my this instant classic, where he disguises himself as a security guard at The family." Pond. Hilarity ensues: But he was there, doing what he has done throughout his NHL career: Last year, he was Shovel Boy. This year, it's @HondaCenter whatever is necessary to help his team win, energizing the entire building security.@KBieksa3 is back in disguise in the award-winning Undercover with that effort. Boyle gives his all to his teammates, and in this instance, Duck. pic.twitter.com/elIOeOv8Xe he's honored that the Devils -- with whom he signed a two-year, $5.5 — Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) November 9, 2017 million deal over the summer -- have given him back so much. Bieksa on his back, like he's changing motor oil, using a metal detector "It was emotional, but these guys have been here through the whole wand on Ryan Getzlaf's crotch is what this game is all about, folks. thing with me. They've answered all the questions about it. They've [borne] some of the brunt of it as well. They've had my back," he said. Jersey Foul of the week "They've welcomed me here. I'm a new guy, and it's been an unfortunate circumstance, but they've supported me." Tavares to the #Habs confirmed? pic.twitter.com/W78jIuF3Ai In that moment against the Oilers, through the elation and the tears, - Peter Alper (@peteralper99) November 7, 2017 Brian Boyle found what he'd wanted to feel for two months: an emotional The only question I have is whether this guy still occasionally wears his release and a sense of normalcy. Vincent Lecavalier Canadiens jersey from a decade ago, which was also "I'm able to play hockey," Boyle told ESPN.com. "Things are good, and born of incredible hubris and wishful thinking. they're getting better." Please always mike up Casey Cizikas Your future gold medalists MSG Network miked up New York Islanders winger Casey Cizikas for a These were the lines for Team USA in the Deutschland Cup opener game against the Oilers, and the result was pretty much everything you against Slovakia on Friday: could ask for: funny and insightful, with a memorable highlight that involved his negotiation with referee Gord Dwyer about a spearing penalty that wasn't called on Zack Kassian as Kassian tried to get the puck out from under Scott Mayfield. A transcript: Blackhawks defensive prospect who grew up in Finland. "Everyone in America is talking about football, always. So it is good for me to see Cizikas: "That's a spear, no?" why." Dwyer: "Yeah, but he's trying to dig the puck out, and your guy is laying ESPNChicago.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 on it." EDITOR'S PICKS Most inspiring NHL comebacks Brian Boyle's amazing comeback from leukemia got us thinking about other players who had overcome injury or disease challenges recently. Power Rankings: Failure in 140 characters The Twitterverse underwent a seismic change this week, doubling its character capacity and unleashing a torrent of verbosity. Because we long for the good old days, this week the Rankings are in 140 characters or fewer. You're welcome. Q&A: Roberto Luongo isn't done dealing yet Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo is known for his sharp Twitter wit and his prowess at the poker table. The two-time Olympic champion talks about racking up wins (and losses), his Italian heritage and if poker is in his plans for retirement. Cizikas: "That's not digging the puck out. There's a difference between digging the puck and trying to hurt someone." Dwyer: "Look, I agree. I agree. Dirty play." Cizikas: "Then call [a two-minute minor]. We'll go 4-on-4. You can't just let that go away." Dwyer: "I'm not calling a 4-on-4 on that play. You guys want me to call a 4-on-4 on that play?" Cizikas: "Well, I'll take Johnny [Tavares] 4-on-4." And then they both laugh heartily. Great stuff. Well, except for the idea that the Islanders would be better off at 4-on-4 against Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who would go on to beat them in the 3-on-3 overtime. Puck headlines A youth hockey assistant coach in Littleton, Colorado, was fired for a profane pep talk that encouraged the bantam players to work their opponents "like [expletive puppets]," which is as uncomfortably creepy as it sounds. Not to be all "think of the children," but this is just unconscionable. [CBS 4 Denver] Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner will honor fallen K-9 officer Craig Lehner by wearing a customized jersey during warm-ups on Friday night. [Buffalo News] Players on the Plattsburgh State women's hockey team were disciplined by the school after it viewed a Snapchat video that showed "three members of the team drinking alcohol on the team bus as the team traveled to dinner after the championship game." [NBC 5] A scorching rant about the Florida Panthers: "I can't honestly be encouraged to invest time and money into this product right now. And until they make some adjustments and prove to me that they are serious about winning, I won't. Maybe you shouldn't either." [Panther Parkway] Behind the truly bizarre photoshoot featuring Bill Smith in full uniform, including goalie pads, near a pond from 1983. [The Score] Frank Provenzano with a really insightful look at when it's the correct time to fire a coach midseason. Sample prose: "The thermometer in an NHL head coach's office is directly related to expectations (both real and perceived) among the team's fan base and, most importantly, in the owner's suite." [The Athletic] An interesting look at the impact of short-term on-ice success on the hockey card market. [Raw Charge] Why Harrison Browne opted not to retire. [Maclean's] Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn't read) How five Canadian filmmakers discovered the nuances of hockey culture in ... North Korea? An interesting tale from The New York Times. In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN Emily Kaplan's humorous look at a fantasy football league among Blackhawks prospects, specifically young Europeans who have no idea what they're doing. "Football, it is a big thing here," said Ville Pokka, a 1082663 Colorado Avalanche

From Stockholm: 5 observations from the Avalanche overtime loss to Ottawa

By MIKE CHAMBERS | November 10, 2017 at 4:34 PM

The Avalanche lost 4-3 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators on Friday in the opener of the two-game NHL Global Series at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm. Five observations from the game: Duchene pointless. Former Avalanche forward Matt Duchene, playing in his first game with the Senators since Sunday’s three-team blockbuster trade, centered the top line and logged 16 minutes, 44 seconds but was pointless and minus-1. Duchene had two shots and delivered one hit. Playing in his 587th NHL game, Duchene wasn’t a factor for Ottawa against his former team. Lunch Special: Which Matt Duchene trade prospect is going to make the biggest impact for the Avalanche? Girard shines. Defenseman Samuel Girard, who was obtained from Nashville in the Duchene deal, made an impressive Avalanche debut. The 19-year-old logged 21:55 on Colorado’s top pairing with Erik Johnson and assisted on Alex Kerfoot’s second-period goal that tied it 2- 2. Girard played in his sixth NHL game and will play three more before the Avalanche decides if he remains with the team or returns to juniors in Quebec. Judging from Friday’s debut with the Avs, he has an excellent chance of remaining in the NHL. MacKinnon stays hot. Avs center Nathan MacKinnon tied it 3-3 late in the third period with his fourth goal in the last five games — a span in which he has amassed 10 points. MacKinnon began the season on a six-game goal drought but has since produce five in his last nine games. He takes a five-game points streak into Saturday’s second game in Stockholm against Ottawa. Avs held to just 19 shots. Colorado was outshot 32-19 and produced just a combined eight in the second and third periods, and none in OT. The Avs are now averaging 30.1 shots per game, which is 24th among 31 teams. Footnotes. Colorado has now produced points in four of its last five games, going 3-1-1. … Forward Matt Nieto failed to convert on a penalty shot after getting slashed by Senators defenseman Chris Wideman on a short-handed breakaway at 18:33 of the second period. … Avs forward J.T. Compher was minus-3 in his first game back after missing six games with a broken thumb. … Defenseman Erik Johnson logged a season-high 30:02 in ice time for the Avs and fellow blue-liner Chris Bigras only played 10:44. Denver Post: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082664 Colorado Avalanche third overall pick in 2009 has 178 goals and 250 assists in 586 games, all with Colorado.

He’s got all the support and time in Ottawa to get used to new Ottawa beats Avalanche in OT in Sweden in Matt Duchene’s first game teammates and environment. since trade “It’s gonna take him some time to adjust to the way that we play and the system we play,” Karlsson said. By KAREL JANICEK | The Associated Press “It’s not an easy situation to be put in. We gonna have to give him a little PUBLISHED: November 10, 2017 at 3:41 pm | UPDATED: November 10, bit of time to reach the potential that we all know he has. 2017 at 4:56 PM “When you look at him you see the type of player he can make,” Stone said. “He gets the puck, he makes things happen.” STOCKHOLM — Before newcomer Matt Duchene can fully fit in, the “We’re more than happy to have him for sure,” Boucher said. Ottawa Senators still have others to make the difference. Denver Post: LOADED: 11.11.2017 On Friday night, Mark Stone scored in regulation and again in overtime to give the Senators a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the first of two regular-season games in the Swedish capital. Swedish defenseman Fredrik Claesson and Christopher DiDomenico also scored for the Senators. Nail Yakupov, Alexander Kerfoot and Nathan MacKinnon scored for Colorado. Stone scored 59 seconds into overtime for his 11th of the season. “I had a good summer, just like to move in and play consistent hockey,” Stone said. “And our team has been successful offensively. We do the right things.” MacKinnon tied it for Colorado with 7:07 remaining in regulation. “We’ve found some solid chemistry and we showed that again,” MacKinnon said. “It’s a matter of burying more of our chances.” Ottawa coach Guy Boucher was happy with his team’s defense, allowing the Avalanche only three shots on goal in the second period and five in the third. “That’s what we needed to do,” Boucher said. “I liked the way we reacted when they scored. Nothing changed, the guys kept their focus and calm.” The teams will complete the NHL Global Series in Stockholm on Saturday night. It’s for the fifth time the NHL has played regular-season games in Europe, but the first since 2011. Lunch Special: Which Matt Duchene trade prospect is going to make the biggest impact for the Avalanche? NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday he hoped “to establish a more regular and predictable presence for our international events” but didn’t give any details. The capacity crowd of 13,000 spectators at Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe cheered loudly for both teams, each led by Swedish captains — Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog and Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson — and some other Swedish players were on the ice to please the fans. Yakupov opened the scoring on a power play 8:16 into the game. Just 20 seconds later, Claesson gave the home crowd a reason to cheer again with a slap shot from above the left faceoff circle to tie it. It was the first point of the season for Claesson. “It means a lot (to play at home),” Claesson said. “Especially in front of our families and friends and relatives. It’s really fun.” Karlsson had two assists for a total of 15 points in 10 games. Ottawa rallied with Stone redirecting a shot past Semyon Varlamov with 4:50 left in the opening period. Another home crowd hero, Johnny Oduya, had an assist on the goal. Kerfoot tied it at 2 midway through the second, redirecting ‘s shot. Kerfoot also had an assist. DiDomenico restored a one-goal advantage for the Senators, sweeping a rebound past Varlamov — who fumbled a shot from Dion Phaneuf — with 6:38 remaining in the second. After the Senators acquired Matt Duchene from Colorado on Sunday as part of a three-way deal that included sending Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators, the center led the first line with forwards Mike Hoffman and Zack Smith. Duchene who had four goals and 10 points this season through 13 games with the Avalanche didn’t get a point but was a threat Friday. The 1082665 Colorado Avalanche "It's gonna take him some time to adjust to the way that we play and the system we play," Karlsson said.

"It's not an easy situation to be put in. We gonna have to give him a little In Matt Duchene's Senators debut, Ottawa outlasts Avalanche in Sweden bit of time to reach the potential that we all know he has. "When you look at him you see the type of player he can make," Stone By: KAREL JANICEK , Associated Press November 10, 2017 Updated: said. "He gets the puck, he makes things happen." November 10, 2017 at 10:21 PM "We're more than happy to have him for sure," Boucher said. Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 11.11.2017 STOCKHOLM— Before newcomer Matt Duchene can fully fit in, the Ottawa Senators still have others to make the difference. On Friday night, Mark Stone scored in regulation and again in overtime to give the Senators a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in the first of two regular-season games in the Swedish capital. Swedish defenseman Fredrik Claesson and Christopher DiDomenico also scored for the Senators. Nail Yakupov, Alexander Kerfoot and Nathan MacKinnon scored for Colorado. Stone scored 59 seconds into overtime for his 11th of the season. "I had a good summer, just like to move in and play consistent hockey," Stone said. "And our team has been successful offensively. We do the right things." MacKinnon tied it for Colorado with 7:07 remaining in regulation. "We've found some solid chemistry and we showed that again," MacKinnon said. "It's a matter of burying more of our chances." Ottawa coach Guy Boucher was happy with his team's defense, allowing the Avalanche only three shots on goal in the second period and five in the third. "That's what we needed to do," Boucher said. "I liked the way we reacted when they scored. Nothing changed, the guys kept their focus and calm." The teams will complete the NHL Global Series in Stockholm on Saturday night. It's for the fifth time the NHL has played regular-season games in Europe, but the first since 2011. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday he hoped "to establish a more regular and predictable presence for our international events" but didn't give any details. The capacity crowd of 13,000 spectators at Stockholm's Ericsson Globe cheered loudly for both teams, each led by Swedish captains — Colorado's Gabriel Landeskog and Ottawa's Erik Karlsson — and some other Swedish players were on the ice to please the fans. Yakupov opened the scoring on a power play 8:16 into the game. Just 20 seconds later, Claesson gave the home crowd a reason to cheer again with a slap shot from above the left faceoff circle to tie it. It was the first point of the season for Claesson. "It means a lot (to play at home)," Claesson said. "Especially in front of our families and friends and relatives. It's really fun." Karlsson had two assists for a total of 15 points in 10 games. Ottawa rallied with Stone redirecting a shot past Semyon Varlamov with 4:50 left in the opening period. Another home crowd hero, Johnny Oduya, had an assist on the goal. Kerfoot tied it at 2 midway through the second, redirecting Blake Comeau's shot. Kerfoot also had an assist. DiDomenico restored a one-goal advantage for the Senators, sweeping a rebound past Varlamov — who fumbled a shot from Dion Phaneuf — with 6:38 remaining in the second. After the Senators acquired Matt Duchene from Colorado on Sunday as part of a three-way deal that included sending Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators, the center led the first line with forwards Mike Hoffman and Zack Smith. Duchene who had four goals and 10 points this season through 13 games with the Avalanche didn't get a point but was a threat Friday. The third overall pick in 2009 has 178 goals and 250 assists in 586 games, all with Colorado. He's got all the support and time in Ottawa to get used to new teammates and environment. 1082666 Columbus Blue Jackets

Hurricanes 3, Blue Jackets 1 | Frustration builds after fourth straight loss

By Steve Gorten Posted Nov 10, 2017 at 10:54 PM Updated Nov 10, 2017 at 11:39 PM

The puck slid all the way down the ice and into an empty net, providing a frustrating punctuation the Blue Jackets have had to endure for three games in a row. The Blue Jackets lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 at Nationwide Arena on Friday night, giving up an empty-netter in the final minute as they scrambled desperately, and unsuccessfully, to get the tying goal — just like in losses to the Predators and Rangers to start this week. They lost their fourth consecutive game (0-3-1), and the refrain afterward was similar: The slow start was unacceptable, and they have to find a way to win games like this. “We’ve got to find a way to come out better. Our first (period) wasn’t very good. Most of the second, the same way,” said Brandon Dubinsky, who scored the Jackets’ lone goal 5:35 into the game. “We need to take a long look in the mirror at what type of team we are, how we’re successful and how we’re built,” Dubinsky added. “It’s not by trying to be fancy, making plays and trying to be run-and-gun. It’s about getting pucks beneath the other team’s hash marks and winning battles. We’re not doing enough of that.” Jordan Staal scored the tying goal at 3:50 of the second period and the winner at 8:54 of the third. The Jackets came up short even though they finished one of their worst first periods leading 1-0 and improved from the middle of the second period on. “The third period was our best period,” coach John Tortorella said. “We (had) four or five really good opportunities with the right people with the puck on their sticks, and we don’t get it done. So no matter how bad we were, we still had a chance to win it, and we just don’t find a way in the third.” Sergei Bobrovsky was stellar, finishing with 26 saves. His counterpart, Cam Ward, made 25 stops, including a stretching, left-toe save on Cam Atkinson’s breakaway six minutes into the final period. “We’ve got to score more than one goal,” said center Alexander Wennberg, whose Jackets have mustered only that the past two games. Dubinsky’s goal, his second of the season, came off a stellar stretch pass from Tyler Motte that spanned the blue lines. The sprinting Dubinsky bore down on Ward on a mini-breakaway and flipped the puck over him with a backhand when Ward went low. The Hurricanes pulled even after the Jackets turned over the puck in their end. Noah Hanifin deftly faked a shot that drew Bobrovsky out of position, and then passed the puck to Staal, who tapped it into an open net. The Jackets had two power plays but were unable to set up in the offensive zone on the first one, eliciting boos from the crowd. On the second opportunity, they tallied three shots but came up empty for the 11th consecutive power play. “We’ve got to get back to who we are,” Dubinsky said. “I don’t think that was an indicator of who we are tonight. So we’ve got to rectify that immediately.” Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082667 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Motte’s role may be diminished

By Steve Gorten Posted Nov 10, 2017 at 11:33 PM Updated Nov 10, 2017 at 11:33 PM

Tyler Motte played so well in his first two games with the Blue Jackets that coach John Tortorella said the forward gave him no choice but to keep him in the lineup. Unfortunately for Motte, who played Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes for the sixth consecutive game, Cam Atkinson’s return from injury and lack of stability at center on the fourth line might limit his role moving forward. In Atkinson’s first game back Tuesday, Motte received just 5:16 of ice time against the Predators, nearly 13 minutes fewer than the previous night against the Rangers. Tortorella said that wasn’t a reflection of Motte’s performance. “His game is chasing down pucks, making things happen that way,” Tortorella said. “I played him in different situations. I didn’t have him on a top-six line. That certainly changed the landscape for him. I’m happy with his game.” On Friday, for the third time in six games, Tortorella used seven defensemen and just 11 forwards. Wing Sonny Milano was a healthy scratch for the second time. Zac Dalpe, recovering from an upper-body injury, also didn’t play. That left fourth-line wings Motte and Markus Hannikainen without a center and regular shifts. “It’s a little different being a little less involved in the game. You feel like you have a little less impact maybe,” said Motte, who played 33 games with the Blackhawks last season before coming to the Blue Jackets in the Artemi Panarin trade. “But ice time is not something I can control. No matter the situation I’m put in, I’m just going to compete to the best of my ability and try to get results.” Motte, who scored a goal in each of his first two games with the Panthers, said he wants to return to “having that same step and same speed” as he did Oct. 30 against the Bruins and Nov. 2 at the Panthers, and “continue to play with it.” Slap shots Backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo is 1-3 with a 3.28 goals-against average and .896 save percentage, but has played well and wasn’t at fault for either of the two goals the Predators scored on him. “Whenever you put your second goalie in and you have an opportunity to get points like we did, and we didn’t, that’s frustrating to me,” Tortorella said. “But Korpi certainly gave us a chance.” ... Expect Atkinson to continue to be used extensively on penalty kills and power plays. “Since I’ve been here, he’s probably the guy I look to most for every opportunity to get him on the ice,” Tortorella said. “And he deserves it.” Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082668 Columbus Blue Jackets

Channel information for Blue Jackets and Cavs on Saturday November 11, 2017

FOX Sports Ohio Nov 10, 2017 at 2:26p ET Saturday, November 11, 2017

Blue Jackets @ Red Wings at 7:00pm | Pregame at 6:30PM Cleveland and Toledo areas: The game is being made available to providers to air on the plus FOX Sports Ohio cable channels. Alternate channel information can be found here. · Direct TV: FSCincinnati – 661 & 661-1 · Dish: FSCincinnati – 427 & 412-17 · AT&T: FSCincinnati – 732 & 1732 · Streaming live on FOX Sports GO · Available on Hulu, Sling TV, Playstation Vue, DirectTV Now, YouTube TV, & fuboTV Cavs · Cable providers Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown/Erie, Bowling Green, KY and Wheeling/Steubenville areas: Main FOX Sports Ohio cable channel Columbus, Lima, Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville/Lexington, and Charleston/Huntington areas: The game is being made available to providers to air on the plus FOX Sports Ohio cable channels. Channel information can be found here. · Direct TV: FSOhio – 660 & 660-1 · Dish: FSOhio – 425 & 412-15 · AT&T: FSOhio – 734 & 1734 · Streaming live on FOX Sports GO · Available on Hulu, Sling TV, Playstation Vue, DirectTV Now, YouTube TV, & fuboTV foxsportsohio.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082669 Dallas Stars "Just use my speed. I know how good they are. I just get to the net, let them do their things and when I have a play don't be afraid to make a play. It's the same stuff. I'll probably play against better players, so it's a Stars juggling chainsaws in hopes of sparking lineup vs. Islanders mental thing. I just have to be ready for whoever they throw at us." -- Gemel Smith on how he will adapt to being moved to a line with Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov. By Mike Heika , "Hunt pucks and be strong on the pucks, be diligent in going into all the hard areas. Sometimes when you get a young player playing with any veteran player, they defer. They move the puck, they don't want to shoot ISLANDERS at STARS on a two-on-one, they want to pass off. We just want him to do what has allowed us to continue to play him on a daily basis. Jamie and Radulov 7:30 p.m. today (FSSW/1310 AM The Ticket) have talked to him. He's excited. I think any player would look at this as Storyline an unreal opportunity, as do [Devin] Shore and [Mattias] Janmark (playing with ). We hope they take advantage of it." The Stars are juggling injuries and lines, so there is a lot up in the air with this team right now. Jamie Benn is expected to start at center for the first -- Hitchcock on what he wants from Gemel Smith on a line with Benn and time in five years, while both Radek Faksa (lower body) and Brett Ritchie Radulov. (upper body) will return from injuries. They have a significant challenge, "It's a sour taste in your mouth, but we played well, we really cleaned up as the Islanders are 6-2-1 in their past nine games. defensively against a good team. It was a great play, a great shot. That's Key matchup what overtime is, it goes from a grade-A opportunity to a bounce off a skate and then the other team gets a chance." John Tavares vs. Tyler Seguin: Or Jamie Benn ... or Martin Hanzal ... or Radek Faksa. Stars coach Ken Hitchcock could try all sorts of matchups -- Islanders coach Doug Weight on his team's 2-1 OT loss to Edmonton to stop Tavares, who has 12 goals and 6 assists in 15 games. Seguin on Tuesday. has been getting a lot of head-to-head matchups against great centers, Stars' projected lineup and he has 8 goals and 7 assists in 15 games. Mattias Janmark-Tyler Seguin-Devin Shore Key number Gemel Smith-Jamie Benn-Alexander Radulov 3.60: That's the scoring average of the Islanders, ranking third in the NHL. Dallas ranks 18th in goals against average at 2.87 and 18th in save Antoine Roussel-Radek Faksa-Brett Ritchie percentage at .904. In his past five starts, Stars goalie Ben Bishop is 1-3- 0 with a 3.64 GAA and .887 save percentage. Remi Elie-Martin Hanzal-Jason Spezza Notable -John Klingberg -- Dallas lost to Winnipeg at home Monday, 4-1. The Stars are 8-7-0, 5-2- Dan Hamhuis-Greg Pateryn 0 at home. Jamie Oleksiak-Stephen Johns -- New York lost at home Tuesday, 2-1 in OT. The Islanders are 8-5-2, 2- 5-0 on the road. Ben Bishop -- Ben Bishop is expected to start in goal for Dallas. He is 6-4-0 with a Kari Lehtonen 2.71 GAA and .911 save percentage. Bishop is 6-4-1 in his career Scratched: Jason Dickinson, Curtis McKenzie against the Islanders with a 2.84 GAA and.896 save percentage. Injured: (lower body), Tyler Pitlick (upper body). -- Jaroslav Halak is expected to start in goal for New York. He is 5-3-0 with a 2.82 GAA and .906 save percentage. Halak is 4-5-1 in his career Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.11.2017 against Dallas with a 2.75 GAA and .899 save percentage. -- This is the first meeting between the two teams this season, but Dallas was 0-2-0 against New York last season. The Stars are 2-6-0 over the previous four seasons against the Islanders and have allowed an average of 4.25 goals per game. -- Dallas ranks first on the power play (31.8 percent) and fourth on the penalty kill (86.5 percent). -- The Islanders rank ninth on the power play (21.1 percent) and 12th on the penalty kill (82.0 percent). -- Jamie Benn has 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) in 12 career games against the Islanders and is minus-7 in that span. -- Jason Spezza has 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 36 career games against the Islanders and is plus-1 in that span. -- John Tavares has 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in 12 games and is plus-6 in that span. He said it "We just feel right now that we are playing at a high level and not being able to beat the big boys. And in order to beat the big boys, I feel like if we get more people participating it will give us a better opportunity." -- Stars coach Ken Hitchcock on the decision to split up the top line and move Jamie Benn to center. "I like the one-two punch. We'll see if we can make it productive, but I really do like the one-two punch. I thought Benn's line was excellent yesterday and Seguin's line was excellent today. It looks like we've got real potential here. I like what I see, and anytime you have size and speed through the middle of the ice it's a good thing. That's what we've got. It seems like all the good teams have a good one-two punch right now. I think that is what we want to try to establish." -- Hitchcock on how the lines have looked during practice. 1082670 Dallas Stars "Yeah, there was change, gave us some days to work on it with the practice days. Practice seems like it's few and far between sometimes. I think it was a good time to have those days for us. Then to get from all He said it: Players and coaches comment after Stars' 5-0 win against four lines good contributions is definitely what makes a successful team. Islanders I'm sure he's happy with the changes he made." On winning the game in the first period after losing last game in the first period: By Mike Heika , "I think we had a little more poise with the puck. I think we just had some urgency and we just buried our chances. I think we get chances every night, it's just a matter of putting them in. I thought we did a good job, Stars Head Coach Ken Hitchcock they play a little more passive in the neutral zone and we got pucks behind them and they have some good D. We can't let them skate and On changing the team's lines tonight: that was kind of the emphasis of our game, is trying to slow some of "I think what happens is when you have one line that is doing everything, those guys back down the back end." you tend to let it do everything. That's the feeling I had that was Islanders Forward Josh Bailey happening on our hockey club. We were just allowing that line to save the day and in the end, the two games against Winnipeg were a wake-up On being shutout: call for me. We did need way more participation if we're going to beat good teams because they have two and, in Winnipeg's case, three lines "We just did not really have it going, I think, give them credit I mean they that score. We just needed more people involved and that's when I made played well. They were a desperate team and came out and played hard, the decision to do what I did. The other thing for me is when (Jamie) we just were not good enough. We did not respond well enough, did not Benn and (Tyler) Seguin, they've got to take on the responsibility of create enough, there was a lot of things we could have done better, so helping other people and they did that tonight." that's probably the frustrating part." On the play of John Klingberg: On the offense: "I see a young guy maturing. He doesn't have a lot of games in the "Yeah, you are right, it's frustrating, I think it's a long season we play 82 league to be a go-to guy but I see his game maturing in that he's really games obviously you are not going to have your "A" game every night learning when to live to fight another day with the puck. I think that's and tonight certainly was one of those nights. But like I said, we will tuck putting him in a good spot. He's not trying to make the perfect play every this one away and try to get a win tomorrow." time. When it's time to release it into the neutral zone he's doing that. I think he's playing very calm and there aren't a lot of pucks coming back Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.11.2017 at us when he's on the ice. He's got a calmness to the way he's moving the puck that is helping, not only the team but his partner too." On the play of the Stars' defense: "I thought Ben (Bishop) was really good tonight. I thought he was really competitive and he was battling like crazy in the net. He was very good. Every period it seems we gave them two qualities. I thought he was excellent. We just tried to make it hard on them. Those two lines are so skilled and so good at protecting the puck that we kept them pretty much to the outside except for a couple of occasions which is a good sign. I thought the fourth goal was the big goal. There was a surge going on, they were on a power play and that fourth goal really took the wind out of them and the game. They were starting to build some momentum but I thought we took it back in a big way on that fourth goal." On the play of Jason Spezza: "This is the perfect adage that before you have success you've got to start playing well. This is now three games in a row where he's played well and now he's starting to have success because of it. It started two games ago where his competitive level was increasing and he was stronger on the puck and now he's having success because of it." Stars Defenseman John Klingberg On becoming the current NHL's leading scorer for defenseman: "Part of my game for sure is points, but that's nothing I am looking at too far ahead. I just feel that I am playing a good all-around game right now. Obviously, today was a great win and strong first period for us." On if this is the best he has played on both sides of the puck: "Yeah, I think so. Today I felt that I was back in my first year of playing hockey so it felt very good. My confidence is really good now. I felt that I have a really good gap right now and playing well defensively. It feels good now." On Jason Spezza scoring his first goal this season: "He is a real big part of our team and to see him score tonight was huge for us and probably even bigger for him. I am really happy for him. Finally, got the first one out of the way so he will probably score a couple now." Stars Forward Jason Spezza On scoring his first goal of the season: "It's nice to score a goal and contribute offensively. Obviously it's been a long time for me, hopefully it's something I can build off of." On Hitch changing the lines up: 1082671 Dallas Stars Obviously it's been a long time for me, hopefully it's something I can build off of."

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.11.2017 No panic here! The Stars' lineup changes pay off in bounce-back win over New York

By Mike Heika ,

Sometimes, massive lineup changes can be seen as a panic move that unravels the thread of a team. Sometimes, they tie up loose ends and bring everything together. Cold facts: Stars get back on track in 5-0 win over the Islanders The Stars received the latter Friday, dominating the New York Islanders 5-0 and putting out maybe their most complete game of the season after a big shake-up in the lines. John Klingberg had a goal and two assists, Jason Spezza and Gemel Smith scored their first goals of the season and Ben Bishop pitched the somewhat unusual 14-save shutout. It was an impressive outing built on a three-day break between games that featured plenty of hard work. "I think what happens is when you have one line that is doing everything, you tend to let it do everything. That's the feeling I had that was happening on our hockey club," coach Ken Hitchcock said of the need to mix things up. "We did need way more participation if we're going to beat good teams. We just needed more people involved, and that's when I made the decision to do what I did." Hitchcock shuffled all of his lines, as he took Tyler Seguin off the top line and put him with Mattias Janmark and Devin Shore. He moved Jamie Benn to center on the top line with Alexander Radulov and added Smith. He put Spezza on a line with Martin Hanzal and Remi Elie and finished things off by getting Radek Faksa (lower body) and Brett Ritchie (upper body) back from injury, playing them with Antoine Roussel. That bingo card alignment sparked some energy, and the Stars controlled the game from the start. Klingberg worked a give-and-go with Benn to score his fourth goal of the season just 1:32 into the game. Smith then camped out in front of the net and converted a nice pass from Radulov at 14:58 of the first period. And then Esa Lindell floated in a shot from distance two minutes later for a 3-0 lead at the first intermission. It was a clinic of balanced hockey. "There was change, and he gave us some days to work on it with the practice days," Spezza said. "Practice seems like it's few and far between sometimes. I think it was a good time to have those days for us. Then to get from all four lines good contributions is definitely what makes a successful team." 'He's a real gamer': How Gemel Smith is making a major impact for Ken Hitchcock and the Stars Benn had a hand in the first two goals, and Hanzal in the third. The final two were on special teams, as Janmark scored short-handed and Spezza on the power play. In the end, Shore played the most minutes among the forwards at 19:36, and Ritchie, who was coming off an injury, had the fewest at 9:47. It was a balanced attack that was a product of Hitchcock's line shuffling. "I think we had a little more poise with the puck. I think we just had some urgency, and we just buried our chances," Spezza said. "I think we get chances every night, it's just a matter of putting them in." Dallas outshot the Islanders 29-14 and allowed Bishop his first shutout in a Stars uniform. It was the fewest shots on goal the team has allowed since 2011. "Ben was really good tonight. I thought he was really competitive, and he was battling like crazy in the net," Hitchcock said. "We just tried to make it hard on them." For one game, it seemed to work pretty well. Dallas moved to 9-7-0, while the previously hot Islanders fell to 8-6-2. The Stars also got a nice head start on an East Coast road trip that swings through Carolina, Florida and Tampa Bay by running their record against the Eastern Conference to 4-0-0. Spezza might have been speaking for the entire team when he talked about his first goal: "It's nice to score a goal and contribute offensively. 1082672 Dallas Stars side. It was his first goal of the season at 16:00 of the second period. Stars 5,

Islanders 0. Cold facts: Stars get back on track in 5-0 win over the Islanders Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.11.2017

By Mike Heika ,

Stars 5, Islanders 0 Three Stars 1. John Klingberg, Stars - One goal, two assists, leads NHL defensemen in scoring 2. Esa Lindell, Stars - Goal, assist, plus-3 How Ken Hitchcock's gamble with Gemel Smith paid off 3. Gemel Smith, Stars - First goal, smart play in big role. Big play With Dallas leading 3-0 to start the second period and still a little nervous protecting a lead, the Islanders cycled the puck and Jason Chimera had a great backhand shot that Ben Bishop barely got a glove on. Tyler Seguin cleared it from the crease, and Dallas went on to extend its lead in the period. Discuss Ken Hitchcock threw his lines into a blender and came up with some winners. Dallas received first goals from Gemel Smith and Jason Spezza. Do the odd looking lines actually make sense? What does it mean? After a difficult loss to Winnipeg and heading into a three-game road trip, the Stars needed some positivity. This not only moved Dallas to 9-7-0, it cleared out the crud and created some confidence that the process is moving in the right direction. GOALS Stars: John Klingberg spun in the left circle, fed Jamie Benn and then headed for the right circle. Benn fed Klingberg for his fourth goal of the season at 1:32 of the first period. Stars 1, Islanders 0. Stars: Klingberg took the puck behind the net, fed Alexander Radulov in the left circle, and Radulov fed Gemel Smith at the front of the net. Smith scored his first goal of the season at 14:58of the first period. Stars 2, Islanders 0. Stars: Esa Lindell floated a shot on net from distance that deflected off of an Islanders stick and in for his fourth goal of the season at 16:58 of the first period. Stars 3, Islanders 0. Stars: Mattias Janmark was on the forecheck on the penalty kill when he received a gift in the slot and scored his fourth goal of the season at 6:54 of the second period. Stars 4, Islanders 0. Stars: Jason Spezza scored on the power play with a tricky wrister from the left 1082673 Dallas Stars

How Ken Hitchcock's gamble with Gemel Smith paid off

By Mike Heika ,

Ken Hitchcock was looking for a shake-up. Gemel Smith was just looking for an opportunity. As Hitchcock juggled his lines, moving Jamie Benn into a center spot, he needed a nice complement to Benn and Alexander Radulov. Smith fit the bill. The 23-year-old who was playing in just his 24th NHL game stepped onto the Benn line and scored his first goal of the season Friday. "It's been good [practicing with them]. They both play at a high tempo," Smith said after two days of workouts on his new line. "They are both great talents, and it's definitely exciting and a great opportunity for me. I know how good they are. I just get to the net, let them do their things and when I have a play, don't be afraid to make a play. It's the same stuff. I'll probably play against better players, so it's a mental thing. I just have to be ready for whoever they throw at us." Smith laid out his plan before the game, and that's exactly what happened. John Klingberg made a nice move behind the offensive net and then passed out to Radulov in the right circle. Radulov hit Smith in front of the net, and Smith patiently flipped a shot over Jaroslav Halak. Asked his advice for Smith before the game, Hitchcock said he simply wanted a simple game. "Hunt pucks and be strong on the pucks, be diligent in going into all the hard areas," Hitchcock said. "Sometimes when you get a young player playing with any veteran player, they defer, they move the puck, they don't want to shoot on a two-on-one, they want to pass off. We just want him to do what has allowed us to continue to play him on a daily basis. Jamie and Radulov have talked to him. He's excited. I think any player would look at this as an unreal opportunity." Stars make minor league trade: The Stars made a minor league trade, acquiring defenseman Reece Scarlett from Florida for defenseman Ludwig Bystrom. Scarlett, 24, has two points in 13 games with Springfield in the AHL. He has appeared in 229 career AHL regular-season games with Albany and Springfield, registering 95 points (18 goals, 77 assists) with a plus-6 plus/minus rating. The 6-1, 185-pound native of Edmonton, Alberta, was originally selected by New Jersey in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2011 NHL draft. Bystrom, 23, has appeared in 138 career AHL games, all with Texas. He has recorded 36 points (five goals, 31 assists) with a +14 rating. McKenzie recalled, scratched: The Stars recalled Curtis McKenzie from Texas (AHL) but made him a healthy scratch when Radek Faksa and Brett Ritchie were available. McKenzie, 26, has 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 11 games with Texas. McKenzie has played 92 games in the NHL over three seasons and has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists). Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.11.2017

1082674 Detroit Red Wings the Detroit Pistons, who started playing there two weeks after the Wings. Now comes a stretch of 13 of 15 games at LCA, with an onus on making it a far more unwelcome place for opponents than the 2-2-1 start. Detroit Red Wings: 'On the same page' as youth rounds into form “We need to show our fans that we can win at home,” Mantha said. That’d be one way to encourage more fans to sit in their seats during action. Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 4:37 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017 Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.11.2017

The Detroit Red Wings return home from a 10-day road trip to face a test as mental as it will be physical. They host the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, requiring a quick recovery from jet lag after red-eyeing it home following Thursday’s game at Calgary. The Wings are playing better than that 6-3 loss would indicate; they’ve looked structured and cohesive overall over the past three games. Here are a few thoughts on the Wings’ situation. Structurally better The Wings went 2-2 on their Canadian trek (losses at Ottawa and Calgary, wins at Edmonton and Vancouver). They looked their best yet in the 4-0 victory at Edmonton, and looked sound again in Vancouver the next night. In Calgary, the Wings were the better team to start, but still trailed 2-0 after the first period. The Flames got it to 3-0 off a Jonathan Ericsson giveaway and then the Wings traded goals with Calgary for a bit. As Anthony Mantha put it, “I don’t think we played 60 minutes, and it got us.” It was another example of the Wings playing well, but not being rewarded for it. “It’s a hard league to dig yourself a hole in,” coach Jeff Basill said “You want to play from ahead as much as you can, and when you don’t, you can’t give up easy goals and expect to come back.” Even with ending the trip on a loss, the Wings sounded an optimistic tone. “We’re definitely finding a little more structure in our game,” Niklas Kronwall said. “Everybody is playing more on the same page. Overall, I think we have taken some big steps forward in the right direction.” The kids are all right One big reason for the Wings to be encouraged is the play of their younger 20-somethings. Anthony Mantha, 23, leads the Wings with eight goals and 16 points in 17 games. Dylan Larkin, 21, is right behind him with 16 points, and is tied with veteran Mike Green for a team-high 13 assists. Martin Frk, 24, has goals in three straight games and six overall. I like the chances Andreas Athanasiou, 23, has been getting and think it won’t be long before he starts putting up numbers. He had four shots on net in 15 minutes of ice time at Calgary. Larkin and Mantha have been consistent, too — Larkin has points in 12 games, Mantha in nine. This is exactly what the Wings need to happen — improvement by drafting and developing. “We need some of these young guys to continue to make those steps and make steps towards becoming elite players and it’s tough to be an elite payer in this league,” Blashill said. “There are still building blocks for those guys but they are certainly dangerous on the ice.” Mo' Mantha Mantha was rewarded against Calgary for driving to the net with a goal, but even more impressive were his two passes. One found Frk on a power play and the other was a sweet backhand centering pass to Frans Nielsen (who is off to a much better start in his second year with the Wings, with six goals). That gave Mantha eight assists on the season. “Mo is the complete package,” Kronwall said. “When he is going it’s tough to stop him. That big body, he sees the ice really well and he’s got great hands.” Mantha, among the most soft-spoken on the team, deflected attention for his passes, saying the one to Frk “goes back to when we played together a lot in Grand Rapids. He knows if I get that play down low I will try to look for him.” Of the one to Nielsen, “I just tried to put the puck in an open area,” Mantha said. “I don’t really know how it got there but sometimes you get those bounces.” Most times, though, they’re earned, as they were at Calgary Homeward bound The Wings have done the equivalent of buying a fancy new home, moving in a bunch of boxes, and then staying anywhere but there. They’ve played five games at Little Caesars Arena; that’s one less than 1082675 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings can't outscore their mistakes in 6-3 loss at Calgary

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 1:19 a.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017 | Updated 4:40 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017

CALGARY, Alberta — The Detroit Red Wings didn’t need much time to dissect their 6-3 loss at Calgary. “We shot ourselves in the foot a little bit too much a few times against good players,” captain Henrik Zetterberg said after Thursday’s game at the Saddledome. “That was really costly here.” The Wings fell behind, 2-0, in the first period, when Mark Jankowski connected on Jaromir Jagr’s rebound (a save Petr Mrazek should have made) and then when Johnny Gaudreau showed off his skills with a shot through traffic. It was a stinging result considering the Wings had good jump to start the game. “I thought the first period, we came out and played a pretty decent start,” Zetterberg said. “That first goal is a tough one.” The damage got worse thanks to a careless play by Jonathan Ericsson, who got the puck from Mrazek but didn’t look up before attempting a clearing pass. The Flames turned that mistake into a 3-0 lead. Martin Frk converted on a power play at 8:43 only for Matthew Tkachuk to deflect a puck at 12:23; then Frans Nielsen and Jaromir Jagr traded goals about 3 minutes apart, still in the second period. It came down to the Wings not being able to outscore their mistakes. “We came out and we were very, very aggressive early,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I thought we had the better of the play early. They scored and we got on our heels a little bit too much. “We came out in the second and played much better, played really good in the third, but we just gave up easy goals. You can’t give up easy goals in this league and win.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082676 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: Time, TV, radio info

Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press Published 12:00 a.m. ET Nov. 11, 2017

7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit, 97.1 FM: Detroit Red Wings (8-8-1) set to clash with Columbus Blue Jackets (9-6-1) NHL: Detroit Red Wings at Calgary Flames Detroit Red Wings (8-8-1, 17 points) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-6-1, 19 points) When: 7 p.m. Where: Little Caesars Arena. TV: Fox Sports Detroit. Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; other radio affiliates). BOX SCORE Game notes: The Red Wings return home after their somewhat successful road trip which ended with a loss to Flames on Thursday. Just two points separate the two teams, though the Blue Jackets have lost and are coming off .... on Friday. Defenseman Seth Jones, the No. 4 pick in the 2013 draft, is Columbus' leading scorer with 12 points this season. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082677 Detroit Red Wings … One Red Wings forward in a slump: captain Henrik Zetterberg, who has three points (all assists) in the last 10 games.

BLUE JACKETS AT RED WINGS Home stretch to prove pivotal in Red Wings' season Faceoff: 7 p.m. Saturday, Little Caesars Arena.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Detroit/97.1 The Ticket. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 4:33 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017 | Updated 4:36 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017 Outlook: The Red Wings open a long home stand against Columbus … The Blue Jackets won all three games against the Red Wings last season … D Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe/Michigan) is among the best Detroit — The defining point in a regular season, the turning point of young defenseman in the NHL. whether it’ll be a success or not? Detroit News LOADED: 11.11.2017 It’s difficult to say that definitively about any season for a pro hockey team — or any pro sports team, for that matter — what with the long schedules involved and inevitable up and downs of a season. But fans love to single out certain parts and put more emphasis on a part of the schedule. And the Red Wings are certainly approaching such a part of their schedule. They have 13 of their next 15 games at home, at Little Caesars Arena, where the new arena still feels very, very new because the Red Wings have only played five games there. So, if the Red Wings are going to make a move, to be a viable threat to make the playoffs, these next few weeks is as good a time as any. Not that home ice will guarantee any NHL team success. “Like every night in this league, you better come out and compete like crazy,” said coach Jeff Blashill during the just completed 2-2 four-game road trip. “You have better have great detail just to give yourself a chance to win. (But) it certainly doesn’t guarantee a win.” The Red Wings (8-8-1) have played 12 of their first 17 games on the road. Considering the huge disparity, the fact they are still at .500 — they happened to go .500 on the road, too, at 6-6 – can be considered a positive sign, for a team many analysts probably felt would be already buried. “We’re doing a good job on the road of keeping it simple, and when we get opportunities, for the most part, we’re burying them,” goaltender Jimmy Howard said. But now they must do the same things at LCA. The Red Wings weren’t a very good team at Joe Louis Arena last season, going a mediocre 17-17-7. The lack of success at home contributed to the overall problems and ultimately missing the playoffs. The defining point of this Red Wings’ season? Too early, really, to say that. But these next 15 games are crucial for a team trying to find its identity. FROLICKING FRK You aren’t surprised with Anthony Mantha leading the Red Wings with eight goals. Mantha was a prolific goal scorer in junior hockey, dominated the American League toward the end of his stay in Grand Rapids, and is scoring goals again at the NHL level. But Martin Frk, second on the team with six goals (tied with Frans Nielsen)? That’s a mild surprise. Frk scored three goals in the first four games this season and then didn’t score again in 10 games before scoring in the last three games. With the return of Andreas Athanasiou, and Blashill shuffling his lines, Frk wound up playing on the fourth line where some of his offensive characteristics might have been miscast. But Frk still was on the power play — three of his six goals have come on the power play — and lately he’s been playing on scoring lines again, where his lethal one-timer can be best utilized. He’s played a little bit more, which has helped, but I just think when Frk is playing with confidence, he’s a dangerous player,” Blashill said. ICE CHIPS The Red Wings were off Friday, reaching Detroit early in the morning upon returning from Calgary. … With Petr Mrazek getting the start in Calgary, it’s likely Howard will get the start Saturday against Columbus. 1082678 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings must capitalize on key home stretch

Updated November 10, 2017 at 12:30 PM; Posted November 10, 2017 at 12:24 PM By Ansar Khan

The Detroit Red Wings navigated a rough early season stretch of road games in decent shape. Not great, but not half-bad at 8-8-1, considering 12 games were away from home, where they went 6-6. Now they must capitalize on a stretch that has them playing 13-of-15 games at Little Caesars Arena, starting Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). The Red Wings' inability to win at home last season was one of the reasons they dug themselves an early season hole from which they could not escape. After a 6-2 start to the 2016-17 season, Detroit went 3-13-3 at Joe Louis Arena from Oct. 29 to Dec. 27, pretty much burying their playoff hopes. The Red Wings are coming off a 6-3 loss Thursday at Calgary, the last stop in a four-game trip. They recorded a season-high 42 shots but were plagued by turnovers and defensive miscues. In one night they dropped from seventh in the NHL in goals against to a tie for 15th. Jimmy Howard is expected to start against the Blue Jackets (9-6-1), who are winless in three (0-2-1) heading into Friday's game against Carolina. Detroit has won four of its past six. The young forwards are leading the way. Anthony Mantha has taken over the team scoring lead with 16 points (eight goals, eight assists), after picking up eight points (including four goals) in the past six games. He logged a career-high 22:10 at Calgary, scoring a goal and setting up two others with brilliant passes. Dylan Larkin, who has become more of a facilitator while playing center full-time, is second on the club with 15 points and tied for first in assists with Mike Green (13). Martin Frk, who has moved up and down the lineup, has a goal in three consecutive games after going 10 games without a goal. Andreas Athanasiou has just two points in seven games (goal, assist), none in the past four, but leads the team in average shots on goal per game (3.0). On the flip side, Henrik Zetterberg is slumping (no goals, three assists in 10 games) following a hot start. The Red Wings are marginally better than last season in most statistical categories, including the power play (15th in NHL at 18.9 percent), which has converted once in each of the past four games. The penalty kill has been consistently solid and ranks seventh in the league at 84.1 percent. Michigan Live LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082679 Edmonton Oilers the first few minutes. They put us on our heels but we stuck with it, kept our composure.”

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.11.2017 Milan Lucic was a big factor in Edmonton Oilers' win over New Jersey Devils

Jim Matheson, Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 3:33 PM MST

Hockey writer Jim Matheson talks about forward Jesse Puljujarvi and how he can make his way into the Edmonton Oilers' lineup the day before the NHL team recalls him. In today’s National Hockey League, where there’s virtually no body- contact whatsoever as players race through the neutral zone, Milan Lucic is an outlier. He’s a lot more effective along the boards than in the middle of the ice, trying to navigate his 235-pound chassis around open areas and no one will fight him, give or take a willing New Jersey’s Dalton Prout, who asked for the bout in Edmonton. But Oilers winger Lucic scored the tying goal Thursday on a rush with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the third period and dug the puck free off a draw to set up Anton Slepyshev in the second. He was engaged in the game and engaging later in the happy dressing room, adorned in the black biker vest, given to the best Oilers player in the eyes of his teammates. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, as usual, were the overtime heroes. But through the 60 minutes, the Oilers’ second line of Nugent-Hopkins, Lucic and Slepyshev — before Slepyshev reinjured his groin and Zack Kassian taking over after one shift in the third — was very good. Lucic got lots done, and now has nine points in 15 games, all of them at even- strength. In a game where physicality seems very optional, but for the odd cycle shift along the wall, these are tough times for Lucic, though. He’s better angry, also in aggressive situations. How can he affect the game physically? “It was easier before when you didn’t have to go out and find it,” said Lucic. “Now, every game, you almost have to piss yourself off and not wait for someone else on the other team to do it so you’d get emotionally engaged. “The biggest change I’ve seen over the last few years is you don’t see those big, hulking six-foot-five defencemen on teams anymore. Guys who’d just throw pucks out (of their end) and throw hits on the forecheck. Now everyone is so quick. “In my case, you just want to make sure you have your legs so you can catch up to them so they turn pucks over on your forecheck.” There have certainly been nights where the speed has overwhelmed Lucic, but he’s not alone. “I’m trying to keep up, that’s all I can say. We have the fastest guy (McDavid) with us. That’s a good gauge to have, I guess,” said Lucic. “Even so, I still think there’s some intimidation that goes into the game. If you look around the league, I believe teams are quieter when they play us because of how we’re built. They try not to engage us (Lucic, Patrick Maroon, Kassian) because they don’t want to wake up the sleeping bear. “It’s up to us to wake ourselves up every game.” Oilers recall Puljujarvi from AHL Oilers stars tough to stop in 3-on-3 OT Oilers beat Devils in OT He answered it against the Devils. He got to the puck off a neutral zone face-off to set up Slepyshev’s 20-foot goal on Cory Schneider, he drew a penalty, he finished off the break with Nugent-Hopkins 3-1/2 minutes into the third. He was there when defenceman Kris Russell was being messed with on one shift. A solid ‘B’ on his report card, for sure. He’s got two of his three goals this season against New Jersey, the other in Edmonton last week when one went in off his leg. Lucic knows the win vs. loss ratio is wafer-thin in this league, though. “Another one goal game for us (eight of their 15 and all six on the road this year),” said Lucic. “They really came after us, outshooting us 7-0 in 1082680 Edmonton Oilers Laurent Brossoit hasn’t played since Oct. 17 in the 5-3 loss to Carolina. “We won’t decide on a goalie for the Capitals game until after we play the Rangers,” said McLellan. Jesse Puljujarvi gets another crack with Edmonton Oilers as injuries ravage lineup THIS ‘N’ THAT: Jujhar Khaira skated on the No. 2 line at practice Friday with Nugent-Hopkins and Lucic but only as the place-holder. He’ll be scratched for a 10th time, and it’s getting close to critical mass time for Jim Matheson, Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: Khaira. He should be in the minors playing, not sitting for all but three of November 10, 2017 4:21 PM MST the last 12 games … Caggiula was walking better Friday but not quite ready to skate. He won’t play until the two-game home-stand with Vegas and St. Louis next week. In the Edmonton Oilers’ revolving door of right-wingers, it’s now swung Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.11.2017 Jesse Puljujarvi’s way. With Anton Slepyshev on injured reserve with a groin issue — he played two periods and one shift in the third against New Jersey Thursday and called it quits — and Drake Caggiula out with a bruised right foot, the Oilers recalled the 19-year-old Finnon Friday from Bakersfield. He’ll likely play on the second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Milan Lucic against the New York Rangers on Saturday. No sense bringing Puljujarvi back to play fourth-line minutes. “We want to see Jesse’s progression, although the way the American League is set up, with it being a weekend league, Bakersfield hasn’t played many games,” said Oilers’ coach Todd McLellan. “But we’ll play him in the top six. He’s not going to be our saviour. Everybody else has to contribute and help him feel comfortable.” He hasn’t wowed anyone on the AHL farm with a goal and five points in 10 games, and they probably wanted to keep him there to show he’s too good for that league. But with the injuries and Kailer Yamamoto, who beat out Puljujarvi after a great camp, returned to his junior team in Spokane, the Finn is the next man up. “We also want to see if the things we wanted him to work on defensively, his checking skills, are better,” said McLellan. “We’re looking for responsibility on the ice. When you’re an offensive player at a young age, and you’ve been a first-round pick, we see it a lot where you’re not good defensively. All indications are he’s working hard to clean that part up,” said McLellan. Puljujarvi scored one goal and eight points in 28 Oilers games last season. Nuge adjusts well to revolving door on RW Nugent-Hopkins has done an admirable job playing at centre with so many new faces on right-wing. “He and Lucic have worked with different wingers from period to period some nights or even shift to shift based on injuries. That’s not easy. You just get used to somebody and it changes,” said McLellan. “Nuge has been one of our top forwards. He’s finding way to get on the score sheet this year. He’s not part of our problem. He’s a big part of the solution going forward.” He had his 59th multiple-point game in New Jersey. Stars tickled to see another star Cam Talbot, Patrick Maroon and a few other Oilers ran into UFC icon George St. Pierre when they went to eat in New York after the victory over the Devils. “GSP was sitting right beside us, which was pretty cool. He’s probably the best fighter in UFC history,” said Maroon. “He’s a big man. I didn’t realize how big his shoulders are. I thought he was going to knock me out with just his shoulders.” “He’s really humble. He was talking about hockey and how Wayne Gretzky was his idol. He said the Oilers were his favourite team. I don’t know if he would say that in Montreal, though,” said Maroon. Talbot was tickled to see a superstar from another sphere. “Really down to earth guy. Nice enough to take a picture with some of the boys too,” said Talbot. Talbot always likes playing the Rangers, where he got his start behind Henrik Lundqvist. He got a video tribute two years ago when he came back to Madison Square Garden for the first time as an Oiler. “Very nice of them. I didn’t play that night though. I was on the bench with (Anders) Nilsson playing,” said Talbot, who’s 0-2 against King Henrik. We’ll see if Talbot, who has played 100 of the Oilers last 110 games including playoffs last spring, gets the start Sunday night against Washington too. 1082681 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers recall Jesse Puljujarvi from AHL

EDMONTON SUN Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 11:18 AM MST

Hockey writer Jim Matheson talks about forward Jesse Puljujarvi and how he can make his way into the Edmonton Oilers' lineup the day before the NHL team recalls him. Injuries are giving Jesse Puljujarvi a crack at the Edmonton Oilers’ lineup. The National Hockey League team announced Friday morning it has recalled the 19-year-old right-winger — the National Hockey League team’s first-round pick, fourth overall, in the 2016 draft — from the . The Finn has played 10 games with the Condors this season, scoring a goal and four assists while leading the American Hockey League squad with 31 shots. Wingers Drake Caggiula and Anton Slepyshev both left the Oilers’ last game, a 3-2 overtime win over the host New Jersey Devils, with injuries. The Oilers have forward Jujhar Khaira, who has played six games with the team and hasn’t been in the lineup since an Oct. 28 home loss to the Washington Capitals, on the road trip. The Oilers are 2-0 on their four-game road trip, which continues Saturday against the New York Rangers and concludes Sunday at the Washington Capitals. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082682 Edmonton Oilers “You need one (streak) and we’ve put two wins together now. The margin of winning and losing is such a fine line for our team. You saw how far we had to go to find the win,” said McLellan. Edmonton Oilers stars tough to stop in three-on-three overtime Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.11.2017

Jim Matheson, Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 11:26 AM MST

NEWARK, N.J. — So this was the game plan to finally get a two-game winning streak, right? Just get it to three-on-three and let Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl play pretty much all of it and hug each other at the end of it. A blind backhand pass in the first 38 seconds of OT that McDavid rifled under the crossbar Tuesday and Thursday, they reversed roles as McDavid blew around Brian Gibbons, just as he’d wheeled by rookie centre Nico Hischier earlier, and he calmly got it over to Draisaitl with 16 seconds left against the New Jersey Devils. “Must have been out there three and a half minutes of it. At least that’s how it looked to me,” said Milan Lucic, who scored earlier and set up Anton Slepyshev and got the team’s biker vest as the team-voted best player in the 3-2 win over the Devils. Let’s face it three-on-three with McDavid and Draisaitl is infield practice or shagging flies for them. “They’re pretty dynamic. One can skate a minute and half into his shift and he’s still fast and the other one knows how to hold onto pucks an conserve energy,” said Oilers coach Todd McLlellan. “Other than a short flurry by them, we had the puck all the time and you’re not as fatigued as you are defending.” For two periods, Draisaitl and McDavid didn’t have a single shot, and Draisaitl, looking sluggish and not killing a run of penalties, played fewer than 10 minutes before finishing with 21. “The other team gets in the way sometimes, they had two or three lines against them and played them tight,” said McLellan, who didn’t need them because Slepyshev got his first goal since Game 6 of the Anaheim playoff and people like Lucic, Nugent-Hopkins and role players like Iiro Pakarinen and Brad Malone were good. In the end, McDavid and Draisaitl, who also had an OT winner against the Devils in Edmonton last January, are the best two players for a reason, though. You can contain them, but how do you stop them on three-on-three, short of a bazooka, which is what Gibbons needed in his hands, not a stick. “Yeah, I did notice it was a forward back, not a defenceman,” said McDavid. “You just try to attack him. I know I’ve been in that situation before myself. I had Hischier a few times one-on-one too.” So you figured you would set him up after he helped you out last game, he was asked. “Nah, just the way it worked out, never a bad thing to get it to Leon,” he said. “I think we’re two smart players, always looking for the extra pass. He was expecting it like I was the other night against the Islanders.” “We do feed off one another. I just tried to get to the far post and he made a heckuva pal,” said Draisaitl. “Two guys with that kind of creativity, yeah, they’re going to create lots,” said Lucic. “We count on them to score almost every single game and they did again.” The three-on-three for them, is like the NBA’s Slam-Dunk competition as SportsNet’s John Shannon tweeted. And they’ve got lots of lung power in the showcase. Apart from the big guns, goalie Cam Talbot, playing his 200th NHL game and 100 of the last 110, looks back on last year’s form game, at least when he’s wearing white not home orange. In his last five starts on the road he’s given up only eight goals. And the Oilers penalty kill, so dreadful at home, stopped another four, limiting the Devils to five shots. They’ve killed off more than 90 per cent in six road games this season after going 53 per cent at home. Also Zack Kassian stepped in for Slepyshev and got his 100th career point on Lucic’s goal, and people like Matt Benning on the back-end (six shots, five hits) were strong. It added up to two win’s in a row, and they’re now 6-8-1. 1082683 Edmonton Oilers A strong return but it wasn't clear the deal would turn out that way at the time. Kassian is a productive member of the team and earned a contract over the summer. An absolute win.

Lowetide: Grading the first three years worth of Peter Chiarelli trades February 24, 2016: Traded D Phil Larsen to the Vancouver Canucks for the No. 126 choice in the 2017 draft.

