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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 3/2/2020 Red Wings 1179409 Ducks can’t solve Cory Schneider or defeat 1179437 ' Christopher Ilitch really does care, he Devils promises: 'Fire is burning inside' 1179410 Ducks recall goaltender Anthony Stolarz from San Diego 1179438 Red Wings are bad, but will they be worst in franchise Gulls of AHL history? 1179439 Sam Gagner quickly adjusting to life as a Red Wing 1179440 Red Wings eager to see what Dmytro Timashov can 1179411 Coyotes, women’s hockey Dream Gap Tour to hold event provide in Arizona 1179441 Red Wings prospect Otto Kivenmaki hospitalized after 1179412 Clayton Keller helps Coyotes come back to beat Sabres in devastating hit crucial victory 1179413 What is the responsibility of leadership? We asked 5 Coyotes 1179442 Nugent-Hopkins can tie Tikkanen for 11th on all-time Oilers points list 1179443 WATCH: Edmonton Oilers beat in close 1179414 Bruce Cassidy considers backing off on ice time for his playoff-style contest workhorses 1179444 There's a lot of fight in the Edmonton Oilers dog 1179415 With lead over Lightning larger, Bruins might be able to 1179445 JONES: Edmonton Oilers make March meaningful again rest up 1179446 Lowetide: Is the OHL still the Oilers’ primary resource at 1179416 David Backes thanks the Bruins, 'an amazing team filled the draft? with incredible men' 1179417 David Pastrnak named the NHL's No. 3 Star for February 1179447 Struggling Florida Panthers shut out by Flames for seventh home loss in a row 1179418 March won't mean anything in the standings but it could 1179448 Panthers’ homely home skid continues with limp loss to mean everything for Jason Botterill visiting 1179419 How bringing back royal blue led to Sabres' 50th anniversary jersey 1179449 Anze Kopitar scores twice, Kings win in Vegas Calgary Flames 1179450 MARCH 1 POST-GAME QUOTES: MCLELLAN, 1179420 For Grandpa John: Gaudreau leads Flames to victory in KOPITAR, DOUGHTY, DEBOER; HIGHIGHTS Florida 1179451 GAME 66: LOS ANGELES AT VEGAS 1179421 Emotion stirs Flames as they gallop down the homestretch 1179452 MARCH 1: ROY NOTES; CARTER GETS ON ICE, “BUT IT WOULDN’T BE DEEMED SUCCESSFUL” 1179453 THIS IS GOING TO GET A BIT COMPLICATED. “NOT 1179422 As young core develops, Blackhawks still count on crew TO SOUND BLUNT, BUT IT’S IN THE PAST.” that won Stanley Cups 1179454 GOOD MORNING, LAS VEGAS 1179423 lackhawks host the Ducks after shootout victory 1179424 Dietz's thoughts on the Blackhawks' future, Kubalik and the goalie situation 1179455 Perhaps a certain former Wild GM was right about Kevin 1179425 Blackhawks’ defenseman Brent Seabrook provides update Fiala after all on injury recovery 1179456 Wild comes up empty-handed in well-played 'playoff game' 1179426 Corey Crawford proves he can still handle starting vs. Capitals workload for Blackhawks 1179457 Opportunity to occupy playoff spot eludes Wild in 4-3 loss 1179427 ‘We’re slow moving’: Brent Seabrook provides rehab to Capitals update after 3 surgeries 1179458 Wild-Washington game recap 1179459 Ovechkin nets pair of goals as Capitals beat Wild 4-3 1179460 Playoff spot up for grabs for Wild in matchup vs. Capitals 1179428 Pavel Francouz, “salt of the earth,” is the man for the job 1179461 ‘It felt like a playoff game’: Wild hang tough before falling in Avalanche net to Capitals 1179429 Avalanche sweep Carolina and Nashville for franchise 1179462 Wild’s Jordan Greenway starting to use his body to his record eighth straight road game advantage 1179463 ‘You just can’t do that with that team’: Four-minute slip-up burns Wild vs. Caps 1179430 Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3 | Jackets roar back with third-period charge 1179431 Columbus Blue Jackets veterans know playoff 1179464 Push comes to shove in Predators' controversial loss to opportunities can’t be wasted Avalanche 1179432 Michael Arace | Jody Shelley believes the Blue Jackets will stay in playoff chase 1179433 Blue Jackets’ Ryan Murray adept at dealing with setbacks 1179434 A late surge, power play shines, Ryan Murray returns, and other observations 1179435 Stars’ victory song has deep meaning to the band that wrote it, but what it means to Dallas remains a mystery 1179436 Stars forward Justin Dowling recalled from AHL conditioning loan 1179465 Cory Schneider records , Pavel Zacha scores 2 in 1179498 Why Steven Stamkos’ latest injury feels so ominous Devils’ win over Ducks 1179499 Five ways the Lightning will try to fill in for Steven Stamkos 1179466 Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Ducks (3/1/20) | Defenseman 1179500 Lightning and Steven Stamkos have been here before Josh Jacobs making season debut 1179501 Lightning end losing streak at four with win over Calgary 1179467 Devils interview ex-Canucks executive Mike Gillis for GM Flames job 1179502 Cord-cutting Lightning, Rays fans, rejoice. There’s a 1179468 Devils drop Ducks to stay hot behind rare Cory Schneider Youtube TV reprieve shutout 1179503 Maple Leafs shake off dust from embarrassing Hurricanes 1179469 Coach Barry Trotz says Islanders' Casey Cizikas should loss resume skating soon 1179504 Steven Stamkos surgery creates a hole for the Lightning, and he could miss a potential first-round playoff mat 1179505 There’s nothing empty about the value Zach Hyman brings 1179470 Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers can slow down surging Flyers, to the Maple Leafs lose 5-3 at the Garden 1179506 The Maple Leafs’ injury numbers aren’t as painful as you 1179471 Igor Shesterkin could return to Rangers ahead of schedule might expect 1179472 This is where we’re at with Henrik Lundqvist 1179507 Leafs hope Hotel California is hospitable 1179473 Henrik Lundqvist’s first start in a month ends with ugly 1179508 Leafs winger Hyman running on empties Rangers loss 1179474 Rangers coach David Quinn on Igor Shesterkin: He's feeling a lot better, on ice taking some shots 1179519 Canucks Post Game: Sifting through the embers, not 1179475 Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers allow three power-play goals in losing the fire of desire loss to Flyers 1179520 Willes' Musings: Contenders or pretenders? We'll soon 1179476 More questions, few answers about Henrik Lundqvist after know what the Canucks are a rare start 1179521 Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3: The great start, then the greater fade 1179522 Ben Kuzma: Green turns talk to winning, not roster 1179477 Post-trade deadline post-mortem: the questions that developments remain for the Senators 1179523 Ben Kuzma: New Canuck Toffoli talks highs, lows, Cat, 1179478 WARREN'S PIECE: Finally finding shootout success, dog, even his Leafs pyjamas Sabourin's scoring touch, keeping count of Tkachuk and 1179524 Canucks Game Day: Expect Torts to insist sluggish Blue Norri Jackets show some added zip 1179525 The Armies: Louis Domingue, Canucks collapse late against Columbus 1179479 With , Flyers finally have an edge in net, even against Henrik Lundqvist | Mike Sielski 1179480 Flyers beat Rangers, 5-3, at the Garden for sixth straight 1179509 Golden Knights’ 8-game win streak ends in loss to Kings victory 1179510 Golden Knights fans celebrate at downtown Las Vegas 1179481 Sean Couturier shakes off flu, scores a to help Flyers festival win again 1179511 Golden Knights deserved better fate than tough-luck loss 1179482 Flyers think Carter Hart is getting a beat on road games to Kings 1179483 Inactive for too long, Henrik Lundqvist left to take the rap 1179512 Golden Knights’ winning streak snapped with home loss to for the Rangers Kings 1179484 Vigneault trying to keep streaking Flyers focused 1179513 LA Kings Visit Vegas and Defeat Golden Knights Again 1179485 With Flyers, Kevin Hayes, Alain Vigneault have Philly Sunday, 4-1, Before 18,419; VGK’s Eight-Game Win thanking Rangers for 2018-19 Streak S 1179486 Flyers are no fluke as the flu doesn't stop their show in win 1179514 Who Knew Summerlin Was A Major League Sports Hub? over Rangers This Morning, NHL, MLB Collide In Las Vegas Suburb 1179487 If Carter Hart has a road issue, he started fixing it in New York 1179488 Flyers prospect WATCH: Big Ten playoff matchups are set 1179515 Alex Ovechkin scores twice in a wild first period, and the Capitals hold off Minnesota, 4-3 1179516 Capitals’ Jonas Siegenthaler back in lineup after being a 1179489 Minor league report: Nailers blanked by Walleye healthy scratch for three games 1179490 John Steigerwald: Penguins’ rough stretch no reason to panic Websites 1179491 Penguins prospect Sam Miletic stepping up in 2nd pro 1179526 The Athletic / The Athletic’s NHL Power Rankings: New season leader emerges for March to the playoffs 1179492 Crosby points the finger at himself amid Penguins’ longest 1179527 .ca / The 25 Most Powerful Women in Hockey losing skid in 8 years 1179528 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Gaudreau scores on 'tough day' 1179493 Ron Cook: Bad time for Penguins to slide, but don't panic after death of his grandfather just yet 1179529 USA TODAY / Calgary Flames' Johnny Gaudreau dedicates goal to grandfather who died the day before 1179494 Sharks 5, Penguins 0: Martin Jones’s work with Evgeni Winnipeg Jets Nabokov is paying off 1179517 Jets' Heinola 'comfortable' in Finland, looking forward to Winnipeg return St Louis Blues 1179518 Jets may rue the Leap Day that wasn't 1179495 Can Blues become the darlings of the NHL? Are they SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 already? 1179496 At age 20, Thomas is coming of age for Blues 1179497 Blues noteboook: Bouwmeester issues brought back flashbacks for de la Rose 1179409 Anaheim Ducks Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.02.2020

Ducks can’t solve goaltender Cory Schneider or defeat Devils

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 7:47 p.m. | UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 10:22 p.m.

ANAHEIM — Rickard Rakell rocketed ahead of the pack on a second- period breakaway. He couldn’t score. Ryan Getzlaf had a breakaway, too. He didn’t score, either. Getzlaf made a strong move near the net in the third, but he couldn’t score. Rakell then couldn’t convert on the rebound.

And so it went.

The Ducks failed to score on 34 shots on goal, so they couldn’t win. It was that simple. They dropped a 3-0 decision Sunday to goaltender Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils at Honda Center, which ended their extremely modest two-game winning streak.

They haven’t won three consecutive games since opening the season with victories over the Arizona Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and back in the first week of October.

David Backes made his Ducks debut after a Feb. 21 trade from the Boston Bruins, skating between fourth-line wingers Nicolas Deslauriers and Carter Rowney in the spot occupied by center Derek Grant before he was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 24.

Backes couldn’t help the Ducks in his first game since Jan. 9. The Bruins placed him on waivers Jan. 17, and he was in a state of limbo until the Ducks acquired him, a first-round draft pick and junior-level prospect Axel Andersson in exchange for Ondrej Kase.

“I thought it was OK at times,” Backes said of his play. “I felt I was trying to assert myself physically and get into some bodies. Feel what that was like again. Some of the systems stuff, I found myself chasing a little bit at times.”

Rakell had a team-leading five shots on goal, but his goal slump reached 14 consecutive games, dating to the Ducks’ loss Jan. 31 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Getzlaf had four shots, but he couldn’t convert after ending a seven-game drought with a goal in Friday’s win over Pittsburgh.

“I thought we had lots of chances to score,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “We just couldn’t find the net.”

It’s been a problem all season and it’s why the Ducks will awake this morning to find themselves in 28th place in the 31-team NHL with a 26- 31-8 record The Ducks’ total of 168 goals was the third-fewest in the league going into Sunday’s games around the league.

The Ducks were shut out for the fifth time in 65 games and for the third time in nine games.

This time, the Devils won the special teams battle, so they won the game. Pavel Zacha scored twice on the power play and Nico Hischier added a third goal moments after a Ducks’ power play expired, giving New Jersey a commanding three-goal lead with 6:04 remaining in the game.

“Our PK has to do a better job,” Ducks defenseman Michael Del Zotto said of giving up power-play goals in each of the first two periods to Zacha.. “It can’t happen. Very similar plays. Breakdowns by us. We had chances but couldn’t put them in the back of the net.

“A few of them we’d like to have back.”

Eakins recently shifted Getzlaf from his customary spot on the perimeter to the front of the net in order to capitalize better on rebounds and deflections while the Ducks were on the power play. The move paid off with a power-play goal in Friday’s 3-2 victory over the Penguins.

There was no repeat Sunday, though.

“Those plays coming off that guy at the net are the ones that are scoring lots of goals,” Eakins said. “Our last game you saw it. He’s probably the best guy on our team who can make those plays down there. It’s something we’re trying out and we’re seeing where it goes.” 1179410 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks recall goaltender Anthony Stolarz from of AHL

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 5:08 p.m. | UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 5:09 p.m.

ANAHEIM — With backup goaltender still ailing and unable to play, the Ducks summoned Anthony Stolarz from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL to serve as John Gibson’s backup for Sunday’s game against the New Jersey Devils at Honda Center.

Miller was too ill to sit on the bench for the Ducks’ victory Friday over the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it was unlikely he could have left the dressing room to replace Gibson if he had been needed. The Ducks would have had to have turned to an emergency backup goalie if Gibson was hurt.

Gibson made it through Friday’s game unscathed, stopping 28 shots in a 3-2 victory.

Instead of tempting fate Sunday, the Ducks recalled Stolarz, who backstopped the Gulls’ victory Friday over Stockton. Stolarz has sparked the Gulls’ recent surge in the AHL’s Pacific Division standings, going 11- 2-2 with a 2.32 goals-against average in his past 15 starts.

Overall, Stolarz is 21-12-5 with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 38 appearances with the Gulls this season.

“We’ve got a bit of a bug running through that room right now,” said Ducks coach Dallas Eakins, who is one of the victims of a virus that kept him from conducting practice Saturday at Great Park Ice. “(Miller) isn’t feeling great.”

Eakins has received glowing reports recently about Stolarz’s standout play in San Diego, which moved within one of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific and within four points of first place in an increasingly tight postseason race.

“He’s been the life blood of that hockey team down there,” Eakins said of Stolarz, 26, who signed a two-season, $1.5-million free-agent contract last July 2. “He’s played very, very well. He’s been a key cog in their success.”

Eakins couldn’t say when Miller might be sound enough to join the Ducks for a two-game trip to play the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday and the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. It’s possible Stolarz could start one of the two games. Gibson made his sixth consecutive start Sunday.

ROSTER MOVE (PART 2)

The Ducks also recalled Jani Hakanpaa from San Diego to bolster their ailing defense corps. Cam Fowler sat out for the sixth game because of an unspecified lower-body injury. Erik Gudbranson (upper body) didn’t play for the 10th game. Hampus Lindholm (upper body) missed his second game.

Hakanpaa has one goal and 12 assists in 47 games with the Gulls.

There’s no timetable for the returns to the lineup of any of the three injured players.

MINOR UPDATE

Right wing Troy Terry scored twice to rally the Gulls to a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday over San Jose, his first goals since he was sent to San Diego last Tuesday to help lead their charge toward the playoffs. Max Comtois scored the winner in OT.

“I think it’s probably little more feel-good for him that he gets on the score sheet,” San Diego coach Kevin Dineen told reporters about Terry’s two third-period goals. “I think he’s created some offense. I made a decision in the third period that I was going to put it on his shoulders there.

“I gave him a bucket-load of ice time and he responded very well.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179411 Arizona Coyotes and make them feel that becoming a professional hockey player isn’t a dream that’s exclusive to boys only.

The namesake of the two teams, Team Newkirk and Team McGovern, Coyotes, women’s hockey Dream Gap Tour to hold event in Arizona comes from two local players, aforementioned above. Newkirk and McGovern are both from Scottsdale. They sat down and selected rosters from the pool of players who agreed to play in the Arizona event.

BY MATT LAYMAN If you missed out on the chance to see these elite women’s hockey players in person at this year’s NHL All-Star weekend, they’ll be in MARCH 1, 2020 AT 7:10 AM Arizona soon enough.

“It’s really just an event that will not come around every year,” Fry said. The Dream Gap Tour, a series of exhibition games featuring some of the Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.02.2020 world’s best women’s hockey players, is coming to Tempe, Ariz., in March.

Games will be played on March 6, 7 and 8 at Oceanside Ice Arena, the home of Sun Devil Hockey. The third game will have the women facing off against Coyotes alumni, including Shane Doan, while the other two games will have two teams comprised of players from the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Assocation (PWHPA).

Among the players competing in the exhibition games will be Kendall Coyne, Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianna Decker, Ann-Renee Desbiens, Scottsdale natives Katie McGovern and Makenna Newkirk, and Amanda Kessel, who is an accomplished player in her own right and also happens to be the sister of Coyotes forward Phil Kessel.

“I had never been to Arizona until this year, so I’m super excited,” Amanda Kessel said. “But I didn’t expect the crowds and people to be really that into hockey. I was actually very surprised. Like I always heard that there wasn’t great turnout, but it seemed like it was a great environment and people love hockey there and are super supportive. So we’re just looking to grow the women’s game there as well.”

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. — Team Newkirk vs Team McGovern

Saturday, March 7 at 3:00 p.m. — Team Newkirk vs Team McGovern

Sunday, March 8 at 12:30 p.m. — PWHPA Stars vs Coyotes Alumni

Arizona is not the first such stop of the Dream Gap Tour, which did not have a pre-determined set of dates and locations but instead is routinely adding new events.

“It’s an opportunity for these women to go around North America and showcase their product,” said Lyndsey Fry, a former Olympian who is now a marketing strategist with the Coyotes. “They have about 150 women and maybe more, collectively, that make up the PA. So they will bring 40 to 60 women to an event, they’ll play games against each other.

“So they’ve been in Toronto, they’ve been to Montreal, they’ve been to Philadelphia, the been to Chicago, San Jose. And now they’re coming here. so they’ve been around and we were super fortunate, because its kind of first come, first serve, as far as who from the PA signs up for each event. Being Arizona in March, we are getting like the cream of the crop as far as the rosters are concerned.”

Many of the players coming to Arizona are the same ones who competed at the NHL All-Star skills competition this year in the first-ever Women’s Elite 3-on-3 hockey game.

“I think that’s super important for those women to get exposure at that level, mainly because if we were ever going to have a viable league, we need to get more than just women’s hockey fans in the building,” Fry said.

“We need to get the masses of hockey fans, and that’s the NHL fan base. And so I think it’s super important for the women to be out there in front of NHL fans’ eyes so that they can see, ‘Wow, that men’s game that I watched was pretty good, but I’m not really seeing a huge difference here in the women’s game.’ And I think that’s what we’re trying to do is they’re trying to show these guys that, look, women’s hockey isn’t what it was 20 years ago when maybe your sister tried it. Women’s hockey now is a high-level, extremely competitive game that’s fast, fun and exciting, and ultimately we need just more and more people to be exposed to that and understand that and be willing to buy that.”

One of the goals of this event is to generate excitement around the women’s game to help the effort of eventually getting a women’s professional league in place. But another goal is to inspire young girls 1179412 Arizona Coyotes those things. And I don’t care if you feel it or not. Just stay with those principals, and if you believe in karma, that’s what happens.”

Keller now has 17 goals this season and leads the team in points with 43. Clayton Keller helps Coyotes come back to beat Sabres in crucial victory The goals in the first period were from Marcus Johansson and Jeff Skinner. Antti Raanta started in goal for the Coyotes, making 25 saves on 27 shots. Jonas Johansson was in net for Buffalo and stopped 26 or BY MATT LAYMAN 30 shots.

FEBRUARY 29, 2020 AT 10:23 PM QUICK HITS

— Jason Demers made his return to the lineup, playing for the first time since Feb. 1. GLENDALE, Ariz. — There’s an argument to be made that the Coyotes’ 2-0 deficit just 8:43 into the first period of Saturday’s game was the “I missed the guys a lot and you know me, anyone’s around the rink, I lowest point so far in their season. hate being away. That was a tough one because the guys were on the road at the start of the injury so I felt a little isolated. But it was great to Arizona entered the night in fifth place in the Wild Card, with many teams be back. I think the last few games, we’ve been playing really well and ahead of them having games in hand, despite the Coyotes previously playing our game.” owning first place in the division. Knowing every game is crucial, Arizona found itself down 2-0 at first intermission in the last game of a Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.02.2020 homestand.

Then, everything changed. The Coyotes went on to win 5-2.

“I liked our last 10 [minutes] of the first,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. “So I went in [the locker room] and said, ‘Hey, listen guys, obviously we put ourselves in a bad hole.’ The last thing you want [is] to go in that room and make guys nervous by being upset. I honestly thought the last 10 we were OK.

“And then obviously a couple guys really got us back in the game.”

One of those was Clayton Keller.

He made a slick backhand assist through a defender to find defenseman Jordan Oesterle alone on the doorstep, and Oesterle scored to cut it to 2- 1. Then Phil Kessel scored on his own rebound to tie it, and Keller himself scored to make it 3-2 Coyotes just 7:30 into the second period.

At second intermission, Arizona was in the lead.

In the third, Keller scored again to make it 4-2, and a late empty-net goal for Oliver Ekman-Larsson gave the final score of 5-2.

“He was unbelievable tonight,” Oesterle said. “Obviously on that goal, you could see he’s got eyes like not everyone else has. But he was lethal out there. He just played a good 200-foot game. He was good defensively, he was getting pucks out of the zone when we needed them, and he was making smart plays in the O-Zone. So it was nice to see him get rewarded and have a night like that, and we need him and everyone else to continue to play like that down the stretch.”

Indeed, an axiom of crunch time in sports is that “you need your best players to be your best players.” Clayton Keller is one of the Coyotes’ best players, but from Dec. 28 to Feb. 13 of this season, he had only six points in 21 games. Lately, he’s trending in a positive direction.

“I think the last two, three weeks, he’s been one of our better forwards, I really believe,” Tocchet said. “He’s been on the ice early with me and the coaches before practice. I know he wants to finish strong. He wasn’t happy there a while ago, and I think these last two, three weeks, he’s been really an energy guy out there, and that’s the way he’s got to play every night for us to be successful.”

Saturday was Keller’s second three-point game in the last three games. He now has eight points (five goals, three assists) in seven games.

“I felt pretty good tonight. I know I thought I had a lot of takeaways and I was hard on the puck,” Keller said. “It’s just a matter of doing that every single night. I know I can do it. So it’s good to have this feeling at this time of the year.”

For where the Coyotes are at in the standings and in their season, it would be monumental for Keller to continue his production.

“Any time you’re a point guy and you get those points, its loosens you up and you get more confidence,” Tocchet said. “But you’ve got to be careful. Sometimes you start to feel it and you start getting fancy again, and then you start toe-dragging. You’ve just got to understand what made you successful.

“And to me, Kells went to the net, he stripped guys with pucks, he back- checked, he shot the puck when he was supposed to do it. He just did 1179413 Arizona Coyotes You obviously should be mad and a little pissed off about it but it doesn’t help to walk around and be grumpy and spread a lot of negative energy so be a good influence on the team.”

What is the responsibility of leadership? We asked 5 Coyotes Derek Stepan: “A big part of it is leading by example; doing the right things without saying them. I think that’s the best way to lead a group. There are moments where you can use your words but actions carry much more weight.” By Craig Morgan Mar 1, 2020 Goligoski: “I think it means just bringing your best every day and trying to

empower everyone as individuals so you’re pulling that rope in the same The Coyotes have featured multiple types of leaders in their 24-year direction. I don’t really try to do anything. I just be myself and work hard Valley tenure. every day and bring a good attitude; try to help my teammates out. Maybe it’s just talking to them and making sure they’re feeling good. I’m Shane Doan was the big-brother type who always had a smile to offer, a vocal when I have to be or when it feels right I’ll speak up, but I’m shoulder to lean upon and his teammates’ back in a pinch. Oliver Ekman- probably not the most vocal guy in here.” Larsson has taken his cues from Doan, his mentor, to focus on positive messaging while reminding his teammates how much fun it is to play a Do a leader’s responsibilities change when a team is struggling? sport for a living. Tocchet: “Everybody is a good guy when you’re winning. When things Teppo Numminen and Niklas Hjalmarsson are the quiet types who set a don’t go well, you’re looking for leaders that are willing to do whatever it tone with work habits that are beyond reproach. takes to change something. Maybe you’re a goal scorer and you’re a leader and it’s 2-1. You might have to block a shot with two minutes to Keith Tkachuk was more of an old-school type who always backed his go. Yeah, (you) don’t block shots very often but are you willing to do teammates, even if that sometimes included a solid kick in the pants. that?’ You’re out of your comfort zone. That’s being a good leader.” Rick Tocchet’s favorite Tkachuk story came when Tkachuk offered a solution to a young player who was complaining about his lack of ice Ekman-Larsson: “When you’re losing and making mistakes it’s easy to be time, his opportunities and his linemates. negative, but if somebody encourages you, it helps you to get over it quicker. You know you screwed up but at the same time, you have to go “(Keith) goes, ‘Hey! Fucking play better!’ And he walked away,” the out and make the right play the next time. Coyotes coach said, laughing. “When you think about it, it’s actually not a bad thing to say.” “To be honest, I don’t want anybody to look at our playoff spot or the standings. I want everybody to look at the next game. That’s all we have All of those types of leadership can be effective, but leadership is a to focus on right now. It’s a different game now this late in the season, difficult component to measure. Reporters see only glimpses of locker- and the games are important, but it’s a lot of fun to be in these types of room dynamics, so leadership is often aggrandized when teams are games. That’s what we try to tell the guys who haven’t been in these succeeding; overblown when they are failing. types of games. Remember to have fun. That’s something Shane always told me and I have always remembered it.” When the season began, defenseman Alex Goligoski noted how remarkably harmonious this group of Coyotes was. That harmony is Hjalmarsson: “It’s easy to be happy and be a good guy when you’re being put to the test. The Coyotes will need their entire leadership group winning. When there’s tougher periods in your career or during a losing to step forward (along with a lot of other players) if the team is to buck streak, it’s even more important to show character and be a team guy, the odds and end a seven-playoff drought. maybe push some of the guys that are struggling or bring some positive feedback to lift them up and give them some confidence again. Tocchet cited this Eleanor Roosevelt quote when outlining what he needs from his leadership group down the stretch: “Great minds discuss ideas; “I just try to be myself; be a positive guy. At the same time, you can’t be average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” The idea all smiles. You have to have high demands on the players around you. behind it is that true leaders find solutions instead of pointing fingers. You’re playing in the NHL. It’s the best league in the world so you have to Tocchet is looking for solutions to the Coyotes’ current predicament; come to the rink and be prepared to work every day.” solutions that can lead to a big run over the regular season’s final 15 games. Stepan: “You can tell with body language with certain guys if they maybe need a pick-me-up here or there. I try not to do it if it’s a situation where “There’s a run out there so we’ve got to go grab it,” he said. someone doesn’t want people to know what’s going on. I’ll wait until we get away from the locker room a lot of times, but I think guys are pretty As the Coyotes prepare for a vital three-game road trip through comfortable coming to our group if they need advice so I just try to be Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg, we polled five Coyotes leaders to there. And by the way, my opinion isn’t always right.” gauge their understanding of their job. Here is a sampling. Goligoski: “The guys who have gone through parts of seasons like this, What is the responsibility of leadership? they have to be at their best and shoulder a little bit more of the load or Tocchet: “For me, right off the bat, leadership is doing the right things. pressure to get these games and get these wins. Every now and then, Whatever has been asked, you do: being on time to meetings, good some guys will ask, ‘What was that like?” But you don’t get a lot of nutrition, training hard, these are just the byproducts of committing to the questions about the past. I think everyone at some point in their career process. It’s accountability. Then there’s the odd time where you have to has felt that pressure of playing in important games and I don’t think it point at yourself. changes that much, whether it’s a junior hockey guy, a college guy or a pro guy.” “I’ll use an example. If I say, ‘Boys, we’re not tough enough in front of both nets.’ When you say it, in that game and at that practice, you had What can a leader do to alter a team’s or his own fortunes? better be doing it. Put yourself out there. Don’t hide in a crowd. Leaders Tocchet: “A leader can change the mood. If you see your team is tight in don’t hide in a crowd. They’re willing to take the risk, to expose yourself. practice you can give them a little life. You set the mood or change it. Don’t let somebody else do it and think, “Geez, I hope the coach doesn’t Maybe it’s just taking four to five other leaders out to lunch and saying, look at me.’” ‘This is what I think we need to do.’ Ekman-Larsson: “I think we all have our own way to do things. Some “If you’re having a bad stretch, a couple games are not going your way, guys want to scream and yell a little bit. I’m more of a positive guy with the next day, you’re on the ice early, working on stuff with a bucket of taps on the shin pads and knuckles or whatever it is. Even on the ice, I’m pucks. Are you in the film room? Are you seeking out a coach? What are trying to be positive. Even if a guy screws up I’ll tell him, ‘Nice try’ or even you willing to do? suggest something else he might be able to do.” “The other day I was watching, Pittsburgh lost to Tampa. (Sidney Crosby) Hjalmarsson: “I think consistency is big as one of the older guys; to play goes out about 20 minutes before practice and he was working on his the same way throughout the year and be a guy they can rely on for a big hands, from forehand to backhand. I guess he missed a couple in the shift, after a goal, late in a period or in key situations. At the same time, I game. That’s leadership. He’s not sitting in a jacuzzi and just making try to be a positive guy in the locker room on an everyday basis. It’s kind practice time and then trying to get practice over. What that does is drive of hard when you’ve lost a lot of games. It’s easy to get down a little bit. the other guys (when they see that). All the young guys will be going, ‘Holy fuck, I’d better get out there.’”

Ekman-Larsson: “I think accountability is important. Like the other night against Florida when I took that penalty (and they scored the game- winning goal on the ensuing power play). If I don’t take that penalty, maybe we get at least one point or maybe two. Maybe we win in overtime. That was on me and I felt like it was important to say it after the game. It’s important to look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘What I can I do to make the team better? It’s little things like that.”

Stepan: “I try to chat more on the bench, We have a quieter group and sometimes you need a little bit of a cheerleader so I’ll try to keep the energy high and communicate. Maybe there’s a good play by a guy where I can let the whole bench know I liked that play, or if there’s a certain thing I see I might yell to the D-man. Then again, if the bench is going good, I usually sit back and let it roll.”

Is it necessary sometimes to give a guy a kick in the pants?

Hjalmarsson: “It’s a fine line so you have to be careful with that. I always listened to the older players when I came into the league and watched them to see what they were doing to stay in the league all the time. It’s not easy to do. There’s young, hungry guys coming into the league every year, so you might have to remind them a little bit how lucky they are to be in this league and how they have to take advantage of it. It can go the other way pretty quick.”

Stepan: “I think there’s definitely moments for it, but I think the world has changed quite a bit in the sense that kicking someone in the pants used to be used a lot more. I always responded really well to it. My first few years in the league were with (coach John Tortorella) and he was able to get every ounce out of me. You would have to ask others, but with the new generation, I think it’s a little different. I’m not sure they respond the same way.”

How would you evaluate the performance of this leadership group?

Stepan: “We’ve been all over in the standings, but I think our leadership has been strong. I love it. They understand what it takes to win this time of year and they understand what our group needs each night. I also think we’re good to the young guys. To be there for them and not just have this divide is important. They know they can talk to us.”

Ekman-Larsson: “We have a lot of good leaders in the room and over the season we talk about small things, big things or small things that can become big things. A lot of people say that they don’t care what people say or write about you but we know what’s said. We look on Twitter. We read, so I think it’s important that we stick together and we pump our own tires a little bit. I think this leadership group does a good job of that.”

Goligoski: “It’s been really good. All season, we have been a resilient group. We’re all aware we haven’t played our best hockey lately so we’re going to be tested here this last month and a half. We have to come together and find ways to win games because that’s how you are judged. It’s a results-based business. We have to start coming out on the right side of those.”

Hjalmarsson: “I think we have been doing alright. The second half of the season, we can’t be too happy with, but while I was out I thought they played great hockey. It’s disappointing that we haven’t played that way in maybe the last month or two when it matters the most but there’s still (15) games left and we still have a chance. We have to focus on having a good finish. It’s still very possible to get into the playoffs and we all believe that.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179414 Boston Bruins in points (21-23—44). The first-year pro, the 53rd pick in the 2017 draft, has had a strong second half and turned 21 last month.

■ McAvoy’s 1-2—3 afternoon accounted for the lion’s share of the 2-5— Bruce Cassidy considers backing off on ice time for his workhorses 7 line submitted by the backline crew.

It was the biggest aggregate accumulated by Boston defensemen this season, and the first time the six pack outscored Boston’s 12 forwards. By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff,March 1, 2020, 7:22 p.m. Asked post-game if that meant the forwards were buying dinner on the way home, a beaming McAvoy said, “They should, right? I think that’s the first time all year that we outnumbered them. That’s what need Their lead in the Atlantic Division approaching Barcalounger comfort sometimes . . . you win by committee.” levels, the Bruins enjoyed a Sunday of slippers and naps after their proficient 4-0 dismissal of the Islanders the day before at Nassau Cassidy, who was a puck-moving, shooting defenseman in his prior life, Coliseum. was encouraged to see that kind of pop from the back end. Defense is their first job, but he wants all of his blueliners also to remain in attack Backed by Tuukka Rask’s fourth shutout of the season, they awoke mode. Sunday with 16 games remaining in the regular season and a 7-point bulge over the Bolts, who learned over the weekend that they will be “I want them to be part of it — I do,” said Cassidy. “I think that’s without star forward Steven Stamkos (surgery to repair abdominal/core encouraged. Some days, Bergy’s line, they’re going to be checked hard injury) until at least the start of the postseason next month. so the D’s got to be involved. We certainly encourage it. But not at the cost of let’s trade chances all night, up and down the ice. But if there’s an The Bolts, with a game in hand, might not be fully focused in the Bruins opportunity to get up there, keep it alive, or join the rush . . . pick your rearview mirror, but they also aren’t that object closer than the sideview spots.” mirror indicates. The Bruins own the league’s best record (41-13-12) and appear poised to wrap their sweaty leather mitts around their first ■ Following Monday morning’s workout in Brighton, the Bruins will fly to Presidents’ Trophy since 2014. Tampa for Tuesday night’s matchup with the Stamkos-less Bolts. They’ll then face the Panthers on Thursday in Sunrise before a return match Coach Bruce Cassidy, his charges a sizzling 10-3-0 since returning from with the Bolts on Saturday (7:08 pm.) at the Garden. the bye break, now is enjoying the possible luxury of backing off the playing time of some of his leading TOI horses. He noted on Saturday ■ Cassidy said he figured Chris Wagner, who sat out Saturday, should that defenseman Charlie McAvoy could be among those in the stable he be able to participate in Monday’s workout. Wagner exited the lineup in backs off a few shifts as the postseason approaches. the third period vs. the Stars on Thursday, after banging head and neck and shoulder (hat trick!) in a fall. Bruce Cassidy could shuffle up some of his personnel packages down the stretch. ■ With the defensemen playing so well as a unit, it has been hard for Cassidy to work in either of his extras, be it John Moore or Connor “The Bergys, the Zs,” said Cassidy, identifying the likes of Patrice Clifton. Moore last suited up Feb. 12. Clifton is healthy, but had not Bergeron and Zdeno Chara as a couple of other guys who might be logged a shift since being injured Dec 29 vs. Buffalo. He is back with the backed off slightly down stretch. “And McAvoy’s played a lot of minutes, varsity after a brief conditioning stint with Providence. so maybe he needs a day off down the road.” Boston Globe LOADED: 03.02.2020 Cassidy also added core performers David Krejci, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak (league-leading 47 goals) as others who potentially could see a slightly TOI slimdown, all in the spirit of managing their fatigue levels, both mental and physical, as the prospect of potentially playing into mid-June again approaches.

Cassidy’s comments came before puck drop on Long Island, where, coincidentally, McAvoy went out and posted his best offensive line (1-2— 3) of the season. Without a goal in the first half, he now has four strikes since the club returned from what it might soon be referring to as its January “Bye-bye!” break.

“I mean, I feel good,” said McAvoy, whose 21:30 in ice time Saturday ranked third on the club, behind Brandon Carlo (22:59) and Chara (21:49). “I am sure that is something that we’d have a conversation about. Whatever he does, we trust him. He always has the best interests of his players in mind — so whatever minutes it is, I try to do the best I can for the team.”

For the season, McAvoy leads all Bruins in average ice time with 22:59, followed by his backline partner, Chara (20:59). Marchand (19:36), Pastrnak (19:03) and Bergeron (18:51) have punched the most time among the forwards.

“Whatever minutes you get, you just want to go out there and play to the best of your ability when you’re called upon,” added McAvoy. “I try to take a lot of pride in that.”

■ Sean Kuraly, center of the fourth line much of the season, lined up again as the L4 left wing on Saturday and logged a dependable 13:30, nearly a quarter of that on the PK. He also fired three shots, none landing on net, on a line that had Par Lindholm at center and Joakim Nordstrom at right wing.

“Right now [Kuraly] will stay there,” said Cassidy. “I think he’s played a little bit better there. As long as Lindholm can handle it on a regular basis, we may stick with it going forward. We may look at another option in the middle there down the road, but right now that’s kind of how it’s worked out for us.”

Who could be the other option? Possibly Jack Studnicka, among the club’s most prized prospects, who leads the AHL Providence WannaB’s 1179415 Boston Bruins

With lead over Lightning larger, Bruins might be able to rest up

By MARISA INGEMI | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 4:27 p.m. | UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 4:28 p.m.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The Bruins opened a nine-point lead on the Lightning with their win on Saturday — now seven, thanks to the Lightning also taking a victory — the same day Tampa Bay learned Steven Stamkos would miss the next 6-8 weeks.

That’s not the biggest lead in the world, especially with two games left against their division rival. They play on Tuesday, and that lead could fall to five games with a loss.

However, Tampa Bay has certainly slowed down from its past torrid pace; they won 11 in a row, biting at the Bruins heels despite their strong play as well, but dropped four in a row before their win over the Flames on Saturday.

How the Bruins fare in the next week with two dates with the Lightning might determine what the rest of the season looks like for them heading into the postseason.

“The luxury is we can put people in and out of the lineup, look at different line combos,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy prior to their win over the Islanders on Saturday. “We have two new players acquired from Anaheim, so it’s not a pressure situation every night. I as a coach feel it is to win, to play well, but at the end of the day if you lose a couple like we did, it’s not the same pressure maybe as say Edmonton is going through now to get in, or whoever.”

The Bruins shouldn’t be focused terribly on what other teams are doing, even if it is the Lightning on their tail. That they’ve slowed down has helped the Bruins, but they’re still a bit a ways away from deciding if they want to tinker with the lineup for the sake of rest.

If they do, though, they’d do themselves some favors by beating the Lightning this week and continuing to accumulate points in Florida and next week against a slumping Buffalo squad.

“I think that’s still a little down the road, but it is a luxury,” said Cassidy. “We may take advantage of, simply because we can. If we leave a few points on the table in the process of doing that and still reach our goals, that’s a credit to the guys early in the year accumulating those points. That’s the advantage of that. … Rest versus do you lose first place, do you lose home ice advantage, and there are merits to both arguments.”

As far as the players go, they just play when they’re told.

“I feel good, I’m sure that’s something that would be a conversation,” said Charlie McAvoy. “We trust whatever (Cassidy) does and believe he has the best interest of his players in mind.”

Some of the veterans might be worth sitting for a bit, especially if they have been banged up at times. It’s a long season and the schedule hasn’t done anyone any favors with all the back-to-backs and travel late in the season.

It’s in the Bruins hands, though; win games and earn rest.

“The (Patrice Bergeron)’s, the (Zdeno Chara)’s, even McAvoy, who’s played a lot,” said Cassidy. “Maybe he needs a day off somewhere down the road. (David Krejci), (Brad Marchand), even (David Pastrnak), he’s a young guy but a lot that goes into it is who and when and what’s the cost.

“Hopefully we play well enough where the last 10 games, we’re able to do that.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179416 Boston Bruins

David Backes thanks the Bruins, 'an amazing team filled with incredible men'

By Joe Haggerty March 01, 2020 4:36 PM

David Backes was understandably preoccupied with getting his NHL career back on track when he first spoke with reporters in Anaheim following his trade to the Ducks a week ago. So it was all good that the 35-year-old power forward wasn’t in a particularly reflective mood when discussing his new situation with the Ducks and his thoughts on how things ended in Black and Gold.

Perhaps sensing that himself, Backes sent out a tweet on Sunday from his personal account thanking the Bruins “for the opportunity to play on an amazing team filled with incredible men” as he focuses on his new team in the Pacific Division.

The tweet exhibits exactly the kind of class and professional leadership that Backes brought with him to Boston, even if the performance on the ice didn’t match expectations when he arrived from St. Louis.

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Backes was dealt a few days ahead of the trade deadline to the Ducks along with a first-round pick and defenseman prospect Axel Andersson in exchange for right winger Ondrej Kase. As part of the deal, the Bruins put themselves on the hook for 25 percent of Backes’ remaining salary, a sign that a big part of the overall trade was the B’s getting out from under the $6 million cap hit for an underperforming Backes for this season and next.

Backes signed a five-year, $30 million contract in the summer of 2016 after leaving the St. Louis Blues in free agency, but never managed more than 17 goals or 38 points while his production decreased with each passing season. One of the final nails in Backes’ coffin with the Bruins was serving as a healthy scratch in the final three games of the Stanley Cup Final last June against his old Blues hockey club.

He was finally waived in early January by the Bruins after just one goal and three points this season, and never reported to the AHL after playing his final game for the Black and Gold on Jan. 9.

The big winger has yet to play a game for the Ducks since arriving in the trade while Kase just made his B’s debut on Thursday night. Kase showed speed and an ability to create his own offense as a second line right wing in his first game as a Bruin.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179417 Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak named the NHL's No. 3 Star for February

By Joe Haggerty March 01, 2020 12:30 PM

David Pastrnak finished the month of February with a flourish scoring back-to-back game-winning goals for the Bruins, so it’s no surprise he’s being honored for what he did over the last month.

The 23-year-old Pastrnak was named the NHL’s No. 3 Star of the Month for February after finishing with 10 goals and 19 points in 14 games while bumping his NHL-leading total to 47 goals this season with the 50-goal milestone staring at him dead ahead in March.

Pastrnak’s plus-8 was solid as well, but the most important number was the 11-3-0 record that the B’s posted during the month of February while shooting to the top of the NHL standings with a President’s Trophy in sight. Pastrnak also finished the month tied for the most game-winning goals (four) in the NHL.

Pastrnak had seven multi-point games in February and notched his fourth hat trick of the season in a Feb. 12 win over the .

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Pastrnak leads the NHL with 47 goals and 19 power play goals and ranks second in the NHL with 91 points in 66 games this season while putting the finishing touches on a year that should put him in serious consideration as a Hart Trophy finalist. The Bruins right winger is still on pace for 60 goals and 113 points if he can remain healthy and productive over the final month-plus of the regular season.

Aiming to become the first Black and Gold player to top the NHL in goals since Phil Esposito (1974-75), Pastrnak already has the most goals by a Bruins player in 26 years dating back to ’s 50-goal season in 1993-94.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (10 goals and 23 points in February) and New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (11 goals and 20 points in February) were named the top two stars for the month of February.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179418 Buffalo Sabres 2013 5-5-5 15 19th 2011-12 10-4-2 22 3rd

2010-11 10-4-2 22 4th March won't mean anything in the standings but it could mean everything for Jason Botterill 2009-10 10-5-1 21 3rd

* – last in NHL

By Mike Harrington Source: NHL.com

Published Mon, Mar 2, 2020 Still, there is belief in the GM in the dressing room and players were thrilled Botterill made some additions to the team in Wayne Simmonds

and Dominik Kahun. Both have made immediate impact to the lineup and GLENDALE, Ariz. – There won't be any meaningful games in March for have been clear upgrades to the departed Evan Rodrigues and Conor the Buffalo Sabres. Again. So now we're left to watch the next month and Sheary. see what it's all going to mean. Especially for General Manager Jason In talking with Eichel Friday morning in Vegas, the was adamant Botterill. there would be no collapse this year. But now you wonder. You could tell the players felt another season was over with still 17 "You look at past years and it seems like there's a turning point where games left late Saturday night after the 5-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. you can go left or right and in the last few years I feel like we've taken the Win or lose, the team quickly sheds its equipment after a game and the wrong turn too much," Eichel said. "For one, I think what 'Botts' did sends locker room is generally always empty when the media enters. Players a message we're not doing that this year and we're going to stay requested are then brought back into the room for interviews. competitive. No matter what happens, we're going to bring our best Things were much different Saturday. effort."

Reporters entered the room deep within Gila River Arena and were Botterill admitted last month that Terry and are not happy surprised to find several players sitting at their stalls staring vacantly into with this franchise's continued doldrums. Ownership would prefer not to space. There was no talking and little sound of any sort, other than the make yet another move at GM but that could definitely change if the team slow shuffle of gear into equipment bags. falls apart here.

Captain Jack Eichel was slumped and leaning back in his stall – still There is a belief in some parts of the organization that Botterill is over his completely in full equipment except for his helmet. And with his jersey still head, that he has wrecked the salary cap beyond repair and can never on. recover from the disastrous Ryan O'Reilly trade in the summer of 2018.

The Sabres took a CBA-mandated day off here Sunday before heading For a guy who came to town with a reputation as a cap savant, Botterill to Winnipeg on Monday morning to prep for Tuesday night's game has botched the Sabres' numbers to the point where they're going to against the Jets. They're 0-3 on this road trip and no longer on the fringes have overages that will need to be accounted for next season. of the playoff race, entering Sunday 10 points out in the wild-card race Botterill got too close to the cap this year with too many bloated contracts and 12 out of third place in the Atlantic Division – less than a week after and didn't leave room for performance bonuses for players such as they were just six behind Toronto in the division with a game in hand. Rasmus Dahlin and Henri Jokiharju. When the Sabres go over the cap to "Oh and three. No points. So there's no real good moments," Eichel said include them, that difference has to be subtracted from next year's of a trip that could just as easily be 3-0. " ... Big picture (stinks) obviously. maximum figure. You come to win every game, you lose three and that's not what you Botterill never fixed the roster's unbalanced composition of too many want to do." defenseman and not enough forwards until it was too late and held on to The end has come swiftly. There were high-level games in Colorado and Zach Bogosian far too long in the odd hope of somebody either picking Vegas that were tied through two periods that both became regulation up salary or giving the Sabres a low-round draft pick. Botterill should losses. And there was Saturday's unsightly collapse here, where a 2-0 have cut bait weeks before he did. He traded Marco Scandella far too lead after one period became a 3-2 deficit in the first eight minutes of the soon and the acquisition of Michael Frolik has been a bust. second period. Still, respect for Botterill around the league remains high and it would be "We knew that we needed to get a win in Colorado or Vegas and take a bad look for the Pegulas in NHL circles to fire him after just three that momentum here to Arizona," coach Ralph Krueger said glumly. seasons. If he stays, Botterill darn well better get this team more help at "Now with the unraveling of this road trip, there's a lot of pain here but we forward and improve the goaltending. need to regroup quickly. It's still an opportunity here, a good time to grow But with the fan base in an uproar about virtually everything surrounding and learn." this organization – and the new season ticket price structure now added The growth better come from the Sabres not letting the season to that list – the GM may have to be sacrificed for another season of completely fall apart. That's been their pattern. Three times in the last six noncontention. years, Buffalo has posted the NHL's worst record in March, including the It was just a week ago that Botterill said that the franchise's goal was 2-12-2 fiasco last year that got Phil Housley fired. meaningful games in March. Well, those ended on Feb. 29. But just If that scenario plays out again this year, Botterill is going to be toast and imagine that being your standard. you wonder if Krueger will have to go out the door with him. Other teams try to win the Stanley Cup or go deep into the playoffs. This March madness franchise has lost its way so much and its standard has fallen so low that the GM is merely hoping to play games in March that matter. The Buffalo Sabres' record in March and place in the NHL standings for the month over the last 10 seasons And incredibly, that hasn't happened around here since 2012.

Year W-L-O Pts Place It gets worse. Victor Olofsson's leg injury in the second period Saturday looks bad and Eichel has been battling what the team is calling a lower- 2018-19 2-12-2 6 31st* body injury for several games, even stepping away from faceoffs for a few games until returning to take draws in the third period Friday night in 2017-18 5-8-1 11 27th Vegas. 2016-17 6-7-1 13 23rd Eichel took more faceoffs Saturday but certainly doesn't look right and 2015-16 7-4-4 18 12th you wonder how much longer he'll be kept on the ice. He has no points on the trip and is minus-6 in the three games. Linemate Sam Reinhart, 2014-15 2-8-3 7 30th* not believed to be nursing any injuries, has the same ugly stat line for the trip. 2013-14 2-11-1 5 30th* "Everybody sees he's competing like crazy," Krueger said of Eichel. "He's also taking care of his body at the same time. ... We feel that's being managed and he's been a fighter through this whole phase here."

With the playoff hopes gone yet again, this team better continue to fight. Botterill's job probably depends on it.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179419 Buffalo Sabres Instead of including an ode to the franchise's past, each of the four logos previously used by the Sabres – the original bison, the goat head, two crossing swords and the slug – were stitched inside the back collar.

How bringing back royal blue led to Sabres' 50th anniversary jersey 3. A jersey that resonates. Pegula and the committee wanted a uniform fit for the milestone season, something current and former players would wear with pride. Adidas executed that vision by including the golden- stitched bison in initial renderings sent to PSE. By Lance Lysowski "When we first saw it, we went, 'Wow, people are going to love this,' " Published Sun, Mar 1, 2020|Updated Sun, Mar 1, 2020 Cravotta said of the bison.

The team at Adidas, led by senior designer Eric Bodamer, a North A final design for the Buffalo Sabres' commemorative 50th anniversary Tonawanda native, sent dozens of renderings to the Sabres, some of jersey arrived in late fall 2018 after hundreds of exchanges across which included royal blue as the primary color. One concept included several months between a small committee at Pegula Sports and royal blue with gold featured in the logo, numbers and stripes. Another Entertainment and Adidas. design was primarily royal blue with a white bison and white numbers.

The white alternate uniform included a unique take on the Sabres' "We were thinking about how can you make it not look like your current traditional logo. The design team at Adidas used golden stitching on the jersey," Raccuia said. "Then in order for it to not look like a retro jersey, crest to accentuate the hair flowing down the back of the bison and it was we said let's have solid white on top without the blue shoulders." positioned above two golden sabre swords on top of a gold-outlined blue The collaboration between PSE and Adidas produced what was thought emblem. to be the final product: a white jersey with five gold stripes on the arms Five golden stripes, each representing a decade, were placed on the and waist, gold-outlined blue numbers and the golden logos on top of the arms and waist. blue crest.

Hockey operations, including General Manager Jason Botterill, signed off Adidas sent the Sabres one prototype uniform with matching socks for on the concept and video testing was completed to ensure the nameplate video testing. A PSE employee wearing the jersey and corresponding was visible. equipment skated on the ice in KeyBank Center while people watched from the 300 level to see if the numbers and nameplate were visible. Terry Pegula, whose childhood fandom inspired him to purchase the Sabres and Bills, wanted one more change before he would provide a "You need to see what that name looks like on the jersey," Cravotta said. stamp of approval. "Obviously you want to see how that shiny gold bounces and pops. Really, what happens is in a perfect world they send you the uniform, you "I think we need a little more blue," Ron Raccuia, PSE executive vice do your on-ice testing and everything is ready. We added another step to president, recalled Pegula saying during a meeting in late fall 2018. "The that." next thing you know, we had a jersey." The jersey was then completed when Pegula suggested the blue stripe Pegula suggested the middle stripe on the arms and waist be changed to shortly before the deadline. Cravotta altered a photo from the on-ice navy, the final adjustment to a jersey that became the symbol of the video testing to include the blue stripe and sent the idea to Adidas, which Sabres' Golden Season. began the process of manufacturing the jersey. The design was also sent to the NHL for approval. All involved in the creative process worked backward to arrive at the final product. The licensing process began and vendors were notified, and Durbin was able to complete a marketing plan that was built around the jersey. The PSE walked The Buffalo News through the planning, design, execution next step was equipment. and unveiling of the jersey. Initial renderings by PSE included all-white gloves, similar to those worn Before planning for the 50th jersey began, Terry and Kim Pegula decided by the Golden Knights. However, Sabres equipment manager Dave to change the Sabres' primary colors back to royal blue and gold for the Williams had concerns about how dirty those would become throughout a 2020-21 season. game and suggested a navy cuff be added to complement the navy During the summer of 2018, the committee at PSE – Raccuia; Frank stripe. Cravotta, executive vice president of creative services; and John Durbin, Williams searched online to see different versions of white gloves, senior vice president of marketing – began planning how they could including Vegas' and Boston University's, and suggested a few changes. separate the alternate anniversary jersey with the new primary uniforms. He also had his son use one of the samples on the ice to see how much "It had to be done in conjunction to make it consistent and concise," dirt could show on all-white gloves during a practice or game. Cravotta said. "It was a plan of transition, so you had to know what Step "I reached out to Vegas and had some of their gloves sent in as a 2 was in order to do Step 1." sample, so we could compare it to the jersey we made," Williams said. "I PSE received the first batch of renderings for the 50th jersey after it suggested we add a blue cuff roll to break up the white a little bit. From provided Adidas with a list of three basic elements. there, the only thing I did after that was add the (three-dimensional) helmet sticker. I was able to use artwork to show the PSE people what I 1. Gold must be a primary color. PSE studied concepts used by other would like to do and they said it made sense." teams for their respective 50th seasons and noticed how the Philadelphia Flyers used gold trim around their numbers when they celebrated their When the gloves were approved during the 2018-19 season, Williams anniversary in 2016-17. ordered samples from every major equipment company to make sure the gold and navy matched. An equipment order must be made six to eight PSE also thought that playing up the gold would allow the jersey to stand months before the season. alone from the primary navy uniforms this season and the switch to retro for 2020-21. The committee examined versions of gold, including those The Sabres were scheduled to wear the 50th jersey during 13 home used by the Vegas Golden Knights and the University of Notre Dame. games, including the home opener and theme nights. Kevyn Adams, the Sabres' senior vice president of business administration, told The News Adidas declined to make any of its designers available for comment. in a recent interview that the team underestimated customer demand, as "Gold isn't even one of the Flyers' colors, so what can we do?" Durbin each shipment has sold out since the jersey was made available for said. "How can we push that even further? We wanted to make that really purchase Sept. 17. Approximately 7,000 jerseys have been sold. special and make it pop." Additionally, a group of designers at PSE examined secondary logos 2. Terry Pegula prefers simplicity, so the design team wanted clean lines used by other teams in previous milestone seasons and created a and requested five stripes after it used four on the 40th anniversary commemorative patch that was placed on the shoulders of the Sabres' alternate jersey in 2010-11. A commemorative patch wasn't placed on regular home and away jerseys. the jersey, either. The unveiling was as important as the design itself. Since fans expected a retro look for the 50th, specifically one incorporating the franchise's original color scheme, the Sabres decided to first announce the switch to royal blue for 2020-21.

On Aug. 16, 2019, one day after the primary color change was announced, the team revealed the 50th jersey on social media with a video in which a PSE employee modeled the uniform while standing amid a plume of smoke.

"We wanted our fans to embrace it for what it is and what it's intended to be, which they did," Durbin said. "That unveiling could not have gone better, in my mind."

"When we were finally able to tell the story of us changing colors the year after, it took the air out of the problem," Raccuia said. "The 50th then was able to stand on its own as this one-of-a-kind jersey. ... It showed fans that we'll have a great 50th and you'll probably get what you want sooner rather than later."

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179420 Calgary Flames In fact, they will be in their own barn for 11 of their 15 remaining regular- season dates.

With less than five weeks until the Stanley Cup playoff invites are For Grandpa John: Gaudreau leads Flames to victory in Florida finalized, Gaudreau won’t be able to join his loved ones in Vermont to mourn Grandpa John’s passing.

He paid a heck of a tribute Sunday, though. Wes Gilbertson “It’s hard, but it can be inspiring,” said Flames interim head coach Geoff Published:March 1, 2020 Ward. “We have an inner voice, all of us — kind of a voice that we listen to. It’s different people. It could be your wife. It could be your girlfriend. It Updated:March 1, 2020 9:49 PM MST could be your dad, could be your mom. Maybe for him it was his grandfather, I don’t know. But you have special people, and when something like that happens, it hurts. So for him to come and play the SUNRISE, Fla. — Sunday’s game-winning goal was for Grandpa John. game that he did, I thought it was a great performance by one of our best players. He led us in a lot of ways. Skating with a heavy heart after the loss of one of his biggest fans, Johnny Gaudreau was both the offensive and emotional engine for the “A multi-point game, a good game for him … And we like the fact that he Calgary Flames as they capped a five-game getaway with a 3-0 victory was able to do what he wanted, and that was play a real good game for over the Florida Panthers at BB&T Centre. his grandfather.”

Gaudreau pumped both fists after his early power-play strike, an GO AHEAD, SHOOT impassioned celebration that wasn’t fully explained until a couple of hours later. Talbot doesn’t mind being busy.

“My grandfather passed away before our game (Saturday) in Tampa and The Flames’ backup puck-stopper faced 38 pellets Sunday and never I found out after the game,” Gaudreau revealed. “It was kind of a tough needed to spin around to fish one out of the back of his net. day, but it was nice to find the net there for him in the first. It sucks losing That included a half-dozen denials on the red-hot Mike Hoffman, who people, but I was pretty pumped up to get that one for him. had scored in five in a row. “He watched a lot of my games and he was always a big supporter of me “He was probably the biggest reason why we won the game,” Giordano and my brother playing hockey, so it was a special time to find the net said of the 32-year-old masked man. “He was dialled in from start to there. Just emotional. It was really cool.” finish.” No. 13 was flying from start to finish, so this could have easily been a “Definitely our best player tonight,” Lucic added. “He’s been put in this hat-trick for Grandpa John. position a lot, where he plays the second half of the back-to-back. And With the Flames on the man-advantage early in the afternoon affair, the every single time, he’s given us a chance to win.” superstar left-winger opened the scoring with a wicked wrister that Sam Talbot’s other goose-egg this season was a 44-save showing. He is 4-0 Montembeault couldn’t snag with his glove-hand. when facing 38-plus shots. The 26-year-old had a golden opportunity to double the lead on a first- “When you don’t play that often, you want to feel the puck early,” Talbot period penalty-shot — Florida’s MacKenzie Weegar had given him the ol’ said after improving to 10-10-1 on the campaign. “They got a power-play stick-in-the-spokes after he slipped behind the opposing defender — but early and I made some saves on Hoffman on the flank, so those kind of Montembeault refused to bite on a couple of head-fakes and wasn’t got me going, got the confidence up. And from there on, I just kept fooled by a deke to the backhand, either. battling away. Guy were giving me the shooting lanes for the most part, Gaudreau clanked the post with a sizzling shot in the middle stanza, then making some big blocks out there and I thought we played a hell of a assisted on TJ Brodie’s insurance tally in the third. third period to lock down that win.”

“We have a really tight-knit group in there,” reminded Flames captain Calgary’s bench boss was also tickled with the last 20. Mark Giordano, who assisted on all three in Sunday’s victory. “You could “I really liked the third period,” Ward said. “We didn’t give them very see how crushed (Gaudreau) was yesterday on the bus. You feel for him much. We played a real, real good road period — maybe our best one of as a teammate. I like to look at him as a little brother, to be honest. the whole trip to end it off.” We’ve been around each other for so long. So just try to give him support. ‘THE OLD GIO’

“I know his family really well, and our thoughts are with them. For him to Any rust seems to be gone now. show up and put that effort in, I thought he was great all night. I thought for him to come in and score, that’s really cool and something that I’m In his third game back from a hamstring injury, the 36-year-old Giordano sure he’ll share with his family tonight.” was a stud Sunday against the Panthers.

Added third-line thumper Milan Lucic, who also tickled twine in Sunrise: His stat-line showed a hat-trick of assists, a plus-2 rating, a pair of shots “I’m sure that goal is going to mean a lot to him for the rest of his life.” on net, a hit, a block in front of Talbot and a team-leading 26 shifts.

Standing as the game-winner thanks to a 38-save shutout by backup “He’s getting better every game, every time he’s on the ice,” Ward said of , it was also a meaningful marker for the Flames in the jostle Giordano, who missed a total of 10 contests due to the sore hammy. “It for playoff positioning. takes a little bit of time coming off an injury for as long as he was out to get your game timing back. You can practise all you want but you need to Gaudreau, Giordano & Co. concluded their longest roadie of the season have the game action in order for it to really come back 100%, and you with seven of a possible 10 points. They got the ball rolling with wins in can see it’s happening for him. He looked like the old Gio tonight, much Detroit and Boston, suffered a gut-wrenching overtime loss in Nashville more than he had in the first couple of hockey games, and that’s a great and a regulation setback in Tampa and then responded with a thing for us moving forward.” determined, disciplined effort against the Panthers before the flight back home. ICE CHIPS: Flames centre Mikael Backlund must have been in the conversation about February’s finest, but he ultimately didn’t crack the “That was a big game, a big character win for our team after a really NHL’s three stars of the month. There’s no arguing the hat-trick of good road-trip,” Giordano said. “If we would’ve looked at this one at the honourees — Art Ross Trophy frontrunner Leon Draisaitl of the start of the year and said we’ll go 3-1-1, with the quality of opponents, I Edmonton Oilers, Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers and David think we would have taken that.” Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins. After piling up nine goals and 10 assists in 14 outings in the mightiest month of his career, Backlund was blanked in The Flames will now settle in at the Saddledome for a five-game his first match of March … Thanks to a superb cross-seam setup on homestand that starts with Wednesday’s clash against the Columbus Gaudreau’s man-advantage marker, Flames forward Elias Lindholm Blue Jackets (6:30 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). notched his 200th career assist … Third-line centre Derek Ryan had a heady helper on Lucic’s second-period lamp-lighting. Ryan had just missed the net with a re-direct but collected the puck off the end-boards and, with a pair of Panthers closing quickly, slid a no-look pass to Lucic for bang-in from the edge of the blue paint.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179421 Calgary Flames From a hockey perspective, however, the assignments had some heft. Opening with a so-called trap game against the NHL’s worst team, the

Detroit Red Wings. A pair of games against Eastern Conference Emotion stirs Flames as they gallop down the homestretch heavyweights, the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. A wild-card showdown in Nashville. And a soggy-legged finale against the Panthers.

And, oh, the trade deadline was crammed in there somewhere. By Scott Cruickshank Mar 1, 2020 It added up to one heck of an odyssey.

How long were the Flames on the road? The day they left home, no one SUNRISE, Fla. — Playing their sixth game in 10 days, their fifth game in had even heard of David Ayres. eight days, their third game in four days, the Calgary Flames must have been bushed. But the Flames were solid — the only groaner being Saturday’s loss to the Bolts — and return to Calgary with seven of a possible 10 points. No doubt about that. “We have confidence now in the fact that if we put our game on the ice So they needed a lift Sunday — from any corner of the dressing room. the way that we can play it, we can play with anybody,” Ward said. “I think going home now, we can generate some real confidence off the And, in spectacular fashion, the Flames received two boosts, leading road. We’re down to 15 games now and the fact that we’re playing some them to a 3-0 triumph over the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center. of our best hockey of the year right now is a positive.” Cam Talbot, the team’s underused backup goalie, blocked 38 shots. The Flames’ recent road work should be instructive. They’re 16-5-2 over And Johnny Gaudreau? Despite playing with a heavy heart — or the past 23 dates away from the Saddledome. because he was — the winger singlehandedly introduced energy into the A chunk of the recent success had been due to a rejuvenated top six — matinee. Afterward, he explained to reporters that his paternal just in time — and a remade blue line. grandfather died. He got the news Saturday after the Tampa Bay game. Led by Mikael Backlund, the first and second units contributed 31 scoring “Kind of a tough day,” he said. “It sucks losing people.” points over five games. After scoring in the opening period — zipping a wrist shot past goalie And Calgary’s back end — by returning its 1A, Giordano, to action and by Sam Montembeault for what turned out to be the game-winner — adding an instant third pairing on deadline day — features a fresh look Gaudreau had celebrated with uncharacteristic vigour. for the final push. “I was pretty pumped up to get that one for him,” Gaudreau said. “He Backlund & Co. watched a lot of my games and was always a big supporter of me and my brother (Matthew) playing hockey, so it was a special time to find the The Swede continued his strong play, totalling three goals, eight points net there.” and six stitches (from an errant practice puck).

Said Milan Lucic: “I’m sure that goal is going to mean a lot to him for the Ward, at one stage, referred to Backlund’s spree of goodness as Selke rest of his life.” Trophy-worthy.

Later in the first period, Gaudreau earned a penalty shot — he was foiled “He was awesome, absolutely awesome,” the coach said after the by Montembeault. Later, he cranked the post with a wrister. overtime loss to Nashville. “He’s been playing really well. That line’s been good. We’re relying a lot on them. They’re doing an awful lot of good “Well, it’s an emotional time,” Mark Giordano said. “I mean, we have a things for us.” really tight-knit group and … you could see how crushed he was (Saturday) on the bus. You feel for him as a teammate. I like to look at In his past 13 outings, Backlund has 19 points. him as a little brother, to be honest. We’ve been around each other for so long. Not surprisingly, his wingers are also flourishing. Andrew Mangiapane has 10 points in nine games, while Matthew Tkachuk has collected 18 “For him to show up today and put that effort in, I thought he was great. I points in 17 games. thought for him to come in and score, that’s really cool and something I’m sure he’ll share with his family tonight.” Monahan & Co.

Geoff Ward called Gaudreau’s display “inspiring.” On a difficult day, the There are always lots of narratives swirling around centre Sean young man delivered — a peppy presence from his opening shift. Monahan.

“We have an inner voice, all of us — kind of a voice that we listen to,” the That, because he’s not dynamic, he’s not suited for springtime hockey. Flames coach said. “It’s different people. It could be your wife. It could be That, perhaps with that deficiency in mind, he’s revamped his style. (He your girlfriend. It could be your dad, could be your mom. Maybe for him, it has been credited with 64 hits through 67 games. Last season, he was his grandfather, I don’t know. But you have special people and when registered 36 hits total. Also his faceoff-winning percentage, 52.7, has something like that happens, it hurts. never been higher.) “For him to come and play the game that he did, I thought it was a great But his one undeniable feature— he scores. Monahan cashed in at performance by one of our best players. Detroit. His first of two tallies in Boston gave him his seventh consecutive “He led us in a lot of ways tonight.” 20-goal campaign. He added a power-play conversion in Tampa Bay.

As did Talbot, who recorded the 22nd shutout of his career after watching Lindholm finished the trip with four points, Gaudreau with five. David Rittich get the nod for the first four games of the trip. Talbot “A multi-point game, a good game for him,” Ward said of Gaudreau’s stopped 13 (!) shots against Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Huberdeau. output Sunday. “We like the fact that he was able to do what he wanted, “He was unbelievable,” Giordano said. “Right from the start, you could tell and that was play a real good game for his grandfather.” he was reading plays, fighting through screens. Obviously, he was Changing face(s) of the blue line probably the biggest reason why we won the game. He was dialed in from start to finish.” Giordano, after missing 10 games with a hamstring injury, groused about his rustiness in his first two games back — Nashville and Tampa Bay. Talbot’s handiwork allowed the Flames to return home with a 3-1-1 record. Sunday, the captain picked up three helpers.

If you were a travel agent, it would have been easy to spin this itinerary “He looked like the old Gio, much more than he had in the first couple of into an appealing junket. Stops in Motown and Music City. A weekend in hockey games,” Ward said, “and that’s a great thing for us moving the Sunshine State. A couple of days in historic Beantown. Not bad. Not forward.” bad at all. But Giordano’s appearance was only part of the makeover.

The Flames, after all, had opened the trip with the following duos:

Noah Hanifin-Rasmus Andersson

T.J. Brodie-Michael Stone

Oliver Kylington-Alexander Yelesin

And finished with this upgraded array:

Mark Giordano-T.J. Brodie

Noah Hanifin-Rasmus Andersson

Derek Forbort-Erik Gustafsson

Few would dispute that it’s better now. (Yelesin was returned to Stockton, while spare Brandon Davidson was shipped to the San Jose Sharks.)

The price of the Flames’ improvements was a third-round pick (Gustafsson, a power-play specialist) and a conditional fourth-rounder (Forbort, a surly sort).

Both newcomers turn 28 this month. Both, too, are pending unrestricted free agents. So the Flames, potentially losing Brodie and Travis Hamonic to the open market, can get an extended peek at the incoming pair of lefties.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179422 Chicago Blackhawks

As young core develops, Blackhawks still count on crew that won Stanley Cups

By Jason Lieser Mar 1, 2020, 4:55pm CST

SUNRISE, Fla. — A blossoming core of young players will decide the Blackhawks’ future, but for now, this team’s success hinges on the icons who led their decade of dominance.

It’s the strangest part about watching the Hawks these days: You can still go see the legends from their championship teams, but instead of chasing Stanley Cups they’re exhausting themselves in the improbable pursuit of the last playoff seed.

Regardless of how little chance they have of making this happen, their old guard is adamant about giving it a shot. And based on how old-timers Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Corey Crawford and Duncan Keith played in played in the shootout win over the Panthers on Saturday, they mean what they say.

“They’re pushing,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “They want to win as bad as anyone. The peer pressure in the group is important; they’re not going to let anyone off the hook. I think that filters through to everyone.”

That accountability is key for what Colliton wants to establish. It’s too early to know whether the talent of Dominik Kubalik, Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach and Alex Nylander will rise to the level of their star teammates, but there’s no doubt they’ll get a proper education.

In the final minutes of a prolonged game against the Panthers, Crawford withstood shot after shot —Florida had a 33-6 advantage in shots on goal after the Hawks took a 2-1 lead early in the second period— to keep the game alive. He saved 38 of 40 shots, and both Florida goals came on scoring chances that left him in highly unfavorable positions.

Crawford, a 35-year-old that many thought would’ve retired by now, will likely be the everyday starter for as long as Colliton believes the Hawks have a chance at the playoffs.

Keith spared Crawford from another dicey situation near the end of overtime as he derailed a two-on-one at the net by laying out on the ice, an impressive play by a 15-year veteran in his game-high 27th minute. That was the least Keith played on the four-game road trip, by the way.

“That’s kind of nice that he’s willing to lay out and block a shot for once,” Crawford snickered. “If you watch the games every night, there’s a lot of plays that he makes that go unnoticed. He does everything out there.”

Toews was equally relentless at both ends of the rink and scored his 17th goal of the season on a deflection.

Kane played 23 minutes, and he and Toews scored on their first attempts to clinch the shootout. Kane’s 21:19 average ice time is seventh among forwards, and everyone else in the top 10 is at least five years younger than him.

”Our guys that have been around for a while found that enthusiasm again,” Toews said. “You can spread that credit around to the young guys and some of the veterans guys ... Guys come here knowing that this team has a history of winning, and that’s been the culture in our locker room.

“Sometimes for us, it’s just a matter of hitting that reset button and trying to find that within ourselves.”

If that establishes the mentality of the next wave, it’s worth something to the Hawks even if it doesn’t get them to the playoffs this season.

In a perfect world, of course, the upstarts would develop quickly enough and the stalwarts would hang on long enough that the two generations would blend into a contender.

That’s the puzzle that general manager Stan Bowman hasn’t been able to piece together, but Toews and Co. are doing everything they can to buy time.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179423 Chicago Blackhawks

lackhawks host the Ducks after shootout victory

By Associated Press

Posted3/2/2020 7:00 AM

Anaheim Ducks (26-31-8, seventh in the Pacific Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (29-28-8, seventh in the Central Division)

Chicago; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago hosts the Anaheim Ducks after the Blackhawks knocked off Florida 3-2 in a shootout.

The Blackhawks are 16-19-6 in Western Conference games. Chicago has converted on 15.3% of power-play opportunities, recording 31 power-play goals.

The Ducks are 15-19-3 in conference matchups. Anaheim averages 10.3 penalty minutes per game, the third-most in the league. Nicolas Deslauriers leads the team serving 82 total minutes.

Chicago took down Anaheim 4-2 in the last meeting between these teams on Jan. 11. Dominik Kubalik scored two goals for the Blackhawks in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Patrick Kane has recorded 78 total points while scoring 28 goals and collecting 50 assists for the Blackhawks. Jonathan Toews has recorded eight assists over the last 10 games for Chicago.

Ryan Getzlaf leads the Ducks with 40 points, scoring 13 goals and collecting 27 assists. Adam Henrique has scored six goals over the last 10 games for Anaheim.

LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 4-5-1, averaging 2.5 goals, 3.7 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while allowing 3.2 goals per game with a .903 save percentage.

Blackhawks: 4-6-0, averaging 3.1 goals, 4.9 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game with a .911 save percentage.

INJURIES: Blackhawks: Zack Smith: out for season (back).

Ducks: Hampus Lindholm: day to day (upper-body), Ryan Miller: day to day (illness), Cam Fowler: out (lower body).

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179424 Chicago Blackhawks If all else fails -- and Kubalik feels he's being lowballed -- he can go to arbitration. Last season six players were awarded a contract by an arbitrator, with five being one-year deals.

Dietz's thoughts on the Blackhawks' future, Kubalik and the goalie Goal oriented: situation If the Blackhawks believe they have a chance to make the playoffs then Corey Crawford should be in net almost every game the rest of the way.

John Dietz If it becomes clear, however, that the postseason is all but a pipe dream then coach Jeremy Colliton ought to give Malcolm Subban and Colin Updated3/1/2020 6:06 PM Delia about three starts each.

The Hawks already know what they have in Crawford, so it would behoove them to see how Subban and Delia look as they look toward Which way is the Blackhawks' arrow pointing as we look ahead to the next season and beyond. next 1-3 years? Subban (.890, 3.13) will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights Up, down or sideways? this off-season, while Delia (15-12-1, .910, 2.74 in Rockford) carries a $1 It's a question I posed after GM Stan Bowman got a modest return at the million cap hit until 2021-22. trade deadline last week when he shipped Erik Gustafsson to Calgary Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 and Robin Lehner to Vegas.

In my opinion, that arrow is pointing sideways -- with perhaps a slight edge in the upward direction.

But as currently constructed, the Hawks don't figure to be much more than an 78-88 point team.

The reasons are fairly simple:

• There are still too many young players that are learning how to win.

• While this is happening, the Hawks' oldest -- and most expensive -- players will soon see their effectiveness wane.

• Whereas you see the Blues and Stars clog up the defensive zone and wear teams down with a big, physical defensemen, the Hawks have none of that outside of Connor Murphy.

• The salary cap continues to be a serious issue, likely preventing any significant moves in the near future.

Add it all up and the Hawks appear to be a fringe playoff team in 2021, '22 and '23. If everything goes right -- meaning Andrew Shaw and Calvin de Haan come back and play to their potential, the goalie situation is solved, the veterans don't experience a significant drop-off and players like Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach and Dominik Kubalik continue to make strides, then the playoffs are possible.

If not, expect more of the same.

So that's one of the points I wanted to make as the Hawks come home off a 2-2-0 road trip.

Here are a couple other things to keep an eye on as we enter the final month of the regular season:

Show him the $$$:

On January 9, I went on Twitter and said the Hawks ought to sign Dominik Kubalik to a three-year, $10 million extension. I then added: "And if I'm an another team's GM, I'm offer sheeting him a deal like that if the Hawks don't lock him up."

(Anything under a $4.22 million annual average valuation would only cost a team a second-round pick.)

I took some heat over my proposal, with some saying that Kubalik's 43 games weren't a big enough sample size. Well, since that tweet, Kubalik has an incredible 15 goals in 20 games.

This young man is no fluke. That shot is no fluke. His ice awareness is no fluke.

He's also fast as hell and competes like a bulldog.

He's worth every penny, and every shot that goes past a goaltender is costing Stan Bowman more and more money.

It will be fascinating to see what happens with the negotiations because 30-35 goal scorers are awfully expensive. I'm still thinking a three-year deal makes sense, but if I'm Kubalik I'm probably trying to get about $12 million to $13 million. 1179425 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks’ defenseman Brent Seabrook provides update on injury recovery

By Tim Stebbins March 01, 2020 6:05 PM

Sunday, defenseman Brent Seabrook hosted his 12th annual Blackhawks ICE Bowl event. Held in partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation, Seabrook, some teammates and fans competitively bowl for charity.

All proceeds benefit the Inner-City Education (ICE) Program, a non-profit that helps low-income children gain educational and hockey opportunities otherwise unavailable to them — including scholarships, a mentor program and hockey club.

Seabrook is out for the season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder in December, his left hip in January and right hip last month. He met with the media at Sunday’s event and discussed his recovery and rehab from surgery.

“I am where I was two months ago,” Seabrook said. “Having three surgeries in five weeks isn’t ideal but I’m feeling great. We’re slow- moving right now, hoping I can start moving more and getting more things going. Dr. [Michael] Terry is pretty tough with this hip brace. He’s not letting me take it off.

“I’d like to take it off, I’d like to get on the ice, I’d like to skate. But, yeah, we’re just sort of taking it day-by-day. I’ve got a lot of great people around me, helping me out and pushing me in the right direction to get better.”

The Blackhawks were on the precipice of a playoff spot before the All- Star break but have recently slid down the standings. They're trying to remain positive, even after dealing goaltender Robin Lehner and defenseman Erik Gustafsson at the trade deadline. They picked up a big win Saturday against Joel Quenneville’s Florida Panthers — putting them six points back of the Western Conference's final wild card spot (with four teams ahead of them).

"I think the guys are playing well," Seabrook said. "I think there’s been some ups and downs on certain trips, but the guys are playing hard. They’re playing right till the end. They’re battling for every point that they can get. Things are looking good.”

Seabrook turns 35 in April and is under contract for four more seasons with a $6.875 million annual cap hit. But it’s unclear what the future holds for him and how he’ll fare post-surgeries.

This season, even though he’s on the mend, Seabrook is serving as a mentor for rookie Kirby Dach. The 19-year-old lives with Seabrook and his family, though the defenseman quipped he hasn’t seen Dach much lately due to the Blackhawks’ road-heavy schedule.

“Kirby’s living at our house, [but] I think the cleaners have been in his bedroom more than he has the last two months,” Seabrook said.

“I try to [help] as much as I can. Kirby’s a pretty smart guy. He asks questions, and we talk. I said to him a couple weeks ago it sucks I’m not able to be there and drive with him to the rink and games and be around as much as I would like.

“You know, we’ve got a great group of people on this team. There’s a great group of guys who are mentoring everybody.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179426 Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford proves he can still handle starting workload for Blackhawks

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 01, 2020 9:55 AM

SUNRISE, Fla. — Corey Crawford has never been afraid to say that he’s comfortable when he's getting consistent reps. He's been a starter throughout his entire NHL career and wants to have the net as often as he can.

When Robin Lehner signed in Chicago, it gave the Blackhawks two No. 1-type . The goal was to divide the workload as evenly as possible to keep both guys fresh, which worked for most of the season.

But after falling out of playoff contention and trading Lehner to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Blackhawks have fully handed the keys back to Crawford as goalie No. 1. And he's showing exactly why he prefers to string together consecutive starts.

For the first time all season, Crawford has started five straight. In those games, he has a 3-2-0 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. His goals 4.47 goals saved above average ranks third among goaltenders over that span and his .927 high-danger save percentage ranks second among goaltenders with at least three starts, according to Natural Stat Trick.

“It’s nice," Crawford said after stopping 38 of 40 shots in a 3-2 shootout win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday. “It kind of takes a little bit once you sit and you have to get back in. Just the little details. Reading stuff through screens and staying a little bit more patient. When you’re not playing that much, you’re kind of chasing shots and getting a little antsy to make saves. Once you’re in there for a while, things come together and you’re able to read a little bit better.”

At one point in the season, Crawford and Lehner were both at the top of their games and even Crawford admitted it made sense to continue alternating. But now, we’re seeing what happens when goaltenders get into a consistent rhythm.

Crawford isn’t just giving his team a chance to win on a nightly basis. He's a big reason why they are winning.

"He’s been excellent," head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "He’s been good all year but another level the last month or two, and it’s good for our group."

The Blackhawks have 17 regular-season games left. The plan is for the 35-year-old netminder to start a majority of them.

Set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, Crawford is playing his best hockey of the season and a strong finish down the stretch would certainly strengthen the case that he can still be an everyday starter in the NHL, and play at a high level. And it should be for the Blackhawks.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179427 Chicago Blackhawks outgrew another place, and we’ve been here eight or nine years. Now we raise about $200,000 at this event.

“The relationship is phenomenal. We got lucky hooking up with a guy like ‘We’re slow moving’: Brent Seabrook provides rehab update after 3 Brent, who is just a phenomenal guy in the community, has been with the surgeries team all along, hasn’t gotten traded, hasn’t had any issues. The relationship has been amazing.”

With that $200,000 this year and nearly $1.2 million over the 12 years, By Scott Powers Mar 1, 2020 ICE provides low-income children educational and opportunities. The program used $105,000 this school year to fund

educational scholarships for 24 children. It also pays for ice time, hockey Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook preferred not to talk about his equipment, coaches and more for aspiring hockey players. recent surgeries, his recovery or himself much on Sunday. “If you know anything about hockey, it’s an expensive sport,” Erickson It wasn’t why he was making a public appearance, and, well, he just said. “It’s not usually available in low-income neighborhoods or to low- doesn’t like talking about himself anyway. income kids or, honestly, the non-white kids, mostly. Most of our kids are low-income, they’re all low-income, and about 45 percent black, 45 In the end, Seabrook did provide a brief update. He recently underwent percent Latino and the other 10 percent white at the most. Thirty-five his third and final surgery. He decided in late December to end his percent of our kids are girls. We’re trying to get more girls in the game.” season earlier than he ever had and surgically repair his right shoulder and both of his hips. As expected, Seabrook said his rehab process will Seabrook is proud of that, too. take patience. “I think it’s huge,” Seabrook said. “I think hockey in general is a hard “I am where I was two months ago,” said Seabrook prior to his 12th sport to get into just because of rink availability. I know it’s expensive to annual Blackhawks ICE Bowl at Lucky Strike. “Having three surgeries in get gear. My son’s playing hockey now. I know it’s expensive to buy five weeks isn’t ideal, but I’m feeling great. We’re slow moving right now. skates, shoulder pads and all that kind of stuff and put your kid in hockey. I’m hoping I can start moving more and getting more things going. Dr. What this program does is allows kids to get out and do something they (Michael) Terry is pretty tough with this hip brace. He’s not letting me love to do that they might not otherwise have an opportunity to do it. I’m take it off. I’d like to take it off. I’d like to get on the ice. I’d like to skate. proud of what ICE has become, and I’m proud to be associated with a But, yeah, we’re just sort of taking it day by day. I have a lot of great great group of people.” people around me helping me out, pushing me in the right direction to get The same goes for ICE. The program would be lost without Seabrook. better.” “He understands the impact that it has,” Erickson said. “We’ve talked Seabrook’s hip brace, which he wore over his jeans on his upper left leg, about that. We’ve talked about, ‘My God, what if you get traded, what was the only noticeable sign of the surgeries. He also was not going to happens when your contract’s up?’ He’s like, ‘This event is so important be an actual participant in the bowling portion of the evening. Other than — I better not get traded.’ He’s like, ‘This helps so many kids; we got to that, he was active and moving around in the crowd. Wearing a keep doing this.’ Hopefully, he’ll retire here, stay here and keep doing do Blackhawks No. 7 Seabrook bowling jersey, he shook hands with fans, it.” took photos and signed autographs. The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 Seabrook was joined by a number of his Blackhawks teammates at the event. He was grateful for that, too, knowing his teammates returned from a weeklong road trip late Saturday night.

Seabrook had joked he hadn’t seen much of Blackhawks rookie Kirby Dach as of late. Dach has been living with Seabrook and his family this season.

“I mean, yeah, it’s hard for me to comment on how the guys are,” Seabrook said. “I’m not around them a lot. They’ve been on the road so much, pretty much since Christmastime. Kirby’s living at our house; I think the cleaners have been in his bedroom more than he has the last two months. I think the guys are playing well. I think there’s been some ups and downs on certain trips, but the guys are playing hard. They’re playing right till the end. They’re battling for every point that they can get.

“I try to (mentor Kirby) as much as I can. Kirby’s a pretty smart guy. He asks questions, and we talk. I said to him a couple weeks ago, it sucks I’m not able to be there and drive with him to the rink and games and be around as much as I would like. You know, we’ve got a great group of people on this team. There’s a great group of guys who are mentoring everybody and him.”

Seabrook played in 32 games this season. (Patrick Gorski / USA Today)

Whether it’s been Dach or the Chicago hockey community, Seabrook has found ways of giving back himself. His contribution to Inner-City Education Program (ICE), a Chicago-area nonprofit organization, began when he sought to donate some hockey equipment locally early in his Blackhawks career. He was introduced to Brad Erickson, who is the founder and executive director of ICE.

“We went out with the Blackhawk equipment truck, opened it up and handed out 50 gloves and 50 helmets,” Seabrook said. “That was sort of how me and Brad’s relationship started. A couple years after that, we’d decided we’d like to do an event. We both came together and decided on bowling.”

The event raised about $15,000 the first year.

“We thought we were rock stars,” Erickson said. “It was amazing at the time. The event got more well known. The Blackhawks started winning Stanley Cups. The event got bigger. We outgrew one place and then we 1179428 Colorado Avalanche

Pavel Francouz, “salt of the earth,” is the man for the job in Avalanche net

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. | UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 6:16 p.m.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Avalanche is in good hands in goal.

Pavel Francouz is proving he is highly capable of leading this team into the playoffs, and his experience and maturity suggest he will flourish in such a role.

When or if opening-night starter Philipp Grubauer returns from a lower- body injury that has him out indefinitely, Francouz will probably still have control of Colorado’s net.

The affable Francouz is in his first full NHL season but has 11 years of big-game experience. The Czech Republic native made six appearances for his country at 18-under and 20-under international tournaments and the World Championship. He played professionally in the Czech Republic and Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League before beginning his North American career last season with the Colorado Eagles, where he became an AHL all-star and led the franchise to the playoffs.

Since Grubauer went down Feb. 15 at the outdoor game at Air Force, Francouz has gone 6-0-1, including 6-0 in his last six, when he allowed just a combined eight goals. The Avs needed strong goaltending during that time, after Mikko Rantanen joined fellow forwards Nazem Kadri and Matt Calvert on the injured list.

Midway through this streak, Francouz signed a two-year, $4 million contract extension Feb. 21 at Anaheim before beating the Ducks 1-0 for his first career NHL shutout.

After Saturday’s 3-2 win at Nashville, Francouz is 19-5-3 and tied for second in NHL save percentage (.929) and fifth in goals-against average (2.24). In comparison, Grubauer (18-12-4) is ranked 16th in both save percentage (.916) and GAA (2.63).

The Avs begin their final 18-game stretch Monday at Detroit, the NHL’s worst team, and we could see the recently acquired Michael Hutchinson start in net to give Francouz a rest. Perhaps Grubauer also gets a start or two before the playoffs if his recovery allows.

But if this was a popularity contest, Francouz would get as many starts as he desired.

Francouz, a.k.a. Frankie, is listed at 6-foot but looks eye-to-eye with someone who’s 5-10. Part of his charm is the modesty he carries himself with. He constantly talks about supporting the stellar play of the teammates in front of him. He’s never negative, always positive.

“He’s been a big reason for why we’re sitting at six straight wins now, and he doesn’t get rattled by anything,” Avs captain Gabe Landeskog said of Francouz after Saturday’s franchise record-setting eighth consecutive victory on the road. “He just keeps playing his game. He is kind of the ultimate teammate, to be honest with you. He doesn’t complain about anything and is super positive. He certainly deserves all this.”

That stuff rubs off in hockey. Hockey players always yearn for a tight locker room with little or no issues. Goalies are typically a different breed, but Francouz promotes cohesion.

Avs coach Jared Bednar called Frankie “salt of the earth” last fall.

If that means taking on a challenge with little, to no fuss, Bednar nailed it.

Francouz is the man for the job.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179429 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche sweep Carolina and Nashville for franchise record eighth straight road game

By Aarif Deen - March 1, 2020

The Avalanche continued their dominance on the road, defeating the and Nashville Predators 3-2 on consecutive nights. The Avs have won their last eight games on the road, a new franchise record.

Colorado (39-18-7) led 2-0 in both games and did not surrender a goal through 40 minutes to win its sixth straight game.

On Friday, forward Tyson Jost scored the first two goals, his first in 36 games, to give the Avs a 2-0 lead. The Hurricanes fought back in the third period as Teuvo Teravainen scored twice to tie the game.

Colorado regained the lead with 2:30 remaining after received a pass from captain Gabe Landeskog and wristed it past goalie Anton Forsberg.

On Saturday, Landeskog and rookie Martin Kaut scored the first two goals and Erik Johnson added an empty-net goal to give the Avs a 3-1 lead. Predators forward Calle Jarnkrok added a goal with one second remaining to make it 3-2.

Takeaways

Francouz is on fire. The best NHL goalie in the month of March has backstopped the Avalanche to six straight wins, four on the road. Pavel Francouz has started all seven games since Grubauer’s injury. He ranks second in the NHL in save percentage (0.929) and fourth in goals-against average (2.24).

Colorado continues to lead the league in scoring first. The Avalanche have scored the first goal of the game in each of their last three games and a league-leading 42 times this season. Colorado has won 30 of those games.

Depth scoring continues to lead the way. While Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon has registered just three assists during the winning streak, the depth forwards continue to step up and lead the way. Kaut and Jost have combined for four goals and Colorado’s blueline has added two more.

Next up

Colorado travels to Detroit to close out its three-game road trip against the Red Wings on Monday. milehighsports.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179430 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3 | Jackets roar back with third-period charge

Brian Hedger

Mar 1, 2020 at 9:56 PM

They were lifeless again for most of the game, looking like a team headed straight toward a third straight loss and 11th in 12 games.

The Vancouver Canucks were draining the life out of Nationwide Arena and the Blue Jackets past the midpoint of the third period Sunday night, but then found out what the rest of the NHL has learned about the team from Columbus this season.

They might look dead sometimes, but the zombies just keep finding ways to lurch forward as this injury-riddled season heads into its final five weeks. It happened again in the Jackets’ final game heading into a Western Canada swing, with a four-goal outburst late in the third period leading to an improbable 5-3 victory against the Canucks that turned a moribund building into a madhouse for the final minutes.

Riley Nash cut the Canucks’ lead to 3-2 on a goal at 12:39 of the third, Zach Werenski scored his 20th goal of the season to tie it 3-3 on a power play less than three minutes later and rookie Emil Bemstrom capped another power play at 18:23 for the one that decided it.

Gustav Nyquist scored into an empty net for the game’s final goal, capping a shocking comeback victory.

The Canucks came into the game after losing their previous two games and falling 4-2 on Saturday night in Toronto. They scored two early goals in the first against the Blue Jackets, by Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson, and took a 3-1 lead 1:12 into the second on a tally by J.T. Miller.

The Canucks dominated much of the game, but just couldn’t hold off the Jackets’ late charge, which moved them to 78 points and kept them in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Stenlund scored in the first period for the Blue Jackets (32-21-14), who got two assists from defenseman Ryan Murray in his first game back from a long absence with a back injury.

Werenski and Stenlund had a goal and assist each, while Joonas Korpisalo made 36 saves for his 19th win of the season in net.

Pettersson and Miller each had a goal and two assists for Vancouver, which started Louis Domingue (30 saves).

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179431 Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets forward Nathan Gerbe will miss one to two weeks because of a groin injury, it was announced Sunday.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020 Columbus Blue Jackets veterans know playoff opportunities can’t be wasted

Brian Hedger

Mar 1, 2020 at 6:01 PM

The longer guys stick around the NHL, stacking one season on top of the last, there gets to be a point where the perspective changes.

They get older, see the picture with a wider lens and begin to realize something that drives every single veteran currently playing for one of the league’s 31 teams.

Careers, they begin to see, do have a shelf life in the NHL. Games and seasons can pass with a blur, and there are only so many opportunities in a player’s life to compete for the Stanley Cup.

“I remember when I was young and it was definitely a different viewpoint than what I have now, knowing what I know now,” said Blue Jackets forward Riley Nash, whose past three seasons in Columbus and Boston were his only postseason appearances in a nine-year career that started with the Carolina Hurricanes. “You don’t get many cracks at it. The first four years of my career, we missed the playoffs every year and we weren’t even close. You never really know how many opportunities you’re going to get.”

Welcome to the stretch run of the Blue Jackets’ season, which was teetering precariously on the edge of a proverbial cliff going into a game against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night at Nationwide Arena.

The Jackets clung to the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, a single point ahead of the Hurricanes (75 points) and two ahead of the New York Rangers (74), but they’d lost 10 of 11 games (1-5-5) and had played two more games than both teams nipping at their heels.

Coming off their first consecutive regulation losses since early December, both to the Minnesota Wild last week, the veterans inside the Blue Jackets locker room knew better than anybody what exactly was at stake.

“At this point in the season, it’s the older guys who need to show the way and show how we need to play,” said defenseman David Savard, who has helped the Blue Jackets qualify for the playoffs four times in his nine- year career with the team. “We’ve got to treat every game right now as a playoff game if we want to get in.

“It’s the older guys who’ve been in that situation before, who need to lead the way.”

Things could spiral downward in a hurry if they can’t, which would be a bitter way to end an otherwise impressive season. Despite leading the NHL in man-games lost, a metric that tracks the league’s most injured teams, the Jackets somehow managed to climb back into the playoff race.

Even as their injury list rose to double figures, they went 19-2-5 between Dec. 9 and Feb. 7 to claw back from an 11-point deficit into a playoff spot. But losing defenseman Seth Jones and forward Cam Atkinson on Feb. 8 against Colorado sent them reeling, and then their leading goal- scorer, Oliver Bjorkstrand, suffered a fractured ankle Feb. 20 against Philadelphia.

Belief in the Blue Jackets is low to nonexistent outside the team’s parameters, as it’s been most of the season, but remains high among those healthy enough to play. The Jackets are saying all the right things, but their actions need to speak even louder in their final 15 games.

“We just need to have that urgency,” Nash said. “We need to know what’s at stake. We’re right in the thick of things right now. There’s no time to have a pity party or wallow in what’s going on.

“It’s the playoffs, basically, this time of year. It’s just having the intensity each and every play from the drop of the puck and realizing what’s at stake.”

Gerbe out with groin injury 1179432 Columbus Blue Jackets on the road. They head for western Canada this week. In the final stretch, they’ll play six of their last eight games on the road — all but one against playoff teams or teams in the playoff race.

Michael Arace | Jody Shelley believes the Blue Jackets will stay in playoff On Saturday, April 4, the last day of the regular season, they will sit idle chase as the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers, among others, decide the fate of the wild cards in the East.

Michael Arace It ain’t over yet but, golly, it doesn’t look promising. More optimistic fans might think of it this way: Philly has five sets of back-to-backs left, the Mar 1, 2020 at 5:31 AM Islanders have a wicked trip at mid-month, Carolina has no goaltending, and as for the Rangers, they just lost Chris Kreider.

Jody Shelley, the television analyst covering the Blue Jackets, has a Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020 certain quality that is increasingly rare in his profession. He is a former player with a trove of knowledge, including the knowledge that he doesn’t know everything. Also, his voice smiles, which is a wonderful quality to have over an 82-game slog.

Shelley picked up the phone when Cannon Fodder called Friday morning, and per usual, he had some pearls to offer to our hockey podcast. (Check it out at Dispatch.com, or whatever app you use for podcasts.)

The Jackets are entering the boggiest patch of this season’s slog, and their work boots are looking heavy. Yet Shelley remains sanguine when it comes to the Jackets’ playoff chances.

“This is a team you can get behind because they won’t quit,” Shelley said. “I think it’s going to come down to the final (two games), home with Tampa and on the road at Carolina. I think that’s what kind of end it’s going to be to this season. That weekend (April 3-4) could be the weekend.”

Note: This analysis was delivered Friday morning — before the puck dropped on an ugly 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild at Nationwide Arena. If you polled the standing-room patrons among the crowd 18,955 — the fourth-largest gate of the season — their level of confidence might not have been as high as Shelley’s.

These Jackets have handled more injury problems than Elk & Elk. That they are still in the playoff hunt with 16 games to go is a remarkable testament to their character. The question now is what they have left.

The Jackets have lost 10 of their last 11 games (1-5-5). Their one irreplaceable player, defenseman Seth Jones, suffered an ankle injury Feb. 10 and had surgery. In 10 games without him, the Jackets have allowed 39 goals. That’s 3.9 per. Contrast: In their first 57 games, they allowed 2.43 per.

“I think every team thinks they have a No. 1 defender until they get one and they lose him,” Shelley said. “I feel like Seth Jones, he conducts the play when he’s on the ice and there’s no one else in this organization that can do that. He controls the game.”

He has a little Nicklas Lidstrom in him?

“There’s definitely a little Lidstrom in him, and you can say that confidently,” Shelley said. “(Losing Jones) is the biggest loss they’ve ever had — by far.”

Lidstrom is among the 10 best defensemen of all time. Top three, probably. Jones has that kind of talent. Next contract, he should be making that kind of money. (San Jose’s Erik Karlsson, who carries an annual salary cap hit of $11.5 million, is the highest-paid in the league. Right now, I’d take Jones.)

Now, getting back to Shelley’s sanguine take on the Jackets’ playoff push, and it coming down to the last two games of the regular season … it’s looking like a best-case scenario.

Take out Jones and a raft of other injured veterans and patch up the roster with rookies and players, and the margin for error and matchup problems can proliferate. This is especially true on the road, where opposing coaches have the second change and can better target the Jackets’ younger forwards and lesser defensive pairs.

“You can get exploited if you’re not careful,” Shelley said. “That’s why that hole is even bigger with Jones out.”

The Jackets, beginning with a game Sunday night against the Vancouver Canucks at Nationwide Arena, have 16 games remaining, including 10 1179433 Columbus Blue Jackets Nathan Gerbe and Elvis Merzlikins were the only two players who didn’t practice. Merzlikins is out because of an upper-body injury, and Gerbe is “nicked up,” Tortorella said. … The Blue Jackets practiced in front of season-ticket holders, who lined the lower bowl of Nationwide Arena’s Blue Jackets’ Ryan Murray adept at dealing with setbacks main rink before attending a meet-and-greet event in the concourse. ... Rookie forward Ryan MacInnis was recalled from Cleveland of the

American Hockey League and skated at right wing on the fourth line. Brian Hedger Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020 Mar 1, 2020 at 5:31 AM

His laughter wasn’t because the question was funny.

There is nothing funny about Ryan Murray’s back problems, which have bothered the Blue Jackets’ 26-year-old defenseman for three straight seasons. However, when you’ve missed as much time as him, it’s understandable that a chuckle escaped when asked how he remains positive through each ordeal.

His latest, which started Dec. 14 at Ottawa, has cost Murray the past 33 games after missing 35 during the 2017-18 season and 24 games plus the Jackets’ entire 10-game playoff run last season.

“I’ve been through it so many times, it’s just ridiculous,” said Murray, who is expected to return to action Sunday night at Nationwide Arena against the Vancouver Canucks. “It’s a good time to reflect, I think, just kind of look at how you’re doing things and what’s going on in your life, game and everything.”

Anybody who’s gotten to know Murray can understand where that logic originated. The back issues are the most serious, but he’s had several injuries since his rookie season in 2013-14.

Not by choice, but he’s become a bit of an expert in dealing with sitting out. He has also logged uncounted hours of rehab and has a philosophical soul, so it makes sense that Murray has learned to find the positives within some negative situations.

Each time he’s been hurt, it has cut short a strong season.

Two years ago, when the back issue first appeared, he’d become a steady puck-moving defenseman on the second pairing. Last year, he developed that ability even more before leaving the lineup. And then it happened again this season, after Murray had worked in the offseason to learn preventative exercises and other measures to stay healthy.

“You’ve got to stay with it,” said Murray, who practiced Saturday and was activated off injured reserve. “I think after last year, I was in a worse place mentally, I guess. This year, it was just kind of like, ‘You’ve just got to deal with it and keep moving forward and keep looking forward.’ I’ve talked to some really good doctors, the trainers have helped me out tremendously with everything they’ve done in there, so, I’m just looking forward to getting back out there and playing, because that’s the fun stuff.”

Murray has also added some fun to his life away from hockey and it makes perfect sense, too. He’s become a dog owner, like a number of teammates, and recently added an Australian shepherd puppy named Jake to his life.

“I was just kind of thinking about it and some guys on the team have dogs, so I don’t know … it seemed like a good thing to do,” Murray said. “He’s 4 months. He’s a puppy, so that’s been keeping me with it, for sure. It’s been a handful, but I think it’s helped, too. Like, through a hard time you just go home to him and hang out with him.”

Meanwhile, on the ice, he’s headed for a reunion with another friend. This one, Markus Nutivaara, is decidedly not Australian (he’s Finnish) and has logged plenty of time as Murray’s wingman in the past.

Coach John Tortorella, also a noted dog lover, unveiled new defensive pairings at practice that included Zach Werenski and David Savard as the top unit, Murray and Nutivaara as the second duo, and rookies Vladislav Gavrikov and Andrew Peeke as the third.

Murray is just happy to be back before the end of the season, which he didn’t get to experience last year.

“It’s just fun to be around the guys again,” he said. “It’s just good to be out there again playing hockey.”

Cannon fodder 1179434 Columbus Blue Jackets Murray had the primary assist on Nash’s goal and the secondary helper on Bemstrom’s winner.

“He’s got great vision,” Werenski said. “I think everyone knows that. It’s A late surge, power play shines, Ryan Murray returns, and other awesome having him back … even on breakouts and in the neutral zone. observations He’s always finding the open guy and you could definitely feel his presence out there tonight.”

4. Put down the shovel By Alison Lukan Mar 1, 2020 While the Blue Jackets’ late heroics earned them a big two points, there’s still the issue of going down by multiple goals early. Vancouver’s first goal was scored just one minute in and its second was 6:08 later. In the COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ten observations from the Blue Jackets’ 5-3 win last seven games, Sunday was the fourth time Columbus has allowed a against the Vancouver Canucks at Nationwide Arena: goal against in the first five minutes of play and the fourth time it was 1. ‘One shot away’ down multiple goals before the end of the first period.

Even Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella seemed unable to The Blue Jackets’ hope is that getting their first regulation win since Feb. describe how his team, mostly outplayed through 50-plus minutes, 7 can help fuel more of the type of play that came late in the game pieced together a four-goal flurry in the final 7:21 to beat the visiting instead of what came at the beginning. Canucks 5-3. When asked to describe his players’ effort, he took a five- “I think we can build on it,” Werenski said. “We can learn from it. Learn second pause to gather his thoughts, a grin lurking at the corners of his how we have to play to be successful. It’s been a tough stretch for us but mouth. we’re still right there in the thick of things and this was a big win for us “Yeah, it … I don’t know what to say,” Tortorella said. tonight.”

Columbus had been battling many of the same issues as of late: 5. Korpisalo gets the W struggling to get the puck out of the zone; allowing an attack from the Joonas Korpisalo hadn’t played a full 60 minutes since returning from a middle of the ice and low slot. Even though the Blue Jackets were able to knee injury. He entered for an injured Elvis Merzlikins against Ottawa and add one goal courtesy of Kevin Stenlund, they were down 3-1 after 21 was pulled from Friday’s 5-0 loss to Minnesota. But Sunday, the Finn minutes. stood against 39 shots, stopping 35, improving as the game went on. 3-1 #CANUCKS. “A big point in the game was when they score the third one,” Tortorella MILLER WITH A LASER FROM THE SLOT. SET UP BY PETTERSSON said. “I’m not crazy about the goal, quite honestly, I’m not sure I’m going WHO HAS HIS THIRD POINT OF THE GAME (1-2-3). #CBJ to do with Korpi at that point. But I thought he battled in the second half PIC.TWITTER.COM/QHONMM4UJS of that game to keep it 3-1. We chased the play a lot, they had the puck a lot. Korpi made some big saves to keep it there.” — ALISON (@ALISONL) MARCH 2, 2020 For his part, Korpisalo said there were “a couple” of goals he wanted But then, with a final seven minutes looming, Zach Werenski gathered back, but he felt more and more settled as time went on. the puck as it left the Blue Jackets’ zone, allowing his teammates to regroup. The defenseman got back in the zone and sent the puck to “I did better than last time,” Korpisalo said. “I felt like myself today, which Ryan Murray, who deftly sent a cross-zone feed to Riley Nash in the right is good. Yeah, that was fun.” circle. Nash lasered a shot between Louis Domingue and the post to 6. Keep the streak alive narrow Vancouver’s lead to one. It was the beginning of a rally. It’s hard to believe any Columbus skater has made it through an injury- 3-2 laden season unscathed, but three have, including Pierre-Luc Dubois, “I can’t tell you what I was saying when (Werenski) didn’t keep the puck who has yet to miss a game in his three-year NHL career. So there was in,” Tortorella said. “Then the play he makes to enter the zone and gives some breath-holding when the center left the ice after getting hit in the it to Murr. Not many players can do that. Great shot by Nasher that gives face with a puck in the closing minutes of the second period. a team some juice that didn’t have juice. But Dubois — with five stitches on the lower left side of his chin — was “If you score a goal, you got a chance. You’re just one shot away. That’s back on the ice to take the opening faceoff to start the third. He played all you hear on the bench is ‘one shot away.’ It’s been frustrating, it has, 17:38 and had one assist, a team-leading five shots on goal, three hits so yeah, so I’m happy for them.” and a 53 percent advantage on the faceoff dot.

2. Putting the special in special teams 7. Condense for offense

For all of their struggles, the Blue Jackets grabbed ahold of their power- Although Dubois started the game centering Devin Shore and Emil play opportunities. Columbus didn’t draw a penalty until 14:04 into the Bemstrom, ultimately, the majority of his minutes were with Alexander third, but Werenski made the most of it scoring the tying goal 1:01 later. Wennberg on his left side. It was a curious albeit productive choice for a team that has been thin down the middle, but the two-center trio worked “We’re confident going over the boards there,” Werenski said. “It was a well. big goal for us. We knew it was a big moment and we capitalized on it. It’s a great game for us to build on moving forward here.” Tortorella acknowledged the change was made because with so much offensive talent missing from the lineup due to injury, he didn’t want to A little over three minutes later, Emil Bemstrom scored the winner on the spread what he had across all lines. Instead, he wanted to consolidate it. second — and final — Blue Jackets power play. It was the third time this season the Blue Jackets have gone 100 percent on the power play, and “I gotta find some offense,” Tortorella said. “I know Luc and Bemmer the fifth time they have scored multiple power-play goals. The last time have a little history. And Wenny has been a good player for us. … Luc’s was Nov. 29 against Pittsburgh. line was probably the best line. We have to find some way to create some more offense and take some pressure off of our back end and 3. Murray’s back have the puck more. So, again, I can’t spread it thin, I’ve got to condense it a little bit.” Murray missed 34 games because of a back injury and hadn’t seen game action since Dec. 14. But he returned to the Blue Jackets, who 8. Pieces coming together desperately needed his puck-moving ability and vision, and didn’t disappoint. The Blue Jackets’ last two game-winning goals have gone off Bemstrom’s stick. And while talk surrounds his shot, it might be more “It felt really good to get back out there,” Murray said. “I was a little bit important that the parts of his game outside of scoring goals are coming rusty in the first, struggled a little bit in the first few plays. You know, a together. couple turnovers here and there but they kept putting me back out there and good things happened. I was thankful for that.” It was Bemstrom who drew the tripping call 16:27 into the third period to give the Blue Jackets their second power play of the game. One minute and 54 seconds later, he put the puck in the net.

“He wins a puck battle in the neutral zone before the penalty’s called,” Tortorella said. “I think he sees a chance. … He’s playing with Luc and we were putting those guys out there quite a bit. It’s a process for him to understand how important it is to play away from the puck. I think it’s been a major struggle for him this year as far as puck battles. But we’re going to give him an opportunity, because the puck follows a little bit as far as scoring goals.”

9. Adios!

The Blue Jackets will sleep in their own beds Sunday night before flying to Calgary on Monday afternoon. Over the next six days, they’ll make the annual swing through western Canada to play the Flames, Canucks and Oilers, all teams that are fighting for playoff positioning. It was on that trip last year that the Blue Jackets galvanized after back-to-back losses to win seven of their final eight games and squeak into a playoff spot.

There’s no telling whether the same will be said about this year’s trip, but there are some benefits to living in the cocoon that is a team’s traveling party during an important time of year.

“Yeah, we have a good trip planned,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to take off to go to an area up there to practice. I think it’s a good time for our team to get off and get away … quite honestly and just concentrate on each and every game. We’re looking forward to it.”

10. Open-ended life

The injuries keep coming. Nathan Gerbe is expected to miss one to two weeks with a groin strain. Ryan MacInnis was called up from Cleveland in his stead. … MacInnis played 9:16, had one shot, one hit and went 3- for-9 in faceoffs. … Black Girl Hockey Club held its Columbus meetup at the Vancouver game. … The penalty kill went 2-for-3 against the third- best power play in the league. … As we reported Saturday, Merzlikins has a concussion, but has been doing on-ice work with goaltending coach Manny Legace. … While Nick Foligno didn’t make the score sheet, son Landon was sure to pick up the slack:

An analytical view

Insights into the Blue Jackets’ win:

• The Blue Jackets didn’t play all too terribly well for 52:39 and then scored four goals in 7:21 to win. In five-on-five adjusted play, Columbus had 40.15 percent of all shot attempts and 38.51 percent of all expected goals. Its strongest period offensively was actually the first as it had a solid advantage over Vancouver, something it didn’t do the balance of the game. The expected goal total in all situations was 4.24 to 1.88 in favor of the Canucks. Money Puck’s “deserve to win o’meter” had the Blue Jackets winning 31.6 percent of the time.