Allan Mitchell A small deal, Edmonton used the pick to move up and draft Stuart Skinner. 15 hours ago February 27, 2016: Traded G Anders Nilsson to the St. Louis Blues for No. 149 overall (Graham McPhee) selection in 2016 draft.

If you're an Oilers fan and still drawing breath, you have an opinion on Nilsson would have been a good player to re-sign but the organization Peter Chiarelli and his trade record in Edmonton. I read about three was committed to Laurent Brossoit. McPhee is a mid-level prospect who pieces a week about the Taylor Hall-Adam Larsson deal and that is showing signs of progress at Boston College. happened 16 months ago. The average fan doesn't so much assess a trade as stress it. Do we have a balanced overview of the Chiarelli February 27, 2016: Traded D to the Pittsburgh Penguins trades? Have we reached a conclusion that all sides at least recognize for No. 91 overall pick in 2016 draft (Filip Berglund). as being balanced? Let's have a lash and see what we can find. Oilers fans don't bitch about this trade much, probably because the Chiarelli's trades, Year One change of scenery was badly needed. The Oilers weren't a mature organization when Schultz played here, the right thing to do was allow June 26, 2015: Traded No. 16 pick (Mathew Barzal) and No. 33 pick him a second chance (and he's flourished). Berglund is progressing, (Mitchell Stephens) to the New York Islanders for D Griffin Reinhart. anyone's guess on his outer marker.

The only reason to make a trade like this one is to guarantee the club February 27, 2016: Traded RW Ted Purcell to the Florida Panthers for has moved the development timeline forward. The price was dear the No. 84 overall pick (Matt Cairns). instant it was made, but if Reinhart had arrived in training camp fall 2015 and emerged as a bona fide top six defenceman the return would have Looks like it could be a nothing-for-nothing, although Cairns is really just had value. Reinhart was not successful. The 2015 draft was considered getting started. Has to be some concern that he couldn't get playing time the strongest since 2003, so it was a stunning bloodletting of talent, with his USHL team last season and is now not playing for his NCAA possibly the most harmful since Miro Satan was dealt to the Buffalo team. The pick value was solid. Sabres in 1997. Satan scored 328 goals after leaving the Oilers. It's February 29, 2016: Traded D Martin Gernat and No. 93 (Jack Kopacka) impossible to measure the amount of talent lost (I heard Joel Eriksson Ek in the 2016 draft to the Anaheim Ducks for LW Patrick Maroon. was Edmonton's target had the trade not gone through) but it is safe to say it was an astonishing loss by any measure. On the day Chiarelli exits Probably the second best trade of Chiarelli's first season (Talbot the best) the job, this trade makes the first paragraph. as Edmonton acquires a top 6F for a depth pick. Patrick Maroon has scored 39 goals in his 111 games as an Oilers player. June 27, 2015: Traded No. 57 (Jonas Siegenthaler), No. 79 (Sergei Zborovsky), No. 184 (Adam Huska) to the New York Rangers for G Cam Chiarelli's trades, Year Two Talbot and No. 209 (Ziyat Paigin). June 29, 2016: Traded LW Taylor Hall to New Jersey Devils for D Adam Chiarelli needed a goalie, it was one of the biggest holes on the roster on Larsson. the day he arrived in Edmonton. He nailed it with Talbot, a home run choice acquired for a reasonable package of assets out. Even with the More words have been written about this trade than any since the extra quality in the draft that season, the Talbot trade is a big winner. Gretzky deal, so I'm not going to add to the pile. I will say it was (in my opinion) a substantial net gain for New Jersey. That said, Larsson's June 27, 2015: Traded D Martin Marincin to the Toronto Maple Leafs for uniqueness (righty blueliner who plays at or near the top of the depth No. 107 overall, traded No. 107 overall (Christian Wolanin) and Travis chart) in addition to his reasonable contract gave Edmonton a very useful Ewanyk to the Ottawa Senators for Eric Gryba. player.

I preferred Marincin as a defender at the time and still believe he brings October 7, 2016: Traded RW Nail Yakupov to the St. Louis Blues for No. some good things. That said, Gryba can defend and Todd McLellan 82 selection (Cameron Crotty) in the 2017 draft and C Zach Pochiro. trusts him in the 7D role. It's not a trade you necessarily trumpet as a win, but it's a fit and Gryba has been a productive player. Very much like the Schultz deal, this was a trade to benefit a struggling young player who had gone through several coaches in a very short June 27, 2015: Traded No. 206 pick in the 2016 draft (Otto Somppi) to space of time. He appears to be recovering his career in Denver this the Tampa Bay Lightning for No. 208 pick in the 2015 draft (Miroslav season. The pick was packaged in the trade-up for Stuart Skinner. I don't Svoboda). think many have been critical of this trade, again, similar to the Schultz deal. It was an organizational failure that began before Chiarelli or Too soon to know, although Somppi looks like a really nice prospect. McLellan arrived. Svoboda was unsigned by the Oilers and I believe would now be considered a free agent. February 1, 2017: Traded LW Mitchell Moroz to the Arizona Coyotes for C Henrik Samuelsson. June 30, 2015: Traded Boyd Gordon to Arizona Coyotes for LW Lauri Korpikoski. This trade didn't move the needle either way.

The trade backfired, call it an unforced error. Both veterans were eroding February 28, 2017: Traded D Brandon Davidson to the Montreal in terms of skill but Gordon had one year left, Korpikoski two. In trading Canadiens for C David Desharnais. for the Finn, Edmonton acquired a future buyout. A poor bet on the day it was made. Controversial trade mostly because it meant Reinhart would be exposed in the expansion draft (he was), it was the first “heading to the playoffs” July 6, 2015: Traded C Liam Coughlin to the Chicago Blackhawks for G deadline acquisition during the Chiarelli era. Desharnais scored a Anders Nilsson. massive playoff goal against San Jose and then left via free agency. Davidson, who I believe will be a solid-to-excellent NHL defender, has A solid deal. Coughlin was (at this time) a distant bell prospect and had some issues establishing himself in Montreal. Lots of division on this Nilsson a former prospect returning to the NHL after a strong KHL deal, for me Edmonton got what they needed (more scoring depth at season. The deal worked well. centre) in the trade and that made it worthwhile.

December 28, 2015: Traded G Ben Scrivens to the Montreal Canadiens March 1, 2017: Traded RW to the New York Rangers for RW for RW Zack Kassian. Justin Fontaine.

A small deal that had no impact. Chiarelli's trades, Year Three

June 22, 2017: Traded RW Jordan Eberle to NY Islanders for C Ryan Strome.

For the third June in a row, Chiarelli made a controversial trade. He saved some cap room for the coming Leon Draisaitl deal (and the Kris Russell free-agent signing) and acquired a lesser version of the player being dealt away. Not quite Bill Guerin-for-, but trading down in quality for cap room was the crux of the deal. Too soon to make the call but trending in a poor direction. I think that's fair. One important point: The deal did not need to be made summer 2017 and that should also be considered when discussing this deal.

June 24, 2017: Traded No. 82 (Cameron Crotty) pick and No. 126 (Michael Karow) to Arizona Coyotes for No. 78 (Stuart Skinner), all picks in 2017 draft.

Miles to go on this deal, would suggest the fact Edmonton was willing to give up No. 126 to move four slots up the ladder reflects their value on Skinner as a goalie. A curio now, but something to remember.

Big Hits

Talbot and Maroon are outstanding acquisitions, heart of the order stuff for pennies on the dollar. You have to give credit for it, these are really impressive procurement moments. On a lesser scale, Kassian, Nilsson and Gryba also helped form the roster.

Adam Larsson: Larsson gets a mention here as well, although I count him in the loss column. It's important to recognize his impressive contributions to this team and to further acknowledge the Oilers badly needed him to balance the roster. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a similar spot now, and have chosen to hold on to the fantastic offensive talent. I applaud them and hope they find a solution that doesn't cost the moon. It's a terrible decision to have to make, trading a franchise player. What's better, biting the bullet and making a trade like Hall-for-Larsson, or trying to shoot the gap in perfect time and find an inexpensive RHD solution? Hell if I know, intuitively the Maple Leafs course seems the right play.

Big Misses

Chiarelli badly lost when trading away No. 16 and No. 33 in the very deep 2015 entry draft. It was his first trade and came one hour after he drafted Connor McDavid. The best word you can use in looking at the deal is reckless. Chiarelli also lost the Hall trade and the Eberle deal. In fact, the big trades have not been his friend throughout his time as a general manager — unless you believe winning the Stanley Cup washes away all sins.

What does it all mean?

Chiarelli's trade record in Edmonton is less than dollar for dollar. Talbot and Maroon are fine talents but do not make up for assets out. I don't think he's close to losing his job, as the 103-point season and playoff run one year ago appeased the fan base and indicated the organization had finally turned north.

At what cost? If the Edmonton Oilers win a Stanley Cup in the Chiarelli regime I don't think it will matter. We can fight and argue and argue and fight, but the trade losses would wash away the moment McDavid raises the Stanley. I believe this to be true.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082684 Florida Panthers

Preview: Panthers at Devils, 7 p.m., Saturday

Matthew DeFranks

Panthers at Devils When/where: 7 p.m./Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. TV: Fox Sports Florida. Radio: 880-AM; 850-AM (Palm Beach) Scouting report: The Panthers will play their third back-to-back of the season and first since facing the Penguins and Capitals on Oct. 20 and 21. For Florida, the game in New Jersey will end a three-game road trip that began with a loss Tuesday night in Carolina and continued with Friday’s game in Buffalo. The Panthers return home for one game against the Dallas Stars before hitting the road for three games in California. … The Panthers could opt to test goalie Roberto Luongo on a back-to-back for the first time this season. With Friday’s start in Buffalo, he started three consecutive games. New Jersey would make four. Or Florida could go with backup James Reimer for the first time since Luongo returned from a right-hand injury that forced him to miss six games. … The Devils were one of the league’s biggest surprises early on this season, jumping out to a 9-2-0 start. Since then, New Jersey has lost four consecutive games, including two in overtime or a shootout. Forward Taylor Hall leads the Devils with 17 points (five goals and 12 assists). Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082685 Florida Panthers Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2017

During two-week absence, Roberto Luongo regains structure, returns sharp for Panthers

Matthew DeFranks

When Roberto Luongo was recently sidelined with a right-hand injury for two weeks, it wasn’t hard to find him. He’d show up before the rest of the Florida Panthers practiced. Or he’d stay behind after they left the ice. Luongo and goaltenders coach Robb Tallas would skate, checking his mobility and testing his readiness. The objective was simple enough: to prepare him for a return after suffering an injury on Oct. 20 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of the consequences was resetting Luongo’s structure, his foundation that Tallas said makes Luongo one of the most successful goaltenders in NHL history. “Sometimes when you have those times when you’re hurt and it’s just you on the ice, that’s all you’re really working on is that foundation, that structure part of it,” Tallas said. “It really helps carry it over to a game.” Luongo returned to action Saturday night against the New York Rangers and posted a 45-save effort Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers lost both games, extending their losing streak to five games entering Friday night’s game at Buffalo. Florida has the fewest points in the Eastern Conference. The weeks away from live shots (Luongo only had one full practice, and participated partially in a few others before returning) forced Luongo to focus on his game. For Luongo, Tallas said, less movement is good. He wants Luongo in position to make a save, to be able to control his rebound. He wants him structured. Luongo said he felt sharper after Tuesday’s game (two goals allowed on 47 shots faced) than he did on Saturday (five goals on 44 shots), but still felt the need for improvement. “You always feel better after a win,” Luongo said. “You still feel like you need to be better because we didn’t come away with any points. Just trying to build on that and put in a similar performance [Friday] night and maybe make an extra save and get a win.” Luongo’s solid return was welcome for a leaky defense that has allowed the most goals (4.14 per game) and shots on goal (38.1) in the NHL. In the six games without Luongo, the Panthers went 2-3-1 with goalies James Reimer and Antti Niemi posting a combined .890 save percentage and 4.14 goals against average. In losses to Tampa Bay and Columbus last week, Reimer was yanked in consecutive games. This year, Luongo has a .912 save percentage and 3.53 goals against average. “I think he’s the backbone of this team and we got to play stronger in front of him,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. Luongo’s 45-save game against the Hurricanes was spoiled by a third- period goal by Derek Ryan, who was abandoned by both Vincent Trocheck and Keith Yandle in front of the crease. Ryan’s goal was the game-winner. But Luongo’s 45 saves were the most for the 38-year-old since Nov. 22, 2014, when the Panthers lost to Nashville in a shootout. Luongo stopped 48 shots that night. Luongo has won just one of his past six games when he makes at least 45 saves. “He gave us a sense of confidence,” Boughner said. “On the bench, it felt like he was going to be strong the whole night. I think it allowed us to get going a little bit after a slower start. I said after the game, with that kind of goaltending on a nightly basis, we’re going to win our fair share of games. He was our best player the other night.” Luongo makes his third consecutive start on Friday night against the Sabres, marking the first time he’s playing three games in a row this season. “For me, it’s always been a sign, especially early in the game, the first couple of saves if I feel like I’m on it, I’m always moving into it,” Luongo said. “You can feel it right away if it’s a game where you’re going to be feeling good or it’s a game where you’re going to have to battle and really bear down and make sure that you’re doubling down because you’re not as sharp as you want to be.” 1082686 Florida Panthers

Panthers trade for minor-league defenseman Ludwig Bystrom from Stars

Matthew DeFranks

The Florida Panthers traded for a defenseman on Friday. But he’s never played in the NHL and was assigned directly to AHL-affiliate Springfield. The Panthers acquired Ludwig Bystrom from the Dallas Stars, giving up defenseman Reece Scarlett. Both Bystrom and Scarlett were playing for their clubs’ respective AHL teams. Bystrom, 23, was a second-round pick by Dallas in 2012. In parts of four seasons with the in the AHL, Bystrom had five goals and 31 assists to go with a plus-14 rating. Scarlett, 24, was acquired by Florida in March by trading Shane Harper to New Jersey. He played 14 games with Springfield, notching two goals and an assist. The Panthers defense entered Friday giving up a league-high 4.14 goals per game and 38.1 shots on goal per game. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082687 Florida Panthers

Without forward depth, Panthers tweak second power-play unit

Matthew DeFranks

The Florida Panthers power play will have a different look on Friday night against the Sabres in Buffalo. Without injured forward Jared McCann (lower body), and with Owen Tippett now in the and Denis Malgin in the American Hockey League, the Panthers lacked the forward depth to roll out two power-play units of four forwards and one defenseman. During Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Carolina, only nine players saw the ice during power plays. On Friday morning, Panthers coach Bob Boughner said rookie defenseman MacKenzie Weegar would get time on the second power- play unit, a move that adds a second defenseman to that unit alongside Aaron Ekblad. “Usually they’re getting out there at the end of that power play anyways, so it’s good to have two [defensemen] out if we can,” Boughner said. “Weegs was that kind of player in the American Hockey League. Obviously, we’d like to give him a chance. He’s got the big shot, so hopefully we can take advantage of that.” Weegar and Ekblad would join forwards Radim Vrbata, Nick Bjugstad and Jamie McGinn on the second power-play unit. The top unit features forwards Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Evgenii Dadonov and Vincent Trocheck, plus defenseman Keith Yandle. Yandle opened the season on the top unit before Ekblad played there for six games. Yandle returned to the No. 1 unit on Saturday against the New York Rangers. Last year at AHL affiliate Springfield, Weegar scored three goals and added seven assists on the power play. He’s averaged 23 seconds a game on the power play this season, including 58 seconds against Montreal on Oct. 24. “Power play is one of my strengths, I like to be out there,” Weegar said. “We got a lot of guys that can be out there for the power play, so there’s a lot of competition. It’s good competition.” McCann (1:35 time on ice per game) and Tippett (1:43) each played significant minutes on the power play, leaving a void with their absences. Second-line left wing Connor Brickley’s physical, forechecking style of play doesn’t translate to the power play well. Neither does the game of third-line right wing Colton Sceviour. Florida’s power play entered Friday ranked 18th in the NHL at 17.65 percent. The Panthers’ only goal on Tuesday against the Hurricanes came from Trocheck on the power play. Back in Buffalo For Boughner, it is his first trip to Buffalo as a NHL head coach, where he played for three seasons in the mid-1990s. His 177 games with the Sabres were the most of any of the six teams he played for. “I always love coming back here,” Boughner said. “It’s sort of where it all started.” Friday’s projected lineup at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Jonathan Huberdeau – Aleksander Barkov – Evgenii Dadonov Connor Brickley – Vincent Trocheck – Radim Vrbata Jamie McGinn – Nick Bjugstad – Colton Sceviour Dryden Hunt – Derek MacKenzie – Micheal Haley Keith Yandle – Aaron Ekblad Mike Matheson – Mark Pysyk Ian McCoshen – MacKenzie Weegar Roberto Luongo James Reimer Scratches: Jared McCann, Alex Petrovic, Antti Niemi. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082688 Florida Panthers debacles against Tampa Bay and Columbus that saw Florida allow 15 total goals. They’ve even come despite Herculean efforts from their stars (like a 10-point effort from the top line against the Lightning) and their Panthers snap five-game losing streak with victory in Buffalo on Friday goaltenders (like Roberto Luongo’s 45-save game against the Hurricanes).

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” Boughner said before Friday’s game. Matthew DeFranks The first two games of the Panthers’ current road trip looked to be the vaccine for whatever ailed Florida. Carolina lost four straight games before playing the Panthers. Florida was the only team in the Eastern Entering Friday night’s 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, the Florida Conference with fewer points than Buffalo. The Panthers collected two Panthers rode a five-game losing streak. Potted with the holes of a leaky points in the two games. They play New Jersey on Saturday night. defense and speckled with an inconsistent penalty kill, the road to the bottom of the Eastern Conference was a treacherous one for Florida A loss on Friday night would have tied the longest losing streak from a through the season’s first month. season ago for the Panthers, a six-game skid down the stretch of last year. The Panthers weren’t supposed to be in the conference’s cellar. Not after winning a division title two seasons ago. Not after last season’s “We’ve been in a few of these games that haven’t gone our way,” disappointing disaster couldn’t even push the Panthers into last place. Boughner said. “I think tonight, that’ll help us mentally moving forward.” Friday’s win in Buffalo gave the Panthers a rope to climb out of the hole, Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2017 the first victory in 15 days. “It’s been a while since we won one,” Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo said. “The first win is always the toughest one to get coming out of a slump.” Panthers defenseman Ian McCoshen netted the game-winning goal less than four minutes into the third period with a shot from the blue line to lift Florida. Aleksander Barkov pushed his way into Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner’s sight, opening up a shooting lane for McCoshen’s wrist shot. It was McCoshen’s third goal of the season, tying him with Aaron Ekblad for the team lead among defensemen. McCoshen, a rookie, is generally regarded as a defensive defenseman. Evgenii Dadonov also scored a goal for the Panthers, burying a rebound of Barkov’s shot with 13:08 remaining in the second period. It was the first time Florida’s top line scored since losing to Tampa Bay on Oct. 30, having gone scoreless the last three games. Barkov and Vincent Trocheck each added empty-net goals to ice the game. “Right now, we know how we need to play and how we can win,” Barkov said. Sabres forward Kyle Okposo tipped in a shot from the point on a Buffalo power play in the first period. It was the fourth time in the last five games that the Panthers have given up a power-play goal to their opponent. The Panthers defense that allowed 48 shots on goal during a loss to Carolina on Tuesday was dramatically different on Friday night. Buffalo didn’t fire its 20th shot on goal until Friday’s third period. The Hurricanes did it in one period on Tuesday. “It was probably our best defensive game of the year,” Luongo said. “We kept them really quiet for about 50 minutes.” Instead, Florida controlled play for portions of Friday’s game, including a sequence in the second period while on the power play. Jonathan Huberdeau collected the puck down low and spun it towards the open area in front of the crease. But Dadonov couldn’t get his stick on it. Neither could a crashing Barkov. Lehner covered up for a sprawling save. The Panthers had 15 shots on goal in the second period alone on Friday night. The Sabres threats came few and far between. But Luongo came up big in the third period, making a huge save on Sam Reinhart that kept the game tied. Luongo made 24 saves in the game. With the win, Luongo passed Curtis Joseph for sole possession of fourth place on the all-time wins list. Luongo now has 455 victories. But he discounted the significance of climbing the all-time wins list. “These accomplishments are for a rainy day when you’re sitting at home and not doing much. For right now, I think the focus is on getting some points in the standings and winning some games and getting into the playoffs.” As Luongo donned the New Zealand rugby jersey as the player of the game, he got a whiff of it: “This thing smells nice,” he quipped. Through the Panthers’ first month under new coach Bob Boughner, the losses have come in a variety of ways. They’ve masked themselves in decent performances against the two- time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. They’ve come in 1082689 Los Angeles Kings

What we learned from the Kings' 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay

Curtis Zupke

So much for the marquee matchup of the season. The Tampa Bay Lightning only needed two minutes to show off their skill, speed and puck movement, and that left the Kings in the dust in a 5-2 loss at Staples Center. The Kings allowed four goals in a two-minute, two-second span in the first period and never mounted a sustained pushback on their way to their first regulation loss at home (5-0-2). Here’s what we learned: There’s no substitute for skill: Although the Kings failed to match Tampa Bay’s level of play early, recognition must also be given to what the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov are doing. They are the NHL’s highest-scoring teammates, and their dominance was something to marvel at for most of the night. The Kings paid for it dearly in the first period. “Well, I think it’s pretty clear that they’re the best offensive team in the league,” Kings coach John Stevens said. “They dress seven D and 11 forwards a lot, which means their top guys play more. Our worst period was our first period. Our whole focus was to be a better checking team against that type of offense. Quite frankly, we didn’t do a very good job.” Goalie interference continues to be maddening:.Anze Kopitar’s goal was disallowed because officials ruled that Dustin Brown forced Tampa Bay’s Braydon Coburn to interfere with goalie Peter Budaj. It ultimately didn’t have an effect on the outcome, but many of these calls alter momentum and change the complexion of games. In the larger picture, the NHL’s inconsistency on what constitutes interference has teams shaking their heads. Stevens has been on the wrong end of these calls several times this season, and he was again upset Thursday. “I’ll be honest with you, I am totally confused on the goal interference penalty,” Stevens said. “I don’t have a clue what’s allowed and what’s not allowed. If the league wants to put a seminar together, I will attend it because I’m more confused now that I was at the start of the year.” Fatigue? What fatigue? Thursday was the fifth time this season that the Kings played a team that was on its second game in as many nights. They were 4-0-1 in that scenario. Tampa Bay defeated the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night but that hardly mattered. As so often happens, teams playing their second straight game have early jump, then sag. Indeed, the Kings grabbed the game more in the second period but couldn’t rally further from being down 4-2. That might have something to do with Tampa Bay forcing them into penalties — five minors in the final two periods — which stunted any momentum the Kings tried to generate. LA Times: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082690 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: NOVEMBER 10

JON ROSENNOVEMBER 10, 2017

GAME STORY I watched Tampa Bay’s 5-1 win over San Jose on Wednesday, and there was a moment in the second period in which the Sharks were mistakenly caught with four players on the ice for an extended period of what was supposed to be even strength play, and the Namestnikov-Stamkos- Kucherov line immediately made the Sharks pay with a tic-tac-toe exchange that was slammed off the post and past Martin Jones as part of a three-goal second period outburst. That play characterized the Lightning’s efforts: if a mistake is made, there’s a very good chance it will be exploited through a dazzling and ruthless demonstration of skill. Such was the case in the first period on Monday, when the teams evenly split 10 scoring chances, but it was the visitors’ whose opportunities more regularly came from higher-danger areas closer to the net, and from high-octane players who dot the most explosive lineup in the league. The Kings got a pristine early chance from Anze Kopitar off a play made by a confident Alex Iafallo, but wouldn’t you know it, Peter Budaj came up with another big stop at Staples Center. His save on Los Angeles’ highest- grade first period chance was followed by 27 seconds later by Slater Koekkoek separating the puck from Kopitar as Nikita Kucherov eyed the perfect time to spring past his coverage and into the neutral zone, where Steven Stamkos hit him with a home run pass. There was additional exploitation in the first period as the Lightning took advantage of a failed off-side challenge, and then a slapdash shorthanded line change, when an unmarked Stamkos buried a no-look Alex Killorn feed for the team’s fourth goal in a two-minute and two-second blitz that essentially decided the game. Goaltender interference reviews! The Kings are not benefiting from them. I saw Braydon Coburn initiate contact with Dustin Brown just outside the crease, and lose the battle of momentum that pushed him back into Budaj, keeping the goaltender from making the save. It’s another borderline call, but what does Coburn expect to happen if he straddles the blue and white paint in an area where there is the potential for him to impede the movement of his goalie should he lose the netfront positioning battle? Independent of the other calls, it’s not overly heavy- handed; again, it’s a judgement call that can go either way. It was, though, a touch surprising to see the call on the ice overturned, especially given the unsuccessful challenges of another borderline call in St. Louis, and Tuesday’s video that showed Corey Perry extending his left leg to make contact with Jonathan Quick on a play that left some in the organization scratching their head when the on-ice verdict was upheld. Hey, we were warned about this. It was interesting that a period in which the Kings were outshot 19-6 and had the life suffocated out of their attack for long stretches was a period they very nearly won, 2-0. Jonathan Quick obviously played a big part in this, because the scoring chances depicted ice being tilted at roughly the same slope as K-2 for the first 15 minutes. Los Angeles did gain its footing and generate momentum over the final 25 or so minutes of the hockey game, again raising the “resilience” intangibles inherent in the team’s play to begin the season, but they’re going to need to stop putting themselves in positions that elicit resilience the first place. The Kings are giving up a bit too much right now. I referenced it several times on NHL Network, and again in passing moments on the blog, but they’re allowing the fifth most chances per 60 minutes, and the fourth-most high-danger chances per 60 minutes, according to data supplied by Natural Stat Trick. They’re still marginally in the black, possession-wise, so a surface-level evaluation depicts a higher-percentage of shots and shot attempts that are quality opportunities compared to the shot and chance-suppression demons of the last several seasons. Inefficient puck management again led to some of the Lightning’s quick-strike ability and remains an area that the team can, will and does continue to work on. It wasn’t the Kings’ night. Onward! LA Times: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082691 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: NOVEMBER 10

JON ROSENNOVEMBER 10, 2017

GAME STORY I watched Tampa Bay’s 5-1 win over San Jose on Wednesday, and there was a moment in the second period in which the Sharks were mistakenly caught with four players on the ice for an extended period of what was supposed to be even strength play, and the Namestnikov-Stamkos- Kucherov line immediately made the Sharks pay with a tic-tac-toe exchange that was slammed off the post and past Martin Jones as part of a three-goal second period outburst. That play characterized the Lightning’s efforts: if a mistake is made, there’s a very good chance it will be exploited through a dazzling and ruthless demonstration of skill. Such was the case in the first period on Monday, when the teams evenly split 10 scoring chances, but it was the visitors’ whose opportunities more regularly came from higher-danger areas closer to the net, and from high-octane players who dot the most explosive lineup in the league. The Kings got a pristine early chance from Anze Kopitar off a play made by a confident Alex Iafallo, but wouldn’t you know it, Peter Budaj came up with another big stop at Staples Center. His save on Los Angeles’ highest- grade first period chance was followed by 27 seconds later by Slater Koekkoek separating the puck from Kopitar as Nikita Kucherov eyed the perfect time to spring past his coverage and into the neutral zone, where Steven Stamkos hit him with a home run pass. There was additional exploitation in the first period as the Lightning took advantage of a failed off-side challenge, and then a slapdash shorthanded line change, when an unmarked Stamkos buried a no-look Alex Killorn feed for the team’s fourth goal in a two-minute and two-second blitz that essentially decided the game. Goaltender interference reviews! The Kings are not benefiting from them. I saw Braydon Coburn initiate contact with Dustin Brown just outside the crease, and lose the battle of momentum that pushed him back into Budaj, keeping the goaltender from making the save. It’s another borderline call, but what does Coburn expect to happen if he straddles the blue and white paint in an area where there is the potential for him to impede the movement of his goalie should he lose the netfront positioning battle? Independent of the other calls, it’s not overly heavy- handed; again, it’s a judgement call that can go either way. It was, though, a touch surprising to see the call on the ice overturned, especially given the unsuccessful challenges of another borderline call in St. Louis, and Tuesday’s video that showed Corey Perry extending his left leg to make contact with Jonathan Quick on a play that left some in the organization scratching their head when the on-ice verdict was upheld. Hey, we were warned about this. It was interesting that a period in which the Kings were outshot 19-6 and had the life suffocated out of their attack for long stretches was a period they very nearly won, 2-0. Jonathan Quick obviously played a big part in this, because the scoring chances depicted ice being tilted at roughly the same slope as K-2 for the first 15 minutes. Los Angeles did gain its footing and generate momentum over the final 25 or so minutes of the hockey game, again raising the “resilience” intangibles inherent in the team’s play to begin the season, but they’re going to need to stop putting themselves in positions that elicit resilience the first place. The Kings are giving up a bit too much right now. I referenced it several times on NHL Network, and again in passing moments on the blog, but they’re allowing the fifth most chances per 60 minutes, and the fourth-most high-danger chances per 60 minutes, according to data supplied by Natural Stat Trick. They’re still marginally in the black, possession-wise, so a surface-level evaluation depicts a higher-percentage of shots and shot attempts that are quality opportunities compared to the shot and chance-suppression demons of the last several seasons. Inefficient puck management again led to some of the Lightning’s quick-strike ability and remains an area that the team can, will and does continue to work on. It wasn’t the Kings’ night. Onward! LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082692 Minnesota Wild

Will Jason Zucker become the next member of exclusive Wild 30-goal club?

By Michael Rand NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — 3:11PM

In its past two games, back-to-back affairs at Toronto and Montreal, the Wild has scored five goals — and all of them were scored by wing Jason Zucker. That gives Zucker a team-high eight for the season in 15 games. That makes this a particularly dangerous time to do any sort of long-term extrapolation of Zucker’s stats, but I’m going to do it anyway with some context added. See, if we would have tallied up Zucker’s pace before these two games, when he had three goals in 13 contests, he would have been on pace for just shy of 20 goals this season. After his outburst, he’s on pace for more than 40. The truth often lies somewhere in the middle of the extremes, so let’s split the difference and ask this question: Is Zucker this season going to become just the fifth different Wild player in history to score 30 goals or more in a season? Admittedly, that’s not an extraordinarily high bar. But this is Wild history, after all — a stretch of time that has generally trended toward offensive challenges and defensive schemes. Marian Gaborik reached that 30-goal benchmark five times with the Wild and has the two best single seasons — including his 42-goal season in 2007-08, the only time a Wild scorer has topped 40. The underrated Brian Rolston had 30 goals or more three times for Minnesota. Zach Parise and Jason Pominville did it once each. And that’s it. In the NHL last season, 26 different players had at least 30 goals. None played for the Wild, though a few Minnesota players were close: Eric Staal (28), Mikael Granlund (26) and Nino Niederreiter (25). Zucker was fourth on the team with 22. Why should this year be any different? Well, there are three factors that could boost Zucker to new levels. *First, he’s flat-out getting more ice time. He averaged just over 15 minutes per game last season. This year, he’s up to 18 minutes, 23 seconds per game — third among all Wild forwards and most among wings. Part of that is based on merit, given that Zucker had a career-high 22 goals last season. Part of it is that is because of all the injuries the Wild have suffered. Zach Parise has yet to play. Charlie Coyle has missed a lot of time. Niederreiter missed six games, while Granlund missed five. Zucker has taken an elevated role and excelled. *Second, which goes hand-in-hand the first point: A lot of his increased opportunities have come on the power play — where, of course, scoring a goal becomes more likely. Zucker was not a power play regular last year, averaging just 15 seconds per game on the man advantage. This year, it’s 2:38 per game — accounting for most of his overall ice time increase. He had just one power play goal last season, meaning he had 21 other goals. Staal (24) was the only Wild player to score more often in non-power play situations last year. Zucker has three power play goals already this season — the same number he had in his entire career coming into the season. If he keeps scoring on the power play, he should keep getting those opportunities even when everyone’s healthy. *Third, Zucker is still just 25 (almost 26) and should be entering the prime of his career. He’s in that sweet spot where he has young legs to go with experience. There’s no reason not to expect big things from him. Given those factors, if Zucker stays healthy this season I’d expect him to lead the Wild in goals and to crack 30. He might even have a shot at 35 if things break right.

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082693 Minnesota Wild are good skaters, and we can get in on the forecheck and make plays on the rush. It’s been good.”

Wild notes: Goalie Devan Dubnyk rewarded for staying the course Star Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017

By Rachel Blount Star Tribune NOVEMBER 11, 2017 — 12:36AM

PHILADELPHIA – With his team stuck at the bottom of the Central Division standings, Bruce Boudreau thought the time was right for an inspirational story. So last Wednesday, the Wild coach pulled one from his own past: the tale of the Anaheim Ducks, who won only five of their first 17 games before finishing atop the Pacific Division in 2015-16. “We got shut out six times in the first 10 games,’’ recalled Boudreau, who coached the Ducks from 2012 to 2016. “We just couldn’t score. But we didn’t panic, and that’s what we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to stay the course.” The moral of that story — that the karma wheel will eventually turn your way, as long as you keep playing the proper way — was reinforced in the Wild’s 3-0 victory over Montreal on Thursday. And no one felt more vindicated than goaltender Devan Dubnyk. The message Boudreau shared with the team is one Dubnyk has been voicing as well, through several games when neither he nor the team were at their best. Dubnyk fought the urge to alter his approach or his usual routine. That constancy set him up for a breakthrough victory against the Canadiens, and perhaps a sixth consecutive start Saturday at Philadelphia as the Wild ends a four-game road trip. His 41 saves in Montreal equaled the most of his Wild career and carried him to his 16th shutout in Minnesota, second-most in franchise history behind Niklas Backstrom’s 28. “When things just don’t feel like they’re going your way, the hardest thing to do is stay with what you’re doing, just have trust in what you’re doing,’’ Dubnyk said. “That’s a tough thing to do. Playing as many games as I have, you find a way to do that. “Changing your approach is just not going to help anybody. But at some point, you’re going to need a big game out of the group to stop the bleeding and turn it around. [Thursday] was a big win for us.” Dubnyk made a number of difficult saves Thursday and withstood some intense pressure from the Canadiens, who attempted 80 shots. Boudreau said the goalie moved well and tracked the puck proficiently. “He just seemed calm back there,’’ Wild forward Jason Zucker said. “He seemed like he was making every save he needed to, and he wasn’t fumbling pucks. That was huge for us.’’ The Wild took Friday off, and Boudreau has not said who will start in goal against the Flyers. Backup Alex Stalock rejoined the team Friday after going home to attend the birth of his daughter, Selena, and Niklas Svedberg — called up from the AHL affiliate in Iowa to fill in — was sent back. Thursday’s other big star was Zucker, whose natural hat trick in the third period provided all the Wild’s scoring. Zucker had gone five games without a goal before Wednesday, when he tallied both goals in a 4-2 loss at Toronto. The five consecutive goals are the most ever scored by a Wild player, according to Elias Sports Bureau, and Zucker joins Marian Gaborik as the only Wild players to net a natural hat trick. Gaborik had one in 2001 and another in 2007. Zucker did not register a point in the final four games of the Wild’s homestand from Oct. 28 to Nov. 4. That slump coincided with the Oct. 27 birth of his son, Hendrix, prompting jokes about whether Zucker was getting enough sleep. In the past two games — both on the road — Zucker has five goals on 12 shots, is plus-three and has three hits. “Nobody knows what [his wife] Carly has actually done for me at home,’’ Zucker said. “She’s made sure I’ve gotten plenty of sleep. This is definitely a coincidence.” Eric Staal, who recorded his 500th career assist on Zucker’s second goal Thursday, has played on a line with Zucker and Nino Niederreiter for the past two games. The trio has clicked quickly, combining for 25 shots on goal, and Staal assisted on three Zucker goals. Staal recalled playing only one period with Zucker last season. Their chemistry, he said, is coming at a good time for a team that will be without injured forwards Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle for several more weeks. “It’s been fun to be a part of his game,’’ said Staal, who has a goal and three assists in the past three games. “I think both of us, along with Nino, 1082694 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Flyers preview

Staff Report NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — 10:58PM

Wild gameday Success in Philly has been rare Preview: After playing well in back-to-back games at Toronto and Montreal — and beating the Canadiens to end a three-game losing streak — the Wild ends a four-game road trip in a place where it hasn't had much success. It is 3-9 in Philadelphia and has lost five consecutive games to the Flyers, who have won consecutive games only once this season. The Wild hopes to get its power play on track; it has scored only twice in its past 31 attempts. Players to WATCH: Wild F Jason Zucker, who scored all five of his team's goals in its past two games, leads the Wild in goals (eight) and points (13). Flyers winger Claude Giroux has 20 points in 16 games, including a goal and two assists in Thursday's 3-1 victory over Chicago. His line, which also includes Jakub Voracek and Sean Couturier, has totaled 23 goals and 60 points this season. Numbers: The Wild is tied for first in the NHL with four shorthanded goals. All have been scored in the past eight games. … Wild forward Marcus Foligno, who had eight hits Thursday, has a team-high 52 this season. Injuries: Wild F Zach Parise (back surgery) and F Charlie Coyle (broken fibula) are out. Flyers D Andrew MacDonald (lower body), F Nolan Patrick (concussion) and G Anthony Stolarz (knee) are out.

RACHEL BLOUNT Star Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082695 Montreal Canadiens "There were zero issues on putting him in the net no matter what the situation is," said Julien. "So far, in our lineup with the big club, he's always played well. Canadiens’ Charlie Lindgren out to prove scouts wrong after going "He played well again (Thursday) night. Either by necessity or choice, it undrafted doesn't matter, we as an organization and his teammates have confidence in him and in our goaltending, period." ERIC BOLTE/USA TODAY SPORTS Defenceman Shea Weber (lower body) and centre Jonathan Drouin (upper body), who both missed the Minnesota game, were back on NOVEMBER 10, 2017 skates and there is a chance that one or both will play.

Charlie Lindgren says being passed over twice in the NHL draft was a Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.11.2017 blessing. The 23-year-old, who has been thrust into the starting goaltender's job on the Montreal Canadiens with starter Carey Price and backup Al Montoya injured, feels that the snub from 30 NHL clubs at the 2012 and 2013 drafts made him more determined than ever to make it in hockey's highest league. "I have a chip on my shoulder because I wasn't drafted," he said Friday. "I have no clue (why). "My second year of eligibility I was the U.S. junior goalie of the year and never got picked. It was phenomenal. I'm so thankful I wasn't picked." Lindgren played junior for the in the top American junior circuit, the USHL, but it wasn't until after his third season at St. Cloud State University that he signed as a free agent with Montreal. He has worked mainly in the American Hockey League since then, but has been impressive in three short call-ups to the Canadiens, posting a 5-1-0 record with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage. His latest stint may last longer than expected. The Lakeville, Minn., native was hailed from the Laval Rocket last week when Price went down with a "minor" lower-body injury and ended up starting the last three games. Price worked out in equipment Thursday and Friday but coach Claude Julien said the 2015 Hart and Vezina trophy winner remains a "day-to-day" case. On Friday came the surprise announcement that Montoya has an upper- body injury. There was no word on how long he will be out of action. Zach Fucale was called up from Laval on an emergency basis. Julien said Price would be put on injured reserve retroactive to a week ago, so he could be activated as early as Saturday night, when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Bell Centre. If not, they still have Lindgren, who saw his five-game NHL winning streak end with a 3-0 loss Thursday night to his home state team, the Minnesota Wild. Lindgren was sharp in that game too, making 32 saves, but Devan Dubnyk stopped all 41 Montreal shots. In three games this season, Lindgren has a 1.35 average and .961 save percentage, and he picked up his first NHL shutout last Sunday in Chicago. "It's unfortunate, the circumstances, but it's the next man up mentality," said Lindgren. "I just want to go in, do my job and give my team a chance to win. "I've been fortunate enough to play a lot of games. I feel I play my best hockey when I'm playing a lot. Right now I feel like I'm in a groove. I'm going out and playing, not even thinking." No matter how well he does, there will always be a question about his long-term future with the team. Last summer, Price signed an eight-year US$85-million contract extension that only kicks in next season. "Price is one of the best goalies in the NHL, there's no doubt about that, but it's so beneficial to learn from him," said Lindgren. "(Goalie coach) Steph Waite, same thing. "I've been super thankful to be part of this organization." Price and Montoya have struggled early in the season. They have identical 3.77 goals-against averages. So Lindgren's play has been a relief. "It's a plus for our team to have three goalies who can do well," said Julien. "When you look at the situation we're in, it's nice to have a goalie who can give us the kind of games he's been giving us." But now, with both Price and Montoya out, there will be no safety net should Lindgren falter. 1082696 Montreal Canadiens

First game as a goalie wasn't good for Canadiens' Charlie Lindgren

Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 8:46 PM EST

Charlie Lindgren still remembers the first hockey game he played as a goalie — and it’s not a good memory. “It’s hard to forget,” the Canadiens rookie goalie said after an optional practice Friday in Brossard. “I let in 13 goals. It’s still a career high, thankfully. I’ve had one 12-goal game, but 13 was the first game. “I remember my mom, especially, saying she thought I’d never do it again,” he added. “But I stuck with it.” Lindgren, a Minnesota native, was 10 at the time. He started playing hockey at 4, but his father wouldn’t let him play goalie at first. “It’s important to be a good skater as a goalie,” Lindgren said. “Robb Stauber was my first goalie coach. He played goalie for the L.A. Kings and I think he told my dad: ‘Have him learn how to skate and be a good skater,’ and my dad listened to him.” Lindgren’s father, Bob, knows a bit about goaltending himself, having played the position until he was 19, including 13 games with the University of Michigan. Bob’s goaltending idol was Ken Dryden and as a result he has always been a big Canadiens fan. Bob and his wife, Jennifer, watched their son in action with the Canadiens at the Bell Centre for the first time Thursday night — a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild. It was the first loss of Lindgren’s NHL career, dropping his record to 5-1-0 with an impressive 1.50 goals-against average and .953 save percentage. Lindgren will make his fourth straight start in place of the injured Carey Price (lower body) when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Bell Centre Saturday night (7 p.m., Sportsnet, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690). Al Montoya (upper body) joined Price on the injured list Friday and the Canadiens called up Zach Fucale from the AHL’s Laval Rocket on an emergency basis to back up Lindgren. Lindgren’s parents will be at the Bell Centre again for Saturday’s game. Lindgren joined them at their downtown hotel after Thursday’s game, bringing his post-game meal with him from the locker room. “They’re super proud,” Lindgren said about his parents. Lindgren’s hockey career started as a forward. “I like playing forward … still do when I get a chance in the summer,” the 23-year-old goalie said. “I used to love playing outdoor hockey.” Lindgren was a big Wild fan while growing up in Minnesota and his favourite player was forward Marian Gaborik. But he also liked to watch different goalies, listing Cam Ward, Nikolai Khabibulin, Manny Fernandez, , Patrick Roy, Marc-André Fleury and Price among his favourites. While technique has been the key to Price’s success, Lindgren has a much different style of play. “I think I’d definitely say I’m more athletic than anything,” he said. “I think I try to use my size to my advantage, but I think I’ve really got quick feet and battle hard.” Even after letting in 13 goals.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082697 Montreal Canadiens been the team’s best forward Thursday, got 15:34 of time, playing less than six other forwards.

And Price is the ultimate untouchable. He’s a great goalie, but what have What the Puck: Canadiens crease crisis as Carey Price mystery deepens the Canadiens won 10 years into the Carey Price era? Nothing. Any other team would be scratching their heads on that one. Not Montreal. Instead Marc Bergevin signed him to an eight-year US$84-million Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette contract extension, basically anchoring the medium-term future of the team to a great goalie who has had little playoff success. Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 8:16 PM EST My good friend Michel Trudeau, one of Quebec’s top TV producers, and I have had our hockey arguments, notably over the merits of a chap named P.K. Subban, but we agree on this: You win Cups by having strength down the middle and the Habs have arguably the weakest What’s up with Carey Price? centres in the league. Wow, what a situation. Here we are, whether you like it or not, in the You don’t win Cups in the 21st century with an all-world goalie, especially midst of a full-blown goalie controversy in Montreal, the most intense one who has never had a Ken Dryden/Patrick Roy/José Theodore/Halak- since that rather exciting netminder duel in 2010. like playoff run. That was the time that a young Slovak named Jaroslav Halak stole the

No. 1 goalie job out from under the nose of Carey Price and went on to provide hockey fans ici with one of the most exciting playoff runs of the Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2017 past 24 years. Before you haters go nuts, let me come right out and say the following — Price is a much better goalie than Halak and, as we all know, Jaro really never found his form again after then-Canadiens GM Pierre (Ghost) Gauthier traded him after that spectacular run for less-than-market-value. But that was indeed a good, old-fashioned goalie smackdown and it was a lot of fun to follow. And one of the things I take from that history was that Price didn’t react well to a little competition in his dressing room. So how is Price going to react to the new competitor creeping up behind him? The talk of the town this week is 23-year-old sensation Charlie Lindgren, who became the first Canadiens goalie to win his first five starts in the NHL since Wayne Thomas during the early 1970s. The kid’s dream run ended at the Bell Centre Thursday night when he dropped a 3-0 decision to the Minnesota Wild, but pretty well everyone agreed Lindgren once again had an amazing game. At the time of writing, the situation surrounding Price’s “minor lower-body injury” was still wrapped in mystery. The last game Price played was against the Wild in Minnesota on Nov. 2 and the Habs’ all-world goalie was quite simply terrible that night, one of many nights this season that he’s looked like one of the worst goalies in the league. When he went down with this injury, Price’s stats were downright awful, which is why it wasn’t surprising to hear the Chill Out guy saying he doesn’t care about statistics. Price’s record is 3-7 with a scary 3.77 goals-against-average and just as fright-night-like .877 save percentage. Right now, Lindgren’s the better goalie. He’s been absolutely great in the three games he’s played, making his season debut in Chicago and stoning one of the best teams in the league to earn his first NHL shutout. He then helped the Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Tuesday. And as we all agree, the Minnesota kid looked very very good Thursday against the Wild (his favourite team growing up), even if the Habs lost. So who is between the pipes Saturday night? I’d say chances are Price still won’t be ready and if that’s the case, Habs head coach Claude Julien would be silly to go with anyone not named Charlie Lindgren. The plot thickened Friday morning when the Canadiens recalled Zach Fucale from the Laval Rocket and announced that Al Montoya has an upper-body injury. But what happens when Price comes back? Do you keep Lindgren as the No. 2 and put Al Montoya on the orange line to Laval? Or do you just go with the hot hand and keep playing Lindgren? Or alternate between Price and Lindgren? I already threw these questions out there on social media and more than one person called it “crazy talk,” but most teams would go with the hot hand. Look at the Penguins. Marc-André Fleury has one bad game in the playoffs last season and he was gone, replaced by Matt Murray — and Fleury never played another game for Pittsburgh. Most teams will do whatever it takes to win games and it doesn’t matter if some egos get bruised in the process, but not the Habs. Here, there are untouchables. Max Pacioretty has been one of the team’s worst forwards all season, but Julien will always give Not-So-Mad Max all the ice time he wants. He was a phantom Thursday, as usual, and still notched 22:15 of ice time, more than any other forward. Meanwhile Alex Galchenyuk, who might have 1082698 Montreal Canadiens Julien said that Weber and Drouin would both be re-evaluated Saturday morning before a decision is made on whether they will play against the Sabres. Canadiens Notebook: Goalie Zach Fucale called up from AHL Rocket With Montoya not taking part in Friday’s practice, the Canadiens used a shooter tutor in one of the nets with Lindgren in the other. Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette Forward Ales Hemsky, who has missed the last nine games with an upper-body injury, skated with head athletic therapist Graham Rynbend Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 after the practice. 3:10 PM EST With Weber not in the lineup Thursday against the Wild, Jeff Petry logged a team-high 27:28 of ice time and was minus-2, dropping him to minus-6 for the season. The Canadiens held an optional practice Friday in Brossard with only nine players on the ice, including one goalie: Charlie Lindgren. After practice Friday, Julien said Petry played well and added that the more ice time any defenceman gets — including the Wild’s Ryan Sutter, The Canadiens later announced why that was the case: Al Montoya is who logged a game-high 30:13 — the more exposed he is to making out with an upper-body injury and the team has called up goalie Zach mistakes. Fucale from the AHL’s Laval Rocket on an emergency basis. Fucale has a 4-1-0 record with a 3.46 goals-against average and an .881 save “I think our D for the loss of Weby played decently,” Julien said. percentage with the Rocket. Weber has been averaging a team-high 26:18 of ice time this season. Montoya hasn’t played the last three games, but took a slapshot from Dustin Byfuglien directly in the mask in his last outing last Saturday in With Weber out of the lineup, Karl Alzner had 19:43 of ice time, Joe Winnipeg, a 5-4 Canadiens win over the Jets. Montoya appeared to be Morrow 19:27, Jordie Benn 17:26, Brandon Davidson 15:45 and rookie groggy after the shot, but stayed in the game — stopping 19 of 23 shots Victor Mete 13:58. — and has practised with the Canadiens since. “Every player’s going to tell you the more I play the more I get into the You have to wonder if that wicked slapshot from Byfuglien has something game,” Julien said when asked about ice time. “Unfortunately, there’s to do with Montoya’s upper-body injury. only so many minutes for everybody and every coach coaches his team from his best players on down.” When asked about that after Friday’s practice, Canadiens head coach Claude Julien said all he knew was that Montoya was being examined by Alex Galchenyuk didn’t score against the Wild but might have played his the team’s medical staff and he couldn’t say more “because that’s all I best game of the season with a team-high eight shots on goal. know … honestly.” “I think Chucky’s just been playing better,” Julien said. “The last few Lindgren will make his fourth straight start for the Canadiens Saturday weeks there he’s been a much better player. So if he’s improving as we night when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Bell Centre (7 p.m., SN, TVA move along here, that’s to our benefit because he’s a good player. We’ve Sports, TSN Radio 690) with Fucale as his backup. always said that and he’s starting to find his stride right now and his confidence.” Lindgren suffered the first defeat of his NHL career in Thursday’s 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild at the Bell Centre, stopping 32 of 34 shots with the The Canadiens outshot the Wild 41-35, marking the seventh time in 17 final goal into an empty net. In six NHL games, Lindgren now has a 5-1-0 games this season they have had at least 40 shots on goal. The record with a 1.50 goals-against average and .953 save percentage. This Canadiens lead the NHL with an average of 37.7 shots per game, but season the 23-year-old goalie is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA and .961 save rank 29th in offence with an average of 2.53 goals per game. percentage. What’s next? “I have zero issues of putting him in the net no matter what the situation The Canadiens have a morning skate scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday is,” Julien said about Lindgren after Friday’s practice. “So far, being in our in Brossard before facing the Sabres at night. Saturday’s game will be lineup with the big club he’s always played well. He played well again last the third of six straight at home for the Canadiens. night. Even out of necessity or choice, it doesn’t matter. We as an organization, his teammates, everybody has good confidence in him, like Next week, the Columbus Blue Jackets will visit the Bell Centre on they do in our goaltending, period.” Tuesday, followed by the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Lindgren, who wore his old St. John’s IceCaps AHL mask from last season for his first three games with the Canadiens this season, was wearing a different mask at practice Friday with the CH logo on it. Lindgren said it’s the same mask he wore with the Canadiens last Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2017 season, but it had been back at his home in Minnesota. His parents travelled to Montreal to watch him in action for the first time at the Bell Centre Thursday night against the Wild and brought the CH mask with them. Price still ‘day-to-day’ Carey Price, who has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury, worked out in full equipment with goalie coach Stéphane Waite for the second straight day Friday before the optional practice. Julien said Price remains day-to-day. “With Pricer, he skated again today,” Julien said. “As much as we’re trying to be black and white here in trying to give you guys things, as you know medically there’s no guarantees. Sometimes the guy comes back quicker than expected, sometimes it’s a little bit longer than we thought — and it’s of nobody’s fault. So I would say to you right now it’s encouraging to see Carey on the ice for a second day in a row. When’s he coming back? Not sure. I’d rather say that than say: Well, you know, maybe this day — and then it doesn’t happen. So, not sure. He’s day-to- day and he is improving.” Shea Weber (lower-body injury) and Jonathan Drouin (upper-body injury), who both missed Thursday’s game against the Wild, were among the nine players on the ice for Friday’s optional practice. They were joined by Lindgren, Charles Hudon, Torrey Mitchell, Jacob De La Rose, Victor Mete, Brandon Davidson and Byron Froese. Julien wasn’t on the ice and the practice was run by associate coach Kirk Muller. 1082699 Montreal Canadiens 200-pound centre. “Last year maybe I wasn’t that guy but this year I came in with the mentality that, ‘This is the guy that you’ve always been’ and this is the guy that I wanted to show people.” Godin: A game in the life of Ryan Poehling Last season, Motzko said, Poehling had a tendency to play off those around him more so than drive the play himself. By Marc Antoine Godin That tendency is practically a personality trait for Poehling. His parents recognize his humility and his desire to put people before himself. And you can see it on the ice. Poehling’s instinct is clearly to pass first, even if he began the game against Duluth with a dangerous wrist shot off a nice ST. CLOUD, Minnesota – There is already a thin layer of snow on the zone entry. It is something he recognizes he needs to do more often. ground with the students, most of them in sneakers, start rushing toward the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. “Coach is always on me this year, even in practice,” Poehling said. “I mean, he’s got to be. Whenever I get a shot opportunity he yells at me to Huddled inside the front foyer of the venerable rink, the students don’t make sure that, ‘Hey, you’ve got to put that in the net.’ expect to see another on this night, despite the building’s namesake and also the fact it is one of the rare NCAA ice surfaces that “I think I got a little better, but I still have to do more.” has Olympic dimensions. The physical makeup of the young centre should be very appealing to the At St. Cloud State, wins are no miracle this season. They are the norm. Canadiens. Even if he were to stop growing, he already has the physical The Huskies have established themselves as a powerhouse in the tools that would work to his advantage at the NHL level. National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), one of the strongest in the country. Taking the college route to the NHL has always been seen as the best one to allow young players to grow into their bodies while developing Tim and Kris Poehling didn’t care about the falling snow. They left their their game. Aside from the two weekend games they play, NCAA players home in Lakeville, about 90 minutes south of St. Cloud, to come see their generally have four practices and two gym sessions per week. They live son Ryan. in a structured environment that monitors most notably their diets, and they don’t travel nearly as much as players in the Canadian Hockey And Jack. League. And Nick. It is a perfect environment to develop physically, but Poehling admits it’s not always easy during the season because you have to add academic This is a Huskies family. responsibilities to the mix. “Hockey has always been a fabric of our life,” Tim Poehling said. “Kris “I’m 200 pounds but I’m still growing into my body which is good to see,” grew up with three older brothers who all played hockey. Her oldest Poehling said. “I want to put on a little more muscle and I’ll get there, but brother Stan was actually drafted by the Canadiens. So she grew up in a we work out in the season two days a week only and it’s kind of hard with hockey family. And I grew up playing hockey in Minnesota through high our schedule, the school and everything to kind of get bigger as the school. season is going on. It’s more of a preseason and after the season thing, “But I never was as good as the boys were.” and big time in the summer to really put on weight.” St. Cloud State, unlike the Big Ten schools that surround it, is a hockey Canadiens assistant general manager Trevor Timmins usually drafts school above all else. The Poehling brothers, whether it’s the twins Jack players because of a specific dimension of a player’s game he feels will and Nick or the youngest, Ryan, who became the Canadiens first round resonate at the NHL level. In Poehling’s case, it is his playmaking skill pick, 25th overall, in the 2017 draft, are minor celebrities on campus. that made him stand out. “From even in high school they were given a taste of that,” their father But once drafted, there is a wide range of things a team will monitor once said. “Because it’s an easy story: you have three brothers that back then a player begins his sophomore season. Is he more explosive? Can he fill were playing on the same line and the state hockey tournament in holes in coverage more quickly without the puck? Does he take his time Minnesota is a big deal. I started to see sophomore year lots of reporters, with the puck to make a play or is he still rushing things? When he’s in people, lots of attention in the media. They learned how to deal with that position to shoot, does he let it go quickly or does he still have to a little bit over time. stickhandle for a second before his release? Is his hockey sense developing? Is he getting bigger and stronger? “I think that’s another thing that I’m proud of them for is really the way they handle themselves off the ice. People always come up and say, Dave Starman, a college hockey analyst for the CBS Sports Network, ‘Your boys are so great, they took time with my son and this or that.’ watches Poehling play often and feels the most notable improvement in They had a good mother growing up.” his game from his freshman season to this one is in fact his jam. Ryan Poehling and the Huskies would be facing the Minnesota-Duluth “He’s getting his nose in there a little bit more consistently, which I love in Bulldogs on this snowy Friday night. The 18-year-old comes into the a player,” Starman said. “That goes back to his character. He’s just one game sitting second on the team scoring list, a big contrast from his of those kids who’s really confident in what he is and because of that, modest numbers during his freshman season. Scouts see a lot of he’ll trust his abilities to take him where he wants to go. I like the fact that enticing facets in his game – excellent playmaking ability, strong he turns the screws a little bit, it’s fun.” defensive awareness – but some question Poehling’s offensive potential Poehling does not shy away from contact against the Bulldogs, but it’s at the next level. harder to play that style of game when you’re always on the ice. And on But it’s important to remember that Poehling was the youngest player in this night, Motzko is losing his patience. The referees are giving their the entire NCAA last season. He fast-tracked his way through high whistles a real workout and the rhythm of the game is completely school to graduate early so he could enter college at the same time as disjointed as a result. Motzko wants to manage the ice time of his best his older brothers. players because the Huskies have another game the following afternoon. Poehling is at the top of that list because the intensity in his game and It is not something we see very often, but players like Jonathan Toews, the fact he is still growing into his body means he is more susceptible to Noah Hanifin and Zach Werenski followed the same path. fatigue than other players. “I wanted to play at a higher level than high school for my draft year,” “The referees ended up deciding who was going to go on the ice,” he Toews told The Athletic. “Maybe it wasn’t that important, but it was either said after the game. I do that or I go play junior in the . It helped my development. It’s not easy to play college hockey at 17, but I had a good Poehling didn’t mind all the penalty calls because it meant he had more coach and good organization at North Dakota so it was a good move for ice time; he plays on the top unit of both special teams units. me.” In the first period, while pressuring defenceman Scott Perunovich on the Poehling might be able to say the same thing one day. Playing at penalty kill, Poehling deftly lifts his stick and strips him off the puck, St.Cloud State under the highly respected Bob Motzko, the U.S. national leading to a breakaway the other way. junior coach, certainly doesn’t hurt. But in the meantime, Poehling is “Great stick, great read, great anticipation, long reach,” Motzko said. “He focused on proving the offensive limitations of his freshman season, plays on his toes. He’s never on his heels, he’s always on his toes in the limitations that were accentuated by his young age, are behind him. attack.” “I’ve always been a guy that’s been an offensive threat, and I’m still a two-way guy but the offence is what I take pride in,” said the 6-foot-2, According to Tim Poehling, ever since he was a little kid, Ryan would dip his toe into any new water, wanting to make sure he fully understood something before going on to excel at it. “He respects the process and he takes in a lot from people around him and above him,” he said. “When you think about it, he grew up with two older brothers. They were always ahead of him, a few years older, and he had to kind of feel his way through this and fit in. And with that came an attitude of a pretty humble guy.” The game against Duluth reflects this perfectly. Not much happens for him in the first period, a few flashes, but mostly Poehling appears to be sizing up his opponent and the game in general. But once the game is on the line later on, that’s when he makes an impact. With the Huskies down 2-1 at the end of the second period, defenceman Will Borgen and forward Kevin Fitzgerald are working the puck around when Poehling explodes toward the net, catching the Bulldogs defence off guard. Fitzgerald sends a slap pass in his direction, Poehling tips it in, and the game is 2-2. He and Fitzgerald join forces again at the start of the third, with Poehling coming off his preferred left side and sends a perfect pass to his linemate in the slot. Fitzgerald picks up the rebound of his own shot and put the Huskies ahead for good. So Poehling scored the tying goal and set up the winner. Not a bad night’s work. While the temptation is there, it would not be fair to view the game against Duluth as a head to head match up between Poehling and Riley Tufte, a 2016 Dallas Stars first round pick who was taken 25th overall, exactly the same spot Poehling would be drafted a year later. The star Minnesota-Duluth forward is a very different player and comparing players of a different age at the college level is a dangerous game. Still, Tufte provides some context for how Poehling is doing this season, because when you look at how NCAA players perform in the season after they were drafted over the last two years, Poehling comes off looking pretty good. The sample size is still small for Poehling and it is far too early to jump to conclusions. But 10 points in seven games makes Poehling look good in this group, at least so far. He is still too reluctant to shoot the puck, but he manages to get his name on the scoresheet more often than not. Poehling won’t become a Clayton Keller, or maybe even a Tyson Jost. But he is Ryan Poehling, a centre who over the course of a single shift will backcheck deep into his own zone to prevent a goal against and lead the counter-attack the other way. Motzko insists his young centre could one day become a player reminiscent of Mikko Koivu. If that were to ever happen, it would be a home run for Timmins and his scouts. But that day remains far down the road. Poehling finishes the game against Duluth having won 16 of 29 faceoffs (55 percent). He took more than twice as many faceoffs as the next busiest centre on his team. Except his coach was correct in his concern about managing Poehling’s energy; the next day, against the Bulldogs again, Poehling is held pointless for the just the second time this season, wins four of his 13 faceoffs and does not register a single shot on goal. “He plays a critical role for us, he plays 200 feet and we’re going to lean on him to be a go-to guy for us, but he’s still a young kid,” Motzko said. “Just wait until Christmas and after to see if he can help getting stronger and more confident. “But what he’s done in the first six games is outstanding.”