• How crazy were those final seven-ish minutes? Going into the third period, the Blue Jackets had a 9.42 percent likelihood of winning. Nash’s goal pushed that to 13.11 percent. Werenski’s tying goal took the Jackets to 51.88 percent, and Bemstrom’s winner solidified things at a 97.13 percent likelihood of a victory.

• Korpisalo was strong in the face of the Canucks’ offensive attack. His save percentage was just .37 percent below league average given the shot quality he faced, equating to .19 more goals allowed than expected.

• The line Tortorella put together of Wennberg, Dubois and Bemstrom played 11:40, the most of any Columbus line, was plus-5 in shot attempts and earned 59.71 percent of all expected goals.

• The top Blue Jackets skaters according to Game Score: Stenlund (2.90); Nash (1.86); Werenski (1.73); Eric Robinson (1.62); Vladislav Gavrikov (.80).

• The top Canucks skaters according to the same measure: Elias Pettersson (4.09); J.T. Miller (3.64); Tyler Myers (3.05); Troy Stecher (2.09); Alexander Edler (2.02).

— Data via MoneyPuck.com, Evolving-Hockey.com and NaturalStatTrick.com and reflects score- and venue-adjusted five-on-five play unless otherwise stated.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179435 Dallas Stars You all get the best When everyone gives everything

And every song everybody sings Stars’ victory song has deep meaning to the band that wrote it, but what it means to Dallas remains a mystery The Stars have 60 minutes per game to “give the best,” when “everyone gives everything.” So far this season, the Stars have ridden depth (both

up front among forwards and in the crease with goaltenders) to third By Matthew DeFranks place in the Western Conference entering Sunday’s games, comfortably in a playoff position as the final five weeks of the season get underway. 2:51 PM on Mar 1, 2020 Pfleger, who plays guitar and keyboard, said he is more of a soccer fan than a hockey fan, but he relayed a story about meeting Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretiak in Moscow, much to the delight of lead ST. LOUIS — Thirty-seven times this season in the aftermath of a Stars signer Herwig Rudisser. victory, the walls of the dressing room and halls of arenas across North America have echoed with the upbeat tunes of a 1980s Austrian band. “The first time in Moscow, we met this very famous goalkeeper Tretiak, and we got ice hockey sticks from him and signed it,” Pfleger said. “It was Thirty-seven times the feel-good tunes of the band Opus have a very big honor for our singer Herwig.” reverberated through the Stars. Thirty-seven times they have listened to the cheery melodies of the song “Live is Life.” Opus no longer tours since the band members have families, but Pfleger said they still play 30 to 40 gigs a year, mostly on weekends. In the The song is the team’s victory anthem, played after every Stars win meantime, the song will live on in the Stars’ dressing room after wins. through the first five months of the season, as chosen by captain Jamie Benn. Last year, about midway through the season, the Stars adopted When informed what the song meant to Opus, Benn responded with a “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” by The Beatles as their victory song. This season, smirk and a dry response. the honor falls to Opus, the band created in 1973 that released “Live is Life” in 1984. “Thanks for getting the scoop,” he said.

On Saturday in St. Louis, Benn declined to discuss the meaning of the Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.02.2020 Stars adopting the song while the season was still ongoing, adding that he may reveal its meaning depending on how the rest of the year goes.

“You guys keep trying to dig,” Benn said.

For Opus, however, the Stars’ choice marks the latest sports team to use the song, but first — as far as we can tell — in North America. Fenerbahce, a soccer club in Turkey, plays the song after goals. Liverpool fans once changed its lyrics to create an ode to manager Jurgen Klopp. Diego Maradona famously warmed up to the song before a soccer game in 1989.

Tappara, a hockey team in Finland’s Liiga, uses the song as its goal song. Roope Hintz grew up in Tampere, where Tappara plays, but played for rival Ilves, which shares an arena with Tappara.

“No, I actually like that song,” Hintz said. “Yeah, I have heard it before many times.”

Ewald “Sunny” Pfleger wrote the song 36 years ago and has watched it blossom into an international hit. On Spotify, Opus’ top three songs are variations of “Live is Life,” with the original live version played more than 47 million times.

“I thought that it could be a hit, and maybe we got a No. 1 song, but I never thought about being famous after 36 years now, and we have imitations through every corner of Europe and sometimes through Asia and South America,” Pfleger said in a phone interview after a recording session for the band’s 16th album, which will be released in September. “It’s really a very, very huge thing that no one of us expected it.”

The song was part of Opus’ fourth album, a live album that highlighted the importance of performing in front of fans. It was originally recorded in Eastern Austria in Burgenland in front of 5,000 fans, Pfleger said.

“I thought we should have a new song for this live album and the theme of Opus live, what could be better?” Pfleger said. “The meaning behind it was that to stand on the stage is our life. So live on stage is our life. … The meaning is very important for us, both events of course, but also for parties or for big festivals and for the discos of course, because it’s very stimulating for everybody, it seems to be.”

While Benn did not disclose potential ties to hockey and the Stars, there are some lyrics from “Live is Life” that can apply to the team. Here is the first verse:

When we all give the power

We all give the best

Every minute of an hour

Don’t think about a rest

Then you all get the power 1179436 Dallas Stars

Stars forward Justin Dowling recalled from AHL conditioning loan

By Matthew DeFranks

12:51 PM on Mar 1, 2020

Stars forward Justin Dowling was recalled from his conditioning loan on Sunday morning, ending his three-game stay with AHL affiliate Texas.

Dowling, who has not played in the NHL since suffering a lower-body injury against Toronto on Jan. 29, had three assists in three AHL games. Two of them came on the power play Wednesday against Rockford, and the other came on Saturday against Grand Rapids.

Since Dowling has missed at least 24 days and 10 NHL games, he was eligible for a three-game or six-day conditioning loan instead of the normal two-week stint. He is on the Stars’ active roster, but does not count as one of the team’s four post-trade deadline recalls.

Dowling figures to re-assume his role as the 13th forward on the roster, and potential injury replacement up front. He has played 27 games this season, with three goals and three assists in 11:11 of average ice time.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179437 Detroit Red Wings ‘Hey, don’t give up, after (the top picks), you never know where your next star’s going to come from, your MVP, your Cy Young Award winner, maybe even a Hall of Famer. Fans want to see stars. It’s great if we can continue to grow our own stars and, like I said, at the right time we’ll fill in Detroit Tigers' Christopher Ilitch really does care, he promises: 'Fire is with free agents and probably add more stars via that avenue at the right burning inside' time.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.02.2020 Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free PressPublished 6:01 a.m. ET March 1, 2020 | Updated 12:45 p.m. ET March 1, 2020

LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers president and CEO Christopher Ilitch visited the team Friday at its spring training facility and sat down for a 27- minute interview with reporters. Ilitch covered a wide array of topics. Here are some of the highlights from that interview:

How challenging is it for you to be patient watching the Tigers' rebuild?

“It is tough. I am a very competitive person. My father was an exceptionally competitive person and the apple has not fallen far from the tree. I am more inward in my reaction. You really won’t see it, but the fire is burning inside.

“Having said that, I'm also an exceptionally disciplined person. I’m very disciplined in how I go about my business in my career in managing all of the businesses that I have to manage. Discipline is important. It’s not always easy, though, because we all want to get there as fast as possible and I think — I don’t think, I know we are building this the right way. I know that because I lived it. I lived it through the Red Wings years. I lived it at the beginning of this century with the Tigers. And we’re trying to do it again.

“And you know what? We will do it again and we’re going to be successful. But we just keep working away at it and be patient and be disciplined and we’re going to get there. It’s not easy, it’s not easy. And it’s not easy on our fans, either. Like I said earlier, I understand that.”

More form Christopher Ilitch:

Ilitch believes in process, will spend when 'time is right'

Ilitch on Wings: "We are working exceptionally hard"

How does criticism of your teams and various businesses affect you?

“I like to say I try to stay aware of everything that’s out there. But at the end of the day, I’m exceptionally focused on the task at hand. I think that’s another big part of success in what we’re doing by whatever commentary may be out there. I try to stay very focused on what we need to do. And I know what we're doing is the right thing and we just keep getting after it. And if there’s commentary out there and if it’s negative commentary, it’s OK. I understand it. I’m generally aware of it but I don't dwell on it and I certainly don’t let it distract me. I don't want to say I don't care about it, because at the end of the day particularly as it relates to our fans, I understand that frustration. I like to say I'm a fan myself. So I feel that. But at the end of the day, stay focused. So i guess the short answer to your question is I don’t let it affect me. And I couldn't do my job if I did let it affect me. Stay aware of it and stay focused and keep doing the right thing and it’s going to work out.”

Anything new on the TV front and possibly launching your own regional sports network?

“We’ve had a great relationship with Fox Sports for many years and we enjoy a good relationship with Sinclair (Broadcast Group) now. I think, as you know, we are exploring the merits of a new network and the benefits that could offer to our team and to the community and to our fans. And so we’re still studying that. You know, live sports is still the most compelling programming across not only TV, but digital platforms. And so we’re giving a real hard look at it. I don’t have anything to report to you now, but our work’s ongoing and we’re going to see where it leads.”

How much do you need a young star to emerge that fans can latch on to?

“There’s no doubt about it. I think fans, they want to see stars and even better when they’re homegrown stars. If we can see some of our young prospects develop into stars, it’s going to be very, very exciting. I sit at this table, we’ve got one first-rounder down at the end there () who was a local guy and turned into a star. Look what that did back then. We talk about the importance of drafting. Here’s a Hall-of-Famer here (), a fifth-round pick, right? When I talk to the scouts, I’m like, 1179438 Detroit Red Wings The most important? “Losing sucks,” Melrose said.

Melrose, and other veterans, knew there was at least promise of better Red Wings are bad, but will they be worst in franchise history? days for the Red Wings at that time. Yzerman was in his third season with the Red Wings.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 11:00 p.m. ET March 1, 2020 “Us older guys on that team realized that we weren’t going to be there when this became a good team,” Melrose said. “You’re looking around the room and seeing young guys like Lane Lambert, Gerard Gallant. was going to be here for a while and he was going to be The locker room was quiet — no music, no laughter — similar to how it’s built around.” been after most Detroit Red Wings games this season. After the 1985-86 disaster, Jacques Demers was named coach of the Victories have been in short supply for the Red Wings and Saturday night Red Wings, then Bryan Murray and then . The Wings in Ottawa was no different — a 4-3 shootout loss. At 15-47-5, the Wings would make the playoffs in 15 of the 16 seasons under those coaches, have by far the worst record in the NHL. They have 35 points, and going with three Stanley Cups. into Sunday’s games, the second-worst team, Los Angeles, was outdistancing the Wings by nearly 20 points, as the Kings had 54. Melrose thinks there’s hope for the current Red Wings team, though he’s convinced the turnaround won’t arrive as quickly. How dire is it? The 2019-20 season could go down as the worst in franchise history. “They’re bad,” Melrose said. “They haven’t hit a lot of home runs with draft picks. They’ve got some good young players, but you’d think, with The Wings have a .261 winning percentage — the third-worst ever. The (former general manager) Kenny (Holland) drafting, and Stevie now 1985-86 Red Wings went 17-57-6 (in an 80-game season, compared to there, they’d find that diamond in the rough. 82 now) for a .250 percentage, and the 1976-77 team went 16-55-9 (also an 80-game schedule) for .256. “You can’t make mistakes when you’re in that situation (in the top half of the first round). However, the worst season for any NHL franchise is safely out of reach, set by the 1974-75 expansion Washington Capitals, who went 8-67-5 for “I don’t see a turnaround tomorrow for the Red Wings. I don’t see a light a .131 winning percentage. at the end of the tunnel just yet.”

This Red Wings team has 15 games left to avoid the label of “worst ever” Melrose can sympathize with this season’s team on a variety of levels. in Detroit, but they also face the NHL’s toughest schedule for remaining games, according to tankathon.com. The Wings face Steve Yzerman’s “Losing is tough,” Melrose said. “People are proud, players are proud, former team, Tampa Bay (41-19-5), three more times before the close of and you’re the laughing stock of the league, the worst team in the league. the season. What you take out of it is, you never want to go through something like that again. It gives you extreme motivation. Of the 15 games left, only one (Chicago) is against a team out of the playoff picture. “That season (1985-86) was something that stuck with me when I got into coaching. Stuck with me the rest of my life. I just didn’t want to go “We put ourselves in this position,” said goaltender Jonathan Bernier, through something like that again. one of the few bright spots for the Wings this season. “We just have to compete until the end.” “That’s what the young guys on this team can take forward.”

The NHL season has expanded over the years, going from 48 games to ‘Part of the process’ 70 to 80 to its current 82. Still, this Red Wings team is among the worst in Yzerman suffered a broken collarbone in 1985-86, and it limited him to franchise history for points, as well. 51 games. The Wings’ 35 points are tied for last with the 1937-38 team that went 12- Now, he’s managing a roster that is slogging through nightly defeats. The 25-11 on a 48-game schedule. Wings have had losing streaks of 12, nine, eight and six games this These Wings need seven points over their final 15 games to finish ahead season. They’re currently on a five-game skid. of the 1985-86 team (40 points) and the 1976-77 team (41 points), Having to go through this experience, Yzerman said last week after the among teams that played at least 80 games. trade deadline, can be a learning experience for the youngsters on the Regardless, forward Anthony Mantha believes there is an opportunity to roster. salvage something from this season. “It’s all part of your career and it’s all part of the process,” Yzerman said. “It doesn’t get tougher than that (the schedule),” Mantha said. “That’s for “It doesn’t do anybody good to feel sorry for themselves or for us to feel sure. You’ll see who wants to hang their skates early and who wants to sorry for ourselves as an organization. We know what we have to do. finish the season strong. “But for the players, it’s tough. Again, I've gone through the experience “It’s going to be hard; we need to be ready. We need to focus even more after '85-86. It was my third year in the league, it was a terrible year. I got and take a step forward and play good hockey.” injured personally; it was a terrible year for our team.”

To avoid history, the Wings will need to close strong, like the 2018-19 Yzerman did make a point as to how quickly things can change for an team, which went on a six-game win streak late in the season, but hurting organization. the organization’s draft lottery odds in the process. The next season, the Wings made it to the conference finals, losing to Coach also sees this final month as an opportunity to head the Edmonton Oilers. into the offseason in a positive frame of mind. As quickly as things can go south, things can rebound, too. “You end the year feeling good about yourself,” Blashill said. “Every day “Things changed in a hurry,” Yzerman said. “Now I’m not predicting that to me is a little bit of a new day and you get a chance to go and have a for next year. But you get ready, every year brings new hope, and every new day. So why wouldn’t we want to do that with wins?” offseason brings hope and the players get psyched up and dust yourself ‘Extreme motivation’ off and away you go again.”

Barry Melrose, an ESPN hockey analyst, was a veteran in his final Wrong side of history season on that 1985-86 Red Wings team. Worst winning percentage in Red Wings history: He’d eventually become a coach in junior hockey, the minor leagues, and .250 – 1985-86 team, 17-57-6 record (80 games) eventually the NHL. Melrose took life lessons he learned from that disastrous 1985-86 season. .256 – 1976-77 team, 16-55-9 record (80 games) .261 – 2019-20 team, 15-47-5 record (15 games remaining in an 82- game schedule)

Bottom of the barrel

Worst point totals in Red Wings history:

35 – 2019-20 team, 15-47-5 record (15 games remaining in an 82-game schedule)

35 – 1937-38 team, 12-25-11 record (48 games)

38 – 1939-40 team, 16-26-6 record (48 games)

40 – 1985-86 team, 17-57-6 record (80 games)

41 – 1976-77 team, 16-55-9 record (80 games)

Detroit News LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179439 Detroit Red Wings Ice chips Filip Zadina (leg) was on the ice before practice, but Blashill said there’s

no timeline on a return to the lineup. Sam Gagner quickly adjusting to life as a Red Wing Blashill also confirmed Zadina isn’t eligible for the AHL playoffs — if Grand Rapids gets that far — because Zadina was injured and ineligible to play when rosters were submitted the day of the trade deadline. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 5:27 p.m. ET March 1, 2020 | Updated 9:46 p.m. ET March 1, 2020 … Blashill was optimistic forward Dmytro Timashov, who made his Wings debut Saturday in Ottawa, will get to Detroit Monday in time for the game against the Avalanche. Timashov is squaring away immigration issues.

Detroit — Sam Gagner has been traded before, so this wasn’t anything … Blashill said forward Adam Erne, who didn’t practice Sunday, will miss new. multiple games after sustaining an undisclosed injury Saturday in Ottawa. Erne will see a specialist Monday. Darren Helm didn't practice Sunday, The Red Wings’ are his sixth team, actually, but only the second time but he is expected to be in Monday's lineup. Gagner has been moved during the season. Avalanche at Red Wings Still, the veteran forward knows how to adjust to a new team, and adapt. Faceoff: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Arena And he’s done it quickly with the Wings, including scoring a goal in Saturday’s loss in Ottawa. TV/radio: FSD/97.1 FM

Gagner scored a power-play goal, deflecting Filip Hronek’s point shot, Outlook: The Avalanche (39-18-7) are one of the hottest teams in the and helping the Wings salvage a point in the 4-3 shootout loss. NHL with six straight victories …C Nathan MacKinnon (85 points) and D Cale Makar (35 assists) are in the discussion for MVP, and Rookie of the The goal was a glimpse of how, and where, Gagner can be effective. Year, respectively. “We knew coming in he’s a power-play specialist, it was a great goal,” Detroit News LOADED: 03.02.2020 forward said. “He showed in practice he can (deflect) pucks from anywhere, similar to Thomas Vanek (who played with the Wings last season).

“He’s great around the net, great hands.”

Gagner has an accurate, effective shot, but he’s also adept at redirecting pucks from his bumper position, in the slot area, alertly getting his stick on shots.

“Certainly that was a nice tip goal there,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “That’s what he does a real good job of. He’s been around a lot of different situations but he’s also been in situations like what we’re facing, in his career.

“He can add some light to that, so that’s a real positive. He’s a good pro.”

Being on different teams, including being on teams similar to this season’s Wings’ team, struggling and looking for any sort of positives, gives Gagner an advantage.

The key to moving into a new situation, said Gagner, is being simple.

“You just try not to overthink things,” Gagner said. “Just go out and play and at the end of the day, it’s still hockey. You still have your personal process and routine you go through, and you don’t change that. You stay in the process, and compete, and you try to help the team win.”

Gagner, who is the son former NHL player David Ganger, grew up approximately two hours from Detroit in the London, area, so he’s familiar with the history and tradition of the Wings and appreciates an opportunity to be part of the organization.

“Playing against the Red Wings all these years, there’s certainly an aura, and the history here,” Gagner said. “All the games I got to play in the Joe (Louis Arena), they were pretty special games for me. You always had family in town. There’s just a history to that arena.

“Being here now, it’s fun. Obviously, we’re going through a stretch right now, but you just keep pushing forward and keep trying to get wins.”

Prospect hurt

Otto Kivenmaki, the Wings’ 2018 seventh-round pick, is recovering in a hospital in Finland after getting hit in the head Saturday during a Finnish Elite League game.

Kivenamaki’s team Assat Pori, said Kivenmaki is in stable condition after taking forward David Nemecek’s shoulder squarely to the head.

Kivenmaki sustained a bad cut, also, and a full prognosis on his progress isn’t expected to be known for two to three weeks.

Kivenmaki’s mother posted an update on the Red Wings Prospects Twitter page, saying her son was doing “fairly well considering the circumstances. The future will tell the rest. In any case, his season (and at worse his hockey career) is over.” 1179440 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings eager to see what Dmytro Timashov can provide

Posted Mar 01, 2020

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT – Dmytro Timashov showed the physical side of his game Saturday in his Detroit Red Wings debut by registering five hits.

He’ll have potentially 15 more games this season to make an impression on the Red Wings.

Coach Jeff Blashill said Timashov has “potential bottom-six skill.”

“Somebody that can play in those (third and fourth) lines, not have to play top-six minutes but can provide some more skill, can play hard, can be good defensively, can bring a physical element and just help our depth,” Blashill said.

Timashov will be in the lineup Monday against the Colorado Avalanche at (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) if his visa issues are resolved. He logged 11 minutes in Saturday’s 4-3 shootout loss at Ottawa.

“That’s the anticipation,” Blashill said. “It just depends if he gets his passport back in time and we can get him here.”

The Red Wings claimed Timashov off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. A fifth-round pick in 2015 (125th overall), he had four goals and five assists, with a plus-1 rating, in 39 games as a rookie.

Newly acquired Sam Gagner spent half of last season as Timashov’s teammate with the AHL .

“He plays with a lot of pace,” Gagner said. “He’s a good skater and he’s got a strong lower body, so he’s able to hang on to the puck and win battles. He’s got some skill and hopefully he’s able to help us.”

Listed at 5-10 and 192 pounds, Timashov is heavier than he appears, Blashill said.

“I like that part of it,” Blashill said. “He’s got some skill. He seems to want to finish checks, I like that. Can we get him to play consistent and help us?

The immigration issues have prevented the Ukraine native from entering the U.S.

“It would have been nice if he could have come in right away and practiced,” Blashill said. “It’s hard to be a cohesive five-man unit if not everybody knows what’s going on. I thought he played fine last night, but you don’t play as individuals, you play as a team and so that part makes it hard. With that said, we’d like to play him because we want to see what he’s all about, see if he can help us.”

Timashov is in the final year of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent after the season.

Erne out for a while

Blashill said Adam Erne is seeing a specialist and will “miss some time,” due to an injury suffered on Saturday.

Darren Helm didn’t skate Sunday but should be ready to play.

Filip Zadina, out since Feb. 1 with a broken foot, skated before practice but Blashill said there is no timeline for his return.

“The fact he’s on his skates and out there is good,” Blashill said.

Zadina is not eligible for the AHL playoffs because he was injured and couldn’t be assigned to Grand Rapids the day of the trade deadline (Monday), like Gustav Lindstrom.

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179441 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings prospect Otto Kivenmaki hospitalized after devastating hit

Posted Mar 01, 2020

By Ansar Khan

Detroit Red Wings center prospect Otto Kivenmaki was on the receiving end of a devastating hit to the head Saturday in a Finnish League game and remains in the hospital for observation.

Assat Pori, his team, said in a statement that Kivenmaki, 19, is conscious and in stable condition. The club said it will be at least 2-3 weeks before a prognosis can be made on his recovery.

Kivenmak’s mother posted an update, translated from Finnish, on social media, according to the Red Wings Prospects Twitter account. Here is part of what she wrote:

“The young man is doing fairly well considering the circumstances. He’s in the hospital under monitoring and even laughing already. He has no memory (of the hit) at the moment and has a big cut in his head. Tomorrow will tell more. The future will tell the rest. In any case, his season (and at worse his hockey career) is over.”

She thanked Assat’s team doctor and added, “as well to all of you who understand that this isn’t a question of one young man’s hockey career but at worst the entire life of a loved family member and an important friend to many.”

The hit was delivered by David Nemecek of Lukko Rauma.

The Red Wings drafted the undersized Kivenmaki (he was listed at 5-8, 137 back then) in the seventh round in 2018 (191st overall). He has appeared in 53 games this season for Assat (five goals, 16 assists).

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179442 Edmonton Oilers “Definitely a different workload, centre vs. the wing. Biggest and hardest adjustment is playing along the wall so much more, reading where the other team’s D-men are and trying to protect the puck. I have a greater appreciation of the job wingers do now,” he said. Nugent-Hopkins can tie Tikkanen for 11th on all-time Oilers points list With Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins is just glad to be able to keep the ball rolling.

Jim Matheson, “Outstanding to think how fast Leon’s got to 100, pretty crazy. Maybe he doesn’t show it, but inside I’m sure he’s pretty proud, and excited,” said Published:March 1, 2020 Nugent-Hopkins. Updated:March 1, 2020 5:39 PM MST Nugent-Hopkins had a career best 69 points last year, when he played all 82 games. If he keeps at the same pace he’s on now, he might surpass that this season, despite starting out with 20 points in the first 35 games. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tried to downplay Leon Draisaitl’s second 100- point season. “Not the start I wanted to have, but I did have some (injury) things going on. I took a little break, I got some treatment, and I’ve felt more “What’s that? I got 100 too … OK, in junior,” joked Draisaitl’s left-winger comfortable so I can be as productive offensively as defensively. Our the last two months. line’s being really good, lots of fun and we’re seeing top defensive pairs,” he said. Indeed, Nugent-Hopkins parlayed that 106-point season in 69 WHL games with the Red Deer Rebels in 2010-11 into the No. 1 pick that And that means taking the heat off McDavid, who is now playing with June. But, as we all know, he’s never climbed that big mountain with the newcomers Tyler Ennis and Andreas Athanasiou. Edmonton Oilers through to this, his ninth season to become the longest- standing current Oilers player, two games shy of the 600-game plateau. “For sure, we have to lessen the load on Connor,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “I’m sure he appreciates that.” He doesn’t have Draisaitl’s size or sweet backhand ability, that snow- shovel for a stick or the wicked one-time. But then again, who does? And This ’n’ that: Nugent-Hopkins’ goal and two helpers against the Jets was not just here, either, but around the NHL. his second three-point night of the season. His best was a goal and three assists against the Rangers on New Year’s Eve …Don’t be surprised if What Nugent-Hopkins has is consistency, when he’s been able to avoid Neal (ankle) plays on this road trip. He was looking awfully chipper as he injuries like a separated shoulder or broken hand. Plus, the best two-way walked around the dressing room after Saturday’s game in a team game of all the Oilers forwards. He has 435 points in 598 games, one sweatsuit. If Neal and Yamamoto (ankle) both come back on the three- behind Esa Tikkanen for 11th on their all-time list. But this season, he’s game trip, Patrick Russell will likely be one of the forwards sitting, but been on a two-month heater with 33 points in 24 games, including 13 who else? … Only Draisaitl, Nurse and Bear have played all 65 games. goals, since mvoving from centre to left-wing on New Year’s Eve. He’s got 53 points in 59 games. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.02.2020

“Coaches have players that when you look down the bench and you see their name, and you just know they’ll do the job for you,” said Oilers coach Dave Tippett, tossing off the ultimate coaching compliment, trust. “That reputation is earned through their play.

“Nuge is so smart in every situation, which makes him such a good player. You put him out there, and as a coach you know you’re going to get what you’re looking for.”

Same with Draisaitl, who has 102 points now.

“Leon can get free and he knows Nuge will get him the puck because he reads off him so well,” said Tippett.

Nugent-Hopkins missed six games from late November to early December with a bad wrist, something he had been playing with for weeks. Since Tippett decided to move Draisaitl from left-wing with Connor McDavid and put Nugent-Hopkins on left wing from his normal centre spot with Kailer Yamamoto, the line’s been virtually unstoppable. Yamamoto has 21 points in 21 games.

Like so many other centres, Nugent-Hopkins has proven he can move to wing.

“Well, I’ve really only down it twice, with Connor and Leon,” said Nugent- Hopkins, wanting the world to know it’s not like he’s played left wing with everybody.

But he touches so many parts of the game on the wing, mainly with his hockey IQ. He got the game-winner against Winnipeg on Saturday, burying one with his patented wrist shot low to the goalie’s blocker side with five minutes left.

“If I had missed that one, I’d have been kicking myself. I had so much time,” he said.

Maybe, but he made no mistake for his 19th goal of the year, and fourth game-winner.

“In my own mind I’m a winger, at least now. Playing with Connor and Leon obviously makes the transition to the wing easier. The more Leon and I play together, the more we do know where each other’s going to be,” said Nugent-Hopkins, who routinely switches off with Draisaitl on the defensive end of things down low as both are still centres away from the puck. 1179443 Edmonton Oilers

WATCH: Edmonton Oilers beat Winnipeg Jets in close playoff-style contest

Ian Kucerak

Published:March 1, 2020

Updated:March 1, 2020 4:39 PM MST

Edmonton Oilers head coach Dave Tippett speaks about the team’s 3-2 close win over the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Place on Feb. 29, 2020. Tippett says the game was closer to a playoff game in tempo and temperament — once the team came out of their second-period slump with a goal from Leon Draisaitl.

“He wants to be a top player,” Tippett said, complimenting Draisaitl’s drive.

“He knows he’s a big part of our team, he’s got to play well, he has to do his part, and he’s just a beast out there — you watch him play.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179444 Edmonton Oilers Smith went so cold they could hardly play him. He started three games and lost all of them. Draisaitl, meanwhile, went a whopping minus-24 in 14 games.

There's a lot of fight in the Edmonton Oilers dog But they’ve been Edmonton’s most valuable players since and its no accident the season turned around the same time they did.

Smith is 11-1-4 in his last 16 games. And in the 51 games on either side Robert Tychkowski of December, Draisaitl has 88 points and is plus-14.

Published:March 1, 2020 “(Smith) is a leader,” said head coach Dave Tippett. “A lot of times a goaltender just goes in there and does his job, but he is one of the Updated:March 1, 2020 3:35 PM MST leaders in that room and wears his heart on his sleeve.

“(Draisaitl) wants to be a top player. He drives himself. In December If we knew in training camp that the Edmonton Oilers would go 4-10-1 in when our team was struggling a little bit, he was almost trying too hard. December, and be without Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom, Kailer He was trying to do too much and putting himself in trouble. Yamamoto, Zack Kassian, James Neal, Joakim Nygard and Kris Russell “Now he knows he is a big part of our team and has to play well and do for various stages in February, most people would have predicted his part. He is playing really well right now.” another lottery season. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.02.2020 Granted, that’s always a pretty safe prediction, given the recent history of this franchise, but it would have seemed certain this time. No way the Oilers could they overcome all that.

But when they were sinking fast in December and the season was starting to get away from them, they regrouped and pulled out of it. When Connor McDavid went down, they culled a winning record out of those six games. When an entire wave of injuries and suspensions left $30 million of their payroll on the shelf, they found a way to maintain their forward progress.

And on Saturday night, when the big, talented and desperate Winnipeg Jets had taken charge of a crucial head-to-head showdown and were whaling away at an Oilers team on the ropes, they fought back again. Leon Draisaitl tied it late in the second, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins won it late in the third and Mike Smith stopped 19 shots in the last 20 minutes to give Edmonton sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division.

It’s not always pretty, and there are still some recurring areas of concern that need to be shored up, like in-game sags, defensive zone coverage and losing to teams like Anaheim and San Jose, but there is a scrappiness to this team that you really have to admire.

“It’s a great sign,” said Draisaitl, who had two goals and an assist to reach 102 points Saturday night, and was named the NHL’s First Star of the Month on Sunday morning. “That’s what you want in your team, a team that doesn’t give up. Our second period was terrible, so to come back out in the third and play a pretty solid period is not easy to do.

“That’s a good (Winnipeg) team over there. They have a lot of skill, they’re right in the race, they’re desperate. It was a good job by us. It would have been easy to fold and let the game get out of hand, but we didn’t do that.”

The Winnipeg game isn’t one Edmonton will want to frame — the Jets aren’t wrong when they say they deserved better — but the Oilers found a way to win. The combination of a scrappy, blue-collar do-whatever-it- takes personality, two or three of the best players in the world and a fiery goaltender who battles as hard as any of his teammates, is becoming one of the tougher outs in the league.

“The word that’s come up in this room lately is ground and pound,” said Smith, quoting the simple, but highly effective mixed martial arts style. “It’s just a gritty group. There’s a never-quit mentality that’s earned us points in a lot of games this year. It’s good to see.”

It becomes a self-perpetuating character trait. If a player sees five other guys on the ice doing it, he doesn’t want to be the sixth who doesn’t. That’s not an easy culture to instil, sometimes it can take 13 years, but it’s the difference between successful teams and talented teams that are still trying to figure it out.

“That’s what’s talked about in here,” said Smith. “You do it for the guy next to you. It’s that time of the year when you want to put it all out there and be able to look at the guy next to you, or the guy across the room, and say, ‘I gave it all I had tonight.’ Those are the types of games we’re going to play from here on out.”

FIGHTING BACK

No two players exemplify the Oilers’ ability to fight back more than Smith and Draisaitl. They both had miserable Decembers that contributed greatly to Edmonton’s mid-season funk. 1179445 Edmonton Oilers “This is when you want to play and this is when you want to play your best,” said the goaltender who stopped 39 of 41 shots to extend his record to 11-1-4 in his last 16 starts.

JONES: Edmonton Oilers make March meaningful again March for the Oilers does, indeed, come in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.

First, there’s this three-games-in-four-days challenge through Nashville, Terry Jones Dallas and Chicago.

Published:March 1, 2020 Survive that and 10 of the remaining 13 games in the month will be at home — interrupted by one last three-games-in-four-days Philadelphia- Updated:March 1, 2020 3:14 PM MST Washington-Ottawa trip.

It’s playoff-game style spacing for the six consecutive games in Rogers For most of the Decade of Darkness, the 12 seasons of 13 the Edmonton Place with a game every second night through to April, when they have Oilers have spent out of the playoffs, it’s not only been the goal, it’s been one game following a three-day break on the fourth in Calgary, and a motto and a mantra: “Meaningful games in March.” another three- or four-day break before the playoffs, if they make it.

How many times have you heard it said by head coaches Craig As the Oilers headed out on the road again following their one-game MacTavish, Pat Quinn, Tom Renney, Ralph Krueger, Dallas Eakins, home stand, players like Kailer Yamamoto, Oscar Klefbom and James Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock and Dave Tippett, as well as general Neal all appear close to returning to the lineup. managers , Steve Tambellini, MacTavish, Peter Chiarelli and In basketball there’s March Madness and filling out brackets. Here, Ken Holland? March Madness is a different deal. “Meaningful games in March.” Every day, virtually every fan is likely to sit down with the standings to try Well, here the Oilers are, coming off a massive 3-2 playoff-like victory to figure out how many more wins it’s going to take for the Oilers to get in over the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 29. the playoffs.

It’s March! If you figure the number of points in the standings it will require is 96, for example, that would mean the Oilers would need to win 10 of their last And dead ahead are 16 meaningful games jammed into 31 days starting 17. with three in a span of four days beginning Monday in Nashville in a second consecutive potential ‘separation game’ against a playoff-calibre Of course, you can’t just do that with one team. Now do the math for team. After all, Edmonton just separated itself by four points with two Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Nashville, Winnipeg, Arizona games in hand from Winnipeg with the win. Minnesota and Chicago.

There are teams that make it to March in contention that don’t It’s too early yet for magic and tragic numbers. But it’s coming soon. And necessarily welcome playing the style of hockey required on a nightly it’s not to early for ‘If the playoffs started tomorrow …’ basis, and others that skate in fear of failure. And there are those that Embrace it. It’s part of the package you get when your team plays absolutely thrive on it. meaningful games in March. With than in mind, I asked coach Dave Tippett on Saturday after the pre- Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.02.2020 game skate about his team embracing meaningful games in March now that they’re at hand.

“There shouldn’t be any fear in it,” he said. “It should be embracing the challenge, especially when you haven’t been there very much. When you haven’t been there much, you better embrace it.”

And that’s what he thinks he sees with this group heading into the month.

“I think there’s excitement more than fear,” he said. “I think there’s excitement of getting in this position and having the opportunity to move forward. That’s what drives guys.

“I mean, you look at Connor (McDavid) and Leon (Draisaitl) the way they’re engaged right now, there’s excitement right now that we’re pushing forward,” he said. “I would leave the fear out of it and put more excitement and opportunity into it.

“I’ve said it 100 times this year: You earn the right to be a playoff team. You’re not going to back into anything. You have to go earn the right to be a playoff team. You have to win your games and take care of yourselves if you’re going to do that. And that’s the mindset of our group right now.”

Eight hours later, Draisaitl became the first player in the league to hit 100 points and reach the century figure for a second straight season, with McDavid setting him up for a two-goal night before Draisaitl set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who also had a three-point night, for the winner.

But more than anybody, it was goaltender Mike Smith who epitomized embracing a game at this time of year and probably positioned himself to be the Game 1 starter of the playoffs, if the Oilers get there.

“I mentioned it a little bit this morning; these are the games you want to play in. These are the games that get the juices following and why you play,” he said. “I’ve played for a long time and I’ve played a lot of meaningless games at this time of year and that’s not fun at all. This is when it’s fun. 1179446 Edmonton Oilers Over many years, I have found the math of the draft can inform fans about true prospect value. I believe teams are right to count on their scouts; a team needs those viewings and reports to evaluate everything from foot speed to projecting teenagers five years forward. It’s a vital part Lowetide: Is the OHL still the Oilers’ primary resource at the draft? of the process. I do think we can surround the top skill players by simply placing offence in context. I also believe a team selecting a forward who

is shy offensively early in the draft is making a mistake. By Allan Mitchell Mar 1, 2020 The CHL doesn’t give us time on ice, but we do have the boxcars (goals, assists, points and games played), and they are good predictors of NHL success. Although it’s unwise to compare different seasons, I do think it’s The OHL is the deepest talent pool in amateur hockey. The league has informative to see what elite talent delivers in the OHL during their draft been a rich pipeline for the Edmonton Oilers since the 1980 draft (Paul years. Here are Oilers forwards drafted since 2010 and their OHL draft Coffey), with recent selections (think Connor McDavid in 2015) franchise- year points-per-game results: altering. Connor McDavid, 2014-15: 2.55 In a recent 10-year period (2008-17), Edmonton chose 12 men (among 77 selections) from the OHL. That’s 15.6 percent. In 2018, the team Taylor Hall, 2009-10: 1.86 spent its first two selections on Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod, two Nail Yakupov, 2011-12: 1.64 OHL talents. Ryan McLeod, 2017-18: 1.08 At the 2019 draft, newly hired general manager Ken Holland was in a unique situation: He would have been intimately aware of two distinct Ryan Martindale, 2009-10: 0.98 lists, the Oilers and the Detroit Red Wings, his previous employer. Edmonton passed on OHL options for the first time since 2014. Holland’s Tobias Rieder, 2010-11: 0.75 Red Wings used the OHL liberally over the years, but they haven’t Daniil Zharkov, 2011-12: 0.72 drafted a player from the league in the first round since 2008. Kirill Maksimov, 2016-17: 0.58 Does this mean the Oilers, under Holland, will look to the Ontario league less often? Could the team turn its back on a prospect pipeline that has Kyle Platzer, 2012-13: 0.34 produced McDavid, Bouchard and Darnell Nurse since 2013? Based on the talent this season and Holland’s track record over his final decade in As you would expect, the three No. 1 overall selections tower over the Detroit, it’s unlikely. rest, but the Oilers drafted Rieder deep in the 2011 draft and he went on to NHL success in a two-way role. It’s fair to suggest early picks should The Oilers, the Red Wings and the OHL be clear of 1.00 points per game based on draft history.

Total players drafted by NHL teams, 2010-19: 2,126 The 2020 OHL draft-eligible forwards

Total OHL players drafted by NHL teams, 2010-19: 391 (18.4 percent) If we take the knowledge above and apply it to the NHL Draft-eligible players from the OHL this season, we should be able to identify quality Total players drafted by Edmonton, 2010-19: 76 forwards in their draft season. I’m going to use the Central Scouting list Total OHL players drafted by Edmonton, 2010-19: 14 (18.4 percent) as the talent pool, again ranked by points per game.

Total players drafted by Detroit, 2010-19: 82 Marco Rossi, Ottawa 67’s: 2.08

Total OHL players drafted by Detroit, 2010-19: 14 (17.1 percent) Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves: 1.85

The two teams draft about NHL average out of the OHL. The most Cole Perfetti, : 1.78 significant difference comes from where players are chosen. Edmonton Jack Quinn, Ottawa 67’s: 1.41 picked five players from the OHL in the top 10 overall this decade: McDavid, Nurse, Bouchard, Nail Yakupov and Taylor Hall. Detroit’s Tyson Foerster, : 1.30 highest selection (Givani Smith, 2016) was chosen No. 46 overall. Martin Chromiak, Kingston Frontenacs: 1.29 The other big difference between the teams over the past decade (2010- 19) is drafting position. Edmonton’s average position for its first pick in Jacob Perreault, Sarnia Sting: 1.22 the first round was 5.8, and the team drafted No. 1 overall four times. Jan Mysak, : 1.20 Detroit, which didn’t have a pick twice in the 10 seasons, has an average selection of 14.5 for its first pick in the eight first rounds the club Ty Tullio, Oshawa Generals: 1.07 participated in. It goes without saying that many of the impact OHL prospects who were available to Edmonton at the top of the first round Luke Evangelista, : 1.02 were long off the board when Detroit walked to the podium. Rossi is a September 2001 birthday and Byfield is an August 2002, and Drafting for need that gap in age has to be considered in the final rankings. Scouts are the most important element in evaluation, so if there’s been an improvement NHL teams routinely tell media that the best player available will be in skating ability, that also needs to be reflected in final rankings. Corey chosen when the turn arrives. Some exceptions are acknowledged, Pronman mentioned Jack Quinn’s increased speed in his most recent especially later in the draft when the team has a real area of need and rankings for The Athletic, and that will no doubt impact final lists. the prospects are close in quality (different shades of grey). The Oilers at the 2020 draft For Edmonton, there’s an extreme need for scoring forwards, and it’s likely we’ll see one chosen in the first round this summer. In December, Edmonton owns its own first-round selection, currently around No. 20 when I ranked the organization’s top 20 prospects, six of the top 10 overall but subject to change before draft day. The second-round pick names were defencemen. What’s more, Kailer Yamamoto and Raphael was sent away in the Andreas Athanasiou deal; the third-round pick may Lavoie were the only prominent forwards on the list who deliver enough or may not be on his way to the Calgary Flames in the James Neal trade. offence to be projected as future NHL goal scorers. Edmonton’s fourth-round pick, approximately No. 110 overall, would be the team’s second pick on draft weekend before any further trades. The Oilers’ prospect depth chart tells us there’s an extreme need for skill forwards, specifically first-shot scorers. Best player available? Sure. If The points-per-game list above will see several names taken off the list Jamie Drysdale is available when Edmonton picks, you can expect the before selection No. 20. Bob McKenzie’s midseason list has all of Byfield, team to draft the defenceman. Otherwise, the Oilers are on a collision Rossi, Perfetti and Quinn off the board. That leaves four interesting course with grabbing a forward in the first round of the 2020 selection. options from the OHL at the Oilers’ first pick:

The math of the draft Foerster has top-end skill and a great shot, and his reputation as a skater is improving. His performance at the CHL Top Prospects Game was outstanding and showed his range of skills.

Chromiak is not a famous prospect and the sample size (31 points in 24 games) is small, plus he is getting zoomed a little by phenom Shane Wright. A speedy winger with hands who is also a game rooster, I suspect the Oilers like him at least a little.

Perreault is a talented player who has some issues with consistency, but the results are solid and he can skate well.

Mysak is similar to Chromiak (small sample size), but he’s fast, highly skilled and thinks the game well according to reports.

Later rounds

Two players I think might be of interest to the Oilers are Zayde Wisdom of the Kingston Frontenacs and Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion. Both men score well and offer enough skill to project as successful players at the next level.

What does it all mean?

Edmonton has a real need, and the first-round pick is the best way to address it. The OHL has (as I see it) four reasonable offensive options for the Oilers at No. 20 overall: Foerster, Chromiak, Perreault or Mysak.

There might be reasons to pass on each of these players (the scouts will know), but the math is suggesting they have real value. I did the same evaluation at the 2016 draft, and the math screamed Alex DeBrincat’s name. The Chicago Blackhawks were listening.

A year ago, I looked at the OHL and suggested Edmonton might be interested in two men (Ryan Suzuki and Arthur Kaliyev) as strong options for the draft. This year there are four impressive candidates who should be available when the Oilers select in the first round. Next up: The WHL and the 2020 draft.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179447 Florida Panthers Miami Herald LOADED: 03.02.2020

Struggling Florida Panthers shut out by Flames for seventh home loss in a row

BY WALTER VILLA

MARCH 01, 2020 08:07 PM

Call it the NHL Awful-Break.

That’s what it looks like for the Florida Panthers, who had a six-game winning streak interrupted by this year’s NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 25.

Since then, the Panthers are 5-11-2, including a lifeless 3-0 home loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday.

It was the Panthers’ seventh consecutive home loss, tying a dubious franchise record set in 2003. Florida’s next game is also at home, on Thursday against the Boston Bruins, who have the best record in the NHL.

The Panthers, who were the highest-scoring team in the NHL one month ago, have been shut out three times this season — all of them since Feb. 1.

Even Panthers winger Mike Hoffman, who entered Sunday on a five- game goal streak and a team-high 27 goals, was stopped by Calgary’s Cam Talbot, who made 38 saves.

“We made [Talbot] look good,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. “He was good, but we didn’t have enough traffic at the net.”

Florida’s power play went 0-for-3 on Sunday, and its penalty kill failed on its only opportunity, and the problems seem to be more than just physical.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad indicated as much when he met with the media after Sunday’s game.

“I’m not sure,” Ekblad said when asked what it will take to get the Panthers back on the prowl. “We will regroup on Tuesday. We need to find a way to get our confidence back.”

Ekblad scoffed when asked if it was now time for the Panthers — who trail the Toronto Maple Leafs by five points for the third and final Atlantic Division playoff spot with 16 games to go — to be desperate.

“I think desperation set in a while ago,” Ekblad said. “We just didn’t have it tonight or at least enough to get it done. I think we all realize the situation we’re in.”

Ekblad, though, did make a telling comment about the different style of hockey at this point in the season.

“Maybe we took for granted how difficult it was to win in the second half of the year,” he said. “I’ve always liked to look at it as a completely different league in the second half of the season.

“It’s not as easy to score goals. It’s a much tighter game. We haven’t found a way to crack that code yet, and we need to.”

Calgary got one goal in each period — from Johnny Gaudreau, Milan Lucic and TJ Brodie, in that order. The Flames would’ve had another score if not for Panthers rookie goalie Sam Montembeault stopping Gaudreau on a first-period penalty shot.

Panthers starting goalie was rested after suffering a “tweak” in his lower body during warmups.

The Panthers — as mentioned by team captain Aleksander Barkov — showed some energy in the second period, producing a 16-6 advantage in shots on goal.

“We just couldn’t get the puck in,” Barkov said, “and then we didn’t have the push at the end [in the third], and that’s unacceptable.

“Like many times before, we have to forget these bad games. We need to simplify, get more pucks to the net, basic stuff, simple stuff.

It’s not going to be tic-tac-toe, backdoor tap-ins.” 1179448 Florida Panthers

Panthers’ homely home skid continues with limp loss to visiting Calgary Flames

By PAUL GEREFFI

ASSOCIATED PRESS |

MAR 01, 2020 | 6:45 PM

Cam Talbot made 38 saves, Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist, and the Calgary Flames beat the Florida Panthers 3-0 Sunday.

TJ Brodie and Milan Lucic also scored for the Flames, and Mark Giordano had three assists.

“I felt pretty good from the get-go, got a good warm-up in this morning," Talbot said. "Guys let me see the shots, kept them to the outside for the first little bit. It gets the confidence up early and able to get into a groove.”

The Flames finished 3-1-1 on the five-game road trip.

"We played a real, real good road period, maybe our best one of the whole trip in order to end it off," coach Geoff Ward said. "Good response by our guys and a well-earned win.”

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Sam Montembeault stopped 25 shots for the Panthers, who have tied a franchise record with seven straight home losses. The Panthers are 5- 11-2 since the All-Star break.

Gaudreau gave the Flames a 1-0 lead on his power-play goal at 6:21 of the first. Gaudreau’s shot from the left circle beat Montembeault on the glove side.

The Flames went ahead 2-0 when Derek Ryan passed from behind the net to Lucic in front, who banked it off the post and in at 3:10 of the second.

Calgary stretched its lead to 3-0 on Brodie’s shot from just inside the blue line 1:09 into the third.

“At the end, we didn’t have a push. That’s unacceptable,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “We just have to regroup right now.”

The home crowd began to boo in the closing minutes of the second period and also at the end of the game.

“Obviously disappointed, we’ve put ourselves in a really tough spot," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. "Let’s find a way to bring some excitement in our team game and get the building going in our favor.”

Gaudreau was awarded a penalty shot with 7:43 left in the first after being hooked by MacKenzie Weegar, but Montembeault blocked it.

NOTES: Panthers G Sergei Bobrovsky tweaked something in his lower body in warm-ups and was replaced by Montembeault. “I don’t think it was serious, we’ll see,” Quenneville said. ... The Panthers are 4 for 35 on the power play over their last 13 games.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179449 Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar scores twice, Kings win in Vegas

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 10:38 p.m. | UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 10:38 p.m.

LAS VEGAS — Anze Kopitar scored twice, rookie Calvin Petersen made 42 saves and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 on Sunday night.

The Kings improved to 6-2-1 in their last nine games, a winning stretch that came on the heels of a 1-9-1 skid that spanned from Jan. 11 to Feb. 9.

Los Angeles, which is in last place in the Pacific Division, snapped Vegas’ franchise record-tying eight-game win streak. The Golden Knights hadn’t lost since a 4-0 defeat in Minnesota on Feb. 11.

Petersen, who improved to 2-0-0 against Vegas, was brilliant in stifling the Golden Knights’ normally potent offense that clearly was missing Mark Stone, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Of his 42 stops, 19 came in the third period.

Trevor Lewis and Alex Iafallo also scored for the Kings.

Shea Theodore scored for Vegas, while Marc-Andre Fleury made 13 saves.

Kopitar opened the scoring when he was left all alone to the right of Fleury and took an extra second to find the right angle to go top shelf and make it a 1-0 game.

After William Carrier was called for cross-checking, the Kings’ power-play unit took advantage of the Golden Knights failing to clear the puck multiple times, as Kopitar used a backhand to go top shelf again and push Los Angeles’ lead to two goals.

Los Angeles made it 3-0 at 10:04 of the second period, when he used a nifty spin move around Vegas defenseman Nick Holden to beat Fleury far side over his glove.

Vegas got its first goal late in the second, when Max Pacioretty clanked a blistering slap shot off the post that rang as loud as any shot ever taken at T-Mobile Arena. Los Angeles’ Ben Hutton tried clearing the rebound, but Theodore intercepted the puck in the high slot and beat Petersen before he could recover. Theodore is one goal shy of the career-high 12 he had last year in 12 more games played.

After former King Alec Martinez was called for goaltender interference, LA once again victimized one of the worst home penalty kill units. After stopping Adrian Kempe’s slapper from the right circle, Fleury couldn’t control the rebound and Iafallo cleaned up the rebound to push Los Angeles’ lead back to three goals at 4-1.

While the Kings came in with the 24th-ranked power play, Vegas came in with the fourth-worst penalty kill on home ice.

Kings open a nine-game homestand vs. Toronto on Thursday.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179450 Los Angeles Kings LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.02.2020

MARCH 1 POST-GAME QUOTES: MCLELLAN, KOPITAR, DOUGHTY, DEBOER; HIGHIGHTS

JON ROSENMARCH 1, 20200

Todd McLellan, on whether he liked the LA Kings’ “control” of the game despite Vegas’ shot surplus:

Yeah, I don’t know if I agree with you when it comes to control. I thought they controlled the second and third periods. This is pretty reminiscent to the game we played earlier in the year here when we got off to a lead and they poured it on and we had trouble keeping up with them. We scratch, we clawed, we got tremendous goaltending, outstanding goaltending. Some really good nights from some key people, players you think you’d get good nights from – I’m thinking Kopi and his line. And then there are some other players in our group that are getting exposed a little bit – which is fine. We’re finding out about them, but they’ve got to pick it up a little bit. Can’t rely on one or two lines, so mixed emotions. Really happy about the win, the streak, to win in this building. Happy for the goaltender. Disappointed in some individuals, though.

McLellan, on any reasons behind LA’s success at T-Mobile Arena and on back-to-backs:

No. I’m not even aware of the past, the back-to-back things that happen for every team in the league. I can’t explain why. We found tonight and certainly early in the year, we had some opportunistic goal scorers, guys that took advantage of situations where they got to put the pucks in the net. Scoring first’s in this building’s huge. We did that in both games. But going back, six games in back-to-backs, I have no idea about any of that.

McLellan, on the defense and goaltending success:

Well, we’ve played a pretty good team game. We’ve got outstanding goaltending, penalty killing’s been really good, so that’s allowed us to prevent goals. We’ve been in our end a little bit, but that’s going to happen to our team. I thought we checked better against Jersey and teams we played prior tonight. But again, this is a pretty damn good team here in Vegas, and they do that to a lot of elite teams and we weathered the storm, we’re going to leave with a win, we’ll relish it and we’ll get back to work and try to improve for the Leafs later on in the week.

Anze Kopitar, on facing Alec Martinez:

I mean, yeah, it’s a little weird to see him in warm-ups, but once the puck drops, you just get going and you just play the game.

Drew Doughty, on whether it was strange facing Alec Martinez:

No, honestly, I didn’t even say a word to him today. I don’t know – I might go see him after this if he’s around. It’s whatever, we’re used to it, it’s hockey. I’ve played against some of my best friends before. Obviously I’ve played with Marty for along time, so I’m used to this stuff.

Peter DeBoer, on the shot attempt differential:

It’s frustrating when you lose. I think we’ve been on a good run here. I think the story of the game was that we got behind and we were chasing it all night. You fall in to a 2-0 hole against anybody in this league and it has a potential to be a long night, especially when the other team’s goalie is dialed in. There could’ve been things we could have done to help ourselves and make it a little tougher on them, find a way. But again, it was a pretty good run, it’s usually how these type of games end. On a game where I didn’t even think there were bad goals on Marc-Andre Fleury, I just think the pucks ended up landing in places where their guys were standing to bang them in on their opportunities. Those things are going to happen over a full season.

DeBoer, on the Golden Knights’ loss:

I think that they got a couple of looks and the puck ended up on their stick in the right place early. I think that we were ready to play today, but then we’re in a 2-0 hole. In this league it’s hard to come back from that. We’ve been there before through this streak and we found a way to come back, but tonight we didn’t. Their goalie deserves some credit too. They battled hard and they were a desperate team. I think they blocked 24 or 25 shots, so you have to give them some credit. 1179451 Los Angeles Kings

GAME 66: LOS ANGELES AT VEGAS

JON ROSENMARCH 1, 2020

Los Angeles Kings 4, Vegas Golden Knights 1

Final

Preview

Box Score

Ice Tracker

Fox Sports Live Stream (requires subscription)

SOG: LAK – 17; VGK – 43

PP: LAK – 2/2; VGK – 1/4

First Period

1) LAK – Anze Kopitar (19) (Alex Iafallo, Ben Hutton), 2:01

2) LAK PPG – Anze Kopitar (20) (Drew Doughty), 7:39

Second Period

3) LAK – Trevor Lewis (5) (Trevor Moore, Ben Hutton), 10:04

4) VGK PPG – Shea Theodore (11) (unassisted), 13:14

5) LAK – Alex Iafallo (16) (Adrian Kempe, Drew Doughty), 19:04

Third Period

No scoring

Los Angeles Kings (24-35-6) at Vegas Golden Knights (36-22-8)

Sunday, March 1, 2020, 7:30 p.m. PT

T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Referees: #7 Garrett Rank, #40 Steve Kozari

Linesmen: #76 Michel Cormier, #92 Mark Shewchyk

NBCSN, NBC Sports App, LA Kings Audio Network

LAK starters: G Cal Petersen, D Ben Hutton, D Drew Doughty, LW Alex Iafallo, C Anze Kopitar, RW Dustin Brown

LAK scratches: D Joakim Ryan, F Jeff Carter

VGK starters: G Marc-Andre Fleury, D Shea Theodore, D Alec Martinez, LW William Carrier, C Tomas Nosek, RW Ryan Reaves

VGK scratches: D Deryk Engelland, D Jon Merrill, F Mark Stone

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179452 Los Angeles Kings He had several palpable hits during the five-game home stand, and opposing players are noticing him a little bit. He’s impressively logged only four minor penalties this season, but had to fight once in the USHL, “and then I had two, technically three in the minor leagues.” MARCH 1: ROY NOTES; CARTER GETS ON ICE, “BUT IT WOULDN’T BE DEEMED SUCCESSFUL” He’s looking to finish the year strong and credited communication with McLellan and Trent Yawney towards his improving play. “When I play aggressive and assertive, that’s usually when I play my best game. If I kind of sit back and let the game come to me, it makes it a lot harder to JON ROSENMARCH 1, 2020 make plays and defend and check and all that.”

— DeBoer, when asked about an L.A. team that has “undergone A few pre-game notes. changes”: “They’ve undergone changes, but I warned our group, watching them on tape, well-coached, they’re playing fast, they’re playing — The vitals: Cal Petersen gets the nod against Vegas, against whom he really with no pressure, nothing to lose. It’s a dangerous team, and I think stopped 22 of 25 in a 4-3 overtime win at T-Mobile Arena on December they’re 5-2 in their last seven games. They’re winning some games 23, 2018. Todd McLellan confirmed there won’t be any other lineup lately. They’re a team that we have to give the proper amount of respect changes, so expect forward groups of Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown, Moore- to, because they can beat anybody, and they have lately.” Lizotte-Lewis, Kempe-Vilardi-Frk and Prokhorkin-Amadio-Wagner and defensive pairs of Hutton-Doughty, Anderson-Roy and MacDermid- — Jeff Carter (lower-body) got on the ice today, “and it wouldn’t be Walker. deemed successful.” He’s listed as “day-to-day,” but this is now the second time he hasn’t had a positive skate, per McLellan. — Their vitals: — Tonight’s officials are referees Garrett Rank and Steve Kozari and Defense pairs linesmen Michael Cormier and Mark Chewchyk. More to come from T- Mobile Arena, Insiders. Let’s talk soon. McNabb-Schmidt LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.02.2020 Martinez-Theodore

Holden-Whitecloud

Extra: Merrill-Engelland

#VegasBorn

— David Schoen (@DavidSchoenLVRJ) March 1, 2020

— Today’s another good test for Mikey Anderson – as well as the entire LA Kings group against a Vegas team vying for a franchise-record ninth straight wins. Only once have the Kings won nine straight – in January and February, 2010 – and though Mark Stone and Alex Tuch are out with lower-body injuries and Tomas Nosek may be a game-time decision, L.A. faces an steep challenge against a McLellan noted for making opponents compete for every inch of the ice and minimizing rush chances against.

The Kings and Golden Knights last met six days prior to Gerard Gallant’s dismissal, and since the players have gotten a good handle of Peter DeBoer’s systems, Vegas’ penalty kill – the “structure, the forecheck” – has improved significantly, according to McLellan. “We call it the washing machine. It’s a technical term that we use for the end zone play. They’ve been doing that significantly different and I guess much better. They’ve been getting some really good results.”

— Back to Anderson. Another test, one in a new building and without last change – but in which the rookie’s adrenaline should still be high.

“I get a better indication of really what they’re going to be 10 or 12, 15 periods into a recall,” McLellan said. “His game was really good yesterday afternoon. Moved pucks well, defended well, made simple plays. Not a lot of risk in his game, which was fine. He created some offensive chances.”

“He’s got a bright future. Is he completely ready? I don’t know, we’ll find out over the next so many games over the recall.”

— Regarding Vilardi, slated to play in his 16th, 17th and 18th periods of the season and with an adrenaline supply that probably isn’t at the same “cloud nine” level some eight seconds into his first shift, there was a call to continue to work on his pace and his engine. This will be an important summer for him to continue to feel healthy and establish a conditioning baseline that he can meet, surpass, and use to build consistency as compared to prior off-seasons in which he was expending energy to get healthy. “If you don’t come in with a good base to train, its hard to make it up through the year,” McLellan said.

— Matt Roy, on whether he’s beginning to notice that he’s getting under some opponents’ skin: “I mean, I guess sometimes. I don’t know if I’ve just been flying under the radar all year because I’m a new guy and the guys don’t really know much about me. But hopefully I am making that impression on them and frustrating them. Hopefully when they come play us, they see my name on the lineup and hopefully they don’t want to play against me, so that’s what I’m trying to do.” 1179453 Los Angeles Kings second thought to throwing himself in front of those situations. That type of attitude, I think, is contagious. If you see with two Stanley Cups and a veteran guy out there doing that, you hope that bleeds through the group.” THIS IS GOING TO GET A BIT COMPLICATED. “NOT TO SOUND BLUNT, BUT IT’S IN THE PAST.” I had a bunch of interesting conversations at the Golden Knights’ Summerlin practice facility today and in recent chats with members of the Kings. There’s no way to get a real feel for a team or an energy by spending only 20 minutes of open-media time in a dressing room on a JON ROSENMARCH 1, 2020 game day, but nothing, at least at 11:00 a.m., seemed irregular or out of place for Martinez on a game day. He’s a fully integrated Golden Knight who preferred to talk about Theodore, his current defensive partner, Whether measured by statistics, team success or the swiftness in which when asked to weigh in on Matt Roy’s growth. That’s when we were let in he called into question Shea Theodore’s answers in Family Feud – on his Family Feud scouting. “Better than [Zach] Whitecloud, though” – Alec Martinez appears to have (predictably) fit in seamlessly with his new teammates. Winning, of He was having fun; Martinez was happy to say good things to say about course, eases all transitions, and Martinez has won all five games he’s Roy – err, Partner – who’s put together a fine second season influenced played under the crest of the Golden Knights, who in their third year of by the traits Martinez had absorbed from Greene and Willie Mitchell and existence will attempt to do what only one LA Kings team in 53 years has passed on. done: win a ninth consecutive hockey game. “Obviously, Roysie and I had – we still do – a really good friendship. Just Martinez, loosely speaking, has had an opportunity to win nine games the fact that we’re both Michigan guys, we have that commonality,” four different times but has come up empty each time. (The number of Martinez said. “He’s an incredible player, he’s really talented. I said it times he’s had the opportunity to do so speaks to the heights of his from the get-go that he was going to play for a long time. He’s really remarkable career parabola with the club.) With Matt Greene fully steady, he’s a smart player, he does a lot of things well. I guess I tried to recovered from a lower-body injury, Martinez was assigned to AHL- help out him and Walks and Dermie as much as I could, but at the end of Manchester on January 20, 2010 – the very day before L.A. notched the the day, it wasn’t me, it was Roysie that made the plays and has played first of their nine straight wins with a 4-3 shootout win over Buffalo. the way he has, so he’s a good player, a hell of a guy and I’m happy to see him do well.” He jumped out to a 2-0 lead with the Kings in Jonathan Bernier’s first game back at Staples Center in March, 2014, but Bernier suffered a Alec Martinez, on acclimating himself to a new team: lower-body injury and exited the game, and the Maple Leafs completed I think actually, going through this year, changing the system, even just the comeback to end their streak at eight. The following season, he was World Championships, going the past couple years, playing a different injured in an emotional game in Tampa Bay – there have been stories system has kind of helped me. Experience lies in terms of learning how written before and after that game – the last of his minutes in the first of they want certain particular situations played here. But they had a really the team’s eventual eight straight wins. Two seasons ago, as the Kings good thing going here before I was even here. So, I just pick my spots raced out to a hot start under John Stevens, he appeared in all eight wins and obviously stay probably relatively quiet at the beginning, and if bridging November and December, 2017. there’s anything I can say to individual guys. I mean, they’ve been Martinez is again on a Very Good Team and is building towards an helping me out a ton too, just in terms of, well everything from off-ice to opportunity to add to a resume only a very few in the NHL can match. on-ice. They had a really good thing going, so I’m just trying to step I And that’s when it gets just a little bit less rosy. “I know it’s going to be wherever I can to help ‘em win. weird,” he said of facing his former team so soon after his first career Todd McLellan, on Alec Martinez serving as a conduit between the trade. coaches and the team: “I mean, it’ll probably be a little different, but at the end of the day, there Marty was outstanding. The veteran presence, the fact that he’s been are two points on the line. I guess, not to sound blunt, but it’s in the past. through the evolution of a team – he was a young player in the league I want to keep winning. We’re trying to make a push for playoffs, and and had some of the veterans that flanked him, and now he’s giving that every two points matter, and especially right now as tight as it is. To me, I back to his teammates. When we lost him to injury, it hurt our team. guess, it’s another game.” He’ll enter Game 67 on the schedule with two Following his recovery, I think he played some of his best hockey during goals, six points and a plus-five rating in five games as a Golden Knight. the year. So, he meant a lot to the team. We’re really grateful that we had Brayden McNabb is still close with several ex-teammates, but any him. We dearly miss him, but we also wish him well. We’re obviously questions about cutting the cord seemed to have been answered well going to play [Sunday] night to do our best to beat that team, but as it before his violent elbow on Anze Kopitar during the Golden Knights’ 2018 goes forward, we’d like some of our former Kings to do well, play well, sweep. As he shared on Sunday, it’s not quite as black-and-white – that and Marty’s one of ‘em. emotional residue still does exist. “I don’t know if you’ll ever ‘cut the Matt Roy, on Martinez: cord,’” he said. “Hockey-wise, you will, but it’s personal relationships forever, so it’ll always be fun for him. It’s always fun for me when I play Marty, he was great for me. We’re both Michigan guys, so we kind of L.A., so it’ll be fun for him for the rest of his career.” started off with that little bond there. We found out that we kind of have the same humor and a bunch of little things kind of added up, and he In a divisional rivalry, and with Martinez’s gravitation towards his team’s kind of took me under his wing, I guess, and we became great friends, so high-tension (and often blunt-force) moments, things could become much it’s tough seeing him, leave, but I’m glad he’s having so much success more complicated between an organization and the player who provided over there right now in Vegas. maybe its most iconic moment. He’s another type of player who goes to great lengths to give his team the best opportunity to win, whether it Roy, on whether he’s still “Partner”: means stepping in front of slapshots, or, as was the case while he was being scouted, stepping up and fighting Casey Cizikas after his episode That faded away. I’m sure it’ll come back at some point. with Drew Doughty. Peter DeBoer, on how Martinez has handled joining a team’s veteran But also very much “stepping in front of slapshots.” As it was referenced leadership group: with Golden Knights Head Coach Peter DeBoer, Martinez is second in I think when you have good character people, they have a really good the NHL in blocks since joining his new club. “I think that when we feel for how much to push and how much to jump in, and I think his acquired him, that was one of the things that Crim (General Manager resume speaks for itself. He’s got tremendous respect in the room. Kelly McCrimmon) and George (President of Hockey Operations George Multiple Stanley Cups. But he’s also a good guy, he’s easy to be around, McPhee) really liked about him and the pro scouting reports we had on he’s easy to talk to, and every day he’s around here he gets more him,” DeBoer said. comfortable taking on some of that leadership stuff. “A lot of times you get a veteran guy, some guys will do it earlier in their DeBoer, on whether Martinez’s biggest contributions have been career or when they’re desperate and when they get a little bit older, they defensively: don’t want to do it anymore. This is part of his DNA. He puts his equipment on, the puck drops and he’s going to sacrifice and there’s no No, that’s been a small piece. He’s moved pucks for us, he’s defended well, he’s added a really nice offensive element to our game that I knew he had. It wasn’t that long ago – three, four years ago – that he had put up 30, 40 points in this league and played on the power play, so that was always there, and it’s nice that we’re seeing some of that again.

Brayden McNabb, on what he’d shared with Martinez upon learning they’d be teammates again:

There was obviously a bunch of rumors kind of going around, and usually when that happens, for the most part it’s true. Yeah, we were texting back and forth, and he was asking questions about living stuff, and I just wanted to help him out as much as I could, and when it finally got announced, I was pretty excited. I know he has mixed emotions, for sure, but he was excited to come here at the end of the day. He’s been awesome for us, so we’re happy to have him.

McNabb, on Martinez’s quick integration:

Honestly, I don’t know if it took a day. It took 10 minutes, maybe. He’s a great team guy and he’s very easy to get along with with everyone. So, yeah, I was thinking that to myself, actually. It feels like he’s been here all year already. I think it’s been a smooth transition for him.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179454 Los Angeles Kings

GOOD MORNING, LAS VEGAS

JON ROSENMARCH 1, 2020

Good morning, Las Vegas, and good morning, Insiders.

Oh, hey, what a surprise! It’s Vegas on the second night of a back-to- back. With tonight’s game, Los Angeles will have played in Vegas six times, in the regular season, at least, all on the return legs of back-to- back sets. (They’ve won three of five thus far.) This is partially because the Golden Knights play a Friday-Sunday home schedule, but also because inner-division, regional scheduling comes last when assembling 82 games – it’s why L.A. often faces San Jose, Anaheim, Arizona and Vegas when one of the teams (or both) played the previous night.

No bigs! Not a complaint. Those NHL markets are also the only cities conveniently within a reasonable day’s drive from Las Vegas, which, let’s face it, is much better than being a reasonable day’s drive from Atlantic City, or, I don’t know, the George Washington Bridge Off Track Betting parlor.

Have you ever been to Atlantic City? It’s not great! LAKI’s Good Morning series tries not to poke a stick, and almost always succeeds. (One team didn’t love this one, but Ralph Strangis very much did.) Anyway, it’s a good conversation topic. What were your impressions of Atlantic City? Have you ever been to Macau? What’s Macau like? Monte Carlo? Let us all compare the world’s most acclaimed gaming loci, from Windsor to Reno.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179455 Minnesota Wild In recent years, even when the Wild was efficient offensively, it was usually because of puck possession, or gritty goals, or puck movement. Parise was both the best and most quintessential Wild forward, as a player who produced points by driving to the net and playing Perhaps a certain former Wild GM was right about Kevin Fiala after all percentages.

Fiala is more artistic, more talented, more — are we allowed to say this about a Wild player? — fun. MARCH 2, 2020 — 1:11AM Just in case the Wild never gets around to sending that card, let me offer JIM SOUHAN the appropriate sentiment:

Thanks, Paul Fenton. The Wild would have been unwatchable if you The Wild is in the playoff race largely because of Kevin Fiala, which hadn’t made that deal. leaves the franchise in the awkward position of owing a thank-you note to Star Tribune LOADED: 03.02.2020 He Who No One Wants to Name.

That’s right: Paul Fenton.

As general manager, Fenton worked quickly to become the least popular employee in Wild history. He also traded Mikael Granlund to Nashville for Fiala, in one of the best trades in franchise history.

Maybe a more experienced GM would have gotten a draft pick added to the trade, but a different GM might not have had the insight into Fiala that Fenton did as a former evaluator for the Predators. The day he traded for Fiala, Fenton called him “electric,’’ and Fiala is currently keeping the lights on for the Wild.

Minnesota has been looking for a player like Fiala since construction began on the Xcel Energy Center. Fenton landed him for a small center who, in the grand tradition of the Wild, struggles to score goals.

Sunday night, Fiala continued his scoring binge, adding another goal and assist in the Wild’s 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals in what at times felt like a personal duel with the great Alex Ovechkin.

“That was fun,’’ Fiala said, after offering the required lamentations about a loss. “It was very fun. A great game, a great experience.’’

The Wild’s all-time leading scorer is Mikko Koivu, whose primary flaw has always been a lack of goal-scoring ability.

Koivu has 271 more points than No. 2 on the list, Marian Gaborik, who played in Minnesota for just eight seasons. No. 3 is Zach Parise, who is in his eighth season in Minnesota.

No. 4 is Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and No. 5 is defensive-minded defenseman Ryan Suter.

The best wrist shot in franchise history belongs to Gaborik, who also owns the best breakaway speed. The best slapshot belongs to Brian Rolston. Parise is the best net-front mechanic, and Bouchard ranks among the best stickhandlers.

Before Fiala, Gaborik was the Wild’s most talented and dynamic player, but he did most of his damage on breakaways. He rarely did what Fiala routinely does: Take a puck, weave through three players and pick a corner.

Gaborik also rarely blasted away from distance, as Fiala did when he scored with a slapshot on the power play in the first period on Sunday.

That was Fiala’s 20th goal of the season. He has 21 points and 11 goals in the past 14 games. He has scored a goal in four straight and in six of his past seven games.

“Every night, he’s bringing it,’’ said interim coach Dean Evason. “We’ve talked a lot about his maturity level, and he’s engaged in every game, in practices with teammates he’s playing such good hockey and at a very crucial time.’’

Fiala is scoring beautiful goals. This is a sight to which Wild fans are unaccustomed.

Sunday night, the Wild took a quick 1-0 lead on a goal by Ryan Donato, and then the Capitals scored three straight, including two on Ovechkin slapshots.

Just when the Wild looked outclassed, the lefthanded-shooting Fiala offered a mirror image to the righthanded Ovechkin, driving a rising shot past Capitals goalie Braden Holtby.

Koivu has always been stoic, at best. Gaborik seemed shy. Fiala is not only becoming the most entertaining player in Wild history — but he behaves as if the trappings of potential stardom are a gift, not a curse. 1179456 Minnesota Wild

Wild comes up empty-handed in well-played 'playoff game' vs. Capitals

By Sarah McLellan MARCH 1, 2020 — 11:30PM

At the end of a busy week in which it had already played three games in four nights, the Wild could have sagged Sunday – especially against the leading Capitals, a rested squad that had been waiting for the Wild since a 3-0 loss in Winnipeg on Thursday.

But the team didn’t limp into this matchup.

It rolled out one of its most entertaining, charged performances of the season – the upside for the group in a narrow 4-3 loss that kept it out of a playoff position.

“It felt like a playoff game,” winger Kevin Fiala said. “We were fighting from the start to the end.”

Although the Wild didn’t get the results, its effort was certainly at the level that usually does merit points.

The players started on time, peppering Washington with shots early and establishing a lead. And even when it fell behind, the push to catch up was there.

What hurt, though, was the 3 minutes, 38 seconds in the first where the Capitals blitzed the Wild for three goals – one of which came during a 5- on-3 power play.

Other than that, the Wild was mostly even with a team that’s expected to contend for the Stanley Cup.

“It was very intense,” interim coach Dean Evason said. “We liked how our group was engaged in the game. Obviously, they were. They played, I guess, stronger defensively than we anticipated. They are good obviously in all three zones, but they got the puck out of their zone quickly. It was a very intense hockey game. We were engaged, for sure.”

These two teams play one more time, in the second-to-last game of the regular season, and it’ll be interesting to see then where superstar Alex Ovechkin is at in his push to catch Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record.

Ovechkin buried Nos. 702 and 703 Sunday to boast 17 goals in 17 career games against the Wild.

“They got a guy that has over 700 goals and when he gets the puck, he gets chances,” goalie Alex Stalock said. “He's gonna make good shots.”

Despite not gaining any points, the Wild is still in a solid position going into Tuesday’s battle with the Predators.

Nashville has just one game at-hand, but it’ll burn that Monday vs. Edmonton. The Predators are only one point ahead of the Wild, like the Coyotes and Jets, but they currently own the second wild card spot.

“The next one is big obviously,” Evason said. “Looking forward to it. We just have to keep playing. We have to be a predictable hockey club as far as that's how we play every night, and teams hopefully will expect that from us and we'll expect it from ourselves.”

To prepare, the Wild will practice at 11 a.m. Monday and don’t be surprised if Fiala receives some recognition that day.

Fiala capped off his week with four goals and nine points, a league-best surge points-wise that could culminate in him being recognized as one of the stars of the week after he wasn’t named a star for the month of February despite registering 19 points.

Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and the New York Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad had more points, and Boston’s David Pastrnak had the same point total but more game-winning goals.

“Every night he’s bringing it,” Evason said.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179457 Minnesota Wild The same can be said for the Wild the last week, even amid this defeat. And that has made the next game the most meaningful to date this

season. Opportunity to occupy playoff spot eludes Wild in 4-3 loss to Capitals “If we play like that, most nights we’re going to be successful,” Foligno said. “It’s tough to lose this where we know we could’ve jumped in there and climbed up a little bit quicker. But we still have the belief of getting in By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MARCH 1, 2020 — 11:55PM there.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.02.2020 The Wild had a chance to leapfrog three teams and nab a playoff spot for the first time in nearly three months, and it whiffed.

But a hard-fought, 4-3 loss to the high-flying Capitals on Sunday in front of 17,388 at Xcel Energy Center at the end of a four-game, six-night week wasn’t a setback.

It actually vindicated the 5-2 run that’s pushed the team to the doorstep of the second wild-card seed and proved the Wild is ready for its most significant test to date — a Tuesday clash with Nashville, which has one more point than the Wild for that final berth in the Western Conference.

Winnipeg and Arizona also have 72 points, one ahead of the Wild.

“We’re right there, for sure,” interim coach Dean Evason said. “We’re right there and we believe that 100 percent we do the right things, we’ll have a chance.”

A three-goal letdown in 3 minutes, 38 seconds during the first period put the Wild in a hole that expanded before the team could reach equilibrium despite a spirited effort.

Two of those Washington tallies belonged to captain Alex Ovechkin, who moved closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record by burying Nos. 702 and 703. Ovechkin also added an assist.

Still, the Wild was pesky and didn’t let its three-game win streak break easily.

“We did a lot of good things in this hockey game against, clearly, a really good hockey club,” Evason said. “We showed that we were right there.”

It was actually the Capitals who were chasing first, as Ryan Donato sneaked a wraparound past goalie Braden Holtby only 3:01 into the first. The goal was Donato’s third in his past four games.

But the tide started to turn on Washington’s first power play, which morphed into a 5-on-3 after goalie Alex Stalock took a self-described “stupid” high-sticking penalty. They were the Capitals’ only two looks with the man advantage. Ovechkin capitalized with his patented one-timer at 7:21.

Later, Washington’s Richard Panik flew down an open flank and wired the puck by Stalock at 10:28. And on the very next shift, just 31 seconds after Panik’s goal, another Ovechkin one-timer doubled the Capitals’ cushion.

“Misplays by us,” Marcus Foligno said. “… Some turnovers and not being close enough to the guy.”

But the Wild didn’t look discouraged, and it ended the period within a goal after Kevin Fiala hurled a shot through traffic on the power play at 13:13. The goal was Fiala’s 20th, making him the third Swiss-born player to reach the 20-goal plateau in multiple seasons. Fiala had a career-best 23 in 2017-18.

“We want to play with a lead,” Fiala said. “So, it’s a tough one. But we played hard.”

In the third, the Wild’s deficit became deeper when Tom Wilson converted an Ovechkin pass 40 seconds into the frame.

That goal stung the Wild because with 7:07 to go, Zach Parise sent a Fiala feed by Holtby — the Wild’s second power-play goal in four tries and Parise’s team-leading 23rd goal. Holtby made 37 saves on 40 shots.

“They worked hard, really hard,” Holtby said. “[Evason’s] got them buzzing over there.”

Fiala capped his week with four goals and a league-high nine points; he’s up to 21 in his past 14 games, a span that has included 11 goals. He has multiple points in a career-high four straight games.

“He’s playing such good hockey at a very crucial time,” Evason said. 1179458 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Washington game recap

MARCH 1, 2020 — 10:07PM

SARAH MCLELLAN

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Alex Ovechkin, Capitals: The captain scored twice and added an assist.

2. Braden Holtby, Capitals: The goalie stopped 37 shots.

3. Kevin Fiala, Wild: The winger capitalized on the power play for his 20th goal of the season and set up another goal.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 GOALS BY THE CAPITALS IN 3 MINUTES, 38 SECONDS.

8 Shot attempts for Wild winger Ryan Donato, who opened the scoring in the first period.

9 Points, including four goals, for Fiala over his past four games.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179459 Minnesota Wild NOTES: With an assist on Parise's goal, Fiala set a career high with 49 points. ... LW Ilya Kovalchuk recorded an assist, his first point in three games with the Capitals. ... This was Washington's last game outside the Eastern time zone. Ovechkin nets pair of goals as Capitals beat Wild 4-3 UP NEXT

Capitals: home against Philadelphia on Wednesday. By MIKE COOK Associated Press MARCH 1, 2020 — 10:45PM Wild: home against Nashville on Tuesday.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.02.2020 ST. PAUL, Minn — Alex Ovechkin scored twice as part of a three-point night and the Washington Capitals ended a season-high four-game road slide by holding off the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Sunday night.

Richard Panik and Tom Wilson also scored, Evgeny Kuznetsov had two assists, and Braden Holtby stopped 37 shots for his fourth straight victory. Washington moved into a tie with Colorado for the league lead with 22 road wins.

"Lots of good things happened tonight, and we'll take the two points on the road," Washington coach Todd Reirden said. "We're definitely a work in progress."

The Capitals have won six straight games at Xcel Energy Center since March 19, 2013.

"I don't know, I think guys get emotional here because lots of guys from here," Ovechkin said. "You can feel it in the locker room. Everybody gets excited and you take the energy from your teammates."

Ryan Donato, Kevin Fiala and Zach Parise scored for the Wild. Alex Stalock made 26 saves, but Minnesota lost for the first time in four games and remains one point behind Nashville, Winnipeg and Arizona for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

"It was really quiet after the game, really disappointed, obviously, that we didn't get the outcome," Wild interim coach Dean Evason said. "I think we believe, and we know we're a good hockey club, and if we bring it every night, then, yeah, we can play with anybody."

It certainly would help to have one of the best players ever.

Ovechkin, who has seven games of at least three points this season, scored twice in a first-period surge that saw Washington turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead in 3 minutes, 38 seconds.

With a two-man advantage, Ovechkin ripped home a slap shot from the top of the left circle, the first power-play goal allowed by Minnesota in 10 games, a span of 21 straight kills.

"They capitalized on their chances," said Stalock, whose high-sticking penalty gave the Capitals a 5-on-3 for 78 seconds. "They got a guy that has over 700 goals and when he gets the puck, he gets chances. He's going to make good shots."

Panik beat Stalock with a wrist shot 3 minutes later, and Ovechkin hammered home a feed from Kuznetsov 31 seconds after that, leading to a chant of "Ovi, Ovi" from the contingent of lower-deck fans at that end of the arena wearing red.

Ovechkin now has 356 career regular-season road goals, surpassing Jaromir Jagr for third-most in league history. Only Wayne Gretzky (402) and Steve Yzerman (362) had more. Ovechkin also passed Phil Esposito for fifth all-time with his 144th career multi-goal game.

Ovechkin's 11 goals in games played March 1 tie Jan. 31 for his most on a calendar day.

Fiala got the Wild within 3-2 before the period ended. He is on an Ovechkin-like run with goals in four straight games and 11 in 14.

"I just try to make it, and right now it's going in," Fiala said. "I'm very happy about that. But it can go the other way, too, so I don't want that."

Wilson made it 4-2 for Washington 40 seconds into the third period on a feed from Ovechkin after Kuznetsov thwarted an attempted clear by Ryan Suter. Wilson has four goals in six games.

"It's a great play from O," Wilson said. "I think it shows what type of teammate he is. He's got the puck right in the slot, chance for a hat trick and he dishes it off."

Parise scored on the power play with 7:07 left. 1179460 Minnesota Wild

Playoff spot up for grabs for Wild in matchup vs. Capitals

By Sarah McLellan MARCH 1, 2020 — 11:21AM

The out-of-town scoreboard was an ally of the Wild’s Saturday night, and now the team has a chance to move into a playoff spot for the first time since Dec.6 with a win Sunday against the Capitals at Xcel Energy Center.

“It would mean a lot,” winger Zach Parise said. “We got some help last night. It hasn’t happened often for us. So, I think it’d mean a lot to finally get into that spot with how hard we’ve worked to get here, to rebound from a slow start to the year. It would mean a lot. The door’s open to keep climbing, too. It’s going to be a fun stretch.”

Not much changed in the Western Conference playoff picture while the Wild was idle Saturday.

Nashville, Calgary and Winnipeg lost in regulation, with Arizona the only team in the wild card mix that won. The Coyotes are now tied with the Jets and Predators at 72 points, but Nashville is in the second wild card seed because it’s played the fewest games. The Wild is just a point behind at 71.

“It would mean we’d have success tonight, and then we’ll see what happens,” interim coach Dean Evason said.

Against Washington, the Wild is expected to roll out the same lineup that swept a two-game road trip in Detroit and Columbus. That means goalie Alex Stalock will make a fourth straight start. He’s 9-2-1 with a 1.91 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and three since Jan.16.

“We’re not worried,” Evason said about Stalock getting fatigued. “These are elite, elite athletes.”

Projected lineup:

Gerald Mayhew-Eric Staal-Kevin Fiala

Marcus Foligno-Alex Galchenyuk-Mats Zuccarello

Zach Parise-Joel Eriksson Ek-Jordan Greenway

Ryan Donato-Mikko Koivu-Ryan Hartman

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba

Brad Hunt-Greg Pateryn

Alex Stalock

Key numbers:

6: Shutouts this season for the Wild, tied for the second most in the NHL.

3: Straight multi-point games for winger Kevin Fiala.

4: Goals in the last five games for defenseman Jared Spurgeon.

4: Games this season in which the Wild has recorded seven-plus goals.

3: Assists for defenseman Jonas Brodin over his last three games.

About the Capitals:

Washington is sitting atop the Metropolitan Division with 84 points, but the Capitals have been up and down of late. They were shut out 3-0 by the Jets Thursday in Winnipeg. Before that, the Capitals had dropped four straight before winning two in a row. Winger Alex Ovechkin’s 43 goals rank third in the NHL. John Carlson’s 72 points pace all defensemen.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179461 Minnesota Wild “We knew we were going to make a push,” Fiala said. “It’s just too bad we had to chase the game.”

Still, as frustrated Wild locker room was after the loss, everyone tried ‘It felt like a playoff game’: Wild hang tough before falling to Capitals their best to look at the big picture.

“We can’t get down,” winger Marcus Foligno said. “If we play like that, most nights we’re going to be successful. It’s tough to lose this where we By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 9:44 p.m. | know we could’ve jumped (into the playoffs) and climbed up a little bit UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 10:47 p.m. quicker. But we still have the belief of getting in there.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.02.2020 It’s probably too late in the season for moral victories.

Yet the Wild falling 4-3 to the Washington Capitals on Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center somehow didn’t feel like a letdown.

Nevermind the fact the Wild could’ve vaulted back into playoff position with a win. The simple fact they pushed the the Capitals to the limit was a good sign as they continue to make their playoff push.

“There was a different buzz in the building,” winger Zach Parise said. “Maybe it’s because we crawled ourselves back into contention. There was a little more excitement in the building. It was a different atmosphere at home than it had been the last few games.”

That feeling resonated throughout the locker room.

“It felt like a playoff game,” winger Kevin Fiala said. “We were fighting from the start to the end and it didn’t go our way.”

After a successful road trip that featured big wins over the lowly Detroit Red Wings and injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets, the Wild returned to the Twin Cities knowing the Capitals would provide a a much tougher test.

And for the most part, the Wild were up to the challenge, grinding it out amid a back-and-forth 60 minutes.

Sure, superstar Alex Ovechkin scored goals No. 702 and 703 to give the Capitals some cushion, and the hard-nosed Tom Wilson scored what proved to be the game-winner.

That said, if the Wild can separate the forest from the trees, they should be able to look back on this game as a blueprint for success over the final month and a half of the season.

“We played a good game,” goaltender Alex Stalock said. “They capitalized on their chances. They got a guy that has over 700 goals and when he gets the puck he gets chance. He’s going to make good shots.”

There was a lot to like about the way the Wild played, starting with winger Ryan Donato got loose on a breakaway a few minutes into the first period, then used a heck of a second effort to score after goaltender Braden Holtby made the initial save.

That lead was short-lived as Ovechkin unleashed a rocket from his office — otherwise known as the left circle of the offensive zone — to tie the game for the Capitals.

Shortly after that, winger Richard Panik gave the Capitals the lead with a snipe off the rush, and Ovechkin finished off the flurry another goal 31 seconds later.

Not to be outdone, Fiala stayed hot to help the Wild cut into the deficit a couple of minutes later, converting on a slap shot from the right circle.

“Every night he’s bringing it,” interim coach Dean Evason said of Fiala, who has 11 goals and 12 assists over his last 20 games. “He’s playing such good hockey at a very crucial time.”

As if that wasn’t enough action, winger Ryan Hartman and defenseman Brenden Dillon dropped the gloves for a heavyweight bout late in the first period, further intensifying the playoff feel of the game.

That chippiness continued into the second period, as both teams were addicted to antics after the whistle, yet neither team was willing to give an inch.

That set the stage for the third period with Wilson scoring early to give the Capitals some much-needed insurance.

Even though Parise scored to make things interesting down the stretch, the Wild couldn’t complete the comeback. 1179462 Minnesota Wild Is the Wild’s interim coach worried about wearing Stalock out? “No,” Evason said. “These are elite, elite athletes.”

BRIEFLY Wild’s Jordan Greenway starting to use his body to his advantage Luke Kunin has been medically cleared and figures to return to the Wild

lineup very soon. He’s missed the past five games with an upper-body By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 7:29 p.m. | injury. UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 7:29 p.m. Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.02.2020

Bob Fletcher: American lives were saved by actions of brave Hmong and Lao. I stand with Rep. McCollum in support of our neighbors.

Wild winger Jordan Greenway undoubtedly has the tools to be a dominant force in the NHL, his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame chief among them.

If only he consistently used that size to his advantage.

That’s something Greenway, 23, so far has struggled to do during his brief career, though it looks like he’s finally starting to figure it out.

Exhibit A is his goal during Thursday’s 7-1 rout of the Red Wings in Detroit. He fought off a host of defenders to dig a puck out from along the boards, then calmly skated into open space before firing a shot into the back of the net.

GOAL. Jordan Greenway fights off half of the Red Wings team and snipes one past Jimmy Howard.

“It was amazing,” teammate Marcus Foligno said. “What a snipe. That’s the Jordan Greenway we all know. That’s the type of player we want.”

For an encore, Greenway added a pair of assists in Friday’s 5-0 win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus.

“He’s a big body that can skate and has a lot of skill,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. “If he plays like that every night, he’s going to have success every night. It’s fun to watch. You can tell he’s having fun out there.”

Ask Greenway about his recent success, though, and he shifts the focus to the team as a whole.

“We have a lot of depth throughout our lineup,” he said. “That pays huge dividends for the team knowing we can rely on all four lines to score when we need it.”

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin recently eclipsed the 700-goal mark for his career, the latest round-number milestone as he continues to close in on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 goals.

If Ovechkin, 34, continues at his career rate for scoring goals, about 47 goals per season over his 15-year career in the NHL, he likely would need to play five more seasons to pass Gretzky.

While that’s far from a sure thing at this point, according to Wild interim coach Dean Evason, the fact that it’s even a race is good thing.

“You hear those elite players — the Gordie Howes and Wayne Gretzkys — and they talk about it’s wonderful to see people challenge their records,” said Evason, who was an assistant coach with the Capitals from 2005-12. “I think there’s no question it’s healthy for our great game.”

Looking back on his seven seasons with the Capitals, the biggest things Evason remembered about Ovechkin was his joy for the game, and of course, his unparalleled slap shot.

“Did I see him scoring goals? Sure,” Evason said. “To the rate that he is? I don’t know. He can shoot the puck clearly as well as anybody that’s ever played the game.”

STALOCK STILL IN NET

Alex Stalock made his fourth consecutive start in the Wild goal in Sunday’s game against the Capitals. He entered the night with an 18-9-4 record, 2.60 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. He has a 9-2-1 record over his past 12 starts.

“I think everybody on our team is making it easy for us to stick with (the same) everything,” Evason said. “We have played well. We have played as a team. We certainly need to keep doing that.” 1179463 Minnesota Wild “We competed hard just like we had been for the last while,” Parise said. “Couple mistakes and they’re probably the most dangerous team off the rush in the league. They capitalized. And they get the 5-on-3 goal.”

‘You just can’t do that with that team’: Four-minute slip-up burns Wild vs. The 5-on-3 goal came after Stalock compounded a Pateryn tripping Caps minor by extending his stick horizontally to his left crossbar-high in an attempt to buy time and maybe direct traffic.

T.J. Oshie skated right into the blade for a high-sticking penalty. By Michael Russo 3h ago “I gave them a chance on the 5-on-3, stupid penalty,” Stalock said. “No reason you really need to stick your stick out. Just trying to buy time, but I guess it catches him in the face. Puts a scary 5-on-4 unit 5-on-3 and No doubt, when the Wild look back during Monday’s video session on gives them life and from there they went bang-bang. We recovered, we Sunday’s missed opportunity to at least temporarily move into a playoff came back, and we played hard, but you just can’t do that with that team. spot for the first time in nearly three months, they’ll see how quickly a game can go pear-shaped if they even briefly lose focus during these “They’ve got a guy that has over 700 goals and when he gets the puck, final five weeks of critical contests. he gets chances. He’s gonna make good shots. Giving them a 5-on-3 is bad.” “Just kind of comes down to the first period, right?” Marcus Foligno said after the Wild suffered a 4-3 loss in a hard-fought, entertaining and very Panik and Ovechkin would quickly make it 3-1 until Kevin Fiala drew the intense game against the Washington Capitals. first of two penalties in the game. Both times Fiala drew calls, the Wild scored power-play goals. To answer Foligno’s rhetorical question, correct … and the Wild learned a harsh lesson. The first time, it was Fiala who whistled a one-timer off Jared Spurgeon’s tee-up. The second time, in the third period, Fiala dipsy-doodled Wilson A 1-0 lead turned into a 3-1 deficit in less than four minutes of the first off his skates out of the zone to set up Parise’s crashing goal, his 23rd. period because the Wild gifted 700-goal scorer Alex Ovechkin a 5-on-3 The Wild pulled within one goal both times but could never buy that tying and a subsequent 3-on-1 rush because of a neutral-zone breakdown. goal. Add in another mistake that led to a goal Alex Stalock probably would want back by Richard Panik and the Wild were forced to chase a game “We were fighting from the start to the end,” Fiala said. “It didn’t go our against the Stanley Cup winners of two years ago. way.”

What was so disappointing is the Capitals have been beatable lately and Fiala, who missed out on being one of February’s Stars of the Month on the Wild certainly played good enough to win. Sunday, should be a cinch to win Player of the Week on Monday. He registered four multi-point games, notching four goals and five assists. In The effort was there. So were large chunks of quality play, including his past 14 games, Fiala has 11 goals and 21 points, including eight three goals and 40 shots directed at super-sharp Braden Holtby before multi-point games. the Wild’s comeback attempt fell short. “Every night he’s bringing it,” Evason said. “We’ve talked a lot about his “We can’t be too discouraged,” said Ryan Donato, who opened the maturity level. He’s engaged in every game, practices with his scoring three minutes in on a wraparound. “But we also can’t afford too teammates. He’s playing such good hockey at a very crucial time.” many losses to have a chance to make the playoffs.” One guy not doing that is Mats Zuccarello. Just like Bruce Boudreau The Wild, still sitting behind ninth-place Winnipeg and 10th-place before, Evason is having a hard time finding Zuccarello a home in the Arizona, remain a point back of a playoff spot. lineup. His line with Foligno and Alex Galchenyuk was the ultimate high- The Wild have reacted well to losses before, and this was only their risk line on this night. They turned over way too many pucks, and second defeat in the past seven games. They’ll certainly work to rebound Zuccarello was one of the biggest guilty parties. during Tuesday’s first of three remaining meetings against the Nashville He has no goals, five assists and 13 shots in the past 14 games and Predators, the division rival who is currently occupying the eighth and keeps passing up shots, especially of the point-blank variety. final playoff spot in the West. Another veteran who struggled Sunday was Eric Staal. He looked to There’s no doubt though that the Wild are going to have to shore up come out of his recent slumber with goals against Columbus and Detroit, some areas. but he no doubt reverted against the Capitals. The Capitals, who spent the previous three days R&Ring in the Twin But there were plenty of strong efforts. Cities, pre-scouted Stalock admirably because they placed pucks perfectly in the offensive zone. They knew the Wild’s most dangerous In 10 minutes, 33 seconds of ice time, Donato scored his 14th goal and “defenseman” on many nights is the Wild’s puck-handling master of a in 14 shifts had four shots, another four attempted, four hits and a goaltender, yet as coach Dean Evason astutely noted after the game, takeaway. There are 163 players with at least 14 goals in the NHL. None Stalock didn’t have nearly the touches as he had during his recent hot has logged anywhere close to as low as Donato’s average of 10:38 a streak because the Caps dumped pucks outside of the trapezoid where game. goalies can play pucks or just within it. Donato’s goal was the seventh in the past five games from the fourth That meant the Wild defensemen were under a lot more pressure coming line. out of the zone, so that coupled with the fact that the Wild’s forwards were springing out of the Wild end way too fast and often, the Wild’s blue Donato’s linemate, Ryan Hartman, played another hard-nosed game, liners coughed up a lot of pucks because they didn’t have outs. was aggressive on the forecheck and dropped the gloves with much bigger Brenden Dillon. Matt Dumba and Greg Pateryn had very tough games. Banged-up Jonas Brodin had a rare off night. Brad Hunt was exploited during late-game “It’s two big teams,” Foligno said. “I think Hartsy did a great job stepping shifts when assistant coach Bob Woods tried to give the offensive up. We had some good hits and they had some hits, too. It was a good defenseman extra shifts as the Wild pressed for the tying goal. And Ryan hockey game. That’s what you’re going to expect from now until the end Suter, who has been outstanding the past month, couldn’t push the puck of the season. It’s going to have emotions and it’s going to be like that for out of the zone in advance of Tom Wilson’s winning goal early in the third the next (17) games.” period. It was a tense battle, the type of game we strangely often see from these That goal — one Stalock also would want back — was a killer because it two non-rivals from different conferences. gave the Capitals that ever-important two-goal lead. It proved huge once Ovechkin opined that it may have something to do with the fact Caps Zach Parise pulled the Wild to within one again with his 12th power-play teammates Oshie, Nick Jensen and Nic Dowd are from Minnesota. goal, which is tied for third in the NHL. “I think guys get emotional here because lots of guys from here,” Ovechkin said. “You can feel it in the locker room. Everybody gets excited and you take the energy from your teammates.” For the Wild, it certainly felt like a playoff atmosphere. It was a heavy game, there were some hold-your-breath stretches and lots of anxious groans from the fans as they rooted the Wild on late in the game.

“There was a different buzz in the building, I felt like,” Parise said. “Maybe it’s because we crawled ourselves back into contention. There was a little more excitement in the building. It was a different atmosphere at home than it had been the last few games.”

And that’ll need to continue Tuesday with the Predators coming to town.

“It’s going to be the biggest game of the year yet,” said Fiala, the ex- Pred.

“It’s crunch time now and we have to have that same energy that we’ve had the last few games,” Parise said. “You feel like it’s going to come down head-to-head against those guys.”

Evason looks back fondly at time with Ovi

Evason, a longtime former Capitals’ assistant coach, got to see two more goals of Ovechkin’s now 703 in his Hall of Fame career.

“I was very fortunate to go there the same year that he came in, so I saw him for eight years from the first time he got to the NHL,” Evason said Sunday morning. “And what’s so great about Alexander Ovechkin is his excitement for the game. He’s like a little kid. He’s so excited to play hockey and works so hard. It was a pleasure. So much fun. His energy just gives you energy.”

Evason coached the penalty kill during Ovechkin’s time in Washington.

“He always asked, ‘How come I can’t play the PK?’ He’d come to you all the time. All the time,” Evason said.

Evason would always tell him the Capitals didn’t want him to risk injury by blocking shots.

“He wanted to be on the ice all the time,” Evason said. “I always remember how aerobically he could recover from a shift.”

Evason said sarcastically that sometimes Ovechkin’s shifts can be long, “but he would come off and he would look up and want to go back on 10, 15 seconds later. That’s a gift.”

Ovechkin now has 17 goals in 17 all-time meetings with the Wild.

Kunin getting closer

Luke Kunin, who missed the past five games with an upper-body injury, has been medically cleared to return.

He took part in Sunday’s morning skate and pregame warmups. That’s likely an indication he could be back in the lineup against the Predators.

Regardless, Evason said Kunin will definitely be on the team’s upcoming three-game trip to California.

When Kunin returns, Gerry Mayhew, who didn’t record a point in four games on the top line, would likely be pulled out of the lineup and perhaps even be reassigned to Iowa. …

Since Nov. 19, Suter is fifth among NHL defensemen with 30 assists and 35 points.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179464 Nashville Predators

Push comes to shove in Predators' controversial loss to Avalanche

Paul Skrbina, Published 8:29 a.m. CT March 1, 2020

The Predators' push came down to a shove Saturday.

The shove resulted in a goalie-interference penalty. The penalty resulted in no goal from Dante Fabbro.

It all added up to a 3-2 loss to the Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena. The Avalanche's franchise record-tying eighth straight victory on the road and sixth straight victory overall wasn't without controversy.

Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov shoved Colin Blackwell into goalie Pavel Francouz at 16:46 of the third period, not long after Viktor Arvidsson cut his team's deficit to 2-1 and right after Fabbro scored what would have been the tying goal.

Officials waved off the score because of the penalty. Because of the penalty, the play wasn't reviewable and the Predators lost at least the point they would have likely gained had the game gone to overtime.

The Avalanche quickly scored an empty-net goal and the Predators, who had won three in a row, left home empty-handed.

Predators coach John Hynes was of the opinion that his opinion of the explanation he received didn't matter.

"It doesn’t really matter if I’m satisfied because the call is what it is," Hynes said. "I can disagree or not, but it’s over now. I think you have to understand what happens in those situations and how to be able to respond. I don’t think my opinion of the call really matters at this point."

Hynes didn't say he agreed with the call.

Defenseman Roman Josi took the middle road when asked about the call, as did Matt Duchene, who referred to it as "one off those weird plays."

"It's tough sometimes," Josi said. "I only looked at it once, but I think goalie interference sometimes is tough because as a d-man, you kind of push the guy into the goalie sometimes. I think Colin was just going to the net and he kind of got pushed into the goalie. He definitely didn't mean to hit the goalie, so it's a tough decision sometimes and it's hard if you can’t watch it a couple times on the video."

Arvidsson was a bit more outspoken about the sequence.

"It’s a questionable call," he said. "Too bad it didn’t go our way. We just have to (regroup) and get ready for Edmonton (on Monday)."

The Predators remained in the second wild-card spot by virtue of the Jets' 3-2 loss against the Oilers on Saturday. The Predators, Jets and Coyotes each have 72 points, but the Predators have games in hand on both teams.

Still, that one point could wind up being crucial to the Predators' playoff hopes.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said he didn't bother to watch the replay because he assumed no goal would be awarded because of the penalty.

"I just saw their guy (Colin Blackwell) going over top of Frankie right as the goal was going into net, so I was assuming it was going to be no goal," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "Once I seen them wave no goal, it wasn't my challenge to make anyway. If I needed time to look at it after the fact, I can do that."

Tennessean LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179465 New Jersey Devils

Cory Schneider records shutout, Pavel Zacha scores 2 in Devils’ win over Ducks

Updated 10:40 PM; Today 10:38 PM

By Chris Ryan

The last time the Devils skated at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, Cory Schneider’s teammates did not make life easy on him.

Three own goals on Schneider paved the way for the Anaheim Ducks to eventually earn a 6-5 shootout win during the 2018-19 season.

With Schneider back in net at Honda Center on Sunday, things went much differently.

Schneider stopped all 34 shots he faced, earning his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Ducks.

The Devils scored one goal in each period to support Schneider in his second victory of the season. The Devils also matched a season high by recording at least one point in six straight games — they are 4-0-2 in that stretch.

Pavel Zacha provided the first two goals for the Devils, with both coming on power plays off assists from Jesper Bratt.

Bratt set up the first goal at 17:06 of the first period when he drove down the right wall and toward the back of the net before dropping a pass in front of the crease to Zacha on the left side, where he hit an open goal.

Bratt completed a similar pass to Zacha at 3:48 of the second period, hitting the center in the left circle for his second of the game. Nikita Gusev picked up a secondary assist on the play to extend his point streak to six games.

However, Zacha played just one shift in the third period and was absent from the bench at the end of the game.

The Ducks got back-to-back power plays while pressing to get on the board in the third period, but moments after killing them off, Nico Hischier gave the Devils a 3-0 lead by tipping a Connor Carrick shot into net.

Next up

The Devils will finish their five-game road trip with a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. They will return home to play the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

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Star Ledger LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179466 New Jersey Devils Ryan Miller got the start against the Devils in the first matchup. Miller allowed three goals on 20 shots against (.850). John Gibson is a career 4-1-0, posting a 1.87 GAA against the Devils.

Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Ducks (3/1/20) | Defenseman Josh Jacobs The Devils are 0-3-1 at Honda Center and 3-4-1 overall against the making season debut Ducks since the 2015-16 season. New Jersey’s last win at Honda Center was Nov. 20, 2013.

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.02.2020 Posted Mar 01, 2020

By Chris Ryan

Defenseman Josh Jacobs will make his 2019-20 NHL debut when the Devils continue their Western Conference road trip against the Anaheim Ducks at 8 p.m. Eastern at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Jacobs, who appeared in his only NHL game last season, will take the place of Fredrik Claesson, who will miss the game with an injury.

Jesper Boqvist, who was recalled to the team on Saturday, will not play against the Ducks. Boqvist was called with a couple forwards dealing with minor injury issues, but everyone else will be ready to play Sunday.

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Here’s how the Devils will line up against the Ducks.

FORWARDS

Jack Hughes - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri

Jesper Bratt - Pavel Zacha - Nikita Gusev

Miles Wood - Travis Zajac - Joey Anderson

Kevin Rooney - Michael McLeod - John Hayden

DEFENSEMEN

Mirco Mueller - P.K. Subban

Dakota Mermis - Damon Severson

Josh Jacobs - Connor Carrick

GOALIES

Starter: Cory Schneider

Backup: Mackenzie Blackwood

SCRATCHES

F: Jesper Boqvist

D: Will Butcher (upper body, out for road trip); Fredrik Claesson (injured)

Here are more game notes via the Devils:

Today’s contest marks the second and final contest between New Jersey and Anaheim in the 2019-20 regular season series. The Devils defeated the Ducks in the first contest on Dec. 18, to take a 1-0-0 (2PTS) regular season series lead. The club opens up March play after finishing 7-3-4 (18 PTS) in February, marking their best month of the 2019-20 season.

In the first tilt, the Devils defeated the Ducks, 3-1. New Jersey was 2-2 on the penalty kill and 1-4 on the power play in the early December contest. The Ducks outshot the Devils, 27-20. The club looks to improve their 6-4- 3 record (2-2-2 road) against Pacific Division opponents.

New Jersey concludes their 13th of 16 sets of back-to-back play this season. The club looks to improve their 5-6-1 record in second games.

Kyle Palmieri (1G) and Nico Hischier (1G) lead the club in goals against the Kings this year with one a piece. Jesper Bratt (1A), Nikita Gusev (1A), Will Butcher (1A) and Jack Hughes (1A) lead the Devils in assists through one game played.

Mackenzie Blackwood got the start stopping 26 of 27 shots against (.962) in 60 minutes of action. Blackwood looks to improve his 6-3-2 record against Pacific Division opponents this season. Cory Schneider is a career 6-4-0 against Anaheim, posting a 2.66 in 15 games played.

Former Devil, Adam Henrique notched the lone goal for the Ducks, 3.33 into the opening frame, assisted by Ondrej Kase and Cam Fowler. Henrique’s tuck marked his 10th of the season. 1179467 New Jersey Devils

Devils interview ex-Canucks executive Mike Gillis for GM job

Posted Mar 01, 2020

By Chris Ryan

When the Devils fired general manager Ray Shero in January, managing partner Josh Harris said the team would use the following weeks and months to conduct an extensive search for his replacement.

That process has reportedly started.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Devils interviewed former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis for the opening. Gillis is not currently on the staff of any NHL team, so interviewing him did not need to wait until the offseason.

Gillis, 61, was GM of the Canucks from 2008 through 2014 before being fired following the end of the 2013-14 regular season. His team missed the playoffs that season, but the Canucks qualified each of the previous five campaigns, including a Stanley Cup Final berth in 2010-11. Gillis also played six NHL seasons before retiring in 1984.

Interviewing Gillis does not change the future outlook for current Devils interim GM Tom Fitzgerald, who received high marks around the league for his work at the NHL trade deadline last month.

When Fitzgerald was promoted after Shero’s dismissal, Harris said Fitzgerald would be given serious consideration to be the next full-time GM, even as a wide-sweeping search was conducted.

Friedman reported the process to name the next Devils general manager will last into the offseason.

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Star Ledger LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179468 New Jersey Devils

Devils drop Ducks to stay hot behind rare Cory Schneider shutout

By Associated PressMarch 1, 2020 | 11:22pm | Updated

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Pavel Zacha scored two power-play goals, Cory Schneider made 34 saves for his first shutout in more than a year, and the Devils beat the Ducks 3-0 on Sunday night.

Nico Hischier had a goal, Nikita Gusev had an assist to extend his point streak to six games, and the Devils extended their streak of games earning a point to six. New Jersey is 4-0-2 in that span, matching a 3-0-3 stretch from Jan. 27-Feb. 8 as its longest of the season.

Schneider’s shutout was the 26th of his career, and his first since Feb. 21, 2019, against Ottawa.

“He looks really comfortable back there, and we try to help him as much as we can,” Hischier said of Schneider. “And he helps us with big saves, with not giving up much rebounds, so he’s been outstanding.”

John Gibson made 31 saves for the Ducks, who could not put together their second three-game winning streak of the season after beating Edmonton on Tuesday and Pittsburgh on Friday.

Zacha gave the Devils a 2-0 lead at 3:48 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left circle. It was Zacha’s second multi-goal game of the season and fourth of his career.

“Both (power-play goals) came off the rush,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “We just had missed reads, stick in the wrong position. … So, honest mistakes, but this is an unforgiving league.”

Gusev had the secondary assist, giving him two goals and seven assists during his point streak.

Hischier tipped Connor Carrick’s shot to make it 3-0 with 6:04 left in the third period.

Zacha put the Devils up 1-0 with 2:54 remaining in the first, charging in at the left circle for a one-timer off Jesper Bratt’s pass from behind the net to end an 11-game scoreless streak.

“They obviously have chemistry now,” Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine said of Zacha and Bratt. “They feel good, they feel confident, and you can clearly see that.”

New York Post LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179469 New York Islanders

Coach Barry Trotz says Islanders' Casey Cizikas should resume skating soon

By Andrew Gross

Updated March 1, 2020 10:11 PM

Barry Trotz offered a glimmer of hope regarding what more his Islanders need in their lineup in this playoff push.