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082700 Nashville Predators

Predators have new fangs to bare, just in time for the Penguins

Joe Rexrode, USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee Published 4:58 a.m. CT Nov. 10, 2017

Things are really clicking now for the Nashville Predators, three straight wins over good teams on the road demonstrating growing chemistry, increasing offensive options and the continued excellence of Pekka Rinne. So let’s do some changing and rearranging! Really, though, must be having a fun week. There were no such indications from him Thursday at Ford Ice Center – can anyone confirm if he sits stone-faced on rollercoasters? – but just look at the new toys and the possible combinations at his fingertips. This was the first practice for new No. 2 center Kyle Turris, and expected No. 3 center Nick Bonino was on the ice, and this is suddenly a team with more center depth than most. “I mean, it’s nice when you have those pieces in there,” said Laviolette, who left Thursday’s practice knowing he’d get another full practice Friday to continue tinkering. “We’re fortunate here, David (Poile) did an excellent job of trying to help our hockey team. And now we’ve got to go out and do it on the ice.” And this first look, what a night for it. Saturday was already going to be the Pittsburgh Penguins’ only trip to Nashville this season, the return of the hated team that crushed the Predators’ dreams with a fluky goal – after a Predators goal that should have counted was disallowed – in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena. This was already going to be Ryan Johansen’s opportunity to show the home fans the difference he might have made against Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the spring. But now Predators fans get their first look at Turris, too. It’s Johansen/Turris vs. Crosby/Malkin. And it’s Bonino, back after a month and ready to take on his old team. It’s regular-season nirvana. “We lost against them in their building and, to me, that’s the biggest thing, getting that back,” said Rinne, who got the night off for the Penguins’ 4-0 win over the Predators on Oct. 7. “It’s a big game for us. But I’m not really going back to last year’s series. I mean of course, any time you play the top teams you always get fired up. You always want to challenge yourself against them and try to measure yourself. But it’s not a repeat of the Stanley Cup Final. They have a different team, we have a different team.” Very different, in a short period of time. And that’s frankly more intriguing Saturday than the Cup Final rematch opportunity. It’s also worth keeping in mind that big moves like this often take some time to take root and produce desired results. Still, it will be fascinating to see how the Predators react to their first outing in this form. The enhancement of their chances of going deep again, on paper, is undeniable. Poile parted with promising young defenseman Samuel Girard, forward prospect Vladislav Kamenev and a second-round pick in the three-team deal to land Turris, meaning the instant loss is dwarfed by the instant gain. “Very impressed,” Rinne said of his first practice with Turris. “I’ve played against him many times and he’s a very good player. His skill set, when you look at our center depth now, it’s pretty impressive. The top teams, you look at their center men, they always seem to have a lot of depth there. I’m very happy about this. There’s always a heavy price to pay. But I’m an older guy, too, so I’m here to win it now.” He should have a chance with this team, when the time comes. For now, let’s get excited about a regular-season hockey game.

Contact Joe Rexrode Tennessean LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082701 New Jersey Devils

Devils fall to Oilers: 6 observations | Why Nico Hischier passed in OT

Posted November 10, 2017 at 06:15 AM | Updated November 10, 2017 at 09:54 AM By Chris Ryan

NEWARK -- The Devils fell short in their bid to end their three-game losing streak on Thursday night at Prudential Center, with the Edmonton Oilers pulling out a 3-2 win late in overtime. Despite the loss, the Devils saw a more consistent effort and held a team that racked up six goals against them last week in check. Here are notes on a busy night for Nico Hischier, a wild overtime and more. Why did Nico pass? The Oilers dominated possession in overtime, but the Devils had one great look on a 2-on-1 with Nico Hischier and Taylor Hall early in 3-on-3 play. Hall carried the puck into the offensive zone, where he passed to Hischier cutting down the left side. Instead of taking the shot, Hischier made the pass back to Hall, but he was too deep in the zone already. Hischier made a split-second decision, and it didn't work out this time. “It’s a fast game, and I can always say I can do better," Hischier said. "I’ve got to take the shot, but I just thought when I passed it back, if it would arrive, he has an empty net. It didn’t come like that, not even getting the puck on the net. It was the wrong decision, I know, but it’s a fast game so sometimes you make the wrong decision.” In Hischier's defense, he was right. If his pass finds Hall's stick, Hall could have tapped the puck in with ease. In a bang-bang moment, Hischier made the decision that ultimately backfired. But it's something the 18-year-old will learn from as he gains overtime experience. “Like everything, it’s a split-second decision," Devils coach John Hynes said. "I’m sure if he’s in that situation again, he’d have a different choice.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082702 New Jersey Devils But Boyle was surrounded by the other group of people who helped make sure No. 95 happened sooner rather than later.

"These guys have been here through it, they've been answering Brian Boyle, Devils react to 1st goal since cancer diagnosis questions, kind of gone through the whole thing with me," Boyle said. "They've asked me how I'm doing and they've been phenomenal to me. But they've beared some of the brunt of it as well. They've made me feel Updated November 10, 2017 at 6:06 AM; Posted November 10, 2017 at as such. They've had my back and my support, and a lot of things go 6:00 AM through my head in a short time, so it was emotional." By Chris Ryan [email protected], Chris Ryan NEWARK -- For the first time, Brian Boyle couldn't separate his Star Ledger LOADED: 11.11.2017 emotions. Since returning to hockey after his September diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia, Boyle has used his participation in practice and games as a symbol of normalcy. Yes, Boyle received overwhelming support from his Devils teammates and coaches, plus people from far and wide throughout the sport, but playing let him separate his two worlds. When he scored his first goal of the season on Thursday, that barrier came crashing down. "I can usually separate it, and it was a wave of a couple different things," Boyle said. "Just thinking of my family, my wife's been through the ringer. She's had a lot more to deal with than I say I have. We're one fighting for the other right now. "I'm able to play, and things are good, and they're getting better. I'm not playing tonight, I'm not here if it's not for her, my family and these guys in here. It's definitely, trying to separate it, but it's a little bigger tonight than it was, probably ever." When Boyle chipped in a goal during his fifth game since returning to the Devils' lineup, he threw his arms in the air over his towering 6-6 frame before dropping to a knee and pumping his fist. Brian Gibbons, Jimmy Hayes, Mirco Mueller and Will Butcher swarmed Boyle in the corner, and the rest of his teammates on the bench mirrored equally big smiles as Boyle skated by. As Boyle's goal was announced, the sold-out Prudential Center crowd roared, matching the loud ovation they gave him on opening night, before he even played a game in New Jersey. "The bench was elated, I thought the arena was fantastic. He got an excellent ovation there," Devils coach John Hynes said. "It's great for him, great for his family, great for the organization. It's nice to see him back and smiling and doing what he loves to do." When Boyle was going through his early cancer treatments and still not practicing with the team, he made regular appearances around the Devils' facility. His teammates quickly learned about the type of player and person they would get once he was ready to play. Now five games into his Devils career, Boyle's play is starting to jell with the rest of the lineup. "He's gotten better, more comfortable every game since he's been back," said Devils goalie Cory Schneider, who also played with Boyle at Boston College. "It takes time, going through preseason and getting your legs under you. This last week or so has been like a preseason for him. He's battled, he's worked hard, he's overcome a lot. I'm sure he was relieved just to get that one out of the way. He's been contributing a lot for us the last few games." In the Devils' locker room, Boyle's stall sits between the three Devils not legally old enough to drink a beer. The stalls of rookies Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier border either side, while Pavel Zacha sits two spots away. With such a young group returning to the Devils, they were able to add a veteran voice in Boyle when they signed the 32-year-old to a two-year contract on July 1. Along with his prowess on the ice, where he has played in 106 playoff games since 2010-11, Boyle represents a model for those young players to follow. "It was really meaningful for us," Hischier said of Boyle's goal. "What he's been through, and he got his first goal as a Devil, You're really happy for him and all the guys supported him." Boyle thanked his wife, Lauren, multiple times after the game for being there throughout his diagnosis and treatment. She was on his mind as he celebrated his goal, just like he did 94 times during his NHL career before Thursday. 1082703 New Jersey Devils

NJ Devils: Brian Boyle gets 1st goal since cancer diagnosis in incredibly emotional moment

Andrew Gross, Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 8:37 a.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017 | Updated 9:09 a.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017

New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia around the start of training camp in September. He returned to practice one month later, and now Boyle has scored his first goal since his cancer diagnosis. It was an incredibly emotional moment in the first period. Boyle let out a scream along with the tears as he pumped his arm into a windmill of During first intermission interview, Brian Boyle admits he cried after scoring first goal since return from chronic myeloid leukemia. "I've never cried after a goal before," Boyle told MSG. "That's a great feeling. It's everything." As much as the veteran center tried to remain upbeat after being diagnosed, Boyle has acknowledged it was a scary time for him and his family. So, when his first goal as a Devil came in his fifth game back in the lineup, Boyle said after the game he was surprised to find he was crying, the first time in his career he’s reacted that way to a goal. “I can usually separate it,” Boyle said. “It was a wave of a number of different things. My family, my wife [Lauren] has been through the ringer. I’m not playing tonight, I’m not here, if it’s not for her and my family and these guys in here. I guess it’s a little bit bigger tonight than it has been ever.” There are no words to describe how that must feel.@BriBrows22 is on the board. #BoyleStrong#HockeyFightsCancerpic.twitter.com/9UCBAcGKr7 — NHL (@NHL) November 10, 2017 “It was really meaningful for us,” said No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier. “What he’s been through, that’s his first goal as a Devil. You’re really happy for him.” The Devils lost, 3-2, in overtime on Thursday night before a sellout crowd of 16,514 at Prudential Center.

Bergen Record LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082704 New York Islanders

Islanders can’t handle John Klingberg, fall to Stars 5-0

Staff Report THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Saturday, November 11, 2017, 1:48 AM

DALLAS — It was another nice night for John Klingberg. Ben Bishop, too. Klingberg had a goal and two assists, Bishop recorded his 20th career shutout and the Stars beat the New York Islanders 5-0 on Friday. The 25-year-old Klingberg leads NHL defensemen with 18 points. “I see a young guy maturing,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. “He’s just got a calmness to the way he’s moving the puck, and it’s helping, not only helping him, but it’s helping his partner too.” Klingberg’s partner, Esa Lindell, had a goal and an assist. “I just feel like I’m playing a really good all-around game right now,” Klingberg said. “Felt really good. The confidence is good right now.” Bishop made 14 saves in his first shutout of the season. He got some help 3 1/2 minutes into the second period when Tyler Seguin swept the puck away from the net to prevent an Islanders goal. “Ben was really competitive and he was battling like crazy in the net,” Hitchcock said. Klingberg got each of his points in the first. He put Dallas in front with his fourth goal 1:32 into the first, and then assisted on scores by Gemel Smith and Lindell. Mattias Janmark added Dallas’ first short-handed goal of the season at 6:54 of the second, and Jason Spezza made it 5-0 with a power-play goal with 4 minutes left in the period. Spezza ended a 16-game goal drought. The Stars seemed to benefit from some changes to their lines. With Seguin now centering the Stars’ second group, Smith was moved up to the top line. Jamie Benn has moved to center with Alexander Radulov on the right wing. “It was a good feeling playing with that line, playing with two magicians,” Smith said. Jaroslav Halak had 24 saves for the Islanders, who have allowed a league-high seven short-handed goals. “Some heart would be nice to see,” Islanders coach Doug Weight told MSG Network after the game, “some work ethic, maybe following a game plan and maybe some consistency as far as getting pucks in.”

New York Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082705 New York Islanders

‘Some heart would be nice to see’: Weight rips Isles after ugly ‘L’

Staff Report By Associated Press November 10, 2017 | 11:47pm | Updated

DALLAS — This Islanders loss left coach Doug Weight steaming. Ben Bishop made 14 saves in his 20th career shutout, and the Stars beat the Islanders 5-0 on Friday night. John Klingberg had a goal and two assists for Dallas, and fellow defenseman Esa Lindell added a goal and an assist. Weight called out his team after the ugly defeat. “Some heart would be nice to see,” Weight told MSG Network after the game, “some work ethic, maybe following a game plan and maybe some consistency as far as getting pucks in.” It was Bishop’s first shutout of the season. He got some help 3:30 into the second period when Tyler Seguin swept the puck away from the net to prevent an Islanders goal. “Ben was really competitive and he was battling like crazy in the net,” Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. Klingberg got each of his points in the first. He put Dallas in front with his fourth goal of the season and then assisted on scores by Gemel Smith and Lindell. The 25-year-old leads NHL defensemen with 18 points. “I see a young guy maturing,” Hitchcock said. “He’s just got a calmness to the way he’s moving the puck, and it’s helping, not only helping him, but it’s helping his partner too.” Mattias Janmark added Dallas’ first short-handed goal of the season at 6:54 of the second, and Jason Spezza made it 5-0 with a power-play goal with 4 minutes left in the period. Spezza ended a 16-game goal drought. The Islanders have allowed a league-high seven short-handed goals. Jaroslav Halak had 24 saves for the Islanders. Klingberg, Benn and Seguin entered the game tied for the Stars’ scoring lead with 15 points apiece. Alexander Radulov extended his points streak to seven games with his assist on Smith’s goal. Islanders rookie Mathew Barzal had a six-game points streak end. The Islanders’ Anthony Beauvillier was helped off the ice in the third period after a shot by Klingberg hit the defenseman’s right ankle. … Center Alan Quine returned from a conditioning assignment in the AHL to play his first game this season for the Islanders.

New York Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082706 New York Islanders

Doug Weight trying to jump start Isles’ Brock Nelson

By Arthur Staple [email protected] @StapeNewsday Updated November 10, 2017 6:24 PM

DALLAS — Being a streaky scorer in the NHL is a mixed bag. It means you’re scoring, of course, which is the name of the game. But those stretches without goals or points make teams, coaches and fans wonder why a player can’t post the good numbers consistently. Brock Nelson is in his fifth NHL season and the streaky tag seems to fit him, even through the first month of this year. He had five goals in a six- game stretch from Oct. 11-24 and no goals in the six games that followed, entering Friday night’s game here against the Stars. Doug Weight decided to move Nelson to the wing with red-hot Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle for Friday, with Andrew Ladd moving to the left side with Alan Quine, who made his season debut here after offseason hand surgery. “It’s not the most admirable tag, but I don’t think it’s a terrible tag either,” Weight said of Nelson’s streakiness. “As long as you’re playing well away from the puck. He’s battling, he’s moving his feet even though the puck’s not going in. He’ll have five or six games where he’ll have four or five goals, six or seven points, and then he’ll go a little cold.” Nelson has hit the 20-goal mark each of the last three seasons. He’s also had four skids of at least 10 games without a goal in that same span. “You can label it whatever you want, I guess,” Nelson said. “You score 20 in the first half or at the end, it’s still a pretty good accomplishment. You just always try to go and produce.” The problem for Nelson over the last six games is shooting the puck — he has just eight shots on goal during this drought, which began soon after the Islanders sent Josh Ho-Sang down to Bridgeport. Ho-Sang had assists on three of Nelson’s goals and the young winger’s demotion took away a setup man for Nelson and his wicked wrist shot. Weight wanted to see Nelson unleash that wrister again, so he tried to see if Barzal, who had six assists in the past two games, could set the table. “Those guys are highly skilled so I’ve got to find some space, get some shots off and let them use their magic,” Nelson said of Barzal and Eberle, with whom he played in Nashville two weeks ago. “Get to the net, try to find some loose pucks around the net or a soft spot here and there when they’re beating guys one on one.” Ladd didn’t benefit much from the Barzal-Eberle magic, with just one goal in the last seven games entering Friday. So Weight decided to reunite Ladd with Quine, a combo (with Jason Chimera) that was pretty productive the second half of last season. Quine returned from a 14-day conditioning stint in Bridgeport on Wednesday with a goal in four games for the Sound Tigers. Missing training camp following surgery set the 24-year-old back but he was ready to jump right in on Friday. “It’s tough. You work hard all summer to come into camp ready to play and it’s a little setback,” Quine said. “It depends how you deal with it. The training staff did a great job keeping me in shape so I’m good to go.”

By Arthur Staple Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082707 New York Islanders

Islanders missing in action with loss at Dallas

By Arthur Staple [email protected] @StapeNewsday Updated November 10, 2017 11:22 PM

DALLAS — This was a no-show. The Islanders were missing everything on Friday — offense, defense, goaltending, you name it. They fell behind quickly, made mistakes to make it worse, allowed their league-worst seventh shorthanded goal and were overall just bad in a 5-0 spanking by the Stars. Jaroslav Halak nearly left the game after getting bumped by teammate Casey Cizikas midway through the first period. Halak stayed, but perhaps wished he hadn’t, given the ugliness still to come. Ben Bishop turned aside just 14 Islanders shots for the shutout. Anthony Beauvillier blocked consecutive slap shots from Jason Spezza and Dan Hamhuis with his right leg and had to be helped to the locker room midway through the third period to add to the Isles woes, especially with a game on Saturday in St. Louis. This one was over after a period. The Islanders were gifted a power play on a too many men minor to Dallas just 1:16 into the game and played just five seconds of the advantage before Anders Lee was sent to the box for tripping. And 11 seconds into that four on four the Isles were behind. John Klingberg played keep-away for a bit, passed it off to Jamie Benn and Klingberg settled into an open spot in the faceoff circle to Halak’s left with no one near him. Benn returned the puck to Klingberg, who blasted one over Halak at 1:32. The Islanders had just one shot on Bishop through the next 10 minutes, even through a power play, before the Stars capitalized on another mistake in the defensive zone from the Islanders, this time by their captain. Dallas cycled the puck and got the Islanders chasing, but John Tavares appeared to have Gemel Smith in his sights directly in front of Halak. But Tavares drifted, Smith stayed and Alex Radulov fed a wide open Smith for an easy goal at 14:58. Two minutes later it was Halak’s turn. Esa Lindell’s soft shot from the left point ticked off Andrew Ladd’s stick, but it didn’t appear to change direction enough to cause Halak to whiff on catching it. The Islanders pressed to open the second after putting just four shots on Bishop in the first period, nearly getting on the board when Jason Chimera walked in alone and flipped a backhand that Bishop got a piece of. Tyler Seguin alertly swept the puck away from the goal line. The Isles earned a power play but that only led to more misery. Josh Bailey tried a quick pass off the boards in the Isles end to Tavares, who wasn’t expecting the puck. Mattias Janmark was and he blasted one by Halak for a shortie at 6:54. Spezza added a power-play goal later in the second for a 5-0 deficit, the biggest hole the Isles had since opening night. It was as bad, if not worse, than that opening-night dismantling in Columbus. The Isles came in having gone 6-2-1 in their last nine games while scoring at a high rate. They now have one goal in the last two games and headed off to face Western Conference-leading St. Louis on Saturday with a lot to fix. Notes & Quotes: Alan Quine made his season debut after missing all of training camp following hand surgery. Doug Weight said Nikolay Kulemin (upper body) is now out indefinitely. “We should know more in the next 48 hours,” Weight said of Kulemin, who was injured in Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Oilers. “It doesn’t look great.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082708 New York Rangers

Looks like Rangers have found a ‘D’ partner for Kevin Shattenkirk

By Brett Cyrgalis November 10, 2017 | 11:37PM

Since Rangers coach Alain Vigneault put Brady Skjei and Kevin Shattenkirk, two of his best offensive defensemen, together five games ago, they arguably have become his most reliable pair. The two terrific skaters, who both like to get up in the rush and be creative in the opponent’s zone, have found a way not to overdo it. It turns out the Rangers won all five games, as well, carrying the winning streak into Saturday afternoon’s Garden matinee against Connor McDavid, Cam Talbot and the Oilers. “I think he said I make him skate, but I think we both make each other skate,” Skjei told The Post after Friday’s practice. “We both try to get up in the play. If he’s up there, I’m trying to get up with him, help him out, stay in support. I think we have pretty good chemistry last five games, and hopefully we’ll keep that going.” It hadn’t been easy for Vigneault to find a suitable partner for Shattenkirk over the first month of his four-year, $26.6 million deal. The initial idea of pairing him with captain Ryan McDonagh never took off — although Vigneault never seemed enamored of that pairing anyway — and neither did a more traditional pairing, with Marc Staal as the stay-at-home partner. It might have been considered a bit of a risk putting Shattenkirk and Skjei together, but they have more than held their own at both ends of the rink. “Both of them realize and understand the importance of gap and defending,” Vigneault said. “I think where they’ve both been real good — and it’s one of the reasons why we’ve kept them together — when they’ve got a good gap and the other team dumps the puck in, Brady sometimes gets the puck and beats it with his speed and skating away from the forecheck, where Shatty will make that subtle little play, little breakout pass, that permits us not to spend a lot of time in our zone. “So I like the way both of those guys right now are building chemistry. That’s a good sign for us.” Now 104 games into his NHL career, Skjei has solidified himself as one of the core pieces of this Rangers team. The 23-year-old out of Lakeville, Minn., plays exactly the type of game Vigneault thinks is necessary for the modern NHL defenseman, with speed and skill no longer something just required of forwards. “He can skate out of his trouble and recover on plays better than most guys,” Shattenkirk said. “It allows me to stay in a better position.” The two of them have helped shore up the blueline during this stretch, in which the Rangers have rebounded from their awful start by playing a more structured game. It helps to get the type of ice time Vigneault is heaping on the two of them, with Skjei getting more than 20 minutes in six of the previous seven games. “I think that makes the game easier, to me, when you’re playing a lot of minutes and in all situations,” said Skjei, who recently joined the second power-play unit. “When you’re not playing as many minutes, it’s not like you’re not focused, it’s just 20 or 20-plus minutes, you’re always on the ice and that definitely helps me play my best.” It also helps to be partnered with a player who has the skill-set of Shattenkirk. Those two together might not have been the first thought of a perfect pairing, but recently, it has been working and the Rangers have been winning. “I think the more reps we get,” Shattenkirk said, “the better we are.”

New York Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082709 New York Rangers

Rangers’ Boo Nieves set to return after suffering flu bug

By Brett Cyrgalis November 10, 2017 | 8:09PM

The Rangers’ fourth-line winger is expected to return from a three-game absence because of a stomach bug when his team plays host to the Oilers on Saturday afternoon at the Garden. Nieves got ill after a bad meal in Florida last Friday, but he was able to skate the past few days, and he said he was “starting to feel more like myself” after Friday’s practice in Tarrytown. “It’s tough, it’s not ideal, but it is what it is,” Nieves said. “Things happen. They gave me the time I needed, so I feel back like myself.” The 23-year-old out of Michigan was called up to make his season debut (career NHL game No. 2) Oct. 26 against the Coyotes, when he recorded three assists. He played in the next three games before that fateful meal. Paul Carey had been the placeholder, but now Nieves is going to slide right in between Michael Grabner and Jesper Fast as the Rangers look to extend their five-game winning streak. “I don’t think that’s something you worry about too much,” Nieves said. “If the team’s winning, the team’s winning, and you have to do what you have to do.” Coach Alain Vigneault said the defense was supposed to remain the same, which would make Brendan Smith a healthy scratch for the fifth straight game and the seventh time in the team’s first 18 games. The Rangers are in the midst of a strange part of the schedule. Saturday is the only game they play for six days, with just four games in a span of 14 days. “It works out all right,” said Vigneault, whose team plays 11 back-to- backs this season, tied for the second-fewest in the league. “We’re able to get some quality practice and quality rest. Schedules aren’t always like this. This right now is a good little chunk in the schedule.” The next game is Wednesday in Chicago, and the Rangers plan to practice in Chicago on Thursday before going off to Columbus, where they will face the Blue Jackets on Friday. They then will play host to the Senators on Sunday before another two days off and a game at the Hurricanes on the day before Thanksgiving. “Works out this way,” Vigneault said, “and we have to make the best use of it.”

New York Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082710 New York Rangers

Rangers prepare for Oilers’ young superstar Connor McDavid

By Brian Heyman Updated November 10, 2017 7:10 PM

GREENBURGH, N.Y — Connor McDavid picked up speed heading into the offensive zone with the puck along for the very fast ride. After zipping by an overmatched Devils forward and skating through the right circle, McDavid stopped short and sent a perfect pass across to linemate Leon Draisaitl for the easy sudden-death winner. That’s the written replay from Edmonton’s 3-2 victory Thursday in Newark. The ending came two nights after McDavid gave the Islanders a dose of sudden death with a one-timer in Brooklyn, good for a 2-1 win in overtime. The 20-year-old center has started to receive recognition as the NHL’s new best player. Now McDavid will be leading the Oilers in pursuit of a Metro hat trick — a sweep of their area tour. The Rangers will try to prevent that in the Saturday matinee at the Garden. “They’ve got a good team with one of the best players in the world,” Rick Nash said Friday after practice at the MSG Training Center. “So we’re going to have our hands full.” Sidney Crosby had been considered the league’s No. 1 player, and McDavid still considers Pittsburgh’s premier center to be that. But after becoming the NHL’s only 100-point man last season, McDavid was voted by his fellow players as the winner of the Award for most outstanding player, which went nicely with his Hart Trophy for MVP and his for top scorer. Asked if McDavid got his Lindsay vote, Nash said, “Yeah, he’s so good on his edges. He’s much faster than everyone else. His skill level is higher than everyone else. You haven’t seen a player like him since Crosby. These guys, they’re one-in-a-decade type players.” The Oilers handed their young captain an eight-year, $100 million extension in July that starts next season. He had just scored 30 goals and set up 70 others as an NHL sophomore, leading Edmonton to its first postseason appearance since 2006. “You can really only hope to contain him,” said Ryan McDonagh, who will see him often as a top-pair defenseman. “He’s going to make the players around him better.” Following a 3-7-1 start, the Oilers have won three of four. Following a 3-7-2 start, the Rangers have won five straight. “We’ve got a little bit of a swagger going, too,” said, “knowing that we can win.” Notes & quotes: Boo Nieves practiced as the fourth-line center. He missed the last three games due to a stomach bug. He said, “I’m good to go for the game.”

By Brian Heyman Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.11.2017

1082711 Ottawa Senators dressing room at TD Place stadium during Sunday’s national anthem like he did when he was head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos.

ALSO ON MY TUBE: I liked Veronica Lodge in the old Archie comic Donibrook: Now he's past first game as Senator, Matt Duchene will books. I like Camila Mendes, the character who plays her in Riverdale, produce much better … Where Riverdale script writers went wrong — through 11 episodes I have not seen Jughead eat a hamburger, but he has kissed a girl … Where are they now? Luke Perry is Archie’s dad, Molly Ringwald Don Brennan is his mom and the former Mrs. Mike Tyson (sports reference here), Robin Givens, is Mayor Sierra McCoy, who also happens to be the Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 mother of the lead in Josie and the Pussycats … Through all the Archie 8:21 PM EST Digests I read, I never knew that Betty’s mom shared the same name as one of my favourite rockers: Alice Cooper. Playing her role in the series

is the lovely Madchen Amick, and how many Madchens do you know? Without the puck, Matt Duchene looked a little lost. When it was on his LAST CALL: Jaromir Jagr had already scored 91 NHL goals before the stick, it appeared as though he was trying too hard to fit in with his new birth of Johnny Gaudreau, who neatly gift wrapped Jagr’s first as a Flame friends. on Thursday. Those little facts of life never get old to me … Unless he It’s all to be expected from a highly-touted player making his debut with a comes out of the lineup for whatever reason, Jagr will become the all- new team, like Duchene did Friday in Sweden. time leader in games played March 2 in Calgary. If he misses three games, the record-setter will be played March 9 at Canadian Tire Centre Duchene was caught out of position in head coach Guy Boucher’s … What kind of numbers would Fredrik Claesson have if the Senators system, most noticeably on the Colorado Avalanche goal that sent the played more games in Sweden? On Friday, he had a goal and almost game into overtime, and unselfishly passed up a couple of great scoring scored his second, in the 59th minute on a wraparound, as well as five opportunities to set up teammates. shots on net … Craig Anderson entered the game with a .869 save percentage and a 4.02 goals-against average in eight career games Count on him to be better and more productive on Saturday, when you against Colorado. No doubt he was glad more attention was being paid can also expect him to score his first goal as an Ottawa Senator. to another former Avalanche player … Remember, it’s never too late to OFF THE BAT: Through 10 dates at Canadian Tire Centre, the Senators’ become a better person. Be good. average attendance of 15,171 ranked 24th in the 31-team National Hockey League. At least having Saturday’s “home” game in Sweden won’t cause that number to drop further … What’s really funny is that Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 people thought Daniel Alfredsson “joked” when he said he wanted to be an owner … And can we all please stop with the nonsense about Alfredsson leaving the Senators last July 1 to be with his family? It’s getting embarrassing … Mark Stone is en fuego, with eight goals in his past eight games to give him 11 after 15 games, but it’s not the best start ever by a Senator. Remember, Dany Heatley had 15 goals after 15 games in 2005-06, which turned out to be the first of his back-to-back 50- goal seasons. Stone probably won’t get 50, few players do any more, but it is time to consider him a serious 40-goal threat. ON SECOND THOUGHT: Since the NHL started taking its game outdoors in 2003 (Montreal Canadiens at Edmonton Oilers), the festivities have usually included one team’s alumni versus the other. But no such plans are being made in Ottawa, where instead Senators alumni will play against more Senators alumni while players from the 1976-77 Canadiens, a team many consider the best ever, are sitting in Montreal wondering where their invite is. From what we hear, the ex-Habs cancelled a prior commitment, thinking they’d be asked to come to Ottawa … There’s hot, and then there’s Jason Zucker, the Minnesota Wild winger who has scored all his team’s goals (five) in the past two games … For all the ridiculousness about Marshawn Lynch, I like the way the Oakland Raiders running back celebrates touchdowns. No hide and seek, no potato sack races, no peeing like a dog. “Beast Mode” simply shakes the hands of teammates like a man. POINT BLANK: Numbers that don’t add up: Last year the Redblacks had five members of the defence named to the East Division all-star team (lineman , linebacker , cornerbacks Mitchell White and and DB ) and gave up 498 points. This year they have one (safety ) and surrendered 452 points … Too often is the case where we don’t know the true greatness of a person until he’s gone. I realized Roy Halladay was among the best pitchers of our time, but I had no idea what kind of man he was away from the game until listening to the well-spoken and so obviously sincere words of a Tampa cop who knew him as a friend. The saddest part is that two young boys are now without a great dad … I also thought how senseless it was that Halladay died while flying his own small plane until I learned how much he truly loved the hobby and that his own dad was a pilot. THINGS I THINK I THUNK: The anthem singer named “Janice” at the Ericsson Globe in Sweden was very, very good. Where was she when Ottawa Renegades owner Lonie Glieberman was trying to drum up interest with Mardi Gras Madness? … The shootout has taken all the excitement out of penalty shots. It used to be you’d be on the edge of your seat to watch Matt Nieto fire the puck over Craig Anderson and his net … Famed broadcaster Bob Costas has stated publicly about chronic traumatic encephalopathy what others are thinking: The NFL is doomed because “this game destroys people’s brains.” Hopefully, an answer can be found, for everyone’s sake … Senators forward Chris DiDomenico told me (jokingly, I thought) he wasn’t very good at school. I remembered this Friday, when, during a second-period intermission with TSN’s Brent Wallace, DiDomenico spoke about what a “great country” Europe was … I wonder if Chris Jones will keep Roughriders players in the visitors’ 1082712 Ottawa Senators

Fredrik Claesson's father thrilled to see son's home game in Sweden

Bruce Garrioch Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 6:40 PM EST

STOCKHOLM — Those were tears of joy in Ken Claesson’s eyes at the Ericsson Globe on Friday. He couldn’t have scripted his son’s return home any better himself. The father of Ottawa Senators defenceman Fredrik Claesson admitted he got a little misty-eyed when his son recorded his first point of the National Hockey League season with the opening goal in his team’s 4-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche. “It’s huge. I don’t know. I’m speechless. I’m so happy for Freddy and for the team winning,” Ken Claesson said while waiting for his son after the game. “Not many people get to do this in Sweden. It’s huge. I don’t know what to say.” Claesson has watched Fredrik play a lot in this rink. “(He did this) with friends, relatives and everything. In our wildest dreams, we never thought this would happen,” Ken said. “This is for everyone, and, for Freddy, this is huge. For him to score, it was perfect. “It was a rush. When he scored, we all stood up and shouted.” Fredrik Claesson has battled long odds to get this far in his hockey career and to become an NHL regular with the Senators. “He’s a hard worker and he never gives up,” Ken said. “He’s just doing his job all the time. He loves (playing in Ottawa). He doesn’t want to come back to Sweden. He loves it there.”

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082713 Ottawa Senators over the top. “I’m not really used to this much coverage. I’m not like (Senators captain) Erik Karlsson. I’m sure this is just another day in the life of Erik Karlsson,” Landeskog said with a wide smile. “I’m just trying to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says Ottawa Senators need a new take it in stride and trying to enjoy every moment. I went over to my dad’s home place Wednesday and it’s really important that I got to spend some time with family. (Thursday) I was my mom’s for dinner. I’ve been able to kick back at night, get in my sweat pants and enjoy some late-night TV. It’s been great. It’s been hectic during the days, but it’s been a lot fun.” Bruce Garrioch Please wear a poppy on Remembrance Day to honour those who battled Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 for our freedom. 6:25 PM EST

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 STOCKHOLM — Gary Bettman was tight-lipped on negotiations between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission for a new arena at LeBreton Flats on Friday. He made it clear, though, that the dream needs to become reality. Speaking before the Senators faced the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the Global Series at the Ericsson Globe, Bettman indicated any update on discussions would have to come from Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, but added a new rink was important for the future of the franchise. Attendance has slipped at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, and that’s seen as an indication the club needs a new home. “A new downtown arena is vitally important to the long-term future, stability and competitiveness of the Senators,” Bettman said. “The process is ongoing, but I think asking Mr. Melnyk or the Senators the status would be more appropriate than asking us. “However, we believe there needs to be a solution for the long term.” Negotiations over LeBreton Flats redevelopment have been done in virtual silence because the National Capital Commission and the Senators want to get this across the finish line as quickly as possible, clearing the way for construction and eventually allowing the NHL team to move downtown. Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly were in Ottawa in the summer to join Melnyk in meeting Ottawa mayor Jim Watson. Daly said, beyond having a good meeting, there wasn’t much to add. “The club was able to express its concerns and what it wanted to happen in the short term,” Daly said. “Certainly, I would say the mayor was engaged. Beyond that, we’re not there day-to-day. That’s really Eugene and the club. “We defer them in terms of the actual status of where things stand.” OFF THE GLASS: This isn’t Ryan Dzingel’s first trip to Sweden. The Senator winger came to Stockholm with a youth hockey team 13 years ago and has kept in touch with the family that billeted him. Then 12, Dzingel stayed with the Hultman family for three weeks, and he had dinner with them Tuesday. They were also in the stands for Friday’s game. “I was on a select team and a bunch of guys from the Midwest came over and played some teams in Sweden,” Dzingel said. “I stayed at their house and it was a lot of fun, so I’ve stayed in touch with them.” Though Dzingel had fond memories of being in Stockholm, he didn’t remember a lot about it. “Once you see it when you’re older, it’s a little different, but it’s still a beautiful city and mostly what I remember.” … Swedish legend Peter Forsberg, a former Avalanche star acting in as an NHL ambassador along with former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, received a thunderous standing ovation when he dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff Friday. You can expect Alfredsson to receive the same kind of greeting Saturday. AROUND THE BOARDS: This won’t be the last time the NHL ventures overseas. “The vision and the hope is to establish more predictable presence for our international events,” Bettman said. “In order for us to grow the game internationally, you need to have a regular presence of events. An international strategy doesn’t work without a major events.” Bettman said the league was in regular discussions with the NHL Players’ Association about such events … Senators head coach Guy Boucher opted to dress 11 forwards and seven defencemen for Friday’s contest. That meant Nick Paul and Jack Rodewald, recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League, were scratched. Expect Paul to play Saturday and Mike Condon to start in net … The rink was reconfigured so the two teams played on a North American ice surface. Ninety-seven per cent of tickets sold were scanned into the 13,303-seat building. THE LAST WORDS: This was a chance for Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, a Stockholm native, to catch up with family and friends. He had dinner with his parents and didn’t feel the demands on his time were 1082714 Ottawa Senators The Avalanche had tied the score 2-2 when Kerfoot tipped Blake Comeau’s point shot by Anderson at 9:41.

The Senators didn’t look very good for the first few minutes of the contest Stone the overtime hero as Senators down Avalanche in Sweden and even gave up the opening goal, but still held a 2-1 advantage after 20 minutes. Bruce Garrioch Stone, who has played like a man on a mission all season, scored his 10th goal at 15:10 to put his club ahead 2-1, redirecting an Oduya shot Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 by Varlamov. He did a good job going to the front of the net. 8:28 PM EST Only 20 seconds after the Avalanche opened the scoring, Claesson tied it up 1-1 with a shot that deflected on its way past Varlamov. Claesson had told reporters previously that he designed his spirited goal STOCKHOLM — This victory tasted pretty Swede for the Ottawa celebration at the Globe, and he got to use it at 8:36. Senators. The Avalanche had opened the scoring on a power play at 8:16, when The Senators crossed the ocean to get here and they’ve guaranteed they Yakupov beat Anderson with a shot from the slot. won’t be going home empty-handed. “The first five or 10 minutes didn’t feel like a normal NHL game, but, once Opening a back-to-back series against the Colorado Avalanche at the you realized you were playing another NHL team that was in the same Ericsson Globe, the Senators scored a 4-3 overtime victory in front of a situation, we started to settle in and we really dictated the play,” Stone sellout crowd of 13,396 on Friday, but they did it the hard way, allowing a said. “We could have gotten up by more than one goal.” third-period lead to slip away before Mark Stone scored the winner, his second of the game. It was a good start for the Senators, but now they have to finish it off in Game 2 on Saturday. But, this night will be remembered because the club’s three Swedish players — captain Erik Karlsson and fellow defencemen Fredrik Claesson and Johnny Oduya — chipped in with four points. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 All had plenty of family and friends in the stands, and Claesson had a huge celebration when he got the Senators on the board with a first- period goal. Chris DiDomenico also scored for Ottawa. Nathan MacKinnon, Alex Kerfoot and Nail Yakupov scored for the Avalanche. Karlsson had two assists on a night that started with Swedish legend and former Avalanche star Peter Forsberg dropping the puck at centre ice for the ceremonial faceoff. “If you add this all up, this was an all-Swedish night and I thought it was one of those games where we were good defensively,” Senators head coach Guy Boucher said. “I liked the way we reacted when they scored and we just got it back later.” This felt good for Claesson, who grew up in Stockholm and has played a lot of hockey in the Globe Arena with Djurgarden. “It was really nice. It felt unbelievable and hopefully I can do it (Saturday) again,” Claesson said with a wide smile. “It was especially fun in front of family and friends.” While there was plenty of talk about the Senators debut of newly- acquired centre Matt Duchene, he looked as if he was still trying to get comfortable, but, in the end, he was on the right side of the scoreboard against his former team. “It wasn’t as overwhelming as I thought,” Duchene said. “It kind of felt like one of our burgundy and white (Avalanche intrasquad) games, but I didn’t have any burgundy or white on my team. It was outstanding. It was great to get that first one out of the way and get the win.” Goaltender Craig Anderson, who spent part of his career with the Avalanche before being dealt to Ottawa in 2010-11, came up big when needed. His counterpart, Semyon Varlamov, halted Jean-Gabriel Pageau on a breakaway and kept Colorado in the game. MacKinnon tied it up 3-3 at 12:53 of the third period, when he actually missed the shot, but the puck still slid behind Anderson. Up until then, the Senators had completed outplayed the Avalanche. This game had just about everything. The Senators led 3-2 after 40 minutes, with Anderson deserving at least some of the credit after he got a piece of a penalty shot awarded to Matt Nieto, who had received a two-handed slash from Ottawa defenceman Chris Wideman while in alone on the goal. Karlsson wasn’t happy because he helped set up Nieto’s breakaway. “I wasn’t happy at all,” Karlsson said. “It’s going to happen and it’s frustrating sometimes, but, when mistakes do happen with the group that we have, we do everything we can to help each other out. Andy made a good stop there and he played great for us the entire game. That’s something we need (Friday).” DiDomenico, trying to secure a spot on the Senators’ roster after being called up from Belleville of the American Hockey League, did a lot of scoring during his long stint in Europe, so it was only appropriate that he capitalized on a rebound to beat Varlamov at 13:21 of the second period, putting the Senators up 3-2. 1082715 Ottawa Senators

Anthem singer wears see-thru dress at Senators game in Sweden

STAFF REPORTER Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 4:36 PM EST

All eyes were on the Ericsson Globe arena on Friday to see an NHL game played in Stockholm. Fans were hoping to see a spirited game between the Ottawa Senators and the Colorado Avalanche. The two teams, after all, had just completed a blockbuster trade involving Matt Duchene. What fans didn’t expect is that they’d get an eyeful before the puck even hit the ice. Social media went wild on Friday when the anthem singer stepped out in a see-thru dress. She was identified on television only as “Janice,” a singer/songwriter from Stockholm.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082716 Ottawa Senators

Nick Lidstrom is impressed with Erik Karlsson

Bruce Garrioch Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 7:04 PM EST

STOCKHOLM — Erik Karlsson has a big fan who’s already in the Hockey Hall of Fame. As the Senators made a stop in Stockholm to face the Colorado Avalanche in back-to-back games at the Ericsson Globe, former Detroit Red Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom, who played 20 years in the National Hockey League, sang the praises of the Ottawa captain. Lidstrom, a former scout for the Wings as well, knows talent, and he has always liked what he has seen from Karlsson. “I’m very impressed with the way he plays and the way he can change a game with the way he’s playing,” Lidstrom said Friday. “Whether it’s his skating or his coolness with the puck in tough situation … he’s got a great shot, he can find openings and he’s very mobile on his feet. “I think Erik has got everything and he’s exciting to watch. Especially as a former defenceman, I appreciate that maybe more than a lot of other players do.” Lidstrom said the way he saw it, Karlsson was often a step ahead of everyone else. “That’s the way it looks in some situations,” Lidstrom said. “He’s anticipating a play that’s going to happen two plays down the road. You can tell he’s hanging onto the puck where other players would get rid of it or he’s waiting for someone to get open so he can make the long pass. “He’s very good at reading plays and that’s his hockey sense and knowing what’s going to happen and anticipating things happening before they even happen.” Lidstrom has seen first-hand what Karlsson can do. Not only did they play against each other, but Lidstrom was also on the advisory board for Sweden’s team in 2016, so he caught glimpses of Karlsson as a leader and a person. He believes Karlsson has improved his play in his own end, but also thinks his speed allows him to take risks that others couldn’t. “I think he’s great for the game. He’s good in the room for his teammates to,” Lidstrom said. “He plays with confidence and he’s a confident guy and I think that rubs off when he’s on the ice. “He is the type of player that makes Ottawa better when he plays close to 30 minutes a night.” Lidstrom said the first time he saw Karlsson play was in the 2009 world junior championship in Ottawa. “I remember watching him. I was living in Detroit, and he got awarded the best defenceman in the tournament,” Lidstrom said. “Just from watching a couple of games there, you saw the skills he had. He has them in today’s game and he showed that back in his junior days.”

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082717 Ottawa Senators

Karlsson, Alfredsson among the best Swedes all-time

STAFF REPORTER Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 12:40 PM EST

The Ottawa Senators have two of the seven best all-time. In honour of the Senators’ trip to Stockholm this week, we consider the top Swedish hockey players, with the primary assist going to www.ranker.com . It’s absolutely no surprise that Detroit Red Wings great Nick Lidstrom currently holds down No. 1 on the website’s list of the best Swedish NHL players of all time. It’s hard to argue against four Stanley Cups and seven Norris trophies as the league’s top defenceman during a 20-year career. The Senators’ Erik Karlsson sits at No. 4, but with two Norris trophies already to his credit, it’s conceivable he might one day surpass No. 2 Peter Forsberg and No. 3 Mats Sundin. The New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist is the first goaltender to make the grade, coming in at No. 5, and he’s followed by another Henrik, the Red Wings’ Zetterberg. And next up is Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson, at No. 7. Not bad for the 133rd overall pick back in 1994. Another Senator, Johnny Oduya, was ranked No. 22. Those in the 50-plus crowd might feel that at least one player has been slighted by the fact his name doesn’t appear in the top 10. BörjeSalming wasn’t the first Swede to play in the NHL — that honour went to Ulf Sterner, who played a few games with the Rangers in 1965. However, Salming led the wave of Swedish players into the NHL, joining the Toronto blue line in 1973. In a day and age when his countrymen were often referred to as “Chicken Swedes” in NHL circles, Salming showed tremendous courage and an offensive flair in his 16 seasons with the Maple Leafs, racking up 150 goals and 787 points in a career that ended with one season in Detroit. And yet Salming, the first Swedish player voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, is only No. 12 in the rankings. There is one “Swedish” name on the list, at No. 30, that may come as a shock to some longtime NHL fans. Remember Bob Nystrom, whose overtime goal in 1980 gave the New York Islanders the Stanley Cup? He played his minor hockey in Alberta, but it turns out he was born right in Stockholm, the scene of this week’s clash between the Senators and the Colorado Avalanche. It should be noted, however, that any former players who don’t find their names among the 43 on the list likely won’t feel too bad. The list, compiled by viewers’ votes, is anything but science. Somehow Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson weren’t part of it. Admittedly, they’re probably best known for being WHA stars with Bobby Hull in Winnipeg, but they took the abuse, along with Salming, in the mid-’70s and both later went on to play for the Rangers in the NHL, with Hedberg producing four 30- goal seasons. And there’s yet another name from some 40 years ago that wasn’t remembered, either. Does the name Inge Hammarström ring a bell? He was the “other” Swede to join Toronto in ’73, and he did score 20 or more three times in four seasons in Toronto, but he was out of the NHL after six years. Funny thing, that. The old story goes that when the Leafs were scouting in Sweden back in the day, looking for someone to make the jump overseas, it was actually Hammarström who they were there to see. Instead, they discovered a Hall of Famer.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082718 Ottawa Senators

Gameday: Senators @ Avalanche in Stockholm

Bruce Garrioch Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 7:08 PM EST

Erik Karlsson vs. Gabriel Landeskog Yes, the two Swedish captains will go head-to-head to start this back-to- back series on their home turf. Both are looking forward to the chance to play a big game in front of their friends and families. Karlsson and Landeskog have been busy this week with lots of commitments. The time for fun finally comes to an end and these two will get down to business. FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME 1. GET OVER THE JET LAG Both teams made the trip over earlier in the week and adjusting to the six-hour time difference for the Senators hasn’t been easy. They had a good practice here Thursday to get ready for this series. A victory in Game 1 would set the tone. 2. HELP DUCHENE ADJUST Matt Duchene arrives with expectations and the Senators could help him out by lightning the load on him a little. Help him feel comfortable in his first game and that should help him get over the jitters of playing his former team. 3. SAVES FROM ANDERSON This is big for the Senators. He wasn’t great in last Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and now Anderson faces his former team. No, the names aren’t the same, but the Senators need big stops early. That would help a lot. 4. WIN ON THE ROAD Okay, this is the case both nights but this is the Avs’ home game so Guy Boucher won’t get the line matching advantage. The Senators have to get back to playing the style that has made them successful. That has to start right now. 5. HAVE SOME FUN The key for both teams is to put on a show for the fans. The Senators and Avs are excited to play here and they need to have that same approach when they step on the ice. This is a great opportunity to help showcase the NHL.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082719 Ottawa Senators

Senators ready for action in Stockholm

Bruce Garrioch Published on: November 10, 2017 | Last Updated: November 10, 2017 8:26 AM EST

STOCKHOLM – The waiting game will finally end for the Ottawa Senators Friday. After arriving in Sweden Tuesday morning and spending the last three days preparing to face the Colorado Avalanche at the sold out Ericsson Globe, the Senators are ready to roll. While coach Guy Boucher hadn’t finalized his lineup after Friday’s morning skate, it appears he’ll dress seven defencemen and 11 forwards. That means forward Jack Rodewald will be a healthy scratch while blueliner Ben Harpur will be inserted into the lineup. It’s expected Nick Paul will play in Game 2 of the series Saturday night. The Senators are adjusted to the six hour time difference and they haven’t played since a 5-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights last Saturday afternoon at home. “We’re pretty excited,” said captain Erik Karlsson. “The first two days we had some down time, we were pretty tired and we had some stuff to do. It’s been a good experience for the guys who haven’t been here before and for the guys like me who are from Sweden it’s been even better.” Of course, the Senators are ready to debut centre Matt Duchene, who was acquired from the Avalanche last Sunday. “What we would like is the least emotion possible. We think he can manage it,” said Boucher. “There’s a lot things he has to manage mentally and emotionally. “We’ve talked about it and he definitely has to put that aside and focus on the task and make sure that he plays to strengths. He’s not coming int to save the day, our team has been doing pretty well. He just needs to come in and not try to impress. That’s what we’ve tried to pass along in the talks we’ve had.” Goaltender Craig Anderson will make the start for the Senators.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082720 Philadelphia Flyers

Sizzling top line needs help for Flyers to climb in Metro

Updated: NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — 3:50 PM EST by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | [email protected]

If the Flyers are going to start climbing in the crowded Metropolitan Division standings, their wildly productive first line is going to need some assistance. While the Ginger Line has done more than anyone could have expected — Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, and Jake Voracek have combined for 23 goals and 60 points, which is behind only Tampa Bay’s No. 1 unit — the Flyers haven’t received much offense lately from their other forwards. The fourth line, composed of Scott Laughton, Taylor Leier, and Michael Raffl, has performed well. It has shut down other teams and has provided good offensive cycles, giving the team energy and momentum even if it hasn’t scored much. But most of the players on the second and third lines are in droughts. Wayne Simmonds, who has been playing through several nagging injuries after a hot start, is goalless in his last eight games. Lately, he has been on the second line with Val Filppula and Travis Konecny, who has been buzzing around the net but hasn’t scored in six games and has just one goal in his last 12 games. “At least we’re getting chances. That’s the good thing,” Filppula said after practice Friday in Voorhees. “It’ll happen eventually; we just have to keep working hard,” Simmonds said. “The goals will come.” The third line has had some good shifts but has also struggled to finish. Center Jori Lehtera, who has replaced injured rookie Nolan Patrick, has no goals in his 10 games, and linemates Jordan Weal (one goal in his last 13 games) and Dale Weise (one goal in his last seven games) are also trying to get on track. The good news is that the lines, for the most part, have been defensively responsible and have created chances. The bad news: They haven’t found a finishing touch. They will get their next chance when the Flyers (8-6-2), who are in a three-way tie for fourth place in the eight-team Metro Division, host Minnesota (6-7-2 ) on Saturday night. “They play very well defensively, and it’s always tough games with them,” Filppula said of the Wild. “They make it hard to create much, and you really have to take advantage of your chances, and obviously if you get some power-play opportunities, those become even more important.” The Flyers are coming off a 3-1 win Thursday over Chicago, a game in which the top line combined to collect three goals and four assists. Each forward on that unit was plus-3 as the Flyers ended a three-game home losing streak. Brian Elliott, who stopped 38 of 39 shots against the Blackhawks, is expected to get the start for the Flyers on Saturday. Elliott is 9-2 with a 2.07 GAA and .915 save percentage in his career against the Wild. … Patrick, sidelined with a concussion, again did not practice with the team. … The Flyers sent Mark Alt to the Phantoms, though he could return as insurance for the upcoming road trip. … Minnesota, which is finishing a four-game road trip, lost both of its games against the Flyers last year. … Jake Voracek has 17 points in 19 career games against the Wild. … The Flyers will play in Minnesota on Tuesday, giving them rare back-to-back games against the same team. … Jason Zucker has scored the Wild’s last five goals. … Entering Friday, Minnesota was tied for first in the NHL with four shorthanded goals, all in the last eight games. … The Wild are missing star left winger Zach Parise, who isn’t expected to return until January after having lower-back surgery.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082721 Philadelphia Flyers “It’s just about building every game and helping your team win,” said Manning, who has been paired recently with Shayne Gostisbehere. “Right now, if I can help us win and continue to get better, that’ll help Flyers' Brandon Manning: A firefighter at heart everyone.” Meanwhile, Manning’s firefighter career is on hold for several years. Updated: NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — 2:38 PM EST “It’s definitely something that interests me. I’m proud of my dad for doing it,” Manning said. “I know what those guys go through.” by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | [email protected] His father feels likewise about his son. “It’s pretty surreal watching him on TV, especially loving hockey the way I do,” Leroy Manning said. Brandon Manning plays with an edge and doesn’t back down against bigger opponents. Those qualities have made him a valuable member of He feels honored that Brandon Manning is doing work for burn victims. the Flyers’ young defense. “I’m proud of him just for being the person he is,” he said of his son, the He comes by his fearlessness honestly. defenseman who plays with the heart of a firefighter. Manning’s father, Leroy, set a good example. He has been a firefighter for the last 28 years, and some of his courage — and desire to help Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2017 others — has rubbed off on his son. On Wednesday, Manning and teammate Scott Laughton spent time with patients and staff members at the Temple Burn Center. A few months ago, Manning created an apparel line called “Mandog” — his nickname — and proceeds are donated to the Temple Burn Center. “Being a pro athlete, there’s an obligation to give back a little bit,” Manning said the other day. “And with me being in Philly for a while and being a little more established, I felt it was an opportunity to do something. With my dad being a firefighter, I’m familiar with burn [victims] and those type of situations, and when we found Temple, it was a real good fit.” Manning said it was an eye-opener when he visited patients. “It’s one of those things where you kind of get away from hockey a little bit and realize there’s worse things in the world out there,” Manning said. “It keeps you humble at the same time.” Leroy Manning, 55, is still a firefighter in Prince George, British Columbia, which is where Brandon was raised. Growing up, Manning considered following in his father’s footsteps. “It’s always been in the back of my mind,” he said. “When I was in high school there were a few programs and first-aid stuff and it was something I was comfortable with and interested in. And then hockey kind of took off.” In his first few years in the AHL, Manning thought about taking a firefighting course in Toronto during the offseason. “He grew up around it, and he knows it’s such a great, rewarding career,” Leroy Manning said in phone interview from Prince George. “It was eight weeks in the summer,” Brandon Manning said of the course, “and I wasn’t quite ready to give up that training time to put myself in the position I’m in now. But it’s always an option for me [down the road]. At the lake back home, there’s a volunteer fire department and last year I thought about putting some time in there. Obviously, it’s tough now because hockey comes first, taking care of your injuries and training.” Manning, 27, underwent back surgery in the offseason. He has recovered nicely and been a steady performer. His veteran presence has been needed on a defense that includes two rookies (and sometimes three) and two players in their second full seasons. “He’s stepped up into that role and given us some stability back there,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “Brandon is a guy who’s been through the battles before. He’s also done a good job at picking his spots on when to step up and make his voice be heard.” Manning realizes that there are no guarantees, that when the injured Andrew MacDonald returns to the lineup in a week or so, one defenseman figures to sit. He knows it could be him, despite solid play that produced two goals, four points, and a plus-5 rating in his first 11 games. In other words, he’s not taking his regular spot for granted. “When you get complacent, when you get too comfortable, that’s when athletes or people tend to slack off a bit,” he said. “I’m never going to be comfortable. You see the stuff with waivers now and guys going down and young guys coming in. I don’t think you can ever be satisfied.” When MacDonald returns, the Flyers will have seven defensemen for six spots. 1082722 Philadelphia Flyers The point is an important point. We are but 16 games into this marathon of a season. Still, think of what the Flyers have been through already: Injury seems to have slowed Simmonds after a torrid start, and the First Sean Couturier found his game, then his voice absence of top draft pick Nolan Patrick because of a lagging concussion has diluted the formidability and potency of secondary lines. And then there are all the injuries on the blue line – three of their six defensemen Thursday night were 21 or younger. Updated: NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — 10:19 AM EST And yet, here they are, 8-6-2, with signature road wins in Anaheim, St. by Sam Donnellon, STAFF WRITER @samdonnellon | Louis and Toronto, a home thrashing of Washington, and last night’s [email protected] mastery of another team often in the Stanley Cup conversation. One of the oft-stated, off-season goals for this team was to become a much better 5-on-5 team. Yeah, it’s only 16 games, but the Flyers have When the Flyers began their cleanup to last season’s often listless and been that. And Couturier’s emergence as a prime-time talent is the utterly rudderless second half, there was a lot of talk about leadership primary reason. and firepower and a summer of uncertainty. The core group might have already run out of time, Jake Voracek not so subtly suggested. Private meetings were held. Players were allowed to express Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2017 themselves, and those of us on the outside wishing we could monitor within wondered what Dave Hakstol might have said to his captain, Claude Giroux, or to Voracek, or what Wayne Simmonds might have said to the coach. Few, if any, of us thought for even a second about what Sean Couturier might have said, might have felt. Few, if any, of us saw this coming: a 24- year-old veteran of six-plus NHL seasons suddenly finding his voice and suddenly finding the game he says has always been in there. “I told him that I could be more, offensively,’’ Couturier was saying this week about an end-of-season meeting with Hakstol. “That I really wanted to get a better look, better opportunity. … Last year was maybe the first time I maybe expressed a little frustration with the way I was put into situations to succeed. I thought to myself that I’ve waited long enough. It was my sixth year and I really wanted to take a step forward and I felt like that was the only thing missing. And I’m glad I got the opportunity this year. I’ve enjoyed it.’’ Ya think? Couturier scored his 10th goal and 19th point of the season in Thursday night’s 3-1 victory over Chicago. The odd thing is it almost obscures his real value in the game, working like a point guard to create the other two goals, scored by his linemates. Giroux’s ninth goal of the season, at 4:58 of a dominant first period, was the byproduct of some hard work along the right boards, Couturier battling two Blackhawks and popping the puck loose for Voracek to collect and lace a cross-ice pass to the Flyers captain. Later in the period, working the other side of the ice, Couturier used the inordinately long arms of his 6-foot-3 frame to reach around a Chicago defenseman and almost one-hand a cross-ice pass that triggered a lot of pretty passing, a lot of running around and, ultimately, Voracek’s fourth goal. “I think,’’ Giroux said recently, “that we’re the lucky players playing with him. “It’s not the other way around.’’ This is not false praise. It’s truth becoming clearer and clearer with each game this line plays together. Last night, facing a Chicago first line that has played together since that infamous Stanley Cup Final in 2010, Couturier and Co. made the trio look like perfect strangers, at least for the first 40 minutes. He, more than the other two, forced the second man to enter his puck battles, creating one great chance after another. He, more than the other two, stymied the vaunted playmaking of Jonathan Toews, at least until the Flyers unwisely took a batten-down-the-hatches approach late in the second and for the entire third. “He’s a really smart player,’’ Giroux said. “So he’s good at finding ways to get open, finding air. … Hey, make sure you don’t tell him I said he was smart, OK?’’ Secret’s out. As if Giroux’s admiration wasn’t clear already. Rather than being miffed, the captain is playing like a released dove these days, his playmaking and creativity accentuated by Couturier’s 200-foot game. Voracek, too. It’s pretty amazing in fact that, after last night, Giroux (20), Couturier (19) and Voracek (21) have almost identical point totals. Hakstol was asked if he imagined this when Couturier made his case after last season. walked into his office. “Well, the way he finished the year last year,’’ he said, `He finished very well and was making plays offensively and was playing well on the defensive side as he always has. I think he’s continued that. “There’s three good players on that line, and they’re all different. They play the game differently, they have different elements, different strengths, but the three of them together — big credit to them — have worked well for our hockey team to this point.’’ 1082723 Philadelphia Flyers

Five observations from Flyers' win, including young D's growth

Updated: NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — 8:22 AM EST by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | [email protected]

Five observations from the Flyers’ 3-1 win over visiting Chicago on Thursday night: Second-year defenseman Ivan Provorov and his rookie partner, Robert Hagg, did a great job shutting down the Blackhawks’ top line, which included Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Hagg had five hits, Provorov blocked three shots, and each player was plus-2. Toews’ unit did not score. “I think Provy and Hagger did a great job on their top line, frustrating them,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “When you’re frustrating their top line, it’s kind of like cutting a head off of a snake and the rest of the team will fold.” Rookie defenseman Travis Sanheim also had a strong game and just missed scoring his first career goal. The Flyers’ young D-men are living up to the expectations. The quickness in which the new top line has built chemistry is remarkable. The three players — Sean Couturier centering left winger (!) Claude Giroux and right winger Jake Voracek — look as if they have been a unit their entire career. Witness the superb tic-tac-toe passing play that produced the game’s second goal, scored by Couturier. The line has combined for 23 goals and 60 points in 16 games, putting the unit second in the NHL. Yes, the Flyers kept most of Chicago’s 39 shots to the perimeter, but when the Blackhawks did get close attempts, the man they call “Moose,” Brian Elliott, stood tall. That the former Blues goalie has faced Chicago so many times in his career probably helped. “You definitely pick up stuff and know their tendencies,” he said. Shortly after Chicago scored to get within 3-1, the Blackhawks had a five- on-three advantage for 1 minute, 44 seconds late in the second period. Not only did the Blackhawks fail to score, but they also did not get a shot on goal. “It was huge,” Toews said. “(If we) get back in the game, 3-2, then we’re off to the races.” The Flyers won 67 percent of the faceoffs, led by Jori Lehtera (7 for 8, 88 percent), Giroux (8 for 10, 80 percent), Scott Laughton (9 for 13, 69 percent), and Couturier (8 for 12, 67 percent). That helped them win their 14th straight regular-season game against Chicago. How long has it been since the Blackhawks won a regular-season game at the Wells Fargo Center? Well, their last victory here was Nov. 9, 1996. Back when the building was called the CoreStates Center. The losing goalie in that game was Garth Snow, and Ron Hextall was flawless in 24:44 of relief. John LeClair scored the Flyers’ lone goal. Tony Amonte and Gary Suter each had two points for Chicago. Yeah, it’s been a while.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082724 Philadelphia Flyers “Last year, it took me quite awhile. I think there were quite a few bad habits from playing junior. This year, with playing that year of pro, it’s moved the process along a little faster.” After AHL season, Travis Sanheim knows how his offense will come with As for that first goal, Sanheim doesn’t sound too worried about it, either. Flyers “If I wasn’t getting the chances, I’d be a little more frustrated,” Sanheim said. “I’m getting the looks, and hopefully it starts to go in for me.” By Andrew Kulp | The700Level November 10, 2017 6:15 PM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 VOORHEES, N.J. — Travis Sanheim has solidified his place in the Flyers’ lineup. Now the rookie defenseman is looking for his first NHL goal — and he’s getting warmer. Sanheim had multiple opportunities to light the lamp during the Flyers’ 3- 1 victory over the Blackhawks on Thursday (see observations). The puck just wouldn’t go in the net for the 21-year-old, who was credited with three shots in the contest. Yet, while Sanheim’s efforts didn’t result in a point on the scoreboard, they did not go unnoticed. “In the first 20, 25 minutes of the game, he created three opportunities with his skating ability and his thought process coming up ice from behind,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said Friday following an abbreviated practice. “He’s effective when he’s doing that.” Sanheim is now 13 games into his NHL career, and Thursday marked his 10th in a row. He’s become a fixture on the ice for the Flyers after being forced to spectate from the press box on several occasions in the early stages of the season. Despite a reputation as a two-way defender, Sanehim’s increased presence has not resulted in a great deal of scoring — only a pair of assists so far. “The first one will come,” Hakstol said. “I don’t think that’s a concern for anybody. “He’s working on his game. He’s working to improve the details and the defensive aspect of his game, and as importantly, he’s staying confident getting up ice and in his play with the puck.” Sanheim found the back of the net 10 times with 27 helpers for the Phantoms in 2016-17, and posted back-to-back 15-goal/50-assist seasons at the junior level prior to his stint in the AHL. Scoring has always been a part of his game. That’s also not necessarily what the Flyers need from Sanheim right now. First and foremost, they want him to be sound in his own end. “We’ve got a ton of skilled guys here and guys that can produce offensively,” Sanheim said. “I want to prove to them that I can play that two-way game, and one thing they’ve tried to get on me is, ‘Good defense leads to offense.’ That’s something I’m trying to focus on right now.” Cliché though it might sound, Sanheim is a believer in the philosophy. “Last year, where I shot it the most was early on,” Sanheim said. “I was trying to push offense, and we really tried to focus on the defense. “The funny thing is when I started to focus more on the defense is when my offense actually started to take off. I believe the saying and that’s something I try to take into this season.” To his credit, Sanheim has been solid defensively. Along the way in his development, there were concerns the young blueliner was maybe too offensive-minded, to his own detriment and that of the team. That hasn’t been the case as Sanheim has found his footing in the NHL. Since becoming a mainstay in the lineup, he’s been an acceptable minus-2 at even strength. Hakstol praised the way Sanheim has approached the game on offense. “For the most part, the offensive opportunities that he creates, they’re opportunities by supporting the play, by using his skating ability to join a rush and come in from behind,” Hakstol said. “I haven’t seen a whole lot of risk offensively to his game, and certainly haven’t seen him trying to force any of the offensive opportunities.” Sanheim has a long way to go, but there have been flashes of brilliance in his play at both ends of the ice. “There’s still going to be learning experiences,” Sanheim said. “I’m still going to make mistakes and have to learn from them, but I’m just trying to get better every day and try to make those mistakes as few as possible. 1082725 Philadelphia Flyers Elliott isn't fundamentally sound as a netminder. He has his own style and it can be cringeworthy. But throughout his career, he's proven to be a reliable goalie. Brian Elliott shows Flyers what he's made of As part of a tandem with Michal Neuvirth, Elliott figures to give the Flyers two steady goaltenders. Through 16 games, Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol has split it up 63/37 in Elliott's favor. By Tom Dougherty | NBC Sports Philadelphia November 10, 2017 10:00 AM If Thursday's effort against Chicago is an indicator, Elliott's starting to find his footing with the Flyers and that is a welcomed sign.

"He's going to get better and better," Flyers center Sean Couturier said. Ivan Provorov barely had time to settle in after his backhanded clear "He's been pretty good so far this year. He's making the saves he needs went out of play untouched for a delay of game penalty. It put the Flyers to do to get the wins — that's what matters. down two men for one minute and 44 seconds late in the second period with a two-goal lead and momentum fizzling. "He's probably getting more comfortable. You'd have to ask him. You're coming into a new town, new city, new team, you've got to get to know The Blackhawks won the faceoff, set up and found Patrick Kane, one of the guys, get to know the city. It's always a little change." the most lethal passers in hockey, at the goal line to the left of Brian Elliott. Before the puck arrived, Kane knew what he was going to do: feed former Flyer Patrick Sharp on the backdoor. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 There was one problem for Chicago. Elliott was one step ahead of Kane, as the Flyers’ goalie made a subtle poke check to prevent a goal and the Flyers escaped unharmed. Perhaps it was the six seasons Elliott spent in the Western Conference or the five years with the Blues. Whatever the reason was, Elliott out- anticipated a Hart Trophy winner. “You definitely pick up on stuff, tendencies and stuff like that,” Elliott said. “They could be saying the same thing about me. If they’re on the winning end, you’d be asking them those questions. You just try to better each other every night and we came out on top.” On Thursday night, Elliott produced his best effort yet in orange and black, turning away 38 shots as the Flyers beat the Blackhawks, 3-1, at the Wells Fargo Center (see story). Elliott didn’t face much danger on the successful 5-on-3 kill, stopping the only shot he saw, a testament to the killers — specifically Robert Hagg, who logged a 2:12 shift that featured a big blocked shot. Shortly after Provorov exited the box, Elliott bailed out the Flyers once again. This time, it was a Brandon Saad breakaway with 22.9 seconds left. Throughout, Elliott, whose unorthodox style, at times, is fundamentally a wreck to watch, was tracking pucks far greater than he has this season. He was patient in net, outwaiting Blackhawks shooters. He looked calm, and even when he didn’t, he looked in control. There was a sequence during the third period in which Elliott staved off a shot that deflected twice. There was a sprawling stop on Richard Panik. He saw 16 pucks in the final stanza and answered each one. It was Elliott at his finest, and an Elliott that we hadn't seen in his first nine starts. “I felt good out there,” Elliott said. “I thought we did a good job defensively to allow me to lock in on the puck, took away lanes, took away passes. That’s what you have to do against a team like that.” Thursday was Elliott's second consecutive start against the Blackhawks after serving as the backup in the Flyers' previous two games. Elliott stopped 34 of 36 shots his last time out, a 3-0 loss in Chicago on Nov. 1. In 10 games, Elliott is 6-3-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. His 38-save effort Thursday brought his GAA below three for the third time this season — the first was after his second start and the other after his fifth. Since allowing six goals against the Ducks on Oct. 24, Elliott has allowed just nine goals on 137 shots. He now has three straight 30-plus-save performances. "You just want to keep getting more and more comfortable," Elliott said. "It's a process. It's not going to happen automatically. Sometimes you hit bumps in the road. You're only as good as your last game." The Flyers are Elliott's third team in as many seasons. The 32-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Flyers on July 1 after spending the 2016-17 campaign in Calgary. Last season with the Flames was a rollercoaster for Elliott. He had a 2.96 GAA and .889 save percentage after his first 20 games with Calgary, but he finished with a respectable 2.55 GAA and .910 save percentage. This season hasn't been as lousy as his start last year, but it hasn't exactly been smooth. He's allowed six goals twice in 10 starts and has looked erratic at times. That's part of who he is as a goalie, though. 1082726 Philadelphia Flyers When asked which save stood out the most, Elliott pointed to a pass he disrupted as the one play that was fresh in his mind.

“Taking away that pass from Kane in the 5-on-3 with my stick," Elliott Flyers' top line delivers statement in win over Blackhawks said. "I was happy with that one because that’s an open net at the backdoor.” By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia November 10, 2017 2:00 AM “It’s big, to be able to get that at that time of the game and that situation," Hakstol said. "[Elliott] did a good job, made some saves for us. PK battled hard, big part of the game.” The Blackhawks want what the Flyers have right now. The Flyers' win also marked the 14th consecutive regular-season win over the Blackhawks at the Wells Fargo Center, dating back to Nov. 9, A dominant No. 1 line. 1996. The Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek trio scored all three of Quenneville might consider reuniting Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull on a top the Flyers' goals Thursday, dominating the Blackhawks' top line in the line if he thought it might bring the Blackhawks a win in Philadelphia. first 25 minutes of a 3-1 victory (see observations).

“When you get a chance to play against one of the top lines in the league, you get excited about it,” Claude Giroux said. “Coach told us that Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 we were going to play most of the game against them. I think when you play with the same guys for a good amount of games, you feel more comfortable and the chemistry is more there.” Giroux scored his ninth goal of the season 4:58 into the game on a perfect one-time feed from Voracek. A little more than seven minutes later, Shayne Gostisbehere teed up a similar pass for Voracek, who ripped home his fourth goal in his last seven games (see highlights). Three goals, four assists and a plus-9 rating compared to Patrick Sharp- Jonathan Toews-Patrick Kane that finished with a minus-5 and no points. The Flyers' "Big Three" has combined for 60 points in the Flyers' first 16 games of the season. “It was a big matchup and a big challenge for us,” Couturier said. “We’re willing to go against anyone. We feel really confident about our game right now. We can outscore any line or any pairing. We've just got to keep going.” “You’re talking about competitive people,” head coach Dave Hakstol said. “There’s three good players on that line and they’re all different, they play the game differently, they have different elements, different strengths, but the three of them together, big credit to them — it has worked well for our hockey team to this point.” Hakstol assembled the Flyers' top line by transitioning Giroux from center to left wing during the second week of training camp, and the Flyers' head coach has yet to deviate from that trio this season. On the other hand, the Blackhawks are desperate to try anything. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville shook up his lines again, this time pairing Toews and Kane together with Sharp in an attempt to rekindle some magic from the glory days of their Stanley Cup seasons. The Flyers proved the experiment to be an utter disaster as it barely lasted 20 minutes before Quenneville pulled the plug and switched Sharp with the speedier Brandon Saad. Hard to believe this was the same Chicago team that put up 10 goals on the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins just a month ago. “[Ivan Provorov] and [Robert Hagg] did a great job against their top line and frustrating them," Gostisbehere said. "When you’re frustrating their top line, it’s kind of like cutting the head off a snake. The rest of the team will fold. I think we did a lot of good things out there of limiting time and space because they’re a skilled team." “Yeah, it’s awesome, a tremendous honor to do it but do it with my teammates and my coaches, they put me in those situations to go out there and get those points,” Gostisbehere said. “It’s huge. It’s a nice group effort — family support, everyone.” After the Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, they appeared to shift into cruise control and were outplayed over the final 35 minutes. Brian Elliott, who lost, 3-0, to the same Blackhawks just eight days earlier, bailed out the Flyers on more than one occasion with perhaps his best all-around game since joining the Flyers. Elliott turned aside 38 shots and was vital in helping the Flyers kill off Chicago’s two-man advantage for 1:44 near the end of the second period. “It was huge," Elliott said. "They could have tied it up there at the end of the period and we would have been tied going in. Killing that off was big for our guys. We did a really great job. They didn’t do much on it. You keep things to the outside on that and they didn’t cross box us, so that’s good.” 1082727 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' Travis Sanheim knows the offense will come eventually

Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 4:16 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017 | Updated 4:57 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2017

VOORHEES — Rookie defenseman Travis Sanheim was so close he could almost smell his first NHL goal. He was on his stomach poking at a loose puck, the rubber disc not that far from his nose, when Chicago goalie Cory Crawford’s left toe kept it from crossing the goal line Thursday night. It was one of Sanheim’s best offensive performances to date and he is confident the payoff is coming. “If I wasn’t getting the chances I think I’d be a little more frustrated,” he said. “I’m getting the looks and hopefully it starts to go in for me.” This being his second year pro, Sanheim is trying not to think too much about the goals and assists next to his name on the scoresheet. That’s what he did at the start of last season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. “Last year it took me quite a while,” the 21-year-old blueliner said. “There were quite a bit of bad habits from playing junior and I think this year, with playing that year pro, it’s moved the process along a little faster.” The organization told Sanheim, who was expected to put up big offensive numbers in his junior hockey days with the Calgary Hitmen, to focus on his defense first and the offense would show up organically. For a player who has always had a scorer’s touch, it’s something they have to truly see to believe. It happened last season for Sanheim, who didn’t notch his first goal until his 24th game of the season. “I was trying to push offense and we really tried to focus on the defense,” he said. “The funny thing is once I tried to focus more on the defense was when my offense actually started to take off.” The lesson was learned in the American Hockey League so it’s not something the Flyers have to worry about now that Sanheim is in the NHL. His commitment to defense has never appeared to lack and he’s gotten better through 13 games. He’s not trying to force any offense when it’s not there for him. “It hasn’t been part of our discussion because we haven’t really seen it,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “It hasn’t been something that we’ve spent a lot of time discussing or that we’ve seen in his game. For the most part, the offensive opportunities that he creates, they’re opportunities by supporting the play, by using his skating ability to join a rush and come in from behind. To this point, I haven’t seen a whole lot of risk offensively to his game.” Hakstol noted that in Thursday night’s win over the Blackhawks, Sanheim created three opportunities for the Flyers in the offensive zone. He had three shots, but no points. He knows they’re not far off. “I still think there’s gonna be learning experiences and I’ll still make mistakes and have to learn from them,” Sanheim said. “I’m just trying to get better every day and try to make those mistakes as few as possible.” After taking practice Friday morning, the Flyers loaned defenseman Mark Alt to the Phantoms. He played four games in the absence of Radko Gudas, who returned to the lineup Thursday, Andrew MacDonald, who should resume skating next week after a knee injury, and Shayne Gostisbehere, who missed three games with a head injury. Nolan Patrick once again did not practice with the team. He hasn’t played since Oct. 24 when he suffered a concussion. Saturday’s opponent, the Minnesota Wild, has lost three of its last four games. It snapped a winless streak with a 3-0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens Thursday. The Flyers will have a rematch, in Minnesota, on Tuesday.

Courier-Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082728 Philadelphia Flyers “It’s big to be able to get that at that time of the game and in that situation,” Hakstol said. “Ells did a good job, made some saves there for us. PK battled for us. Big part of the game.” Flyers 5 takeaways: Claude Giroux looks himself again at new home on Robert Hagg led the charge with a blocked shot off his left arm. He left wing stayed on the ice for all but four seconds of the penalty kill. On the night, the Blackhawks had two shots on 5:52 of man advantage time. Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 11:21 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2017 “It was huge,” goalie Brian Elliott said. “They could have tied it up there at the end of the period and we would have been tied going in (to the third) and killing that off was big for our guys. We did a great job. They didn’t really get much on it.” PHILADELPHIA — The expectation, or at very least the hope, was that it would have happened no matter where on the ice he was stationed. Things didn’t exactly go the Flyers’ way in the third period, although the slate was kept clean in that frame. That’s thanks to Elliott, who had one Claude Giroux finally looks like Claude Giroux again. of his best efforts of the season. He’s a left wing these days, instead of a natural center, and is back to When a goalie is on he’s tracking the puck well and that was a key for being a point-per-game player. He has 20 points in 16 games. Last Elliott against the Blackhawks, a team he was very used to playing season it took him 24 games to reach that mark. against from his St. Louis Blues days. There was plenty of traffic for Elliott to fend through and he did it well. The Flyers captain had been in a statistical decline for three seasons and in only one of them could offseason surgery really be blamed. Sports “I felt good out there,” said Elliott, who made 38 saves. “I thought we did hernia surgery claimed most of his campaign last year even though he a good job defensively to allow me to lock in on the puck. We took away didn’t miss time with injury. The same was true for Shayne Gostisbehere, lanes, took away passes and that’s what you have to do against a team who had a similar surgery on the same day. like that.” They weren’t themselves. They sure seem to be now. Part of his success, he said, was familiarity. It was his 20th game against Chicago, more than he’s played against any other team. Giroux had a goal and two assists Thursday in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks where his unit with Jake Voracek and Sean “You definitely pick up on stuff and you know tendencies and things like Couturier scored all three goals. that, but they could be saying the same thing about me,” he said. “If they were on the winning end, you’d be asking them those questions.” “The guy’s been in the league for 10 years,” Voracek said. “He was a Hart Trophy nominee (finished third in voting in 2014). I don’t think it Elliott had to save the Flyers’ bacon quite a bit in the second half of the was about confidence. It was about his health. Now he’s healthy and he game. Once the Flyers enjoyed a three-goal lead they got a little can play. He has a little more room on the left wing than he did at the complacent, or at the very least a little sloppy with the puck. center. He’s more free to make the plays. If me and G screw up the pass, we have Coots in the back there. We can always depend on his safety.” “We did a good job coming up,” Couturier said, “but as the game went on we got a little fancy and tried to force things at the blue lines and they All three had goals and Giroux helped make all three happen. First he came right back at us. But we find a way to win and that’s what, at the had a one-timer that looked like it was a vintage play from early in his end of the day, is important.” career, beating Corey Crawford for the third time in his career. “Our goaltender made good saves, now there’s some learning He also started a tic-tac-toe passing play that ended with Voracek processes there as well because after it went 3-0 we got a little too scoring and found an open Couturier for his team-leading 10th goal of the fancy,” Hakstol said. “We gave the puck away a little too easily, and they season. After four days off, the Flyers looked like a well-oiled machine got going on the other side. So there’s always areas that you always instead of having to shake off rust. want to take the positives, make sure we build on those and be real positive, it was a great win for our team, but also address the things we Part of the intrigue of this preseason experiment that has stuck was that have to do a little bit better, that starts with our veterans and that follows Giroux is in a new position. So far it’s gained him a lot more time with the through with everybody on the bench.” puck and the results are looking good. Even at even strength it looks like Giroux is in power-play mode because he has the puck on the wing and only has to look in one direction. Courier-Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 “He can make more plays instead of dishing it out wide and going to the net,” Couturier said. “Him and Jake are doing good jobs finding each other cross-ice and stuff. We gotta keep doing that.” Here are four more takeaways from the Flyers’ win over the Blackhawks… With his assist on the Flyers’ second goal, Shayne Gostisbehere notched his 100th point in his 155th NHL game. He is the quickest to reach the century mark among defensemen who started their careers with the Flyers. The record was previously held by Behn Wilson who did it in 163 games. “It’s awesome, but of course I couldn’t do this without my teammates,” Gostisbehere said. “Just to do it with an organization like Philadelphia, it’s unbelievable. It’s a team with a lot of history and again I can’t thank my teammates and coaches and support staff enough.” Sometimes milestone plays can come on ugly bounces or deflections. This helper was part of a very pretty sequence. “It went D to D and I was actually looking for G in the slot,” Gostisbehere said. “Their guy blocked it and it went back to G actually. I just shot down the wall and G made a great pass Jake. He was wide open, finished it.” In the second period the tide turned from a shot-attempt perspective. The Flyers were up 10 early in the middle period and Chicago found life. Connor Murphy scored a goal to get the Blackhawks on the board and then the team had a power play. Then another one. Radko Gudas called for tripping and Ivan Provorov put the puck over the glass for a delay-of-game call. It was a two-man advantage for 1:44 and the Flyers’ top two penalty-killing defensemen were in the sin bin. 1082729 Pittsburgh Penguins Tribune Review LOADED: 11.11.2017

Penguins notebook: Ryan Reaves dives into rivalry with Capitals with fight

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, 7:15 p.m.

WASHINGTON — When Penguins winger Ryan Reaves looked across the ice at the Washington Capitals on Friday night, he saw a rarity in the modern NHL. He saw an opponent who might be considered a member of his weight class. For the first time since joining the Penguins, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Reaves played against 6-4, 218-pound Capitals winger Tom Wilson. The first time the teams met this season Oct. 11, Wilson was suspended. Reaves came into Friday's game among NHL leaders in fighting majors with three. Wilson had four. Florida's Micheal Haley led the league with five. In the past, when fights were more prevalent, Reaves might pore over an opponent's roster to scout his potential foes for the night. Not anymore. “In Peoria and even the first two, three years in St. Louis, I'd look at their lineup,” Reaves said. “I'd go on YouTube right after warmups. I'd be looking at all their fights and what their techniques are. It's a little bit different now. “I don't approach any games like that anymore. I go out and play my game, and the fights come to me. I'd rather be the aggressor and make guys have to come after me for my game on the ice.” The Penguins didn't make any changes to their on-ice lineup after a 3-1 win over Arizona on Tuesday, but they did switch things up behind the bench. With Mark Recchi in Toronto for the weekend for Hall of Fame inductions, Sergei Gonchar came down from the press box to assist Mike Sullivan and Jacques Martin at ice level. Gonchar performed Recchi's usual duties, which include providing individual instruction to forwards and manning the bench's iPad. “I think it will be good for Sergei to watch a game at ice level, not that he doesn't have extensive experience as a player,” Sullivan said. “He's seen a whole lot of hockey at that level, but it's been a little while. I think sometimes it's a whole different vantage point.” Defenseman Matt Hunwick missed his 12th consecutive game with a concussion that was diagnosed Oct. 17. His recovery is taking longer than some of his teammates who have suffered concussions recently, but Sullivan said that is sometimes to be expected given the nature of the injury. “The nature of concussions — and I think we all know this just from going through the process with different players — is that they're all very different,” Sullivan said. “They affect people differently. It's hard to really generalize or categorize players together or group players together as far as where they are going through the process. Everybody is unique. That's how we treat them. We're listening to our medical doctors, and they're putting him through the process.” The Penguins will take another crack at playing on back-to-back days when they visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday night. The Penguins are 0-4-1 on the tail end of back-to-backs this season, but their most recent attempt was their most successful. They had a 44-34 shots advantage in a 2-1 overtime loss to Calgary during their five-game western road trip. Winger Carl Hagelin said the Calgary experience made the Penguins realize how important the first few minutes of the game are in back-to- back situations. “I think it's just a matter of us playing smart off the bat,” Hagelin said. “Anytime we play back-to-back, try not to get scored on in the first three minutes or take a penalty.” Sidney Crosby became the third player in Penguins history to appear in 800 games with the team Friday night, joining Mario Lemieux (915) and Jaromir Jagr (806).

Jonathan Bombulie 1082730 Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby, Nicklas Backstrom battling scoring slumps entering Penguins-Capitals game

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, 1:00 p.m. Updated 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON — As the top-line centers for a pair of bitter rivals, Sidney Crosby and Nicklas Backstrom have waged dozens of spirited head-to- head battles over the years. This one, though, is a little different. When the Penguins visit the Washington Capitals on Friday night, both Crosby and Backstrom will be fighting to put an end to long scoring slumps. Backstrom hasn't recorded a point in his last seven games. Crosby hasn't scored a goal in nine. “When it's going like that, you just try to keep working for your chances,” Crosby said after morning skate Friday. “Eventually it turns and hopefully it comes in bunches. That's usually the way it works. “On my side of things, I'd love to see it go in. Hopefully he can wait another game.” Based on morning skate, it's likely the Penguins will not make any lineup changes coming off a 3-1 home victory over Arizona on Tuesday. Matt Murray is expected to start in goal. There will be one change, however, behind the bench. With Mark Recchi in Toronto for the weekend for Hall of Fame inductions, Sergei Gonchar will come down from the press box to assist Mike Sullivan and Jacques Martin at ice level. Gonchar will perform Recchi's usual duties, which include providing individual instruction to forwards and manning the bench's iPad. “I think it will be good for Sergei to watch a game at ice level, not that he doesn't have extensive experience as a player,” Sullivan said. “He's seen a whole lot of hockey at that level, but it's been a little while. I think sometimes it's a whole different vantage point.” Defenseman Matt Hunwick remains out with a concussion that was diagnosed Oct. 17. His recovery is taking longer than some of his teammates who have suffered concussions recently, but Sullivan said that is sometimes to be expected given the nature of the injury. “The nature of concussions, and I think we all know this just from going through the process with different players, is that they're all very different,” Sullivan said. “They affect people differently. It's hard to really generalize or categorize players together or group players together as far as where they are going through the process. Everybody is unique. That's how we treat them. We're listening to our medical doctors and they're putting him through the process.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082731 Pittsburgh Penguins

Nothing special from Penguins in loss to Capitals

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, 9:48 p.m. Sign up for one of our email newsletters. Updated 5 hours ago

WASHINGTON — A few minutes into the third period, Sidney Crosby took a cross-ice pass from at the right post and had a chance to tie the game on his stick. It was a spot he had been in so many times before, and in most cases, especially against the rival Washington Capitals, he delivered the dagger. On this occasion, he shot wide of the far post. Crosby's power-play shot was hardly the only play that went awry for the Penguins in a 4-1 loss to the Capitals on Friday night, but it did provide a perfect snapshot of not only where the two-time defending champs are at this point in the season but also where they were on this particular night. For the season, they're having a hard time scoring goals, managing just 17 in their last 10 games. They've lost three consecutive road games to fall to 9-7-2 for the season. Crosby hasn't scored in any of the last 10 games, falling into the second-longest goal drought of his career. On Friday, though, they took the "L" largely because they lost the special teams battle. Late in the second period with the score tied 1-1, Kris Letang was called for cross-checking for roughing up T.J. Oshie, then got caught for high- sticking before the Penguins possessed the puck to draw a whistle. Referees don't often call two minors on the same player on the same play, but it's the second time it's happened to the Penguins this month. Jake Guentzel got doubled up against Edmonton on Nov. 1. "It doesn't happen very often, but as I always say, 'They're going to call it the way they see it,' " coach Mike Sullivan said. The Penguins doggedly killed the penalties for three minutes, 59 seconds until John Carlson took a pass at the right point and fired a shot toward the slot that Oshie tipped up into the cage. "It's tough," center Riley Sheahan said. "You're trying to work your hardest to not let them score. It does suck having that goal in the last second." The Penguins had their chances to find the equalizer, especially when the Capitals were called for two minor penalties in a span of three minutes early in the third. The power play, which has carried the Penguins at times in the early part of the season, came up empty. "You get a couple back to back there, early in the period too," Crosby said. "When you've got good ice and you're fresh at the start of a period, you want to take advantage of those. That's probably the difference in the game." As for the shot that sailed wide, Crosby said he's not sure what he could have done differently, beyond tucking the puck inside the far post, of course. "I thought I did the right thing," Crosby said. "It's one of those plays where the goalie's kind of going to beat you back to the (near) side. You try to go back against the grain on him. Unfortunately, that's the way it's going right now." Chandler Stephenson added an insurance goal for the Capitals with about six minutes left off a feed from Nicklas Backstrom, who snapped a seven-game scoreless streak. The Penguins were left to stew — mostly about Oshie's tie-breaking goal — heading into a tough back-to-back situation at Nashville on Saturday night. "It's tough," Sullivan said. "There's one second left on the kill and for the most part, they really didn't get much. The killers were doing a really good job. That was one of those goals that stung a little bit, but we've got to find a way to be a little more resilient. We need some push-back."

Tribune Review LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082732 Pittsburgh Penguins Hunwick has been cleared for contact in practice and has been skating with the team since Nov. 1 in Edmonton, but needs medical clearance before he can play in a game. The Penguins are ready to get back into divisional play against “It’s just part of the process,” Sullivan said. “The nature of concussions — Washington and I think we all know this just from the experience of going through it with different players — is that they're all very different, and they affect people differently. It’s hard to really generalize or categorize players SAM WERNER together or group players together, as far as where they are going through the process.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Crosby hits 800 [email protected] The game Friday night against Washington was Sidney Crosby’s 800th 1:18 PM NOV 10, 2017 regular-season NHL contest. He was unaware of the milestone when asked about it after the morning skate.

“Is it mine?” he said. “Really? Wow, I didn’t know that. Makes me feel old, WASHINGTON — Over the remaining five months of the NHL regular 800. It goes by really fast, but,when you see those numbers, it kind of season, the Penguins will get mighty familiar with their divisional foes. hits you for a second, then you move on.” That’s in large part because they haven’t played them a whole lot so far.

The Penguins game Friday night against the Washington Capitals was Sam Werner just their third divisional game this season. Twenty-six of their remaining 65 games — a full 40 percent — will be against Metropolitan Division Post Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2017 teams. The Penguins immediate upcoming schedule doesn’t include a whole lot of divisional games, either, with (their next one Nov. 27 against the Philadelphia Flyers), but they are looking forward to the level of play a Metropolitan rival can bring. Nice game, Penguins, here's a helmet. Or a rock. “I think everybody does,” defenseman Olli Maatta said. “You know you’re going to see these guys many times, even in the playoffs. I think there’s always something extra for both sides.” The good news for the Penguins is that they have generally been good in divisional games under coach Mike Sullivan. They were 2-0 this season in such games before Friday night thanks to road wins against the Capitals and New York Rangers. They also went a division-best 20-8-2 within the Metropolitan in 2016-17. Those in-division games likely will be even more important this season as the Metropolitan appears to be tightly bunched. Entering Friday night, six of the seven teams were within three points of first place in the division. “You just go one game at a time,” said center Riley Sheahan, who played his first division game Friday night since being acquired from Detroit in October. “I think if you look too far into the stats and into the schedule, you start to drive yourself a little crazy. You just go game by game, shift by shift.” As for these two specific teams, both seem to have started slightly slower than they would’ve liked, but that won’t matter when the puck dropped Friday night. “Both teams are good teams, and I can speak from our side, we certainly have a lot of respect for Washington and how talented they are,” Sullivan said “I think, quite honestly, they’re probably more concerned about their team and we’re concerned about our team. We’re tying to make sure we do everything within our power to put our team in a position to win hockey games. “Any time Washington and Pittsburgh meet, there’s a heightened emotional level because of the rivalry and some of the high-stakes games they’ve played in over the last couple of years.” The Penguins have faced a brutal early season schedule after back-to- back Stanley Cup runs, but they are at the top of the Metropolitan Division. “At the end of the day, we’re still sitting in a pretty nice spot,” defenseman Kris Letang says. Assistant coach Sergei Gonchar will take Mark Recchi’s place behind the bench for the weekend games in Washington and Nashville. Recchi is in Toronto, being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Gonchar usually watches games from the press box, but Sullivan said this weekend, he’ll take over Recchi’s duties when it comes to individual coaching and using the bench iPad. “I think it’ll be good for Sergei to watch a game at ice level,” Sullivan said. “Not that he hasn’t had extensive experience as a player. He’s seen a whole lot of hockey at that level, but it’s been a little while and I think sometimes it’s a whole different vantage point.” Defenseman Matt Hunwick was not cleared to play against the Capitals, Sullivan said, as he continued to recover from a concussion sustained Oct. 14 against Florida. 1082733 Pittsburgh Penguins A return to form for Letang would be a major boost. He insisted after practice Thursday that he is not experiencing lingering affects of his neck surgery and just needs to find consistency. Are we close to seeing the Joe Starkey: Penguins surviving ridiculous early schedule old Tanger? “That’s the plan,” he said. JOE STARKEY By the time the regular season ends, the Penguins will have tied for the league lead in back-to-back games (19), but they will also have logged Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the fewest air miles, according to the site ontheforecheck.com. [email protected] Cole, who played in St. Louis, where air miles accumulate quickly, will tell you that makes a huge difference in sleep cycles and overall freshness. 6:00 AM NOV 10, 2017 Come spring, if anyone even remembers the first month and a half, I’m guessing it will be in gratitude for getting the worst part of the schedule out of the way early. First, the obvious: The Penguins are a lesser team than the one that hoisted the Stanley Cup in June. At least temporarily. If one were to take the key offseason changes and put them in the form Joe Starkey of a trade — say, Matt Cullen, Nick Bonino, Chris Kunitz, Marc-Andre Fleury and Trevor Daley for all the players who replaced them — it Post Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2017 wouldn’t look real pretty on paper. Or any other canvas, notably ice. The good news is that this team could have been buried by those changes combined with a ludicrous schedule but instead woke up Thursday in first place in the Metropolitan Division. “It’s kind of deceiving,” said defenseman Kris Letang of the standings, and he’s right because the teams immediately behind the Penguins have games in-hand — including the New Jersey Devils, who had a chance to vault the Penguins with a win Thursday against Edmonton. But Letang was equally right when he said, “At the end of the day, we’re still sitting in a pretty nice spot.” The best news of all is that the worst of the Penguins schedule will be a memory by Monday. Instead of cursing them, the schedule-makers might have done them a favor by making the toughest part the early part. It will only get better as the season progresses. After Jan. 20, the Penguins will play just two games outside the Eastern time zone. Everyone knew the first-quarter schedule would be arduous. Upon further review, it’s just plain silly. By the time the Penguins are finished with their latest set of back-to-back games, this weekend in Washington and Nashville, they will have played 13 of their first 19 games on the road, including a trip to Western Canada, and six sets of back-to-back games (Tampa Bay and Toronto, by contrast, have played just two sets, New Jersey three). Nobody has played more games, more road games or more back-to- backs than the Penguins. But that’s not the eye-opener. This is: In every second game of their back-to-back sets, the Penguins have played a team that did not play the night before and was sitting at home waiting. It’ll happen again Saturday night in Nashville. How is that possible? Anyway, nobody’s complaining. Just explaining, in the case of defenseman Ian Cole. “The schedule’s certainly a factor. It always is,” Cole said. “I mean, as much as you want to say it shouldn’t matter, it does. You play a lot of back-to-back games, you’re certainly more tired going into the second game than if you had a day. “However, I think there are ways we can adjust our team game, play a little smarter. And I think you recently saw that in Calgary and Edmonton, knowing, ‘Hey, we won’t be able to play quite as fast, quite as wide open as we’d normally like to.’ I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think it’s just an awareness. “We’re not in a bad spot, and we still have plenty of time to get our team squared away.” While a 9-6-2 record isn’t going to make the history books, it’s actually impressive for what this team faced after a second consecutive run into late June. Go ask the Montreal Canadiens if they’d like to be 9-6-2. Or maybe the Chicago Blackhawks, who beat the Penguins, 10-1, but had a worse record (7-6-2) going into Thursday. It’s easy to picture the Penguins taking off in the second half. History tells us coach Mike Sullivan will solve his team’s 5-on-5 issues, general manager Jim Rutherford will upgrade the roster if needed, and Sidney Crosby will heat up fast. 1082734 Pittsburgh Penguins “Some nights, you go to the box almost every shift, and that’s what happened tonight,” Hornqvist said. “We can’t do that against this power play.” Penguins fall to Capitals, 4-1 Those six minor penalties included two called on Kris Letang on the same play midway through the second period. That led to a four-minute Washington power play, which the Penguins killed the first 3:59 of before SAM WERNER T.J. Oshie’s goal put the Capitals ahead, 2-1. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “It's tough,” Sullivan said. “There’s one second left on the kill, and for the most part, they really didn't get much. The killers were doing a really, [email protected] really good job. That was one of those goals that stung a little bit. But we've got to find a way to be more resilient, and we need some 4:33 AM NOV 11, 2017 pushback.”

WASHINGTON — The Penguins may not be out of their offensive Post Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2017 doldrums just quite yet. The scoring woes that have plagued them for much of the past month showed up once again Friday night, as they lost, 4-1, to the Capitals. “It was a pretty tight game, both ways,” Sidney Crosby said. “I don’t think both teams generated a ton. Chances were probably a little bit lower than in games past, but probably on both sides of things. We had our opportunities.” Penguins players had generally been pretty optimistic over the past few games that they were generating chances and creating scoring opportunities, even if the puck wasn’t finding the back of the net. The Penguins are 2-0 in the Metropolitan Division this year. Things seemed to be at least on the right track after a 3-1 win against Arizona Tuesday, in which they scored multiple even strength goals for the first time in 10 games. But against the Capitals Friday, it was back to just one 5-on-5 goal, which came when a Phil Kessel pass deflected off Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov and into the net. “I think the last two games, we were better than tonight, but we still were in the game,” Patric Hornqvist said. The even-strength offensive struggles are nothing new for the Penguins this year, but Friday night their power play also came up empty for just the sixth time this season, going 0-for-4 with the man advantage. The Capitals, conversely, converted on two of their six power play chances, all the offense they ended up needing to win. “Special teams was clearly the difference,” Mike Sullivan said. “They get two power-play goals and we don't. Five-on-five, the scoring chances were fairly even. It was a pretty even hockey game. It was one of those nights.” Specifically, the power play had a couple of chances early in the third period, with the Penguins trailing 2-1, to even the score. “Those power plays early in the third were probably our biggest opportunities to get back in the game, and we weren’t able to do that,” Crosby said. Crosby had one of the best chances on those two power plays, but he put a shot wide from in close as Capitals goalie Braden Holtby was moving side-to-side. “I thought I did the right thing,” Crosby said. “It’s one of those plays where the goalie’s kind of going to beat you back to the wide side. You just try and go back against the grain on him. Unfortunately, that’s the way it’s going right now.” He’s not lying. Crosby’s goal drought has now stretched to 10 games, the second-longest of his career. His only longer run without a score was 12 games, and came in the middle of the 2011-12 season, a year in which Crosby missed 60 games due to head injuries. “It’s a matter of time for the puck to go into the net,” he said. The Penguins’ power play, despite having the second-best conversion percentage in the NHL going into Friday night, has now scored on just two of its last 16 opportunities. “I thought we had opportunities to shoot the puck,” Sullivan said. “We've been reluctant, for whatever reason, for the last couple of games to shoot the puck, and I think we can generate offense off of it. When we have that shot-first mindset, I think that's when the power play's at its best.” And while the Penguins couldn’t connect on their power-play opportunities Friday, they also couldn’t stop giving the Capitals more chances with the man advantage. They were whistled for 17 penalty minutes, and Washington’s six power plays tied for the most the Penguins have allowed this season. 1082735 San Jose Sharks If Ryan can stay in the lineup and maintain DeBoer’s trust over a longer stretch of games, it could give Wilson the option of shipping Martin out to a team in need of a veteran defenseman, shedding his $4.85 million Who will Sharks’ DeBoer choose: proven veteran or rising prospect? salary and freeing up the cap space to take a charge at a pending- unrestricted free agent at the trade deadline or over the summer.

Although Ryan is pushing for his job, Martin said he’s “happy” that the By PAUL GACKLE | [email protected] | Bay Area News young defenseman is finding success because it gives the Sharks more Group options, which usually translates into wins. November 10, 2017 at 2:27 PM Martin isn’t concerned about being leapfrogged on the Sharks depth chart or traded during the season.

“The most important thing is winning games. Once you start getting into SAN JOSE — Defenseman Paul Martin is healthy and ready to go. He’s all that other stuff, you don’t bring your best self to the rink,” Martin said. just waiting to get the nod from above. “I really like it here, but you always know you’ll be playing somewhere regardless of what happens.” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer is about to face a decision that every head coach in professional sports confronts at some point in his career: stick with the proven veteran or hand the keys over to the rising prospect that emerges in his absence? San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 11.11.2017 At this point, DeBoer appears to be buying himself as much time as possible before he makes a decision about whether to play Martin or up- and-coming defenseman Joakim Ryan alongside reigning Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns on the Sharks blue line. The Sharks coach said Martin will not be in the lineup when his team squares off with the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center Saturday night. “That’s kind of a moving target,” DeBoer said, in regards to Martin’s return date. “A lot of that’s in his hands, his and our trainers. Again, the last thing we want is a setback. “The first step is get him healthy, and then we’ll make decisions, but we’re not even there yet.” On Monday, though, Martin, who’s been on injured reserve since Oct. 12, said his surgically-repaired ankle is healthy enough to play. It was just a matter of getting a full week of practice under his belt to improve his timing and conditioning. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. The veteran defenseman didn’t back away from his assessment after practice Friday. “I feel good now. It might be tough with back to backs coming up this weekend, and then we have some time off, so we’re probably looking at Thursday,” he said. “It’s in the coach’s hands. I just prepare to get ready to go and that’s all I can do.” The Sharks aren’t in a rush to plug Martin back into the lineup because Ryan has slipped into his role as Burns’ partner rather seamlessly. Like Martin, Ryan plays a quiet game based on angles, body positioning and stick play. He’s only recorded one point, but numbers don’t paint an accurate picture of what he brings to the Sharks blue line. “Joakim’s game is a little different. It’s not on offense,” DeBoer said. “It’s time and space, and moving the puck, and gap, and angles, and positioning. Being able to do a little bit of everything.” f the Sharks were to activate Martin, and give him the nod over Ryan, the 24-year-old blue liner would likely return to the Barracuda, where he could play top-line minutes instead of sitting in the press box and accumulating rust. But at this point, it’s unclear whether a reassignment to the AHL is what’s best for Ryan and the Sharks. On one hand, Ryan has already mastered the AHL, leading the Barracuda in shots last season (185), ranking third on the team in scoring (49 points) and fourth in the league in plus/minus (plus-27). His growth needs to take place at the NHL level. At the same time, Ryan’s continued presence in the Sharks lineup could give general manager Doug Wilson some trade options as the winter progresses. Everyone is looking for blue-line depth, and if Ryan continues to play with consistency, it will only increase his value on the market. “I really have no control or say over what happens,” Ryan said. “Obviously, Pete’s going to play whoever he wants to play and do whatever he thinks is best. I really can’t do much more than just worry about myself, worry about my game, and every time I’m in the lineup, do my best to stay there.” 1082736 San Jose Sharks possession of 39th place in all-time goals. Pierre Turgeon is next on the list with 515.

Sharks establishing identity with defense San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 11.11.2017

By Ross McKeon Published 3:54 pm, Friday, November 10, 2017

The Sharks still have a handful of games before reaching the quarter- season mark — traditionally when a general manager assesses his team — but it’s not too early to determine what San Jose has and doesn’t have this season. Head coach Peter DeBoer demands a structured style of play that relies on four lines pressuring opponents in all three zones. The team’s identity is its defense, starting from Martin Jones in goal and going out from there. The Sharks are not interested in fire wagon hockey, and they don’t possess the team speed to pull that off anyhow. The Sharks want to establish a forecheck, cycle in the opponent’s zone and create scoring chances by moving the puck from low to high where they can generate shots from the point and score goals off rebounds or deflections in front. The strategy figures to be more productive once Brent Burns gets the gorilla off his back — no goals in 14 games while 120 fellow defensemen in the league had at least one before Friday. The offense could get a boost if the power play improves from its No. 19 ranking and converts consistently around the 20 percent level (it’s 17.5 percent). Conversely, San Jose is a top-five team in goals against and shots against and it ranked second in penalty kill going into weekend play. The Sharks are good in what has to be the foundation of a successful and contending team. This might not be the most exciting or entertaining form of hockey, but it’s the game the Sharks will play until individual stars emerge. And that’s the key. While fans want their teams to play like the Tampa Bay Lightning — or the Pittsburgh Penguins when they’re at their best — it can’t happen until drafted talent not only develops but exceeds expectations in terms of ability and results. In that sense, the Sharks are waiting for players to complement offensive stars Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, and Burns. They need a couple players to emerge from a group of forwards that includes Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Joonas Donskoi, Chris Tierney, Melker Karlsson, Kevin Labanc, Ryan Carpenter, Danny O’Regan, Marcus Sorensen and Barclay Goodrow — to even give DeBoer the notion to open things up, so to speak. Until then, however, San Jose is going to have to try to grind it out with the idea of winning games 3-2 and 2-1 all the way to the end of the season. Yes, it’s a tough mind-set and it can wear on a team. But, in reality, that’s what wins in the playoffs — to a point at least. A team can go a long way with a staunch defensive posture. But, as the Sharks learned in 2016 against a faster, deeper, more offensively-gifted Pittsburgh team, ultimately a team with the best balance is going to skate with Lord Stanley’s Cup. It will be interesting to see how long general manager Doug Wilson remains patient with the roster, or determines it’s time to try to trade for more offensive potential because not enough of that kind of talent is bubbling to the surface fast enough. Milestone alert: From Sharks stats guru Darin Stephens, when Joe Pavelski scores his next goal — No. 300 — he’ll become the fourth player in the NHL’s draft era chosen 205th or lower to reach 300. The others are Dave Taylor, Henrik Zetterberg and the late Pavol Dimitra. Taylor finished with 431 goals, Dimitra with 304 while Zetterberg (330) is still active. Ageless wonder: Jaromir Jagr, 45, scored his first two points with the Flames on Thursday with a goal and an assist. Other than Jagr, only Gordie Howe and Chris Chelios collected multi-point games after turning 45. Howe did it six times and Chelios once. Jagr has done it four times. Howe is the only player to register a three-point game at age 45 or older so Jagr has something to shoot for. Briefly: Friday’s Senators-Avalanche game in Stockholm was the 27th regular-season NHL game held outside North America and the first since 2011. The two teams play again in Sweden on Saturday. … Big night coming Monday in Toronto for ex-Shark Teemu Selanne, who gains entry into the Hockey Hall of Fame along with Paul Kariya, Dave Andreychuk and Mark Recchi. … And ex-Shark Patrick Marleau of Toronto scored his 514th goal Wednesday to surpass Jeremy Roenick and move into sole 1082737 San Jose Sharks

Aftermath of Hansen-Goldobin trade shows risks of playing it safe

By Marcus White November 10, 2017 2:33 PM

When the Sharks traded prospect Nikolay Goldobin and a fourth-round pick to the Canucks for Jannik Hansen in February, they thought they were getting a player to put them over the top. Things didn’t work out entirely as planned, as the Edmonton Oilers eliminated San Jose in the first round, but Hansen was solid enough with seven points in 15 regular season games. He’s struggled to find that form this year. Hansen skated on the third line at Friday’s practice ahead of Saturday’s rematch with his old club, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, but he’s been surplus to requirements for much of his first full season in San Jose. He was scratched for six consecutive games before re-entering the lineup in Wednesday’s loss to the Lightning, and hasn’t played more than 16 minutes in a game. The latter isn’t much of a concern, as the two-way forward was an acquisition to bolster the team’s depth, but his lone point in eight games this season is. The Danish forward, then, has been replaceable from night to night, in large part because the Sharks have so many forwards like him. Ryan Carpenter, Barclay Goodrow, and Joel Ward all play the “gritty, versatile” game that drove general manager Doug Wilson to acquire Hansen, and all three have played in Hansen’s absence. Meanwhile, his counterpart in the trade has also had difficulty cracking the NHL lineup with his new organization, but for vastly different reasons. Goldobin’s offensive ability has never been questioned, but his defensive game has. “We thought [Goldobin] had an average camp,” Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning told The Province after Goldobin was sent down to their AHL affiliate in Utica. “His three-zone game, his overall game (needs improvement).” So far, the 22-year-old appears to have responded to that message. Ryan Johnson, Vancouver’s director of player development and Utica’s general manager, told Sportsnet 650 this week that he “[sees] the details in his game getting better,” all while Goldobin is ninth in the AHL in scoring with 13 points in 11 games. It makes one wonder why the Sharks couldn’t have been a little more patient with the former first-round pick. Goldobin clearly had a long way to go in the eyes of San Jose head coach Peter DeBoer, playing less than 19 minutes combined in two games with the Sharks last season. He may not have been ready to contribute to a team in win-now mode, but his departure left an organization starving for players with offensive upside even hungrier. Really, the Hansen-Goldobin swap was a neat encapsulation of the skillsets the Sharks value. Two-way responsibility is of the utmost importance, and that’s why San Jose is one of the NHL’s best defensive teams. But that can come at the expense of high-end skill, and that’s why they’re also one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams hovering around .500. With Goldobin traded, Kevin Labanc in the AHL, and Timo Meier skating in the Sharks’ bottom six, that shouldn’t be a surprise. When you value safety, you run the risk of failing to stand out. Since the trade, Hansen hasn’t, and neither have the Sharks.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082738 St Louis Blues

Allen will be wearing his patriotism against Islanders

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 7 hrs ago (…)

As the saying goes, some people wear their patriotism on their sleeve. Blues goaltender Jake Allen will wear his on his head against the New York Islanders. Personalized helmet designs for goalies are a staple of today's NHL, and Allen has come up with a special one for the Blues' Salute to the Military game Saturday at Scottrade Center. "It'll be a good night for our fans and our team to salute all the people in the U.S. and in Canada that have done a great job for our countries," Allen said following the Blues' morning skate Friday. As part of that, Allen said, "I've got a pretty cool little mask." Along with the obligatory stars and stripes Allen's helmet features pictures of Bobby Gassoff Jr., the son of the former Blue, and former Blues goalie Ed Staniowski. Gassoff Jr. was a U.S. Navy SEAL; Staniowski was in the Canadian Armed Forces. Both will be in attendance at Saturday's game. "So I'll wear it for one game and then we'll raffle it off (for charity)," Allen said. "The team will do their thing with it and raise some good money and go from there. . . .It's a pretty cool little tribute that's very simple, but it goes a long way." Allen, who is from Fredericton, New Brunswick, said both his great- grandfathers served in World War II. There are all sorts of activities planned for Salute to the Military night and fans are asked to bring goods such as snacks, chewing gum, toiletries, and puzzle books to be collected upon entry to Scottrade and subsequently sent to troops overseas as part of care packages. In their 18th game, the Blues finally play a team for the second time this season. That would be the Islanders, whom the Blues defeated 3-2 in a shootout Oct. 9 in Brooklyn. Allen had 40 saves in that game in regulation and overtime, and then stopped both Islanders attempts in the shootout. "They've been playing well," coach said of the Islanders. "Watching video on them, it's gonna be a tough game. I think they're feeling really good about their game, obviously (John) Tavares is playing at a real high level right now, too." The Islanders, who play in Dallas on Friday night, have scored six goals in three of their last five games. • The Blues held an optional skate Friday morning at Scottrade Center with 14 players participating. More than a dozen members of the military were on hand to watch the practice. • The Islanders' contest Saturday will be the Blues' 11th game against an Eastern Conference foe in 18 games this season; St. Louis is 7-3 against the East so far. • Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka will dress in his 400th NHL game Saturday.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082739 St Louis Blues

Preview: Blues vs. Islanders

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4 hrs ago (…)

About the Islanders • For the first time this season the Blues face a team for the second time. They defeated the Islanders 3-2 in a shootout Oct. 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a game in which Vladimir Tarasenko scored a pair of second-period goals but New York scored twice in the final seven minutes to force overtime. The Blues catch the Isles on the back end of a road back-to-back, with the New Yorkers having played Friday in Dallas. Center John Tavares and winger Anders Lee are the Islanders’ top offensive threats so far this season

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082740 St Louis Blues

Despite shootout success, Yeo no fan of the format

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4 hrs ago (…)

Just 17 games into the season, Mike Yeo’s Blues have been on the right end of shootouts twice. First, on Oct. 9 against the New York Islanders — Saturday’s opponent at Scottrade Center — and then on Thursday night against the Arizona Coyotes. It’s an exciting part of hockey for fans. But truth be told, Yeo is no fan of the shootout concept. “No, not really,” Yeo said, smiling, after the team’s morning skate Friday. “I think it’s good for the game. I think we need winners, but I don’t know if there’s too many coaches that get excited about the feeling. ...” The feeling of helplessness from a coach behind the bench. “You just feel like you don’t have any control of it, other than determining whether you go first or second and then determining who shoots,” Yeo said. Yeo says he uses experience in deciding his shootout lineup — in terms of both the shooter’s overall track record and his success (or lack thereof) against a particular goalie. “Certainly level of play in that particular game, or leading up to that game; the confidence of a player,” Yeo said. “And then obviously, when you work shootouts in practice you pay close attention to who’s been successful. “Now we haven’t done a lot of that lately. We used to practice it a lot more, but now with 3-on-3 (in overtime), it doesn’t seem you’re facing nearly as many shootouts as you were before.” Although they don’t count as goals in terms of individual stats because they come in the shootout format, both game-winners for the Blues in shootouts this season have come off the stick of newcomer Brayden Schenn. Schenn, just one for 12 on career shootout attempts before being traded to St. Louis in the offseason, is now two for two with the Blues. “You see it with different players,” Yeo said. “Every year is completely different. You’ll have players that have had a lot of success through their career, and then all of a sudden they don’t get off to a good start early in the year in a shootout and that seems to carry over a lot of times. Or vice versa. “With him, this is a brand new year, it’s a brand new team, he’s off to a great start and he’s feeling confident. So no reason to think that it wouldn’t continue.” Among Blues skaters who have been with the team since the start of the season, only two hadn’t registered a point entering Thursday’s game against Arizona: • Defenseman Nate Prosser, who has played in only one game. • Forward Chris Thorburn, who has been in and out of the lineup as a member of the fourth line. That changed against the Coyotes when Thorburn registered an assist on Joel Edmundson’s second-period goal, which gave the Blues a 1-0 lead. “I definitely have to give a little tip of the cap to Thorburn,” Yeo said. “What a great play that was, and that wasn’t an accident. You saw him pick his head up and shoot for the stick.” What at first glance looked like a shot on goal turned out to be a pass right on the stick of Edmundson in front of the net. “I haven’t made a play like that in I don’t know how long,” said Thorburn, known as an enforcer, not a scorer. “The puck came around the wall, and then I get lost coming off the bench and the puck comes right to me. Eddie is there to direct it in, so he did a great job of putting it in.” Thorburn has played in only eight of the Blues’ 17 games so far this season, never logging more than 8 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082741 St Louis Blues one of those flat games, as was the case to a degree the previous Thursday in the loss to the Flyers.