Key fourth-line center Casey Cizikas (left leg laceration) has not resumed skating yet, but the coach expects that to happen “soon.”

The Islanders, who were off on Sunday and host the Canadiens on Tuesday night in one of their last three games ever at Barclays Center, have gone 2-5-2 in Cizikas’ absence. That includes Saturday afternoon’s 4-0 loss to the NHL-leading Bruins at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum, the third time the Islanders have been shut out since Cizikas was cut by Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov’s skate blade on Feb. 11.

Cizikas’ longtime linemate, Cal Clutterbuck, returned to the lineup on Saturday after being sidelined since Dec. 19, when he was slashed across the left wrist by Patrice Bergeron’s skate blade in Boston.

When healthy, the identity-setting trio of Cizikas, Clutterbuck and left wing Matt Martin — a healthy scratch in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Blues in St. Louis — provide grit, forechecking, a boost to the team’s energy level and better four-line balance.

“We need a little more of that in our game,” Trotz said after Saturday’s defeat. “We got a little bit light with the group that we had. You lose a little bit of that identity and today you got Clutter and Marty out there. They’re not necessarily going up and down the ice and being real cute. They’re pretty deliberate in what they do. When Marty and Clutter were out there, they were pretty effective.”

The Islanders still hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and are two points behind the third-place Penguins, who have lost six straight, in the Metropolitan Division.

But the Islanders have struggled in these playoff-type games. Their only wins in their last nine games have come against the NHL-worst Red Wings and the Sharks, who are well out of the playoff race in the Western Conference.

Which makes taking advantage of this week’s opportunities even more pressing. None of the Islanders’ next three opponents currently is in a playoff position.

The Canadiens are on the furthest fringe of postseason contention. The Senators, whom the Islanders will face Thursday night in Ottawa, are playing out the string, seventh in the Atlantic Division. The Hurricanes, who will visit the Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, are very much in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

“You can’t have those little lapses, and we did,” defenseman Scott Mayfield said after Saturday’s loss. “We’ve kind of had them a couple of times in certain games this year. That’s the stuff that shows when it’s playoff-style hockey.”

Trotz said the Islanders need to be more assertive in their collective play.

“We start to guess on pucks,” he said. “We start to guess on our forecheck. We start to poke and hope and we don’t play through people. That’s not how you win this time of the year and that’s not how you win championships.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179470 New York Rangers After the Flyers won the faceoff in the Rangers zone, Voracek sent a pass toward the net that was deflected in by Konecny for his 23rd of the season.

Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers can slow down surging Flyers, lose 5-3 at the "Our power play was clicking incredibly well," Flyers coach Alain Garden Vigneault said. "I thought our PK at the beginning, we did a good job.

"Our power play lately has been a big weapon for us. It's gotten big goals at big, big moments." By SIMMI BUTTAR The Rangers added two goals on the man advantage in the third period. ASSOCIATED PRESS | First, Buchnevich redirected a pass while in front at 5:33. A little more than seven minutes later, Zibanejad scored again on another assist from MAR 01, 2020 | 3:10 PM Panarin to make it 5-3.

"We didn't get off to a good start," Zibanejad said. "Then we give up one Carter Hart and a potent power play kept the Philadelphia Flyers climbing on our PP and we dig ourselves a hole. in the playoff race. "We have a lot of games left. Obviously it wasn't good enough in some Hart made 23 saves and the surging Flyers extended their winning streak areas. We have to tighten things up and get to playing the way we can." to a season-high six games with a 5-3 victory over the New York NOTES: Hayes and Vigneault were given a video tribute on the Madison Rangers on Sunday. Square Garden scoreboard during a stoppage in play midway through Matt Niskanen, Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny each scored power- the first period. Both former Rangers are in their first seasons with play goals. Michael Raffl scored short-handed and Derek Grant also Philadelphia. The was the Flyers' first visit to MSG this season. They'll tallied for the Flyers, who swept a home-and-home series against the return on April 1. ... Lundqvist's appearance was the 886th of his NHL Rangers after winning 5-2 on Friday night. career, tying Hall of Famer Tony Esposito for eighth all-time. ... Panarin extended his point streak to 13 games, which is a career high and the "We knew they were going to come out hard and try and respond here to longest active point streak in the NHL. He is the first Ranger with 90 or the game on Friday," Hart said. "We just had to stick to our plan, stick to more points in a season since Jaromir Jagr in 2006-07 (96). the way we play and just compete." UP NEXT Adam Fox reacts after Rangers drop crucial game to the rival Flyers. Flyers: At Washington on Wednesday night. The Flyers' run combined with the Penguins' six-game slide has moved Philadelphia into second place in the Metropolitan Division. Rangers: Host Stanley Cup champion St. Louis on Tuesday night in second game of four-game homestand. "Metro is a tough division," Flyers forward Kevin Hayes said. "And four points on the weekend against a division rival is huge." New York Daily News LOADED: 03.02.2020

Henrik Lundqvist made his first start since Feb. 3 and made 21 saves for New York.

"It's pretty tough," Lundqvist said. "I hadn't played in a long time. Some sloppy penalties cost us. And their power play is really good. They had so many odd-man rushes."

Mika Zibanejad scored two power-play goals and Pavel Buchnevich also tallied on the man advantage for the Rangers. Zibanejad has a career- high 32 goals on the season.

The Rangers' offense got off to a slow start in their first full game since forward Chris Kreider broke his foot while blocking a shot in the first period of Friday's loss in Philadelphia. Kreider had just signed a seven- year contract reportedly worth $45 million on Monday, the day of the league's trade deadline.

The Flyers dominated the first period with two power-play goals and added a short-handed one late.

After the Rangers committed an early penalty, Travis Sanheim shot from the point. Nicolas Aubé-Kubel's rebound attempt hit the post and Niskanen scored into an open net for his eighth of the season at 1:52.

About 10 minutes later on the Flyers' next man advantage, Konecny sent a pass from the left circle across to Jakub Voracek. Lundqvist made the initial save, but the rebound came out to Couturier, who scored his 21st of the season at 11:19.

The Flyers closed out the period with a 3-0 lead when Raffl scored his seventh at 17:53. Raffl checked Ryan Strome to get the puck out of the Flyers zone. Grant took the loose puck and skated down the right side and slid a pass to Raffl, who beat Lundqvist with a backhand.

Grant made it 4-0 early in the second when he took a loose puck near center ice, skated toward the net and also beat Lundqvist with a backhand for his 15th at 1:23.

The Rangers got on the board in the second period with Zibanejad's first power-play score. Artemi Panarin sent a nice centering pass to Zibanejad, who redirected it into the net at 12:34.

The Flyers regained their four-goal lead three minutes later with their third power-play goal. 1179471 New York Rangers

Igor Shesterkin could return to Rangers ahead of schedule

By Brett CyrgalisMarch 2, 2020 | 12:22am

Some unexpected good news came out of the Rangers’ 5-3 loss to the Flyers on Sunday afternoon at the Garden, as coach David Quinn said that presumptive No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin may be closer to returning from his broken rib than most thought.

The 24-year-old Shesterkin suffered the non-displaced fracture when he and teammate Pavel Buchnevich were in a car accident in Brooklyn last Sunday. Shesterkin, who had won nine of his first 10 NHL starts before the injury, was supposed to be reevaluated in “a couple weeks,” but that timeline seems to have shortened.

“He feels a lot better,” Quinn said. “He’s been on the ice, taken some shots — nothing high. So he might be back sooner than we envisioned.”

Since being called up on Jan. 6, Shesterkin had gotten the bulk of the starts when he was healthy — missing three games with a minor ankle injury. Alexandar Georgiev had started the previous three straight games, but Henrik Lundqvist got his first start on Sunday since Feb. 3, and just his fourth start since Shesterkin had been called up.

It’s hard to guess when Shesterkin might be ready to practice with the team — and then play — but it could be sooner than originally suspected.

“It’s an injury that you’re going to have to monitor daily,” Quinn said. “But he has made a lot of progress in a week.”

Ryan Strome, whose 58 points is good for third on the team, was benched for all of the third period after he had taken two bad penalties in the opening 40 minutes. The first resulted in a Sean Couturier power-play goal, the second in a power-play goal from Travis Konecny, which made it 5-1. Strome was also on for Michael Raffl’s shorthanded goal late in the first.

“Two penalties that he can’t take, and I just didn’t like his game,” Quinn said.

This is where we're at with Henrik Lundqvist

Quinn said there was “no timetable yet” regarding the fractured foot that Chris Kreider suffered while blocking a shot in Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia. A broken bone normally takes about four-to-six weeks to heal, and the regular season ends in just under five weeks, on April 4.

For most of the first two periods, Quinn had Phillip Di Giuseppe in Kreider’s spot on the left side of the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. He juggled the lines a lot in the third, and the Artemi Panarin-Zibanejad combo was prevalent.

Panarin also collected two assists, extending his career-best points streak to 13 games (he had another 12-game points streak early in the season). He is the first Rangers to have a points streak of at least 13 games since Scott Gomez in 2007-08.

New York Post LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179472 New York Rangers Devils on March 8. Would the Rangers be comfortable giving Lundqvist either of those games?

Or, barring disastrous results, would they be more comfortable riding This is where we’re at with Henrik Lundqvist Georgiev until Shesterkin, who is already back on the ice taking low shots, is able to return, which could be sooner rather than later?

Asked and answered, don’t you think? By Larry BrooksMarch 1, 2020 | 8:39PM Again. This is not about next year, it is not about the summer, it is not about the King’s legacy. It is about now as the Rangers attempt to reassert themselves in the race following consecutive subpar This was not Willie Mays falling down in center field. Not even in the performances against a superior team. ballpark. So let’s get that straight. It is about Henrik Lundqvist finally getting a chance to play and not But to have to issue that disclaimer up front about Henrik Lundqvist’s first embarrassing himself, and did I just write that? start since Feb. 3 and fourth in 60 days is disheartening enough in itself. Good grief. For imagine having the obligation to inform the audience that the greatest goaltender in franchise history did not embarrass himself on the Garden New York Post LOADED: 03.02.2020 ice.

For a few brief shining moments, when the announcement of the starting goaltender’s name was greeted by a spirited ovation and then when the building rocked with bygone chants of “Henrik … Henrik …” when Lundqvist turned away Jake Voracek’s 40-foot drive on the power play, it sounded like 2012.

But then not so long after, with the Flyers not only capitalizing on that early power play to score on a rebound at 1:52 but on a second man- advantage to score on a rebound at 11:19, and then on a Rangers’ power play to score shorthanded on an odd-man rush for a 3-0 lead at 17:53 of the opening period, it sounded and looked like 2004.

“When you haven’t played in a long time, personally, you want to go out there and try to grow and build a good feeling, but obviously that was pretty tough when you give up three first-period goals,” said the reflective and realistic Lundqvist. “I don’t think I was very good.

“I was hoping for a better feeling personally coming out there but a lot of times you create that feeling by doing a lot of good things. I felt like I was doing a few good things and then when you put yourself in that kind of hole, three or four goals [down], it’s hard to play a patient game.

Henrik Lundqvistfor the NY POST

“So it is what it is. I knew coming into this game it would be a great challenge for me to be on top of my game,” said the King, who will turn 38 on Monday. “I’ve been working hard, but in the end it’s about how you focus and making good decisions.”

Lundqvist did appear to move and react more instinctively as the match evolved instead of looking wooden in his movements as he had early in the contest. Of course he did and of course he did. It is impossible to say whether October’s Lundqvist would have yielded those three in the first period, or whether 2014’s Lundqvist would have been able to prevent Derek Grant from scoring on a semi-breakaway 83 seconds into the second period, or whether February’s Igor Shesterkin or Alex Georgiev would have stopped any or all of Philadelphia’s filthy five.

Impossible to say and also immaterial, for this is the scenario the Rangers created when the hierarchy chose to consign Lundqvist to third- wheel status in the aftermath of Shesterkin’s promotion on Jan. 6 and Georgiev’s outstanding work in a backup role. This isn’t about next year. This isn’t about an offseason conversation. This is about the push to the playoffs, which has been entrusted to and enabled by the two young guys, who have combined for a .929 save percentage, 2.49 GAA and 15- 5 record while the senior citizen has gone 1-3 with a .865 save percentage and 3.75 GAA.

Of course, some of this as it relates to Lundqvist has become an organizational self-fulfilling prophecy/vicious circle. The less the Swede plays, the less likely he is to play well. The less likely he is to play well, the less likely coach David Quinn is likely to tab him for a starting assignment. There is no question that Lundqvist’s self-confidence is at a low ebb. How could it not be?

If Shesterkin had not suffered that non-displaced rib fracture in last Sunday’s car crash, Lundqvist might not have gotten another start until after the Blueshirts either clinched or were mathematically eliminated from a playoff spot. The Rangers had their rotation.

Georgiev, who has never started more than three straight games, will all but certainly get the call for Tuesday’s Garden match against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Blues. The Caps are in on Thursday, then the 1179473 New York Rangers “My role obviously changed a lot over the last couple months. And there will be a time to talk about that,” Lundqvist said. “But right now, I just try to be supportive.”

Henrik Lundqvist’s first start in a month ends with ugly Rangers loss New York Post LOADED: 03.02.2020

By Brett CyrgalisMarch 1, 2020 | 2:54pm | Updated

Welcome back, this was not.

Henrik Lundqvist suffered a hard landing in his first start for the Rangers in almost a month, suffering a 5-3 loss to the Flyers at the Garden on Sunday afternoon.

On the eve of his 38th birthday, Lundqvist was bombarded early and often, and despite his team waking from a two-period slumber to play a forceful third, a second straight loss to the Flyers in the past three days was not the way Lundqvist or the Rangers wanted this to go.

“I was hoping for a better feeling, personally,” said Lundqvist, who made 21 saves in his first start since Feb. 3 and just his fourth start since Igor Shesterkin had been called up on Jan. 6. “A lot of times, you create that feeling by doing a lot of good things. I felt like I was doing a few good things. When you put yourself in a hole like that, three, four goals [down], it’s hard to play a patient game.”

There was nothing patient about the Rangers (35-26-4), who marched a parade line to the penalty box, allowing three power-play goals on six chances and are barely holding on to sight of that second wild card. They got a taste of what it’s like atop the conference, with the Flyers (38-20-7) of Kevin Hayes and Alain Vigneault having jumped on their mistakes over these two games, going up 4-0 by 1:23 of the second period on two power-play goals, one shorthanded goal and an even-strength breakaway.

And there was nothing Lundqvist, or any goalie, really could have done about it.

“We all touched on how hard a situation it is for [Lundqvist],” coach David Quinn said. “Nobody is more sympathetic to the situation than I am. He and I had three or four conversations this week, and we want to put him in a situation to succeed.

“I thought he was fine tonight. I didn’t think Hank was our issue. I know you may look at it statistically, but Hank was not our problem.”

That first power-play goal was on the second shot Lundqvist faced, Matt Niskanen with an easy put-back just 1:52 into the game. It was followed by another put-back from Sean Couturier at 11:19, then the shorthanded one to Michael Raffl at 17:53. Derek Grant then added the breakaway tally when half the Rangers were up the ice picking daisies.

“It’s tough when you play three games in two months to start a game like that,” Lundqvist said. “A lot of times you hope to step by step, build your game. But today, we put ourselves in a hole right away, and puts a little pressure on you to maybe not be as patient as you want to be. I try to be smart when I analyze the things I’m doing well and the things I need to improve.

“It’s been different, so many things.”

Lundqvist has been candid about how he and management need to sit down after this season and discuss his future with the organization, with one more year left on his contract with a $8.5 million salary-cap hit. He received quite a bit of love from the fans on Kids Day, with maybe loudest cheer of the afternoon coming when he was announced for the starting lineup and then a quick chant of his name after stopping the first shot he faced.

And Lundqvist did have some nice moments, like the sprawling glove save he made on Ivan Provorov at 7:28 of the third period to keep his team down, 5-2.

But despite two power-play goals from Mika Zibanejad, the second with 7:21 remaining in regulation to make it 5-3, the score never budged from there. With Shesterkin eventually coming back from injury and the Blueshirts still thinking about a playoff spot, it’s hard to guess how many more games Lundqvist has left.

If one thing is clear, it’s that he and the team surely hope they are different than this one. 1179474 New York Rangers

Rangers coach David Quinn on Igor Shesterkin: He's feeling a lot better, on ice taking some shots

By Colin Stephenson

Updated March 1, 2020 10:15 PM

David Quinn had some surprising news in the wake of Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Flyers at the Garden: Goalie Igor Shesterkin, out with a broken rib suffered in a car accident the previous Sunday, might be back sooner than anticipated.

“He feels a lot better,’’ Quinn said. “He’s been on the ice; he’s taking some shots — nothing high — so he might be back sooner than we envisioned.”

Shesterkin emerged as the Rangers’ No. 1 goalie when he went 9-1 after his Jan. 6 call-up from Hartford.

When the Rangers announced his injury last Monday, they initially said he would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Quinn stays positive

Quinn had no timetable to offer for how long Chris Kreider, who suffered a broken left foot in Friday’s game against the Flyers, will be out. The loss of the team’s emotional leader is a blow to the Rangers, but Quinn said they can overcome it.

“I think one of the things that they all realize is, when Mika [Zibanejad] went out, I don’t think anybody thought we were going to have any success without Mika,’’ he said. “And we went 8-4-1 and we beat some good teams without Mika. And I think we all feel that we’re a much better hockey team today than we were in November, when we didn’t have Mika.’’

Strome benched

Quinn benched second-line center Ryan Strome after he took two penalties that led to power-play goals and failed to get back on defense on what turned out to be a shorthanded goal.

“Two penalties that he can’t take, and I just didn’t like his game,’’ Quinn said.

NHL honors Zibanejad

Zibanejad was named the NHL’s second star for February after scoring 11 goals (tied for first) and 20 points (second-most in the league). Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl was named first star and Boston’s David Pastrnak was third star.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179475 New York Rangers The Rangers got two power-play goals in the third — by Pavel Buchnevich and Zibanejad — to make it 5-3. They put plenty of pressure on Carter Hart (23 saves) in the final minutes but were unable to beat him again. Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers allow three power-play goals in loss to Flyers Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.02.2020

By Colin Stephenson

Updated March 1, 2020 11:36 PM

David Quinn gave Henrik Lundqvist an early birthday present when he started the goaltender against the Flyers on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. Coming on the day before Lundqvist’s 38th birthday, it was the franchise icon’s first start since Feb. 3.

It did not go especially well.

Two power-play goals and a shorthanded goal by the Flyers in the first period undid Lundqvist and the Rangers, who were handed a 5-3 loss and fell to the Flyers for the second time in three days.

“When you haven’t played in a long time, the first thing you want to [do is] go out there and try to build a good feeling,’’ Lundqvist said. “Honestly, that was pretty tough, when you give up three first-period goals. I don’t think I was very good. A couple tough situations, that’s for sure. I thought we took some sloppy penalties that cost us; their power play was really good. But I was hoping for a better feeling coming out there.’’

Lundqvist, who made his fourth start and fifth appearance since Igor Shesterkin was called up from AHL Hartford on Jan. 6, never got the chance to grow into the game.

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren was called for a hooking penalty 23 seconds into the game and Matt Niskanen scored at 1:52, jamming in the rebound of a shot by Nicolas Aube-Kubel that caromed off the goalpost.

Philadelphia made it 2-0 at 11:19. With Ryan Strome serving a hooking penalty, Lundqvist kicked out Jakub Voracek’s shot right to Sean Couturier, who slid in the rebound for his 21st goal.

“When you take penalties early, you’ve got to be able to kill them off or it’s a tough hole to climb out of,’’ defenseman Marc Staal said. “We didn’t do that.”

The Rangers fell behind 4-0 before three power-play goals — two by Mika Zibanejad — made the score respectable.

The Rangers (35-26-4) fell four points out of the second wild-card spot as the Blue Jackets (32-21-14) rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Canucks, 5-3. Columbus has played two more games than the Rangers have.

The Flyers (38-20-7) won their sixth straight game and remained three points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals, who beat the Wild, 4-3, on Sunday night.

Rangers coach David Quinn, who said before the game that he understood that Lundqvist (21 saves on 26 shots) might be rusty in his first game since a six-minute relief appearance in Winnipeg on Jan. 11, absolved the goaltender of blame for any of the five goals against.

“We all touched on how hard a situation it is for him,’’ Quinn said while insisting he hasn’t lost confidence in Lundqvist. “Nobody’s more sympathetic to the situation than I am, and he and I had three or four conversations this week. We want to put him in a situation to succeed, and I thought he was fine tonight.

“I didn’t think Hank was our issue tonight. And I know you may look at it statistically, but Hank was not our problem tonight.’’

In Quinn’s mind, it was the goal that made it 3-0 — a shorthanded effort by Michael Raffl on a two-on-one break at 17:53 of the first period — that “really deflated us, gave them life and took us out of it for a while.’’

Things got worse when Derek Grant scored on a breakaway at 1:23 of the second to make it 4-0.

Zibanejad scored his first power-play goal at 12:31 of the period, but Travis Konecny scored the Flyers’ third power-play goal at 15:34 of the second to make it 5-1. 1179476 New York Rangers working hard, but in the end, it’s about how you focus and making good decisions. So, learn from it, you know?”

Quinn said he had a number of recent conversations with Lundqvist – More questions, few answers about Henrik Lundqvist after a rare start one on the plane home from Philly on Friday night – and that the veteran was “excited” for the chance.

He had been through times in his career when he didn’t play because of By Rick Carpiniello Mar 1, 2020 injuries and such. But he always knew then that he’d be the No. 1 goalie whenever he returned. He knows he’s not the No. 1 now. Nor the No. 2.

He doesn’t know when his next chance comes — but if it does, it’s likely NEW YORK — There wasn’t much chance this was going to go well for to be because somebody else cooled off, got hurt or the Rangers are out Henrik Lundqvist — the accidental spectator now asked to play an of the race. important game against a really good team — after starting only a few “There’s so many things that are different, but I’m not going to get into it more NHL games than I have in the past two months. now,” Lundqvist said. “The most important thing now is to try to work hard That slim chance left town early. It went south – on the Amtrak to and be ready when you do get an opportunity. We’re still in a very Philadelphia probably – a little bit after noon. It flew out of the Garden as interesting spot. I’m so impressed with the guys, what they’ve done here the Rangers played mind-numbing hockey in front of their franchise the last few weeks and put this team in a position to maybe make the goalie, who turns 38 on Monday. playoffs. My role obviously changed a lot the last couple of months, and there will be a time to talk about that. But right now I just try to be This is not to say Lundqvist was terrific or that he deserved better in a 5-3 supportive, you know? Sunday loss to the Flyers, who are winners of six in a row and are 3-0 against the Rangers in three tap dances. “I’m not looking for any excuses. It is what it is. A lot of times that first period will set the tone, too. If I can get out of the first period feeling a “You can’t fault him for anything,” Rangers coach David Quinn said. little bit better, it’s a different game. But now you’re down 3-0 and it just makes it a little more challenging to feel good about your game. But I I think the Rangers lose this game if Igor Shesterkin or Alexandar thought I battled. I battled to the end. The third period, I started to feel Georgiev are in net. Or Mike Richter or Eddie Giacomin. Or Lundqvist in better.” his absolute prime. By then it was 5-1. Lundqvist had been loudly cheered when introduced He’s not in his prime now. He’s the third-best goalie on the roster, in an as a starter and later Bronx cheered. It could have been a lot worse. It unmanageable situation that all but guarantees he can’t regain top form. surely could have been better. But this was a now-or-never start for him, with Shesterkin sidelined with a fractured rib from a car accident in Brooklyn just a week earlier and with Not much else should have been expected, though. Georgiev coming off another loss to the Flyers on Friday, one in which he also had little chance to succeed. Thoughts

Quinn said this game doesn’t change his confidence in Lundqvist. 1. I’ve been beating this drum for a while, but nobody wanted to hear it when the Rangers were going 9-1 in 10 games before they hit Philly on “I mean, listen, we all touched on how hard a situation it is for him. Friday: Two awful periods in Chicago, almost half a lousy game against Nobody’s more sympathetic to the situation than I am, and he and I had San Jose, dominated in the first by the Islanders, a fairly terrible start in three or four conversations this week. We want to put him in a situation to Montreal, and a comparatively reasonable start in Philly (followed by a succeed, and I thought he was fine,” the coach said. “I didn’t think Hank late collapse). was our issue. You may look at it statistically, but Hank was not our problem today.” 2. I thought the Rangers were decent five-on-five. But no better than that. Here’s a somewhat patriotic example of that, though, really, the Flyers’ So if not now, when? odd-man-rush numbers had to be absurd:

Next up, now what? Does Lundqvist get another start in anything 3. In a trial, Phillip Di Giuseppe found himself in injured Chris Kreider’s resembling the near future? And if not, does he go back on the shelf spot. Quinn considered a lot of options. Di Giuseppe has a lot of if/when Shesterkin returns? The heir has been facing some shots, Kreider’s skills — on a much lower level — in terms of getting in on the nothing high. He is to be reevaluated in about a week. forecheck and working the walls.

“He feels a lot better,” Quinn said of the kid. “He might be back sooner And he can probably be trusted more defensively than the other options, than we envisioned, but it’s an injury that you’re going to have to kind of especially given how that line was torched by the Claude Giroux line monitor daily. But he has made a lot of progress in a week.” head-to-head Friday in Philly. Anyway, as this one got away, Artemi Panarin ended up in Kreider’s spot. And there is no further update on any It’s just a brutal position for Lundqvist, who hadn’t been great before the timetable for Kreider’s return. three-goalie debacle began with Shesterkin’s recall on Jan. 7. Nobody could be expected to come off the bench for that long and face what he 4. Kakko-Meter: I still like where Kaapo Kakko’s game is headed. It does did behind the Rangers and the way they’ve played these past five seem, though, that when an opponent forces him to go wide, he too periods against the Flyers. happily does so. There are times when he might try taking one to the net and instead takes a path of less resistance. He did that in Finland and in There’s no way that a great result could have been predicted. Hoped for? international competition, and I suspect eventually he will do that in the Sure. Expected? Nah. NHL. Since Jan. 2, a span of two months, Lundqvist had started three of 24 5. The Garden did a combo “thank you” video honoring Alain Vigneault games, none in the past 13 (one relief appearance when Shesterkin was and Kevin Hayes, who got a nice ovation at the first TV timeout. forced through concussion protocol for an ankle injury. Yes, that really happened). 6. My Great Aunt Tillie Could Have Scored: Ryan Lindgren got beaten by Travis Konecny and took him down at the 23-second mark. Lundqvist “When you haven’t played in a long time, personally you want to go out had to make a quick and dangerous save on the power play to chants of there and build a good feeling,” Lundqvist said. “Obviously, that was “Henrik, Henrik.” Lundqvist made a pad save on Travis Sanheim, Nicolas pretty tough when you give up three first-period goals. I don’t think I was Aube-Kubel put the rebound through Marc Staal’s legs and off the far very good. A couple of tough situations, that’s for sure. I thought we took post, and Matt Niskanen was standing there, unchecked by Jacob some sloppy penalties that cost us. … But I was hoping for a better Trouba, to tap in the rebound. 1-0. feeling personally coming out there. 7. The Rangers had a chance to answer. Ryan Strome, who earlier “A lot of times you create that feeling by, you know, doing a lot of good missed the net on a break-in, had a great opportunity to shoot and things. I felt like I was doing a few good things. But when you put yourself instead went for the wish pass for Panarin, which failed. Lundqvist then in a hole like that, three, four goals (down), it’s hard to play a patient turned away an Aube-Kubel breakaway behind Staal with a shoulder game, I think. So it is what it is. I knew going into this game it was going save. to be a great challenge for me to try to be on top of my game. I’ve been 8. Brendan Lemieux drew a penalty, and on the power play, Strome set and penalties proved costly as the Flyers capitalized with three power- up Mika Zibanejad alone in the right circle for a shot that missed the net. play goals. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers created 2.34 Pavel Buchnevich then redirected one off Carter Hart’s helmet. After the expected goals for on the man advantage, while the Rangers were able penalty expired, Hart kicked out a Kakko shot point-blank. And a to muster only .87 on the power play and allowed a short-handed goal Zibanejad breakaway and another Buchnevich deflection. against.

9. Strome took a penalty and, my gosh, it was easy for the Flyers’ power • The game wasn’t as lopsided below the surface as the score made it play. Staal chased the puck toward the wall and couldn’t get back as seem because of the Rangers’ special-teams struggles in the first two Sean Couturier, in behind Zibanejad, buried Jakub Voracek’s rebound. 2- periods. New York actually took the majority of the score- and venue- 0. “The bottom line is you need to come up with a kill and we just weren’t adjusted shot and quality share at five-on-five in the second and third able to do it,” Quinn said. “We just lost coverage on the first one and the periods, for a game total of 55 percent of the shots and 57 percent of the second one. Guys are standing there, we don’t pick sticks up. We didn’t xG share. have stick coverage around the net. It certainly doesn’t have anything to do with your goalie.” • Mika Zibanejad led all skaters in game score at 3.78. He was the leading offensive generator in all situations, with 15 shot attempts for and 10. Brendan Smith drew another Rangers power play, a penalty to an individual expected goals for of 1.32. Along with two goals and one Hayes, and Strome got knocked off the puck inside the blue line. assist, he drew two penalties. At even strength, the Rangers tilted the ice Panarin, perhaps out of gas, let Michael Raffl pull away from him to take the most with their top pivot deployed as the Flyers managed only five Derek Grant’s pass and flip it over Lundqvist on the breakaway for a shot attempts against to the 20 generated by the Rangers, for a plus-15 short-handed goal. 3-0. Again, much too easy. “It took us out of it for a shot differential and plus-1.18 expected-goal differential. while,” Quinn said about the shorty. • Rounding out the Rangers’ top five in game score were Tony DeAngelo 11. Just 1:23 into the second, Adam Fox was caught up ice — Brett (2.55), Artemi Panarin (2.49), Pavel Buchnevich (1.95, fifth overall), and Howden covered for him and went for a hit that separated one of the Jacob Trouba (.98, 13th overall). Flyers from the puck at center ice. But it was still a two-on-one when Tyler Pitlick picked it up. Lindgren took away the pass, leaving Lundqvist Data via NaturalStatTrick.com, Evolving-Hockey.com and with the shooter, Derek Grant. Lundqvist, though, went for the poke HockeyStatCards.com. check and missed, and Grant put it into the empty side. 4-0. That’s four My Three Rangers Stars goals on 13 shots. And when Lundqvist scooped up a loose puck that was sliding on goal, he received a sarcastic cheer. Pavel Buchnevich.

12. Middle second, Lemieux went after Aube-Kubel again (he did a few Mika Zibanejad. times in Philly, too) and got two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and Tony DeAngelo. a 10-minute misconduct for being named Lemieux. The Rangers killed off that one, largely thanks to a series of Flyers one-timers that missed the The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 net.

13. Daily Bread: The Rangers got a power play with 7:26 left in the second and Panarin set up Zibanejad for a redirection from the high slot past Hart. 4-1. That stretched Panarin’s point streak to 13 games (5-14- 19), the longest by a Ranger since Scott Gomez in 2007-08.

14. Seconds later, a Panarin pass nearly sprang Zibanejad, who drew another penalty. Hart stopped one more Buchnevich deflection, but the Rangers didn’t create much else on that power play. When it ended, a Zibanejad rocket from the slot deflected wide.

15. Then Strome added to his growing pile of needless offensive zone penalties and it took the Flyers five seconds to pad the lead, Konecny in behind Smith and Trouba to deflect Voracek’s shot/pass past Lundqvist. 5-1. On 18 shots. So, so, so very easy. (That was the sixth assist in five periods against the Rangers this weekend for Voracek.)

16. Quinn Bin: Strome found himself riding pine pretty much the rest of the game. “Two penalties that he can’t take, and I just didn’t like his game,” the coach said.

17. Lundqvist gave referee Wes McCauley a piece of his mind after Hayes lost his footing and Howden was called for tripping. Quinn was asked about some of the calls and made a sound like “ehhhhhhh.” He added, “You saw a few of ’em.”

18. The Rangers got another power play in the third, and Buchnevich finally deflected a Tony DeAngelo shot past Hart. 5-2. Lundqvist made a flashy glove save on Ivan Provorov’s close-range wrister when, once again, the defense parted like the Red Sea. That kept it from getting worse.

19. Yet another power play, and Zibanejad put a backhander over Hart. 5-3. The play started by Howden out near the blue line, playing in place of Strome. Hart then stopped Zibanejad from Buchnevich (with Panarin playing on their wing the second half of the game). Hart stopped Zibanejad and Buchnevich with under five minutes left.

Shayna Goldman’s analysis

• In his first start since Feb. 3, Henrik Lundqvist faced 35 unblocked shots in all situations, 26 of which went on net. With quality factored in, he allowed .58 goals above expectation on the 4.42 expected goals for the Flyers created.

• For as rusty as Lundqvist was to start the game — and it showed at times — the bigger issue was the team in front of him. Undisciplined play 1179477 Ottawa Senators With the forward prospects playing primarily in Belleville and with Pageau, Vladislav Namestnikov and Tyler Ennis moved out at the trade deadline, Matthew Peca and Jayce Hawryluk are auditioning in the hopes of being signed for next season. Scott Sabourin, who scored his second Post-trade deadline post-mortem: the questions that remain for the goal of the season Saturday, wants to stay in the picture, too. Senators “I’ve only been here for six games,” said Hawryluk, who arrived from the Florida Panthers via waivers. “I hadn’t played for a month before that, so I’m honestly, finally, just starting to get my legs under me. I’m starting to Ken Warren get used to playing big minutes. I wasn’t playing more than seven Published:March 1, 2020 minutes a night (in Florida) and sporadically.”

Updated:March 1, 2020 7:04 PM EST Considering the talent in Belleville and the potential that the three pending first round draft picks bring, the odds are probably against Hawryluk and Peca being here next season. They could follow the path of Brian Gibbons and Oscar Lindberg, who posted decent numbers in the We’ve been here too many times before lately, watching the Ottawa post-trade deadline stretch of the 2019-20 season with the Senators but Senators play out the final stretch of the season after seeing yet another weren’t re-signed. Then again, Duclair also made the most or the chance star, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, set his sights on playoff glory elsewhere. he received last spring. Expect quite a few “Pa-geau, Pa-geau” outbreaks when he makes his “Both have been good in certain areas,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said return to Canadian Tire Centre with the New York Islanders on Thursday. of Peca and Hawryluk. “They work. I want guys that work all the time.” At least the past few days have provided Senators fans with some short- Smith has also shown little reluctance to put star defenceman Thomas term feel-good stories involving those still wearing Senators jerseys. Chabot into any and all situations. He has topped the 30-minute mark in In Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Detroit Red Wings, the happy-go- three of the past four games, while Belleville call-ups Christian Jaros and lucky, soft-spoken Artem Anisimov flashed some scoring touch, with a Andreas Englund generally haven’t hit the 10-minute mark. With the pair of goals and the shootout winner. “I decided, why not shoot the puck, Senators carrying a bare minimum of six defencemen, all signs point to you know?,” he said of his 10 shots on goal and the slick winning the Senators continuing to push him to the distance as the season winds shootout move. “The puck was all around me, always.” down.

On Thursday, there wasn’t a dry eye at Canadian Tire Centre as Bobby Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.02.2020 Ryan delivered a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, a triumphant personal return after winning his battle with alcohol. Tissues, anyone? A few hockey observers have suggested Ryan could earn a few votes for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

If the Senators can keep the positives rolling through the final six weeks and 16 games, good on them.

Yet as the season winds down, there are number of questions surrounding what has become a somewhat makeshift lineup due to the trade deadline moves by general manager Pierre Dorion and the success of Belleville of the American Hockey League.

Let’s begin at the most important position, goaltending, where 25-year- old rookie Marcus Hogberg has gradually improved as his workload increases. With Craig Anderson in his swan song season with the Senators, Hogberg has effectively become the Senators number one goaltender. If he was originally prone to give up an ill-timed soft goal and/or unable to close the door in tight games — see his eight overtime and shootout losses — his confidence and composure is growing. He has gone 3-2-1 in his past six games. His .909 save percentage is decent, if not spectacular. As much as Thursday was about Ryan, Hogberg was superb in holding off the talented Canucks.

The bigger mystery in the Senators crease involves Anders Nilsson, who hasn’t played a game since Dec. 16 due to a concussion. He has practiced with the team only once since. Originally, it was hoped he would be back by the All-Star break in late January. The calendar has now turned to March and the Senators have given few concrete updates about his status. The plan is for Nilsson to be the Senators number one goaltender next season, with Hogberg pushing him for playing time. The longer he stays out though, the more the doubt grows.

If Nilsson does return this season, Hogberg will be returned to Belleville, where he will be charged with leading the run towards a title.

On the topic of Belleville, in a different season, with a less competitive AHL squad, the Senators lineup could be littered with promising forward prospects such as Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton, Filip Chlapik and Vitaly Abramov, giving them a bigger taste of NHL life. For now, though, the Senators believe that group is better served battling atop the AHL than finishing out the season in Ottawa.

Josh Norris, who has played the past two games with the Senators due to injuries to Anthony Duclair and/or Colin White, was returned to Belleville on Sunday. If Duclair and White remain out for Tuesday’s game against Belleville, it could be Alex Formenton’s turn to see temporary time in the big leagues. Formenton scored a combined two goals and three assists in a pair of wins over Cleveland on Friday and Saturday. He has 26 goals and 26 assists in 57 AHL games this season. 1179478 Ottawa Senators Matthews (270) and Boston’s David Pastrnak (257)…Tkachuk was also credited with three hits against the Red Wings, giving him 282 on the season, eight behind league-leader Ryan Reaves of Vegas … Peca went 6-0 in faceoffs against the Red Wings. WARREN'S PIECE: Finally finding shootout success, Sabourin's scoring touch, keeping count of Tkachuk and Norris goes to Belleville CHARGE OF THE BEING HIT BRIGADE: One reason why Metropolitan Division teams have a better record than Atlantic Division teams? They’re a perfect 20-0 against Detroit … What awaits the Senators as they head to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins Tuesday? A team that apparently can’t Ken Warren help but get hit again and again. According to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Published:March 1, 2020 report, the Penguins had six of the NHL’s 11 most-hit players in 2018-19. Defenceman Marcus Pettersson led the league by being hit 221 times. Updated:March 1, 2020 4:13 PM EST They are bizarre numbers for sure, but it’s worth remembering that hit totals can be subjective. The off-ice official keeping score in Pittsburgh

might have a different interpretation from the off-ice official keeping score The secret shootout strategy didn’t go exactly as planned for the Ottawa in Ottawa or Toronto or Los Angeles. Senators Saturday, but after they finally ended their season-long drought BELLEVILLE BOUND: Tough league, that NHL. In only his fourth NHL in the penalty shot competition, nobody was complaining. game Saturday against the Red Wings, Josh Norris played 20:51 with Ultimately, Artem Anisimov was the only one of six shooters to find the three shots on goal and with an 11-10 record in the faceoff circle. On net, giving the Senators their 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Before Sunday, he was re-assigned to Belleville of the AHL … After sweeping Saturday, the Senators had gone 0-for-5 in shootouts this season. Cleveland by scores of 5-1 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday, Belleville now has a road record of 23-4-3. Their record at the CAA Arena in Belleville? Senators coach D.J. Smith began the shootout with a surprise, sending 14-13-2 … If Hogberg is re-assigned to the AHL, Joey Daccord will most out defenceman Mike Reilly with the first attempt. likely be his back-up. Daccord has gone 15-6-2 with a 2.61 goals against “He won in practice,” Smith said of selecting Reilly. “We said that average and .915 save percentage since being called up from Brampton whoever won the shootout in practice was going to go first in the of the ECHL. Filip Gustavsson, meanwhile, owns a record of 15-5-3 with shootout and that’s what happened. His move looked a little different in a 3.28 average and .885 save percentage. practice than that one … but it broke the streak.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.02.2020 In case you missed it, Reilly shot five feet wide on his attempted deke on Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Bernier stopped Bobby Ryan and all three Red Wings shooters came up empty against Senators goaltender Marcus Hogberg.

It was a welcome relief for Hogberg, who had been in net for the previous four shootout losses.

“The guys certainly respect him and how hard he works,” Smith said of the celebration surrounding Hogberg. “It’s hard to break into this league (as a goaltender). In the situation we’re in, a lot of nights we get outchanced.”

Hogberg has now stopped eight of the 14 shots he has faced in shootouts this season.

As a team, the Senators have gone 3-for-18, including Anisimov’s game winner Saturday. The other two shootout goal scorers — Vladislav Namestnikov and Tyler Ennis — were dealt away before the trade deadline.

SABOURIN SCORES AGAIN: There were 65 games between Scott Sabourin’s shocking season opening goal and Saturday’s early third period goal. In between, Sabourin has endured a lengthy concussion recovery following his nasty collision with Boston’s David Backes and routinely being a healthy scratch. “Accidents happen, I’ve been back (from the concussion) for awhile and it’s just a good league with good players,” said Sabourin, an Orleans native. “I have to make sure I’m ready to compete and make small plays.”

Sabourin’s primary responsibility is to deliver solid hits on the forecheck and to keep opposition players from taking liberties against the Senators stars, but the goal came after Sabourin made a power move from the faceoff circle into the crease. His shot bounced off Bernier’s shoulder, off Sabourin and into the net.

“He’s had some chances of late and it was nice for him to score that goal,” said Smith. “He had a real good chance in Nashville (Monday). He has continue to get better and he’s making sure he takes care of the boys out there.”

Matthew Peca, a Petawawa native, picked up an assist on the goal. “Local connection there, hopefully we can keep going on that,” said Sabourin.

KEEPING TRACK OF TKACHUK: Artem Anisimov carried the hot stick Saturday, with 10 shots on goal, but Brady Tkachuk wasn’t far behind. Tkachuk tested Detroit’s Jonathan Bernier seven times, running his season total to 245, sixth in the NHL. He’s in pretty good company. Before Sunday’s games, the only players ahead of Tkachuk on the shot clock were Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (298), Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (294), Max Pacioretty of Vegas (289), Toronto’s Auston 1179479 Philadelphia Flyers — ed barkowitz (@edbarkowitz) March 1, 2020 Now here comes Hart, and his statistics this season are better than any

of theirs, and his career is all of 71 games old. With Carter Hart, Flyers finally have an edge in net, even against Henrik “Always remember he’s 21,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said. “He’s like Lundqvist | Mike Sielski anybody else. He’s got to learn the game, and he is. He’s figuring things out. There’s no doubt we’ve got a real solid young man who’s got a tremendous amount of potential.” by Mike Sielski Vigneault always takes care, whenever he’s asked about him, to point out Hart’s age, and it was no small gesture that he started Hart on Sunday, in a road game of such importance. Hart’s road numbers this NEW YORK — There was a time, and it wasn’t that long ago, that the season have been ghastly – a 3-10-1 record and an .855 save Flyers would have entered a weekend such as this one against the percentage ahead of Sunday – and since the Flyers’ lousy West Coast Rangers — Friday in Philadelphia and Sunday afternoon here, a home- trip two months ago, Vigneault has started Hart in just three road games. and-home set with ramifications — at an undeniable disadvantage. Go It’s clear that he has been trying to protect the kid. “His potential is back to last season, when then-coaches Dave Hakstol and Scott Gordon extremely high, and I’ve got a lot of faith in a very humble young man to went through goaltenders like tissues, eight over 82 games. Go back to be able to grasp things,” Vigneault said. “But I do want to taper just about any season over the previous 11 years, when Henrik Lundqvist everybody’s expectations.” was the Rangers’ full-time goalie and, based on his body of work, the best in the Metropolitan Division. That’s fine. That’s prudent. But the time when Vigneault can’t protect Hart anymore is getting closer. The hope for the Flyers, the tangible promise Maybe it was fitting, then, that the final sequence of the Flyers’ 5-3 of this season and postseason, is that he won’t have to. victory Sunday at Madison Square Garden – less than 48 hours after their 5-2 victory Friday at the Wells Fargo Center – served to show how Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.02.2020 much has changed in that dynamic. There was Carter Hart, sliding from his right to his left to pad away a one-timer by the Rangers’ Brendan Lemieux just as the horn blared. One minute earlier, with Lundqvist pulled and the Rangers down by two goals, Hart had fended off a right- circle slap shot by Adam Fox. Two periods earlier, he had made a succession of four point-blank saves: right pad on Tony DeAngelo, left arm on Pavel Buchnevich, right pad on Kaapo Kakko from the low slot, right pad on a Mika Zibanejad breakaway.

“You have to be ready for whatever comes,” Hart said, “and it came kind of hot early and then again at the end.”

Carter Hart made 26 saves in the Flyers' victory over the Rangers on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Carter Hart made 26 saves in the Flyers' victory over the Rangers on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

While Lundqvist, playing for the first time in nearly a month as the Rangers labor to transition from his reign to Alexandar Georgiev, gave up four goals to the Flyers over the game’s first 22 minutes, Hart was buying the Flyers an opportunity to build so big a lead, then preserve it. Nine saves on nine shots in that terrific first period, 10 saves on 12 shots in a third period the Rangers dominated, 23 in the game, and with the Flyers making a charge for first place in the Metropolitan, it’s long past time to get used to a once-wild idea: Their goaltending might turn out to be their greatest edge on their competitors.

That was the symbolism thick throughout Sunday’s game. No, Lundqvist isn’t the Rangers’ future in net anymore; he’s not even really their present. But Sunday marked his 61st game against the Flyers, and he has won 35 of him, and his mere presence always made the Rangers formidable. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2012, carried them to three Eastern Conference Finals and a Stanley Cup Final in a four-year span from ’12 to ’15, and was a primary reason they qualified for the playoffs 10 times in the 11 years of his prime. But he was second-best at his position Sunday, and it wasn’t close. The afternoon had the feel of a torch-passing.

“Obviously, he’s been a great goalie in the league for a long time,” Hart said, “and he’s probably going to be a future Hall of Famer. It is pretty cool sometimes to play against him, but for me, I’m not trying to think about that.”

He can leave the thinking to everyone else. The Rangers, the Washington Capitals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have handed off control of the division, and sometimes the NHL, to each other for years now, and at the core of each of those teams’ strong regular seasons and deep playoff runs was terrific goaltending. Lundqvist never gave the Rangers cause to worry. Braden Holtby won the Vezina in 2016, then the Stanley Cup in 2018. Matt Murray had won two Cups by the time he began his second full season in the league and compelled the Penguins to say goodbye to another Cup winner, Marc-Andre Fleury.

Boy, things sure get interesting if Carter Hart shakes the whole road/home disparity. He's made six saves, including a breakaway by Zibanejad. 1179480 Philadelphia Flyers Saturday vs. Buffalo 7 p.m. NBCSP March 10 vs. Boston 7 p.m. NBCSP

March 12 at Tampa Bay 7 p.m. NBCSP Flyers beat Rangers, 5-3, at the Garden for sixth straight victory Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.02.2020

by Ed Barkowitz,

NEW YORK — Alain Vigneault didn’t try to hide his concern. The noon Sunday start made him nervous.

His club was on a roll and coming to the city that doesn’t sleep offers any number of temptations. Plenty to do on a Saturday night off in Manhattan for guys with money. Go ahead, bite the Big Apple. Don’t mind the Rangers.

The Flyers also have often gotten caught flat-footed in the first period throughout parts of this season of resurgence. As good as they’ve been in the third, their starts have been inconsistent.

So what was the pregame message?

“With the noon start,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said, “make sure you’re awake.”

Niskanen and Sean Couturier erased their coach’s initial worry with power-play goals within the first 12 minutes and the Flyers held on for a 5-3 win over the Rangers. They’ve won a season-high six in a row,

“The general theme with us lately is to stay hungry," Niskanen continued. "We’ve been playing some good hockey, getting some good results, but stay hungry and keep pushing for more.”

Each team scored three power-play goals, with the Flyers adding a shorthander by Michael Raffl, who beat 37-year-old goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers’ future Hall of Famer has one foot on the ice and another on a banana peel. It was his first start in nearly a month and quite possibly the last he’ll make against the Flyers as a Ranger.

But that’s New York’s problem.

Derek Grant assisted on Raffl’s goal and then added a nifty goal of his own on a two-on-one rush to make it 4-0.

Carter Hart, practically unbeatable at home, won for the second time in his last three road starts, despite the Rangers making it close with a pair of third-period goals.

Mika Zibanejad made it 5-3 with more than seven minutes left, but Hart closed the door. New York had 12 of their 26 shots in the final period when Hart was terrific.

“We came out strong and got to a big lead and kind of cruised through the game, which is probably not the best thing to do against this team,” said Couturier, who almost did not play because of the flu. “We saw them give a pretty good pushback in the second half of the game. That’s probably something we can learn from and not do that again.”

Jake Voracek had two assists Sunday to give him six assists in the two wins over the Rangers this weekend.

“He’s kind of found his swagger a little bit,” Couturier said of his linemate. “He’s making some unbelievable passes, some great plays. We’re starting to see the good, old Jakey that would beat guys one-on-one and create seam plays for his teammates.”

It was the 300th game between the teams, the most the Flyers have faced one opponent. The Flyers hold a 131-123-37-9 series edge. More importantly, the win pulled the Flyers to within one point of first-place Washington going into the Capitals’ game at Minnesota on Sunday night.

The Flyers are off until Wednesday when they visit the Capitals. No need to set the alarms. It’s a 7 o’clock start.

“We took our foot off the gas a little bit instead of going after them,” Vigneault said. “Sometimes it’s easier to learn lessons when you win. It hurts a lot more when you lose.”

Flyers’ next 5

Wednesday at Washington 7 p.m. NBCSN

Thursday vs. Carolina 7 p.m. NBCSP 1179481 Philadelphia Flyers

Sean Couturier shakes off flu, scores a goal to help Flyers win again

by Ed Barkowitz,

NEW YORK -- Now we know why Joel Farabee was called up on Saturday. Sean Couturier had the flu and there was a chance of him missing Sunday’s game against the Rangers.

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

Or, as Flyers’ fan @TimRiday pointed out on Twitter, “Sean Couturier doesn’t get the flu. The flu gets Sean Couturier.”

“I felt pretty bad last night,” Couturier said after Sunday’s game. "But I woke up today and felt better.

Couturier played 18 minutes, 44 seconds -- slightly below his average of 19:50 -- and scored his 21st goal of the season. Farabee was sent back to the minors following the game.

Couturier has been the Flyers’ most consistent player this season and is in position to win the Selke Award as the NHL’s top defensive forward. The only other Flyers to win the Selke are Bobby Clarke (1983) and Dave Poulin (1987).

The Flyers converted three of five power-play chances and won their season-high sixth consecutive game. The conversation has moved from whether they’d make it to the playoffs to whether they might have home- ice advantage in the first round (or two).

“We’re starting to get into a groove," Couturier said. “We have a lot of set plays, a lot of options and we’re executing. It’s good to get our confidence back and keep rolling.”

What’re the odds?

Odd little sports-betting trend continued on Sunday when Couturier made it 2-0 midway through the first period. It was the 11th consecutive Flyers’ game to go over 1.5 goals in the first period. It’s obscure, but it’s been profitable for those who follow such insanity.

Penguins’ West Coast misery a big help to Flyers

Just after Christmas, the Flyers took a West Coast trip that turned out awful. They went 1-4 and were thumped three times.

The Penguins saw those results and seemed to say this weekend, “hold my beer.” As bad as the Flyers fared, Pittsburgh was worse.

The Penguins late on Saturday wrapped up their final California swing of the season with a 5-0 loss at San Jose that was probably their worst performance of the year. They lost all four games of the road trip, the last three in Cali, and have dropped six in a row. They’ve been shutout twice in 10 days.

Through Feb. 18, the last time the Penguins won a game, Pittsburgh led the division by a point over Washington and seven over the Flyers. They entered Sunday in third place.

While the Flyers have outscored opponents 27-13 during their 6-game winning streak, the Penguins are getting drilled 24-8 during their slump. Sidney Crosby, a ghastly -8 during the slide, is taking the blame.

“I think we understand what it takes to win. But I put it on myself. I’ve got to step up,” Crosby told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after Saturday night’s loss. “Key situations, you’re down like this and losing games, you need big plays, big performances. And I haven’t done that. So that’s on me.”

Metro Standings Through Feb. 18 Through March 1*

1. Pittsburgh, 80 1. Washington, 84*

2. Washington, 79 2. Flyers, 83

3. Flyers, 73 3. Penguins, 80

*Entering Washington’s game on Sunday at Minnesota (8 p.m.).

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179482 Philadelphia Flyers Expect to see a different netminder for the Flyers for Wednesday night's rematch at Capital One Arena.

Not that it seems to matter to Hart. Flyers think Carter Hart is getting a beat on road games "We're having fun and playing hard, but we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves," Hart said. "We have 17 games left, and we just have to take one game at a time. We know the (Caps) are a good team, By Rob Parent we've played them three times already this year. So we know we can play with them. Like we always do, we just have to come out and play our

game." NEW YORK — All season long, even after playing the odd road game The Rangers did a double-length video tribute to two well-known alums, here and there, pre-ordained No. 1 Flyers goalie Carter Hart has been Vigneault, who was fired after the 2017-18 season, and Hayes, who was saying his game preparation is the same on the road as at home. traded less than a year later. Nevertheless, the word "Thanks" was Why the game results were starkly different, Hart wasn't sure, shrugging scrawled across the board as the videos played. away any answer. "It was cool," Hayes said. "I had five years here that were unbelievable. I Even Sunday, after overseeing a 5-3 Flyers win at Madison Square came out of college, and I became a grown-up here. A lot of memories. It Garden with a 23-save effort for his second win in three starts away from was cool, and it was nice to share it with AV. He's been my coach the Wells Fargo Center ... Hart wasn't changing his tune. entire time except for (David Quinn) for a year. My family and friends were in town, so it was great." "I've always prepared the same, no matter where we are," Hart said. "Whether we're in New York or whether we're in Prague, where we were Newcomer Derek Grant had a breakout game of sorts for the Flyers, at the beginning of the year. It doesn't matter where you're at, you just assisting on their third goal and scoring the fourth. have to go and play the game." Asked about the adjustment he's been making, going from more of a Hart may have thought he was doing just that, but the numbers weren't defensive role in Anaheim to a bigger chunk of the pie centering a third lying. line between James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Pitlick, Grant said, "I think it's pretty much the same, for the most part." Until he earned a victory over the Panthers in the Everglades on Feb. 13, he hadn't won a road game since Nov. 10, when he tended a rare road The difference, however, is having veterans on either wing, especially a victory over a Bruins team usually unflappable in their building. In that natural scorer in JVR on his left side. long stretch between road victories, an injury and a rather obvious "With guys like JVR and (Pitlick) they're always in the right spot," Grant preference by head coach Alain Vigneault to start in road said. "If you can get them the puck, they're playing close and tight. It games made Hart's road bogey seem even longer. But he claims it did makes everyone's job easier." nothing of the sort. It was his team's sixth straight victory, but Vigneault rightly defined it for "I'm not worried about that at all," Hart said. "Wherever we're at, we're what it was: "Strange game," AV said of the first game he's coached in just trying to get the two points." Madison Square Garden since being shown the door in the spring of Yet even with this victory, Hart is but 4-10-1 with a 3.81 goals-against 2018. average and .857 save percentage on the road this year. Those numbers But he wasn't describing the feeling as much as he was the way the are vastly improved over what they were a few weeks ago, however. And game went. Of the eight goals, only one came at even strength. they do nothing to diminish what he's accomplished this first full season at Wells Fargo Center, where Hart has been outstanding, going 18-2-2 In other words, referees Wes McCauley and Chris Rooney were perhaps with a 1,67 GAA and .941 save percentage. ... a little overly officious?