The Blues weren’t quite as dominant in the third period against the Blues developing finishing touch Coyotes as they were in New Jersey, but they still broke through. They outshot Arizona 12-2 in the period, tying the score on an Alex Pietrangelo goal and eventually winning in a shootout. If you count the third period By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 5 hrs ago (…) plus the overtime session, the Blues outshot Arizona 19-6 after the second period.

“We all knew that we played terrible (in the first two periods),” Allen said. Despite all their success so far this season, the Blues’ earliest games “We really did. But in here there was no panic. It was nice to see. were marked by trouble holding on to leads in the third period. “It’s a confident group. We knew someone was going to go out there and It started with the season opener in Pittsburgh, when the Blues tie it up, get it to overtime, whatever the case may be. We found a way. squandered a two-goal lead in the third, although they later pulled out a We dominated the third period. Hutts (Carter Hutton) made some great 5-4 win in overtime. saves in overtime, and we got it done in a shootout.” Five days later against the New York Islanders, the Blues saw a 2-0 lead Two points, after all, is better than one. Or none. And one thing about vanish in the final seven minutes of regulation. It took overtime, and then points in October and November — they’re nonrefundable. They still a shootout, to survive with a 3-2 triumph. count in March and April when the playoff races are reaching a climax. The Blues also gave up two third-period goals in victories over Chicago and Colorado, and two more in the third in a 5-2 loss at Florida. All told, they gave up 13 third-period goals in their first eight games. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2017 But that has tightened up in a big way since Game 8, a 4-3 victory over the Avalanche on Oct. 19. In six of the nine games that have followed, the Blues have thrown a shutout in the third period. No goals allowed. They gave up only one third-period goal against Carolina and Philadelphia — and the goal against the Flyers was an empty-netter with six seconds left in a 2-0 loss. The only throwback to those early third-period woes came a week ago against Toronto, when the Blues gave up three goals in the final 20 minutes of a 6-4 triumph. But the overall trend has been significant over the last three weeks. After being outscored 13-8 in the third period in their first eight games, the Blues outscored the opposition 13-5 over the next nine contests. It’s called closing out games, and as goalie Jake Allen sees it, it’s not something that has always been the Blues’ strong suit. “Honestly, the last couple years I think we’ve struggled with it,” Allen said. “We played well, but for some reason we get games to overtime, or be up by two or three goals and we only win by one goal. “This year, we’re doing a better job just playing simple. Even Vlady (Tarasenko), who’s one of the most skilled players in the NHL — who loves to carry the puck — he’s dumping the pucks in, tipping pucks, he’s forechecking. “That goes to show right there that everyone’s sort of bought in to what we’re doing, and it’s winning hockey right now. It might not be the most fun hockey all the time for guys, but it’s sacrifice that translates to wins.” Good teams — no, make that the best teams — know how to close out games. That may come in the form of keeping an opponent down when you have the lead. Or finding a way to win on a night when you’re not at your best. “We want to have that,” coach Mike Yeo said. “That’s something that we’ve talked about. It’s something that we’re gonna have to build. And it’s not just gonna all of a sudden be there. ... Every game’s gonna be a new challenge. But certainly it’s something that we’ve talked about and we recognize as very important for our group.” The Blues provided prime examples of that emerging mindset in their last two victories: a 3-1 win Tuesday in New Jersey and a 3-2 shootout triumph Thursday over Arizona. Against the Devils, the Blues were sluggish in falling behind 1-0 in the first period, got some traction as the second period progressed and tied the score on a Tarasenko goal with 63 seconds left in the second. The third period was all St. Louis. The Blues outshot New Jersey 19-4 in the final 20 minutes and easily could have scored three or four times. They settled for two, one of which was an empty-net goal, but they never seemed to be in real trouble in the period. “We want to do that,” forward Jaden Schwartz said, referring to the team’s aggressive approach. “I think there’s times in games this year where we’ve sat back a little bit, and I think we’ve learned from that. That’s never good when you’re just giving teams waves (of rushes).” It was a different kind of lesson against Arizona. For a while it simply seemed that the Blues weren’t going to get going. Maybe it would be just 1082742 Tampa Bay Lightning playoffs by a point. Players still think back to the sting of the long summer. Being the best team in November is one thing. Being the top team in June is another. Lightning has that 2014-15 feel. And that’s good. "We can’t get ahead of ourselves," Hedman said. We’ve got to keep our feet on the ground and make sure we don’t let things get out of control. We know we’re going to get everyone’s ‘A’ game." Joe Smith Cooper said there are differences between this team and the 2014-15 Times staff writer group but the core remains the same. There might be even more leadership. Published: November 10, 2017Updated: November 10, 2017 at 10:16 PM "You know what," Cooper said. "There is a similar feel."

ANAHEIM, Calif — The comparison came unprompted. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.11.2017 But as soon as Lightning wing Nikita Kucherov brought it up, you could definitely see it. Tampa Bay, having impressively dominated back-to- back games in San Jose and Los Angeles, is the best team in the league. And it’s having a blast. Its style, its swag reminded Kucherov of the Lightning team that reached the 2015 Stanley Cup final. "We have a lot of the same similarities," Kucherov said. "We play fast. We play with a lot of confidence, have a lot of fun. It’s fun to watch." Like the 2014-15 team, the Lightning is led by a dazzling top line. Back then, it was the Triplets — Kucherov, Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson — tearing up the league. Now it’s Kucherov, who entered Friday as the NHL’s goals leader, with points leader Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov, who has three goals in the past two games. There are new veteran voices, Dan Girardi and four-time Cup champion Chris Kunitz, who provide perspective like Anton Stralman and Brian Boyle did in 2014-15. And most important, there’s a dogged determination sparked by a stinging defeat. The 2014-15 team was coming off getting swept in the first round of the previous season’s playoffs — done in seven days — by Montreal. This one was humbled by missing the playoffs last season. "When you don’t make the playoffs the year before, there are a lot of questions that come up about the team and individuals," Alex Killorn said. "We wanted to come in and have a great season, and we’ve done a great job so far. But there’s a lot more work to do." Killorn said the 2014-15 team got better as the season wore on, while this group is off to a 13-2-2 start. But there’s a similar vibe of everyone buying into their roles. For every Stamkos and Kucherov, there’s an unsung star such as Brayden Point, who leads the team’s most complete line with Yanni Gourde and Palat. There are fresh faces such as rookie defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, who is playing like a veteran. "It’s just a great mesh," Killorn said. "Everyone is chipping in. Even though we’ve got those guys that are scoring a ton, you look at the point production from everyone. Everyone is up. It just seems like it’s a good chemistry and every game we have a ton of confidence that might not have been there in previous years." There’s also a relentlessness, a constant intensity that might have been lacking last season. The Lightning isn’t just trying to outskill teams. It is showing will. Sharks veteran forward Logan Couture said that in Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay, it felt like the Lightning, even on the penalty kill, had five more players on the ice. "Their ability to make plays in small space and always on attack mode has been impressive," Kings coach John Stevens said. "I think it’s a little underestimated how physical they are on the puck and how well they check. There’s a reason they are where they are. I don’t see a lot of holes in their game." The Lightning is far from perfect. It’s not immune to bad periods or shaky starts. But Ryan Callahan said this group has similar accountability and self-correction to the 2014-15 team, which didn’t lose more than two in a row all season. And Tampa Bay is buoyed by a strong goaltending tandem, No. 1 Andrei Vasilevskiy, arguably the team MVP with a 12-1-1 record, and veteran backup Peter Budaj, who helped spark Thursday’s 5-2 win over the Kings with a game-changing save in the first period. Right after that save, the Lightning scored the fastest four goals in franchise history, in 2:02, to take a 4-0 lead. "The boys were flying," Cooper said. Yet, the Lightning remains grounded. There’s a lot of hype, but Victor Hedman said they all remember the bitter taste left after missing the 1082743 Toronto Maple Leafs

Saturday game preview: Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins

By KEVIN MCGRANSports Reporter Fri., Nov. 10, 2017

The veterans The Bruins boast a solid leadership core with defenceman Zdeno Chara and centre Patrice Bergeron. The six-foot-nine Chara offers a size mismatch with any winger who comes his way, although the Leafs’ James van Riemsdyk, at six-foot-four, comes close to holding his own. With Auston Matthews hurt, the Leafs don't have anyone with quite the two-way game of Bergeron. NEED TO KNOW This will be the Bruins' fifth game in eight days. . . . Boston is still without forwards David Backes (colon surgery) and David Krejci (upper body) and defenceman Adam McQuaid (broken right fibula). . . . Boston is much better at home (5-2-2) than on the road (1-3-1 heading into Friday). . . . The Bruins have gone 110-58-13 in games in which they have had a fighting major since the 2011-12 season. . . . The last game not to sell out in Boston was Dec. 2, 2009.

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082744 Toronto Maple Leafs second consecutive game with the dreaded upper-body soreness, the Leafs were turned back into the plodders they were a couple of years ago before Matthews was drafted. Maple Leafs save razzle-dazzle against Boston Bruins for overtime Maybe it can be said Carrick saw what was coming. "He's a huge player for us," Carrick said before the game. "If anything NATHAN DENETTE/THE CANADIAN PRESS [his absence] reinforces our team concepts. We really have to establish the way we play early and more often throughout the game, just because TORONTO 34 is not going to come up with the big one if you're not playing well to spark the team. It magnifies the consistency." NOVEMBER 10, 2017 The Bruins were not eager to capitalize on Matthews' absence and make up the five points between them and the second-place Leafs in the Atlantic Division standing. They were just as laidback as the Leafs, It is the second game of those NHL back-to-back, home-and-road mini- although they did manage to score first. series that is supposed to be the slog.

But after almost 55 minutes of an eye-glazing game played at a walk, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins livened things up with a couple Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.11.2017 of goals that sent the game into overtime. And the Leafs managed to win it 3-2 on the single prettiest play of the night. Both teams will hook up again Saturday night in Boston to finish the series. Seconds after Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen robbed Bruins winger Brad Marchand with a glove save, Mitch Marner, Jake Gardiner and Patrick Marleau worked a great rush followed by a gorgeous three-way, tic-tac-toe play that Marleau finished with the winning goal at 1:07 of overtime. The Leafs had to survive a coach's challenge on the winner from Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. But the video review determined Marner was not offside when he crossed the Boston blue line and the win stood. Patrice Bergeron opened the scoring for the Bruins late in the second period, with Leafs winger James van Riemsdyk tying the score in the dying seconds with his first goal of the night. David Pastrnak put the Bruins ahead with a third-period power-play goal and van Riemsdyk tied the score with one minute left in the period. The Leafs now have a three-game winning streak going in which they have not played particularly well in all three games. On the other hand, though, they have not played particularly bad and still managed to come out on top, which is the mark of a good team. It is also a big improvement on how the Leafs were playing before this stretch, when they lost five of six games, including a disastrous 1-4 western road trip. "I think just getting back to the things we know how to do and do well," van Riemsdyk said in summing up the change. "Kind of dictate how we want to play. "Obviously the games have been tight-checking, not much room out there. But those are the games you have to get really comfortable in if you want to play a long time in the spring." There were double the pre-game ceremonies for this game, as it was the annual Hockey Hall of Fame game, in keeping with Monday's inductions, as well as a salute to Canada's veterans for Remembrance Day. Judging by the pedestrian pace through the first two periods, all that standing must have deadened the legs of players on both teams. If the game was any slower, the entire Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2017 could have suited up and played, including Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs. As the final five minutes in the third period approached, the only goal scored to that point was by one of the tykes in the between-periods Timbits scrimmage. "There were not a lot of plays," said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, who true to his nature as a coach, just loved the lack of wide-open hockey. "It was probably boring, actually, for the crowd. It was good for me." Babcock especially loved seeing the Leafs' old guy, the 38-year-old Marleau finish off the game-winning play. "Patty Marleau got his 101st game-winner. He's got to be in the Hall of Fame doesn't he?" Babcock said. The game also represented another step forward for Marner. He set up the tying goal by van Riemsdyk before leading the rush on the winner to finish with two points. In his last four games, Marner has four assists and appears to be on his way to escaping the NHL's sophomore jinx. "I think [Marner] and [Gardiner] both made good plays," Marleau said. "Mitch got up to the blue line, held up and that froze their D [defence]. Then he made a play to Gards; wide-open net. They were huge points, really great plays. [Marner] is coming into his own a bit." However, the game did show just how good of a player Leafs centre Auston Matthews is turning out to be. With their star No. 34 out for the 1082745 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs' Marner passing up golden opportunity

By KEVIN MCGRANSports Reporter Fri., Nov. 10, 2017

Leaf Mitch Marner went into Friday night’s game against the Boston Bruins with the same number of goals as Matt Martin, Connor Carrick and Jake Gardiner: one. Rookie defenceman Andreas Borgman (two) was outscoring him. So was fourth-line centre Dominic Moore (three). Marner admits he’s struggling with his pass-first mentality (eight assists in 17 games, one off his pace of last season) in an attempt to shoot more. “(Passing first) has always been a mindset of mine that I’m trying to get rid of now,” said Marner. “It’s pretty hard when you’ve been passing your whole life. It’s getting better, having the opportunity to shoot a little more. But it’s hard. Guys are calling for the puck. You have a two-on-one and you think you have a chance to make the pass. That kind of gets in your head a little more.” But the shots haven’t been turning into goals. He scored in the season opener in Winnipeg, then went 16 games without one. “I don’t worry too much about that stuff. We’re winning hockey games. That’s the most important thing,” said Marner. Leafs coach Mike Babcock had a simple message for Marner: “When you get yourself in a spot like this, you’ve got to work your way out of it. The other thing is, how many shots on goal are you getting? How much are you around the net? Those are the simple measures. Don’t be overthinking. When you work real hard, you get rewarded.” LET’S PLAY TWO: Leaf Connor Carrick was looking forward to the scheduling quirk that has Toronto facing Boston on back-to-back nights: “It’s a battle of wills. It’s difficult to beat a team twice. It’s a bit of test, a mock playoff, when you get the same group back-to-back. Each team is going to find out what works, or doesn’t.” TALKING POINT: Leafs coach Mike Babcock says he wants players to talk to each other more on the ice, and yell if they have to: “The more you talk, the more you execute in the defensive zone. People that are confident, you can hear them all over the rink. You can hear Ron Hainsey in the booth (200 feet above rink level). Some guys you never hear. That’s why they never have the puck.” HALL PASSES: The 2017 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees will be honoured all weekend, leading up to Monday’s ceremony. Babcock was a protégé of Clare Drake, a builder voted in largely for his time as head coach for the University of Alberta Golden Bears and in international hockey. “He’s a special man,” Babcock said, “a real pioneer, and a guy who had a lot of impact on a lot of coaches. Perry Pearn and Ken Hitchcock and Dave King, were those guys that were in Clare’s group.” MOORE MEMORIES: With Dave Andreychuk among four retired NHLers heading into hockey’s shrine, Leafs centre Dominic Moore relived his childhood as a Leafs fan. Andreychuk was a Leaf in the early to mid- 1990s, a high point in the franchise’s post-Stanley Cup years. “That was the prime of my Leaf fanship,” Moore said. “with Andreychuk and Dougie (Doug Gilmour). I remember well just how complementary those guys were to each other. Andreychuk was the best in the business at what he did in front of the net. I remember some incredible goals — a guy his size, being able to spin and roof one on the backhand.” Andreychuk was the last Leaf (following and Gary Leeman) to score 50 goals in a season.

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082748 Toronto Maple Leafs “I agree,” says Bergeron, gesturing at Marchand. “This type is a little bit more entertaining, though.

“He always impressed me with how he just wanted to have an impact,” Reformed Marchand lets chirps fall where they may: Arthur added Bergeron. “He didn’t care how he was going to make that team, but he was going to make it. And in his way, he was going to make sure you weren’t going to take his spot. That’s the attitude I liked from him By BRUCE ARTHURSports Columnist from day one. And he still has that same mentality. Come and grab it from him.” Fri., Nov. 10, 2017 He is not letting the kids take the game from him, not yet. Marchand, for his part, is asked: How did you change? The game has changed, right? Brad Marchand, tell me how the game “I think I’ve had some good help along the way,” said Marchand. has changed. “Management, coaches, they’ve always really worked with me to change, and — I probably wouldn’t if I didn’t have that push to continue to “There’s no chirping anymore,” said the 29-year-old Boston Bruins star change, and to be a player and not an agitator.” before a Friday night game in Toronto, his first after missing two games with a concussion. “It’s unbelievable. Nobody chirps anymore. You’re not He thought about it for a second. Wait. allowed to say — you can’t say anything. Everybody’s worried about what they’re going to say, there’s mics everywhere, and I think that’s part “Would I have changed? Yeah, I probably would have changed, because of the reason refs are cracking down: s--- gets picked up on mics.” I think I have a longer career ahead of me if I play this way instead of the other way. Guys like that can be replaced, but if you can find your niche Of course, across the room David Pastrnak was telling reporters that the and do something that other guys can’t do, and that’s the way I was one thing he has learned from Marchand was trash talk, and that he had pushed, to be more like Bergy. Playing with him, he holds guys to a a couple lines in his back pocket for his good friend William Nylander. A certain standard. You want to pull your weight.” few lockers down, centre Patrice Bergeron allowed that “I still hear Brad once or twice, he’s still out there. But he doesn’t get carried away with it. He is pulling his weight. And still, when the mood strikes, someone’s He doesn’t lose his cool. He stays in the game, you know? He’s so funny, chain. Sometimes, we all need to feel young again. though. He’s so quick.”

Still, Marchand insisted: Nobody really trash-talks in hockey anymore. But isn’t there a place for slightly more family-acceptable chirping? Is that Toronto Star LOADED: 11.11.2017 possible? “Family-acceptable chirping?” asked Marchand. “What’s the point of that? Why am I going to chirp a guy, like, ‘You stink’? That’s not going to do anything.” Marchand could tell other players they stink, but they can’t reply in kind. He entered Friday with 99 points in his previous 92 games, since the start of last season. In that span, among healthy players, only Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby were ahead in points per game. He played for Team Canada at the World Cup, on the top line. Marchand started out as a low-bridging, crap-talking, edge-hitting, stop-hitting-yourself agitator. He was fast, sure, had skill. But that was overshadowed by the . . . er . . . antics. Now? He has grown most of the way up, and in the process has become one barometer of how hockey has evolved, in leaps and glides. Chirping? That’s one. Skating? Marchand used to take a month or more off if the Bruins went out early. Then he saw how Zdeno Chara only took a week off before skating again, and Marchand joined him. He started training with Crosby. He had one lax summer four or five years ago, and waited until the end of July to get back on the ice. He says it took him until Christmas to catch up. “It’s not about how much you can lift anymore and how much you can run,” said Marchand. “It’s all about guys that can skate. There’s no way to compete with these young guys who are coming up with their skill and skating ability if you’re not doing what they’re doing, or doing more.” What about agitating? That, too, has waned. As Marchand put it, “I’m trying to get away from the s--- a little bit, and I have, just because they crack down on it so easily now and I can’t afford to get suspended. . . . There are very few guys on any team that even get into anything. These kids that come up now, they’re all skill players, they don’t get into it. There’s no fighters anymore.” He sounds old, right? That marvellous little bastard got old. He mentions that Toronto’s Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov run around some, like he used to, but that Kadri has been calmed down by Mike Babcock. He’s a little wistful. “Yeah, (agitating) is fun, it is,” said Marchand. “My first year, I was playing with (Shawn) Thornton and (Gregory) Campbell, and every single whistle we were getting into it, and we had a lot of fun at first. But it’s just not there anymore. The times.” Now, in fairness, he’s not a whole new person. He’s not a nun. Marchand trash-talked the Russians in the World Cup last year. There’s a Bruins TV show from 2015 where he’s blabbering in a game with Vancouver and Chara pulls him aside and says, “We don’t need that.” Marchand says, “I’ll be good.” In the very next clip he says to Dan Hamhuis, “Nice chin, Dan.” But he’s calmer. He’s a power-play guy, a sniper. Bergeron was his polar opposite — the picture of serene hockey class, versus the little guy who liked to start parking-lot fights. They’re more alike than they used to be. 1082749 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs-Bruins doubleheader might have playoff feel

By KEVIN MCGRANSports Reporter Fri., Nov. 10, 2017

It doesn’t happen often that teams play each other in a home-and-home series on back-to-back nights. So when the Boston Bruins play the Maple Leafs on Friday night at the Air Canada Centre, then Saturday night at TD Garden, the series might have a bit of a playoff feel. “It’s a big game within our division,” said Leafs defenceman Ron Hainsey. “You like to put as much distance between us as you can. If you can somehow win both, you know you’re in good shape standings-wise. But if you lose both, you’re not in great shape. It should be fun.” It’s possible bad blood could carry over from one game to the other, and both teams have six periods to adjust to each other. “It’s an opportunity to measure yourself against the same team both nights,” said Leafs defenceman Connor Carrick. “It’s a battle of wills. It’s difficult to beat a team twice. It’s a bit of a test, a mock playoff, when you get the same group back-to-back. Each team is going to find out what works — or doesn’t — tonight, and that will be the message to work on tomorrow.” The Leafs are expected to play Frederik Andersen (9-6-0, 3.33, .898) in net against Boston’s Anton Khudobin (3-0-1, 2.52, .926), on Friday night. The Bruins seemed inclined to keep Tuukka Rask for their home game. No lineup changes were expected for the Leafs with Auston Matthews remaining day-to-day with an undisclosed upper-body injury. The Bruins are without a number of key players, including forwards David Backes (colon surgery) and David Krejci (upper body) plus defenceman Adam McQuaid (broken right fibula).

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082750 Toronto Maple Leafs

JVR, Marleau spark Leafs past Bruins

By MARK ZWOLINSKISports reporter Fri., Nov. 10, 2017

The Maple Leafs played the kind of game they needed to play Friday night, with star centre Auston Matthews on the injury shelf. Tight checking in the neutral zone and strong forechecking were hallmarks of their performance against the Boston Bruins at the Air Canada Centre, in the opener of a home-and-home series. It paid off in the end, with James van Riemsdyk scoring his second goal of the night with a minute to go in the third period, setting the stage for Patrick Marleau's 3-2 winner in overtime. “You want the puck on (Marleau's) stick when the game's on the line,” van Riemsdyk said. “He has a lot of tools in his tool box. He sees a lot of ice. He finds guys on the ice, and for sure we have some good chemistry (on a line with Tyler Bozak).” Van Riemsdyk scored his seventh goal of the season in the final minute of the second period, then tipped in a lovely slap pass from Mitch Marner to force OT. Marner, who has been getting heat for his pass-first mentality with just one goal on the season, also set up Marleau's winner at 1:07 of the extra period. He faked a slapshot and passed off to the right faceoff circle, where Jake Gardiner slid the puck to the corner of the crease and Marleau tipped it home for the Leafs' third win in a row — and second without Matthews. Leafs left wing James van Riemsdyk (25) celebrates as Tyler Bozak (42) and Nazem Kadri (43) look on as a loose puck is jammed into the net past Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin. Van Riemsdyk scored his seventh goal of the season in the final minute of the second period. Leafs left wing James van Riemsdyk (25) celebrates as Tyler Bozak (42) and Nazem Kadri (43) look on as a loose puck is jammed into the net past Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin. Van Riemsdyk scored his seventh goal of the season in the final minute of the second period. “People talk shoot first, pass first. I think you just want to make the right play . . .” van Riemsdyk said. “Mitch is a fun person to be around. Everyone wants to score goals, but some plays — like the ones he made tonight — show what he has in him. He was huge for us tonight. “It's more than just pass first, too. It's about putting the puck in the right area, where someone else can get it. It's not always the wow pass . . . Mitch is a smart player.” Boston grabbed a 2-1 lead on a David Pastrnak goal with one second remaining on a Bruins power play in the second period. That was almost enough to deliver the two points for the Bruins on a night when scoring was tough to come by. Patrice Bergeron had the other goal for the Bruins, who will turn around and host the Leafs on Saturday. This night will be a tough act to follow — the Hall of Fame Game with all seven of this year's inductees on hand plus several more greats of the game. Darryl Sittler drew loud cheers, spurred when his introduction reminded fans that the former Leafs captain racked up his record 10-point game against the Bruins. Dave Andreychuk, the last Leaf to score 50 goals, also got the crowd going, as did Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. Veterans of the Second World War also received an ovation on the eve of Remembrance Day ceremonies. After that electric opening, the Leafs and Bruins worked hard but couldn't produce anything until the late stages of the second period. Bergeron scored on a half-slapshot while turning to take a pass in the middle from Brad Marchand for the game's first goal.

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082751 Toronto Maple Leafs

Marleau marks 101st game winner

Lance Hornby November 11, 2017 12:04 AM EST

Mike Babcock used the Hall of Fame Game to remind the assembled all- stars at the ACC of a future candidate in their midst. Patrick Marleau’s overtime goal at the 1:07 mark was his 101st game winner and earned him the player of the game award by a Hall committee which replaces the usual three star announcement. Marleau has played more than 1,500 NHL games, is nearing 1,100 points and won two gold medals for Canada at the Olympics, which fills some of the hole where he’d like a Stanley Cup to be. “A hundred and one game winners … he’s got to be in the Hall doesn’t he?,” Babcock asked rhetorically. “When you look at it, it’s quite a club. Until you go to one of the (induction) events, you don’t realize how special it is, how proud they are to be part of that club.” New Leaf Marleau had never been in a Hall of Fame Game before and was thus surprised to be greeted by Hall chairman Lanny McDonald at centre ice after getting the MVP nod. The 38-year-old Marleau once met the fellow Westerner when he managed one of the world hockey championship teams Marleau was part of. But the goal had to survive an offside challenge by the Bruins, during which Marleau agreed “your heart stops a little bit”. It was the second time in as many games that Marleau has scored in the centre role of the injured Auston Matthews, though Friday’s goal actually came during 3-on-3 play with scrambled mates Mitch Marner and defenceman Jake Gardiner. Marleau was throwing his weight around, too, taking a run at big Bruin Zdeno Chara. Marleau’s successful Toronto assimilation was evident earlier Friday morning when his four boys excitedly awoke to their first home snowfall after growing up in San Jose.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082752 Toronto Maple Leafs Boston chose to start Khudobin with his .926 save percentage, keeping Tuukka Rask for Saturday when the Leafs will likely substitute Andersen for Curtis McElhinney. The second game and travel might also see Leafs rally for late win over Bruins to open home and home series Roman Polak come in on defence. Forwards Marchand and Noel Acciara made it back in the lineup for Boston, which has been dogged by injuries of late and has just one Lance Hornby regulation road win to date. Hainsey knew better than to think Boston would be pushovers, with players such as Burlington-born Bruin Jordan November 10, 2017 11:15 PM EST Szwarz anxious to please about 20 friends and family who asked for tickets.

“There are a lot of (Boston) guys up here who are capable and champing Maple Leafs centre Patrick Marleau (left) scores past Bruins goalie Anton to get in the lineup,” Hainsey said. Khudobin during overtime action in Toronto on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press) “(Back-to-back) doesn’t happen too often the way the (balanced) schedule is now. It’s a big game in our division and you like to put as This Hall Of Fame Game badly needed some game breakers. much distance as possible if you can. If you can win both, you’re in good Many yesteryear stars were in the stands at the Air Canada Centre, but shape standings-wise. Lose both and you’re not in great shape.” they didn’t have to come down in the end, after Maple Leafs James van

Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner injected late excitement into a 3-2 overtime win over Boston. The two hooked up for the tying goal with a minute in Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.11.2017 regulation and Frederik Andersen pulled, van Riemsdyk’s second of the night. Then Marner lifted himself another step out of an early season slump by assisting on Patrick Marleau’s winner. Toronto took the first of a home and home with the Bruins and recorded its third home win in as many games to take back lost ground from terrible Western road trip. “It’s great to see Mitch be important at the end and get a couple of points,” said head coach Mike Babcock. “He’s looking for some positive reinforcement. You work real hard and the game rewards you. “It was a great night for our team. It looked like we were getting nothing and we got two points. Boston did a good job and it was probably boring to watch.” Marner, with no goals in 17 games since the season opener, says he only cares if team points are being generated. “It’s about the wins. By the time we got back from that trip. Everyone just wanted to stand up and do a little bit more, we keep pushing through.” That’s two wins without leading scorer Auston Matthews, who will miss a third game in Boston on Saturday and then likely return from a suspected back ailment with the four-day break that follows. Van Riemsdyk’s power-play goals ended a 2-for-21 slump by the power play, a source of frustration for the coach. “It hasn’t been good lately, but we have good people and good schemes and we have to get back to it,” Babcock said. “It was nice we were able to respond in that area (to a David Pastrnak man-advantage goal late in the third). And (scoring) on a 6-on-5.” Marner found van Riemsdyk after sustained pressure. “All of us on the ice were doing a good job of hustling, keeping the play alive, keeping pucks alive,” van Riemsdyk said. “The defence made some great plays up top to keep it in on dirty pucks. We were in their end a long time and that makes it hard to play against us.” The teams had struggled mightily at times in the opener of the divisional back-to-back, watched by six of the Hall’s seven new members and a crowd of past inductees. A legends committee charged with selecting player of the game was probably stuck for a name until the third period and OT when Marleau was eventually chosen. The goaltenders, Andersen of the Leafs and Anton Khudobin of Boston deserved much of the kudos. In their second game without injured top gun Matthews, the Leafs had 33 shots. But they had issues finishing some good chances and generated little 5-on-5. Only a van Riemsdyk power play goal was registered early on. Boston has now lost six straight against Toronto dating back to 2015- 16. The most exciting exchange of a dreary first 40 minutes came in the final five of the second period. After Riley Nash fed Tim Schaller close in with Andersen barring the door, Paul Postma stumbled with the puck in his own slot, allowing Dominic Moore a gift. But Khudobin stayed with Moore’s deke attempt. That set the stage for two goals, Brad Marchand swinging out of the corner to find Patrice Bergeron for a high one-timer before Ron Hainsey could shut him down. The Leafs survived a Jake Gardiner delay of game call and put in their own extra man goal before the frame ended. Khudobin let out a big rebound and van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri both seemed to get a stick on it before the former got credit. 1082753 Toronto Maple Leafs

Battered Bruins will have Marchand back against Leafs

Lance Hornby November 10, 2017 1:08 PM EST

TORONTO — When playing a team twice in 48 hours, it helps to know the opposition’s personnel. That intel will be harder to come by for the Maple Leafs on Friday night as they face a Boston Bruins team with a number of call-ups in their lineup due to injury. Toronto will likely be without its leading scorer Auston Matthews, but the devastation in Beantown is far worse. They have 63 man games lost to injuries barely a month into the schedule where the Leafs have less than 10. Introducing Anders Bjork, Jordan Szwarz, Danton Heinen, Rob O’Gara and Sean Kuraly, filling in for such familiar names as David Krejci, David Backes, Adam McQuaid and Ryan Spooner. Brad Marchand was cleared to return from an upper body issue, but veteran Leaf defenceman Ron Hainsey says the Leafs can’t look at the short-handed Bruins handing over four easy points here on Friday and on Saturday at TD Garden. “The old saying goes, there’s injuries throughout the year and there are a lot of (Boston) guys up here who are capable and chomping to get in. We have to execute our game plan,” Hainsey said. Centre Dominic Moore played last year in Boston and is good friends with Backes and McQuaid. He has at least heard of some of the Bruin newcomers. “I’m aware of how guys play more than people who haven’t seen them as much, but in this league you know what you are going up against most nights,” Moore said. Toronto coach Mike Babcock continued his tight-lipped “day-to-day” comment on a suspected minor back injury that’s hindering Matthews. Should Matthews not appear in the home-and-home, Toronto doesn’t suit up again until Thursday, at home against the Devils, so Matthews would have lots of extra rest. Babcock said goaltender Frederik Andersen and defenceman Jake Gardiner would play Friday after both were held out of Thursday’s practice. Defence pair Connor Carrick and Andreas Borgman will be back, too, after a bit of a rough outing in Wednesday’s win over Minnesota. But with the second game and travel, Roman Polak could come in or Babcock could give Marlie call-up Frederik Gauthier a try at forward. “(Back-to-back) doesn’t happen too often the way the (balanced) schedule is now,” Hainsey said. “It’s a big game in our division and you like to put as much distance as possible if you can. If you can win both, you’re in good shape standings-wise. Lose both and you’re not in great shape.” Friday is also the annual Hall of Fame Game ahead of Monday’s induction. Teemu Selanne, Paul Kariya, Dave Andreychuk, Mark Recchi, Danielle Goyette and builder Jeremy Jacobs will be honoured and a number of Hall members will be in attendance. Babcock congratulated all the inductees, but like many, regrets that 89-year-old Canadian coaching legend Clare Drake was not able to travel for his placement in the builders’ wing. “I talked to his wife (Dolly) the other day,” Babcock said. “A real pioneer. I’ve said it many times he’s Canada’s version of John Wooden, a gentleman to say the least and a guy who had an impact on a lot of coaches.” Andersen will be opposing Anton Khudobin in the Boston net. Khudobin’s record is 3-0-1 as Tuukka Rask is saved for the home game, but neither beat the Leafs in four chances last season.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082754 Toronto Maple Leafs “It's great to see Mitch be important at the end and get a couple of points,” coach Mike Babcock added. “He's looking for some positive

reinforcement from the game. If you work real hard, the game usually Mirtle: Are the Maple Leafs closer to getting Mitch Marner back on track? rewards you, so good for him. A good night for our team. Obviously, it looked like we were getting nothing and suddenly you get two (points). That's positive.”

James Mirtle And it is, especially with Auston Matthews set to miss his third consecutive game on Saturday in the rematch in Boston. The Leafs need 4 hours ago to keep grinding past the absence of their best player, however they can.

But what they need more than that in the long term is for the players that There was a point there late last season, after 55 games, that Mitch had big years for them a year ago to step up and return to that form. Marner sat 22nd in NHL scoring. They need Gardiner back being Gardiner (more on that here and here). They need Frederik Andersen to be more than a .900 goalie. And JVR As a rookie — one who may not have even made the team out of camp and Bozak to be able to log more minutes at even strength. — he was on pace for 71 points, including a ridiculous 49 assists. It was a better pace than Joe Thorton. It would have put him ahead of Alex Otherwise, the Leafs are treading water from last year's 95-point finish. Ovechkin, Jamie Benn, John Tavares and even Auston Matthews had he Even with improvements from the likes of Rielly and the additions of carried it through to season's end. Marleau and Hainsey, the Leafs can't progress if there's such a marked regression from five key players. That's not how this works. But Marner got hurt the next game, Feb. 15 in Columbus. And from then on, he simply wasn't the same player. So they need what happened against the Bruins — and this somewhat fortuitous three-game win streak — to be the start of something. He hasn't really been since. JVR, for his part, believes it will be. He believes his line — with Bozak His production drop off has been hard to miss. In fact, since that point, if and Marner — can be what it was a year ago: a consistent weapon that we include the first 17 games this season, he produced only five goals in makes Toronto very hard for other teams to match up against. his next 39 games. Since that game, his point pace went from 71 per 82 to just 46 prorated over a full year. “For whatever reason, some pucks weren't going in for us earlier in the year,” van Riemsdyk said of the fact they produced only three even- Seven Leafs outscored him in that span, including Jake Gardiner and strength goals as a unit prior to Friday. “They seemed to be going in our Connor Brown. Leo Komarov and Morgan Rielly, meanwhile, weren't far net. But I thought our process and stuff like that was pretty good. I behind. thought we got some unfortunate bounces and stuff like that that you And that was with Marner loaded up with power-play minutes and good have to fight through. When that happens, things tend to get shaken up, linemates. At even strength, he had produced just 12 points in those 39 especially when you have as much depth as we have. games — fewer than Zach Hyman (13) and tied for 10th on the Leafs “You'd like to think when we got a chance to play back together that we with Nikita Zaitsev and Komarov. can pick up where we left off last year. Hopefully this is a step towards He was more of a bit player, offensively, than one of their young stars. that.”

11.11.2017= These three clearly never wanted to be broken up. They enjoy being together, both on and off the ice. (JVR said they'd had competitive games So Marner was, arguably, the best of the Leafs' rookies at times early on of NHL 18 of late, video game battles where they create their own in 2016-17. More than a one-dimensional skill player, he was a puck players and play head-to-head.) hound, all over the forecheck and backcheck every time he didn't have the puck. Last season, those three were the second-most frequently used line combo in the entire NHL, behind only the Ducks' Cogliano-Kesler- He also had the confidence to try dekes and passes that few players in Silfverberg unit. Together, JVR-Bozak-Marner outscored the opposition the league would. He looked, at times, like Patrick Kane Lite — which is 47-38, making them a top-15 line leaguewide in terms of even-strength a good comparison given the Blackhawks star has long been his idol. goal differential.

But we haven't really seen that Marner nearly enough this season. They never ate particularly heavy minutes — not with Kadri's line given the tough assignments and opposing coaches focused on shutting down We caught some glimpses of that player at the Air Canada Centre on Matthews — but they produced. Friday night. The Leafs beat the Bruins 3-2 in overtime with a remarkable comeback, and they did so on the back of two pretty plays from Marner This year, they've been only the 51st most frequently used line in the to set up key goals. NHL, thanks to Babcock splitting them up for a pile of games to change the mix. Some of the underlying numbers indicate, however, that JVR's His vision — and his confidence with the puck — was particularly suggestion that they were the victims of bad luck wasn't particularly off. unmistakable on the tying marker by James van Riemsdyk, who scarcely had to touch the puck to record his second goal of the game. The line's possession had actually improved slightly from a year ago — from 51 per cent to 52.2 prior to Friday's win — and they were generating “I kind of knew JVR was going to slide back there,” Marner said. “Luckily a similar number of scoring chances as before. it got through to him.” With Matthews out and everything else changing as a result, Babcock In overtime, Marner made the key defensive stop after Patrick Marleau opted to go back to the familiar combination, likely knowing he needed at lost his mind on a no-look drop pass. (Hilariously, I had just made a least a little pre-existing chemistry. comment to an out-of-town sportswriter about how mistake-free Marleau had been this season.) Goals have been harder to come by during the team's recent slide, in large part due to Toronto's shooting percentage settling closer to the Marner stripped David Pastrnak and charged up the ice to create a 3-on- normal range. 2. He faked a shot then made a pass to Gardiner, who quickly found Marleau in front for another tap in. The Leafs still sit third in the NHL at 11.9 per cent in that department, in a league where the high end typically settles closer to 10.5. So there may Last season, that kind of beautiful offensive display would have been yet be more lean games to come. expected. Especially when many of their top scorers — Matthews, Kadri, JVR and This year, it stands out because we just haven't seen Mitch Marner do Brown — are shooting well above expected norms. this nearly enough. That means they'll need goals from elsewhere and more big games from “Huge points,” was what Marleau called them. “Both really great plays. Marner. They'll need to him to be what he was in the very beginning, He’s coming into his own these past few games and playing really well.” when he set expectations so high right from the start. “I mean I just want to help the team win,” Marner said. “That's all that matters here. When we got back from that (1-3-0) road trip, I just think everyone in this room wanted to stand up a little bit more and do a little bit more. That's what we're all doing.”

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082755 Toronto Maple Leafs What about when they do get that look? Are they able to generate more?

I don't really see much here to suggest things are different. It looks like a massive increase in shot attempts per shift with at least ones that start Dellow: Trouble in the work zone means not enough time in the fun zone with a defensive zone loss; the problem is that the Leafs have managed for Jake Gardiner to generate at least a single shot attempt on one of those shifts just twice in 41 tries this year, which makes the sample size — two — awfully small. Overall, I don't really see much in this aspect of it — the inability to Tyler Dellow generate the first shot attempt seems like a much bigger problem to me.

13 hours ago If you look at the other side of the coin, shot attempts allowed, it's a bit more of a mixed bag. Gardiner is up slightly in some ways, down in

others. Seventeen games into the season, it's been a pretty ugly year for…Jake Three key takeaways for me here. First, the defensive zone loss Corsi% Gardiner? Gardiner, long a favourite of analytically inclined Maple Leafs collapse is a little bit about preventing the first shot attempt but much fans, is having an awful year by possession relative to his teammates. more about generating the first shot attempt. For neutral zone wins, it's This is happening within the context of pretty much everyone else doing been a much more even problem — shot generation and shot prevention. really well, so it's a pretty big deal — if Gardiner was his usual self, the During on-the-fly shifts and after defensive zone wins, preventing the first Leafs would be looking extremely good based on the underlying shot attempt hasn't been an issue when compared to last year. numbers. Looking through the data, one conclusion emerges: the Leafs are having all kinds of problems in ending opposition possessions in the The Leafs are, however, giving up more shot attempts once they give up defensive zone and generating clean breakouts when he's on the ice. that first shot attempt with Gardiner on the ice.

Three Toronto defencemen have really struggled this year in terms of It's not a massive impact but, taken in conjunction with everything else, it possession: Roman Polak, who has barely played, Nikita Zaitsev and adds up. Obviously, sample size caveats apply. Gardiner. (Data does not include Wednesday's game against Minnesota.) My theory is that the Leafs are really struggling to do what they need to The goal difference hasn't been there for Gardiner either, after a do in the defensive zone when Gardiner's on the ice: defend, recover the sparkling season last year. puck and, in particular, break out cleanly. That would explain the decline in shot attempts, without any sort of consistent change in the rate at During Toronto's last 10 games, the Leafs have been outscored 10-5 with which multi-shot attempt shifts are occurring — they're fine in the Gardiner on the ice. He's on the wrong end of the shooting and save offensive zone once they get there, they've just struggled to get there. percentages at the moment, after spending last year on the right side of them. We've seen enough of Gardiner at this point in his career that It would also explain the change in the rate at which the opposition nobody can seriously doubt that the percentages will take care of generates at least a single shot attempt per shift being generally smaller themselves over time, but the poor possession is a new and unpleasant than the decline in the rates at which the Leafs generate at least a single development. shot attempt. If the core issue is an inability to break out cleanly, the opposition getting extra chances will be a secondary effect of that. We can break this down a little further by looking at how Gardiner Sometimes a team will turn Toronto's bumbling into shot attempts, performed by shift type last season and contrast it with this season, to sometimes it won't. see if there's anything that jumps out there. The results after defensive zone losses have been the epicentre of Gardiner's shifts starting in the offensive zone or with a neutral zone loss Gardiner's problems, so I spent some time looking at video of that. When are actually better than last season so far. There are slight dips in the on- you're watching a game, the struggles with Gardiner on the ice might look the-fly (OTF) shifts, bigger dips in the neutral zone wins and defensive something like this (watch for turnovers, guys on the wrong side of the zone wins and then the defensive zone losses have turned into an puck, lost battles and chances to establish control): absolute disaster. After watching these videos, a lot of things stuck out to me. In particular, Obviously, the Corsi% is made up of two components — shot attempts there seemed to be instances in which Gardiner and his partner Zaitsev for and shot attempts against. It can be helpful to look at how those have seemed absolutely befuddled as to who should be doing what. changed in order to get a more specific understanding as to what's going wrong. I've edited each of the above clips to pinpoint some of these instances. On the Ottawa sequence, watch Zaitsev. He starts on the right side, ends If the bar is going down, that means fewer shot attempts are being up on the left side as the play unfolds and Gardiner's not sure what to do generated. If it's going up, it means more shot attempts are being and it leads to chaos. generated. Obviously, for the blue bar, you'd like to see it going up and for the grey bar, you'd like to see it going down. I'm going to focus on the Something similar happens here. Nazem Kadri doesn't get the puck out, four shift types that have gotten worse from this point forward. What do which puts everyone into panic mode and Gardiner/Zaitsev again run into we see? confusion as to who should be doing what. They settle on nobody really defending anyone, which is generally a poor compromise. On OTF shifts and shifts starting in the defensive zone, the decline in the possession numbers with Gardiner on the ice is primarily tied up with an So, 1,400 words in, I'm at about what Jonathan Gatehouse got Mike inability to generate shot attempts. On shifts starting with neutral zone Babcock to say in October 2015: wins, the issue has primarily been a big increase in the rate at which the Leafs allow shot attempts with Gardiner on the ice. “I’m a big believer that you don’t want to play defence. Having the puck is way more fun, playing in the offensive zone is way more fun. So let’s As I discussed in my piece about the Vancouver Canucks, changes in build a structure and habits so that we can do that. If you don’t work, if shot rates can occur in a couple of different ways. Teams can become you don’t execute quick in the (defensive) zone, if you don’t slow people more or less efficient at getting into position to generate or allow an initial down through the neutral zone, you can’t be on offence. I call our end the shot attempt, or they can become more or less efficient at turning that work zone, neutral ice, the speed zone, and their end the fun zone. Let’s initial shot attempt into subsequent attempts. Knowing what's driving figure out a way to get in it.” something is helpful because it enables us to narrow the potential causes of the problem. My focus here has been on what's happening with Gardiner on the ice. I should emphasize this doesn't necessarily mean that he's the problem — So in 2016-17, more than 20 per cent of Gardiner's shifts that started with I've just identified an issue that happens to occur when he's out there. a defensive zone loss ultimately saw the Leafs generate a shot attempt With that said, I tend to agree with Colleague Dom Luszczyszyn that he on that shift. This year, that number is about five per cent. That's a pretty hasn't been good this year. The challenge for the Leafs is how to fix it. dramatic collapse. After defensive and neutral zone wins and on-the-fly Babcock experimented with Polak on Gardiner's right side during the shifts, there's been about a five to eight point drop in the likelihood of the California trip but, unsurprisingly given that Polak is coming back from a Leafs generating at least a single shot attempt if Gardiner's on the ice as pretty horrific leg injury, that didn't work. compared to last season. What we can take from this is that a lot more of Gardiner's shifts this year are taking place without the Leafs getting so I'm not really sure what the Leafs can do here beyond changing the much as a sniff of the opposition's net. pairings and maybe giving Connor Carrick and Gardiner another run together. Zaitsev is the elephant in the room — I'm well aware that a certain segment of the fan base is not overwhelmed by him. Zaitsev and Gardiner put up relatively poor possession numbers when playing together last year as well, although they were saved by the percentages in a way that they haven't been this year, particularly lately.

Intriguingly, if you contrast Gardiner's possession numbers in games where his primary partner was Zaitsev last year with those where his primary partner was someone else, it's basically worse all across the board. For whatever reason, Zaitsev hasn't worked as well for Gardiner over the past season and change as well as other partners have.

The Leafs obviously believe Zaitsev is a good player — they made a seven-year commitment to him this summer — but this is the second pair he's been on that hasn't worked as well as playing that partner with someone else. If playing with a good player makes everyone else's results worse, does it matter whether he's a good player in the abstract or not?

We'll see if this continues, but the fact that it's a continuation of a trend from last year doesn't seem particularly promising to me. If it does continue, I don't see how this pairing can last — this Maple Leafs team has too much promise to burn a third of 5-on-5 time with a defence pair that can't get out of its own way.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082756 Toronto Maple Leafs 4. Travis Dermott, D, 20 ()

Truthfully, I didn't think Dermott was a great pick at 34th overall in the 2015 draft. At that point, players such as Sebastian Aho, Filip Chlapik, Wheeler: The complete Maple Leafs prospect ranking, first edition Daniel Sprong, Jeremy Bracco and Oliver Kylington were higher on my board. In hindsight, the Leafs did well. While not a dynamic offensive presence or shooter, Dermott, has blossomed into an excellent Scott Wheeler throwback defender who, at 20, does a great job against the best in the AHL most nights. He has largely been taken off the power play this year 17 hours ago in favour of tougher matchups at even strength, but Dermott has still been steady. One knock? He's a little too undisciplined, a recurring problem. He plays smart and fast enough that he should become an My comprehensive ranking of Maple Leafs prospects will include three everyday NHL defenceman at some point in the next two years. The editions this season, including one after the summer's draft. Here, I will Leafs will need that cheap depth. rank and evaluate all 31 of the Leafs' drafted or signed prospects. 5. Carl Grundstrom, LW, 19 (Frolunda HC) Skill is paramount in the ranking. The NHL is faster than it has ever been, and puck skills and skating are increasingly important. As the Leafs add In his second full season with Frolunda after spending the two prior with depth and become more competitive, the next wave of prospects will MODO, Grundstrom has taken on an increased role on the perennial have to be more talented than past generations. SHL contender. His ice time has risen from 13:37 to 15:23 as a result. He sits fourth on Frolunda in points per game (0.6), first in shots per game Note: As always, I have arbitrarily set the age cutoff at 22 and under. (2.8) and first in goals per game (0.5). Grundstrom plays a physical, up- Data suggests that by the time a player turns 23, he is more or less done tempo style that endeared itself to Keefe in last year's playoffs and developing along his aging curve. That means players such as Kerby Babcock in this year's pre-season. He's never going to be a dynamic Rychel, Garret Sparks, Kasimir Kaskisuo, Miro Aaltonen and Calle Rosen offensive creator, but he should fashion out a role as another depth won't be included. Others, who are under 23 but aren't signed to NHL player on an entry-level deal. With a centre who can get him the puck, deals or were drafted by the team but whose rights expired, are also Grundstrom is going to be a fan favourite in Toronto. You can read more omitted. That excludes Marlies leading scorer Mason Marchment as well about his game here. as former draft picks such as Nikita Korostelev and Jack Walker (signed to an AHL deal with the Wild). Full-time Leafs, including 22-year-old 6. Jeremy Bracco, RW, 20 (Toronto Marlies) Andreas Borgman, are also ineligible. Bracco played a lot of hockey last year. Across three teams — Windsor, 1. Timothy Liljegren, D, 18 (Toronto Marlies) Kitchener, Team USA — and four different settings — OHL regular season and playoffs, world juniors and the Memorial Cup — Bracco On June 23, 2017, when the Leafs stepped to the podium at the 2017 played 77 games, posting 96 points. He played deep into the summer, NHL entry draft to pick at 17th overall, I believed their choice was simple. which cut his training period short before he caught mononucleosis. Don't It was either Liljegren or Eeli Tolvanen (taken 30th overall by the let his four games played on a deep Marlies team deter you. Once Nashville Predators). Now in November, after questions lingered over Bracco is in pro-level form, and the Marlies can open up space in their Liljegren's game after recovering from mononucleosis, the Leafs' new top roster for him regularly, he has the offensive tools to continue to develop prospect has eased concerns after a strong start to his professional in the AHL, and beyond. He is a Memorial Cup champion, world juniors career in North America. He's currently a little banged up, but Liljegren's champion and the U.S. national program's all-time leader in assists. five points in nine games lead all Marlies defencemen, while his defensive play continues to improve with a rotating cast of partners, 7. Eemeli Rasanen, D, 18 (Kingston Frontenacs) including Martin Marincin and Travis Dermott. Only three under-19 The Leafs have too often gone to the well of hulking defencemen and players have appeared in the AHL this season (Filip Chytil, Klim Kostin, wingers in recent years on draft day. While some of those players are Liljegren). Liljegren is the only defenceman, and he hasn't looked out of featured in this ranking, on most occasions, the organization missed. place. With Rasanen, they may not have. In his sophomore season in the OHL, 2. , RW, 21 (Toronto Marlies) Rasanen has taken on huge minutes and a leadership role as an assistant captain in Kingston. Early on, he's thriving. At 6-foot-7, he's one By his recent standards, Kapanen is off to a slow start this season with of the biggest elite-level hockey players in the world. Unlike some of his three goals in six games with the Marlies. Still, dating back to his 20th counterparts, he's gifted offensively. Rasanen sits third among under-19 birthday, Kapanen has 54 points and 150 shots in 58 AHL games, good OHL defencemen in scoring this season — behind 2018 projected first- for a 76-point pace and 2.6 shots per game as one of the youngest round picks Evan Bouchard and Ryan Merkley — with 14 points in 17 players in the league in that span. Last season, the only players in the games. He can score with his shot, does a nice job finding forwards with AHL of similar age to Kapanen who produced at or near his offensive clip stretch passes, plays extremely physical without taking a lot of penalties (Brendan Perlini and Kevin Labanc, who are both older than Kapanen) and continues to improve as an above-average skater for his size. He are now full-time NHL players. Kapanen shouldn't be far behind. He has room for growth, too. remains one of the best skaters (if not the best) in the Leafs organization. He has the skill and pace to be an excellent NHL winger, even if we've 8. Adam Brooks, 21 (Toronto Marlies) only seen it in flashes so far in his young career. In his last 17 games After two of the more dominant seasons in recent memory in junior under Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, Kapanen has played more than hockey, Brooks has struggled to adapt to his depth role with the Marlies 13:40 minutes only once. The game was April 15, 2017. He was on the as a rookie. He looks hesitant with the puck, he isn't generating shots ice for 16:30 minutes, scored two goals, picked up four shots, finished and he is passing too much. Still, he has remained a regular in the lineup with a plus-2 rating and scored the playoff overtime winner. and continues to play centre, suggesting he's viewed favourably in the 3. Andreas Johnsson, LW, 22 (Toronto Marlies) organization. He has the puck skills and ability to be a creative, playmaking centre at the pro level. He should ease into a more offensive I've been tire-pumping Johnsson since his rookie-of-the-year season in role eventually, where he's more likely to develop his game. He's an the SHL. Were it not for a concussion in his second game for the Marlies effective forechecker and he certainly doesn't lack work ethic. He's in the in May 2016, I believe Johnsson would be in the NHL. I remember same tier as Bracco and Rasanen. watching a pair of games against Utica last February and identifying when that Johnsson was finally back. He'd been good all year, but he has 9. Dmytro Timashov, RW/LW, 21 (Toronto Marlies) been better than good since, posting 35 points in 42 regular-season After getting outplayed by Trevor Moore for minutes outside of depth games alongside a team-high six goals during their two-round run in the even-strength play last year, Timashov has bounced back and earned a playoffs. What's most impressive about Johnsson is how far his spot on the Marlies' top power-play unit early this season. He has nine defensive game has come. Early in his career in Sweden, he was purely points in his last eight games while playing further up the lineup. He's a trigger man with a knack for finding open space on the big ice surface slowly becoming more than just a playmaking option with a wide base for his shot. Today, Johnsson is still a scoring threat. He's also Marlies after working diligently on his shot all summer. Timashov, like Brooks, head coach Sheldon Keefe's most reliable two-way player. His NHL call- was dominant at the junior level — even on a Quebec team that offered up is overdue. him no help. It may take him some time to get there at the pro level, and he tends to hang onto the puck a touch too long, but if his start to this fooled. Lindgren is playing 20:50 per night (second on his team by nine season is any indication, he's trending upward fast. seconds) and has run into bad luck with just one goal on 45 shots on one of 's weaker teams. Relatively speaking, he's playing more than 10. Yegor Korshkov, RW, 21 (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) other young Liiga defenders such as Robin Salo (Islanders) and Olli Korshkov, a notoriously slow starter, has nine points and 21 shots in his Juolevi (Canucks). He has struggled to put on weight since his draft year last 10 KHL games, while playing a shade more than 13 minutes per and that's a concern (he's 161 pounds) but there might still be something game. Fully recovered from a brutal broken leg that cost him the bulk of there. last season, Korshkov has resumed his spot as one of the best young 16. Ian Scott, G, 18 (Prince Albert Raiders) players in arguably the second-best pro league. I wouldn't have taken him 31st overall in 2016 as an over-ager, but he plays a heavy game It's a small sample size, but Scott is playing exceedingly well early this effectively, and drives off the wing to the net to create chances. That season, with a 4-2 record and a .927 save percentage. If you dig deeper, should translate well to the AHL, if he decides to come to North America. it's not as recent a trend as it might appear for a goalie whose numbers The Leafs have a lot of talent on the wing, but few who can play at didn't flatter him last year. In his final six starts last season, he posted a Korshkov's height (6-foot-4). He's got above-average hands, too. .934 save percentage. In his last dozen WHL games, he has stopped 320 out of 344 shots for a .930 save percentage. Behind the first not- 11. Andrew Nielsen, D, 21 (Toronto Marlies) awful team of his junior hockey career (one that has seen him play a lot This is where the ranking begins to taper off. To Nielsen's credit, after a for his age after being taken as the first goalie picked, at No. 9, in the dreadful playoffs with the Marlies last year, he has played some good 2014 WHL bantam draft), Scott's strong fundamentals and positioning hockey to start the season, fighting his way back into a regular lineup have begun to shine through. He's not overly athletic and needs to fill out spot, which didn't look like a guarantee after his first couple of games. His his lean 6-foot-3 frame. There's also enough in his track record to skating remains an issue, but he's not taking as many minor penalties — suggest caution with his recent surge. a positive sign. Still, it's his offensive ability as a passer and shooter 17. Trevor Moore, LW, 22 (Toronto Marlies) that's going to carry him a step further, if he wants a real shot at playing in the NHL because some of his defensive deficiencies. After an excellent end to his collegiate career, Moore arrived in Toronto and played well as a rookie in the AHL last season. Relatively speaking, 12. Joseph Woll, G, 19 (Boston College) he's off to a slow start this year. There's a lot to like in his game. He's one After a hugely successful freshman year at Boston College last season, of the Marlies' shiftier players, he's aggressive on his lifts to come away Woll struggled out of the gate behind a weaker team to begin the 2017- with takeaways, and he skates well. But there's nothing in his game that 18 campaign. He had three strong games and three weak outings in his suggests he's going to be more than a fringe injury replacement at the first six starts. But lately, he has looked like the Woll of old. In the month next level. Moore might just end up being an effective top-nine scorer in of November, in his seventh and eighth starts of the year, Woll is 2-0 with the AHL, and that's fine. a .960 save percentage, stopping 48 of 50 shots. Woll meticulously 18. Pierre Engvall, RW/LW, 21, (HV71) studies technique. In the times I have spoken to him, it's clear that he's obsessed with his craft. His longtime goalie coach once told me that Woll After breaking his clavicle on a brutal hit in his eighth game of the year in kept a pamphlet he gave him years earlier on goalie technique at his the SHL this season, Engvall's chances with the Leafs organization are bedside table. You can see it in his game, too — in the way he plays his probably closer to zero than just about anyone on this list given that his butterfly, challenges shooters and isn't erratic in his movements. rights expire next summer. The hit required surgery, and he's out of action until near the end of the season. Still, I really liked where Engvall's 13. Martins Dzierkals, RW/LW, 20 (training in secret with skills coaches) game was at to start the year. He was outstanding in the Dzierkals is the biggest wild card. His numbers in junior, which don't jump HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs last year and kicked off his first season on a off the page, are stunted by the fact that he played a good chunk of the low-scoring HV71 team in the SHL with four points in eight games and last two seasons with one or two seriously sprained ankles. Mix in an four in five more in the Champions Hockey League. He's a big kid with average shot, and you might wonder why I've ranked him this high. But skill, and his skating was coming along, but it's a tough break. Dzierkals is also one of the better skaters on his edges in the 19. Rinat Valiev, D, 22 (Toronto Marlies) organization, a kid who can cut laterally with fakes and shifts at an extremely high level. When you can skate and handle the puck as well as Valiev had an injury derail his season last year, but he's back to full he can, there's a lot to work with. This month, I saw him working on his health now and playing well on the Marlies' third pair and second penalty- shot with Leafs skills coach Mike Ellis at MasterCard Centre, the Leafs kill unit. Given the Leafs' depth on defence right now, he's well down the practice facility. Like Mason Marchment last year, who was a less list of potential call-ups. That doesn't bode well for his odds going productive junior player than Dzierkals, the Leafs and Marlies appear to forward. He will almost surely need a change of scenery if he's going to believe off-ice strength training and on-ice skills development is a better have a chance at getting back to the NHL, where he played 10 games path forward for Dzierkals than Orlando or Rouyn-Noranda. He was with the Leafs in 2015-16. He's a decent skater and passer, who tries to outstanding at rookie camp and the rookie tournament, but he needs to jump into the play, but lacks strong offensive tools at the pro level. get stronger. 20. Dakota Joshua, C, 21 (Ohio State University) 14. Frederik Gauthier, C, 22 (Toronto Marlies) Joshua has quietly become a strong player at a good program in the Gauthier exists in this fringe area where he's well-liked by the Leafs and NCAA. After a breakout last season on a stacked Ohio State team (his Marlies, but the clock is ticking. The next time I do this ranking, he'll be 35 points in 33 games was fourth in team scoring), Joshua hasn't started days away from turning 23 and graduating from being an ambiguous as strongly this year. Still, he has the athleticism and the physical tools — “prospect.” He may still become a reliable fourth-line centre in the NHL — which can also lead to him taking too many penalties – to be given a shot he certainly won't cost a team in any noticeable way — who can penalty with the Marlies or Solar Bears once he graduates or decides to turn pro. kill and take key draws, but the odds are stacked against him in much the He's a straightaway centre who has played the wing and attacks north- same way as they are for the rest of the players below him on this list. south in waves.

15. Jesper Lindgren, D, 20 (HPK) 21. J.J. Piccinich, RW, 21 (Orlando Solar Bears)

I've always had an appreciation for the way Lindgren plays. In 2015, the Piccinich plays an effective game, quickly endears himself to coaches, year he was drafted, I ranked him in the late 50s as a fringe second but will almost certainly never progress past the AHL, let alone with a rounder. I still believe the Leafs did well to land him at 95th overall. deep group in Toronto. Piccinich is a well-rounded player with some Despite playing 30 games for MODO in his draft and post-draft seasons, talent, but doesn't possess the kind of high-end talent a player needs to he was never given a real chance to play more than third-pairing minutes make the jump to the NHL. He likely becomes a depth forward for the until they were demoted to HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier, and he Marlies at some point, playing the penalty kill. He may slide up the lineup stepped into a leading role last year as the team's highest-scoring if there are injuries to other players. defenceman and the league's top under-20 defender by a landslide. Now playing at a higher level on a one-year contract in Liiga, the Finnish Elite 22. Fedor Gordeev, D, 18 (Flint Firebirds) League, that takes him to the edge of his Leafs rights (likely in hopes of Gordeev had a coming-out party at this year's rookie tournament. While coming to North America next season), Lindgren is thriving. While his most of the defencemen struggled, he played really well. On a Leafs three points in 21 games doesn't showcase his offensive gifts, don't be defence that looked slow, the towering Gordeev stood out as a strong the Canada-Russia Series, but I'd put his odds at nearly zero for cracking skater. He has returned to a weak Flint team and is playing well in an a stacked Team Canada defence. increased role. He doesn't have a ton of ability as a passer or shooter, but he handles the puck well and creates entries with his feet after years 30. Vladimir Bobylev, RW/LW, 20 (Toros Neftekamsk) as a forward in minor hockey. Gordeev has a long road to becoming a Bobylev looked pedestrian in both this summer's rookie camp and this pro at any level, but there are some tools to work with. That makes him fall's rookie tournament before the Marlies gave him a chance to join their an interesting prospect at this stage. pre-season road trip. He didn't take advantage and now he's back in the 23. Nikolai Chebykin, RW/LW, 20 (St. Petersburg) VHL as a fringe option in the KHL. Bobylev has strength along the wall and decent speed at the junior level, but he was never able to overcome Chebykin has been unstoppable in the MHL (Russia's top junior league) and be better than just good with Victoria. His path with the Leafs is, in all for the last two seasons. He's a physical, powerful, shot-first winger with likelihood over, at any level. zero discipline (and I mean zero. He snaps on a regular basis.) After briefly beginning the season back in the MHL, he has posted three points 31. Nolan Vesey, LW, 22 (University of Maine) in five games in the VHL (Russia's AHL-equivalent for the KHL). There's After a promising freshman year, Vesey hasn't taken the proper steps a lot of raw ability in his game, and it'll be fascinating to see what the forward, at all, since. His rights will expire when he graduates and that Marlies' coaches could do with the 6-foot-3, 210-pound winger. That said, will be that. He benefitted from playing with Penguins prospect Blaine I doubt he'll ever come over and he's a project at best. Byron last season and that has showed with his absence this year. Given 24. Vladislav Kara, C, 19 (Bars Kazan) the ties to Vesey's father Jim, who scouts for the Leafs, maybe he'll get a tryout with the Marlies or Solar Bears, but I doubt it. I was going back and forth with Kara and Chebykin for this ranking. Kara looked good on Thursday night for Team Russia in the Canada-Russia 11.11.2017= Series, but I think he tops out at a lower ceiling than Chebykin. Still, Kara I have also broken down the ranking into tiers, in the same way my draft has been excellent in the VHL, though he struggled in his first stint in the rankings are divided into tiers, in order to provide more context on their KHL this season. He has earned consideration to play for Russia at the potential fluidity. world juniors, even though it's a long shot. He gets in on the forecheck and has developed quickly in the last 12 months. If he continues at this The tiers denote players who are tightly grouped. Ranking one player a pace, he'll be higher on the spring ranking. Like Chebykin, he's got a big couple of spots lower than another doesn't always mean there's a huge shot and tries to use it as often as possible. gap in their potential future development, or in their ceiling.

25. Ryan O'Connell, D, 18 (Penticton Vees)

The Leafs took a flier on O'Connell out of St. Andrew's College. He's The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 making a one-year pitstop in the British Columbia Hockey League to play against better competition before heading to Boston University next year. He's a long way from being a top prospect but he's playing well in all situations in a top Jr. A program before heading to a college that churns out offensive defencemen. I like O'Connell's game, but he's raw after deciding to go the prep school route instead of the USHL or OHL path. O'Connell is a gifted skater, who does a wonderful job moving the puck up ice as a passer.

26. Nicolas Mattinen, D, 19 (Flint Firebirds)

Mattinen, who was drafted in 2016 after being a healthy scratch in the OHL playoffs, has become a shot-generating machine in his new home in Flint. Mattinen leads Flint defencemen in scoring with nine points in 17 games, one more than Gordeev, and he's throwing 3.4 shots on goal per game (58 in 17) in an increased role in his post-London days. That puts him fifth among OHL defencemen in shots and suggests the goals will start to come, even though he doesn't have a heavy shot. If you asked me whether Mattinen would shoot more than Ryan Merkley, Conor Timmins and Cam Dineen among others at the start of the year, I probably would have said no. I'm still not convinced it's going to be part of a larger trend. I don't like his offensive tools, other than decent handling for his size, at all.

27. J.D. Greenway, D, 19 (University of Wisconsin)

Greenway hasn't yet played for the University of Wisconsin this season due to “personal issues.” There's not a lot to his game to love other than he's a strong, athletic skater for his size. Still, I think there's room for his game to grow if/when he gets back on the ice. He's likely got three years at school to figure it out, too. Until then, nothing to get excited about.

28. Ryan McGregor, C, 18 (Sarnia Sting)

On a high-powered, first-place Sarnia team, McGregor has been bested by a couple of teammates he should be outperforming — at least if his draft position (172nd overall in 2017) was a proper indication of his talent. The Leafs likely took McGregor, a thin two-way centre, as a project, but he looked out of place at the rookie tournament. It's clear, even in the OHL, he needs to get a lot stronger.

29. Keaton Middleton, D, 19 (Sagniaw Spirit)

Middleton's game is finally starting to take positive steps forward. It was stagnant for a season and a half after he entered the OHL as a top prospect. Is it too little, too late for a hulking defender whose puck skills needed to develop a year or two ago? We'll find out. He has a chance to showcase himself as a world juniors hopeful next week when he plays in 1082757 Toronto Maple Leafs hours, the passion demonstrated based on wins and losses, to the insane amount of time they can spend dissecting a single play, it’s just …

man. I love hockey, but these guys are crazy (in a generally good way). Bourne's Notebook: The best goal of the year, obsessive coaches and “Why don't they call up ______?” Paul MacLean The passionate hockey fans I come across on the internet all seem to

have one thing in common: a mild obsession with the players at the Justin Bourne fringes of their favourite team’s roster. Which makes sense, as that’s where changes are going to be made, if anywhere. Often they feel 14 hours ago certain players are getting slighted based on a (dumb) coach, or that a team doesn’t recognize the value of a certain skill guy. On that, I’d say

this: if a skill player can’t get out of the minors, I’d say to trust the team Earlier in the season, I wrote this on subtle fakes NHLers use to create knows what they’re doing 90 percent of the time. offence in today’s NHL. Scoring is hard! It’s old-ish at this point, but That’s not to say we should be more deferential as fans – hockey easily my favourite goal of the year was scored in Los Angeles by management has routinely proven to make some terrible decisions – but Christian Folin. If you haven’t seen it, take a look. The second angle is in those cases, they’re probably right. best. Teams have so much incentive for their good young players to make it to Folin is in what appears to be the most obvious dump-in situation in the the NHL. You can always use good players, and good, cheap ones, that world, and he sells that he’s going to follow through. But, at the last you actually drafted? That’s the good stuff right there. If they could hack it second, he turned his wrists and put it on net. The best part: it came from in the NHL, they’d be given a chance. But I saw it time and again with his coach! Folin mentioned after the game that assistant coach Dave Marlies players that fans thought should be in the NHL, but simply Lowry told him he’s noticed Predators goaltender Jusse Saros cheating weren’t good enough. on dump-ins, and to maybe try throwing one on net. As a coach, you always wonder how much of an influence you’re actually having. Cool to Did you see Babcock’s quote that was pretty directly aimed at Josh Leivo see someone get results so directly. (using, I assume, Frank Corrado’s story – maybe Scott Harrington's? – as the kicker)? Cleaner hockey? Now, Leivo is a guy who is good enough. But I heard all the talk about I don’t want to jinx anything here, but does anybody else think the NHL is Corrado in Toronto before he came down to the Marlies, and guess offering a cleaner brand of hockey of late? I know it’s early, and there’s what? He was … fine. He’s okay. He’s in Pittsburgh for now, but if they’re still some questionable plays, but by this time of the season over the past healthy he’s maybe a number two AHL D-man. handful of years, there’s almost always four of five suspensions handed out. In regular season terms, the NHL has handed out one so far, for one Anyway, I don’t want to go at any one player in particular (well, other than game. Fighting is down again, too. that Corrado opinion), but the point is: if a guy isn’t getting called up, or is a guy that three or four organizations have given up on, there’s probably For me, it comes down to the changes we’ve seen at the fringes of a reason. They’re probably not good enough. rosters. Instead of employing players there for intimidation and physical purposes, more teams – not all, but more – are employing players who focus on playing hockey. The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 I feel like this generation grew up watching an NHL that was physical, but it wasn’t the mayhem it was in the 1970s and 80s. There will be bad plays, and there will be fights. But it just felt worthwhile to note that I do believe the NHL is adopting a cleaner, safer version of the game than in decades past.

One of Elliotte Friedman’s “31 Thoughts” this week touched on Paul MacLean, who last season coached alongside Randy Carlyle on the Anaheim Ducks bench.

Here are the first of three nuggets he has on him:

There were approximately 20 scouts at last week’s Detroit-Ottawa game. The Senators played Thursday, their AHL team (Belleville) followed Friday, and both competed in a driving-distance day-night doubleheader Saturday. Another interested observer was Paul MacLean, who coached Ottawa from 2011-14, then spent two seasons as an assistant in Anaheim after being fired. His deal with the Ducks was set up to run concurrently with the remainder of his Senators contract. Both expired last June. MacLean lives in Antigonish, N.S., but has two grandchildren in Ottawa and is more than happy to visit. He’s contributing to NHL.com’s “Coaching Room” blog, and doing some “personal” scouting.

“I’m watching, seeing what I can learn, keeping an eye on how the games are being played.” What does he see? “That the pace and speed of the game are always getting faster.”

He plans on travelling between Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and occasionally Buffalo.

One thing I can add to that: in his first season where he isn’t behind the bench a lot, the amount of hockey he’s watching is insane. His routine on days when he’s not actually at a rink is something like: breakfast, watch a hockey game, lunch, watch a hockey game, dinner, guess what, hockey game. Often it’s just two games, but still. He’s constantly looking for new ideas, to get to better know all the teams around the league, and to see who’s doing what with their systems.

That’s one thing I didn’t understand before I took a job in the Maple Leafs organization – some of these guys at the top of their profession are there because they’re borderline obsessive about the game. Between the long 1082758 Vegas Golden Knights Three takeaways 1. Early jump. Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant wanted to see his team get off to a fast start and reverse a trend that saw opposing teams Golden Knights get 5-2 win against Winnipeg at T-Mobile Arena score first in 10 of the Knights’ first 15 games. He got his wish, as the Knights opened a 2-0 lead on first-period goals from Luca Sbisa and David Perron. By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal 2. Lopsided battle. The Jets feature one of the hottest lines in the league, November 10, 2017 - 10:21 PM but the trio of Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor were held in check by the Knights. Aside from Scheifele assisting on Patrik Laine’s Updated November 11, 2017 - 1:23 am power-play goal in the second period, Winnipeg’s top line managed two shots through two periods and was a combined minus-11.

3. Milestone reached. Knights forward Reilly Smith picked up an assist The last time the Golden Knights appeared at the friendly confines of T- on William Karlsson’s second goal, the 200th point of Smith’s career. The Mobile Arena they were the hottest team in the NHL. seventh-year forward has 81 goals and 119 assists in 381 career games. Much has changed in the two weeks since, but not the Knights’ affinity for home ice. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.11.2017 William Karlsson sparked a second-period scoring outburst with two goals, and the Knights cooled off Winnipeg 5-2 on Friday night before an announced crowd of 18,110. David Perron and Luca Sbisa each had a goal and an assist for the Knights (10-5-1, 21 points), who improved to 7-1 at home and are tied with St. Louis for the best home record in the Western Conference. “I thought we come back after a long road trip, and a lot of times you don’t feel right your first game back after a trip like that,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “But I thought the guys … played a complete game. They did a great job on the (penalty kill.) Our power play was pretty big, too. They scored a big goal. I thought they played a 60-minute game, and we had to against a good Winnipeg team.” The Knights scored short-handed, on the power play and at even strength in the second to help end a 1-4-1 skid. They have now outscored opponents 24-10 in the middle period. Karlsson was left alone in front at 12:17 and tapped home a rebound for a 3-1 lead after Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck couldn’t handle Deryk Engelland’s shot from the point. Gallant on win against Winnipeg: We capitalized on our chances Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant recaps the team's win against the Winnipeg Jets on their home ice. After Patrik Laine scored on the power play to cut Winnipeg’s deficit to 3- 2 with 6:03 left in the second, the Knights responded with two goals 1:02 apart. James Neal made the score 4-2 with an unassisted power-play goal at 16:45. Neal, who moments earlier skated to the bench to get a new stick, stole an attempted clearing pass from Dmitry Kulikov before snapping it into an open net for his team-best ninth goal. Karlsson added a breakaway goal at 17:47 after taking a long outlet pass from Reilly Smith, who had two assists. It was the first short-handed goal allowed by Winnipeg this season. Engelland also had two assists for the Knights, who closed to within three points of Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles. Maxime Lagace finished with 27 saves in his first home game for the Knights. His best stop came early in the second period when he slid across the crease and, fully extended, made a right pad save on Mark Scheifele’s one-timer. “He’s been great for us,” Engelland said. “Second period on the power play he came up with a huge stop. He battles for every puck.” Golden Knights say they played their most complete game yet against Winnipeg Vegas Golden Knights players say that they're happy to be back in front of their home crowd and believe they played their most complete game of the season thus far. Perron extended his assist streak to four consecutive games when he found Sbisa for a one-timer 6:41 into the first period. Perron then made the score 2-0 when he took a drop pass from Engelland on a 4-on-3 rush and wristed it past Hellebuyck with 4:52 left in period. “Even though they’re not offensive guys, they’ve been playing all year, they get shots through and they play extremely well defensively,” Perron said of Sbisa and Engelland. “Obviously, we need them to keep going moving forward.” 1082759 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore still adjusting to NHL game

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal November 10, 2017 - 9:17 PM Updated November 10, 2017 - 9:18 PM

The Golden Knights have two defensemen on their roster who are former first-round picks. One of them, Luca Sbisa, who was selected 19th by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2008, makes up one half of the team’s top defensive pairing. The other, Shea Theodore, who was selected 26th by the Anaheim Ducks in 2013, watched Friday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets at T- Mobile Arena in a suit and tie. Theodore, 22, has had a tough stretch since being recalled Oct. 30, playing in three games while being a healthy scratch in three others. The second-youngest skater on the team is still trying to build his confidence in practice and in whatever ice time he gets in games. The Golden Knights defenseman discusses how he is faring in the NHL after being recalled on Oct. 30. (Ben Gotz/Las Vegas Review-Journal) “When I’m confident, I’m making hard plays and I’m (playing) hard all over the ice, and that’s when I’m at my best,” Theodore said. “I feel like I haven’t quite found that yet, but I’m here and working hard every day.” Theodore was recalled by the Golden Knights after an impressive stint with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the . The defenseman scored five goals and had 11 points in 11 games with the Wolves, but he’s still adjusting to the pace of play in the NHL. In three games with the Golden Knights, Theodore has one assist and carries a plus/minus of minus-1. ”Shea was sort of dominating his level, but now needs to come here and adjust to this level,” Vegas general manager George McPhee said Thursday. “And he will. He’s a good player.” The Golden Knights wore special camouflage jerseys during warmups as part of their Military Appreciation/Remembrance Day. Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, a similar holiday observed in the Commonwealth of Nations, including Canada, are Saturday. The team sold some of the jerseys in a silent auction, with the proceeds benefiting the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation and Folded Flag Foundation. The team’s foundation also hosted a raffle to benefit the Metropolitan Police Department and initiatives that support the military. Goaltender Maxime Lagace started his seventh straight game for the Golden Knights on Friday, and there’s no indication he will leave the net when the team’s two-game trip begins Tuesday in Edmonton. Coach Gerard Gallant said Friday morning there was “nothing new” to report on the status of injured goalies Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion), Oscar Dansk (lower body) and Malcolm Subban (lower body). All three did not practice Friday. Winnipeg became the first Canadian NHL team to play at T-Mobile Arena, meaning for the first time “O Canada” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” were played before the opening faceoff.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082760 Vegas Golden Knights

Engelland’s unlikely offensive contributions helping fuel Golden Knights

By Jesse Granger (contact) Friday, Nov. 10, 2017 | 11:46 p.m.

Deryk Engelland is best known for two things: being a solid defenseman, and even more so, for being the only Las Vegan on the Golden Knights roster. Lately, the 35-year-old seems to be trying to add offensive playmaker to that list. Engelland only had 22 goals in 469 career games when he came to Vegas, but has already scored two goals and has four points in the last three games. Those unexpected contributions from players such as Engelland have made the Golden Knights the best expansion team in NHL history through 16 games, including a 5-2 win Friday against Winnipeg at T- Mobile Arena. James Neal scored his team-best ninth goal of the season tonight, and David Perron added a goal and an assist during the Golden Knights 5-2 win over Winnipeg. Engelland finished with two assists, the first a beauty of a drop to Perron, who fired it past Jets’ goalie Connor Hellebuyck. “To show the poise that Engelland did tonight with the puck was nice,” Perron said. “The one he dropped to me, on another night maybe he would just throw it at the net but he had the patience to hold on to it for another second.” Engelland not only left the puck perfectly for Perron to shoot, but continued skating in front of the goalie to create a partial screen. “I jumped up in the rush,” Engelland said. “(Erik) Haula made a good pass to me. Perron was yelling so I just gave him the puck and he had a good shot so hats off to him.” In the second period Engelland ripped a slap shot from the right point. Hellebuyck was there to make the save, but the rebound went right to William Karlsson, who put it into the net to give the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead. “Smith came up the wall and gave me a nice, soft pass so I just tried to get it through and on the net, and Karlsson was there to tap it in,” Engelland said. Engelland had only the one shot on net Friday but has been getting shots through with regularity lately. He scored in the Golden Knights’ shootout loss to Toronto on Oct. 6 with a laser of a wrist shot into the top left corner of the net. “They’re part of our team and we have talked about it from the beginning of the year that everyone will have to produce,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “They join the rush and make plays offensively, especially tonight.” Luca Sbisa — another solid defenseman that rarely contributes offensively — scored the opening goal for Vegas on Friday. “I haven’t been much of a scorer in my career so it’s nice to get a goal every once in awhile,” Sbisa said. “It’s not really my game but I never say no to a goal. The coaches don’t put any restrictions on us. They want us to join the rush and give us the green light. It’s fun to play that way.” The Golden Knights may lack a superstar scorer with the ability to finish near the top of the league in goals, but they make up for it in balance. If Engelland can continue to contribute offensively, even if sporadically, it will go a long way towards the team continuing its winning ways. “He should be on the power play the way he’s playing,” Perron said, laughing. “Seriously though it’s good for him. We are all happy when a guy that plays solid defensively like him every night gets rewarded on the other side of the puck.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082761 Washington Capitals 3-2 loss. Djoos has played in every game since, and Trotz has seen growth in the rookie over the past month.

“It’s slowed down for him a little bit,” Trotz said. “I think he’s a real Chandler Stephenson’s wild month continues with promotion to Capitals’ intelligent player, but he’s getting comfortable in his own skin and he top line knows what works for him. A smart player like Djooser, he adjusts his game based on what he knows works for him. That’s what makes the growth of a guy like him much easier than someone who gets stubborn By Isabelle Khurshudyan November 10 at 12:59 PM and goes, ‘Well, I used to do this in junior and the American League, and I’ll still do it in the NHL.’ Then they find out they can’t do it. He’s adjusted his game in small ways, positionally how he handles a little more speed, his details on how he handles the rush. . . . He’s learning all of those little On Oct. 4, Chandler Stephenson’s name appeared on the waiver wire, a things that make him a very effective defenseman.” move the Capitals had never planned to make. The team had penciled him in to make the NHL roster out of training camp, but then he had a disappointing preseason and was beaten out for a big league job. Washington risked another team claiming Stephenson and sent him to Washington Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 the American Hockey League, and perhaps the biggest blow was that all 30 other clubs passed. “Obviously, there’s some bitterness there,” Stephenson said. On Oct. 23, the Capitals recalled Stephenson with Andre Burakovsky injured, and in Stephenson’s season debut Oct. 26 at Vancouver, he scored his first NHL goal. Over the next four games, Stephenson added three assists, and on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he’ll be on a top line with center Nicklas Backstrom and right wing T.J. Oshie — a long way from the waiver wire. “In some ways, players have to go through that,” Coach Barry Trotz said recently. “Chandler has the talent and the ability. That might be just what the doctor ordered, because that is pretty telling when the rest of the league can grab you and take you for free, and they say no. … That can be a real good motivating factor.” [Forget the 30 goals, T.J. Oshie earned his contract in the Capitals’ locker room] Stephenson has come up for short stints in each of the past three seasons, playing well at times but never doing so consistently. His promotion to Backstrom’s line isn’t necessarily because of recent good play; Trotz described him as “okay” in the past two games, when he didn’t have a point. But with Backstrom and Oshie in scoring slumps, Trotz figured Stephenson could be a good complement, especially given his smooth skating. “We’re just looking for a little spark there,” Trotz said. “Ever since he came up, he’s been great for us,” Backstrom said. “He’s got good speed and he’s got skill and a good thing, too, is he used to be a centerman in Hershey. So it doesn’t really matter who is low between me and him.” But Trotz also issued a certain warning after Thursday’s practice, when three of the team’s injured players skated with the squad for the first time since getting hurt. When those players come off injured reserve, Washington will have some decisions to make for who remains on the 23-man roster and who gets sent down to the AHL. Friday night will mark Stephenson’s eighth game, and once he hits 10, he would need waivers to be reassigned again. It’s possible he wouldn’t clear this time, but Stephenson could also take advantage of this latest opportunity to make sure he sticks around. “I’m just trying to do the best I can every day and every night, whether that’s practice or a game,” he said. “I’m just trying to run with every opportunity I’m given and just have fun with it, not think too much and just go out and play hockey.” Goaltender Braden Holtby is one shy of recording his 200th career win, at which point he’ll be the second-fastest to reach that milestone, behind legendary Montreal goalie Ken Dryden. Holtby is expected to start against the Penguins on Friday. “Special players on good teams,” Trotz said. “That’s the first thing that comes to mind. Obviously, a Hall-of-Fame guy in Ken Dryden. That says a lot about Braden’s body of work in his era in Washington to this point. … There’s no question. We’ve won a lot of hockey games since I’ve been here with Braden. That’s the reason he’s a No. 1 goalie. He’s put up good numbers. We’ve had good teams, but you’ve still got to win those games. When you’re not playing well, you’ve got to steal some games, and he’s done all of the above. “Nothing gives a coach more comfort than your goaltending, I’ll tell you that. In football, it’s your quarterback. In hockey, it’s your goaltender. If you don’t have goaltending in this league, you cannot win. It’s impossible to win without goaltending.” The last time the Capitals played the Penguins, on Oct. 11, defenseman Christian Djoos made his NHL debut and had a goal and an assist in the 1082762 Washington Capitals infractions to open the frame, and against Pittsburgh’s third-ranked power play, Washington allowed just four shots on those two opportunities. Like the power play, the Capitals’ penalty kill has had its Capitals’ special teams star in 4-1 win over Penguins rough patches, allowing a league-worst 15 power-play goals this season. Chandler Stephenson’s goal with less than seven minutes left in the game was insurance, and then Vrana added an empty-net goal late. By Isabelle Khurshudyan November 10 at 10:05 PM These two teams were the class of the NHL last season, boasting the league’s two best records. But salary-cap constraints this summer coupled with the Vegas expansion draft necessitated roster turnover, and One by one, the Capitals lined up to bump helmets with goaltender it brought both teams back to the pack. Entering Friday’s game, three Braden Holtby, a tradition after wins. Defenseman John Carlson was last points separated Washington and Pittsburgh in the standings with the in line, pulling Holtby in for a hug. Those two had been on the ice more Capitals having played one fewer game. than any other Washington player Friday night, and fittingly, they had the most to do with the Capitals’ 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Considering both teams have had their struggles, the rivals played up to the occasion. And for the Capitals, the victory showed they can still rise In one of Washington’s most complete games of the season — and up to meet the challenge of the defending champions. against the defending Stanley Cup champions — Carlson logged 28:43 of ice time and had a goal and an assist, his power-play shot leading to “We’re recognizing what works for this group and how we have to play the Capitals’ two goals on that unit. Holtby made 27 saves, several from and what doesn’t work,” Trotz said. “We’re sort of building our game, if point-blank range, the team’s best penalty-killer on a night when you will, so we can sustain something that will hopefully get us some Washington’s special teams out-dueled Pittsburgh’s. more victories.” This win was his 200th, making him the second-fastest goaltender to reach that milestone, behind only the great Ken Dryden. Washington Post LOADED: 11.11.2017 “It’s a cool accomplishment, I guess, but it really doesn’t mean anything in the end,” Holtby said. “It shows that I’m getting up there in years. That’s about it. . . . Obviously, it’s an honor to be in the same sentence as him, but I think, with him and me, I think that those teams that we’ve been fortunate to play on helped you get there. That’s just luck in some ways.” Perhaps team play made Holtby’s job easier in past years, but as the Capitals’ defensive depth has eroded this season because of offseason roster turnovers and then injuries, Holtby has been under siege. The Capitals went from allowing 27.8 shots per game to 33.1 this season, leaning more on their goaltender, a back-to-back Vezina Trophy finalist as one of the league’s best. “This year, yeah, I think he’s still playing at a high level,” Coach Barry Trotz said. “There’s a reason you get to 200 wins as quick as he has.” The team has also asked more of Carlson, leading the league in ice time with defenseman Matt Niskanen out for the past 12 games with a hand injury. Through two periods on Friday, he’d been on the ice for more than half the game with an ice time of 21:10, which was five minutes more than any other skater. In addition to playing against opponents’ top forwards, he mans the Capitals’ top power play, a unit that has been dreadful at home thus far. Entering Friday’s game, it has scored just twice in 25 opportunities, the worst power-play percentage at home in the league. [Nicklas Backstrom’s strong defense has come at a cost — to his offense] But it got an opportunity a little more than 13 minutes into the game when Evgeni Malkin was called for tripping Dmitry Orlov in Pittsburgh’s offensive zone. Carlson one-timed an Evgeny Kuznetsov pass for the game’s first goal about a minute later for his second goal in three games, an offensive reward for his heavy workload throughout the season. “We need him on the power play to shoot, so we get more threats out there, not just [Alex Ovechkin],” center Nicklas Backstrom said. “He fired tonight and it goes in. We’re happy to see that.” The Penguins tied it 8:26 into the second period when Phil Kessel’s pass to Malkin across the crease was inadvertently knocked into the net by Orlov, an own goal that stung. But after the bad bounce, the Capitals got a break when Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang was called for two penalties on the same play, putting Washington’s power play on the ice for four minutes. With one second left in the man advantage, Carlson’s shot from the point came through once again. Oshie redirected his blast past goaltender Matt Murray to lift Washington to a 2-1 lead. That snapped an eight-game goal drought for Oshie. “We’ve continued to get chances,” Carlson said. “I think we were a little nastier around the net. I think we had a lot more quality grinding it out in front when the pucks get there. I think that takes a toll, and Osh had a nice tip there. Just stuff like that. We move the puck so well, it’s easy to count on seam passes for one-timers and stuff, but sometimes that threat of clogging it up in the middle and those second-chance opportunities are big, too.” It was the Capitals’ penalty kill that then starred in the third period. Rookies Jakub Vrana and Madison Bowey were called for back-to-back 1082763 Washington Capitals Washington Times LOADED: 11.11.2017

Capitals find power-play success at home in win over Penguins

By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Friday, November 10, 2017

Even with their offseason departures, the Washington Capitals had all the ingredients to have another top power-play unit this season. In previous years, the Capitals were routinely one of the best teams in the league when taking advantage of teams missing a player on the ice. Entering a rematch against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington power play had yet to come together, especially at home. That changed Friday. The Capitals scored two power-play goals in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. “Our power play has been pretty decent,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “It’s had looks, but it hasn’t put up the numbers we’re probably used to seeing. We’ve been able to scratch and claw games through our 5-on- 5 play and goaltending … to this point. Our power play at home hasn’t really had any numbers, so it was good to see them get some numbers.” Before those two goals, the Capitals were just 2-for-25 on the power play at home in six games. Overall, they entered the game against Pittsburgh ranked 16th on the power play. The Capitals had their share of opportunities to get the power play going Friday. The Penguins committed seven penalties in the game, and the Capitals were able to take advantage. On Pittsburgh’s first penalty, Capitals defenseman John Carlson rocketed a one-timer past Penguins goaltender Matt Murray after passes from Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin opened up the lane. Carlson’s goal gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead with just under six minutes left in the first period. “We’ve continued to get chances,” Carlson said. “I think we were a little nastier around the net. We had a lot more quality grinding it out in front when the pucks get there. … We move the puck so well, it’s easy to count on seam passes for one-timers and stuff, but sometimes that threat of clogging it up in the middle and those second-chance opportunities are big, too.” Later in the second period, the Capitals took a 2-1 lead, scoring on the last second of a four-minute power play. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was called for two penalties at once, one for high sticking and another for cross checking Capitals forward T.J. Oshie, to set up the prolonged opportunity. Oshie got his revenge, crowding the net and deflecting in a goal. “It was one of those things where you get one of those long, lengthy power plays and you come out empty, maybe the other team gets a little momentum,” Trotz said. “We scored right at the end and any momentum they had right at the end dissipated quickly.” The Capitals also showed much-needed signs of progress in other areas. For one, it was a win over the Penguins, who have knocked Washington out of the playoffs for the last two years. While a regular season win doesn’t change postseason results, Pittsburgh had already beaten the Capitals this season in a 3-2 win on Oct. 11. Washington needed a win to keep pace in their division. But more so, the Capitals have now won four of their last five games. Capitals star Nicklas Backstrom snapped an eight-game point drought, recording an assist to Chandler Stephenson to make it 3-1. Jakub Vrana scored an empty-netter for the Capitals‘ fourth goal. On defense, Backstrom and his line were able to shutdown Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who had just two shots on goal. Goaltender Braden Holtby produced another solid outing, which happened to be the 200th win of his career. He become the second- fastest goalie ever to reach that mark, trailing only Hall-of-Famer Ken Dryden. Holtby downplayed the significance after the win, but admitted the Capitals are starting to play better after a shaky start to the season. “We’re getting better, better and better every game,” Holtby said. “I think tonight was a strong effort in a lot of areas. It’s a good sign. It’s showing we’re maturing as a group and we still need to push forward.”

1082764 Washington Capitals

You aren't alone—Trotz thought Kuznetsov was going to shoot, too

By Tarik El-Bashir November 10, 2017 12:21 PM

No, you weren’t the only person wondering what Evgeny Kuznetsov was thinking when he passed up a prime scoring chance in overtime against Arizona. Caps Coach Barry Trotz was befuddled by No. 92’s decision, too. Asked if he’d like to see Kuznetsov shoot the puck more, Trotz joked on Friday morning: “Yeah, absolutely. Especially when he’s in the blue paint.” “I was ready to jump up because I thought he was sticking it in the net,” Trotz continued. “Then all of a sudden it was in the corner.” As you can see, Kuznetsov wasn’t actually in the blue paint. But he was close enough that he shouldn’t have attempted to finish a give-and-go with T.J. Oshie, either. As it turned out, Kuzy’s odd decision didn’t end up costing the Caps because John Carlson scored the game-winner a short while later. The decision did, however, lead to a broader discussion of whether Kuznetsov needs to get a little more selfish and use his dangerous shot more often. “I think what it does when he does shoot [is] it will open up his wingers for him, too, because everyone is shading to the wingers right now because they think he’s just looking for his wingers,” Trotz said. “He’s just got to shoot a little bit more. Be more of a threat.” “He’s a threat gaining the zone,” he added. “He’s a threat when he gets to the top of the circles and then he’s looking to dish a little bit. And he can shoot the puck. I use his stick, so I know. He’s learned from me. No, he can really shoot it and he’s accurate.” As the Caps prepare to host the rival Penguins, Kuznetsov is tied with Alex Ovechkin for the team lead in points with 18 (3 goals, 15 assists). In shots, though, he’s third with 37, behind Ovechkin (league-best 78) and Carlson (55). Kuznetsov’s shot total is tied for 116th in the NHL. In addition to giving Kuznetsov a ribbing about passing from the slot, Trotz also gave his star center, who has never scored more than 20 times in a season, a new goal to shoot for this year. “You need him to be a 25 goal scorer every year, not a 10-goal scorer,” Trotz said. “You need 25 out of him and he’s very capable of that. So yeah, absolutely, we want him to shoot more.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082765 Washington Capitals

Game 17: Capitals vs. Penguins Date, Time, How to Watch, Game Thread

By J.J. Regan November 10, 2017 6:30 AM

What: Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C. When: 7:00 p.m. ET How to WATCH: Capitals-Penguins will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. (Channel Finder) Live Stream: You can watch the Capitals-Penguins game on NBC Sports Washington's live stream page. WHEN IS THE CAPITALS-PENGUINS GAME? The Capitals (8-7-1) take on the Penguins (9-6-2) Friday, November 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. WHAT CHANNEL IS THE CAPITALS-PENGUINS GAME ON? The Capitals-Penguins game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. Coverage kicks off with Capitals FaceOff at 6 p.m. followed by Capitals GameTime at 6:30 p.m. Stay with NBC Sports Washington following the game for Caps Extra and Caps Overtime at 10 p.m. and Caps in 30 at 11 p.m. for all your postgame coverage. (NBC Sports Washington channel Finder) 6:00 p.m. — Caps FaceOff 6:30 p.m. — Caps GameTime 7:00 p.m. — Capitals vs. Penguins 9:30 p.m. — Caps Extra 10:00 p.m. — Caps Overtime 11:00 p.m. — Caps in 30 WHERE CAN I STREAM THE CAPITALS-PENGUINS GAME? The Capitals-Penguins game, as well as the postgame shows, is available to stream live here through NBC Sports Washington's live stream page and is available to authenticated NBC Sports Washington subscribers on desktops, tablets, mobile devices and connected TVs anywhere in the United States.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082766 Washington Capitals

Braden Holtby is unimpressed by his own major milestone

By J.J. Regan November 10, 2017 10:33 PM

Friday's win was a milestone win for Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. The Caps' 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins was career win No. 200 for the Caps netminder, Not only that, it took him just 319 games to reach that mark making him the second fasetst goalie to 200 wins in history behind only the great Ken Dryden. You would have to be a pretty big buzzkill to not appreciate that. Enter Holtby. "I don't know," he said after the game. "It's a cool accomplishment I guess, but it really doesn't mean anything in the end. It shows that I'm getting up there in years so that's about it." Holtby, who is an ancient 28 years old, has hit a groove for the season after a slow start. He has now won five straight games. While those comments appear cold on their face, he has always been very much focused on team success over his own individual accolades which explains why he was so quick to dismiss 200 wins. But even Holtby had to admit it was pretty cool to be compared to Dryden, one of the greatest goalies in NHL history, right? "Obviously it's an honor to be in the same sentence as him, but I think with him and me I think that both those teams that we've been fortunate to play on help you get there. That's just luck in some ways and it's been a fun time to get 200 and we'll move forward now." Rats. I give up.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082767 Washington Capitals

4 reasons why the Caps beat the Penguins

By J.J. Regan November 10, 2017 10:19 PM

The Capitals turned in one of their best performances of the season on Friday to down the rival Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1. Here's how they did it. Rarely do you see a player called for two penalties on the same shift unless it is a double-minor for high-sticking. That was not the case for Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang. Letang committed two separate penalties on the same shift earning him a four-minute trip to the penalty box. First he caught T.J. Oshie up high with a cross-check which drew the initial penalty. He then decided to go for broke and continued cross- checking Oshie so the referee booked him again. Washington would not cash in on the first penalty, but Oshie (fittingly) scored what would be the game-winning goal at the end of the second. Shots and traffic Coming into Friday’s game, the Caps had been outshot in 11 of their 16 games. That was not the case Friday as Washington held the 31-28 shooting edge. At first, that didn’t mean much as those shots were from long-distance with little traffic in front of Penguins goalie Matt Murray. As the game went along, however, Washington started to get bodies in front and it took its toll. Both of the Caps’ first two goals ended up looking very similar as they both were generated from a long-range shot by John Carlson with Oshie in front attempting to deflect. Carlson got the first goal as the shot deflected off of Penguins forward Greg McKegg. The second goal Oshie was able to get a piece of to deflect it past Murray. Special teams Friday’s game was a penalty-filled affair. One team took advantage, the other did not. The Caps scored two power play goals on six opportunities on the night. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, was not able to score on any of their four man-advantages they had in the game. Braden Holtby They say your goalie has to be your best penalty killer and Holtby certainly was. He was tremendous all night long. The Penguins generated a lot of high-quality scoring chances, but Holtby was up to the task with strong saves and barely any rebounds to speak of. The only goal that did beat him was an unlucky deflection off of Dmitry Orlov, but he stopped the rest of the 28 shots he faced.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082768 Washington Capitals

3 stars of the game: The Caps' power play would not be denied and Braden Holtby did the rest

By J.J. Regan November 10, 2017 8:54 PM

In the Pittsburgh Penguins' last visit to Capital One Arena of the season, the Caps were sure to make it count. They dominated the rival Penguins 4-1 to pull within one point of Pittsburgh in the standings. Despite the slow start and all the injuries, the Caps seem to be settling into a groove and have now won five of their last seven games. Here are the top performers from Friday's rivalry game. 1. Braden Holtby No, he did not get the shutout, but boy did Holtby look impressive. He turned aside 27 of the 28 shots he faced and a lot of those were high-quality opportunities. The Penguins are a fast team and that means they generate a lot of odd-man rushes and Holtby was up to the task. The only goal Pittsburgh did manage on the night was an unlucky deflection off of Dmitry Orlov. The win is the 200th of Holtby's career. He is the second fastest to reach 200 wins in history behind only Ken Dryden. 2. John Carlson Carlson was all around the action all night long as he scored Washington's first goal and fired the shot that T.J. Oshie deflected for the second goal. He also did it while taking a heavy workload again as he played a game-high 28:43. 3. T.J. Oshie Penguins defenseman Kris Letang took two penalties on the same shift in the second period, both against Oshie. First, he caught Oshie high with a cross-check to draw the first call, then he continued cross-checking Oshie until the referee felt compelled to give him a second penalty for cross-checking. It was only fitting for Oshie to score on the resulting power play after getting mugged by Letang to draw the penalty.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082769 Winnipeg Jets

Jets hoping Lady Luck among hordes of Winnipeg fans in Vegas tonight

By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 11/10/2017 3:54 PM | Comments: 3

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — They've crossed paths with fans on the street. Outside the practice rink. In hotel lobbies. And inside restaurants and shows. Now the Winnipeg Jets will get a chance to compete in front of what is expected to be the largest contingent of locals to ever follow them on the road. A few thousand Manitobans are believed to have made the trip to Sin City this week and could be in the crowd when the Jets take on the Golden Knights for the first time at 9:30 tonight. "I think the first time it happened to us was in Arizona, where I think we had more fans in the building than they did. I don't know if we're getting close to that, but it's great. You'll know by the time that national anthem is done how many people we have there. It will make for a great atmosphere tonight," Jets coach Paul Maurice said following the morning skate at T-Mobile Arena. Captain Blake Wheeler said the Jets are ready to get back to business following a few days of team bonding. They've been in Sin City since early Tuesday morning, after defeating Dallas 4-1 the previous night to kick off a three-game trip. "I'm sure they'll be loud. I hear things can get a bit rowdy out on the Strip, so I'm sure our fans will have a good time before the game and it will be a good experience for them. We're excited to see how many people we have here," Wheeler said. "They're out and about, a lot of Jets hats, a lot of Jets shirts. Anytime you get support on the road it's always welcome." What might have looked like an easy game at the start of the season against the expansion Golden Knights will likely be anything but. Vegas is off to a strong start at 9-5-1 and has been particularly strong on home ice, with just one loss in seven games. "It's exciting. The last couple days we've run into a lot of Jets fans around the Strip. We're expecting quite a few of our fans here tonight and it'll be exciting for us. Hopefully we can get a win for them," said defenceman Tyler Myers. Winnipeg comes in with plenty of momentum, as well. They are 8-3-3 on the year, including 5-0-3 in their past eight games and 8-1-3 in their past 12. "We've had a good couple days of work here and we're excited to get back to things," said Myers. "For us we're just focused on what we have to do as a team, and a lot of that is what we've been doing the past few games here." Connor Hellebuyck will make his sixth straight start in net. He has yet to lose in regulation this year, and is a sparkling 8-0-2. There are no lineup changes to the squad that won in Dallas Monday, meaning Brendan Lemieux, Marko Dano and Ben Chiarot will be the healthy scratches. Winnipeg flies to Phoenix after the game and will take on the Arizona Coyotes Saturday night. Maurice left the door open for Hellebuyck to start back-to-back depending on how tonight goes, although it would seem likely Steve Mason will make his fifth start of the year. "We're going to get into a real heavy set of games here, and we're going to need both guys to play," said Maurice. "We'll see how many shots, we'll see the work, all that kind of stuff. I've got a pretty good idea of what we need to get done here to be good for the next month in terms of getting both guys playing."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.11.2017 1082770 Winnipeg Jets for 54 seconds. Winnipeg managed to kill it off, thanks to a couple big blocks from Kulikov and Matt Hendricks.

But rather than gain momentum, the wheels began to fall off as the game Knights stay golden at home dumping Jets 5-2 in Vegas passed the midway mark. William Karlsson poked in a loose puck after being left all alone in front of Hellebuyck with just eight minutes to play. By: Mike McIntyre "We were never able to contain any of the momentum that we built, even off the five-on-three penalty kill that was very good. Didn’t build on it Posted: 11/11/2017 12:25 AM | Last Modified: 11/11/2017 1:28 AM because they scored right away. Second half of that second period we | Updates | Comments: 7 stopped being able to do some things we expect ourselves to be able to do. Thought it would be a tighter game than that, that we would make it a tighter game, but they finished on their chances," said coach Paul Maurice. "Their guy made a few real timely saves for them, I think that LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Perhaps they should take two Aspirin and call kept the momentum from shifting too much. And we weren’t as good as their doctor in the morning, because the Winnipeg Jets are the latest we have been." team to come down with whatever seems to being ailing visitors to Las Vegas so far this season. Laine briefly got the Jets back within one with an absolute rocket on the power play, giving him goals in four consecutive games and now eight on Three full days in Sin City between games appeared to take a toll on the the year. Jets, who were out-worked and out-played from the opening puck drop until the final whistle Friday night. The end result was a 5-2 loss to the But Vegas struck for two more quick ones in a 62 second span to pull expansion Golden Knights, who have now won seven of eight home away for good. games so far this year. First, Kulikov made an atrocious giveaway to James Neal while It's the first regulation loss for Winnipeg in nine games, and drops them attempting to clear the puck on a penalty kill, and Neal buried it past a to 8-4-3 on the year. They flew to Phoenix immediately following the surprised Hellebuyck. Then Karlsson got his second of the period when game and will wrap up their road trip Saturday night by playing the he was sent in all alone on a shorthanded breakaway. Arizona Coyotes. "We just weren’t as tight, clearly our gap wasn’t as good as it has been," "Shower this one off. It was one of those nights that we didn’t really have said Maurice. "I thought our hands, we struggled completing some basic many good players. We’ve liked the way we’ve played here lately and for things." most of the season really. We just have to get over this one and the great thing about it is we have an opportunity to go home from the road trip Steve Mason replaced Hellebuyck to start the third period, getting his first with four out of six points and flush this one down the toilet," captain work in six games. Hellebuyck gave up the five goals on 21 shots and Blake Wheeler said following the game. suffered his first regulation defeat of the season. His line had an especially rough night at the office. Wheeler and linemate "It’s going to happen. I’m going to look to get better and I’m going to work Kyle Connor were minus-four, while centre Mark Scheifele was minus- harder tomorrow. I’m not going to let this phase me. But I’m going to use three. this as motivation," Hellebuyck said following the game. "Not that I wasn’t working hard, but it’s a little more motivation that I need to get back on Players and coaches said all the right things about being prepared the wheel and get back at it." coming into the Vegas game following an off-day and then two straight days of practice. A few thousand Jets fans packed T-Mobile Arena and Mason was tested early as Winnipeg's defensive blunders continued, gave the team a rousing ovation when they took the ice and filled the rink making a huge save on what was essentially a two-on-none. He stopped with plenty of cheers and chants in the early-going, giving Las Vegas a all five shots he faced. hometown feel. "I didn’t think the puck was going for Helly early on, but didn’t want to pull But it was Vegas which quickly took control and mostly silenced the him towards the end of the second period because I didn’t want to give visitors. the impression it was on him. He was like everybody else tonight, just a bit off from where they’ve been. But Mase is going in (Saturday) and that Lucas Sbisa brought the Golden Knights crowd alive by ripping a blast was the plan. So it was good to get him in, he made a hell of a save. He past Connor Hellebuyck less than seven minutes into the game. David got some game action to get himself ready," said Maurice. Perron made it 2-0 with just under five minutes to play in the opening period. He beat Hellebuyck with a wrister on an odd-man rush that came Meanwhile, Morrissey left the game late in the third period after blocking after a costly pinch by Dustin Byfuglien. a shot and appearing to be in some pain. Maurice didn't have an immediate update on his status, saying more would be known Saturday. "The way they play, their forecheck was tough to break. We had a really tough time getting out of our zone tonight. They are great at getting "I don’t know if you can say we weren’t ready, as much as they’re a good above the puck. Even when we made a clean pass up to the wings or the team over there. We knew they were going to come out hard and they’re centre, there just wasn’t a whole lot of space to make a play," said 7-1 at home now. It’s a credit to the way they play and the style they Wheeler. "You’ve got to give them a lot of credit. We made a couple of play," said Lowry. "Obviously, it didn’t seem like we had our hands and mistakes that cost us, gave them a little too much space. At the end of that can be frustrating, but you need to find ways to get things done when the day, it was just one of those nights." things aren’t going your way. You can say it was the three days off, but they played a good game and for whatever reason, we didn’t. We’ll be The Jets managed to grab a little momentum back less than a minute ready (Saturday) and we’re looking at this as an opportunity to bounce later when Adam Lowry tipped home a Dmitry Kulikov point shot for his back. If you win two of three on the road, that’s a pretty successful road first goal of the season. He was playing his second game since returning trip." from a nine-game absence due to injury.

"It’s nice. You miss some time and you haven’t really contributed on the score sheet, it’s nice to get that out of the way. You don’t want to wait too Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.11.2017 long and start gripping the stick too tight. I was happy to see it go in, but it would have been nicer if it was in a win," Lowry said following the game. Patrik Laine nearly tied it in the final minute when he ripped a shot off the post while on the power play. It was a physical affair early on both sides, with 23 combined hits in the first period. That contributed to a raucous atmosphere inside the rink, with the crowd seemingly hanging on every play. Mark Scheifele was robbed by Vegas goalie Maxime Lagace early in the second, as his one-timer was somehow kicked out at the last second. Lowry was sent to the box on a curious interference call, where he had the puck and simply fended off a Vegas checker by knocking him down. Then Josh Morrissey took a tripping penalty, giving Vegas a five-on-three 1082771 Winnipeg Jets day, my husband emailed me and said let’s go. The tickets were booked and we’re here. I’m so excited.

“This is spectacular. It’s like a community. It’s like we’re one. I know Jets fans complete friendly takeover: Thousands make the trip to Sin City some people (here) but not all of them. And I feel like I could talk to for 1st game vs Golden Knights anybody. You’re having conversations with people you’ve never met before that live in the same city as you and you’re bonding. It’s a feeling of being so far from home, but having a piece of home with you. Oh man, Ken Wiebe it’s so awesome.” November 10, 2017 11:30 PM CST Apparently, the Friendly Manitoba slogan on the license plate applies both at home and on the road.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s so good to see how far we can travel and have LAS VEGAS – If you didn’t know better, it could have passed for a such a big contingency of Jets fans coming to the game,” said Dave Manitoba social. Kaye. “I knew there would be a few thousand fans, but it’s a lot more than that. On a grander scale, of course. “Just imagine if these teams ever met in the playoffs.” With the neon lights of the famous Vegas Strip as a backdrop, several thousand fans flocked to an area near the New York New York Hotel to LAS VEGAS – Brian Benowitz has been a fan of the Winnipeg Jets since take in a concert for The Strictly Hip, a Tragically Hip tribute band. their time in the WHA, so it was natural for the Las Vegas resident to be having some mixed feelings on Friday. The tunes were blasting and the beverages were flowing. As the Jets made their first visit to Sin City, Benowitz was sporting a It was a festive atmosphere, a scene to behold. Blake Wheeler Jets jersey from the Heritage Classic (an event he Instead of celebrating a happy couple getting set to exchange nuptials, attended last fall), but as a Vegas Golden Knights season-ticket holder, this gathering was about heading out on the road to see the hometown he was also wearing some home-team memorabilia as well. team. “I’m going to wear a toque and undershirt of the Golden Knights,” said It seemed like a fitting choice of music as the Winnipeg Jets made their Benowitz, the senior vice president of casino operations at The maiden voyage to Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights on Friday. Cosmopolitan Hotel. “It’s a little confusing. I’m a little conflicted. I’m hoping for a three-point game. That’s really what I’m hoping for.” “I thought it would just be outrageous and it’s turning out that way,” said Mike Schamber, who was part of a group of 20 to make the journey. Benowitz lived in Winnipeg from 1974 to 1977 and that’s where his love “This is crazy. We’re taking over the city. It’s amazing for the fans. For for the Jets began. fans who don’t get to go to a lot of hockey games, they can come here, “My family’s business moved up there,” said Benowitz. “I watched the enjoy Vegas and go catch a game. This is just fantastic.” WHA Jets. Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg and Bobby Hull and the boys, The scene was similar around town during the past few days, with fans back in the old time when they were winning Avco Cups.” sporting the team colours of the Jets in and around Las Vegas But long after moving – and seeing the franchise relocate to Arizona – Boulevard. Benowitz continued to support the Jets. “This is the place to be,” said Winnipegger Darren Malak, a Jets season- “The Jets leave town and my wife says, what are you going to do with all ticket holder who won a trip to take in the game. “I had never been to of this stuff? I said, they’ll be back, just be patient,” said Benowitz. “We Vegas before, so what better time (to see the Jets on the road) against had to be patient for 15 years and I actually had a jersey from 1980. I an expansion team.” went to put it on when the (NHL) announced (the relocation of the Atlanta Since returning to the NHL in 2011, Jets fans have made a habit of Thrashers). It was a medium and it didn’t even fit me. But it fit my son. So traveling well. they had an established fan base here in Las Vegas.” It was not uncommon to see Jets fans flock to Arizona for the games between Jets 2.0 and Jets 1.0. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.11.2017 Some fans in attendance were planning to do the doubleheader and travel on to Arizona on Saturday for the finale of this three-game road trip. For folks looking to get away from the winter weather, it’s a natural. “I’m originally from Gimli, Manitoba and I now live in Alberta so I don’t get home to watch the Jets very often,” said Jeff Forbister. “I’ve been to Edmonton to watch them this year and figured this would be a great spot. I can’t believe there are this many people here. This is unbelievable.” Many who made the trek were already committing to future visits to see the Jets and Golden Knights. “What an experience,” said Trevor Troinus, who booked his tickets 10 minutes after the NHL schedule was released. “Maybe we’ll try to do it every year.” The locals were welcoming, which comes as no surprise in a service town like this. “As soon as we knew that Vegas was given a team, we decided to come. We were anxiously awaiting the release of the schedule,” said Amy Marks. “As soon as the schedule came out, we booked it. We realized it was on a long weekend, so that was even better. “It’s just exciting. We came just the two of us, but there’s such a big group of Jets fans. It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to know anybody. You’re friends with them immediately.” Whether it’s a group of two or a massive crowd of 75 who hit the road together, there’s an immediate connection when you see someone wearing red, white and blue. “The last time we were in Vegas, I told my husband we’re only coming back when the Jets come,” said Lise Trudeau. “As soon as we knew the 1082772 Winnipeg Jets The Jets top line has been tremendous this season, but it was not a banner night for any of Wheeler, Mark Scheifele or Kyle Connor, who combined to go minus-11. Jets outworked by Golden Knights: Sluggish effort leads to first outright It was also a tough game for Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, who was loss in nine games caught out of position on the Golden Knights third goal and then was flat- footed when Karlsson blew past him for the shorthanded marker. Ken Wiebe Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been sensational this season, but gave up five goals on 21 shots and wasn’t as sharp as usual as he November 11, 2017 1:05 AM CST suffered his first regulation loss of the campaign. “It’s going to happen, I’m not going to let this phase me,” said Hellebuyck. “But I’m going to use this as motivation. Now I can get back to work and LAS VEGAS – All week long, the Winnipeg Jets talked about respecting realize how much harder I’m going to start working again. Not that I their opponent and not taking the Vegas Golden Knights lightly. wasn’t working hard, but it’s a little more motivation that I need to get back on the wheel and get back at it.” This wasn’t your typical expansion team, that was a familiar refrain. It was the second time during the past three starts Hellebuyck has given There was plenty of skill to go along with the tenacious work ethic the up five goals, so it wasn’t a big surprise Jets head coach Paul Maurice Golden Knights have shown throughout the first 16 games of their got out the hook and put in Steve Mason for the third period. existence. Part of that was to give Hellebuyck an opportunity to get a breather, but The Jets knew there would be some rust to shake off after three days off the other was that Hellebuyck had made six consecutive starts and since in Sin City, but starting strong had become a calling card of their own. Mason was going to start against the Coyotes anyway – this gave him a But the Golden Knights scored first, built a two-goal cushion and then chance to see some game action for the first time since Oct. 27, when he pulled away in the second period in what became a 5-2 loss for the Jets. made 35 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jets, who dropped to 8-4-3 on the season, wrap up this three-game “I didn’t think the puck was going for (Hellebuyck) early on, but didn’t homestand against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. want to pull him towards the end of the second period because I didn’t want to give the impression it was on him,” said Maurice, who didn’t have “(The Golden Knights) were everything we expected them to be. Our an update on the status of defenceman Josh Morrissey, who left the preparation before the game showed that hockey team,” said Jets game in the third period after blocking a shot with what appeared to be a captain Blake Wheeler. “Shower this one off. It was one of those nights lower-body injury. “(Hellebuyck) was like everybody else tonight, just a bit that we didn’t really have many good players. We’ve liked the way we’ve off from where they’ve been.” played here lately and for most of the season really. We just have to get over this one and the great thing about it is we have an opportunity to go Speaking of goalies, Golden Knights fourth-stringer Maxime Lagace home from the road trip with four out of six points and flush this one down continues to show he belongs, making 27 saves, a ridiculous right-skate the toilet.” stop on Scheifele during the first period. It was the first outright loss for the Jets in nine games, so it’s important Jets sniper Patrik Laine scored for the fourth time in as many games, not to overreact to the result of one game. ripping a one-timer past Lagace at 13:57 of the second period. Having said that, there’s no excuse for being as sluggish as the Jets As good as the Jets have been in the first period this season (outscoring were in this contest. opponents 25-12), they’ve struggled mightily in the second (giving up 20 and scoring only eight). Passes weren’t as crisp as they needed to be and the decisions with the puck weren’t as sound as they’d been during a hot streak that saw them That’s one of the major issues the Jets need to try and clean up. go 5-0-3. The Jets power play has been rolling of late, jumping to fourth in the NHL “I don’t know if you can say we weren’t ready, as much as they’re a good going into Friday’s game after converting six for the past nine team over there,” said Jets centre Adam Lowry, who scored his first goal opportunities, but they managed only one goal and gave up one while of the season late in the first period. “We knew they were going to come shorthanded. out hard and they’re 7-1 at home now. It’s a credit to the way they play That caused them to lose the special-teams battle, thanks to a power- and the style they play. Obviously, it didn’t seem like we had our hands play goal from James Neal, who received a gift when Kulikov’s clearing and that can be frustrating, but you need to find ways to get things done attempted ending right on the tape of Neal (who leads his team with nine when things aren’t going your way. You can say it was the three days off, goals). but they played a good game and for whatever reason, we didn’t. We’ll be ready (Saturday) and we’re looking at this as an opportunity to bounce On this night, the Jets didn’t deserve to win and their goalie was unable back. If you win two of three on the road, that’s a pretty successful road to bail them out. trip.” How the Jets respond in front of their netminder on Saturday will The Jets have made a habit of responding to the suspect efforts they’ve determine whether they return home with a winning record on this swing had following the 0-2 start to the season, so it will be interesting to see or if they’ll be lamenting the points they left on the table. how this group plays after the latest lacklustre showing.