Certainly all of those numbers have been impacted by the distinct "A lot of penalties there," Hart said. "I'm not one to comment on whether difference in the play of the club overall between the road and home they should be penalties or not, but that was definitely more than usual, schedules. for sure."

But Vigneault points out that a couple of long trips — a disastrous West Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 Coast tour after Christmas in which Hart was blown out in San Jose and Vegas, and took it on the chin in Arizona; and a less than successful Western Canada tour in October — undercut some better recent road work by Hart.

His teammates agree.

"I think it's one of those fluky things," Sean Couturier said of Hart's home- vs.-road record. "That happens. Sometimes it's just the way it goes. He's a great goalie, he's got a bright future. We're not too worried about whatever happened earlier in the year. He's strong mentally so I'm sure he's all right."

Added Kevin Hayes: "He's a great goalie, and it's not hard to figure out why. He puts a lot of work into his game. Him, Moose (Elliott) and the goalie coach, they go hard every day. And it's paying off."

Overall, Hart's performances have been on the rise of late, not-so coincidentally tracking with those of his team. The Flyers' sweep of the home-and-home series with the Rangers, with Hart tending goal in both games, boosts their winning streak to six games.

At 38-20-7 (83 points) they've rocketed up the charts and were just a point behind the front-running Washington Capitals in the race for a Metropolitan Division title, pending the Caps' game in Minnesota Sunday night.

Almost poetically, the Flyers' next game will be against those very Capitals, who have lost two of three games to Philly this season, including a 7-2 Flyers blowout in D.C. on Feb. 8. Elliott manned the net in that game. 1179483 Philadelphia Flyers duty. But Shesterkin, seasoned over several impressive years in the KHL, was fantastic earlier in the season with the , going 17-4-3 with a 1.90 GAA and a .934 saves percentage in 25 AHL games. So even though his promotion would cause a logjam in the Inactive for too long, Henrik Lundqvist left to take the rap for the Rangers Broadway crease, they felt the time was right to see what he could do in the NHL.

Presto. Through 10 games, Shesterkin went 9-1 with a 2.23 GAA and By Rob Parent head-turning .940 saves percentage. Then ... Change-o.

Shesterkin had a run-in with the American tradition of chaos on the roads NEW YORK — The goalie's team was weakened by injuries to their new and cracked a rib or two. He's progressing but might be a couple of regular starter and reliable forward Chris Kreider. It was sapped by a weeks away. schedule that demanded three road games in four days, then an early Now, somewhere along the line, Quinn expects Lundqvist to act as if he's start against the Flyers Sunday after only a one-day respite. It looked game-sharp and full of youth and vigor. Good luck with that. tired and out of sorts. "It is what it is," said Lundqvist, who still has a pricey, $8.5 million cap hit The goalie, a guy who used to be known around these parts as King of a season left on his Rangers contract (with a $5.5M buyout), and likely Henrik Lundqvist, wasn't much better. His problem had nothing to do with will be ending his 15-year Rangers career soon. a weary body, but rather a rusted one after a weird benching that undercut his skills in what everyone is now acknowledging is the twilight "I knew going into this game that it was going to be a great challenge for of a great career. me to be on top of my game," the one-time King added. "I've been working hard, but in the end it's about how you focus and make good For Lundqvist has only sat while his team has played so often and, until decisions. I have to learn from it and hopefully we can build off the next back-to-back weekend losses to the Flyers, so well of late. In fact, until one." this Sunday matinee game in the Garden that ended in a 5-3 Flyers victory, Lundqvist hadn't started in the Rangers' crease in nearly a His choices limited, but his fingers firmly crossed, Quinn has no qualms month, and not because his body wasn't up to it. in giving Lundqvist another chance, and soon. The Rangers' recent run of nine wins in 10 games put them right into the playoff chase. But they Had more to do with a guy named Igor Shesterkin, who until getting can't afford too many more lost weekends like this one. involved in a car accident in Brooklyn last week was playing off the charts for the suddenly revived Broadway Blueshirts. Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 That, and Rangers head coach David Quinn's strange reluctance to play Lundqvist even in a real backup role amid a three-goalie rotation, has essentially served to take the Rangers' best leader of the past two decades and relegate him to embarrassment.

That was supplied in the first two periods Sunday, when the Flyers riddled the rusty Rangers goalie. Less than five minutes into the second period, they had scored five times on Lundqvist, and by the way Quinn saw things ... hey, that King Hank did just fine, didn't he?

"He made some big saves early," Quinn actually said after Lundqvist allowed three goals on 13 first-period shots. "I thought we were really on our heels after the first one. He kept it at bay and you can't fault him for any of them."

Oh.

Actually, quite true. For as game-unready as Lundqvist was, his teammates seemed less prepared at the start, despite the Flyers easily disposing of them Friday night in Philadelphia. So much for motivation through humiliation.

"There's no question special teams played a big part in this game," said Lundqvist, referencing the Flyers' scoring twice on the power play and once while shorthanded during the first period. "But when you haven't played in a long time, personally, you want to go out there and build a good feeling. Obviously that was pretty tough when you give up three first period goals. I don't think that was pretty good. A couple of tough situations, for sure. But I think we took some sloppy penalties that cost us and their power play was really good. I was hoping for a better feeling personally going out there."

Certainly Quinn was hoping for a better end result, but deep down after not starting Lundqvist for so long, he might have known that was unlikely.

"We all touched on how hard the situation is," Quinn said. "Nobody is more sympathetic to the situation than I am. He and I had three or four conversations this week. We want to put him in a situation to succeed and I thought he was fine tonight. I don't think Hank was our issue tonight. You may look at it statistically, but Hank was not our problem tonight."

Lundqvist, who turns 38 Monday, has been sitting and wondering about his next career move while Quinn has been keeping an eye on what only recently became an important Rangers present while continuing to keep an eye on the future. To that end, Quinn had been consistently starting Shesterkin in net since the hot-shot goalie was promoted to Broadway on Jan. 6.

Until that time, the Rangers were getting by with Lundqvist's diminishing skills and a limited backup in Alexander Georgiev essentially splitting 1179484 Philadelphia Flyers

Vigneault trying to keep streaking Flyers focused

By Rob Parent 23 hrs ago

Coming off a riveting performance against the New York Rangers Friday night, the Flyers get another opportunity Sunday to prove their season stretch drive mettle.

The vengeful Rangers, who had been on a 9-1 run entering that Friday Flyers visit, will be out to simply give the Flyers their lunch in the 12 noon start at Madison Square Garden.

But Alain Vigneault, head coach of a team that has won five straight games, including the 5-2 dismissal of the Rangers in the first of this home-and-home series, figures all will be fine so long as all his players take things the old one-game-at-a-time way.

"With our group, one of the things we have done real well is stay in the moment, stay focused on the task at hand," Vigneault said after a Saturday practice at the Skate Zone. "Our business tomorrow is to get ready for the Rangers and make sure we play the right way. You don't want to get caught not thinking about the next game. You have to really focus on one game at a time. It's a tough league. Everybody's good. So you have to get yourself ready, get yourself in the right mindset.

"(Saturday)'s a little different with a 12 o'clock start, but I'm real confident that we'll be real good tomorrow."

Vigneault is showing just as much confidence as his players are these days. He's got the aura of a coach who knows he's connected with his players, something that may be at the root of their 37-20-7 record and 81 points standing, second place in the Metropolitan Division and fourth-best in the Eastern Conference through Friday.

To that end, Vigneault is still making sure he's doing the right things when motivating his players to not be overconfident, just because they're coming off a big win over a team they're about to play again.

"When you're doing the right things, when you're preparing yourself the right way, when you're working off the ice the right way, when you're taking care of yourself off the ice ... I firmly believe the results will be on your side," Vigneault said. "Not every night, but on most nights, if you do the right things you give yourself a real good chance. We're in a league of parity, so you have to do the right things everywhere and all the time."

Stopping himself in mid-philosophical thought, Vigneault thought to add about his players, "They might find we're a little pain in the (butt) sometimes ... can you say that on camera? They might think we are demanding a lot. But at the end of the day you have to demand. We have a group that continues to progress. We'll have another opportunity to show it tomorrow."

One thing likely different Sunday from Friday night will be the presence of 20-year-old rookie Joel Farabee, last seen getting demoted just last week by general manager . He spent a lot of time on Trade Deadline Day talking about the need to get Farabee some regular playing time, something he didn't foresee up here with new acquisitions Nate Thompson and Derek Grant.

Fletcher said Farabee would rejoin the club at some point, but indicated that probably wouldn't be anytime soon. But after Grant was missing from practice Saturday, it was announced Farabee was on his way back to rejoin the Flyers.

And yet, according to Vigneault, Grant had a maintenance game. More likely is Grant is dealing with an injury and his status is uncertain for Sunday.

Just a guess.

The Flyers and all other teams in the NHL received a memo the last couple of days regarding Coronavirus. Not only is the hyped and spreading disease causing a stick shortage, it had the league leaders needing to remind players about keeping it clean. From a hygiene perspective, that is.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179485 Philadelphia Flyers Vigneault smiled in the visiting dressing room and said he had a martini coming his way. Hayes smiled as he chatted with family and friends in the bowels of the arena.

With Flyers, Kevin Hayes, Alain Vigneault have Philly thanking Rangers Both were leaving and coming home. for 2018-19 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.02.2020

By Jordan Hall March 01, 2020 6:35 PM

NEW YORK — In 2018-19, Kevin Hayes didn’t know his future. After his first four NHL seasons with the Rangers under Alain Vigneault, Hayes had a new head coach and just a one-year contract.

He played 51 games for New York before being dealt to Winnipeg at the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Following 20 games with the Jets, free agency was on the horizon.

For Vigneault, the year was also a period of change and uncertainty. For the first time in 13 years, he didn’t have an NHL gig. He had been fired by the Rangers in April 2018 and spent the season away from coaching.

In the same season, Hayes and Vigneault experienced the fickle nature of the NHL, how long-term job security is never guaranteed and feeling at home is luxury.

Through a twisted and ironic way, the ruthlessness of the business has made both of them better. Uniquely, it brought them back together.

“For me, the year off was great as far as reenergizing and falling back in love with the game,” Vigneault said Saturday. “Twelve straight years as a head coach in two pretty good markets can be a little bit demanding.

“But as you can tell, I’m reenergized, I’m a pain in everybody’s butt and I’m trying to get ready for a game."

That game was Sunday, his first regular-season trip to Madison Square Garden since he was axed by New York. The same went for Hayes since he was traded.

This was just a trip to MSG. The Flyers won, 5-3, improving to 3-0-0 against the Rangers in 2019-20.

Hired last April, Vigneault is rejuvenated in his new endeavor as head coach of the Flyers. Hayes could not be happier and more comfortable in Philadelphia after the Flyers traded for his contractual rights in June and signed him later that month.

With time (and winning), the city has embraced them both in Year 1. Fans have loved the mixture of Vigneault's toughness and lightheartedness. They're grateful for New York's decision and Vigneault's one-year break.

“I think he’s a little bit more calm off the ice," Hayes said with a smile Friday. "Not that he wasn’t calm in New York, but I think he enjoyed his year down in Florida playing some golf and hanging out. I think it did him wonders, honestly. He has a great relationship with his players, he knows who he can call out and how to call him out. I also think that’s what makes a coach really successful, as well — he knows what buttons to push, when to do it and where to do it.”

Hayes has said all the right things about his time with the Rangers, which he'll always cherish. In September, though, he was honest about why the relationship ended.

This summer, he was wanted by the Flyers. They wanted to have him for seven years. He has become a favorite among the fans and one of the leaders in the Flyers' dressing room.

He is all Philly and so is Vigneault.

During the first period Sunday, the Rangers thanked their former coach and center with a video tribute on the Jumbotron.

When asked how cool the salute was from New York, Vigneault wasn't ready to walk down memory lane.

"I obviously had some good moments here," Vigneault said. "At the end of the day, they decided to go in another direction. I’ve found another place in Philly that I really enjoy. We’ve both moved on.” 1179486 Philadelphia Flyers In his first game since Feb. 11, Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist had a bad time with the Flyers. Lundqvist turns 38 years old Monday and has lost six straight to the orange and black. He also owns 35 wins against them. Flyers are no fluke as the flu doesn't stop their show in win over Rangers Fans chanted "Hen-rik" early in the game but the Flyers silenced the crowd with three first-period goals from Couturier (power play), Matt Niskanen (power play) and Michael Raffl (shorthanded). By Jordan Hall March 01, 2020 2:44 PM • With nice touch, the Rangers saluted Vigneault and Kevin Hayes as

both returned to MSG (see story). NEW YORK — The Flyers sucked the life out of Madison Square • The book on Grant has been that he's not the most skilled forward. He Garden. has size, competes in the faceoff dot and takes great pride in the And they may have sucked the life out of New York's playoff hopes. defensive aspect of his position.

For the third time this season and second time in three days, the Flyers Well, he's clearly got some skill, too. He scored his first goal with the impressively handled the Rangers, picking up a 5-3 win Sunday Flyers as his team started running away with the game during the second afternoon. period.

Ten different Flyers recorded at least a point and five scored goals. Solid addition so far for the Flyers. Travis Konecny (one goal, one assist), Derek Grant (one goal, one Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 assist), Jakub Voracek (two assists) and Travis Sanheim (two assists) had multi-point games for the Flyers (38-20-7), who have won a season- best six straight games.

Travis Konecny is one goal away from matching his career high of 24.

There are 17 games remaining in this regular season.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) March 1, 2020

Since Jan. 8, the Flyers are 16-5-1 with an NHL-high 82 goals. Over that stretch, their 33 points are tied for most in the league with the Lightning and Bruins.

Coming into Sunday, the Flyers held second place in the Metropolitan Division, a 94.6 percent chance to make playoffs and a 17.4 chance to win the division. They are one point behind the first-place Capitals, who play the Wild Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

The Rangers (35-26-4) have lost three matchups with the Flyers by a combined score of 15-6. New York entered the action two points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Both teams meet once more on April 1 at Madison Square Garden.

The Flyers against the Metropolitan Division:

14-4-4 with a plus-19 goal differential (81-62).

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) March 1, 2020

• Over a span of 21 days, the Flyers have put a serious dent into the postseason chances of three teams — the Panthers, Blue Jackets and Rangers. Since Feb. 10, the Flyers have gone 6-0-0 against those bubble clubs, a sign that this 2019-20 group is more than just a bubble squad itself.

The Flyers are a top-six team in the NHL and a contender.

• New York made things interesting with two power play goals in the third period. All of the Rangers' goals were on the man advantage.

Head coach Alain Vigneault did not use his timeout.

"We took our foot off the gas a little bit instead of going after them, putting a little bit more pressure," Vigneault said. "But sometimes it's easier to learn lessons when you win. It hurts a lot more when you lose. I think there's a little lesson here to be learned for us and we'll get ready for Washington — it's going to be a tough game."

• One of the toughest players — if not the toughest — on the Flyers is Sean Couturier.

When Vigneault said in the morning that his do-it-all center would be a game-time decision because of the flu, the expectation was Couturier would play.

And he did.

Couturier scored a goal to give him 53 points (19 goals, 34 assists) and a plus-27 rating in his last 55 games. It would take a whole lot to keep him out of a game, especially this one.

• Carter Hart, who is 18-2-2 at home but 4-10-1 on the road, has won two of his last three away games — a real good sign. 1179487 Philadelphia Flyers Before Sunday, the Flyers were a staggering 1-10-0 in Hart’s prior 11 road appearances, dating back to November. In the last four games, where he had actually gotten a decision, he had only a .854 save percentage. If Carter Hart has a road issue, he started fixing it in New York In a hostile Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers have made a strong, maybe even surprise playoff push, he took a big step in making that road save percentage look less ugly. Dave Isaac, NHL WriterPublished 4:02 p.m. ET March 1, 2020 | Updated 4:06 p.m. ET March 1, 2020 “I’m not worried about that at all,” Hart added. “No matter where we’re at, we just try to get two points.”

Courier-Post LOADED: 03.02.2020 NEW YORK — Flyers goalie Carter Hart already has a laundry list of superstitions despite being the ripe age of only 21.

He has the bit where he jumps into a crunch before the start of each period, facing the side boards every time. He squirts his water bottle and follows one single bead of liquid as it falls to the ice, an exercise he picked up from his sports psychologist, and there’s one thing he doesn’t do that also plays to his mental game.

Hart is notorious for not looking at, or even being very generally aware of, his statistics. His home/road splits seem hard for even him to ignore. At Wells Fargo Center, he has a stupendous .941 save percentage. Outside of Philadelphia, his save percentage is an eye-popping .857.

Sunday in New York, as the Flyers brought their win streak to six games, he stopped 23 of 26 in a 5-3 win over the Rangers. It was only his second regulation win on the road this season in 18 appearances. He last won on the road Feb. 13, making 26 stops in a 6-2 win.

The best stops against the Rangers came in the third period, when the Flyers needed them most. New York’s power play made a game out of what was once a lopsided 5-1 score.

“I’ve always prepared the same no matter where we are, no matter if we’re in New York or in Prague at the beginning of the year,” Hart said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re at, you’ve just got to go play the game.”

This was a game where special teams ruled the day. Only one of the eight goals scored in the contest came at even strength and a pair of power-play goals by New York in the third period meant that Hart had to make some big-time stops late in the game.

He closed the door with 10 saves in the final frame of the game.

“He’s a pro already,” said Matt Niskanen, the veteran defenseman who had one of the Flyers’ goals and has played in front of Braden Holtby and Marc-Andre Fleury for most of his career. “I can’t tell you a thing about the position. I can’t critique a goalie because I don’t know anything about it, but it seems to me that he’s playing really well and he’s a pro. He’s doing really well for us, especially for a young guy.”

The win got the Flyers, at least temporarily, within a single point of first- place Washington. Things can change quickly in the Metropolitan Division but it’s looking increasingly clear that the Flyers will qualify for the playoffs at some point. When they do, it will be Hart who is leaned on as the everyday starting goalie.

That hasn’t been the case away from Wells Fargo Center this season, though. Brian Elliott started seven of the last nine road games heading into Sunday’s contest, although in four of those games Hart was out with a high ankle sprain.

“There’s obviously a big difference in both (his home and road splits),” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said, “but his games on the road lately, take a look at his last five or six. They’ve been very good. Tonight in the third period he was excellent. I always remember he’s only 21. He’s like everybody else. He has to learn the game, and he is. He’s figuring things out and there’s no doubt that we’ve got a real solid young man that has a lot of potential there.”

Going back five road starts for Hart would take you to Dec. 28 in San Jose, when Hart allowed six goals on 29 shots and his play away from home was starting to sound alarms.

At least outside the locker room, anyway.

“I think it’s just one of those fluky things that happens. Sometimes it’s just the way it goes,” said Sean Couturier, who had one of the Flyers’ goals Sunday. “He’s a great goalie. He’s got a bright future. We’re not too worried. Whatever happened earlier in the year is probably behind him. He’s pretty strong mentally so I’m sure he’s all right.” 1179488 Philadelphia Flyers Pletsch’s take: “His game continues to progress. He’s been used at center again, which was his natural position all the way up. Scored a really nice goal (Friday) night. If you did a poll of wrist shots in the Big Ten, he’d have to be among the top three. Top corner laser. His Flyers prospect WATCH: Big Ten playoff matchups are set strengths continue to be puck protection, grinding out along the wall. I would think he would project as a winger as a pro but that’s up to the

team, I guess. Kind of a quiet leader on the team. It’s a team with eight Dave Isaac, Published 9:00 a.m. ET March 1, 2020 seniors. He’s worn a letter as an alternate captain. Kind of a soft-spoken individual but you can just tell he has a very serious approach to the game as you’d expect from someone who stayed and wanted to get his degree and make sure he’s got that before he moves to the next level. I Over the last several seasons the Flyers’ prospect group has shifted from see more and more of that now. In this age of instant gratification one playing predominantly major junior hockey in Canada to being more everybody wants to get to the next level as soon as they can, but the commonly among the NCAA ranks. guys that are staying, they seem to have longer-term success and if they In the Flyers’ past two draft classes, eight went the college route while don’t they’re still in good shape.” four played in the Canadian Hockey League junior system and three in Wyatt Kalynuk Sweden. It’s just about playoff time for the college kids. Wyatt Kalynuk, defense, University of Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA) This weekend ended the regular season for the Big Ten and that playoff bracket is now solidified. Four Flyers prospects will be playing Age: 22 postseason hockey next weekend, including two against one another. Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 189 pounds It’s the last kick at the can for Tanner Laczynski, a senior at Ohio State, who was drafted in the 2016 sixth round. He’ll play against 2017 seventh- Acquired: 2017 seventh-round pick (196th overall) round pick Wyatt Kalynuk and the Wisconsin Badgers, who had a rough This season: 34 games, 6 goals, 20 assists season finishing 7-15-2 in conference play and ended up the final, seventh seed in the tournament. The skinny: Kalynuk is another one the Flyers are interested in signing. He told the Courier-Post last month that he is in no rush to turn pro, so Penn State gets a first-round bye, where it’s a best-of-three series. By we’ll see where that goes whenever the Badgers’ season is over. The the time the Nittany Lions play, on March 14, it will be single elimination. lefty-shot defenseman has good puck skills and is a power-play Freshman Cam York and the Michigan Wolverines finished third in the quarterback for Wisconsin, probably one of the best at it in the NCAA. Big Ten and will face Michigan State next weekend while fellow freshman He’s a junior so he could opt for one more year after a disappointing Bryce Brodzinski and the Minnesota Golden Gophers finished fourth and season for the team. will face No. 5 Notre Dame. Pletsch’s take: “His offensive instincts are so good. In this day and age, Buckle up for playoff hockey before the NHL gets its second season when you’re playing the point and walking the line and trying to change underway and follow along with the Big Ten schedule below. This week angles, it’s so important to get shots through. That’s something he excels the prospect report comes with the insight of Fred Pletsch, hockey at. Good passer, good skater, can join the rush. I think the crux for him analyst for the Big Ten Network. will be how (Wisconsin associate coach) Mark Osiecki can bring him along defensively — the zone coverage, stick on stick, identification of #7 WISCONSIN AT #2 OHIO STATE when to switch and stuff like that. Oz has such a good reputation. I know in talking to (head coach) Tony Granato, he said in his opinion Wyatt’s Game 1: Friday, March 6 – 7 p.m. ET been at All-American caliber the last 10, 12 games or so. Offensively Game 2: Saturday, March 7 – 7 p.m. ET there’s only the Cole Hults kid at Penn State who’s an L.A. Kings pick…Wyatt’s second to him in points among defensemen in the Big Ten. Game 3: Sunday, March 8 – 7 p.m. ET (if necessary) He’s one of those guys that if you can sign him you do and see what #6 MICHIGAN STATE AT #3 MICHIGAN happens, for sure.”

Game 1: Friday, March 6 – 7 p.m. ET Cam York

Game 2: Saturday, March 7 – 7 p.m. ET Cam York, defense, Wolverines (NCAA)

Game 3: Sunday, March 8 – 5 p.m. ET (if necessary) Age: 19

#5 NOTRE DAME AT #4 MINNESOTA Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 174 pounds

Game 1: Friday, March 6 – TBD – FS2 Acquired: 2019 first-round pick (14th overall)

Game 2: Saturday, March 7 – TBD – FS North This season: 28 games, 5 goals, 11 assists

Game 3: Sunday, March 8 – TBD – FS2 (if necessary) The skinny: It’s been a solid season for York, getting a taste of college hockey as a freshman and playing a role, albeit a small one, for USA * statistics as of Saturday, Feb. 29 Hockey at the World Junior Championships. The skill is undeniable. At one point the Flyers may have thought he’d be a one-and-done and go Tanner Laczynski pro after one year at Michigan. That seems less likely after he battled Tanner Laczynski, center, Ohio State University Buckeyes (NCAA) some injuries that limited his availability and hasn’t gained much muscle yet. Age: 22 Pletsch’s take: “I would agree with you. I’ve seen Michigan play, just Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 205 pounds because they’re in my backyard, more than any other Big Ten team this season. I’ve probably seen Michigan play 20 times. Cam York, he’s got Acquired: 2016 sixth-round pick (169th overall) pro written all over him but I think it would do him a great service to stay This season: 34 games, 10 goals, 21 assists and develop physically and mature physically. The times that I’ve seen him overmatched this season, that’s what it’s been. It’s been a strength The skinny: The Flyers tried to sign Laczynski last season and he opted issue for him. You look at his skating, he’s one of those guys where it’s to return for his senior season. There was some outside noise that so effortless. Nobody skated like (Paul) Coffey, but he’s one of those because of that, the player may have soured on the team that drafted guys that he’s gliding and he’s skating past everybody whose legs are him and preferred to go the free-agent route after a good NCAA career churning all along. He’s one of those guys where he knows where but the Flyers are confident they can sign him. In order to entice him, everybody is on the ice. His vision is unbelievable and patience and though, they may have to sign him this season and “burn” a year off his poise with the puck, he just doesn’t throw it away. He seems to always entry-level contract. make a good play and put it in good positions for whoever he’s giving it to. When you talk about getting a shot through traffic, Kalynuk’s good but York takes it to another level.”

Bryce Brodzinski

Bryce Brodzinski, right wing, University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA)

Age: 19

Height/weight: 6-feet, 215 pounds

Acquired: 2019 seventh-round pick (196th overall)

This season: 34 games, 7 goals, 5 assists

The skinny: There’s quite a lineage with Brodzinski, whose older brothers, Jonny and Michael, already turned pro. Another older brother, Easton, is a senior at St. Cloud State, where the family has a history with former coach Bob Motzko. These days Motzko is running the program at Minnesota, where Bryce plays, so there’s definitely a comfort level in playing the freshman. He was a terrific high school player and even filled the stat sheet in 19 USHL games last season. This season has been a learning experience.

Pletsch’s take: “I haven’t seen Bryce as much. I did talk to him early in the season, kind of sat down with him 1-on-1, asked him about winning the Minnesota Mr. Hockey award, which is as big as it gets there (for high school athletes). He has to be humble because his brothers didn’t win it but one’s in the NHL and another has had all kinds of success. He’s a humble kid, kind of gets it from a hockey perspective. Unbelievable hands. It was a big jump for him because he’s still young, going from high school to college. You can talk about a guy’s physical tools and hands and mind for the game and everything, but going from high school to college is a hell of a jump. I do know in the second half he’s gotten a lot more comfort, a lot more comfortable and he’s starting to be a factor. Guys are looking for him now because they know he can put the puck in the net. He’s a guy that’s gonna have to stay in school and let Bob Motzko develop him. The NHL GMs call them darts now, when you throw darts at the fifth, sixth and seventh round now. Who knows with the genes in that family? There’s pretty good chances.”

Courier-Post LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179489 Pittsburgh Penguins

Minor league report: Nailers blanked by Walleye

SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, March 1, 2020 10:39 p.m.

Goaltender Emil Larmi made 25 saves for the Wheeling Nailers in a 6-0 road loss to the at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio on Sunday. It was Wheeling’s third consecutive loss.

Highlights:

The Nailers’ (24-26-5-0) next game is on the road against the Fort Wayne Komets in the Memorial Center in Fort Wayne, Ind. on Wednesday, 7:35 p.m.

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179490 Pittsburgh Penguins They seem to have recovered nicely. It’s a long season. Two and a half months to go. Calm down.

Now, if the Penguins lose to Ottawa at home Tuesday night, it might be John Steigerwald: Penguins’ rough stretch no reason to panic time to get off that porch, head for the streets and do some serious panicking.

JOHN STEIGERWALD | Sunday, March 1, 2020 4:49 p.m. Tribune Review LOADED: 03.02.2020

The Pittsburgh Penguins stink right now.

The Washington Capitals might be worse.

You’ve probably noticed how things have been going for the Penguins lately. They lost their sixth in a row Saturday night, 5-0 to San Jose, in a game they may as well have been playing in their bare feet.

The Penguins have dropped from first place in the Metropolitan Division 10 days ago to third behind, of all teams, the Flyers. The panic may not be in the streets yet, but it’s sitting on the front porch.

Maybe this will calm things down: The Capitals, who are still in first place, entered Sunday having lost six out of seven and seven of 10. They lost four in a row, then won two and lost at Winnipeg, 3-0, on Thursday night and to finish February with a record of 4-7-1.

The Penguins were 5-7-1 and weren’t the only team to lose to bad opponents. Washington lost at New Jersey and at Arizona.

It’s a long season. Too long, really, probably by about 20 games. Most years even the best teams manage to have a bad streak before they get through six-and-a-half months and 82 games.

Hockey might just be a little too rough and too demanding to expect teams to stay healthy and/or interested for that long.

I won’t bore you with the well-documented, ridiculous number of injuries the Penguins have had to overcome, but all teams lose players and have to adjust.

And all teams have to figure out how to get out of a funk at some point in the season.

The defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues started February by losing five in a row and six out of seven. They have a three-point lead in the Central Division.

Good thing for the Penguins that the New York Islanders, who are only two points behind them, have lost three in a row and seven out of nine.

The Columbus Blue Jackets were moving up in the Metro after winning six in a row to finish January with a 9-2 record. Their coach, John Tortorella, was getting lots of Coach of the Year consideration.

They went 4-11 in February, and that included an eight-game losing streak.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had lost four in a row before beating Calgary on Saturday night. Speaking of panic, the Lightning also found out Saturday their captain and 29-goal scorer Steven Stamkos needs core muscle surgery and will be out six to eight weeks.

Like August in baseball, February is the dog-days month in hockey, especially for teams that are pretty sure they’re going to be in the playoffs.

Everything changes in March, especially for good teams that have allowed themselves to let lesser teams creep up on them. Those four- point games begin to acquire a playoff feel. Kind of like the feel of that Penguins-Capitals game last Sunday.

The Capitals had lost seven of nine before that one.

Nobody would have accused either team of looking disinterested in that 5-3 loss by the Penguins. Why would anybody be surprised a team like the Penguins would have some trouble getting up for three games out west against bad teams?

And, by the way, some of the better teams that are still chugging along may have gotten the blahs out of their systems early. The Boston Bruins are leading the league in points. They lost five in a row and eight out of nine in December. From Dec. 5 to Jan. 4, they lost 11 out of 15. That’s a pretty bad month. Definitely worse than the Penguins in February. 1179491 Pittsburgh Penguins relatively recent departures of veterans such as forwards Andrew Agozzino and Stefan Noesen through waivers, Miletic is one of several players expected to carry Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s offense.

Penguins prospect Sam Miletic stepping up in 2nd pro season “Just trying to pick up bigger responsibilities, a bigger role,” Miletic said. “It’s not your first year any more, so you kind of know everyone, which is a good thing. Our goal here is to make the playoffs here and win games.”

By: Seth Rorabaugh Tribune Review LOADED: 03.02.2020 Sunday, March 1, 2020 | 4:32 PM

WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Sam Miletic took a large step this season toward making a name for himself when he was selected to participate in January’s AHL All-Star Classic. He was a member of an Atlantic Division squad that won the tournament in Ontario, Calif.

Any recognition garnered from that honor hasn’t halted the occasional butchering of his surname, however.

“I’ve heard everything from ‘Metallic’ to whatever,” Miletic said. “It’s all over the place.”

For the record, the phonetic spelling of his last name is “MIHL-uh-tik.”

Miletic has appeared on the scoresheet more often in his second professional season. In 58 games this season, he has 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists).

Last season, as an AHL rookie, injuries limited him to 49 games and 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists).

“Just bad luck, I guess,” said Miletic, 22. “A shoulder, those things happen all the time. It was kind of a harmless hit. Just bad luck more than anything.”

“Anytime you get hurt, it’s obviously not fun. You just want to be back with the guys. It’s been good to have a full season so far.”

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed the native of Bloomfield Township, Mich. to a three-year entry-level contract in the fall of 2017 after he attended a handful of their prospect and rookie camps as an invitee.

A three-year contract was virtually impossible for an undrafted player to ignore.

“It was kind of a no-brainer,” Miletic said. “They offered a contract. They were fresh off the (Stanley) Cup. Obviously, a tremendous organization from top to bottom.

“You’ve seen in the past with a bunch of (players from Wilkes- Barre/Scranton) stepping up during their past two (championships). It’s obviously a great spot to be.”

After putting up 92 points (32 goals, 66 assists) in 63 games during his final junior season of 2017-18 split between the ’s London Knights and Ontario IceDogs, Miletic has focused on the defensive side of the game since becoming a professional.

“Keep working on everything,” Miletic said. “Working on the defensive games is huge up there (in the NHL and) down here. At the end of the day, you work on your defensive game. That’s the most important part.”

“He’s getting better defensively,” Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coach and general manager Mike Vellucci said. “He’s protecting pucks better. Offensively, he’s getting better. He’s done a lot of good things this year. He’s getting better, and his skating is getting stronger. He’s improved in every area.”

During Wednesday’s 6-2 home loss to the at Mohegan Sun Arena, Miletic accounted for all the team’s offense. On the game’s opening goal, he banged in a rebound during a goalmouth scramble 2 minutes, 12 seconds into regulation.

(Video courtesy Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)

Then at 12:06 of the second period, his defense led to offense. After Miletic forced a turnover at the Bruins’ blue line, forward Riley Barber scored on a breakaway.

(Video courtesy Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)

With NHL management having dealt away so many high draft picks over the years in the name of pursuing the Stanley Cup, as well as the 1179492 Pittsburgh Penguins At that point, Jake Guentzel was lost for at least the rest of the regular season. So Crosby had to skate alongside the likes of a slumping McCann, a 33-year-old Patric Hornqvist and Dominik Simon, who has a 7.2 career shooting percentage. Crosby points the finger at himself amid Penguins’ longest losing skid in 8 years Jason Zucker has five goals in 10 games since the Penguins acquired him from the Minnesota Wild. But the two haven’t yet clicked as the team had hoped.

MATT VENSEL Plus, the injuries to top-four blue-liners Brian Dumoulin and John Marino, both of whom could return to game action this week, prompted Sullivan MAR 1, 2020 9:19 PM to play Johnson on the top defensive pair. Crosby’s numbers are substantially worse when on the ice with Johnson, which has been 46.7% of his 5-on-5 time since Jan. 14. SAN JOSE, Calif. — He was wrong, but Sidney Crosby stated what he feels has been the Penguins’ biggest problem during their longest losing The Penguins had just two high-danger chances combined in their three skid in eight years. losses in California while Crosby was on at 5-on-5, and they got out- scored, 3-0. Standing, his arms folded, in the visiting locker room at SAP Center after a 5-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks, Crosby purposefully pointed the finger Seemingly pressing already to pick up slack for others, Crosby’s plus- at himself. minus rating has plummeted to minus-9, which is the second-worst mark on the team. He has not finished in the red in plus-minus for a season “We all care. We all want to have success and do the right thing. I think since his rookie year. we understand what it takes to win,” he said Saturday. “But I put it on myself. I’ve got to step up. Key situations, you’re down like this and That number also speaks to the play of Crosby and the Penguins in their losing games, you need big plays, big performances. And I haven’t done defensive zone, though puck possession and goal prevention are that. So that’s on me.” intertwined.

That was noble of the Penguins captain, always quick to deflect praise The Sharks scored their first goal Saturday after Crosby’s pass at the far and willing once again to shoulder some blame even though a slumping blue line skipped over the stick of Zucker. The Sharks quickly countered superstar probably wouldn’t crack a list of Mike Sullivan’s 10 biggest and caught Marcus Pettersson trying to change. Evander Kane would worries at the moment. bury the breakaway.

Injuries have forced the coach to rely on suboptimal defensive pairs. But the other two goals that opponents scored with Crosby on the ice out Goaltending, while still receiving a passing grade, hasn’t been as stingy. here in California were largely out of his control. One was a simple Role players such as Jared McCann stopped scoring. The three new deflection. Another was a big breakdown where three others, including guys have yet to provide a spark. Zucker, split blame.

But it certainly wouldn’t hurt if Crosby got back to being one of the NHL’s Crosby might have had his most impactful season as a defender in 2018- best, a player who puts his linemates on his back and squats them into 19. He finished fourth in Selke voting after the Penguins gave up only 9.9 the sky. high-danger chances per 60 minutes with him on at 5-on-5, per NaturalStatTrick.com. Lately, his box-score numbers and more advanced stats have dipped, especially the past two weeks. So what’s the issue? Bad luck? His During this losing streak, that rate has spiked to an alarming 15.1 per 60. supporting cast? Lingering effects of his injury? Just a subpar stretch by “I think we’re fighting. But when you get down in games, you can kind of his standards, part of the ebbs and flows that even superhumans force it a bit,” he said. “When it’s going your way, all of those things fall experience during a long season? into place.” Or is the solution as simple as the Penguins putting Jack Johnson back The Penguins, who lost all six of these games in regulation, have on the third pair or on a plane to Antarctica? Naturally, it’s more nuanced dropped to third place in the Metropolitan Division. Suddenly, a playoff than that. spot seems uncertain. Crosby has notched just one point, the goal he scored in last Sunday’s 5- Crosby and the Penguins get another crack at getting back on track 3 loss to the Washington Capitals, and a minus-8 rating during this losing when another bottom-five team, the Ottawa Senators, visits PPG Paints streak. Arena on Tuesday. “Nobody feels good about it. It’s tough,” Crosby said. “But we’re just “These are important games,” Crosby said. “And you want to be at your putting ourselves in bad spots. We’re getting behind in games and best, whether it’s being on for goals against or not putting the puck in chasing it, and the puck’s not going in for us right now. And that’s a tough yourself.” combination.” Post Gazette LOADED: 03.02.2020 Saturday, with the Penguins down three goals early in the third period and still theoretically in it, Sharks goalie Martin Jones went out for lunch. Crosby, 28 feet out, was staring at an empty net from a sharp but not impossible angle, certainly not for him. But he missed. Moments later, the Sharks made it 4-0.

“The chances are there,” he said. “It’s frustrating it’s not going in. But you don’t get points for getting scoring chances. So you can only say that for so long.”

Last season, when he finished second in the MVP voting, the Penguins out-scored opponents, 82-43, with Crosby on at 5-on-5, per NaturalStatTrick.com. They had a 54.5% shot share and generated 14 high-danger chances per 60 minutes.

This season, the Penguins have been out-scored, 28-25, with Crosby on the ice at full strength while generating 11.6 high-danger chances per 60 minutes.

These statistics have dipped further since the 32-year-old returned to the lineup Jan. 14 after he underwent sports hernia surgery and missed 28 games. 1179493 Pittsburgh Penguins Evan Rodrigues. But that’s ridiculous. Taking Alex Galchenyuk and Dominik Kahun out of the room hardly hurt the team or damaged the chemistry. It wouldn’t hurt, though, if Marleau, Sheary and Rodrigues started contributing a little to the offense. They didn’t have a goal or an Ron Cook: Bad time for Penguins to slide, but don't panic just yet assist and were a combined minus-4 in their three games since joining the Penguins a week ago.

So what’s ahead? RON COOK I believe the Penguins will find their way, although the home game MAR 1, 2020 5:23 PM Tuesday night against Ottawa would not be too soon to start. I’m certainly not ready to write them off as a Stanley Cup contender. All they need to do, for starters, is match Hornqvist’s intensity. He is the one Two moments have defined the Penguins’ hideous six-game losing player who shows up every night. How do you not love that? “Play like streak. Both involved Sidney Crosby, which shouldn’t be surprising Hornie play,” Malkin agreed. “He’s an unbelievable player. He never considering he, like the rest of his teammates, has been awful during the stops.” slide. And, yes, it is shocking that Crosby has played so poorly. Brian Dumoulin, out hurt for 37 games, and John Marino, out 11, are The first moment happened late in the 5-3 loss to Washington Feb. 23 close to returning and will give the defense a big lift. They will drop after T.J. Oshie scored the winning goal. Crosby, on the ice at the time, Schultz and Jack Johnson down in the rotation. Fewer minutes for slammed his stick a few times when he got back to the bench, then broke Schultz and Johnson will be a good thing. it over his thigh. The way the Penguins’ season has gone with injuries, it was lucky he didn’t put himself out for six weeks. Most of all, I believe Crosby will get back to being Crosby. I think of a wonderful quote from long-time former NHL coach Mike Babcock, maybe The second moment happened late in the first period of the 2-1 loss the best thing ever said about Crosby: Wednesday to the Los Angeles Kings. Crosby thought he scored to pull the Penguins into a 1-1 tie when he redirected a pass from Jason Zucker “He is addicted to winning.” past goaltender Calvin Petersen. But the puck hit the crossbar, dropped It’s good that Crosby is taking the losses so hard. Opponents are going straight down and rolled along the goal line without going across. Crosby to pay a price for his anger, frustration and passion. muttered in disbelief and said a few choice words to referee Ghislain Hebert after replay determined no goal. At least Crosby’s stick didn’t die Soon. a gruesome death, if you are looking for something positive. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.02.2020 These are brutal times for the Penguins and for Crosby. The losing streak dropped the team into third place in the Metropolitan Division through Sunday’s games, just two points ahead of the fourth-place New York Islanders and only four points ahead of Columbus for the final playoff spot. It was outscored, 24-8, in the six losses, the final three coming against Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose, three of the NHL’s worst clubs. Crosby scored just one goal, didn’t have an assist and was a minus-8.

Crosby took responsibility for all of it because that’s what great captains do.

“I’ve got to step up. Key situations, you’re down like this and losing games, you need big plays, big performances. And I haven’t done that. So that’s on me.”

Crosby certainly isn’t alone in his misery.

It’s hard to believe a team with so much talent and so much speed suddenly can’t score a goal.

Zucker scored both goals in the 3-2 loss to Anaheim Friday night but had just one assist and was a minus-6 in the other five losses. Bryan Rust had one goal and one assist during the losing streak. Even Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist struggled in the three losses on the West Coast with just one assist each.

But the Penguins’ scoring issues started even before their slide. You knew that might happen when 40-goal scorer Jake Guentzel went down for the season Dec. 30. It just took a little longer than expected.

Jared McCann has no goals in his past 17 games, Dominik Simon none in the past 12. Brandon Tanev has one goal in the past 19 games, Teddy Blueger two in the past 15. Even the offensive-skilled defensemen have done little. Kris Letang has no goals in the past seven games, Justin Schultz just one assist in 14 games since coming back from injury.

Sidney Crosby reaches for a loose puck in front of Stars defenseman John Klingberg in the first period Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, at PPG Paints Arena.

The special teams have been lousy. The power play went 1-for-18 during the losing streak. The penalty kill allowed six goals in 17 chances.

The goaltenders haven’t played as well, but that is mostly because they have been sabotaged by poor play in front of them. Matt Murray gave up four, four and three goals in his three starts during the losing streak, Tristan Jarry five, two and five goals during his three starts.

Not surprisingly, Jim Rutherford has been criticized for tinkering with a good thing by trading for Zucker, Patrick Marleau, Conor Sheary and 1179494 San Jose Sharks “All the wins are great right now,” Jones said. “(I) thought we played great from start to finish and it was our best game from start to finish in some time.”

Sharks 5, Penguins 0: Martin Jones’s work with Evgeni Nabokov is Other takeaways from Saturday. paying off 1. The difference maker: Having Couture back has obviously made a big impact at both ends of the ice. While Joel Kellman’s line with Marcus Sorensen and Dylan Gambrell was slowing down Evgeni Malkin’s line, By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: March 1, 2020 at 5:02 a.m. | Couture, Kane and Noah Gregor were matched up with Sidney Crosby, UPDATED: March 1, 2020 at 2:20 p.m. Jason Zucker and Conor Sheary.

Couture scored for the second straight game, as his goal at the 6:14 mark of the third period gave the Sharks a 4-0 lead. SAN JOSE — San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones might be a little disappointed to see the calendar turn from February to March. “It’s good to have a top flight center back in your lineup that you can play with,” Kane said. “He makes things a little easier out there, especially in But perhaps there’s a lot for him to look forward to, as well. the defensive zone.” With his 30 saves Saturday night in the Sharks’ 5-0 win over the 2. A better start: The first period the Sharks played Saturday was a vast Pittsburgh Penguins, Jones improved to 3-2-0 last month with a .951 improvement from the first period they played Thursday against New save percentage and a 1.40 goals against average. It was Jones’ second Jersey, when they still might’ve been feeling the effects of a cross shutout in his last five starts, after he made 39 saves in the Sharks’ 2-0 country flight. win over Minnesota on Feb. 15. Against the Penguins, the Sharks weathered some early pressure and “He’s been good for a long stretch here,” Sharks captain Logan Couture killed a tripping penalty to Mario Ferraro before Kane scored on a said of Jones. “He played well on that road trip, too. We’re confident in breakaway at the 18:48 mark. him, he looks confident in the net. He’s been making tough saves look easy. “We wanted to come out hard. We knew (Pittsburgh) played (Friday) night and they;re a team that’s going through a tough time right now,” “It energizes our group when he’s playing like this.” Couture said. “We know how it feels to be going through a tough time like It’s a testament to the work Jones has put in with goaltending coach that. When you get jumped on early, it really takes the wind out of your Evgeni Nabokov in the last two-plus months, and Nabokov’s approach to sails. That was our goal and I thought we did a very good job. turning Jones’ season around. “We started on time and placed the puck in good spots and forced them Shortly after Bob Boughner took over as the Sharks’ interim coach Dec. to defend. With their skill players, they don’t like doing that.” 11, he gave Aaron Dell the lion’s share of starts. The injury to Jake Middleton from both broadcasts. Dell earned that responsibility with his performances throughout much of ▪ Boughner did not a health update on defenseman Jacob Middleton, December and January, but the move also allowed Jones to take some who suffered what appeared to be a serious leg injury in the third period. time to work on his craft. Sharks’ Aaron Dell on getting past trade deadline: “I’m glad I’m still here” “(Nabokov) wanted to sort of reconstruct — not change his game — but work on some things that needed to be fixed,” Boughner said Saturday. Middleton was caught up with Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist in front “And Nabby spent some time with him and he went through a mini- of the Sharks net before he landed awkwardly on the ice. Middleton tried training camp, as you could call it. to get off the ice using one leg, and could not put any weight on his left leg as he was being helped to the Sharks’ dressing room. “Dell started taking off. The fact of the matter is that now, it’s been a healthy competition. They’ve both given us some great goaltending in the Middleton was playing in his sixth straight game after the Sharks traded second. Jonesy’s a guy that has a lot of pride and he’s won a lot of Brenden Dillon to the Washington Capitals on Feb. 18. games here over the last few years. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.02.2020 “If you win, you’re going to stay and we want both of them to compete for the net all the time.”

With that in mind, Jones will likely start Tuesday’s home game with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jones hasn’t played in three straight games since early December when he made four straight starts, finishing a stretch in which he played in 27 of the Sharks’ first 33 games.

On Dec. 12, Jones had a 12-13-1 record and a .888 save percentage. As of Sunday, he was 16-19-2 and an .897 save percentage.

Maybe the workload caught up to him.

After all, Jones made 312 starts — including playoffs — in his first four years in San Jose, most for any NHL goalie.

“It’s nice to play and get into a little bit of a rhythm, but I thought it could have been a good thing to have me get some of that practice time in,” Jones said. “It’s tough. I’ve played a lot of hockey over the last five years. So, I just wanted to work hard in practice and make sure I was ready when I did get the call.”

Jones got a bit fortunate Saturday, no doubt, as both Patrick Marleau and Dominik Simon both hit posts and Sidney Crosby missed a chance in the third period with a wide open net in front of him.

Otherwise, Jones flashed the form he showed throughout much of his first three seasons with the Sharks.

“He was just solid throughout the night and was there when we needed him,” Sharrks winger Evander Kane said. “He’s had a real good last couple of games and hopefully that can continue.” 1179495 St Louis Blues Of course, what makes the Blues are the Blues — the team-ness of the team. The unafraid, hard-nosed hockey they play. And for fans who haven’t followed closely since last year’s playoffs — they’re actually good now on the power play! The boys are currently on a seven-game win Can Blues become the darlings of the NHL? Are they already? streak … for the third time this season. They’ve never done that three times, in all their years.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, we’re not the second coming 4 hrs ago and we’re not the be-all-and-end-all, but we’re making progress and Benjamin Hochman becoming a stronger and stronger organization,” Stillman told the Post- Dispatch on Sunday by phone. “We’re seeing some rewards that come from that. …

The St. Louis Blues are this merry band of skaters who dominate but “Everybody always talks about character, and that’s a big part of it, but aren’t indomitable, who win with experience, but often after experiencing sometimes I think we too quickly run past the fact that they are very whirlwinds. talented and skilled players, to begin with. Then you combine with that a lot of hard work and probably, more important than anything, that they They have the second-most wins in hockey and are second in wins after play as a team, for the team and for each other. Especially through the trailing, tallied on morehockeystats.com. They are an imperfect perfect experiences of the second half of last season and all through the hockey club, currently first in the Western Conference, defenders of Lord playoffs, they really learned how to win — and a lot of different ways, Stanley’s Cup. They’re just really likable. Charming, even. They’d make even when they’re not playing their best. It’s a team that really sticks for a great political candidate. They’d win over those undecideds with together and cares about each other.” their real-ness and grit, their wealth of confidence but lack of cockiness. It’ll take at least a second Cup to become a force of an era. But with All- The beloved Blues are doing so well these days, you could make a case Star and their All-Stars, the Winter Classic and the summer parade, the they’re even more popular than the BattleHawks. Blues have become the team of the present. But here’s an actual comparison and question — are the Blues becoming St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020 the NHL’s new Blackhawks?

Yes, yes — the Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups during their run this century, the Blues have won their one. Yet without a superstar — their most-talented guy is injured, and they don’t have one player in the top-20 in goals or points — the Blues have become the darlings of this league. They won the Stanley Cup in the most storybook way possible … and this season, they have the most points in the conference. They hosted the Winter Classic in 2017, and they were tabbed to play in the marquee event in 2021 (they don’t put the Blue Jackets in these games). And the Blues and St. Louis just hosted an All-Star weekend for the ages.

“We do our due diligence when selecting host sites for our tentpole events — it is no coincidence that we have entrusted so many of them to the Blues,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told the Post-Dispatch via message on Sunday. “That is a tribute to Tom Stillman’s outstanding stewardship of the franchise, the organization he and Chris Zimmerman have built and the team on the ice that they have constructed with . …

“That St. Louis is a hockey town has long been clear — and was demonstrated again and again by the passion Blues fans have displayed each time the League has visited. However, the club’s recent run of success would not have been possible without the kind of leadership Tom has provided — and his commitment to upgrade Enterprise Center and serve the city of St. Louis.”

As for the “new Blackhawks,” we mean the latest, cool winning team in the league. It’s not to say that the Blackhawks are a template. That would be difficult for any team to replicate, considering the Blackhawks won with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, two transcendent stars of the league. Then again, that’s how the Blackhawks are stuck in the pickle their currently in — by overpaying for those two, and some others, too, the team is imbalanced. Chicago sits in last place of the Central Division. Last year, they were second-to-last. And, two years ago, last.

That’s the cool thing about these Blues — they appear equipped to win for years. They don’t just have a handful of blossoming (and affordable) prospects, they have a whole goalie gloveful. They have their key top players, the captain notwithstanding, under contract for the coming years. And, no, defenseman Justin Faulk hasn’t wowed St. Louis the way his surname namesake did for the Rams, but here’s thinking he’ll play better in his second season; he was thrust into things this year. This isn’t to say that Justin Faulk is better than Alex Pietrangelo. This is simply to say that Armstrong made a shrewd deal to nab Faulk, in case St. Louis loses the free agent “Petro.”

And while the Blues don’t have a Kane or Toews, they do have some rather popular players. Consider that Vladimir Tarasenko is second in the NHL in jersey sales in 2019-20, trailing only Sidney Crosby, ahead of Alex Ovechkin. And the Blues had four All-Stars — Pietrangelo, David Perron, Ryan O’Reilly and goalie Jordan Binnington, who is one of the best stories in sports, albeit Bieber shenanigans on social media. 1179496 St Louis Blues elusiveness at getting away from defenders — you just be in an area around him, he’ll get you the puck. He’s that good of a passer.”

For younger players — really all players — it’s about building trust with At age 20, Thomas is coming of age for Blues the head coach when it comes to getting ice time and having a meaningful role. A couple of things have happened recently to show that Berube has growing trust in Thomas.

Jim Thomas 4 hrs ago Seven games ago, coinciding with the start of the latest win streak, Berube placed Thomas on the Blues’ second line centering wingers Zach

Sanford and David Perron. This Blues season began with the Stanley Cup afterglow, complete with And as was seen against Dallas on Saturday and the New York Islanders ring banquet, banner-raising and a white House visit. on Thursday, Thomas has been getting a steady diet of work in 3-on-3 Then came the potentially traumatic loss of Vladimir Tarasenko to overtime play. shoulder surgery in Game 10, an injury that has sidelined him for most of “Always got room to improve,” Thomas said. “I think I’ve taken some the season, although a return is nearing. good steps up to this point. I still gotta work on my defensive side a little Three weeks ago came real-life trauma, when veteran defenseman Jay bit more. And getting in the right spots and stuff like that. That’s my next Bouwmeester collapsed on the bench because of a cardiac episode. step for me, and just keep on building.” He’s out for the season, his career may be over. But he’s alive thanks to Now that he’s playing more center, Thomas is taking more faceoffs. He’s the work of trainers, paramedics and doctors. already taken 282, compared with 220 all of last season as a rookie. He’s In between was an All-Star game on home ice. All sorts of winning at a 42.6% success rate, which has to come up. streaks, including a current one of seven games, as well as one long “When you don’t take ‘em for a while, it takes a little bit to kind of get slump — a 2-7-3 dip from mid-January through mid-February. back in your rhythm,” Thomas said. But if you’re looking for the best underlying storyline of the campaign, it He has been working with Ryan O’Reilly after practice to improve his just might be the growth and development of Robert Thomas. Right faceoff success. before our eyes, the second-year center has come of age. “Obviously, he’s one of the best in the game,” Thomas said. “And just And that’s saying something, because his age is 20. He can’t buy a drink being able to learn from that really goes a long way.” legally in the United States — not until July 2. Since the Sanford-Thomas-Perron line has been together, its three The numbers are up all across the board for Thomas — not dramatically, members have combined for five goals and eight assists. In three of but noticeably. With 16 regular-season games still to be played, Thomas seven games together, the trio has gone pointless, but they almost has 10 goals, 30 assists — for 40 points — in 61 games. Through all of always get their share of scoring chances. last season, he had nine goals, 24 assists for 33 points. “I think he’s really finding his game this year,” Sanford said of Thomas. He’s plus-10 this season; a year ago he finished minus-2. He’s getting “Seeing him on the rushes and breakouts and finding those spots, and about 1½ more minutes of playing time per game, and growing. But most the way he hangs onto pucks down low and keeps plays alive. It’s really noticeable of all is his improved puck-possession and passing. fun to be part of.” A lot of this is a result of Thomas’ diligence, coupled with growing And the fun is just beginning. confidence. But the Blues’ coaching staff deserves a chunk of the credit for their work with Thomas and their patience. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020 “Definitely the coaches work with him,” head coach Craig Berube said. “(Assistant coach) Steve Ott’s put in a ton of time with him, with video and teaching and things like that.

“He’s obviously more involved this year than he was last year as a player. He’s playing in a different role this year, and he’s relishing it.

“The more ice time you give him, the better he plays. He’s getting more time this year, different looks, things like that, and he’s a tremendous player. He’s only gonna get better.”

Thomas could always skate. His father, Scott, said that was noticeable almost from the moment Thomas started skating at age 3 on the backyard rink at home in Aurora, Ontario, outside of Toronto.

The athletic prowess, as well as the high hockey IQ, apparently come from his mom’s side of the gene pool.

“She’s a really good athlete,” Scott said. “That’s one of the areas where she’s done well is that kind of sport IQ thing. She played a lot of football actually.”

“Football” as in soccer?

“No. ‘Football’ football,” Scott said. “Flag football.”

Debbie Waechter, she kept her last name when married, plays quarterback and wide receiver in rec leagues back home.

Her son plays a hockey version of quarterback, distributing the puck all around, although he’s occasionally on the receiving end as well. It’s hard to get the puck away from Thomas if you’re a defender — and that wasn’t really the case last season.

And if you happen to be playing on the same line, have your stick down. The puck could be headed your way at a moment’s notice.

“Be ready,” Berube said. “Because you never know when you’re gonna get it. I mean, it’s about positioning and being ready. His cutbacks and 1179497 St Louis Blues Streaking BluesWith Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win over Dallas, the Blues became only the second defending Stanley Cup champion in NHL history to have three consecutive winning streaks of seven or more games in the following season. Blues noteboook: Bouwmeester issues brought back flashbacks for de la Rose The only other team to do so, the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens, went on to repeat as Cup champions. Actually, it was Cup No. 3 in a string of four consecutive NHL championships.

Jim Thomas 4 hrs ago St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.02.2020

After he was traded to the Blues in early November, forward Jacob de la Rose said he no longer thought about the surgery he underwent last April to correct an irregular heartbeat.

That changed, obviously, on the night of Feb. 11 in Anaheim, when teammate Jay Bouwmeester collapsed on the bench because of a cardiac episode. Medical officials revived Bouwmeester on the spot, he was rushed to a nearby hospital and subsequently underwent surgery to insert an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) in his chest to monitor and control his heartbeat.

“Yeah, for sure it did,” de la Rose said. “Obviously, his was a little more serious. I was awake for the whole time and stuff like that.

“It’s scary when it’s the heart. You don’t really know a lot about it either. Like we’re not really educated in that stuff. But when it’s the heart, you realize right away that it’s super-serious. So it was really scary. Obviously we’re all excited and happy that (Bouwmeester’s) back here with us and that he’s doing fine.”

Playing for Montreal at the time, de la Rose first experienced a cardiac episode in a preseason game last season in Ottawa. Once he was cleared to play, the Canadiens placed him on waivers and he was claimed by Detroit on Oct. 17, 2018.

De la Rose went on to play 60 games last season for the Red Wings until he experienced another cardiac episode, again an accelerated heart rate, in a March 19 game at the New York Rangers. Unlike Bouwmeester, de la Rose never lost consciousness but had to leave the game, and eventually needed surgery.

De la Rose’s procedure is known as a cardiac ablation.

“You go in through the veins and you burn nerves,” he said. “I had to burn some nerves in the upper chamber. It’s complicated. I don’t even know how to explain it all for you.”

The procedure scars or destroys tissue in the heart that trigger or sustain an abnormal heart rhythm.

“Mine wasn’t as serious obviously, so after the procedure I was fine to come back and play,” de la Rose said. “I had all summer to kind of recover.”

De la Rose and Bouwmeester did, however, have some common ground to discuss.

“We kinda had to go through all the same testing and stuff like that, so we talked a little bit about that, me and him,” de la Rose said. “Like I said, I’m just happy that he’s back with us here and that he’s doing good.”

On Tuesday, de la Rose returns to Madison Square Garden and a game against the Rangers, 11½ month after the incident that resulted in surgery.

Surging San AntonioWhile the Blues are riding a seven-game winning streak, their American Hockey League affiliate also has a little streak of its own. The San Antonio Rampage extended their season-long winning streak to five games with a 3-0 victory over the visiting Rockford IceHogs on Sunday.

In the process, the Rampage (24-21-12) moved past Rockford and into playoff position in the AHL’s Central Division. Jordan Nolan, who appeared in 14 games for the Blues last season, scored for the third game in a row and now has 10 goals this season.

Austin Poganski, who appeared in the Blues’ Dec. 10 game against Buffalo, scored his 10th goal of the season. And Dakota Joshua added an empty-net goal for this third goal.

Goalie Ville Husso continued his recent hot streak with a 19-save shutout, his fourth shutout of the season. Over his past 10 starts, Husso is 7-3 with a 1.62 goals-against average and a save percentage of .940. 1179498 Tampa Bay Lightning Worst-case scenario? Take your pick. He doesn’t come back at all, and the Lightning do not recover. Or he comes back too soon and risks further injury while adding little to the lineup.

Why Steven Stamkos’ latest injury feels so ominous Like I said earlier, this isn’t close to being the end of the road for Stamkos. The NHL’s all-time scoring list is cluttered with players (Brett Hull, Alex Ovechkin, Steve Yzerman, Teemu Selanne, ) who didn’t win a Stanley Cup until they were in their 30s. By John Romano So there is no reason to fear that his best days have already passed him Published Yesterday by. Updated Yesterday But this franchise, more than most, knows how precious a shot at the title can be. The Lightning won the Cup in 2004 and then had the next season wiped out by labor strife, followed by a new collective bargaining TAMPA — You watch him skate, and you still see a young man. Maybe agreement that tore the guts out of a special team. not the fresh-faced wonder from your memories, but an elite-level scorer with a shot that is envied by most of the NHL. The Lightning eventually regrouped and reached the conference finals or the Stanley Cup finals in three out of four seasons from 2015 to 2018 but Steven Stamkos is far from finished and his final legacy is yet to be kept falling a little shy. And then came last year’s historic regular season written. and subsequent playoff flop.

So why then, does this latest injury feel so ominous? The point is you have every right to feel a little gloomy.

Stamkos, 30, will miss the rest of the regular season and, quite likely, the Stamkos is no longer the best player on the ice when the puck is first round of the playoffs after his scheduled surgery on Monday for a dropped, but his offensive presence, faceoff skills, and calm voice in the core muscle injury. locker room should not be minimized.

The official word is that he will miss six to eight weeks, but that’s both You know that because you’ve seen what has happened without imprecise and probably a little hopeful. Sports core injuries, which Stamkos in the past. commonly involve abdominal-area muscles and tendons tearing or pulling away from the bone, are fairly common in hockey but not Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 necessarily easy to project.

Sidney Crosby had core muscle surgery in November and the Penguins said he would miss a minimum of six weeks. He ended up missing almost nine. Teammate Nick Bjugstad had surgery a week after Crosby and the team said recovery time would be a minimum of eight weeks. It’s been more than 14 weeks, and Bjugstad just now returned to practice.

The severity of the injury and individual circumstances clearly have an effect on how soon an athlete can return but, no matter how you view it, this is a fairly significant setback.

And that’s troubling for a player whose career, at times, has felt both blessed and haunted.

Only 10 players in NHL history have ever scored more goals before the age of 30 than Stamkos, and the eight who are eligible are all in the Hall of Fame. In other words, Tampa Bay fans have been fortunate to watch one of the league’s greatest scorers perfecting his game from the time he was a teenager.

And yet for all that glory, there is a twinge of melancholy. A nagging realization that Stamkos’ prime years have yet to translate to a Stanley Cup championship. Sometimes, the causes were unavoidable. Other times, like last season, they were more infuriating.

This is the seventh season in the Jon Cooper era in Tampa Bay, and it will be the fourth time that a major Stamkos injury will have an effect on the Lightning’s postseason aspirations.

There was the broken leg that kept him out of the lineup for four months in 2013-14 and, although he returned a month before the playoffs, he wasn’t the same player. In 300-plus games since 2009-10, Stamkos had averaged 1.17 points per night. In the first 20 games after the injury, his scoring tumbled roughly 25 percent to 0.85 points per game.

A blood clot sidelined him for almost two months in 2016 and, with Stamkos playing a grand total of 12 minutes in the postseason, the Lightning finished one victory shy of reaching the Stanley Cup finals.

A knee injury in 2016-17 wiped out nearly the entire regular season for Stamkos and it’s the only time in the Cooper era that Tampa Bay failed to reach the postseason.

So, are you worried yet?

There’s almost no chance the Lightning will fail to qualify for the playoffs next month, but don’t feel guilty about fretting over whether Stamkos will get meaningful playing time in the postseason.

Best-case scenario? The Lightning learn to play a tighter defensive game during Stamkos’ absence and his return in the postseason gives them a shot of momentum. 1179499 Tampa Bay Lightning Cirelli has shown a scoring touch this year (and a tendency to run into goaltenders), but he has slowed recently and is sitting at 15 goals.

Among defensemen, Kevin Shattenkirk and Sergachev have good shots. Five ways the Lightning will try to fill in for Steven Stamkos No team wants to rely on its defensemen for goals, but they might be able to contribute to the Lightning.

Faceoffs By Diana C. Nearhos Stamkos played wing for most of the season but is still one of the Published Yesterday Lightning’s top players inside the circle. He has taken the most faceoffs after the Lightning’s top centers, Point and Cirelli. Updated Earlier today Point will see a bump in faceoffs, at even strength and on the power play.

Stamkos’ role in those situations had been more of a luxury than a TAMPA — Steven Stamkos cannot be replaced. That was the consensus necessity. around the Lightning dressing room Saturday after it was announced that Mitchell Stephens has already stepped up as a faceoff specialist on the their captain would be out six to eight weeks for core muscle surgery. penalty kill. He has played only 35 games this season and yet has taken But the Lightning have to figure out how to do that. the fourth-most faceoffs on the penalty kill.

The Lightning don’t have one player who can take over Stamkos’ exact RELATED: Steven Stamkos has been forced out for substantial time by role. Few teams have someone who can do that for any player. Filling the three previous injuries hole created by the absence of Stamkos, who was scheduled to have The recent additions of forwards Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman, surgery today, will be a matter of multiple players in different spots. strong penalty killers who looked great as a pair Saturday, will also figure Here’s a look at where the Lightning will be filling in. in. Top line Leadership The top line of Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov jumps out at Let’s let Killorn set the tone for what Stamkos means in the dressing opponents. It hasn’t been a constant this season, but the Lightning have room: “That’s something you can’t talk about enough. He wears the ‘C.’ stuck with that group for a while now. He’s a leader. He’s been with this franchise for so long. He kind of sets The Lightning have a couple of options to replace Stamkos on that line, the standard for most guys on this team.” but Ondrej Palat looks like the favorite. This Lightning team has plenty of leaders. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh He is a left-handed shot (Stamkos is right-handed) and doesn’t take has a strong presence, as does Hedman, whose leadership is less vocal. faceoffs, but Palat is having a strong season after getting stronger in the Killorn had already taken on a bigger leadership role this season. offseason. At this point, Palat has played the same number of games as Gourde also pointed to the trade-deadline additions of veterans he did all last season (64) and has double the goals (16). He has filled in Goodrow, Coleman and defenseman Zach Bogosian, who add to the on the top line before and seems to be a good fit. leadership. Tyler Johnson is another option. He, Point and Kucherov played together Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 most of last season and were one of the league’s best lines. Johnson hasn’t slotted into that role as much this season but has shown he can.

Power play

No one else on the Lightning is going to be able to post up in the left faceoff circle and rip off one-timers like Stamkos. Only one other player in the league can do that, and he plays for the Capitals.

Stamkos is responsible for nearly a quarter of the Lightning’s power-play goals this season (10 of 46). The unit managed without him in Saturday’s win over the Flames, though, with two goals on four opportunities.

Johnson replaced Stamkos on Saturday, but that wasn’t the only change. Anthony Cirelli took Alex Killorn’s spot, and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev quarterbacked in place of Victor Hedman.

Johnson is the likely candidate to take Stamkos’ spot. He is a right- handed shot who can score; he had one of the power-play goals Saturday.

Palat may also figure in the power-play plans. He played on the top unit some last year.

Scoring

Stamkos exits the regular season second on the Lightning in goals with 29. He was on pace for another 40-goal season. So now where will those goals come from?

Kucherov leads the team with 31 goals, about a 40-goal pace with 19 games left in the regular season. Maybe he can score more, but asking your top scorer for more doesn’t always work out.

Brayden Point has fallen off the pace he set last year — 41 goals in 79 games — with 23 goals in 61 games this season. He’s capable of more. Palat has doubled his 2018-19 goal total, but might playing with Point and Kucherov spark more?

There are options beyond the top line. Yanni Gourde has scored four goals in nine games since breaking his epic 35-game drought. He’s known for tips and rebounds but had a nice wrist shot from the top of the circle Saturday. 1179500 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning and Steven Stamkos have been here before

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Yesterday

TAMPA — Steven Stamkos doesn’t get injured often, but when he does, it’s a doozy.

The six to eight weeks the Lightning forward is expected to miss after abdominal surgery, announced Saturday, will be the fourth time he has missed substantial time in his career.

In his 12-year career, Stamkos has played six full seasons and two in which he missed three and four games. And yet, he has missed a total of 139 games and counting.

“You feel horrible for him, for the amount of games he’s lost,” Alex Killorn said. “Credit to him, he’s always come back strong.”

Here are his other significant injuries:

Broken leg

Time missed: Nov. 12, 2013, to March 6, 2014, 46 games

Iron goal post and human legs do not mix. Stamkos fell into the goal post during a game in Boston and broke his tibia. He was stretchered off the ice and underwent surgery the next day.

Even though Stamkos was seen walking without a boot or crutches a couple of weeks later, full recovery took almost four months.

It’s hard to say what kind of pace the Lightning was on that year, given the injury happening so early, but the expectations weren’t especially high that year. They made the playoffs for the first time in three years and lost in the first round.

Blood clot

Time missed: March 31 to May 26, 2016, 21 games

Stamkos played most of the 2015-16 season. He missed a practice late in the year for what the Lightning called a body maintenance day. The next day they announced that he had thoracic outlet syndrome and would have surgery for a blood clot near his right collarbone.

The Lightning blew through their first two playoff series, not missing a step without Stamkos.

His potential time line for recovery was three months. He returned after two months, just in time for the Lightning to be eliminated in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final against the Penguins.

Knee

Time missed: Nov. 16, 2016, for rest of season, 65 games

Stamkos lost his footing in a game against the Red Wings and went down. The fall looked more awkward than painful, but he limped heavily down the tunnel and did not play again that season. He had surgery for a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee.

That is the injury that has lingered. Joints are hard to get back to 100 percent. Last season Stamkos said he has a new normal: Some days the knee hurts getting out of bed, and others it’s fine.

The Lightning went into that season as one of the Stanley Cup favorites. Stamkos’ was one of many injuries that year. At one point the list included nine starters. The Lightning did not make the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179501 Tampa Bay Lightning Flames 0-2-1—3 First Period—1, Tampa Bay, Johnson 14 (Sergachev, Kucherov), 13:52

(pp). Penalties—Dube, Cal (Holding), 13:09. Lightning end losing streak at four with win over Calgary Flames Second Period—2, Tampa Bay, Palat 16 (Sergachev, Kucherov), 7:05 (pp). 3, Tampa Bay, Gourde 10 (Bogosian, Paquette), 11:50 (sh). 4, Calgary, Mangiapane 17 (Backlund), 13:12. 5, Calgary, Lindholm 28 By Mari Faiello (Gaudreau, Gustafsson), 14:04. 6, Tampa Bay, Killorn 24 (Coleman, Coburn), 14:57. Penalties—Monahan, Cal (Hooking), 5:27; Sergachev,

TB (Holding Stick), 9:52; Brodie, Cal (Slashing), 19:19; Andersson, Cal TAMPA — A day after the Lightning spent an hour’s worth of practice (Slashing), 20:00; Palat, TB (Slashing), 20:00. pounding out power-play drills, the unit came up big in a 4-3 win over the Third Period—7, Calgary, Monahan 22 (Tkachuk, Lindholm), 17:11 (pp). Flames on Saturday that ended Tampa Bay’s season-high four-game Penalties—Brodie, Cal (Interference), 7:49; Cernak, TB (Interference), losing streak. 17:04. The skid was the Lightning’s longest in the regular season since 2016- Shots on Goal—Calgary 6-9-6_21. Tampa Bay 13-14-6_33. Power-play 17. opportunities—Calgary 1 of 2; Tampa Bay 2 of 4. Goalies—Calgary, The much-criticized power play, which had a 9 percent success rate in Rittich 24-15-6 (34 shots-30 saves). Tampa Bay, Vasilevskiy 32-12-3 2020 before this game, came up with two goals on four chances. The (21-18). goals staked the Lightning to a 2-0 by the midpoint of the second period. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 On Friday, coach Jon Cooper said the Lightning had “been dry of late” but that they hadn’t had much practice time to work on special teams. Late in the season, the Lightning have tried to find a balance between rest and practice. Their most recent previous practice had been in Arizona, about one week ago.

Alex Killorn said the practice helped implement some changes in how the power play is run, which made a difference Saturday.

Some of those changes are due to the absence of Steven Stamkos, out with an injury. The Lightning said Saturday that Stamkos will be out six to eight weeks for surgery to repair a core muscle problem.

“Without Stamkos in there right now, we’re trying a few different looks,” Cooper said Friday. “Things that we have done in the past — maybe a couple of years ago — just getting guys in spots, giving them feeling the puck a little bit.”

The first goal Saturday came on the Lightning’s first power play at the hands of Tyler Johnson, who tipped in a shot from the blue line from Mikhail Sergachev in the first period.

The power play came up strong again in the second period with a goal from Ondrej Palat.

About 4 1/2 minutes later, Yanni Gourde scored shorthanded as a holding penalty against Sergachev expired to give the Lightning a 3-0 lead.

“(The Flames) were definitely on their heels,” Gourde said. “When we stepped on the ice, we kind of, we read that play, and I knew I had some speed. (Cedric Paquette) was coming, and we kind of got going through the neutral zone to see things open up for us.”

Gourde said the success of a good power play or penalty kill can be a huge momentum swing, especially in a physical-heavy game like Saturday’s. A quality penalty-kill shift from Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman — one with multiple scoring chances for the two — added to the Lightning’s momentum.

Cooper said special teams provided “a huge momentum boost” Saturday. He said it’s not necessarily always about the productivity of special teams but more so how much of an energizer they can be for future play.

The penalty-kill play of Coleman and Goodrow — both acquired in trades leading up to the deadline — played a role in productivity, Cooper said.

“We brought guys in here for a reason, and that was part of it,” Cooper said. “They’ve both done that in their careers. They’ve been good at it.”

Cooper said seeing that play up close adds perspective to the newcomers’ energy. He liked their instincts against the Flames and commended Coleman’s skating and shot-blocking abilities.

“That’s kind of been my M.O. … generating a lot of offense in the penalty kill,” Coleman said. “And any time you can score, or even get chances to get the (power play) out of your end, it’s a big deal. (It’s) a momentum shift in the game.”

Contact Mari Faiello at [email protected]. Follow @faiello_mari.

Lightning 1-3-0—4 1179502 Tampa Bay Lightning

Cord-cutting Lightning, Rays fans, rejoice. There’s a Youtube TV reprieve

By Mike Sherman

Published Yesterday

YouTube TV backed off its threat to drop Fox Sports Sun and other Fox Regional networks, telling some Tampa Bay customers it would continue to carry the network that broadcasts Lightning and Rays game while it continues to negotiate with Sinclair.

YouTube TV had announced Thursday its decision to drop all 21 regional sports networks owned by Sinclair. By late Friday, however, its customer service representatives were messaging subscribers that until further notice they would “have access to these networks as normal.”

“We have agreed to a temporary extension with Sinclair while we continue to work to reach an agreement, though we cannot say at this point whether we will or will not come to a long-term agreement,” a customer service representative messaged.

The streaming service shared similar messages on social media.

YouTube TV service costs $49.99 a month.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179503 Toronto Maple Leafs After winning tough games against Tampa Bay and Florida on the road, they put together another solid performance with the cast contributing. Barrie and Dermott each had two assists, John Tavares had an assist and went 15-11 in the faceoff circle, and Jason Spezza went 9-5. Nine Maple Leafs shake off dust from embarrassing Hurricanes loss players found the score sheet.

Keefe believes there is a connection between the way the team is playing now and the loss to Ayres a week earlier. The 42-year-old emergency MARTY KLINKENBERG goalie with a transplanted kidney saved eight of 10 shots while beating PUBLISHED MARCH 1, 2020 them.

UPDATED MARCH 1, 2020 "[It’s] a real shock to the system when you have a night like that,” Keefe said. “The connection is we got a wake-up call. When we ended on the road, we got the guys attention on the importance of getting your stuff together, responding well. A week ago, after a wretched loss to an emergency backup goaltender, the Maple Leafs teetered on disaster. Riddle that they are, they have “It's going to be tough the rest of the way, all the way through, and we done something unexpected since then: win three in a row against tough can't have any lapses.” opponents and secure their grip on a playoff position. Toronto dressed six defencemen, including three who have spent time in After Saturday night’s 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, Tyson the AHL this season. Barrie said the embarrassing defeat by David Ayres and the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 22 may have been the tipping point in the season. Barrie, now the eldest statesman in the defensive corps, played a game- high 25:40. He has four assists in the three games since last Monday’s “We are very proud people and didn’t get to where we are without being trade-deadline day. The team received inquiries about Barrie, whose that way,” the Toronto defenceman said in front of his dressing stall at contract expires at the end of the season. Scotiabank Arena. “When something like that happens, you want to crawl into a hole. “I think he has played well,” Keefe said of Barrie. “We have leaned on him a lot more because of our youth and inexperience.” “The good thing is that there is always another game and another opportunity to turn things around. We came out and responded in a good Barrie said he was anxious for the last two days before the deadline. way. After that, we came with two nice wins on the road and again “You have to focus on what you can, but it can be tough,” he said. tonight.” On Monday, he noticed a missed call on his phone from Kyle Dubas and The Maple Leafs shut down one of the league’s most potent offensive figured he had been dealt. teams. They held the Canucks’ most dangerous players – Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Tyler Toffoli and Bo Horvat – to one point among “My first thought was, ‘I’m out of here,’” he said. “’Where am I going?’” them. After allowing two goals on the first three shots he saw, Frederik Andersen stopped the next 24 in his 28th victory of 2019-20. Dubas was calling to tell him he was not being traded.

Martin Marincin scored the game-winner, his annual goal of the season, “Now, I wanted to see it through here and finish with these guys,” Barrie and Toronto got others from Frederik Gauthier, Auston Matthews and said. “We are fighting to get in.” Zach Hyman. The latter was an empty-netter in a sequence during which Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.02.2020 Hyman blocked a shot, dived in front of a Vancouver player to prevent another and then broke away after a fierce battle for the puck. “I would hate to play against Hyman,” his teammate, defenceman Travis Dermott, said. “He fore-checks hard and has a big impact for the time he is in there. He works until he is dead.”

The goal was the 45th for Matthews, who is two behind David Pastrnak of Boston for most in the league.

Marincin has scored only five times in six NHL seasons, but put Toronto ahead 3-2 only 18 seconds into the third period on a lovely wrist shot after a fancy toe drag and a break toward the net. It was his first goal since March 15 of last year. “You don’t see it often from [him], but when he brings it out, it’s usually a treat,” said Matthews, who has 31 goals in 33 home games.

Marincin logged 20 minutes 48 seconds of playing time – a season high for him – with the team filling defensive gaps caused by injuries to Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Cody Ceci. Marincin also blocked six shots and delivered three hits.

He received the game basketball the Maple Leafs hand out to the night’s top player, a gesture that began this season as a tribute to the Raptors.

“When he is called upon, he gives everything he has,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. Marincin has been shuttled back and forth between the AHL Marlies and the NHL club multiple times this season. “When you are bounced around, up and down and in and out, that takes a lot of heart.”

The Maple Leafs headed off on a California road trip on Sunday in third place in the NHL’s Atlantic Division. The Florida Panthers are a few points back in fourth. The first three teams in the division automatically advance to the postseason.

The Canucks players were angry and shouting expletives as they entered the visitors’ dressing room on Saturday night. The Maple Leafs, who play in San Jose on Tuesday, Los Angeles on Thursday and Anaheim on Friday, were giddy and whooping it up. 1179504 Toronto Maple Leafs Either way, the Leafs showed some of the “next man up” mentality that has benefitted their MLSE basketball brothers so much this season. Missing three defencemen doesn’t quite equal the Raptors being without Pascal Siakam, Norm Powell, Marc Gasol and others at the same time, Steven Stamkos surgery creates a hole for the Lightning, and he could but the sentiment is the same. miss a potential first-round playoff matchup with the Leafs From the Tampa point of view, Stamkos was injured after the team had bolstered its group of forwards by adding Blake Coleman from New Jersey and Barclay Goodrow from San Jose. Neither is a sniper, but By Damien Cox Coleman can score a bit and both are experienced players. Sun., March 1, 2020timer4 min. read YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN...

Stamkos went down partway through a home loss on Tuesday to the This is going to be too close to call. Maple Leafs fans will want to be Leafs, which was the third in a row for the Lightning after a long hot watching closely. streak. Cooper’s crew then lost another home game to lowly Chicago before regrouping and scratching past Calgary on Saturday night. Tampa Bay sniper Steven Stamkos, too often the victim of nasty injuries with terrible timing in his career, is down again, this time with a core Tampa Bay, you’ll recall, was terrible in the first few months of this muscle injury. He’s having surgery on Monday, and will be out between season after being swept in the first round of last spring’s playoffs by six and eight weeks. Columbus in a shocking result. So for Leaf fans contemplating a first- round matchup with the Lightning, there remains some question about Whether it’s six, seven or eight weeks, of course, could be very just how sturdy and resilient Tampa is. It’s a very talented group, the guts meaningful. of which made it to the 2015 Stanley Cup final. But you’d have to say the fact Tampa hasn’t won a Cup under Cooper is a disappointment, and last If it’s six, Stamkos will be back for the first round of the post-season, year’s first-round debacle after a 128-point season really provided critics which at this point seems very likely to feature a Lightning-Leafs collision. with ammunition to question the team’s true potential. That’s not totally a done deal, of course. Second-place Tampa Bay still has dreams of catching first-place Boston. The Leafs, meanwhile, have If the Lightning do meet the Leafs in the first round, you’d have two clubs established a five-point lead for third in the division over the slumping absolutely desperate to quiet hometown naysayers and make it at least Florida Panthers, now winless in seven on home ice after getting shut out to the second round. While Tampa carefully watches Stamkos and his by Cam Talbot and Calgary on Sunday. rehabilitation, the Leafs would like to think they’ll have Rielly, Ceci, Muzzin and maybe even forward Ilya Mikheyev back for the beginning of So it would be a reasonable projection at this point to foresee the Leafs the playoffs. and Lightning in the first round, the first time the two clubs will have met in the post-season. The Leafs have 16 games left, the Lightning have 17. Much could yet change, but this already looks like an appealing playoff series. We’ll just If Stamkos takes seven weeks to recover, he would return in the middle have to wait to see who’s healthy enough to participate. of the first round. If he takes eight weeks, he wouldn’t return until the second round. If you’re the Leafs, without expressing any animosity to a Toronto Star LOADED: 03.02.2020 player who declined untold millions a few years back to come north and play in Toronto, you’d hope for eight weeks. Take your time, son.

The Lightning aren’t completely defanged by any means without Stamkos, but it’s one less weapon for Jon Cooper to put on the ice. Stamkos has been one of the best NHL scorers since early December, along with the Leafs’ Auston Matthews and Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, and he’s also Tampa’s captain. So it’s a considerable loss for the Lightning if he misses any post-season matches.

His injury comes at an interesting time for both Tampa Bay and Toronto. For the Leafs, three solid wins in three outings since the David Ayres humiliation have at least demonstrated that Sheldon Keefe’s team has both pride and a willingness to buckle down and get the job done when the entire hockey world is predicting a complete collapse. That matters. The white noise can get pretty damn distracting in the GTA, and those blustery winds have blown many a Leaf club well off course over the years.

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During this three-game win streak, Keefe has gone with Freddie Andersen in goal each night, defusing any notion that there is a burgeoning goalie battle between Andersen and Jack Campbell. If you believe the hockey saying, “If you don’t have a No. 1 goalie you don’t have one at all,” this was an important statement for Keefe to make, and Andersen responded well.

The Great Dane did so behind a makeshift defence that was missing Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci, didn’t add another experienced blueliner before last Monday’s trade deadline and then lost newly signed defender Jake Muzzin to a broken hand. The six-pack that faced Vancouver on Saturday night appeared to be severely weakened, with Tyson (Still Here) Barrie and Justin Holl in the lead roles supported by Travis Dermott, Rasmus Sandin, Martin Marincin and Calle Rosen.

The Leafs surrendered only 27 shots, including 14 over the first two periods, and at no point seemed in danger of being overrun by Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat and the rest of the Canucks’ attackers. Some of that was because the Leafs blueliners were effective, and some was because the Toronto forwards were probably aware of their missing defencemen and thus more attentive to their defensive zone assignments. 1179505 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Star LOADED: 03.02.2020

There’s nothing empty about the value Zach Hyman brings to the Maple Leafs

By Mark Zwolinski

Sun., March 1, 2020

Sunday came like any other Sunday for Zach Hyman. He joined his teammates at the Maple Leafs’ practice rink as they prepared for a three- game western swing. But on this day, the elite forechecker found himself being discussed as a top goal-scorer.

Hyman tied his career high with his 21st goal of the season Saturday. Only Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares have scored more goals for the Leafs this season.

Hyman receives little of the fanfare and attention afforded the big three goal-scorers with the Leafs. But his value to the team has risen to the level of an elite player. Matthews might be the Leafs’ best player and goaltender Frederik Andersen their most important, but Hyman is their most consistent.

“I’d hate to play against Zach,” Leafs defenceman Travis Dermott said. “He’s a great player to have on your team, he forechecks so hard, he just battles every shift he’s out there, and I think it makes a big impact every time he’s out there … but not only that, every guy after him sees him, sees Zach working, like, until he’s dead, so they have to go out and do that as well.”

Hyman, who quietly goes about his business — he presented a $100,000 cheque to Sick Children’s Hospital on Thursday, to little fanfare — also reached a milestone Saturday. His goal was the 12th empty-net goal of his career, tying him with Dave Keon for third on the Leafs’ career list.

Just seconds before the goal, Hyman blocked a shot from Vancouver rookie defenceman Quinn Hughes, then sprawled in front of Elias Pettersson, forcing him to pull up on a shot. Hyman then outraced Canucks defenceman Chris Tanev up ice before taking a pass and scoring into the empty net. Tanev hacked him in frustration before giving up on the play.

“I had no idea,” Hyman said, when told about the Keon milestone. “That’s pretty neat, it’s an honour to be mentioned in the same breathe as Dave Keon.”

Hyman is currently level in goals with offensive talents like Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and Vegas’s Mark Stone. But it is only a part of what he has given the Leafs since arriving from the University of Michigan in 2015-16. It is his work ethic and attention to checking — and the experience he had at Michigan — that has led to bigger roles in Toronto.

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Those details were first installed by Spartans coach Red Berenson, but Berenson also played Hyman on his top lines. And with exposure to skilled players, Hyman began learning how to play with them, which only enhanced his role as a checker.

That combination of checking and scoring led to a successful season on a line with Tavares and Mitch Marner last season. Tavares had a career- best 47 goals, Marner a career-best 94 points. Hyman and Marner have joined Matthews this season, and Matthews is on pace to top 50 goals. And Hyman is still helping his old centre. Tavares has been on the ice for 33 even-strength goals this season; 15 of those goals have come when he was on the ice with Hyman.

Hyman’s consistency is further underlined by the fact he missed the first 19 games of the season while rehabbing from off-season leg surgery. He credited his wife, Alannah, his parents, brothers and friends with the support system he needed to overcome the setback.

He doesn’t mind being in the spotlight but he remains workmanlike in his approach to the game.

“Well, I don’t think I’m going to focus too much on (the 21 goals),” Hyman said. “Just try and keep doing what I have to do, and go out and get the next one.” 1179506 Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal around the time of the Canadiens’ most recent Stanley Cup win in 1993. It was around 2010 or so that Currier wondered precisely how injured the Canadiens were in relation to the rest of the league? A Google search brought up no data to satisfy his curiosity. The Maple Leafs’ injury numbers aren’t as painful as you might expect “So the next season, I decided to keep track of it myself, just as a hobby,” he said.

Dave Feschuk In the years since, he’s turned his passion into a small business, selling data on all four big North American leagues to a list of clients. Insurance Sun., March 1, 2020 companies, lawyers preparing arbitration cases, members of sports- science departments whose raison d’être is preventing athletes from figuring into Currier’s data sets, he said they’re all subscribers to his pay- In a decade spent tracking NHL injuries, Nathan Currier has come to walled site. understand at least a handful of recurring truths. If Leafs fans feel their team has been bitten harder than usual by the The Washington Capitals will usually be among hockey’s healthiest injury bug, it’s understandable. A year ago, after all, theirs was a teams, as seemingly immune to physical hurt as the remarkably durable relatively healthy operation. Through Thursday’s games the Maple Leafs Alex Ovechkin. The Pittsburgh Penguins will often find a way to be had lost 202 man games to injuries. At the same point last season, they’d Washington’s injury-related antithesis, a misfortune-prone franchise that lost 72. That goes against the leaguewide trend that’s seen injuries down personifies captain Sidney Crosby’s long battle against career- about 20% this season compared to last season, Currier said. threatening harm. And no matter what the numbers say, most fan bases will assume their beloved team’s injury woes are the league’s worst, Toronto’s health-related absences pale in comparison to, say, those of especially if that beloved team happens to be based in Toronto — or any the Penguins or Columbus, the latter of whom leads the NHL in man- Canadian city, for that matter. games lost, according to Currier’s latest calculations. The Capitals, by contrast, rank 31st in man-games lost and 29th in lost point shares. “Every season, every fan base believes their team is the most injured,” Currier said. “And it’s always worse when we’re talking about Canadian Ranking high on Currier’s spreadsheets, mind you, doesn’t necessarily teams.” mean ranking low in the NHL standings. Overcoming injuries is a certifiable NHL skill. And four of the six teams that have lost more point And so it happened last week that Currier heard moans of self pity shares to injury than the Leafs this season — Pittsburgh, Columbus, emanating from the GTA. Wednesday’s bad news, that Leafs Colorado and St. Louis — were in a playoff position on Sunday morning. defenceman Jake Muzzin is out about four weeks with a broken hand, pushed Maple Leafs fans into a kind of hysteria. Muzzin, after all, is “Pittsburgh, every year the depth of that organization is amazing to among a considerable list of Toronto’s top players who have missed watch,” Currier said. “They’re injured a lot of the time, but they still significant time this season, among them Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, perform.” Zach Hyman and Ilya Mikheyev. So it wasn’t difficult to find someone In the big picture, perhaps that’s true. Lately, less so. Pittsburgh, perhaps assuming the team’s medical woes were among the league’s most finally feeling the impact of health-related misfortune, lost its sixth straight egregious. game on Saturday. The Leafs, counting the game in which Muzzin went “It seemed like everyone (in Toronto) was gearing up for the excuse that down, were riding a three-game win streak. And as they embarked on a the Maple Leafs have been injured more than anyone else,” Currier said. three-game Western swing that begins Tuesday in San Jose, there was hope that injured players such as Rielly, Mikheyev and Cody Ceci would Which, by Currier’s latest math, is not quite the case. Currier is the man join practice on the trip. behind ManGamesLost.com, a website devoted to measuring how injuries affect performance in the big four North American pro sports “If (the Leafs) make the playoffs, all (the injuries will be) forgotten and leagues. According to the site, the Leafs were ninth in NHL man-games everyone moves on,” Currier said. lost to injury or illness as of Friday morning. And if they somehow don’t make the playoffs and injuries are cited as a Since all man-games are not created equal, Currier has developed an scapegoat, Currier said history suggests his numbers will inevitably raise NHL metric that takes into account the statistical worth of injured players some ire. — point shares lost to injury. Toronto ranks seventh in that category. The “Fans are passionate. If they see something that doesn’t match with their Penguins rank first. belief or their perception, they’ll attack it,” Currier said. “But there’s not “I’ve been hearing it all week (from Leafs fans). How can they only be No. much they can do if I show them the data and it disagrees with what they 9 in man-games lost and No. 7 in point shares lost? … I obviously don’t believe … So it keeps me entertained.” know what I’m doing,” Currier said with a laugh. “It’s frustrating in normal Toronto Star LOADED: 03.02.2020 times but with the Toronto fan base, it’s (more so).”

Mind you, it’s not just fans of the Leafs who have railed against injuries as justification for an uneven season. “(Canadiens GM Marc) Bergevin is making the case they’re not going to make the playoffs because of injuries. But Montreal is the six-least-injured Canadian team,” said Currier, who noted the Canadiens rank 16th overall in point shares lost.

If there’s a Canadian pro-sports franchise with justifiable reason to lament its spotty health, it would be the Toronto Raptors. According to ManGamesLost.com, the defending NBA champions are the NBA team most affected by injuries and illness this season. Toronto’s hoopsters currently rank No. 1 in Currier’s preferred health-related basketball metric — win shares lost to injury. Despite missing the likes of Marc Gasol, Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry for extended stretches, the Raptors carried the league’s third-best record into Sunday.

“It’s a proven champion versus a wannabe champion,” said Currier. “The Raptors just get it done. The Leafs talk about getting it done, but they haven’t done it yet.”

Tracking injury data is not Currier’s full-time occupation. A PhD in cellular and molecular biology from Montreal’s McGill University, the 46-year-old has spent his career in cancer research, currently co-ordinating clinical trials of potential treatments. Though he grew up in Whitby as a fan of the Leafs, he switched his allegiance to the Canadiens when he moved to 1179507 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs hope Hotel California is hospitable

Lance Hornby

Published:March 1, 2020

Updated:March 1, 2020 6:05 PM EST

California could indeed be the Land of Milk and Honey for the Maple Leafs.

Rarely have the state’s three NHL teams been this bad simultaneously, a combined 38 games under .500 before Sunday and well out of playoff contention. Now, here come the Leafs this week into the Pacific theatre, on a three-game win streak and looking to bolster their current five-point lead as third seed in the Atlantic Division.

But these are the mercurial Leafs were talking about, a team that has seemed safely on its way up many times this season only to veer badly off course. And there are rarely gimmies in the NHL, never mind expecting three in four nights. San Jose, the first stop on Tuesday, just shut out Pittsburgh 5-0.

“We have to win our games there,” coach Sheldon Keefe said. “It will be important for us to take this week (after beating playoff contenders Tampa Bay, Florida and Vancouver), feel good about it. We’re going against teams that when you look at the standings you think there’s real opportunity there for us. But we’ve been watching those teams, they’re playing good hockey and beating good teams.

“We’ve done pretty well on the road (a record of 18-14-1) and the sun seems to work in our favour.”

The Leafs under predecessor Mike Babcock also did well in California last year, sweeping all three, but that had only happened one other time for Toronto since San Jose and Anaheim joined Los Angeles in that NHL market in the 1990s. There’s a Kings-Ducks back-to-back later this week to complete the Leafs trip with Kyle Clifford and Jack Campbell returning to L.A. for the first time since last month’s trade. Keefe could let Campbell start in goal against his old team and have Frederik Andersen against his former Anaheim club the next night.

Thankfully for team morale, falling further in the rearview mirror is last Saturday’s loss to Carolina and 42-year-old fill-in goalie David Ayres.

“I’ve learned just what we’re capable of when we’re going about it properly with our preparation, habits and work ethic,” said Keefe of what has ensued since that stinging defeat. “We weren’t as sharp (against Vancouver) as we were on the road but, once again, it was finding our way through it and we stayed with it.”

Defenceman Cody Ceci will be on this trip to continue working through his ankle injury. He should be the first of three injured rearguards along with Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin to return.

Meanwhile, Tyson Barrie, Travis Dermott and even Martin Marincin showed enough offensive chops on Saturday to take the focus off the club’s defensive concerns.

“We know what we have to do to have the rest of the season (16 games) go the way we want,” said Dermott. “We’re getting on the right track now, we have some momentum, we just have to ride it. We’re heading into grind time, we’ll try and get three wins and see where it goes from there.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179508 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs winger Hyman running on empties

Lance Hornby

Published:March 1, 2020

Updated:March 1, 2020 5:08 PM EST

A Dave Keon scoring record, no matter if the goaltender is absent, rarely gets matched.

But Zach Hyman — “the Sidney Crosby of 6-on-5” as Auston Matthews calls him — is set to pass one mark that the player voted best Maple Leaf in the first hundred years of the franchise had held since 1975.

When Hyman charged down the ice Saturday against Vancouver and buried his 12th career empty-netter, he tied Keon.

“That’s crazy, pretty cool,” said Hyman. “That’s a huge honour. Any time you get a chance to be mentioned in the same breath as Keon is pretty special.”

Hyman has played 298 Leafs games to Keon’s 1,062.

“They must have not pulled the goalie too much back then,” figured Hyman.

True, it’s done with far more frequency in the 21st century, much earlier in games and sometimes the goalie remains out after one empty-netter has been potted.

But that regular 20-goal scorer Hyman is always trusted to be out in the late stages to defend a lead puts him in position for such freebies. And rarely does Hyman fire wildly from long range to risk icings, staying in full checker mode and usually carrying the puck the whole distance to make sure it’s buried as he did Saturday.

“I don’t think about (the record) too much, I just take pride in it because that’s what seals the game 99.9% of the time,” Hyman said. “I’m happy that it results in a win.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179509 Vegas Golden Knights The Knights have allowed 71 first-period goals, most in the NHL. “I don’t if it was kind of lackadaisical just because we’ve been winning but

we can’t think like that,” Stastny said. “We can’t look at what we’ve done Golden Knights’ 8-game win streak ends in loss to Kings in the last couple weeks.”

Tough luck

By David Schoen William Karlsson had a handful of chances for his 100th career goal, but couldn’t put it away. March 1, 2020 - 10:15 PM The center was stopped twice in the first period by Petersen on a power play, and was turned away from close range with about 3:30 remaining in the second period. The Golden Knights’ record for longest win streak will have to wait. Karlsson had another crack at it with 8:40 remaining in the third period, Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar scored twice in the first period, and the but wasn’t able to poke in a loose puck during a scramble in Petersen’s Knights saw their eight-game win streak snapped Sunday in a 4-1 loss at crease. T-Mobile Arena. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.02.2020 “They came out with more juice like last time we played them here,” center Paul Stastny said. “Kind of two games in a row now where we’ve almost (waited) for the game to come to us and before you know it, it’s too late. It’s hard to play catch-up hockey.”

Kings goaltender Cal Petersen finished with 42 saves and outdueled counterpart Marc-Andre Fleury, who lost for the first time in six starts with his gold pads.

Shea Theodore scored the lone goal for the Knights, who were seeking to match the original Ottawa Senators as the only franchises to record a win streak of at least nine games within their first three seasons.

The Knights also won eight straight during their inaugural season.

Los Angeles, which is last in the Pacific Division, registered only 19 shot attempts during 5-on-5 play but scored twice on the power play to improve to 5-2-1 in its past eight games.

The Knights finished with 74.6 percent of the shot attempts (88-30) and had 49 scoring chances, according to NaturalStatTrick, but lost at home in regulation for the first time since Jan. 11.

“We didn’t start very well against a team that tries to make it very hard to play against them in the neutral zone,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “We weren’t getting our feet moving until maybe midway through the second period.”

Not sharp in net

Fleury won five straight and posted a 1.60 goals-against average with a .941 save percentage since dusting off the gold pads Feb. 15, but wasn’t at his best against the Kings.

Kopitar’s first goal came from a steep angle, and both of Los Angeles’ goals in the second period were plays that Fleury likely wants back.

Trevor Lewis took a stretch pass from Trevor Moore and skated across the blue line 1-on-1 against Nick Holden. Lewis stopped, turned and fired a shot that appeared to catch Fleury by surprise and went off the post and in for a 3-0 advantage at 10:03 of the second.

Late in the second, Fleury couldn’t handle a one-timer from Adrian Kempe on a power play and left a rebound sitting in the crease for Alex Iafallo to poke in.

With newly acquired Robin Lehner pushing for playing time down the stretch, Fleury can’t afford many more nights like this.

Skating in quicksand

Slow starts have plagued the Knights against Los Angeles. After giving up two goals in the first period Sunday, the Knights were outscored 8-0 by the Kings in the opening period of the past three matchups.

The Knights allowed a goal on the game’s first shot for the second straight game, and Los Angeles scored on two of its first four shots against Fleury.

Kopitar was left alone at the side of the net for his first goal 2:01 into the game, as there appeared to be a miscommunication between defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Nick Holden.

The Kings captain added his second goal when he pounced on a rebound after Fleury stopped Drew Doughty’s long drive on the power play. 1179510 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights fans celebrate at downtown Las Vegas festival

Las Vegas Review-Journal

February 29, 2020 - 7:04 PM

Golden Knights fans gathered at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on Saturday afternoon and were treated to some fun, games and laughs.

Knights players Nick Holden and Nate Schmidt took on Alex Tuch and Shea Theodore in a game of “Knightlyweds” to see which teammates knew each other better.

The VGK broadcast team joined Chandler Stephenson, Zach Whitecloud, , Alec Martinez, Schmidt, Tuch, Holden and Theodore to play rounds of Vegas-themed “Family Feud.”

VGK broadcasters Dave Goucher and Shane Hnidy held question-and- answer sessions with coach Pete DeBoer and some Knights players.

Fans were also able to test out their various skills at different games at the fest, such as hockey, corn hole, Connect 4 and American Gladiator.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179511 Vegas Golden Knights come to town and are 4-2 across three regular seasons at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s hard to drop a game like that but we’ve been playing really well over Golden Knights deserved better fate than tough-luck loss to Kings the last couple of weeks,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “Hopefully we can just chalk this one up to a learning experience that there’s not a team in this league that you can take lightly.”

By Justin Emerson LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 03.02.2020 Sunday, March 1, 2020 | 11:46 p.m.

Nick Holden fished the puck out of the back of the net and flung it down the ice in frustration. It was the fourth goal the Golden Knights allowed, and on a night where they fired 88 shot attempts at the Los Angeles Kings, it was vexing to come up with only one goal of their own.

The Golden Knights were the better team in every metric but the final score in a 4-1 loss on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.

So why then did the Golden Knights lose a game they should have won? There are a couple of reasons.

It starts with the Los Angeles goalie. Cal Petersen played arguably the best game of his career on Sunday, making 42 saves that was a season- high and one shy of a career-best. There are few forces in hockey stronger than a hot goalie, and that’s just what Vegas faced. Petersen turned away everything but a Shea Theodore power-play missile in the second, and even on that one he was out of position after Max Pacioretty dented the post on the attempt before.

The Golden Knights’ 88 shot attempts were the second-most in a game this season, but the 3.92 expected goals were just the ninth-highest. That speaks to a lower quality per shot, though when a team generated nearly four expected goals, you figure more than one will find then net.

That was also thanks to Los Angeles’ defensive systems. It may be odd to praise a unit that allowed so much bombardment coming the other way, but the Kings stepped in the lane to block 24 shots Sunday, the second-most by a Vegas opponent this season. It’s harder to get pucks to the net when the defense doesn’t allow it.

“I know the shots were kind of lopsided there but they had good looks and they kept everything to the outside and we know they’d do that,” forward Paul Stastny said. “They have the lead like that and it’s hard to get back in the game because they kind of put up a wall and protect their goalie and keep the second and third chances away.”

If there’s any lasting cause for concern, it’s the way the Golden Knights have started games lately. When they were winning it was easier to shake off — who cares about giving up the first goal when you win anyway? Sunday was the second game in a row Vegas allowed a goal on the first shot of the game, and sixth time in its last nine games.

It forces the Golden Knights to chase the game. When Anze Kopitar scores on the Kings’ first shot 2:01 after the first puck drop, it doesn’t make the Golden Knights happy. When he scores again five and a half minutes later, suddenly the Golden Knights are looking down the barrel of a two-goal deficit, something they’ve overcome twice all season.

“I think the story of the game was we got behind and we were chasing it all night and you fall into a 2-0 hole against anybody in this league and it has the potential to be a long night,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said. “Those games are going to happen over a full season.”

Even the goals the Golden Knights gave up didn’t make you cover your eyes and turn away from the replay. Kopitar is still an elite player and if you give him the time and space, he’s going to score. The third goal was a bit of an odd one when Trevor Lewis spun and fired around Holden. The fourth one was the product of some poor rebound control and if there was one to blame the goalie on, it would be that one. Marc-Andre Fleury made 13 saves on 17 shots.

It’s unlikely a clunker against the Kings will cost the Golden Knights much. They’re comfortably in first place in the Pacific Division and had the NHL’s longest winning streak entering the game. They’ve played their best hockey of the season over the last weeks and one tough game doesn’t change the outlook of this team.

Though it doesn’t help that the Kings are the worst team in the Western Conference with a 25-35-6 record and an even worst 10-22-4 mark on the road. And yet they handled the Golden Knights last time they have 1179512 Vegas Golden Knights The last time the Golden Knights hosted the Los Angeles Kings, they gave up four goals in the first period. It wasn't that bad on Sunday, but you never want to harken back those memories.

Golden Knights’ winning streak snapped with home loss to Kings Vegas allowed two goals in the first period and never looked comfortable, struggling for most of the period to get the puck out of their zone. After 20 minutes, Vegas trailed 2-0 at T-Mobile Arena.

By Justin Emerson For the second game in a row, the Golden Knights allowed a goal on the first shot they faced. This time it was Anze Kopitar, who took a feed from Published Sunday, March 1, 2020 | 3:28 p.m. Alex Iafallo from behind the net and roofed it at 2:01. Iafallo wasn't Updated Sunday, March 1, 2020 | 10:11 p.m. pressured much behind the net and had plenty of time to give it to Kopitar, who likewise had all day to shoot.

The nightmareish start continued for the Golden Knights took a penalty a Every winning streak has to come to an end. Perhaps few would have few minutes later. It brought the Kings' power play to the plate and it picked Sunday to be the game to end it, but that's hockey. swung for the fences. Drew Doughty had the initial shot, going low off Marc-Andre Fleury's pads, and the puck bounced to Kopitar, who went The Golden Knights allowed a goal on the first shot of the game for the top-shelf again for his second of the game. second night in a row and despite a lopsided possession advantage, couldn't find the net enough and fell to the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 at T- The Golden Knights, who closed as minus-350 favorites at some books, Mobile Arena. trailed 2-0 to the last-place team in the Western Conference 7:39 into the game. The Golden Knights led in shots on goal 43-17 and allowed one shot on goal in the third period. They generated 87 shot attempts, which is tied The Golden Knights had a power play in the first and should have had a for the second-most in a game this season. second. Drew Doughty, moments after leaving the box for a hooking penalty, was flagged for goalie interference. But as the Golden Knights Anze Kopitar scored on the Kings' first shot 2:01 into the game, then on played on the delay call, Nate Schmidt was called for interference and the power play at 7:39 to put the Kings up 2-1 early on. They extended the game went to 4-on-4. Neither team scored. the lead to 3-0 on a goofy spin-shot by Trevor Lewis in the second before Vegas got on the board. Los Angeles led in shots on goal 9-6.

That was courtesy of Shea Theodore, who intercepted a Kings clearing Brandon Pirri wasn't thinking about whether or not he'd play with the attempt and whipped in a power-play goal at 13:14 of the second to trim Golden Knights this season. He was assigned to AHL Chicago on Nov. the lead to 3-1. 17 and has been there since.

Unfortunately for Vegas, another Kings power play led to another Kings He has played well in the AHL, well enough to earn a call-up back to the goal. Alex Iafallo tucked home a rebound with 56 seconds left in the Golden Knights. He's expected to be in the lineup at T-Mobile Arena middle period and the Kings led 4-1. tonight when Vegas hosts the Los Angeles Kings at 7:30 p.m.

Vegas had won its past eight games, which tied a franchise record set in The game will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network. its inaugural season. "It's my 10th year and I know if you're thinking about that stuff you're Hockey can be a cruel game sometimes. The Golden Knights were better wasting on your time," Pirri said on his expectations of coming back to than the Los Angeles Kings in the second period Sunday, but only scored the NHL this season. "I'm taking it a day at a time and just trying to enjoy one goal and gave up two. it."

The result was a 4-1 deficit after two periods at T-Mobile Arena, with one Pirri, who signed a two-year contract with the Golden Knights in the period remaining to salvage the eight-game winning streak. offseason, started the season with no goals and one assist in 11 games before being sent to Chicago. The Golden Knights had two great opportunities early in the period but didn't score. William Karlsson was first at the doorstep, but Cal Petersen He had 15 goals and 35 points in 38 games there and was recalled was able to get a toe on it and keep it out. On the second one Paul Saturday to be in Vegas in time for morning skate Sunday. He's projected Stastny was all alone in front of the net but couldn't get a shot off thanks to play left wing on the third line alongside Nick Cousins and Nicolas Roy to strong work from the Kings' defense. tonight.