As well as the Jets have been playing of late, it’s not like they’ve been able to create much separation in the Central Division standings. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.11.2017 Simply put, they can’t afford to lay another egg against the Coyotes. This isn’t to suggest the Jets didn’t think the Golden Knights would be ready to play but it’s one thing to see a fast team on video and another to see them live and in person. The Golden Knights dogged style was on display early and often, starting with a strong forecheck by fourth-line forward William Carrier that led to the opening goal. Carrier knocked Jets defenceman Dmitry Kulikov off the puck behind the net and eventually David Perron found Luca Sbisa for a one-timer at 6:41 of the first period. Perron made it 2-0 at 15:08 on a perfect shot, but Lowry redirected a point shot by Kulikov 39 seconds later to cut into the deficit. William Karlsson scored a pair of goals (one on a rebound and another on a shorthanded breakaway) and by the time the second period was in the books, the Jets were down by three goals – much to the chagrin of the thousands of Manitobans who made the trek. 1082773 Winnipeg Jets What the Jets are horrific at, and the reason for their worst in the league Corsi%, is generating 5-on-5 shot attempts. How bad are they? Some back of the envelope math suggests to me their inability to generate shot Dellow: Jets' record is great but long-term success requires better shot attempts would end up costing them about seven points relative to a generation league average team. That's something that's much more worth staying up late and worrying about.

So what's going on here? Why can't the Jets — who have a lot of really Tyler Dellow good offensive players — generate shot attempts at 5-on-5? In order to get a better sense of the problem, we can look at how the Jets' shot 17 hours ago attempt volume compares to what a league average team would have done with the same amount of time at a given shift type. I've just graphed the differences between the Jets and league average to make this easier If you're a hockey team with problems, it's best to win games any way to understand. If the bar goes down, that's bad. If it goes up, that's good. possible, provided you aren't fooled by your success. Winning games buys you time to fix your problems without everyone around the team Yikes. Now, more of the game is spent on-the-fly than in the other shift feeling pressure. The Winnipeg Jets have the first half of that equation types, so it's worth looking at the difference between the rate at which the down — they're 8-3-3. But are they fooled by their success? Jets generate 5-on-5 shot attempts and the league average NHL team, too. That's harder to know. All we can do is outline the underlying problems and pay attention to whether or not they find a way to address them as It seems pretty clear that there are four areas that are really hurting the the season goes along. Jets at the moment: defensive zone wins, neutral zone wins, offensive zone wins and OTF shifts. They aren't particularly great at generating There's a lot of stuff to worry about. They've got a penalty kill that's shot attempts on shifts that start with a defensive zone loss either but getting torn apart. A power play that's producing without shooting the that's such a tough situation in which to generate shot attempts that it's puck particularly often. Today though, I'm going to focus on 5-on-5. not being big damage to their shot attempt totals.

It's no secret the Jets have been benefiting from shooting and save It's interesting to me that the Jets' problems are most acute in percentage at 5-on-5, although before I looked, I wasn't aware of just circumstances in which a team starts with the puck. After a faceoff win, how acute the problem has been. Somehow, the Jets have the worst you've got the puck and it's your job to take it up the ice and create a possession numbers in the NHL, with a Corsi% of just 45.4 percent. shot. My rule for beginning to classify ice-time as on the fly involves a Sometimes early in the year you'll see big differences between Corsi% defenceman changing — defencemen tend to change when their team and, say, the percentage of shots that a team gets but Winnipeg's not has the puck or it's behind the opposition net. getting that. They get outshot by about five shots per 60 minutes of play at 5-on-5. Only a 9.8 percent shooting percentage and a .927 save There are a couple of additional lenses that we can look at this through. percentage is keeping them above water. Are the Jets bad, relative to the league as a whole, at generating an initial shot attempt? Or is their problem more that they're a one and done Truth be told, a .927 save percentage isn't particularly outrageous team, unable to generate multiple shot attempts on a shift? (although it might feel that way to anyone associated with Jets 2.0). Teams finish seasons with a .927 save percentage all the time. The 9.8 So this tells us a few things. The Jets are a little bit worse than league shooting percentage at 5-on-5 is really high though — Winnipeg shot 8.5 average at generating at least one shot attempt on shifts starting with a percent last year and the league leader was at 9.2 percent. In 2015-16, defensive zone win. They're a little bit worse than that when it comes to the Jets shot 7.5 percent and the league leading team was at 9.0 shifts starting with neutral zone wins or on the fly. They're about ten percent. It wouldn't surprise me if the Jets are a better finishing team than points worse than league average in terms of generating at least one the average team (league average tends to be somewhere around 7.5 shot when it comes to offensive zone wins. percent) but I doubt that they're going to shoot 9.8 percent for the So here's the other half of the equation. The Jets have absolutely been a season. one and done team after defensive zone wins this year and, albeit not The Jets are currently outscoring opponents 28-25 at 5-on-5. If they'd quite to the same extent, after neutral zone wins as well. It's been a shot, say, eight per cent — still excellent — they'd have been outscored problem on the fly and after offensive zone wins as well, although not to 25-23. If they're worried about what happens going forward rather than the same extent. what happened in the past, which they should be, and eight percent is a There's one final lens I like to run things though — a temporal lens. In the more likely shooting percentage than 9.8 percent, then they've got a case of defensive zone wins, from watching the Jets play, I have a sense problem they need to fix. Shooting percentage is very unlikely to save that a lot of their defensive zone wins turn into chaos, with the puck you when the other team is getting five more shots per 60 minutes of 5- finally being cleared out without much of a structured transition through on-5 play. the neutral zone. This is a good example. This kind of obliquely came up in a question coach Paul Maurice was Frequently ending up with one guy without a lot of support is a good way asked in Las Vegas. The questioner asked him about the volume of to end up with a lot of one and done offensive zone entries, I would think. shots that the Jets are giving up. The problem with video is that you can find video to make basically any “We've had some bigger numbers against. I'm not overly concerned. point you want about a hockey team if you look long enough. It's a fast We'd be more concerned about chance quality and be more into that game and things happen. There's another data point of some interest expected goals, if you're into the analytics. We'd put a little bit more here though. If I'm right that the Jets seem to have these hideous emphasis on that.” transitions out of their own end, it should take them longer to generate I have some suspicion that the Jets are subscribing to an analytics their first shot attempt after a defensive zone win than it does teams that service, based on some other comments Maurice made in that interview get out more cleanly. but I'm going to focus on this. The reason the Jets have given up a pile of This does, in fact, hold up. The median elapsed time from faceoff win to shots is a mix of not being great at suppressing them at 5-on-5 and first shot attempt on those shifts where it happens this year is 19 giving up a metric ton of them on the penalty kill. Naturalstattrick has the seconds. For Winnipeg, it's 22 seconds. I hasten to emphasize that we're Jets allowing nearly 130 shot attempts per 60 minutes while killing dealing with small samples here but this does seem to line up with what penalties, which is a wild number. my eyes have noticed. At 5-on-5 though, the Jets haven't really allowed a ton of shot attempts. The fastest Winnipeg has accomplished this is ten seconds. League- They're 22nd in the NHL, which obviously isn't where you want to be, but wide, there have been 851 shifts starting with a DZW that resulted in a they're allowing maybe an extra two or three shot attempts per 60 shot attempt. Ninety-four of those have seen the shot attempt occur minutes than the middle of the league. Over the course of a season, their before ten seconds have elapsed. Winnipeg hasn't managed the feat 5-on-5 shot suppression problem maybe costs them a win compared to once. Between the video I've looked at and the data, I think it's fair to league average. I mean, you'd like to be better but that shouldn't be high suspect that Winnipeg has struggled to exit the defensive zone cleanly on the list of things keeping Maurice up at night. after a faceoff win. Here's an example of one of the Jets' quicker transitions from DZ faceoff win to shot on the opposing goalie. It's not a Picasso.

I mean, that led to a great chance but the data tells us the Jets aren't getting much in these situations and that was still a pretty ugly sequence.

What about neutral zone wins? As I see it, there are basically two ways you're going to generate shot attempts from that. First, you've got the initial push. You win the faceoff and, generally speaking, run some sort of a play to get the puck in the deep. That's your first chance — win the loose puck and create shot. There's then a sort of second wave after the play comes back to your end — win the puck back, break out and create another shot attempt.

For a team like Winnipeg, having trouble generating shot attempts, we can get a sense of whether it's an issue with the former or the latter by looking at when in those shifts they become worse than the league average team at generating shot attempts. If it's early in the shift, they probably aren't recovering many dump-ins or are struggling to generate a shot once they do. If it's later in the shift, it's the second wave, the getting a clean breakout and generating a shot that's killing them.

The average team is generating .395 shot attempts per neutral zone win. The Jets are at .281. As you can see, by 20 seconds post-NZW, the damage is basically done.

In the first 20 seconds after an NZW this year, Winnipeg's generated 11 shot attempts, or .096 per shift. The league average is 0.190, a difference of 0.094 shot attempts per shift. Another way of looking at it is that this is most of the overall difference between the Jets' attempt rate on NZW shifts and league average.

What does that mean in hockey terms? Well, if I was Maurice, I'd be wondering how well the forecheck is working. If I was satisfied with that, I'd be wondering about what's happening after we've recovered the puck. Looking at the video from some recent games, I'd also wonder if we were even getting the puck into the offensive zone particularly effectively.

The OTF shifts are somewhat analogous to NZW shifts, in that defencemen are frequently changing while the puck is heading up ice. As with the NZW shifts, the Jets start losing shot attempts relative to the league pretty quickly.

This leaves OZW shifts. You'll recall from above that these are kind of different from the other situations in which Winnipeg is struggling to generate shots because the problem isn't a failure to generate multiple attempts, it's a failure to generate at least one shot attempt. I wondered if maybe the Jets were eschewing point shots to try and get shots closer, that doesn't seem to be the case. They've just struggled to turn offensive zone faceoff wins into shot attempts.

It's still fairly early in the season. And wins buy you time. Leading a lot will suppress your possession numbers (although the Jets aren't great regardless of whether they're leading, tied or trailing). We've seen enough that Winnipeg's inability to generate shot attempts is a concerning trend though. When the shooting percentage cools off — and it will — you need something else to keep you in the game at 5-on-5. Right now, Winnipeg doesn't seem able to generate enough shots to have that.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082774 Vancouver Canucks It also goes deeper than Green. His staff includes Nolan Baumgartner and Manny Malholtra, both former Canucks and both familiar with the demands of today’s NHL. The goalie coach is Dan Cloutier, another Ed Willes: For Boeser or worse, Canucks committing to Benning's vision former Canuck. So’s director of player development is Ryan Johnson. Scott Walker, who’s currently serving as Willie Desjardins’ assistant coach with Team Canada at the Karjala Cup in Finland, is in his department. Mattias Öhlund is in the process of joining that group, and Ed Willes will work with the Canucks’ prospects in Europe. November 10, 2017 2:30 PM PST Judd Brackett, the new director of amateur scouting, isn’t a former Canuck, but he fits the model in terms of age (40) and outlook.

“When I talk about changing the culture thats what I’m talking about,” In the ongoing debate over Jim Benning’s managerial acumen, there’s Benning said. “They’re all character people. They were Canucks and really only one opinion that counts, and if the Vancouver Canucks’ they care about this team.” general manager was concerned about his job security, that matter was laid to rest this week. Is that enough? Who knows. But it’s something the faithful can look at and think this makes sense. You’ve got a team being built around young “I am pleased with how Jim has performed,” Canucks owner Francesco players. You’ve got a hockey department populated by bright, young Aquilini told Sportsnet 650. minds who are invested in this franchise. Theoretically, they should grow “I’m optimistic we’re going to come to an agreement with him.” together. And there it is. Unless something changes dramatically — and because Theoretically, they can make this work. these are the Canucks you can’t rule anything out — it would seem There will be nights like Thursday in Anaheim when it looks like the Aquilini is married to the vision Benning and Trevor Linden have created Canucks are heading down the same familiar and depressing road and for this franchise. As it happens, that vision is now coming into focus for part of the challenge of the Benning-Linden administration is staring the first time in Benning’s three-plus years here which, following 28th- down the skepticism which is the faithful’s default position. and 29th-place finishes, has also created some optimism around the Canucks. But this much we know. They’ve set a course here, and Benning will remain a key player in that journey. As for the unknown, we have no idea Or maybe it’s just the pessimism isn’t as deeply rooted. where the journey ends but that should be the fun part. Whatever the case, it now seems the Canucks will be on board the

Benning train for the foreseeable future, which brings us back to the question which hung in the air when the Edmontonian was hired in the Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.11.2017 first place. Is he the man who will finally get things right in Vancouver? Can he bring long-term, sustained success to a franchise which has known so much frustration and heartache in its five decades of existence? The answer — and you’re going to love this — is … maybe. “(The contract extension) will work itself out,” said Benning, who’s in the final year of his deal. “We’ll get that figured out. I’m focused on continuing to do the work we started. “I’m more concerned about trying to change the culture of the group. Since I took the job, we’ve been trying to rebuild the organization. It’s something that doesn’t happen overnight. Kids take time. But I think this is the first year we’re starting to see the (Brock) Boesers and I think every year after this we’ll see (young players integrated into the lineup).” And then we will see if this change is real and lasting or another mirage. Any assessment of Benning’s work to date has to start with the Canucks’ young players and prospects he’s assembled. We’re not going to spend a lot of time itemizing that list because it’s known to even the most casual Canucks’ fun. Suffice to say there are 10 regulars on the NHL team, led by Bo Horvat and Boeser, who are 25 and younger, and the Canucks have at least 10 legitimate NHL prospects in their system, ranging from , Olli Juolevi and Thatcher Demko at the high end to Will Lockwood and Jonah Gadjovich at the lower. If you believe in Benning, this is where you point. But if you don’t, happy days because there have been enough mistakes over the last three years to build the anti-Benning case. Again, those mistakes have been well-chronicled — Loui Eriksson, some head-scratching contracts — and when you get beyond the details, there’s the matter of 28th and 29th to consider. So where does that leave us? Well, there’s one aspect about the Benning debate which, if it’s possible, has been under-reported in this market and that concerns the totality of what he’s helped to build; the gestalt of the Canucks, if you will. This is as much a Linden construct as anything, but because Benning sits in the GM’s chair, he shares the credit. When you look at the Canucks’ hockey department, you’re struck by a couple of things. They’re young, they’re bright and, for the most part, they have a history with the Canucks. It starts with head coach Travis Green, by the far the organization’s most significant acquisition this offseason. True, you’d like more than a 16- game sample size before you form a fixed opinion on Green, but he has the look of a leader, someone with a plan and a philosophy, and that’s a good starting point. 1082775 Vancouver Canucks

Perks and promises in Mark Messier's handwritten Canucks contract

Harrison Mooney Published: November 10, 2017 Updated: November 10, 2017 1:02 PM PST

Mark Messier was expected to lead the Canucks to new heights when he signed in Vancouver as a free agent. He didn’t. Instead, Messier’s Canucks missed the playoffs in three straight years before the team bought him out. The fans blamed him for that, and they also blamed him when Trevor Linden, who had ceded the captaincy to the future Hall of Famer, was traded by to the New York Islanders. And no one liked that he insisted on wearing No. 11, which had been unofficially retired by the Canucks ever since Wayne Maki’s death in 1974. Very uncool. Messier had 52 goals and 162 points in 207 games with the Canucks — it wasn’t enough. The Hall of Famer is beloved almost everywhere he goes, save for Vancouver, where he’s reviled. Canucks fans would probably prefer not to think of Messier’s contract ever again. Unfortunately, ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell got his hands on the original, hand-written version of that contract, and it’s too interesting to ignore. The most notable thing about this contract is that it looks like a historical relic despite being just twenty years old. It looks like it was fished out of a bottle in the ocean. It’s written on lined notebook paper. Granted, considering the money the club gave Messier, it stands to reason they had nothing left over for a printer, let alone a higher-quality stationery. Printers were expensive in the ’90s. But there are other curiosities. Per the contract, in addition to the $6 million Messier would receive each year — $3 million in annual salary, $2 million in bonuses, and $1 million in “promotional” payments, Messier was guaranteed several perks: phantom stock in the organization (which would later allow him to successfully sue the Canucks in 2012 for an additional $6 million), a post-career moving allowance, and a three- bedroom apartment in the city, with the Canucks agreeing to pay his rent, up to $3,000 a month. That doesn’t seem like much now, of course. $3,000 a month barely gets you a decent two-bedroom apartment in Vancouver these days. But in 1997, that was enough to rent a downright palatial downtown condo. That said, the contract also acknowledged that Messier wouldn’t be living in it. “Player will reside in the state of Washington,” the contract reads, feeding into the notion that Messier never fully embraced the city. Nor did he fully embrace his teammates. The contract also guarantees Messier to a single room on the road, although, in fairness, this is something many veterans ask for. Most notably, Messier’s contract promises him Wayne Maki’s No. 11. The ninth note on the contract is simple: “#11.” This means fan anger over the disrespect to the Maki family is misplaced. Your beef is with the management group that wrote it into Messier’s contract. Finally, the contract stipulates the bonuses paid out to Messier for playoff success, which would have totalled $1 million if the team won the Stanley Cup during his tenure. But, as mentioned, there was no playoff success, so at least the Canucks saved some money there. [email protected] Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082776 Vancouver Canucks regulars — including centres Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler recovering from surgeries.

The Canucks were also crushed in even-strength Corsi, especially the Kuzma: Loui Eriksson talking a good game, now he needs to play one line of Vanek (minus-13), Gagner (minus-11) and Granlund (minus-8). It’s why Friday’s long practice was about better breakouts, better Ben Kuzma execution through the neutral zone and better offensive pressure. November 10, 2017 5:17 PM PST “Our execution hasn’t been sharp enough as of late and we did a lot of passing today and making plays at full speed and that’s an area we have to get better at,” said Green. “We weren’t very good last game. It was our worst game of the season, but it’s a long season and you’re going to SAN JOSE, Calif. — Loui Eriksson doesn’t want to dwell on the past have games where you’re not very good. because doing the right thing got him off on the wrong foot this National Hockey League season. “And you have to learn from when you play bad. You have to be honest with your game every game. Own your game is a phrase I like to use.” The Vancouver Canucks winger would rather talk about Saturday. It won’t take long to find out if it’s the phrase that pays with a road victory He’s poised to return from an medial collateral ligament sprain in his left on the third stop of a four-game test. knee that sidelined the 32-year-old Swede for a dozen games. The irony of another setback in his troublesome transition to the Canucks is that Eriksson did exactly what was expected of him on the play that took him out. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.11.2017 Eriksson raced through the slot in anticipation of a pass when he was shoved into the net from behind by Calgary Flames winger Tanner Glass. Eriksson lost his balance, braced for impact and avoided the crossbar, but his knee was twisted like a pretzel. “I thought it was little dirty,” Eriksson recalled Friday after skating on a practice line with Henrik and Daniel Sedin in anticipation of facing the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. “I came at a pretty high speed and he pushed me from behind and I couldn’t really do anything. “I felt it right away when I went into Smitty (goalie Mike Smith) and felt something was wrong right away.” Everybody is waiting for Eriksson to do something to justify a six-year, US$36 million commitment from the Canucks on the first day of free agency in 2016. He was supposed to be the missing link for the Sedins — rekindling the trio’s world championship chemistry for Sweden — but he has been missing in action. Eriksson also missed the final 17 games last season following a knee-on- knee sideboards collision with Anaheim Ducks centre Chris Wagner and seems far removed from the 30-goal sniper he was with the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars. Just 11 goals in 65 games last season rubbed many the wrong way because Eriksson didn’t look engaged. He looked lost. “I can be a lot better,” added Eriksson. “I don’t want to talk about last year because it was such a tough year and all I can think about is the next game. Hopefully, it turns around and I can get my confidence going. You need the bounces and pucks going your way. “I just want to be a good player. I’ve been in the league for a long time and I know what I can do. I just need to come in with confidence and bring a good game and be the player I’ve always been. “All I can do is help them (Sedins) out and get something good going together. If we can get something going, we can be a real dangerous line.” The trickle-down effect of looking to rebound from a troublesome 4-1 loss in Anaheim on Thursday meant line juggling. Alexander Burmistrov was back between Thomas Vanek and Sam Gagner at practice. Markus Granlund returned to the left side with Brandon Sutter and Derek Dorsett. Jake Virtanen and Brendan Gaunce were the extra forwards and Reid Boucher was returned to the . Canucks coach Travis Green also massaged his defensive pairings Friday. Part of it was to compensate for the absence of Chris Tanev, who’s sidelined indefinitely with a broken thumb suffered Tuesday in Calgary. And part of it was getting a different look because Green is still experimenting with his back end. Alex Edler was paired with Derrick Pouliot while Michael Del Zotto was with Alex Biega and Ben Hutton with Erik Gudbranson. Jacob Markstrom was given a maintenance day Friday and Green hinted he’s tempted to play Anders Nilsson on Saturday to not only get him his first start since Oct. 26, but to get everybody’s attention. That’s because the last game looked too much like last year. The fun factor of a transition to a pleasing uptempo pace was replaced by the frustration of being outplayed in every conceivable manner by the Ducks. You never felt the Canucks were going to rally. They went 0-for-5 on the power play and coughed up three power play goals to a club missing six 1082777 Websites Already, he has nine in 16 games – and is playing between Rickard Rakell (last year’s leader in game-winning goals) and Corey Perry (a former Rocket Richard Trophy winner). That will enhance anyone’s The Athletic / Duhatschek Notebook: Bruins, Ducks hit hardest by production. Wagner was a fourth liner in Anaheim, who played 43 games injuries, why KHLers might not be at the Olympics for the Ducks last year (and 30 more for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL), while averaging just over nine minutes of ice time per NHL game. But playing in Kesler’s spot, in two of the past four games, he’s seen his minutes exceed 20 per night, big numbers for a forward. Moreover, Eric Duhatschek Wagner has already matched his single season career high — of seven points — established last year. 12 hours ago Long term, the most interesting dynamic is to see what unfolds in goal,

where Ryan Miller was signed as a free agent last summer and has been Man-games lost to injury can be one of the NHL’s most misleading lights-out whenever he’s gotten the opportunity to play. The Ducks statistics because it never really factors in the quality of the players lost. imagined Miller as a 1B option to Gibson and it wouldn’t stretch the Over the years, you’ve seen it happen again and again – where a team imagination to see the two of them sharing a workload in the same way will list a player on the fringes of its roster on the long-term injury list, Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray did in Pittsburgh last season. Miller which beefs up the man games lost and creates a weird sort of ‘woe-is- took a discounted deal to join the Ducks for personal reasons – he me’ scenario. It means if the careful plans of the off-season go awry, then wanted to live and play in California – but he is a former Vezina Trophy there’s a convenient and built-in excuse. winner, and the MVP of the 2010 Winter Olympics, a player who has never won a Stanley Cup in a distinguished career. In an age of NHL parity, if you lose 200-, 300-, even 400-man games to injury, how can you expect to win? Usually when you speak of a veteran player who deserves a championship, you think in terms of a Ray Bourque or . It Of course, most people aren’t fooled by numbers alone – and understand would be something if Miller, at 37, not only wins a title, but is an the absence of a handful of marginal players for extended periods of time important part of the run. Anaheim has won five consecutive Pacific doesn’t make the difference between winning and losing. There isn’t Division titles, and seems poised to make the playoffs again. When much of a drop-off if the No. 13 forward steps in for the No. 9 forward, or healthy, they could be formidable. Alas, Miller joined the ranks of the if the seventh defenceman has to play for the fifth. walking wounded toward the end of the win over the Canucks, forced to leave the game with an undisclosed injury, leaving the well-traveled Reto But sometimes you get the flip side of the coin, where injuries aren’t an Berra to mop up. As coach Randy Carlyle knows from his two tenures excuse, but an explanation. Or to put it another way, it’s OK to muster up coaching the Ducks, sometimes, when it rains in southern California, a smidgen of sympathy for the plight of the Anaheim Ducks and the man, it pours. Boston Bruins right now, two teams crippled by injuries to difference makers up and down their line-ups. Last weekend, coming out of its annual summit meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, the International Olympic Committee revealed that it plans At different times this season, the Bruins have had to muddle along to make a final decision by December about Russia’s participation in the without their two top centres Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci; along 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, South Korea. By then, the IOC their premier winger Brad Marchand; and useful versatile forwards such expects to have fully digested the two reports commissioned to as Ryan Spooner and David Backes. Their absence has severely tested investigate the allegations of wide-spread, state-sponsored doping their depth up front and given the likes of Anders Bjork, Jake DeBrusk conducted by Russia at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. Naturally, the IOC and Danton Heinen a chance to play big minutes and important roles. decision could matter greatly to the outcome of the men’s Olympic As bad as things have been in Boston, no team has endured an injury hockey tournament. If Russia participates, they will go into the event as crisis like the Ducks, who managed to defeat the visiting Vancouver the heavy favorites. If they don’t, it’s wide open. Canucks Thursday night, playing without their top two centres, Ryan But a Russian ban could also have implications on Canada’s team, since Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler; their top defenceman, Cam Fowler; their No. 1 roughly two-thirds of the main candidates currently play in Russia’s KHL. goalie John Gibson; and one of last year’s two 30-goal scorers, Patrick Last weekend, in response to the possibility of an Olympic ban, the KHL Eaves. threatened to amend its schedule on the fly and eliminate the Olympic For the Ducks, the bad news was exacerbated mid-week, when general break, which would then prevent foreign players on KHL contracts from manager Bob Murray revealed that his captain, Getzlaf, could miss up to competing in the Olympics as well. Nice, eh? two months after requiring surgery to repair a broken cheekbone suffered Now, this could all be a giant bluff – or posturing on the part of the two Sundays ago in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Russian federation to rustle up support for their inclusion in Currently, journeyman Derek Grant is filling in for Getzlaf, while Chris the Olympics. Wagner has stepped into the role normally played by Kesler, centering Or it could further tweak an Olympic tournament that has already been Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano, on what might be the best and diminished by the NHL’s decision not to participate. What a can of longest-tenured checking line in the NHL. Their Nos. 2 and 3 worms. If the KHL ban isn’t just an empty threat, but actually defencemen, Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatenen, both missed most of materializes, it could potentially force Hockey Canada to recruit more the first month recovering from off-season shoulder surgeries, but are heavily from the leagues in Switzerland, Sweden and Germany. back playing again, which helps mitigate against the absence of Fowler, their perennial TOI leader. The irony is heavy. For years, people in Russian hockey circles were quietly cheering for Alex Ovechkin, whenever he threatened to play in the No one knows for sure when, or even if, Eaves will play again, after he Olympics, even if the NHL said no to participation. Now, curiously, you was diagnosed with Guillain Barre syndrome. Eaves was a trade have a scenario where the shoe could be on the other foot. deadline addition last spring who signed an extension with the Ducks in the summer. Murray is the sort of GM who likes to tweak at the deadline, What if a Canadian player, in the KHL, on a one-year contract and and depending upon Eaves’ progress, may be required to do so again. unsure if he was going back to Russia anyway, was faced with this choice: Play for Canada in the Olympics, and take advantage of a once- The crazy irony amid all their injury carnage is that Cogliano recently in-a-lifetime opportunity? Or play out the final month of a contract in the played his 800th consecutive game, which is the fourth longest ironman KHL? streak in NHL history. I know, from broaching the subject with him in the past, Cogliano is reluctant to speak about how he’s remained relatively Lots of Canadians are making a good living in the KHL and if they see it injury free throughout his career, when just about everyone around him is as their livelihood, probably would opt to stay and play. But there may falling like a domino. Partly, that’s just natural hockey superstition. Partly, well be players who decide to go the other way – opt for the Olympics it's about what’s implied – that maybe he doesn’t go into the tough areas and turn their back on the KHL. of the ice, where injuries normally occur. The idea that the KHL will amend their schedule on the fly as a means of But that’s a patently false assumption. Cogliano competes as hard as forcing players to honor their contracts seems churlish, petty and anyone – he’s just figured out, in the same way the Calgary Flames’ logistically, unmanageable. But it doesn’t mean it might not happen. Johnny Gaudreau has it figured out, how to see contact coming, and roll off a hit, and protect himself. By the way, I reached out to Hockey Canada president Tom Renney to get a sense of his position on the matter. His response was predictable Grant is an interesting case study, a 27 year old former Ottawa Senators’ and wholly understandable – that his organization is giving the problem a draft choice, who had played 86 NHL games over four years for Ottawa, wide berth until such time as the situation clarifies itself further. Calgary, Buffalo and Nashville, before signing a two-way deal with Anaheim on July 2. He entered the season with seven career points. “I can tell you right now, I don’t know the answer because it’s all hypothetical,” said Renney apologetically. “I’ll talk to you about anything, but I’m not going to talk about that, just because it’s all hypothetical and it puts us in a sticky position and I’m not going to go there. There are some political implications that we don’t need to get into the middle of – so we’re just playing hockey. “Our team is on the ice and our players are getting ready for the Olympic Games. If somebody tells us, we can’t use these people, then we’ll look somewhere else – but we’re not even close to going down the path.” Canada is competing in a de facto Olympic trial this week – and won its Karjala Cup opener 3-2 over Switzerland, behind a strong goaltending performance from Ben Scrivens. As noted here in previous installments, Scrivens may eventually be Canada’s most important player when it comes to assessing medal hopes. Canada lost 2-0 to Sweden in its second game of the tournament on Friday. When digesting further Karjala Cup results, get used to hearing names that conjure up distant NHL memories from among the list of Canadian goalscorers in the tournament. Gilbert Brule, for example, scored against Switzerland. He is four years removed from the NHL, having last played for the Phoenix Coyotes in 2013-14. Brule, a former sixth overall draft choice by Columbus in 2005, is currently with Kunlun Red Star, his fifth different KHL team in four seasons. The Karjala Cup has an interesting scheduling twist that I like. Officially, the host city is Helsinki. But the opening games of the tournament were played elsewhere. Canada, for example, played the first game in Switzerland, largely as a means of upping the box office. Both teams left right afterward and will play out the tournament in Finland. But what a smart marketing thought. The crowd for a Canada-Swiss game in Helsinki would have been tiny. As a home game for the Swiss, they got close to a full house. It hasn’t been ideal, Jaromir Jagr’s adjustment to the Calgary Flames after signing a one-year contract in early October. For starters, Jagr missed all of training camp and was behind physically when he arrived. He probably pushed too hard early and got injured, forcing him to miss six games. The good news was, when Jagr came back, he had mostly integrated himself into the team, as a player and not just as an NHL icon, dropped into their midst at the 11th hour. On Thursday night, the signing paid off tangibly, Jagr producing a goal and an assist in a win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Jagr’s 540th career multiple point game is second only to Wayne Gretzky and he is just the third player in NHL history (after Gordie Howe and Chris Chelios) to record multiple point games after his 45th birthday. Jagr earned an assist on Mark Jankowski’s first-ever NHL goal – something else for Jankowski to remember about the event – which is the 12th time Jagr’s done that, but the first in over a decade. He last set up a teammate’s first career goal back in October 2007, for Dan Girardi when he was with the Rangers.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082778 Websites “It didn’t take me long to realize how good these young guys are,” Andreychuk said of his thought process at the time. “They just needed a little direction.” The Athletic / Siegel: Dave Andreychuk's Stanley Cup win with Lightning He started by laying down a few ground rules. Nothing grand, just little was cherry on top of Hall of Fame credentials tweaks to tighten up the room. Like not dumping jerseys on the floor, but placing them instead inside the laundry bin. More notable was the $5 fine he implemented for anyone who dare lay a foot over the Lightning logo Jonas Siegel on that same dressing room floor, with the returns going to charity. 18 hours ago Andreychuk picked up the idea from Patrick Roy during a short stint with the Colorado Avalanche. Roy completely avoided the logo and Andreychuk liked what that represented — respect for the logo and respect for the team. The Buffalo Sabres figured their new head coach was joking. The Lightning were in desperate need of some respect – not just to the It was the fall of 1989. Rick Dudley had just taken over behind the bench outside world, but on the inside, too. This wasn’t an squad in Buffalo and was determined to eradicate the country club-like with a rich past, but a franchise with almost no history or success at all. atmosphere he’d heard was brewing around the Sabres, a club that The franchise, which began play in 1992, had only one lonely playoff seemed to fall short of expectations annually. appearance in its first nine seasons. Dudley wanted to bust guts and drag his new group into shape. But his “We have to start our own history,” Tim Taylor, another veteran leader on players didn't think he was serious when he demanded that they start the Lightning, said of Andreychuk’s message to the group. “He wanted leaping up on tables. our team to be just like everyone else and when he said just like Plyometrics — or jump-training to build power — wasn't in vogue at the everyone else, to compete like everyone else and to be known as a team time and all the players skinned their shins in falling short. that could win.” Dudley didn't stop there. He lined up 12 exercise bikes on a table and Andreychuk had played on plenty of Cup-or-bust teams over the years had players ride with their arms. He made them endure 15-lap marathons (they all busted) and even though he thought little of his new team’s around the ice along with timed sprints. He wanted to push the first team chances that way, he wanted to instill that same attitude – that second he’d ever coached in the NHL as hard as he possibly could. And he knew wasn’t good enough. He was also sentimental at that point in his career. he could get away with it because he was still in tremendous shape from He didn’t want his talented young teammates to take what they were a playing career which included almost 300 games himself with the experiencing for granted like he had in his early years. Sabres. Andreychuk looks back now with disappointment on how his time in “I mean, he’s eccentric, he’s a weird dude, he’s different, but he’s the Buffalo played out, how so many talented teams failed to make any mark hardest working hockey guy I’ve ever worked with,” said John Tortorella, at all. He’d also reached three conference finals, including two that went formerly Dudley’s assistant coach with the Sabres. to Game 7, without ever getting over the hump. Dudley knew that for his message to sink in and have real meaning, the Tortorella came to think of him as another coach in the room, an Sabres best players would have to buy what he was selling and experienced and well-respected voice who could sell the right message according to him, Dave Andreychuk, one of seven inductees into the when the coaches weren’t around and sell it with belief. Hockey Hall of Fame this weekend, was first in line. “And it can’t be a pretend belief,” Tortorella, now the Columbus Blue “Because he recognized the need,” Dudley said of Andreychuk, who gets Jackets head coach, said. “It can’t be they’re in there saying this because his plaque in the Hall 11 years after his playing career ended. “I wanted the coach told me to say this. They have to have that inner belief. You do to get their attention. And I did. But to do that, to make it work, you have not win until that locker room self-sustains and that’s where it comes from to get people to buy in and you have to get leaders to buy in and David is the player, not the coaches. bought in. He worked his ass off and he dragged people with him.” “And you need that leadership group that absolutely buys in so that’s It was Andreychuk’s past leadership that led Dudley, as the Tampa Bay always in the room. Because we can’t be in the room all the time. We Lightning general manager, to bring a 38-year-old version of the can’t. It’s too much. Andy was terrific. But he’d be honest, too. He’d look Hamilton, Ont. product to Tampa in 2001. That ultimately paid off when at me, come down on me at certain times. ‘You know what, back off!’” Andreychuk helped guide the club to its first and only Stanley Cup in Taylor saw Andreychuk influencing the Lightning youth, which included 2004, while putting a much-needed bow on a Hall of Fame career. not only Lecavalier but Brad Richards, Martin St. Louis and Dan Boyle, in Andreychuk was “pretty shocked” when he heard the Lightning still the same way that Steve Yzerman and Mark Messier had once believed he could play. In the summer of 2001, following stops in four influenced Taylor in Detroit and New York. other NHL cities, and a return season in Buffalo, Andreychuk was He pushed them to be better by demanding more. considering retirement. The Sabres selected him in the first round of the 1982 draft, 16th overall, and by that summer he had played more than “And he had our backs,” Taylor said of Andreychuk. “If Dave said it was 1,300 games and scored more than 500 goals, but the 2000-01 season all right, it was going to be fine. If Dave said we weren’t working hard ended with him as a spare part on the Sabres fourth line. enough, we needed to work harder.” He figured his time was done and apparently so did some in Tampa. Andreychuk became the captain after one season — a first for him in the NHL — and proceeded to guide the Lightning to their first playoff series “We weren’t sure,” recalled Tortorella, whom Dudley had hired to coach win. They were Stanley Cup champions a year after that, outlasting the the Lightning midway through the 2000-01 season. “Because you look at Calgary Flames in seven games. Andy, fucker, he can’t skate. You just never knew.” Though he was hardly Tampa’s top player, Andreychuk at 40, still made Dudley had no idea if Andreychuk had anything left, but fought for him a meaningful contribution. He scored only once, but added 13 helpers anyway because he knew at least one thing: Andreychuk could lead. And while averaging almost 19 minutes during that Cup run. What impressed the Lightning were in desperate need of someone like that, a veteran Tortorella most was his evolution, at that age, into the kind of player the who could sharpen the edges and maintain some order inside the Lightning needed – the one who “did all the shit that I asked him to do, all dressing room. different types of things in games.” Tortorella had just stripped Vincent Lecavalier of the captaincy and was “And the thing that stands out most to me with him, and especially as far somewhat rudderless. as the perception people had of him,” Tortorella said, “he was just an “I have no idea how much you can play,” Dudley recalled telling unbelievable competitor.” Andreychuk in his initial sales pitch, “but I do know that you can help me Dudley always thought Andreychuk had it all except for those slow feet. the way you did in Buffalo by changing the culture in that room.” At 6-foot-4 and more than 200 pounds, he was a nightmare to deal with Andreychuk’s career, to that point, was full of playoff disappointment and around the net. He somehow managed to tip even the hardest slappers. he had no reason to think that his Stanley Cup dreams would become “Shoot it at me,” he’d tell teammates in practice. “Just shoot it. I’ll tip it.” reality in Tampa. He thumbed through the roster after agreeing to join the club and saw Lecavalier, Nikolai Khabibulin and not much else. The Andreychuk’s 274 power-play goals are the most in NHL history. His 640 Lightning were bad – like 29th in the league bad — but there were some career goals are 14th all-time and 19th when adjusted for era, according young players about to break out. to Hockey Reference. He's tied for 29th with 1,338 points and only six players – Gordie Howe, Messier, Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr, Mark Recchi and Chris Chelios – have played more than his 1,639 regular season games. Andreychuk may not have gotten his plaque in the Hall though were it not for that final chapter in Tampa. The 18-member Hall of Fame committee shrouds itself in secrecy, making it impossible to know what exactly puts some in and keeps others out, but for someone like Andreychuk, rightly or wrongly, it may have been he needed a finale. “I still think the 600 goals, the games played, I think that puts me in the conversation for sure,” Andreychuk said. “But does that put me over the top? I think winning the Stanley Cup does.” How would Andreychuk’s career have been viewed without that final cherry on top? Would he have been known as the guy who’d played longest without ever winning it all? As a good, but never dominant player? “If Tampa doesn’t happen, are you sitting there Monday night [at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony] and Dave Andreychuk is getting inducted?” said Taylor, who followed Andreychuk as Lightning captain. “I don’t think so.” Andreychuk was never in the running for a major award, didn’t crack one end-of-season all-star squad and never came all that close to challenging for the Rocket Richard Trophy. Only twice in his 23 seasons did he even land within the top-10 in goals, a two-year stretch mostly with the Maple Leafs, when he played with Doug Gilmour at the peak of his powers. Andreychuk believes his finest years were actually in New Jersey. He didn’t score a whole bunch there – 18 goals on average over three full seasons – but became a more well-rounded player under the watch of notoriously stingy Devils head coach Jacques Lemaire. “The way I look at it, and this is my opinion,” Tortorella said of Andreychuk’s Hall of Fame credentials without the Cup, “is I think Andy through his career, early in his career, I thought he went hard on the ice, he went hard off the ice. I think at times [he] had a bit of a reputation. “But I think [the Cup] validated everything that he went through, through misperceptions of what he was as a player, people not understanding how hard he competed, people not understanding the injuries he played through, and to do it and to do it with us and lead us to win a Stanley Cup, I think is a big moment for him to get this opportunity.” Last week, 16 members of the 2004 Lightning gathered in Tampa for a reunion. The organization is celebrating 25 years of existence, bringing back not only the Cup team but the first-ever squad from 1992. At one point over their five days together, Andreychuk shared a ride with Taylor as well as the two biggest stars from that run – Richards and St. Louis, who finished 1-2 in playoff scoring. Richards, who won the Conn Smythe that year, and St. Louis were still playing when the team huddled together for a 10-year reunion. This was really the first time where they could express themselves to their former captain. They told Andreychuk what he meant to them, how crucial he was in their success, how much they admired him all those years ago. Andreychuk’s eyes watered. He was flooded with emotions, describing their kind words as “very humbling, very, very humbling.” Taylor thinks Andreychuk probably already knew that his teammates felt that way, “but when players, actually right to your face, tell you and especially your peers, that’s what the game is all about, I think.”

The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082779 Websites The passionate hockey fans I come across on the internet all seem to have one thing in common: a mild obsession with the players at the fringes of their favourite team’s roster. Which makes sense, as that’s The Athletic / Bourne's Notebook: The best goal of the year, obsessive where changes are going to be made, if anywhere. Often they feel coaches and Paul MacLean certain players are getting slighted based on a (dumb) coach, or that a team doesn’t recognize the value of a certain skill guy. On that, I’d say this: if a skill player can’t get out of the minors, I’d say to trust the team knows what they’re doing 90 percent of the time. Justin Bourne That’s not to say we should be more deferential as fans – hockey 14 hours ago management has routinely proven to make some terrible decisions – but in those cases, they’re probably right.

Teams have so much incentive for their good young players to make it to Earlier in the season, I wrote this on subtle fakes NHLers use to create the NHL. You can always use good players, and good, cheap ones, that offence in today’s NHL. Scoring is hard! It’s old-ish at this point, but you actually drafted? That’s the good stuff right there. If they could hack it easily my favourite goal of the year was scored in Los Angeles by in the NHL, they’d be given a chance. But I saw it time and again with Christian Folin. If you haven’t seen it, take a look. The second angle is Marlies players that fans thought should be in the NHL, but simply best. weren’t good enough. Folin is in what appears to be the most obvious dump-in situation in the Did you see Babcock’s quote that was pretty directly aimed at Josh Leivo world, and he sells that he’s going to follow through. But, at the last (using, I assume, Frank Corrado’s story – maybe Scott Harrington's? – second, he turned his wrists and put it on net. The best part: it came from as the kicker)? his coach! Folin mentioned after the game that assistant coach Dave Lowry told him he’s noticed Predators goaltender Jusse Saros cheating Now, Leivo is a guy who is good enough. But I heard all the talk about on dump-ins, and to maybe try throwing one on net. As a coach, you Corrado in Toronto before he came down to the Marlies, and guess always wonder how much of an influence you’re actually having. Cool to what? He was … fine. He’s okay. He’s in Pittsburgh for now, but if they’re see someone get results so directly. healthy he’s maybe a number two AHL D-man. Cleaner hockey? Anyway, I don’t want to go at any one player in particular (well, other than that Corrado opinion), but the point is: if a guy isn’t getting called up, or is I don’t want to jinx anything here, but does anybody else think the NHL is a guy that three or four organizations have given up on, there’s probably offering a cleaner brand of hockey of late? I know it’s early, and there’s a reason. They’re probably not good enough. still some questionable plays, but by this time of the season over the past handful of years, there’s almost always four of five suspensions handed out. In regular season terms, the NHL has handed out one so far, for one game. Fighting is down again, too. The Athletic LOADED: 11.11.2017 For me, it comes down to the changes we’ve seen at the fringes of rosters. Instead of employing players there for intimidation and physical purposes, more teams – not all, but more – are employing players who focus on playing hockey. I feel like this generation grew up watching an NHL that was physical, but it wasn’t the mayhem it was in the 1970s and 80s. There will be bad plays, and there will be fights. But it just felt worthwhile to note that I do believe the NHL is adopting a cleaner, safer version of the game than in decades past. One of Elliotte Friedman’s “31 Thoughts” this week touched on Paul MacLean, who last season coached alongside Randy Carlyle on the Anaheim Ducks bench. Here are the first of three nuggets he has on him: There were approximately 20 scouts at last week’s Detroit-Ottawa game. The Senators played Thursday, their AHL team (Belleville) followed Friday, and both competed in a driving-distance day-night doubleheader Saturday. Another interested observer was Paul MacLean, who coached Ottawa from 2011-14, then spent two seasons as an assistant in Anaheim after being fired. His deal with the Ducks was set up to run concurrently with the remainder of his Senators contract. Both expired last June. MacLean lives in Antigonish, N.S., but has two grandchildren in Ottawa and is more than happy to visit. He’s contributing to NHL.com’s “Coaching Room” blog, and doing some “personal” scouting. “I’m watching, seeing what I can learn, keeping an eye on how the games are being played.” What does he see? “That the pace and speed of the game are always getting faster.” He plans on travelling between Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and occasionally Buffalo. One thing I can add to that: in his first season where he isn’t behind the bench a lot, the amount of hockey he’s watching is insane. His routine on days when he’s not actually at a rink is something like: breakfast, watch a hockey game, lunch, watch a hockey game, dinner, guess what, hockey game. Often it’s just two games, but still. He’s constantly looking for new ideas, to get to better know all the teams around the league, and to see who’s doing what with their systems. That’s one thing I didn’t understand before I took a job in the Maple Leafs organization – some of these guys at the top of their profession are there because they’re borderline obsessive about the game. Between the long hours, the passion demonstrated based on wins and losses, to the insane amount of time they can spend dissecting a single play, it’s just … man. I love hockey, but these guys are crazy (in a generally good way). “Why don't they call up ______?” 1082780 Websites In fact, the veteran winger believes there’s been evidence Marner turned the corner even before he reeled off five assists in the last four games.

“It’s not always going to be a perfect pass to the guy on the back door Sportsnet.ca / Mitch Marner appears to be getting back on the right track that results in an assist,” he said. “It’s going to be maybe a play where he’s supposed to shoot it and someone else gets a rebound or a play where he puts the puck into a smart area for someone else to get it. It’s Chris Johnston not always about these wow plays that he can make. @reporterchris “There’s times when those will be there, obviously, and he can make them.” November 10, 2017, 10:38 PM We saw it at the end of a tight-checking battle against the Bruins. This was a game the Leafs were on the verge of losing in painful fashion – with Boston’s David Pastrnak scoring a power-play goal at 14:30 of the TORONTO – It can be easy to forget that this is a tough game. third period – until van Riemsdyk won a puck battle to negate an icing That just because certain things happen one season doesn’t necessarily and Toronto worked it around the offensive zone. mean they’ll automatically carry over to the next. Eventually, Marner found his teammate with a slap pass through traffic. Beyond the result, there was a huge seed of hope to be found here “You want the puck on his stick when the game’s on the line,” said van Friday when the Toronto Maple Leafs seized victory from the jaws of Riemsdyk. “He’s got lots of tools in his toolbox and sees the game in a defeat. It was Mitch Marner helping drive the comeback, finding James special way.” van Riemsdyk with a perfect pass in the final minute before adding his second assist on Patrick Marleau’s overtime winner. “Confidence,” van Riemsdyk said after the 3-2 win over Boston. “I think Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 that’s the name of the game in professional sports.” Marner is still only 20. He’s got a 19-goal, 61-point rookie season under his belt, but he’s still finding his way. At least there’s mounting evidence that he’s back on the right track. Seeing Marner reunited with van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak is an indication that head coach Mike Babcock agrees. That was an extremely productive trio last season, but it was broken up last month after allowing a pile of goals against. “I thought we had some unfortunate bounces and stuff like that you have to fight through,” said van Riemsdyk. “Obviously, when stuff like that happens things tend to get shaken up, especially when you have as much depth as we have. You’d like to think when we got a chance to play back together that we can pick up where we left off last year, and hopefully this is a step towards that.” In the line juggling that ensued, Marner got lost in the shuffle. He was dropped to the fourth line for a stretch and is currently averaging more than a minute less per game than he played in his rookie year. That’s gone hand-in-hand with a 17-game goalless drought that stretches all the way back to opening night. He’s generating fewer shots per game – 1.61, down from 2.29 – and has been searching for something good to happen. “It’s great to see Mitch be important at the end and get a couple of points,” said Babcock. “He’s looking for some positive reinforcement from the game and if you work real hard the game usually rewards you. So good for him.” It’s a reminder about how unrelenting the NHL can be. Even the best and brightest experience dips in the road from time to time. The second tour around the league hasn’t been quite as kind to all of Toronto’s “Big 3” youngsters – with Auston Matthews due to miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury when the Leafs and Bruins play again at TD Garden, and William Nylander carrying his own 10- game goal drought into Saturday’s rematch. Fortunately for the Leafs, the veterans have been capable contributors during a three-game win streak that followed a tough tour through California and St. Louis last week. On Friday, van Riemsdyk scored twice – banging home a rebound on the power play in the final minute of the second period before cashing the equalizer with Frederik Andersen on the bench and a minute to play in regulation – while Marleau bagged the 101st game-winner of his career. “Patty Marleau got his 101st game-winner – he’s got to be in the Hall of Fame, doesn’t he?” said Babcock, on a night where the 2017 Hockey Hall of Fame class was honoured. Marner is a popular teammate inside the Leafs dressing room. Almost like the little brother some of the older guys never had. He’s a fun-loving kid who is active in the team’s online video game battles and van Riemsdyk believes he benefitted from the tight-knit group during some of his scoring struggles. 1082781 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews won’t play Saturday vs. Bruins

Emily Sadler @EmmySadler November 10, 2017, 10:31 PM

After defeating the Bruins at home Friday night without their best player, the Toronto Maple Leafs will travel to Boston for Part Two of their home- and-home series—and they’ll do so without Auston Matthews once again. Head coach Mike Babcock announced during Friday’s post-game press conference that Matthews will miss his third straight game on Saturday. Matthews was a game-time decision ahead of Monday’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, citing “soreness,” but he did play. He sat out for the first time in his career when the Leafs took on Minnesota on Wednesday, officially listed as day-to-day with the team calling it an upper-body injury. Toronto has won both games Matthews has missed. Matthews has 10 goals and nine assists through 16 games this season.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082782 Websites friends, and undoubtedly has a clear window into what those kind of jobs entail.

For what it’s worth, Selanne thinks it’s only a matter of time – “if you find Sportsnet.ca / Kariya finally gets closure with Hall of Fame induction some role for him that he doesn’t have to do every day, but he can still give the passion somehow back, I think it’s going to happen” – but Kariya is far less certain. Chris Johnston He points out that no team has ever gone beyond “tire kicking” with him. @reporterchris And he’s never expressed a desire for work. November 10, 2017, 7:56 PM “You know, if there was a big swell coming in and I was a general manager and there was work to be done, then I better do the work and not worry about that,” said Kariya. “That’s something that I’ve got to think about.” TORONTO – Teemu Selanne calls it “closure.” He looks at good friend Paul Kariya and sees a completely different man in the four months since What matters now is that he is healthy and happy. A man who burst on he was called to the Hockey Hall of Fame. the scene with Team Canada at the 1994 Olympics and became a NHL star says that he feels no ill-effects of the six concussions that ended his “The way how Paul’s career ended, he didn’t have a chance to say career. goodbyes,” Selanne said Friday. “He didn’t have a closure for himself and for his teammates and his fans and everything. So I think this is Even though the Hall of Fame induction has thrust Kariya back into the going to be the one, that he’s going to be happy. I think that’s going to spotlight, he’s thrilled to be there – for one weekend, anyways. bring him back. “I would never use ‘dream come true’ because it’s so far out of the realm “I really believe. It’s amazing how this has changed him.” of dream,” he said. “As a kid growing up, you think about maybe one day playing in the NHL or one day representing your country, but a Hall of His final NHL game. Fame was beyond that. “He probably says that [he hasn’t] disappeared, but nobody has found “It’s a surreal experience.” him,” said Selanne.

That’s what make this particularly Hall of Fame weekend so special. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 Kariya was blown away by the outpouring of texts and calls he received in the wake of being elected in June. He’d even drifted somewhat from Selanne in the years since retirement and suddenly the longtime teammates found themselves in touch daily. “The way that we have been organizing this whole weekend for months now, he has done like 90 per cent of all the work,” said Selanne. “And he’s so excited, he wants to send invitations, he calls me five times a day. He gets mad when I don’t answer on the golf course. “He wants to do everything perfect here too, you know, that’s how he [does] things. For sure I feel that this is closure. He’s so pumped about this weekend and I’m so happy to see that.” You get a slightly different version of events from Kariya, who admits he “snuck in” to the only NHL game he’s attended since his playing days – the last one Selanne skated in at Honda Center as a member of the Ducks. Kariya was forced to retire because of post-concussion syndrome. He was just 11 games shy of 1,000 for his career but doctors made it clear that he didn’t have the option to pursue the milestone. “The most important thing at that time was just to get healthy,” he explained. “I just wanted to feel normal again. I was in rehab, hyperbaric oxygen chambers for five days a week, doing neuro feedback and stuff like this to get my brain back working properly again.” It took nearly two years. Rather than looking for work in hockey afterwards, he pursued other interests. What he loved about the sport was playing it, and he couldn’t do that any longer. “When I retired, I still felt like I had a lot of gas left in my tank as an athlete,” said Kariya. “Take away the concussions, I felt unbelievable. I had my legs, I had good jump and pop in my game. So when that was taken away from me I felt like I needed to continue doing things athletically.” That’s where the surfing came in. He’s on the water regularly and missed Lanny MacDonald’s official welcome call to the Hall because he was out chasing waves. It’s been a bad year for shark attacks in California, but Kariya says “I’m much more frightened of the drivers on the 5 Freeway.” He’s taken up ballroom dancing and other activities as well. “I’ve done a lot of snowboarding and skiing and cross-country skiing,” said Kariya. “The Niedermayer brothers, the three of us, we do a Catskiing trip every year up to B.C. I do some splitboarding, which is climbing up the mountain on your own power and coming down. There’s a lot of things. “I love being an athlete.” That is what he must weigh when the question inevitably rises about whether he’ll ever work in hockey. He counts Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green and Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic among his close 1082783 Websites So Bieksa, like everyone else around the NHL, naturally wonders about the validity of the Canucks as a playoff contender. And that’s why this week is important, and this game in San Jose is important. Sportsnet.ca / Canucks trying to figure out if they’re real as a playoff “You have to bounce back,” winger Sam Gagner said. “A few games ago contender we were playing really well, but didn’t win a couple of those games. Then the game slips, but we find a way to get a couple of wins. It’s just a matter of not letting it slide too far and coming back next game with the Iain MacIntyre right approach. We’ve talked about that as a group – not letting things slide.” @imacSportsnet Winger Loui Eriksson practised Friday with the Sedins in place of Jake November 10, 2017, 9:14 PM Virtanen and is expected to play for the first time since spraining his knee four weeks ago. Backup goalie Anders Nilsson has also re-joined the

team after the birth of his son, Loui (no, not named after his teammate), SAN JOSE, Calif. – It’s proof how much the Vancouver Canucks have although it appears Green will start Markstrom a sixth straight game. improved and raised expectations since last season that a week in which Eriksson, who has scored just 11 goals in 69 games since signing a $36- the team has gone 2-2 is considered a dip in form. million contract in Vancouver, is far from the only Canuck trying to prove Last season, going 2-2 over six days, with one win against the Stanley something. Cup champion and another on the road against a division rival would “I’ve never won a Cup and I don’t think anyone in our room has,” veteran have caused people on the West Coast to repaint their homes blue and winger Thomas Vanek said. “Until you prove anything in this league, green and rename children Bo – boys and girls. you’re nothing. A new group like this, we’ve got to learn to forget about Last spring, the Canucks lost their final eight games – and that merely the good games and, especially, the bad ones. [Thursday] wasn’t good matched their worst streak of the National Hockey League season. They enough. We’re going to have more of those games. But what are you scored one goal or less in 27 of 82 games, were shut out four times in going to do about it next game?” one five-game stretch and trailed 1-0 53 times. Precisely. So, we can understand why new Canucks coach Travis Green was protective and just a little bit prickly Friday over the characterization that the Canucks weren’t playing well enough even before they were Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 hammered 4-1 the night before by the Anaheim Ducks. The Canucks got a couple of bounces and some big saves from Jacob Markstrom to beat the Calgary Flames 5-3 Tuesday while being outshot 32-21. The game before that Vancouver was sloppy in a 3-2 home loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Two nights before that, Markstrom led the Canucks to a 4-2 win against the champion Pittsburgh Penguins in a terrific game that saw Vancouver outshot 39-21. When the erosion in Canucks execution was starkly exposed Thursday by the Ducks, Vancouver captain Henrik Sedin admitted: “It’s been a game coming for us. I don’t think we’ve been playing well for three or four games at least.” And certainly not as well as the Canucks played in the second half of October, when they exited with a record of 6-3-2 that nobody foresaw. It’s against that form that the Canucks are now measured, although Green was suspicious of the measuring stick used in his press scrum after Vancouver’s energetic practice here. The Canucks play Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks, another Pacific Division rival who didn’t expect to be chasing Vancouver in the standings. “To get hung up on one or two games, or one or two wins,” Green said after some serve-and-volley over semantics. “… We just have to stay the course and be honest with our effort, honest with our group. ‘Own your game’ is a phrase I like to use. So far, I think we’ve been honest and the players have been honest with themselves.” When asked about his players’ need to respond to the Anaheim performance, Green said: “I would hope that they play better than they did last night. We weren’t very good. For me, it was our worst game of the season. [But] it’s a long season. You’re going to have games that you’re not very good. There’s a learning process. And you have to learn when you play bad.” What everyone can agree upon is that the Canucks stunk in Anaheim, where they struggled to get the puck, keep it when they had it, and play in their own zone both with and without the puck. Green wondered Friday where the critical questioning was leading. Sometimes even we don’t know. But why this week is important is that the Canucks, although they earned their October accolades and deserved their record, haven’t shown that those two good weeks at the end of the month were anything more than an unsustainable surge against teams they surprised. When Anaheim defenceman Kevin Bieksa was asked Thursday morning about the fast start by his former club, he said wryly: “Like last year.” You see, the Canucks started 5-0 last season despite rarely leading, then backed it up with a nine-game winless streak from which they never recovered. Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game. 1082784 Websites “There was a school within 15 yards of our house, and all the neighbourhood kids would meet up there. We’d play for hours. We’d forget about eating. It wasn’t competitive. It was just fun.” 'HOCKEY WAS ALL THAT MATTERED' Dad worked at the Kingston Penitentiary, which was the oldest prison in Canada at the time of its closure in 2013. (It first opened in 1835 and was once visited by Charles Dickens.) BY DOUG GILMOUR WITH DAN ROBSON My father worked incredibly hard. And because he worked hard, he loved his weekends. On Saturday evenings, it was always Hockey Night in Canada — that’s when he and his buddies would get together. We Long before he became an NHL star, he was a Kingston kid sneaking ice usually hosted the house parties. Dad’s friends would bring their kids and time during intermission of his dad's hockey games. Doug Gilmour we’d all watch together in the living room while they had a few beers. It discusses where it all began. could be Montreal, Toronto or Boston playing. It didn’t matter to us. It was hockey, so we didn’t care who was on the ice. The kids would play Long before they ever called me “Killer,” I was known as “Little Gilly.” hockey in the basement with mini-sticks between periods. The Saturday I was only four, maybe five, then. My father was the coach of a bantam night games in those days weren’t over until close to 11 p.m. Halfway all-star team in Kingston, Ontario, where I grew up. His name was Don, through the third period, we kids were usually all out cold, asleep on the but many people around town called him Gilly. Whenever the team floor. played, I went with him, and so they called me Little Gilly. Each time, I’d Gilmour (first row, far left) was a defenceman growing up "because they bring along my skates, and during intermissions Dad would lift me up always get more ice time" over the boards and set me down on the ice. I’d wheel around before the ice was cleared. The fans would wait around at the end of each period While I loved baseball, too, hockey quickly became my life. I started just to watch me skate — I was like the team’s mascot. I had a special playing as soon as I was old enough, and it was pretty much an everyday team sweater and I wore these massive hockey mitts that didn’t fit — thing. There were pickup games all over the place, whether you were they almost took up my entire arms. I didn’t know that people were lacing up the skates or just playing with your boots on. There was a watching me back then. I didn’t hear their cheers. I was too busy racing school within 15 yards of our house, and all the neighbourhood kids around the big, cold surface — striding and striding… and wobbling… would meet up there. We’d play for hours. Sometimes we’d turn on the and striding — around and around, trying to balance the puck on my taps outside the school to try to get a drink of water; when they were shut stick. I would have kept going forever if they’d let me. off, somebody would go home and get a jug for everyone. We’d forget about eating. We’d just be out there, running and playing and not caring One time, during a tournament at Easter, the organizers gave me a about anything else in the world. Games involved a lot of offence and trophy for my efforts. It was the first one I’d ever received, and I was very little defence. It wasn’t competitive. It was just fun. thrilled. In fact, I loved it so much that when I went to the same tournament the next year and they gave me a chocolate bunny, I was Dad coached me in minor hockey, just like he did with David. He made furious. For most kids, that would have been great. But I didn’t want the me a defenceman because they always get more ice time. Back then, we damn bunny! I wanted a trophy. I wanted to be part of a team — and I usually had only four defencemen on a team. If one of us got a penalty, a wanted to win. I was so sour about it I started to cry. forward would have to drop back to the blue line. That was the old days. Let’s just say I was a competitive person from the start. We used to play out of Cooks Arena, north of Kingston’s downtown. Back then, rinks didn’t even have glass; just chicken wire around the boards. Even at that young age, I’d already heard time and again that I was too Game days were always a family affair. My dad behind the bench, and short and too small. It was my flaw. It was the reality that would threaten my mother and sister Donna in the stands. Even though my mother was to keep me from living my dreams of becoming a professional hockey a kind and gentle person, especially with her kids, she became player. Of course, even though I knew I had the strength to do more than something else entirely when one of us was being targeted. my stature suggested, it wasn’t going to be easy to convince the world of that. And by “world,” I mean the hockey world. This was Kingston, after In fact, my mom was something of a local legend at the rink. There are all. And in Kingston, hockey was all that mattered. several tales about Dolly Gilmour. One time, when my brother was playing in Kingston’s Memorial Centre, she got mad at a referee who Kingston is known for being the first capital of the British province of called a bad penalty on him. She expressed her anger by grabbing a Canada, designated as such when the colonies of Upper and Lower stick from the team’s bench, walking to the edge of the boards and Canada were united in 1841. That only lasted a few years, but the city hooking the referee as he skated by. Another time, when David was has served the country in many ways since. My hometown is considered playing midget, the story goes, he was sent to the box after drilling an to be one of the birthplaces of hockey. While historians argue about opponent into the boards. The team’s coach went after my brother and exactly when and where the sport began (there were certainly roots on grabbed him by the shoulder. Dolly didn’t like that very much. She took the East Coast, and the first indoor game is said to have been played in off her shoe and threw it at the coach, hitting him right in the head. The Montreal), Kingston is home to the longest ongoing rivalry in hockey. next day, when my dad was at work, he received a package full of Back in 1886, students from Queen’s College (now Queen’s University) mismatched women’s shoes. An attached note, signed by a co-worker, challenged a group of students from the Royal Military College to a game read, “Now your wife doesn’t have to throw her own shoes around.” on Kingston Harbour. The students had been playing shinny on the lake for a while, but this was the first official match. The annual meeting Mom was actually a great athlete herself. She played basketball at between the Queen’s and RMC varsity teams continues to this day, when Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, where she went to high the two meet to play for the Carr-Harris Cup. Although, these days they school in downtown Kingston, next to the Queen’s University campus. play indoors. She was also a figure skater. Over the decades, many great hockey players came from Kingston. And Between my parents, she was the softy. Dad could be hard on us. He when I was growing up, they all seemed to play for the Boston Bruins. was less patient and pretty strict. If we had to con- fess to something Hometown guys Wayne Cashman and Rick Smith both played for the we’d done, we’d go straight to her. “Okay,” she’d say. “Don’t tell your Bruins in the late ’60s and early ’70s, when the franchise was anchored father.” Whatever it was, you never told Dad first, because he’d get by the great Bobby Orr. Back then, the Bruins always had their training friggin’ mad. If we needed anything, Mom was the one to go to. If we camp in Kingston — and the team’s Senior A affiliate, the Aces, played needed money or wanted something, she said, “Here — but don’t tell out of the Memorial Centre on York Street. Seeing the team come your father!” Dad believed in tough love. If we were playing catch, he’d through town every year built a strong connection between the city and throw a baseball at us. He didn’t care if it knocked the wind out of you or the franchise. There were certainly a lot of Montreal and Toronto fans in hit you right in the face. You had to get right back in there and try it again. Kingston, which sits almost exactly between both cities. But even today It sounds mean, but I think it made us stronger. And I was a stubborn you’ll find holdover Bruins fans from the days when Kingston was the little guy. I could have tears running down my face, but I wasn’t going to team’s training camp home. On top of that, in 1974, another well-known admit that it hurt. I’d want Dad to throw the ball even harder. I wanted to local man entered Bruins lore, taking over as the team’s coach: Don prove how tough I was. If we ran into a schoolyard bully, Dad wanted us Cherry. to fight it out. He didn’t want us to come home crying. My dad, Don, and mom, Dolly, were both raised in Kingston. We’re a “Go stand up for yourself,” he’d say. “corrections family.” Dad spent 32 years of his life working in the prison system in Kingston, and Mom spent 28. Dave and Debbie would later That might have been the beginning of the determination I’d carry with work in corrections as well. me through life. Faced with a challenge, I was going to finish it. From that age, all the way through to the end of my hockey career, I’d keep going until I couldn’t possibly go anymore.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082785 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Breaking down Matt Duchene’s Senators debut vs. Avalanche

Andrew Bottomley November 10, 2017, 6:37 PM

On Friday, for the first time since 2011, the NHL hosted a game in Europe, the first of two games in consecutive days between the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche in Stockholm, Sweden in what is branded as the Global Series. Fans of both teams drooled at the matchup, not because it was a rare Friday-afternoon game on the other side of the world, but because it was the first time the two teams have played since the blockbuster Matt Duchene trade on Sunday, and — as the hockey gods would have it — they were facing each other. Sporting No. 95 (a combination of two numbers he wore during his childhood) for the first time, Duchene took to the ice skating with linemates Mike Hoffman and Zack Smith. As the anticipation grew and the 26-year-old stepped on the ice for the first time as an Ottawa Senator, play was abruptly halted as Hoffman flicked the puck over the glass and picked up a delay-of-game penalty. In 16:44 of ice time, Duchene registered two shots on goal, a minus-one rating and a 50 per cent success rate in the faceoff circle. In an up-and- down game for the 2009 third-overall pick, he showed some early promise and was integral in Stockholm native Fredrik Claesson’s first goal of the season. But he also looked out of place at other times, including the Avalanche’s overtime-forcing goal when he got in the way of Smith and watched as his former teammate Nathan MacKinnon fan the puck into the net. And then the inevitable debate ensued as both sides argued as to who won the trade. Girard 1A Of course it was all done in jest, but, after one game, Samuel Girard (from the Nashville Predators‘ side of the three-way deal) picked up an assist and was plus-one as the 19-year-old registered 21:55 of ice time. While the game wasn’t entirely disappointing for Duchene, it wasn’t particularly great either. But, all things considered, he was coming off a lengthy stint on the trade block before he had to fly overseas to make a fresh start with a new team. Round two of the Global Series/Who Won the Trade takes place on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082786 Websites or not. When those words come out, it’s not a shock. Usually there’s an agreement that this is rock bottom. Enough’s enough.”

And usually those talks result in a positive response? Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: The power of ’embarrassing’ your coach “Usually.”

Luke Fox Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 @lukefoxjukebox November 10, 2017, 4:37 PM

A quick mix of the things we gleaned from the week of hockey, serious and less so, and rolling four lines deep. 1. Bruce Boudreau sounded off post-game on his Minnesota Wild players this week after a poor loss to an injury-depleted Boston Bruins club left them stuck in the basement of the Central Division. A number of Wild players agreed their coach’s use of the word embarrassing was justified. “It’s a coach’s sense of frustration getting out, and rightfully so,” Marcus Foligno said. “It was embarrassing. It was a tough loss. We didn’t have emotion in the first and second. It was embarrassing because we’re playing a Boston team that’s badly injured and they had a lot of American Hockey League players in there, yet we got beat by them.” Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Connor Carrick was eloquent on the power of embarrassing. We spoke at length on the motivational tools at a coach’s disposal when things aren’t going well: how he runs practice, how he speaks to a player one-on-one, how he refers to them to the cameras. “It’s one of the heavier words you can use,” Carrick said. “If you’re going to use that word, embarrassing, it’s a huge shot. It’s a shot at the way you go about your work. It’s no secret NHL athletes are well paid and we’re at the high end of what we do. That’s why we’re all here. Consistency, effort and execution level night in and night out is the name of the game. Fans pay a lot of money to watch you play, and you’re always thinking about that kid, when you were young, and how much you would give to be out there. You have to remember that. You have to channel that as a player.” “[The Wild] are a good team, so the expectation level is probably high. Bruce Boudreau has been around a long time. I’m sure he doesn’t use a word like embarrassing lightly.” Carrick said he purposely avoids watching Mike Babcock’s scrums. “I don’t think in Toronto it’s a good thing [to watch]. There’s more media involved than with other clubs. Babs is good. If there is something wrong, he’ll come talk to you anyway. I don’t think there’s a need for it. I’m sure there are coaches who use [media criticism] as a tool to harness the focus of their players,” Carrick said. “I don’t watch. We have enough meetings in here. I’m not going home to have another one.” For the most part, Babcock has avoided ripping core members of the young Leafs via the media. His shielding of Morgan Rielly last season, in particular, sticks out. “I’m sure that’s his MO, and I think it filters down to the team. Those conversations come from the top. He’s going to direct. Even me personally, I don’t get many questions [from reporters] about other individuals. I don’t think it’s healthy. I wouldn’t answer a question about a teammate unless it’s positive anyway. I’ve had questions about other players that made me uncomfortable. I think it’s unprofessional to ask or answer those,” Carrick said. “When the game’s not going for you, do you need one more thing to play against? Public shame, I know coaches have used it. Maybe they think a guy would be motivated by that. It’s an individual, case-by-case basis.” I asked Carrick if a coach ever used the word embarrassing to his face, behind closed doors. “Yeah, we’ve had discussions about guys. Fans are paying X amount of money for a ticket, and that’s the effort we give? We all respond to that. Most of us come from blue-collar-type homes. “If Babs comes and talks to you like, ‘You’ve been playing poorly,’ and it goes down the road of embarrassing, chances are I felt that already. I might’ve talked to my dad, and he wasn’t happy. I’ve even gotten texts from my younger brother saying, ‘Hey, I thought you coulda done more.’ They’re watching. They know my tendencies and when I’m playing well 1082787 Websites three goals in four of them and had a dreadful .885 save percentage. He only faced an average of 25 shots per game with the Laval Rocket.

In 1972-93, Wayne Thomas went on a winning streak that no Habs Sportsnet.ca / Person of Interest: The 411 on Canadiens goalie Charlie goalie has matched to start a career since. Two years before Thomas, Lindgren Ken Dryden went 6-0 to start his career. So Lindgren, who won his first five career NHL starts, is the next Ken Rory Boylen Dryden? @RoryBoylen Well … maybe. November 10, 2017, 4:17 PM You see, while Lindgren won his first two NHL starts of this season, the second win actually marked five wins in a row to start his NHL career. In 2015-16, right after signing his pro contract, Lindgren played one game against Carolina and made 26 saves on 28 shots for a 4-2 win. Last When news broke that Carey Price would miss some time with a “lower- season, he played two more games in April, beating Florida 4-1 and body injury” (which the team says is not related to a 2015-16 knee injury) Detroit 3-2 in OT. This season, his first win was also his first career it put a huge damper on Montreal’s season. So much of the team’s shutout, a 38-save shutdown of the Chicago Blackhawks and the second success, it appears, hinges on him being healthy and on top of his game. was a 29-save, 3-2 win over Vegas. When Price struggled out of the gate this season, the Canadiens sunk to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Charlie Lindgren becomes the first Habs goalie to win his first five NHL games since Ken Dryden. But all may not be lost. In Price’s absence, undrafted 23-year-old netminder Charlie Lindgren has stepped into the spotlight and become “It’s pretty crazy,” Lindgren told the Sporting News. “Obviously Ken the darling of Habs fans. Dryden was one of the best that ever played. My dad’s a huge fan. That was his favourite goalie. My dad was a goalie and he really looked up to Lindgren’s three appearances this season have each been fantastic and Ken Dryden. And I know that’s really special to him, too.” as unexpected of a development as this is, what makes it more surprising is that he’s doing it after getting off to a subpar start in the AHL. But In six NHL starts, Lindgren is 5-1-0 with a .953 SP, 1.50 GAA, and he’s Lindgren has now played six NHL games in his career and has a .953 yet to allow more than two goals in a game. With Al Montoya injured now save percentage, so maybe there’s something special here that’s being as well as Price, it looks like Lindgren will see plenty of more work, too. uncovered. While Lindgren’s father grew up a Habs fan, Charlie was a fan of the Here’s a closer look at Lindgren and his background. local Minnesota Wild. He recalls Dwayne Roloson and Manny Fernandez as the goalies of his time and was a season ticket holder of the team AGE: 23 since expansion. HEIGHT: 6-foot-1 And the Wild, technically, had a chance to get Lindgren for themselves a couple years ago. Lindgren attended Minnesota’s rookie development WEIGHT: 182 pounds camp in 2015 after two years at St. Cloud State, but returned to school FROM: Lakeville, Minnesota for his final season before signing on with the Habs. ACQUIRED: Signed out of St. Cloud State (NCAA) Lindgren started against Minnesota Friday night at the Bell Centre as his parents watched him from the crowd in an NHL game for the first time. The Jeff Blair Show The Wild won the game 3-0 on the back of a Jason Zucker hat trick, although Lindgren had another strong game, stopping 32 of 34 shots Lindgren is not Price, but he does save (one goal was an empty-netter). Originally aired November 09 2017 “I just looked at it as another game,” Lindgren said. “But it’s definitely not A STELLAR NCAA CAREER the team I wanted to lose to.” Lindgren played two seasons as St. Cloud State’s clear No. 1, starting 78 of 88 games in 2014-15 and 2015-16. In the latter, his final college Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 season, he won 30 of 40 games which were the most wins in the NCHC conference and second-most across the entire NCAA. He was named the goaltender of the year in his conference that season, and was one of five finalists for the Mike Richter Award, which is given to the best Division I goalie in the NCAA — he lost out to Boston College’s Thatcher Demko, a second-round pick (36th overall) of Vancouver who hasn’t played an NHL game yet. “Lindgren was, in our mind, the best free-agent goaltender available coming out of the U.S. college level,” Bergevin said after the Canadiens signed Lindgren out of school. “Lindgren is a top goaltender coming out of college and becomes an excellent prospect for our organization, bringing some depth at this position.” That year’s college free agent goalie class also included Nick Ellis (Edmonton), who hasn’t yet played in the NHL. Ellis was 13th in the AHL with a .918 save percentage last season and is currently seventh in the circuit with a .927 SP. Among the unsigned skaters who came out of the NCAA that season were Troy Stecher (Vancouver), Drake Caggiula (Edmonton) and (Winnipeg). Last season was the final one for the IceCaps as the Habs moved their AHL affiliate to Laval and renamed it the Rocket. Lindgren got the bulk of the starts in 2016-17, playing in 48 games, posting a .914 SP, 2.56 GAA and 24-18-1 record. In fact, the mask he’s been wearing in his three NHL starts this season is the same one he wore last season, so it shows the markings of a defunct IceCaps team. He had a new mask on the way, but it was mistakenly sent to Ontario. That will change the next time he hits the ice for the Habs. The funny thing about all his NHL success is that he was off to a terrible start in the AHL. Lindgren played in nine games, had allowed more than 1082788 Websites Kane hasn’t even turned 29 yet but he already seems like a lock for the Hall of Fame. He has averaged 74 regular-season games per year and happens to play for a perennial Stanley Cup contender, so you can add Sportsnet.ca / Which players could one day contend for NHL games another 12.7 playoff games per year, which puts him close to 87 total played title? games per year. As you can see above with Marleau and Doughty, when a player averages around 87 games per year they have the potential to close in on the top five if they play into their early forties. And based on his production rate of slightly better than a point per game, if Kane were Mike Johnston to play for that long he’d also likely be among the all-time leaders in points as well. @MikeyJ_MMA Other stars with similar averages and projections to Kane’s include Alex November 10, 2017, 2:48 PM Ovechkin (1,034 total games, 86.1 games per year, age 32), Anze Kopitar (931 total games, 84.6 games per year, age 30) and Nicklas Backstrom (845 total games, 84.5 games per year, age 29). Earlier this week Jaromir Jagr passed a legend on the NHL’s all-time games played list. Jagr leapfrogged Gordie Howe to move into second Eric Staal place in total games played (regular season plus playoffs) behind only Total NHL games: 1,079 (1,026 regular season, 53 playoff) Mark Messier. The centre joined the Silver Stick Club last season and only turned 33 a Jagr likely won’t pass Messier unless he returns for the 2018-19 couple weeks ago. Staal has missed more than five games in a season campaign, or if the Flames go on a deep playoff run and Jagr barely just once and that was during the 2009-10 season in which he still played misses another game but it got us thinking: what other active players are 70 games. He has yet to sit out a game this year and is under contract candidates to potentially one day move into the top five or even top three with the Minnesota Wild until the conclusion of 2018-19. It would seem in the total games played category? unlikely a quality player like Staal would hang up his skates and retire at To make a legitimate push to join this elite company you have to be age 34 though. durable, reliable and talented enough to stay in the league well into your He averages 77.7 regular-season games per year but outside of a late 30s or in most cases early-to-mid 40s. Stanley Cup run in 2006 and an Eastern Conference final appearance in Here are some top contenders for the total games played crown… 2009, Staal usually isn’t playing NHL hockey beyond April. He has played five playoff games in each of the past two seasons so hypothetically if he Patrick Marleau averages five playoff appearances per year and maintains his regular- season average he’d surpass the 1,600-game mark by 40. Total NHL games: 1,687 (1,510 regular season, 177 playoff) For comparison, that would put him in the ballpark of where Joe Thornton There’s plenty to be impressed with when it comes to Marleau’s career (1,620 total games at age 38) currently stands but ahead of the likes of but the fact he’s never missed more than eight games in any of his 19 Zdeno Chara (1,511 total games at age 40) and Matt Cullen (1,504 total NHL seasons is right up there among his most admirable games at age 41). Thornton, Chara and Cullen sit in third, fourth and fifth accomplishments. He hasn’t missed a regular-season game since the place, respectively, behind Jagr and Marleau among active players— 2008-09 campaign. Marian Hossa has played 1,514 total games in his career but despite Through his 19 full seasons he averaged approximately 78.6 regular- being under contract through 2021 is stuck on long-term injured reserve. season games (keep in mind this includes the lockout-shortened, 48- It’s possible, likely even, that Hossa has already played his final game. game 2012-13 season which skews the average slightly) and 9.3 playoff Staal’s number would greatly increase, however, if the Wild and/or any contests per year for roughly 87.9 total games per season since breaking team Staal signs with in 2019 goes on some lengthy playoff runs and/or into the league in 1997. he’s able to play well into his forties. He has suited up for all 17 Maple Leafs games so far this season and the Andrew Cogliano 38-year-old signed with Toronto with the hopes that this young team would be an annual playoff team going forward. So, for the sake of Total NHL games: 862 (802 regular season, 60 playoff) argument, let’s say he averages 78 regular-season games and nine playoff games per year through the 2019-20 season. Maple Leafs fans Cogliano literally never misses a game so it earns him a spot here. The sure hope their team averages more than nine playoff games over the NHL’s ironman can also get you 30-40 points per season, so as long as next three years, but that’s contingent on 1) making the playoffs and 2) he remains a bona fide NHL-calibre player he’ll continue to climb the making it out of the first round. ranks. Cogliano didn’t make the playoffs until his sixth NHL season, which hurts his totals but he still averages 84.6 total games per year. If he does that and maintains his career average he’d be at 1,931 total games by the time his current contract expires, which would put him The pending unrestricted free agent turned 30 in June. Hypothetically, if ahead of Ron Francis, Chris Chelios, Howe and the number Jagr recently he continued to be an every-game player, he could hit 1,600 regular hit. He’d be in third place, assuming Jagr plays at least six games from season games before he turns 39. That’s something even Marleau won’t now until the end of the season. do. When you add in all the potential playoff games he’ll suit up for he’s another candidate to join that illustrious group. Considering how well he still skates at age 38 coupled with his proven track record of durability, Marleau has a legitimate shot to break into the top five. Also, if his current contract isn’t his last contract and he plays Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 beyond age 41 he could feasibly pass Messier and even become the first player to hit the 2,000-game milestone. Drew Doughty Total NHL games: 785 (704 regular season, 81 playoff) Doughty currently sits in 100th place in regular-season games played among active NHLers and at age 27 he’s the youngest player on the list, plus the two-time Stanley Cup champ already has 81 post-season games on his resume. An average season for Doughty lasts 87.1 games (76.4 regular season and nine playoff), which is similar to Marleau. At that rate Doughty would be at approximately 1,640 games 10 years from now and reach 1,900 total games by age 40. Doughty has a lot of miles on him, usually among the league leaders in average and total ice time, so time will tell whether or not his body holds up and whether or not he even wants to play that long. Patrick Kane Total NHL games: 883 (756 regular season, 127 playoff) 1082789 Websites Roundly applauded from the day it was revealed the Czech rock star had been signed to a one-year, $1 million contract, the importance of the deal cannot be overemphasized. Sportsnet.ca / First goals for Jagr, Jankowski lead Flames breakthrough Although there is very little pressure on him to produce, he has a goal in secondary scoring and three helpers in seven outings, which were interrupted by a two- week groin injury. Not bad for a guy essentially playing his way back into game shape. Eric Francis What’s more, he has injected tremendous energy and excitement into a @EricFrancis team and a city that needed something to rally around. November 10, 2017, 12:34 PM On Thursday the payoff was significant. “There was a really lively attitude on the bench,” said Gulutzan. It’s a story Jaromir Jagr can tell friends and family forever – the night he “Guys were liking Jags’ big-time shifts. There was some energy there. set up Mark Jankowski for his first NHL goal. We need that moving forward. This league gets hard, it’s close every night and you need your guys to feel confidence and have some fun. I Okay, so perhaps it’s the kid who’ll have the better tale. think tonight really helped that. Either way, there they were at the conclusion of a memorable night at the “Jags gives us some energy and he puts it in the building too. He gives Saddledome, the 45-year-old legend and the rookie half his age holding those young guys some jump. up milestone pucks for the adoring media. “If I’m Janks I’m pretty happy my first goal is from Jaromir Jagr – I think Jagr’s puck was used to score his first goal as a Flame. that’s pretty special. Life is about those moments so if I’m Janks I’m savouring that one.” Jankowski’s was the first one he has buried following a five-year journey from first round pick to big-league scorer. Indeed he was, right alongside a man who scored his first NHL goal 27 years earlier. It wasn’t hard to determine whose grin was wider, but the debate is on over whose goal elicited the larger roar from an adoring crowd. “It was an exciting night,” said Gaudreau, whose perfect pass on a 2-on-1 set Jagr up for his snipe, sending No. 13 darting for the keepsake puck. “It was pretty cool – when you hear your name called and everyone is cheering that loud you’re trying hard not to smile and stay focused and “It’s great for Janko getting his first goal. I remember mine. It’s a pretty stay serious,” said Jankowski, 23, selected 21st overall in 2012 as a special feeling. Then we got Jags his first of many first goals for a team. I Canadian high school player who spent four years at Providence College was pretty fortunate to be part of that goal. Then Gio (captain Mark and one in the minors before a recent call up. Giordano) had his little baby (girl) – all around it was a special night for the whole team.” “And then (Jagr’s) was about three times louder – it was pretty crazy. It’s special to share this with him. With one more game left in a seven-game homestand before a lengthy roadie, the Flames needed a boost of confidence, a chance to exhale “Scoring your first NHL goal is something you dream about your whole and a chance to smile. life since you’ve been a little kid and want to play in the NHL. And to have him get the assist on it just brings it up that much more. Just a really cool Perhaps most importantly they needed someone other than their top six moment I’ll never forget.” forwards to score. Few in the stands Thursday night will forget an evening that may very The fact that a living legend and the team’s longest-developing prospect well be looked back on as a seminal moment for a team chasing the sort authored such a breakthrough in front of the fans meant that much more of top-10 status expected of it.

Johnny Gaudreau had two goals and an assist to move into third in league scoring, the Flames beat Detroit 6-3 for its fourth win in five Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2017 games, and the team finally got its first taste of secondary scoring. Moving to 9-7 on the season, they didn’t have to rely on goalie Mike Smith to win the game for them, nor did the top two lines have to do all the heavy lifting again. For the very first time this season the Flames got a goal from their third line. Yes, you read that correctly. The fourth line has yet to score a single goal, but that’s for another day. Asked last game if he was encouraged by the fact Jankowski’s line with Sam Bennett and Jagr had some good scoring chances, coach Glen Gulutzan couldn’t sugar-coat it any longer. “They’ve got to score,” he said. On Thursday they did, albeit with a fluky goal that saw a Jagr shot bounce out off goalie Petr Mrazek and into the pants of a charging Jankowski, who watched it then flutter into the net. Hard to tell if the noticeable buzz in the building afterwards revolved around the excitement for the kid, disbelief the Flames got secondary scoring, or that Bennett’s name was announced for something other than a penalty. Bennett’s assist was his first point of the season. “For our team to go somewhere and be an elite team in the league the third and fourth line have to start scoring,” said Jagr, who seemed typically nonplussed about all the hype after the game. “Of course any first goal for any team is special, especially in Canada. I can see how much the fans appreciate hockey and how much they love hockey. Since the first day I signed here they are so good to me so I’m trying my best.” 1082790 Websites

TSN.CA / Slow and steady is Leafs’ winning formula

By Kristen Shilton

The Maple Leafs overcame two deficits against the Bruins on Friday before Patrick Marleau scored the overtime winner to lift Toronto 3-2 over Boston in the first game of a rare weekend home-and-home series. It was Toronto’s third consecutive win, tied for their longest winning streak of the season, and moved them to 11-7-0 on the year. The Leafs are now 2-0 with star centre Auston Matthews (upper-body injury) out of the lineup. He will miss his third straight game Saturday in the rematch. Perhaps it was knowing that they were playing each other again in just 24 hours, but there wasn’t much action from either team in the opening 30 minutes. In the final 30, the Leafs would have to come from behind twice to secure a victory. Toronto started the first and second period with good push possession and pressure, but it tapered off in a hurry and there was no real offensive rhythm established anywhere on the ice. The Leafs’ transition game was solid as usual but didn’t really get dangerous until midway through the second period and into the third. For just the sixth time over their first 18 games, the Leafs ceded the night’s first goal. Patrice Bergeron set up by what might have been the Bruins’ best possession shift of the game. Toronto once again got caught trading too much chances off the rush but got back to their cycle game in the third to create some solid opportunities early. When David Pastrnak put the Bruins up 2-1 late in the final frame off the Leafs’ inability to clear the zone, Toronto’s urgency in the waning minutes is what ultimately got them to overtime. With Matthews missing his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury, the Leafs have been counting on their veterans to step up. Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau played major roles on Wednesday, and on Friday it was James van Riemsdyk’s turn. He hadn’t produced a multi- point game since the Leafs’ season-opener against Winnipeg (one goal, one assist), but when Toronto was hard-pressed for offence, van Riemsdyk found his touch. He scored both the Leafs’ goals in regulation, and both from his go-to spot in front of the net. The second one came with exactly one minute left in the third period to tie it 2-2 and force overtime. Van Riemsdyk’s power-play marker was his third of the season, tying him for the team lead, and he’s tied for the team lead in power-play points with nine. It hasn’t been an easy eight-game run for van Riemsdyk and his usual linemates Tyler Bozak and Mitch Marner. They were separated for much of the last three weeks and each player did a stint on the fourth line, but with Matthews out they’ve been reunited and the chemistry is emerging again. Marner finished with two assists on the night as well in what was his third multi-point game of the season. That line also led the way in possession time for the Leafs, hovering at around 60 per cent. Going into Friday’s game, Toronto was 2-for-18 with the man advantage, dating back to Oct. 26 against Carolina. Their first three power plays against Boston were fruitless, and the Leafs seemed to give up as many quality short-handed chances as they were generating their own. Van Riemsdyk’s score on their fourth power play put the Leafs at 3-for-23 over their last nine games. Both sides traded chances on the power play through the final 12 minutes of the game (five penalties in total were assessed), and it was the Leafs’ penalty kill that lost the duel. With one second left on a penalty to Josh Leivo, the Leafs couldn’t clear the puck and David Pastrnak capitalized to give Boston a 2-1 lead late in the third period. The Leafs’ penalty kill had been shaky of late, operating at 72.5 per cent over Toronto’s previous eight games. On Friday, they finished 4- for-5 and have now allowed a power-play goal in five consecutive games. Blueliner Nikita Zaitsev skated in his 100th NHL game on Friday and had one of his strongest showings of the season. He was smart with the puck and countered the Bruins’ speed with a good stick and body positioning along the boards. He finished the night with one assist. Marleau’s overtime goal put him at sixth all-time in game-winners, tied with Jarome Iginla. Frederik Andersen turned in a solid performance against Boston, making 33 saves for a .943 save percentage, tied for his third-best of the season. He has stopped 68 of 72 shots in his last two games. Andersen moves to a perfect 9-0-0 all-time in his career against Boston; the Bruins are one of only two teams the netminder has never lost to (he’s 5-0-0 against Detroit).

TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082791 Websites by the message but says he didn't expect it to blow up the way it did. Marchand also talks about how excited he is to return to the lineup tonight after missing two games with a concussion. TSN.CA / Marchand returns against Maple Leafs At Boston's morning skate, Marchand slotted back in on the top line with Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. What has Pastrnak learned from playing alongside the pesky winger? By Mark Masters "Trash talking," he said with a smile. "All players think they’re going to get him on his nose, but that will never work. He doesn’t care about it and will always have an answer for you." TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The team had an Pastrnak will aim to put some of what he has learned to use tonight as he optional skate at the Air Canada Centre on Friday morning. takes on Nylander, his good friend and former Swedish league linemate. Do they often chirp each other? - Auston Matthews will miss a second straight game on Friday as he continues to rehab an upper-body injury. "Yeah, it happens every game. I'm getting ready for that." “If anything, I think it reinforces our team concepts," said defenceman You work on your material? Connor Carrick of the challenge facing the Leafs. "We really have to establish the way we play earlier and throughout the game, because 34 "I did, yeah," he said with a smile. "I have a couple in my back pocket." isn’t going to come up with that big one when we’re not playing well to Is Nylander a good trash talker? spark the team. It just kind of magnifies the importance of consistency, wave after wave, shift after shift, just playing within our idea of what "No, most of the time he just takes it." works for us." Pastrnak did not meet up with Nylander on Thursday night. "Every time I Toronto passed its first test without its leading scorer beating Minnesota catch up with him he scores a hat trick," Pastrnak quipped. "So, I took a on Wednesday despite getting outshot 37-19. night off yesterday. We texted and he was trying to meet up, but I did what was best for the team." "I liked lots of our game," said head coach Mike Babcock. "I thought when we got ahead we were cautious instead of foot on the gas and go Pastrnak also avoided seeing Nylander before their last game in Toronto get the next one. I thought Frederik [Andersen] made some good saves last season. And there may be something to his superstition as Nylander for us, but we did a lot of good things defensively. In the end, we got has produced four goals and one assist in his last three games against ourselves good points. It feels way different than it did four or five days the Bruins, including three goals on Feb. 4 in Boston. ago. That's how the league is, you wonder one day if you're ever going to win. That's just the way – teams are tight and when you're coming off it, "We got to bring Pastrnak on the road with us all the time, take him to you don't win." every rink," Babcock said following the hat trick. "[Nylander] always wants to be better than [Pastrnak]." The Leafs had an optional skate on Friday and Matthews wasn't part of it. There was no specific update from Babcock other than to reiterate the Bruins forward David Pastrnak jokes that he avoided catching up with centre remains "day-to-day." good friend William Nylander this trip to Toronto, because every time he does catch up with him, Nylander scores a hat trick, so he did what was Jake Gardiner and Andersen did take to the ice briefly and are good to "best for the team". Pastrnak also says he has some trash-talking go tonight after sitting out Thursday's practice for maintenance. planned for Nylander tonight, something Brad Marchand taught him. Leafs Ice Chips: Can Toronto make it two in a row without Matthews? Marchand isn't the only injured Boston player returning to the lineup as Noel Acciari is also good to go. He skated this morning on a line with Tim The Leafs survived their first test without Auston Matthews on Schaller and Riley Nash. Wednesday against the Wild, but as Mark Masters explains, they face another big challenge against a Bruins team that is getting Brad "Noel's a bit under-appreciated," said head coach Bruce Cassidy. "Not Marchand back into its lineup. from our standpoint, but maybe around the hockey world. He's a hard- nosed guy that can set the tempo for us physically and we've missed a - The injury-ravaged Bruins will get a big boost as Brad Marchand returns bit of that with him out, [David] Backes out and he's a welcome presence to the lineup after missing two games with a concussion. He joined his tonight." teammates in Toronto on Friday morning. Acciari missed the last 13 games with a broken finger. "The last few days I felt good and I'm excited to come back," said Marchand, who has 14 points in 12 games this season. Anton Khudobin will start for the Bruins. It will be his first game against the Leafs since sending out this tweet about Matthews: TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017 Was he poking fun at the Toronto hype machine or simply paying tribute to a rising star? "It’s unbelievable how something gets blown up here," Marchand said with a wry grin. "But, yeah, he’s made some very, very impressive plays this year so you got to give the kid credit, but I didn’t expect it to blow up the way it did. Media here likes to have a lot of fun.” And while he tweeted about Matthews, Marchand was quick to praise Toronto's depth on Friday. "Very skilled team, very dangerous," he said. "Any time you don’t take care of the puck they can capitalize on it and, especially here, they really thrive off the momentum, when they get going they’re very hard to play against.” Does the absence of Matthews change the dynamic? “Not really," he said. "Obviously, he’s a very good player and does a lot of damage for that team, but they still have a lot of weapons. [Nazem] Kadri’s been very good the last couple years, [William] Nylander and [Tyler] Bozak, [Morgan] Rielly on the back end so they have a lot of weapons. Obviously [Patrick] Marleau coming in is a huge veteran presence.” Marchand returns to lineup, surprised by reaction to Matthews tweet After creating a stir on social media with a tweet about Auston Matthews a few weeks ago, Bruins forward Brad Marchand clarifies what he meant 1082792 Websites The Blues, quietly winning night after night. While the Lightning are the flash-and-dash exciting team at the top of the standings, the St. Louis Blues are just one point behind, having accrued TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week 27 points in 17 games, going 13-3-1. Since losing 2-1 at Tampa Bay on October 14, the Blues have suffered By Scott Cullen one regulation loss in 11 games. Vladimir Tarasenko is great, as expected, but he is second in team scoring to Jaden Schwartz, who has 21 points in 17 games. Newcomer The big trade, Tampa Bay’s run of dominance, a Crosby slump, a Brayden Schenn has 19 points and No. 1 defenceman Alex Pietrangelo Rangers resurrection, scoring rookies and more in TSN Hockey’s Top 10 has seven goals and 16 points. Storylines of the Week. St. Louis’ goaltending has been exceptional, but they also have strong A week ago, the story was that a big three-way trade was being possession numbers (53.7% score-adjusted Corsi) that indicate they discussed between the Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche and should be getting the better side of results more often than not. Like Nashville Predators, but it fell through and didn’t look like it was going to Tampa Bay, surely there will be some regression, but the early signs are happen. very promising for the Blues. And then it did. PANTHERS The Ottawa Senators got Matt Duchene, the Nashville Predators got Kyle After touching on three teams that have been moving the right way, it’s Turris, and the Colorado Avalanche got six assets in return. probably fair to check in on a club that is not doing so hot lately, and that’s the Florida Panthers, who are winless in five, have won two of the I broke down the trade here, and Frank Seravalli covered the behind-the- past 11 games, and have five of their next six games on the road. scenes process to the deal getting done. The Panthers, with Dale Tallon back at the helm, have made a Big trades are fun. It would be nice to see a few more. committed effort this season to undo anything that happened last season when they had a brief dalliance with using analytics. It’s feeling like the Tampa Bay Lightning are the big story on a daily basis, at least when they are playing, because they are winning and That meant sending Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith to Vegas in putting up impressive goal totals in the process. the expansion draft, so that they could keep the likes of defenceman Alex Petrovic who, oddly enough, has been a healthy scratch recently. The Lightning, the top team in my analytically-based Snapshot rankings, may have the top line in the league, or maybe not, but they have one It’s not like the Panthers don’t have talent. Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan regulation loss in the past 15 games and have started their California Huberdeau and Vincent Trocheck are all very good players and getting road trip by beating San Jose and Los Angeles, 5-1 and 5-2, Evgeni Dadonov to come over from Russia was a nice boost, but they’re respectively. a poor possession steam (47.8% score-adjusted Corsi) that hasn’t been getting good goaltending. The good news for Tampa Bay is that, while they do have an unreasonably high (10.5%) shooting percentage at 5-on-5, the rest of The Panthers aren’t out of it yet, but with five of the next six on the road, their underlying numbers are pretty solid, so maybe they aren’t going to the decision to start playing for next season could come much sooner win every game forever, but there is a lot of reason to believe that their than expected. depth of talent and strong goaltending will give them a chance to be a Stanley Cup contender this season. Coming into the season, it didn’t look like there were necessarily any high-end rookie forwards. Early returns suggest that forecast might have CROSBY SLUMP missed the mark. Arizona’s Clayton Keller has been the standout, with 11 goals and 17 points in 18 games, but there are a couple of others making Sidney Crosby is *gasp* struggling. a charge into the spotlight. Maybe this isn’t a huge story, because it’s not getting a ton of coverage Canucks rookie winger Brock Boeser has five goals and 14 points in 13 as near as I can tell, but Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby is mired in a games, and is skating on Vancouver’s top line with Sven Baertschi and pretty bad slump, with no goals and three assists in his past nine games. Bo Horvat. He’s playing 20:45 per game in that span, and during 5-on-5 play, No. 87 Islanders rookie centre Mathew Barzal had a five-assist performance has a 48% Corsi and has been on the ice for two goals for and nine against Colorado this week and is currently on a six-game point streak. against. He has 14 points in 15 games. He seems to playing with a lot of This may ultimately be a tiny blip on the radar, and Crosby can go back confidence at the moment. to putting up big point totals, but he’s getting burned both ways right now, Luck has not been on the side of the Anaheim Ducks all season, most with a below-average Corsi and an absurdly low 3.7% on-ice shooting notably because they can’t get healthy. Their long list of injuries was percentage. The good news is that the percentages are bound to get punctuated with an exclamation point this week when it was announced better. that star centre Ryan Getzalf would miss the next two months due to a RANGERS facial fracture. It wasn’t so long ago that the story about the New York Rangers was The Ducks have managed to tread water, going 7-6-3 through an injury- about how head coach Alain Vigneault was on the hot seat and the plagued first 16 games, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they found it Blueshirts couldn’t get out of their own way. tougher to handle Getzlaf’s absence over the next couple of months. After five straight wins, the narrative has changed a bit. They aren’t out of Vadim Shipachyov, we hardly knew ye. the woods yet, and could still use better defence and goaltending, but the After playing just three games in the NHL, the Russian centre made his Rangers are competitive again, thanks in no small part to the emergence NHL retirement official. It was a completely bizarre situation. On one of second-year winger Pavel Buchnevich, who has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) in hand, Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee suggested that the past eight games. Shipachyov wasn’t good enough to play in the league, which is certainly The latest difficulty as it pertains to the 2018 Olympic Men’s Hockey possible but, after three games, who knows? Tournament is that the KHL is threatening to boycott the event because McPhee was named GM in July 2016. He had a whole year to watch of issues with the IOC and doping investigations of Russian athletes. Shipachyov and he decided he was good enough to be one of the 100 It’s bad enough that the NHL players won’t be in the tournament, but if highest paid forwards in the league. But after 3 NHL games he's decided KHL players aren’t going to be involved, either, it’s going to further Shipachyov's actually an AHLer? deplete what was previously a marquee event at the Winter Olympics. — Matt Cane (@Cane_Matt) November 9, 2017 It will be interesting to see how this proceeds, though, because it’s not It feels like there should be more to the story, but it’s really strange that just the Russian team that will be affected; there are plenty of Canadian Shipachyov’s NHL experiment is done so quickly, when he could have and American players in the KHL that would qualify for Olympic gone to another team, or at least not surrendered all NHL opportunities consideration this year, too. until age 35 (his contract was going to run until he was 32). BLUES

TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082793 Websites

TSN.CA / Hot Button Issues: Get ready for Jack Hughes

By

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button checks in with the latest news and notes in the world of hockey prospect evaluation: 1. Jack Hughes (C) USA NTDP I haven’t seen a better player available for the 2019 NHL Draft. His abilities are exceptional. Hughes has the Holy Trinity of hockey skills: exceptional skating, fast hands and a mind that processes the play in nanoseconds. There’s just one puck in the game and if it isn’t on Hughes’ stick it’s about to be. I see a lot of similarities in his play to 2017 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Paul Kariya. The 5-foot-10, 157-pound centre has 10 goals and 30 points in 14 games played this year. Hughes is currently at the World U17 Challenge, where he has four goals and eight points in four games. 2. Dominik Bokk (LW) Växjö Lakers Dominik is a German-born winger playing in Sweden. He played in a Champions League Contest this past week and scored a goal. Bokk has seven goals and 20 points in 16 games in the J20 League. TSN Swedish correspondent Mike Zanier provided this scouting report on the 6-foot-1, 179-pound winger: “Power forward who goes hard to the net. Smart player who gets to the tough areas to score. Good, solid skater with a very good shot.” Bokk, 17, is eligible for the 2018 Entry Draft. 3. Danil Gushchin (RW) CSKA Moscow A very skilled and determined player, Gushchin is playing at the World U17 Tournament where he’s a full year younger than the competition. Whenever I see a young Russian who is not tall (5-foot-8) but is thick (154 pounds), I immediately conjure up Images of the great Vladimir Krutov. Gushchin is strong on his skates with very good quickness, solid puck skills and a sharp mind for the game. He plays with a confidence belying his age and does so with focused determination. He has four goals in four games at the tourney, including a hat trick. Gushchin will be eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. 4. Dylan Cozens (RW) Lethbridge Hurricanes A native of Whitehorse, Yukon, Cozens is a force of skill and will. An excellent skater with power and size (6-foot-3, 176 pounds), he has the ability to impact the game from a skill and physical standpoint. Cozens is a nightmarish proposition for defencemen to try and defend him because he can beat you with speed, skill and power. The 16-year-old has seven goals and 13 points in 13 games in the WHL. He’s currently competing at the World U17 Tourney, where he has one goal and five points as his Team Canada Red team plays in the semi-final on Friday. Cozens is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft. 5. Matthew Robertson (D) Edmonton Oil Kings Defencemen who can skate, think and make plays are always coveted by NHL teams. Put a big check mark beside all three in the Robertson scouting report. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound blueliner is a smooth and agile skater who uses that skill effectively at both ends of the ice. His vision and awareness, combined with a calm, poised demeanour, allows him to make plays under the demands required in a very fast game. He makes the pass that forwards love, delivering the puck in spots where they can take full advantage. The Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tourney will be in Edmonton in August 2018 and you can count on him being on the team. Robertson is a very promising player for the 2019 NHL draft. Currently at the World U17 Challenge, he has two goals and fine points in four games. He’s played 15 games for the Oil Kings, tallying three goals and four points. Where scouts will be this weekend Scouts will be watching Canada vs. Sweden on Friday at the Karjala Cup in Helsinki, as defenceman Rasmus Dahlin suits up for Sweden in a 2018 Olympic tune-up event. The top player available for the 2018 NHL Draft will test himself at the senior men’s level and will certainly have NHL personnel singing his praises. While it’s still early in the NHL season, teams that have fared poorly can see a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of the draft lottery. Dahlen is to defencemen what Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews were to centers.

TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082794 Websites up the scoring stats every morning...because he will be in the top 20,” Button predicted.

Keller is currently leading the rookie scoring race with Brock Boeser, TSN.CA / Dreger Report: Keller staying focused after strong start Mathew Barzal, Jesper Bratt, Mikhail Sergachev and Will Butcher among the group of first-year players all hot on his trail. By Immersed in the sport at a young age, Keller's father, Brian, a St. Louis Blues season-ticket holder, took his son to countless games, including one Clayton recalls as a highlight when longtime Blues defenceman Barret Jackman, winner of the 2003 Calder Trophy, gave him his first As we were setting up for Mike Babcock’s visit to the Dreger Cafe at the NHL puck. His passion for the game grew from there. World Men's Hockey Championship in Paris last May, the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach gave a quick overview of his stop in Cologne, Keller spent hours shooting pucks in the family’s basement arena. It’s a Germany, where Team USA played its preliminary round. hockey oasis, decorated with a collection of Fathead posters featuring the NHL’s brightest stars. Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Alex Ovechkin, Babcock said he couldn’t take his eyes off of Clayton Keller. The Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane provided the inspiration for this diminutive forward’s combination of speed, skill, determination, developing young talent and, despite falling to the Penguins Tuesday confidence and hockey IQ gave the veteran coach a sense that Arizona’s night, Keller – a fierce competitor – still allows himself to recognize how 2016 first-round draft pick (seventh overall) had the skill set to be a star. lucky he is. Keller scored five goals and seven points in eight games at the World “Even today, I was in my basement and I was looking at the wall and Championship, serving notice he was ready to play pro and that the thought, ‘Wow, I just played against them,’” he said. “It's definitely National Hockey League would be his next challenge. something that is pretty cool to see, but at the same time you just have to think about it as just another game and not worry about the other Now 18 games into his first full NHL season, the 19-year-old is the early team...just go out there and play your game.” front-runner for the Calder Trophy. With 11 goals and 17 points in 18 games, Keller has quickly established his place among the Coyotes’ Keller was kept off the scoresheet in the 3-1 loss, while Malkin factored in most dangerous players. all three of the Pens goals. Yet, as impressive as Malkin was, Keller was focused on Crosby. Encouraged by Tocchet, Clayton paid close He’s heard the chatter and read some of the commentary suggesting attention. he's the man to beat for rookie of the year, but Keller wants no part of it and looks at the individual praise as a distraction. Instead, he prefers to “Just little things around the net. You see Crosby and how good he is stay in his lane, remaining focused on his meticulous daily practice and with his stick in front in tipping pucks and what he does on the power play game routine. He’s willing to acknowledge an impressive start, but pays when he gets it low,” Keller said. “There are so many things in his game respect to those around him for making it possible. you can take out and try and put into yours. He's the best player in the world, so you definitely try and watch everything that he does all around “I’ve been put in a lot of great situations. Me and coach [Rick] Tocchet the ice.” have a really good relationship and he's been great to me,” Keller told the Dreger Report. “He trusts me and puts me out there in key situations and A product of the highly acclaimed prep school Shattuck-St. Mary's, Keller also my linemates have made it easy on me. Sometimes if I'm not in the spent two years in the U.S. National Team Development Program before right spot they're there to help me out. Just little things like that. So it’s becoming a standout at Boston University. He knew he was good enough good to have the start that I'm having, but we're more focused on the to play in the NHL, so adjusting to the speed of the pro game hasn't been team and I believe we're moving in the right direction.” an issue. The biggest challenge for Keller has been the daily grind. Growing up in the St. Louis area, Keller had the privilege of playing for “The schedule has been pretty tough this year for us,” he said. “It’s been , Jeff Brown and, for a short time, Blues great Al MacInnis. an adjustment for me. Last year, I only played 35 games in college and He credits these men for instilling a work ethic and unselfishness that has this year we’ve already almost played 20. It's pretty crazy, but you get helped him develop so quickly. used to it. You just have to take care of your body and get the right food and get a good night sleep every night.” “I think that was huge,” he said. “All of us players now are unselfish and like to pass the puck because that was how we were taught and it just That’s his in-season focus. Off-season, when not working out, Keller kind of stuck with us.” plans on taking advantage of the abundance of golf courses in Arizona. A student of the game, Keller embraced technology and feasted on a A 3 handicap, Keller says golf is the sport he would have pursued if it steady diet of watching YouTube highlights or nightly games, fixated on wasn’t for hockey. goals and assists generated by some of his favourite players, like Patrick Kane and Johnny Gaudreau. Keller wasn’t watching as a normal hockey “I think I could have been pretty good at golf. If hockey wasn't in the fan, he was studying every detail in an effort to improve his own game. picture I would have tried to get a scholarship somewhere for golf,” he said. “The best part of my golf game is my short game...around the “I watched both those guys to see the way they created offence...how greens and chipping, so I can definitely see a relationship between they used their body position...their speed and their shot,” Keller said. “I hockey and golf in that sense.” really tried to watch their games and see how they create offence and get around guys and just little plays that really make a huge difference. It's Obviously, Keller is hoping to delay the start to his golf season as long as cool to see other small guys have success and I try to emulate my game possible. While the Coyotes haven’t enjoyed the start to the season they after them. were hoping for, the team remains hopeful. With the collection of quality young players Arizona has gathered, the future has to be brighter. The Coyotes chart Keller at 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds. By NHL standards he’s described as an undersized forward. He’s always been a highly skilled and productive player, so his stature has never been a deterrent. In fact, Keller has channelled any discussion on his size into TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017 motivation. “I got told when I was younger, a couple of times because I'm a little bit smaller, I have to work twice as hard just because of my size,” he said. “That motivated me and kind of pushed me a bit – just knowing the bigger guys can get away with some things and I needed to be really detailed and take care of myself in every possible step, like shooting extra pucks or going down to the basement once more than the other guy and just try and work on an advantage because of my size.” TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button once said he doesn't scout with a tape measure, and Button's opinion on Keller during the U18 championship in 2016 and before his introduction to the NHL now seems prophetic. “He's elusive. He's got great vision. He's got great hands, great competitiveness, quickness, speed and everything. It will be easy to track Clayton Keller in the NHL because all you're going to have to do is pick 1082795 Websites

TSN.CA / Blues beat struggling Coyotes in shootout

Staff Report The Canadian Press

ST. LOUIS — Under pressure in a shootout, Carter Hutton looked like a poised veteran. The backup goalie stopped both attempts he faced, and Brayden Schenn and Alexander Steen scored in the tiebreaker to lead the St. Louis Blues past the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Thursday night. St. Louis beat the Coyotes for the 12th straight time and has won seven of eight overall. Hutton, making his fourth start of the season, turned aside Clayton Keller and Derek Stepan to seal the victory. "I just tried to reset myself and focus in," Hutton said. "I just wanted to be patient. I wait and wait and then make a move." Alex Pietrangelo and fellow defenceman Joel Edmundson scored in regulation for the first-place Blues (13-3-1), who have earned at least one point in their last 16 games against the Coyotes. Brendan Perlini scored twice for Arizona (2-13-3), which hasn't won in regulation and sits last in the NHL standings. One of the Coyotes' wins came in overtime, the other in a shootout. Hutton has won all four of his starts this season. "I thought he was fantastic," Pietrangelo said. St. Louis coach Mike Yeo marveled at Hutton's ability to stay sharp in a second-string role. "What he's doing is really impressive and extremely important to our hockey club," Yeo said. "It's amazing the way he's able to amp up." Hutton picked up his first win since his son, Palmer, was born last week. Plus, his parents were in attendance. "It was special," Hutton said. "I've saved the puck for (Palmer)." The Blues took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Edmundson, his career-high fifth of the season. Perlini scored twice in the second period, but Pietrangelo tied it with 14:59 left in regulation on a drive from inside the blue line. The Coyotes last beat St. Louis 3-2 in overtime on Nov. 12, 2013. The Blues' 12-game winning streak over Arizona is the longest in the league by one team against another. Chicago has beaten Buffalo 11 times in a row and Boston has won its last 11 games against the Coyotes. Despite the loss, Arizona coach Rick Tocchet saw some positives. "Guys were good, they trusted the system," he said. "We got some good efforts." Arizona goalie Antti Raanta made 36 saves, including a point-blank stop on a breakaway by Jaden Schwartz in overtime. "Lots of chances both ways," Raanta said. "We played well the whole game, but we couldn't get it done." NOTES: Keller grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Swansea, . ... The Coyotes have played eight of their last 10 games on the road. ... Blues D Carl Gunnarsson celebrated his 31st birthday. ... Blues defencemen have accounted for 19 of the team's 54 goals this season.

TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017 1082796 Websites

TSN.CA / Marner admits pass-first mentality lingers

By Kristen Shilton

TORONTO – On the cusp of a much-anticipated sophomore season in the NHL, Mitch Marner spent last summer improving his shot and resolving to use it more often. Fast forward 17 games into the season and Marner is mired in a 16-game goal drought he couldn’t have seen coming. For all the physical effort Marner put into making his shot more lethal, he said Friday that ignoring his pass-first instinct remains an obstacle to his success. “I mean, it’s hard,” said Marner. “You have guys calling for the puck all the time, especially in two-on-ones or a guy’s going back-door and thinks you have the chance to pass. I think that’s the type of thing that just gets in your head a little bit. You hear people calling for it and that’s when the instincts kick in to try and look for that pass and forget about shooting.” Marner had a sensational Ontario Hockey League career with the London Knights, amassing 205 assists over three seasons. It was those playmaking skills that helped earn him the CHL’s Player of the Year honour in his final campaign. In his rookie season with the Leafs, Marner was leading all freshmen in points, including eventual Calder Trophy winner Auston Matthews, in early February. Then a shoulder injury later than month sidelined him for five games and his totals slowed upon returning. Marner eventually finished the year with 61 points and a team-leading 42 assists. “That’s always been a mindset of mine [to pass] that’s I’m trying to get rid of now, but it’s pretty hard when you’ve been trying to pass your whole life,” Marner said. “It’s getting a little better. I think just reacting a little more and seeing the opportunity to shoot in a little more.” Marner has one goal and seven assists and is a team-worst minus-8 this season. He’s been shuffled though three different lines for the Leafs, but was reunited with his usual third-line teammates Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk on Wednesday night. His emphasis on shooting more hasn’t come to fruition regardless of who he’s played with. Marner is currently ranked eighth on the Leafs in shots on goal (28) and hasn’t put any shots on goal in his last two games. Bozak, Leo Komarov, Connor Brown and Matt Martin are the only regular forwards with fewer shots. “When you get yourself in a spot like this, you’ve got to work your way out of it,” said head coach Mike Babcock. “The other thing is, how many shots on goal are you getting? How much are you around the net? Those are the simple measures. When you’re working real hard, you get rewarded.” Four of Marner’s nine points this season have come on the power play, but he’s tallied just two man-advantage assists in his last 13 games. The confidence Marner drew from playing on the Leafs’ top power-play group and having the success they did last season, can’t be understated. Finding a similar groove at even strength won’t be easy, but with Auston Matthews missing his second straight game on Friday night against the Boston Bruins, the Leafs could use a breakout game from Marner. He's had one against Boston before – it was in his second tilt as a rookie, against Friday's projected starter Anton Khudobin no less, that Marner scored the first goal of his NHL career. “I don’t really worry too much about [not scoring]. We’re winning hockey games and that’s the most important thing,” said Marner. “As long as we’re doing that, I think everyone in this room is going to be happy. We’re getting a lot of chances, stuff just hasn’t gone in. But I’m sure that’s going to change soon and start going our way.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2017