So naturally, with all the action in front of the Los Angeles net, it was the "When you look at some of the guys we're missing, (Alex) Tuch and Kings who scored first in the period. Trevor Lewis had a decent lane to (Mark) Stone, some offensive guys, he's the one guy down there that's the goal but was caught by Nick Holden. That forced Lewis to pull up scored at this level," coach Peter DeBoer said. "He's done it pretty from his direct shot, and did a sort of spin-shot around Holden and consistently when he's been up here. He has an offensive element that caught Fleury by surprise. maybe some of the other guys don't. For me, it's a chance to put a guy in that has some of that that ability and maybe a little more of what we're It was off the post and in, giving the Kings a 3-0 lead at 10:04. missing." This time though, Vegas had an answer. Max Pacioretty drew a penalty Sunday also features the first time Alec Martinez will face his old team. when he was all alone in front of Petersen but couldn't score. It set up a From the time he was drafted in 2007 until he was traded to Vegas on Vegas power play where Pacioretty set up the goal, though he didn't get Feb. 19, Martinez spent parts of 13 seasons in the Kings organization. credit for the assist. He has been tremendous in five games with the Golden Knights so far, Pacioretty blasted a one-timer that dented the iron, and when Los and is excited for a chance to play against his old teammates. Angeles' Ben Hutton tried to clear the puck Shea Theodore was there to "I was there a long time, developed a lot of good friendships, a lot of intercept and fire it into the net. It was Theodore's 11th of the season and memories with those guys," Martinez said. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't it trimmed the Kings' lead to 3-1 at 13:14 of the second. going to be a little weird. ... To be honest, this is uncharted territory for It was a much better period for the Golden Knights, who outshot the me. I've never really gone through this before." Kings 15-7 in the second period, but saw their deficit grow from two goals The Golden Knights have struggled historically against the Kings, with to three. Alex Martinez collided with Petersen late in the second, sending five wins in 12 all-time meetings (5-5-2). They are 2-2-1 across three the Kings to a power play that didn't last long. Adrian Kempe's shot seasons at home, and are 1-2 in three meetings this season. bounced off Fleury's pad and Alex Iafallo tapped home the rebound to make it 4-1. TV: NBC Sports Network (DirecTV 220, Cox 38, CenturyLink 640)

The Golden Knights led 18-7 in shots on goal for the period, giving them Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM a 24-16 edge for the game. Betting line: Golden Knights minus-350, Kings plus-270; over/under: 6 (minus-105, minus-115) Golden Knights (36-22-8, 80 points) (21-10-4 home), first place, Pacific Division

Coach: Peter DeBoer (first season)

Points leader: Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone (63)

Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (30)

Assists leader: Mark Stone (42)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (2.73 GAA, .908 save percentage)

Kings (24-35-6, 54 points) (9-22-4 road), eighth place, Pacific Division; ninth place, Wild Card

Coach: Todd McLellan (first season)

Points leader: Anze Kopitar (18)

Goals leader: Anze Kopitar (39)

Assists leader: Anze Kopitar (57)

Expected goalie: Jonathan Quick (2.91 GAA, .901 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault—Paul Stastny—Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty—William Karlsson—Chandler Stephenson

Brandon Pirri—Nick Cousins—Nicolas Roy

William Carrier—Tomas Nosek—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb—Nate Schmidt

Alec Martinez—Shea Theodore

Nick Holden—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179513 Vegas Golden Knights The VGK stepped it up in period two by outshooting the Kings, 18-7. But after two periods, the Kings led the Knights by three goals.

The Knights fans did enjoy Benny the skating dog between periods two LA Kings Visit Vegas and Defeat Golden Knights Again Sunday, 4-1, and three. Before 18,419; VGK’s Eight-Game Win Streak Snapped The Knights could not solve Kings goaltender Calvin Petersen. The Golden Knights had some terrific scoring chances in the second and third periods. By Alan Snel But in the end, it was Kings 4 Knights 1 and the Golden Knights music crew played, “Don’t Stop Believing,” in the final minute of the game.

The LA Kings have haunted the Vegas Golden Knights once again at the The VGK’s next game is Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena as the Knights host Big Ice House by the Strip. the New Jersey Devils.

Maybe you recall the Kings’ prior win over VGK this season when LA LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 ambushed the Knights, 4-0, after the first period. There were boos from the VGK faithful after the first period that night.

Well, the Kings jumped out again over the Golden Knights with a 3-0 lead by the second period Sunday evening and knocked off Vegas, 4-1, before an announced crowd of 18,419.

The LA win stopped the Golden Knights from winning their ninth consecutive game.

It’s not like the Knights didn’t have their chances. They responded by outplaying the Kings in period two and had more shots on goal than LA for the game, 43-17.

Standings:

VGK coach Pete DeBoer said he didn’t think his team wasn’t ready to play. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit is hard in the NHL, DeBoer said. Here are his comments after the game:

Here’s a subdued Reilly Smith at his locker after the game:

VGK forward Paul Stastny:

Defenseman Nate Schmidt:

In the VGK lineup were Tomas Nosek anchoring the Chaos Line line between Bash Brothers Ryan Reaves and William Carrier and just-called up Brandon Pirri with newcomer Nick Cousins and versatile Nic Roy on the third line. With forward Mark Stone week-to-week with a leg injury, Chandler Stephenson has been moved up to the second line with William Karlsson and Max Pacioretty. And in goal was Flower, Marc-Andre Fleury.

Knights’ Nick Cousins

Pumping up the crowd was local radio personality Wayne Danielson, known as Big D.

Big D before VGK game.

Fans get ready for VGK vs LA.

The Knights enjoyed another big crowd. After 36 home dates, the VGK are averaging 18,311 a game, or filling the arena to 105.4 percent of capacity. The Knights say capacity is 18,367 at T-Mobile Arena.

The Kings jumped out to a 1-0 lead two minutes into the game with a goal by LA veteran Anze Kopitar — his 19th of the season. Kopitar added his second goal of the game (his 20th) on a power play about six minutes later and the Knights were down, 2-0.

Even Knights fan igniter Cameron Hughes and Blue Man Group could not spark the Knights in period one.

Midway through period two, Trevor Lewis fired a shot past Fleury and LA led, 3-0.

Shea Theodore scored the Knights’ lone goal of the game with 6:46 left in period two to cut the lead to 3-1. It was Theodore’s 11th of the season.

VGK celebrate Theodore goal.

During the second period, the Knights did convert a Kings fan to the VGK with their pledge ceremony that’s one of the team’s better promotions. Check it out here:

The Kings’ Alex Iafallo scored a power play goal with 56 seconds left in the second period and LA took a 4-1 lead into period three.

Kings score their fourth goal. 1179514 Vegas Golden Knights LVSportsBiz.com returns tonight to our “Top of the Escalator” pre-game segment that starts when the arena doors open at 6:15 p.m. before the 7:30 p.m. game.

Who Knew Summerlin Was A Major League Sports Hub? This Morning, LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 03.02.2020 NHL, MLB Collide In Las Vegas Suburb

March 1, 2020

By Alan Snel

Only seven years ago in Las Vegas’ western affluent suburb of Summerlin, what was called Downtown Summerlin 12 miles off the Strip were metal skeletons of building construction halted because of a sluggish economy.

But today on March 1, not only was Downtown Summerlin thriving but major leaguers from the and were practicing side-by-side in impressive sports facilities separated by literally a few feet in this suburban business development.

It was 11:04 a.m. Sunday at City National Arena, and Vegas Golden Knights defensemen Deryk Engelland and Jon Merrill were taking slapshots against new goalie Robin Lehner, fresh off a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres in Lehner’s VGK debut two days ago.

Ten minutes later, Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer was meeting the media, telling them that star forward Mark Stone was week-to-week with a lower body injury but that surgery would not be needed and that he hoped Stone would be ready to go by the end of the season in a month.

Meanwhile in the palatial minor league ballpark next door, the Oakland Athletics players were taking batting practice, with A’s stars like third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Marcus Semien in the starting lineup for a spring training game with the Cleveland Indians as part of Big League Weekend, which is put together by the Howard Hughes Corp.- owned Las Vegas Aviators and the local tourism agency, the LVCVA.

Only the day before on Saturday, an announced crowd of 8,159 watched the Indians and Athletics play at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Next weekend is Big League Weekend 2 with capacity crowds expected for the Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds spring training games at the impressive, amenity-packed ballpark that has a capacity of a little more than 10,000 fans.

I asked Golden Knights forward Nic Roy after practice if he would stop by the ballpark next-door for the 1 p.m. Indians-A’s game before he plays in tonight’s VGK vs Los Angeles Kings game at T-Mobile Arena at 7:30 p.m.

“Maybe I’ll take a look, but I can’t stay for the whole game. I need to take my nap,” Roy said of the NHL players’ tradition of getting some nap time in before a game.

Fellow forward Ryan Reaves said he’s “not a baseball guy” so he won’t be checking out the baseball game. He did note that representatives for his 7Five craft beer company did talk to the ballpark next-door about selling his beer there (the Las Vegas Aviators do have beer night on Thursdays), but that they couldn’t work out a beer vending deal.

Meanwhile, while the A’s players were taking practice swings.

At the hockey practice center, VGK defenseman Alec Martinez chatted about playing his old team, the Kings, tonight.

The first pitch for the A’s vs Indians was about 1:07 p.m.

And the Golden Knights players headed home for their mid-afternoon naps for tonight’s 7:30 p.m. game.

But on a late Sunday morning on the first of March, hockey and baseball big leaguers played in side-by-side buildings.

Last week’s Golden Knights Foundation fund-raiser called a “Knight to Remember” at the Wynn Las Vegas hit the jackpot raising $1.67 million.

And on Saturday, thousands of VGK fans hit the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center for the Golden Knights annual FanFest event. 1179515 Washington Capitals the season. Then, off a tic-tac-toe pass from Ilya Kovalchuk to Kuznetsov to Ovechkin, the captain scored again at 10:59. That gave the Capitals three goals in 3:38 and provided Kovalchuk’s first point with the team.

Alex Ovechkin scores twice in a wild first period, and the Capitals hold off Jonas Siegenthaler back in lineup after being a healthy scratch for three Minnesota, 4-3 games

“I wasn’t sure how it was going to go,” Reirden said of playing the three Russian forwards together for a handful of shifts. “I’ve done some Samantha Pell research on this one. They haven’t played a lot together with the national team or anything, so that is something I wanted to see a little bit and we March 1, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST will see moving forward — just some different combinations that I think can keep the opposition on their heels.”

ST. PAUL, Minn. — It began as a physical, chippy, back-and-forth affair Ovechkin has 703 career goals and is six away from passing Mike Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center. With the Minnesota Wild Gartner for seventh on the NHL’s all-time list. His two tallies also pushed desperately clawing for a playoff spot and the Washington Capitals still him past Jaromir Jagr (355) for the third-most goals on the road (356). trying to piece their game back together after a slump, the teams were Only Wayne Gretzky (402) and Steve Yzerman (362) had more. charged from the drop of the puck. The Wild cut Washington’s lead to 3-2 on a power-play goal from Kevin An electric first period yielded five goals, plenty more scoring Fiala at 13:13 of the first, and the game turned chippy in the period’s final opportunities and a fight, and the intensity only increased from there. moments. After Kovalchuk felt as if he was being clipped in the crease, Ultimately, the Capitals came out with a 4-3 victory for their third win in he took a few swings at the Wild’s Matt Dumba. Capitals defenseman four games, and they exited with chants of "Ovi!" ringing in their ears Brenden Dillon came to Kovalchuk’s aid and dropped the gloves with from the scattered splashes of red in the crowd. Ryan Hartman. It was Dillon’s first fight with the Capitals; his tussle with Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin last month only earned him a double minor for With two first-period goals on his way to a three-point night, Capitals roughing. captain Alex Ovechkin led the way. It was his seventh game with at least three points this season, and he recorded his first assist since Jan. 29. Kovalchuk was tagged with a double minor, giving Minnesota a power He has 45 goals in 64 games after notching his 12th multigoal game of play that bled into the second period, but the Capitals kept the Wild at the season. And in his past five games at Minnesota, he has 15 points bay and eventually headed home 1-1 on their brief road trip. (nine goals, six assists). “You can drop all the plays you want and show all the video you want,” Last time out: Capitals stifled by Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck in 3-0 loss Reirden said, “but when guys care for each other and they want to take care of their teammate, that is when you got something that you can build “I just think the guys get emotional here because a lot of [the Capitals’ on. So that was a real positive for me tonight.” players] are from here and you can feel it in the locker room,” Ovechkin said. “Everybody gets excited.” Washington Post LOADED: 03.02.2020

After a scoreless second period, Tom Wilson’s snipe 40 seconds into the third gave the Capitals a 4-2 edge. He has 21 goals on the season, including four in his past six games, and he is one away from tying his career high, set last season. Evgeny Kuznetsov (two assists) made a smart play on the wall and dished the puck to Ovechkin, who set up Wilson for the quick score.

“It’s a great play from ‘O.’ I think it shows what type of teammate he is,” Wilson said. “He has the puck right in the slot, chance for a hat trick, and he dishes it off.”

Zach Parise’s power-play goal in front at 12:53 got Minnesota back within one — defenseman Michal Kempny was called for the interference penalty that provided the man advantage — but the Wild could not find the equalizer.

Sunday’s victory was crucial for Washington (40-19-6) after it was blanked, 3-0, at Winnipeg on Thursday. The Capitals (86 points), who snapped a four-game road losing streak, have a three-point cushion over the Philadelphia Flyers in the Metropolitan Division ahead of their clash Wednesday at Capital One Arena.

“I just liked the physicality. I liked the compete,” Coach Todd Reirden said. “I liked our guys sticking together in scrums, and I liked that stuff of our game in terms of building our group.”

With key games looming and playoff seedings in the balance, the Capitals got off to a spirited start — but only after the Wild struck first. Minnesota’s Ryan Donato slipped behind Washington’s defense and accepted a stretch pass. He lost control of the puck on his initial run at Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, but he managed to corral it behind the net and bank it off Holtby’s skate and into the net at 3:01.

“Yeah, it was a hard one,” said Holtby, who was solid again with 37 saves. “They worked hard. Really hard. . . . It’s a good challenge. Good, hard-fought game. We’ll take the two points, but they don’t come easy.”

It didn’t take long for the Capitals to respond. Ovechkin’s first goal came at 7:21 from his “office” in the left faceoff circle on a five-on-three power play. The Capitals had failed to generate many chances before Ovechkin’s snipe whizzed past Wild goaltender Alex Stalock (26 saves), but his goal was enough to start Washington’s push.

About three minutes later, the Capitals took control with two goals in 31 seconds. Richard Panik scored off the rush at 10:28, his eighth goal of 1179516 Washington Capitals

Capitals’ Jonas Siegenthaler back in lineup after being a healthy scratch for three games

Samantha Pell

March 1, 2020 at 2:15 PM EST

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler is back in the Washington Capitals’ lineup after being a healthy scratch for the past three games. After the acquisition of Brenden Dillon ahead of the trade deadline, Siegenthaler had been the odd man out on defense for the Capitals, who are looking to hold on to the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, with the Philadelphia Flyers close behind.

Putting Siegenthaler back in the lineup necessitated another blue-line shuffle by Coach Todd Reirden, who is still looking to find the right chemistry among his three pairs. His Capitals on Sunday night visited a Minnesota Wild team that has been on a goal-scoring tear, so the priority was finding three pairs that are defensively sound.

Siegenthaler will be teamed with Nick Jensen on the third pair, and Michal Kempny will be slotted with Dmitry Orlov on the second. The left- handed Orlov will be playing on his off side, and the top pair of Dillon and John Carlson remains the same. Radko Gudas is the healthy scratch.

“Nobody likes to get scratched. I mean, it is part of the business,” Siegenthaler said. “If the coach makes the decision, you have to accept it. You can’t think about it. You can control what you can control.”

Capitals’ Michal Kempny looks to find his game as he navigates a rough stretch

Siegenthaler acknowledged there might have been a slight drop-off in his game of late, but overall he has felt good about his progression and ability to clean up little mistakes.

“Maybe there was a little stretch after all-star break where I didn’t play as well as I could, but I didn’t play like [expletive]," Siegenthaler said. “It was in between. I could play better, but I didn’t play bad. I tried to get those mistakes out of those games and work on it with [assistant coach Reid Cashman] and some videos. And, yeah, it is a long season. Over 82 games, you can’t play every game perfectly, so for sure everybody has a stretch in those 82 games where the game drops a little bit. You got time to get back to your top game again.”

Siegenthaler, at 22 the youngest player on the Capitals’ blue line, also has minimal playoff experience compared with the rest of the group. Jensen and Siegenthaler have a combined 11 games of postseason experience, all of which came last spring. Dillon has 62 games of playoff experience, all but two of which came with San Jose. That includes a run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2016 and a trip to last year’s Western Conference finals.

“All the other [defensemen], they are about the same age,” Siegenthaler said, “I’m the youngest, so for sure sometimes it’s, I don’t know, it’s easy to point on the young guy and take him out [of the lineup]. I just don’t want it to happen all the time. … When I get my chance like tonight, I will try to make an impact and make it hard to take me out again. That’s all I can do.”

Washington Post LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179517 Winnipeg Jets actually harder for a guy like Ville to play at that level because it’s not defined.”

Heinola said Sunday he felt the support from the club, who felt he could Jets' Heinola 'comfortable' in Finland, looking forward to Winnipeg return play in Finland and improve his strength and his overall game.

“They drafted me and they thought about how I felt, that I could live and at home and practice and play here,” Heinola said. “They were thinking Scott Billeck the same (as) me.”

Published:March 1, 2020 The move allowed Heinola to play in his second IIHF World Junior Championship, where he’d record five assists as the Finns lost out to Updated:March 1, 2020 8:22 PM CST Sweden 3-2 in the bronze medal game.

“I think as a team we played pretty well,” Heinola said. “Of course, we To suggest that Ville Heinola’s 18th year of existence has been his finest could play better and get a medal but that (win) against the USA was on record may check all the boxes to pass an understatement test. huge and then we got a chance to play in medals games. And I think I played pretty well, also. Of course, I could play better but I think fourth And given everything that has occurred in the young Finn’s life during the place is not bad. Of course, I could help my team more and help to reach past 365 days, it makes you wonder what he has in store for an encore. (a) medal but I think I played (a) solid tournament.”

For any player, merely getting to see a lifelong dream fulfilled by getting Since then, Heinola has helped Lukko into third place in Liiga with a few drafted into the National Hockey League would surely suffice. weeks to go before playoffs commence. In his 24 games with the club, he’s recorded six assists as one of the team’s three 18-year-olds prior to For Heinola, who turns 19 on Monday, his year was much more than Monday and is averaging just a hair under 17 minutes per game. that. “I play a lot now, that’s the biggest thing right now here,” he said. June 22, when he was selected 20th overall in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets, will hold a good chunk of real estate in the young Finn’s MISSED OPPORTUNITY? memory bank, but there are a few other properties vying for more space. Ville Heinola has kept tabs on the Winnipeg Jets as often as possible Oct. 3 will live on as Heinola’s first NHL game, one where he’d record his while playing back home in his native Finland. first NHL point with an assist inside sport’s greatest theatre at Madison Square Garden. Luckily for him, they’ve played a couple of times in the prime-time slot on TV and every other game is reviewed via highlights the next morning. Oct. 8 will be remembered for his first NHL goal in the house that Sidney Crosby built in Pittsburgh. A howitzer, Heinola stepped into a centering Having seen how Winnipeg’s season has shaken out this year, Heinola is pass from Mark Scheifele and blasted one past two-time Stanley Cup quite aware that he may have been pressed into a lot more action thanks winner Matt Murray. to all the injuries the Jets have endured.

Few NHLers, and even fewer defencemen, reach all of those milestones “I think about that a little bit,” he said. “But I think the main thing now is to in their draft year. focus on this moment here, work hard and try to get ready for next year.”

Heinola accomplished them all in 109 days. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.02.2020

“It was awesome and something that I will remember forever and something that I was dreaming about when I was a kid,” Heinola said during a phone conversation from Finland on Sunday. “And also it gives me a lot of motivation.”

On Nov. 8, Heinola was sent back to Finland to play in Liiga, Finland’s top-flight hockey league, with Lukko Rauma.

Heinola had a clause in the first year of his entry-level contract that allowed him to return to his homeland if he so chose.

After getting sent down to the Manitoba Moose and featuring in a couple of games, Heinola came to the decision that heading home for the season would be best.

“I wanted to play one more year in Finland,” Heinola said. “It’s just easier for me, more comfortable playing close to home, all my friends are here. It’s just one more year at home and then come to Winnipeg.

“I think it was just best for me. It’s not that I can’t play (in the NHL), but I just want to be more ready next year when I go there.”

While the Jets had no control over the situation, ultimately, they had Heinola’s back.

Despite his five points in his first eight NHL games, and on a blue line that had lost so much over the summer, the decision by player and club was unanimous.

“I’m really happy with the decision,” head coach Paul Maurice said at the time. “It’s absolutely the right place for him to be. We have to be patient with this young man. I’ve seen 18-year-old defencemen come in and they’ve scored goals and looked good and then by the middle of December, they’re getting pound one-on-one, they lose their confidence, they don’t touch the puck anymore. Coaches are getting paid to win hockey games, their minutes are getting cut back and all you’ve done is taken a young kid who’s had a great training camp and turned it into a complete failure by the team he leaves.

“You can ruin them. And his style of game, we don’t want that to change and the American League, there’s a lot of heavy, heavy forwards and it’s 1179518 Winnipeg Jets That by Tuesday, with the visiting Buffalo Sabres on the agenda, it will have done its job and, by extension, Maurice his.

“You’re exceptionally frustrated when you play the way we did and you Jets may rue the Leap Day that wasn't lose a hockey game, because you know the stakes,” he said. “But the next one’s going to get played, the puck’s going to get dropped, and you should be a hockey team coming into that one knowing your game’s right.” Paul Friesen If that ointment works, the Jets should at least be able to come close to Published:March 1, 2020 duplicating what they did on Saturday. Updated:March 1, 2020 5:22 PM CST Remember the effort, remember the approach.

But forget the result. EDMONTON — The ones that got away. Most importantly, shake off the feel of it. If, when the dust settles on this skirmish for playoff spots in the wild NHL “You have to,” Kyle Connor said. “You’re going to learn from it, you’re West, the Winnipeg Jets fall short by a point or two, oh how they’ll rue the going to take what you can. You can’t be stuck on a game like that. We days they let one slip. play in a couple of days here and we’ve got to bring it again that night. They’ll look back at how they didn’t put their foot on the throat of an also- We’re going to win more games playing that way. ran earlier in the season. “With the kind of situation we’re in right now, it’s desperation time.” They’ll see other games that were there for the taking, a lost point here or The Jets will be rested on Tuesday, and for the foreseeable future, given there that didn’t seem all that meaningful at the time. their lighter schedule. And they’ll recall the Saturday night in Edmonton, the last day of What they threw at the Oilers has to be their new normal. February, when they let a 2-2 tussle get away from them late in the third period. “It’s just our identity,” Wheeler said. “There’s no excuse for the last 15 games to not give it everything we have. We’ve done it all year. So why The Leap Day on which they failed to take the leap in the standings that not finish that way.” had presented itself when three of their fellow playoff wannabes had already squandered their own two points. It wasn’t a question Wheeler finished with.

They’ll wring their hands over how they dominated at five-on-five, but And it shouldn’t be. didn’t have an answer on special teams and couldn’t buy a goal when they needed it most. Or it won’t just be points getting away.

They won’t believe it when they think back to the chances they had with It’ll be the season. their goalie pulled in the last two minutes. Laine, Morrissey remain question marks They’ll shake their heads at the two penalties they took, which is all the The moves appear on the surface to be positive. historically good Oilers power played needed. The Jets on Sunday sent forward C.J. Suess and defenceman Nelson They’ll grind their molars over how they made the one big mistake with Nogier back to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. just over five minutes to go, turning a puck over and losing track of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins just long enough to watch him score the game-winner. But that doesn’t mean two of Winnipeg’s best players, winger Patrik Laine and defenceman Josh Morrissey, are at full health and ready to get But there’s no room for any of that now. back into the playoff race. What the Jets had to do, beginning in the wee hours of Sunday morning What it does mean is the Jets wanted to get Suess and Nogier into when their plane landed back in Winnipeg, is pretend it never happened. Sunday afternoon’s Moose game against Chicago. Because squandering those two points just made the next two that much They could just as easily be recalled in time to play reserve roles as the more valuable. And the two after that. Jets take on Buffalo in the same building two nights later. It’s kind of like what head coach Paul Maurice was talking about a while Laine missed Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Edmonton with a foot injury, while back. Morrissey has missed the last four games. Looking ahead to the stretch drive, Maurice said something about how Head coach Paul Maurice had little to say Saturday night, calling both memories would have to be short and emotions quickly discarded. day-to-day. He compared handling these games to the stomach-turning twists of a The Jets took Sunday off, so there were no updates. playoff series, where every loss can feel like you’re doomed. The Jets could use both players ASAP as they remain just below the If that’s the analogy we want to use, then the Jets on Saturday lost the playoff line in the NHL’s Western Conference. equivalent of the all-important fifth game of a best-of-seven to fall behind 3-2 in the series. Laine remains third on the team in goals (26) and points (59), Morrissey second in scoring (29 points) among defencemen. Playoff Game 5’s in a close series are loaded. Winners are on the verge of advancing, losers on the brink of elimination. Suess and Nogier joined Laine in the press box in Edmonton, Saturday.

A loss like that can break a team. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.02.2020 In the raw air of Saturday night, the sting so fresh you could feel it, the Jets sounded like a team at that crossroads.

Their captain: “We’re tied with five minutes left in the game,” Blake Wheeler said. “We can’t leave with zero. You just can’t do it.”

Their coach: “To play as hard as we did and then lose, that’s a painful one. It’s going to sting… for a while.”

The one salve Maurice was handing out might not have soothed immediately, but he’s hoping it was the slow-release type. 1179519 Vancouver Canucks Well before he extended his carer-high goal total to 26 early in the second period off a Pettersson feed to increase the lead to 3-1, there was ample evidence he was going to be a load to handle. He started the scoring sequence on the opening goal and did the same when Canucks Post Game: Sifting through the embers, not losing the fire of Pettersson gave the Canucks an early two-goal advantage. desire And on a dominant power play to end the first period, Miller was instrumental in helping to orchestrate puck movements and rotations as he worked from one wall, with Pettersson on the other, Horvat in the BEN KUZMA bumper and Tyler Toffoli as the net presence. Published:March 1, 2020 Miller has twice collected four points in a game — the latest on Jan. 2 Updated:March 1, 2020 9:11 PM PST against Chicago (1-3) — and he has become the old-school guy who’s not only dragging the Canucks into the fight on a lot of nights, he’s leading the club with 68 points to vault to 13th in league scoring.

COLUMBUS, Ohio —Points to ponder about a great start and a great KEEPING IT ON THE RAILS:‘That’s a play I’d like to have back. I’ve just fade as the Canucks saw leads of 2-0 and 3-1 evaporate in a third period got to own it and move forward. But I’m stunned, that’s probably the best collapse of epic proportions — the 5-3 loss Sunday to the Blue Jackets way to look at it’ that won’t soon be forgotten: "It's frustrating. To let one like that slip, I feel disappointed in me." CUTTING TO THE CHASE: ‘If we want to win and make the playoffs, we Netminder Louis Domingue gives his take on tonight's contest in have to be a heck of a lot better than that. We’re all upset. It doesn’t feel Columbus. pic.twitter.com/JLVYjBbxFl— Vancouver #Canucks good.’ (@Canucks) March 2, 2020

Where to begin? How about the captain? When your best players are your youngest players, keeping them on an even competitive keel can be difficult. On a night where his line started like it was shot out of a cannon — Tanner Pearson hitting the post, drawing a penalty and Bo Horvat re- The Canucks are fortunate that Quinn Hughes and Pettersson have the directing an Elias Pettersson power play feed in the slot — there was the skill, will and demeanour to handle setbacks. But Sunday was a shocker. early dagger and swagger. It was the first time in this four-game slog that And now it’s up to the veteran leadership group to make sure the season the Canucks had the lead. doesn’t go south.

It looked good on them. And for 52 minutes, this one was in the bag. Which is difficult to do when you also have to accept responsibility. Brandon Sutter took the tripping minor that led to Zach Werenski’s goal But by the end, Horvat was a minus-3 and the Canucks had a sobering to make it 3-3. Leading by example means not making the wrong play at 1-3-0 road trip. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Canucks slipped from third the wrong time. in the Pacific Division to a precarious hold on the first wild-card spot. “Obviously, that’s a play I’d like to have back,” said Sutter. “I’ve just got to And for a guy who has to try to find the silver lining when the dark clouds own it and move forward. But I’m stunned, that’s probably the best way to roll in, Horvat cut to the chase because diplomacy isn’t doing anybody look at it. The way we were playing, there’s no way we lose that game. any good at this crucial point of the season. Just bad plays and a couple I’d like to have back and other guys want to “We just weren’t good enough — plain and simple,” he said. “We played have back — they change the game. a great game and for those last eight minutes it was just unacceptable at “We talked after the game about the roller coaster that it is this time of this time of year. If we want to win and make the playoffs, we have to be year and we have to get right back at it. But this one is just gut-wrenching a heck of a lot better than that. to lose. It’s about results right now and games like this we have to learn “We’re all upset. It doesn’t feel good because the majority of the game from them.” we took it to them and played well, but the last eight minutes killed us. Especially the young stars. “We all knew we had to get that win — we have to find a way.” “Every game there are things you want to have back,” added Sutter. “But Then came the tough question. How do you get over this? you can’t go back. Just own it and do the good things we did and don’t let that (collapse) happen. The mistakes suck, but that’s the way the league “We can’t dwell on this, we’ve got to move on and get some wins,” he is sometimes.” said. “But it’s not going to be easy. Nothing is going to be given to us, we’re going to have to work for it.” Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.02.2020

The shock even spread to the coach after the setback.

“These kind of games just don’t leave you,” said Travis Green. “It’s good that we have two days off to regroup and get a practice in before another big game. This is how you feel after a tough loss in playoff hockey and it’s like playoff hockey right now.”

DEALING WITH DEFEAT: ‘You’ve got to learn from the good and the bad because we can’t let this happen down the stretch anymore — if we’re being honest with each other’

J.T. Miller knows heartache.

The Canucks’ leading scorer has twice been on the losing end of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final on home ice. Noodle on that for a while.

So, the fine line between winning and losing is something he knows all about. And what he saw Sunday disturbs him because it can’t become a trend.

“You’ve got to learn from the good and the bad because we can’t let this happen down the stretch anymore — if we’re being honest with each other,” he stressed. “It’s one thing to get beat, but two goals at the end of the game on a road trip where we haven’t won we just didn’t get it done.”

Miller tried. 1179520 Vancouver Canucks • And finally, heading into the 2005 Top Prospects game in Vancouver, the big story was Rimouski star Sidney Crosby snubbing the showcase event.

Willes' Musings: Contenders or pretenders? We'll soon know what the Then Bobby Ryan told his story. Suddenly, Crosby wasn’t the big story. Canucks are When Ryan was 10 his father, Bob Stevenson, was charged with attempted murder after he assaulted his wife and Ryan’s mother Melody. Before the case could go to trial, Stevenson skipped bail and the family ED WILLES was reunited in El Segundo where they lived under the name Ryan.

Published:March 1, 2020 A couple of years later, his father was arrested and hauled back to New Jersey where he began serving a five-year stretch. Bobby, by this time, Updated:March 1, 2020 9:13 PM PST was a star in the L.A. Kings junior program and drawing notice back East. With his mother he relocated to the Detroit area, played a season with Honeybaked, then moved on to OHL’s Owen Sound Attack under the We humbly offer our own version of March Madness: the Monday advice of then Flyers GM Bob Clarke, a friend of his father’s. morning musings and meditations on the world of sports. All this happened before he was taken second overall by Anaheim in the • After sailing through the first five months of their season, the Vancouver 2005 draft behind Crosby. Canucks have encountered their first full blown crisis and say this for Travis Green’s team, they’ve picked a helluva time to confront that crisis. Fourteen years later Ryan spent three months in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program undergoing treatment for a dependence on alcohol. For 50 minutes on Sunday they played a textbook road game in Columbus that seemed to answer all the questions which arose from Last week, in his first day back with the Ottawa Senators, he spoke back-to-back losses in Toronto and Ottawa. Then, in one nightmarish openly and honestly about his problem. In his first game back he scored sequence, they flushed a two-goal lead down the toilet and now they’re, three goals in a win against the Canucks and fought back tears as the well, we’re not sure where exactly. crowd chanted his name.

The good news is they’re still above the playoff bar. The more realistic He’s now 32, has a wife and two kids. After all this time, it’s still easy to news is they’re in unchartered waters and for the first time this season root for Bobby Ryan. their resolve has been cracked. You never know how a team will react Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.02.2020 when it faces pressure of this sort for the first time and that collapse in the last half of the third period against a middling Columbus team was sobering.

The Canucks are now on a three-game losing skid at the worst possible time of year, but the larger problem is the seed of doubt that is now germinating in their collective psyche. We’ve maintained all along this team is equipped to handle the demands of a playoff race and, given their lineup, that should still be the case.

But they’re being tested now in a way they haven’t been tested all season. We’ll find out soon enough if they’re the team they believe themselves to be or playoff pretenders.

• On a related note let’s, for the heck of it, try to apply some perspective to the remainder of their season.

The Canucks now have 17 games left on their schedule. Of the next 14, nine are at home, where they’re 20-7-4 this season. Been saying it for a while now but the schedule is this team’s ally. If they take care of business on home ice they’ll make the playoffs.

• In Utica, Reid Boucher is tied for the AHL scoring lead with 63 points in 49 games and Justin Bailey has scored 27 goals in 49 games.

In Vancouver, the Canucks are getting next to nothing from Loui Eriksson and Antoine Roussel on a team that’s having trouble scoring goals.

Sorry, don’t understand the reluctance to see what Boucher and/or Bailey can do at the NHL level.

• In an MLS season that stretches from now until the end of time, maybe it’s not important the Vancouver Whitecaps didn’t win their first league game against Sporting Kansas City.

But this is important. The Whitecaps have to send a clear message to their supporters that this team is different; that they’re not facing another eight-month death march and the only way to do that is with a good start.

Saturday night, unfortunately, looked like too many games from last season.

• If it’s any consolation, we’ll be saying the same thing about the B.C. Lions in three more months.

• Heading into this weekend, Mackenzie Hughes had missed the cut in nine of his previous 11 events, had just over 30 grand in official money and sat 223rd in the FedEx Cup rankings.

After his solo second at The Honda on Sunday, he now has just under US$800,000 in prize money and jumped up to 66th in the FedEx Cup.

It’s a hard way to make a living but you can make your year with a couple of good weeks on the PGA Tour. 1179521 Vancouver Canucks He was square, he was calm. A Markus Nutivaava shot through a partial screen was easily handled. So was a blast by Pierre-Luc Dubois in which he stuck out the left pad. Even in scrambles there was no panic.

Blue Jackets 5, Canucks 3: The great start, then the greater fade Kevin Stenlund had a first period tap-in and Riley Nash picked the high short side in the third to make it 3-2. And then the roof caved in.

Domingue had an 11-game win streak with the Tampa Bay Lightning last BEN KUZMA season, but couldn’t gain crease traction with the New Jersey Devils. He did make 36 saves in his last NHL start, a 3-0 loss in St. Louis to the Published:March 1, 2020 Blues on Feb. 18. Updated:March 1, 2020 7:55 PM PST Home is where the points are

Well before Miller extended his carer-high goal total to 26 early in the COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dictating instead of chasing. second period off a Pettersson feed to increase the lead to 3-1, there was ample evidence he was going to be a load to handle. He started the Easy to talk about, much harder to execute. scoring sequence on the opening goal and did the same when Pettersson gave the Canucks an early two-goal advantage. If the Vancouver Canucks were going to put an exclamation mark on the final game of a four-stop odyssey that provided plenty of question marks, He nearly got his fourth point in the third period after winning the face-off they had to have a smart start Sunday against the injury-ravaged Blue and deflecting a point shot in the slot and finished with five shots and Jackets, who are missing eight roster regulars. seven attempts.

They couldn’t have authored a better one. Miller has twice collected four points — the latest on Jan. 2 against Chicago (1-3) — and has become the guy who’s not only dragging the On the first shift, the alignment of Tanner Pearson, Bo Horvat and Jake Canucks into the fight, he’s leading the club with 68 points to vault to Virtanen showed quick pace and Pearson drew a penalty while ringing a 13th in league scoring. wrist shot off the inside of the far post. Fourteen seconds later, Horvat re- directed an Elias Pettersson feed in the slot. All that by the one-minute So, imagine what he was thinking when it was all over. mark. “We played such a good road game and we just had a black out in the It was the first time on this trip that the Canucks had opened scoring. The last nine minutes,” said Miller. “They get a couple of power-play goals obvious question was would they be able to build of it? Would Pettersson and before you know it, it’s over. Just part of this time of year in finding find his scoring touch? Would Ohio native J.T. Miller have a memorable ways to win — and that’s a must for us. 500th career NHL game? “We needed to win tonight. We played a good game, but playing a good And would Louis Domingue do enough to ensure the post-game game is finding a way to win and closing teams out. It’s a rollercoaster of goaltending discussion would be positive? emotions this time of year.”

For 52 minutes it looked like everything would come to fruition. The Pettersson finds a way Canucks were fast, focused, ferocious. Then the Blue Jackets got a goal and some life and then two power play goals. Leads of 2-0 and 3-1 Without a shot Saturday, Pettersson expected be better Sunday. evaporated in a stunning 5-3 setback. However, his 26th goal of the season wasn’t about unleashing that heavy It was so shocking, it was hard to summarize a 1-3-0 road trip that ended and accurate one-timer. It was about making something happen when with such an empty feeling. nothing has been happening. He got into position in the slot and executed a deft deflection of a Tyler Myers point shot to make it 2-0. “These kind of games just don’t leave you,” said Canucks coach Travis Green. “It’s good that we have two days off to regroup and get a practice It seemed to trigger some swagger because he was moving, creating and in before another big game. This is how you feel after a tough loss in finished with two points, four shots and nine attempts. playoff hockey and it’s like playoff hockey right now. OVERTIME — Jay Beagle didn’t play after being injured blocking a shot “I’m feeling for our guys right now. We played a great road game and Saturday. Zack MacEwen registered his second fight in 13 games this were managing it really well, but we didn’t get the job done on the PK. season when he dropped the mitts with Stefan Matteau in the second The game can be cruel sometimes. Back-to-back games and I thought period. we had a great effort. We probably could and should have got points out Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.02.2020 of the last two games.”

Domingue put to the test

Louis Domingue said he would be up for the challenge in his first Canucks start and it’s no big deal being tossed into the fire. It certainly looked like it before the Blue Jackets stormed to the attack in the third period.

“It’s frustrating — the team was there for me the majority of the game,” said Domingue. “Until they scored that second goal and I had to be there at the end I couldn’t come up with the last saves. I feel like I didn’t do my job.”

When Zach Werenski put a power play shot through Domingue to make it 3-3, it swung momentum for good.

“It found its way through me and any goal through your body is not a good goal,” added Domingue. “Technically tonight, I took a big step and we’ve been working on changing a couple of things in my game. I applied it well, but I’ve just got to keep improving and it’s disappointing because we’re craving points.

“When you let one like that slip, you feel disappointed. I’ve seen the Blue Jackets do that before, but it’s on us to find a way to get the points when a team pushes.”

For 52 minutes, the trade-deadline acquisition wasn’t rattled by traffic, or screens, or having to quickly seal up the short side on several occasions. 1179522 Vancouver Canucks Domingue made his last start on the road Feb. 18 when he made 36 saves in a 3-0 loss to the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues. He has played for four NHL clubs and has been waived and traded.

Ben Kuzma: Green turns talk to winning, not roster developments The career numbers for Domingue in the bigs are average — 3.05 goals- against average and .904 saves percentage — but the 6-foot-3, 208 pound stopper will have to be more than that with Demko trying to find his complete game. BEN KUZMA Domingue extended his win streak to 11 games a year ago with the Published:March 1, 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning and it ended in his next start against the Boston Updated:March 1, 2020 6:05 PM PST Bruins. However, he cleared waivers in September and was sent to the minors.

He was dealt to the Devils on Nov. 1 and recalled to back up Mackenzie COLUMBUS, Ohio — It didn’t take long to draw one short conclusion Blackwood, but won just three times in 16 appearances and had a during pre-game availability Sunday. bloated 3.79 GAA and .882 saves percentage. Placed on waivers again, he was assigned to the AHL and then the Canucks came calling. There’s pressure on the Vancouver Canucks to pick up their game and increase their pace in pursuit of the franchise’s first post-season berth in Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.02.2020 five years. There was pressure to end a four-game odyssey with a win here against the Blue Jackets because a 2-2 road trip would look and sound much better than 1-3.

And it’s why little was made of some big roster news because winning is all that matters now and all that needs to be talked about. And when you’re 14-17-2 away from Rogers Arena and on an inconsistent 4-6-2 run before facing Columbus, there has to be concern.

“Both teams value work ethic and battling for points,” coach Travis Green said of prepping for the injury-ravaged hosts, who have lost 384-man- games to injury. “They play pretty well in their building (19-12-4) and it’s going to be a tough game.”

John Tortorella will ensure that. The former Canucks coach will coax his club to maintain its precarious grip on the final Eastern Conference wild- card spot.

As for Green, he didn’t say much about roster developments and there were several Sunday.

An injury, an emergency recall, a promotion from the pressbox and playing the backup to the backup provided plenty of Vancouver Canucks roster fodder for the often engaging Green.

He could have gone into detail about the decision to start trade-deadline acquisition Louis Domingue and the rationale to let Thatcher Demko sit out the second half of back-to-back games.

He could have discussed the progression of Zack MacEwen, who drew in for the sidelined Jay Beagle, and how Justin Bailey might figure into the emergency recall criteria. Green wasn’t expected to reveal the nature of Beagle’s injury or which forward may have been questionable for the game to put in the call for Bailey.

Beagle blocked a shot in the second period Saturday in Toronto and headed to the bench in discomfort and was doubled over while being worked on. He endured the pain but had just four third-period shifts totalling 2:30 as the Canucks pressed to try to draw even in the 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs.

“He has an injury today (Sunday) that’s going to prevent him from playing,” said Green.

Under emergency recall rules, Bailey is here because somebody is banged up and trying to play through something. Green obviously wasn’t going to reveal who, so you could wonder if Antoine Roussel or Tyler Motte, who play hard games, are sucking it up and playing.

MacEwen has played in a dozen Canuck games this season and the big winger has three points (1-2) in 10:13 of average ice time and served as the extra forward. In 20 games with the AHL affiliate Utica Comets, the restricted free agent has 11 points (5-6). His insertion allowed Brandon Sutter to move back into the middle.

As for the 27-year-old Domingue, there was always a chance he was going to play Sunday. Demko was beaten by goals he’d like to have back in Ottawa and Toronto and a different look in the net was a prudent decision.

“Veteran guy, has a lot of starts in the league and I’m excited to see him play and he’s excited to get in the net,” Green said of Domingue. 1179523 Vancouver Canucks A: He took care of all the age groups — he did everything — and was busy with that and also worked his own job. For me, when I was 12 or 13, I just went all in to hockey.

Ben Kuzma: New Canuck Toffoli talks highs, lows, Cat, dog, even his Q: Hockey players are often good baseball players. Your athleticism Leafs pyjamas suggests you could have been a shortstop like Carlos Correa or a third baseman like Anthony Rendon. Did you play?

A: I did play baseball growing up. I played shortstop and centre field. BEN KUZMA Q: You married Cat Belanger in the summer of 2018 and she’s already Published:March 1, 2020 become a Twitter must-follow She was the entertainment coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers, so not surprising you clicked? Updated:March 1, 2020 5:00 AM PST A: After we won (2014 Cup), I met her at an appreciation night where we

threw the first pitch and some other stuff. And it just went from there. TORONTO — Tyler Toffoli came clean. We’re big sports fans and she has a lot of connections. I met a lot of people (celebrities), got to hang out and became friends with a lot of While being raised in the suburb of Scarborough, his affinity for the them. But the last few years we just went to the games and enjoyed Maple Leafs as a wide-eyed kid was only natural. There were team them. pictures plastered on his bedroom wall and regular treks to see his hockey heroes at public gatherings for Leaf Nation. She has been taking care of all the little things (since the trade) that I don’t want to deal with, basically, and like finding an apartment and “I went to a lot of games with my dad growing up and when I was really letting me focus on hockey. young, we’d go to events when they had the skate-arounds and some of the Leafs would be out there,” said the Vancouver Canucks’ winger. Q: You played with Milan Lucic in La-La Land. How did a Van City guy get into your wedding party? When pressed for how far his early allegiance to the blue and white went — did he have a Maple Leafs bed set like a young John Tavares or even A: When he came to L.A., we kind of clicked and hung out every day. His pyjamas? — he initially dodged the query in the same manner he can wife and Cat are really good friends. avoid NHL opposition checks. Q: First impressions mean a lot. When Elias Pettersson stayed out long Then came the awkward admission. after a Wednesday practice in Ottawa to work on his shot and Quinn Hughes was picking up pucks, what does that say? “I think I did to be honest, maybe the pyjamas,” he admitted. “Probably the pyjamas!” A: That’s good to see. Every day, guys want to get better and they’re having such good years. They still want to find those little ways of getting After making an instant impact following a Feb. 17 trade acquisition from better and be in a better place for the run we’re going on. the Los Angeles Kings, the 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent took a timeout from a hot streak of points in all four games as a Canuck Q: There’s a Twitter picture of your pooch ‘Dodger’, who’s arriving this (4-2-6, 19 shots) to open a window on his changing world: week. What’s on the Vancouver to-do list as a newcomer to a city you love and an arena where you’ve enjoyed success? Question: When was the light-bulb moment? When did you know you could not only play at this level, but hit the 20-goal mark twice and also A: I’ve been trying to find an apartment and find where guys like to eat. I reach the 30-goal plateau? kind of change it up. I’m pretty easy going and like to hang out and play video games once in a while, but I’m not an NHL20 guy (like Pettersson, Answer: When I started the 2013-14 season in the minors (after leading Troy Stecher and Jake Virtanen). I like chilling out and watching TV. AHL rookies in 2012-13 with 28 goals and 51 points in 58 games), I told myself this is the last time I’m getting called up. I don’t want to be up and Q: Have you heard about Breakfast Club? Hughes and Pettersson load down. It just clicked. Everything started working for me and I fit in well up on stacks of pancakes topped with whip cream, ice cream, fruits and and we end up winning (Stanley Cup). berries, two eggs on the side and bacon.

Q: You lit it up in the OHL with two 50-goal seasons and were the top A: I have not. But I’m an older guy on this team and I can’t keep up with AHL rookie. But your awareness to be hard on the opposition in all three those guys and doing those types of things. zones is overlooked. How vital is that commitment? Q: Your welcome back to Ottawa as a 67s star included a blizzard A: That was one of the main things when I was trying to make the Kings. Thursday. Look familiar to someone who knows about sudden squalls To be able to play for Darryl Sutter and Dean Lombardi, the most and lake-effect snowstorms? important thing was to make plays on the wall so you’re not stuck in your A: Definitely. There were a few times in junior where the travel time on zone. And when you are, you’ve got to take care of it. That’s how I got in the bus was supposed to be four hours and turned into seven or eight, so the league and one of the things I take pride in. You need to do it to stay I’ve seen that before. In Toronto areas, the snow was never that bad, but in the league. it was on top of all the travel we were doing anyway. Q: You were scratched Oct. 30 in a 5-3 home-ice loss to the Canucks. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.02.2020 You had 13 points in your first 30 games and were demoted to the fourth line. How did you rebound for a run of 21 points in 28 games?

A: Definitely a tough time personally, but I got through it. I stayed with my game and got through it and since then my game has been the best it’s been in a long time.

Q: Three games after being recalled in November of 2013, you had two goals and an assist in a 5-1 win over the Canucks. You have 13 career goals and 21 points against Van in 28 games. What gives?

A: I always enjoyed coming into the city. I’ve always had my shot. It was never one of those things were I had the hardest shot, but I was able to get it off in tight spaces and that obviously helped.

Q: Your dad (Rob) was involved in hockey as GM of the Toronto Junior Canadiens (Triple A) that you played on. How did that help your development? 1179524 Vancouver Canucks 3. Torts will turn up temperature The Blue Jackets haven’t won a game in regulation since Feb. 7 and all

that arsenal on the injury list will force the former Canucks’ coach to coax Canucks Game Day: Expect Torts to insist sluggish Blue Jackets show his slipping club to muster up the resolve to hang on to a precarious some added zip playoff position. John Tortorella on Dubois: “I’m not mad at him. I’m just not going to play him if he doesn’t compete.”

4. Finding secondary scoring BEN KUZMA The Canucks can’t only have J.T. Miller, Tyler Toffoli, Elias Pettersson, Published:March 1, 2020 Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson providing the scoring. Time and space in the playoff race are at a premium and the bottom-six mix has to Updated:March 1, 2020 5:00 AM PST contribute goals.

5. Dragging them in to fight Pierre-Luc Dubois, left, and his Columbus Blue Jackets haven't won an Antoine Roussel hadn’t scored in eight games and had one goal in his NHL game in regulation since Feb. 7. If Dubois struggles against the last 21 before facing Toronto on Saturday. The winger hasn’t been as Canucks don't be shocked to see coach John Tortorella bench his star effective as last season. He returned Dec. 3 from knee surgery. player to send a message to his troops. PROJECTED LINEUPS NEXT GAME CANUCKS Sunday Forwards Vancouver Canucks (34-23-6) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (31-21-14) J.T. Miller — Elias Pettersson — Tyler Toffoli 4 p.m., Nationwide Arena, TV: SNET; Radio: SNET 650 AM Tanner Pearson — Bo Horvat — Loui Eriksson * Records do NOT include Saturday’s games Antoine Roussel — Adam Gaudette — Jake Virtanen THE BIG MATCHUP Tyler Motte — Jay Beagle — Brandon Sutter Louis Domingue vs. Pierre-Luc Dubois Defence Unless Thatcher Demko was spectacular or had a light workload Saturday in Toronto — or if Travis Green wants to keep riding the Alex Edler — Troy Stecher stopper to get him into a rhythm — expect Louis Domingue to make his Canucks debut after being acquired at the trade deadline from the New Quinn Hughes — Chris Tanev Jersey Devils for goalie Zane McIntyre. Oscar Fantenberg — Tyler Myers With Jacob Markstrom nursing a knee injury, the onus could be on Goalies: Louis Domingue, Thatcher Demko Domingue to deliver in a crucial test with the Canucks trying to maintain playoff positioning. And because the Blue Jackets have won but one of BLUE JACKETS their last 10 games (1-4-5), have the 27th-ranked offence and 26th-rated penalty kill, it could allow Domingue to gain traction with his new club. Forwards And it could give Demko time to work on technique with goalie coach Ian Nick Foligno — Boone Jenner — Nathan Gerbe Clark. Gustav Nyquist — Pierre-Luc Dubois — Stefan Matteau Oliver Bjorkstrand is the only Blue Jackets forward to crack the 20-goal mark with 21 goals — Zach Werenski has 19 and Dubois has 18 — so Kevin Stenlund — Alexander Wennberg — Emil Bemstrom Domingue will look to build on his last NHL start before the deadline, a 36-save effort, even though it was a 3-0 loss to the Stanley Cup Devin Shore — Riley Nash — Eric Robinson champion St. Louis Blues. Defence

Domingue extended his win streak to 11 games a year ago with the Zach Werenski — Markus Nutivaara Tampa Bay Lightning. However, he cleared waivers in September and was sent to the minors. He was dealt to the Devils on Nov. 1 and recalled Vladislav Gavrikov — David Savard to back up Mackenzie Blackwood, but won just three times in 16 appearances and had a bloated 3.79 GAA and .882 saves percentage. Scott Harrington — Andrew Peeke Placed on waivers again, he was assigned to the AHL and then the Goalies: Joonas Korpisalo, Matiss Kivlenieks Canucks came calling. SICK BAY “Going into it (trade deadline), I wasn’t sure what my future would hold,” said Domingue. “But ultimately, if you focus on that, you’re not going to Canucks: Jacob Markstrom (lower body), Brock Boeser (rib cartilage have success. I’m going to look at it and help get the team to a level it fracture, LTIR), Josh Leivo (fractured kneecap, LTIR), Micheal Ferland needs to be at. It’s playing without thinking. I’m ready for the challenge. (upper-body, LTIR). This is nothing new to me.” Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzlinkins (undisclosed), Josh Anderson (shoulder, FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME IR), Cam Atkinson (ankle, IR), Oliver Bjorkstrand (ankle fracture), Seth Jones (ankle fracture, IR), Dean Kukan, (torn meniscus, IR), Ryan 1. Circle the defensive wagons Murray (upper body, IR).

Regardless of who starts, there must be a better commitment to team SPECIAL TEAMS defence. Jacob Markstrom was the safety net in winning seven of eight games when he faced at least 40 shots. Getting pucks out at the blue- Power play: Canucks: Third (24.6 per cent), Blue Jackets: 26th (16 per line and not turning them over in that two-foot zone can’t happen cent). because forwards are blowing the zone expecting a pass. Penalty kill: Canucks: 17th (80.3 per cent), Blue Jackets: 13th (81.4 per 2. Not caught up in Hughes Tour cent).

A consensus in the Eastern media among those who vote for the Calder Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.02.2020 Trophy, and especially those seeing Quinn Hughes for the first time, is that the dazzling rookie can cement his status as the award favourite by putting on an offensive show. But he’s attracting physical attention and playing simple some nights is better. 1179525 Vancouver Canucks Fair or not to Demko, though, it’s gotten to the point where “didn’t let in an easy goal” is the bar for “should probably start the next game,” so you can imagine there were a lot of spirited debates being held in Canucks Nation for giving Domingue the next start had the Canucks held onto the The Armies: Louis Domingue, Canucks collapse late against Columbus 3-1 lead.

And for the majority of the game, Domingue did what was expected of him. He made some good saves early, then made the easy stops when it By Wyatt Arndt Mar 1, 2020 looked like Columbus was dead inside. Everything was on track.

But then … It’s hard to believe that the Vancouver Canucks could find a way to make Best shadow-boxing losing a game look worse than they did against Ottawa and Toronto, yet here we are. The first goal against, which is sadly now known as “the good goal” because it didn’t signal the start of a horrifying collapse, was a bit of bad At least in those two games, the Canucks could talk of bad bounces and luck on the Canucks’ part. Dare I say it, a bad bounce? malicious hockey gods exacting revenge for players not taping their sticks correctly. But no, it ended up being a play in which Quinn Hughes dug for the puck in his goalie’s pads and the puck squirted loose and Chris Tanev slid But on Sunday night against Columbus, the only thing the Canucks could over to protect his small young son and left his guy open. It was a lot like do is look into a mirror and try to figure out what just happened, as they that goal in Ottawa, where Tyler Myers lost track of the puck and Oscar saw a 3-1 lead melt away in a 5-3 loss. Fantenberg’s guy shovelled it over for a tap in. Even Gordon Ramsay couldn’t fix this nightmare of a road trip. What I’m saying is time is a flat circle. For 52 minutes, Louis Domingue looked to be on the verge of getting his Best sleeping on the job first victory with his new team. It was a solid if not spectacular game up until that point for Domingue, with the Canucks doing their best “we It says something about the scope of the loss that the game was the first played a good road game” routine of no longer generating offence (a in a long while in which Loui Eriksson was not playing with Horvat and proud hockey tradition), but at least keeping their net clear of high-danger Pearson, yet it’s hardly getting talked about. chances. Yes, Jake Virtanen’s quest for 20 goals saw him get the assignment with Also let it be known what a tremendous offensive game the Canucks got two-thirds of the Insurance Line, and perhaps the cynic in you says from Elias Pettersson and JT Miller, each of whom had three points. Eriksson shuts the play down if he’s on that line. Maybe the real journey was the friends Eriksson made along the way. But all it took was a brief nap from Tanner Pearson and Bo Horvat, and the Columbus Blue Jackets were back in action. It was like watching NBA Alas, what ended up happening on the goal was a giant bowl of flaming Jam, as the announcer screamed something about them heating up, and garbage. before you knew it, pucks were going straight through Domingue like they were on fire. At one point, I’m pretty sure I saw Zach Werenski do a First, Pearson and Horvat were just kind of watching the puck, perhaps helicopter dunk on the Canucks goaltender. talking about “Love Is Blind” and having a spirited debate about whether Jessica is insane. And for a team that has talked a lot about young guys learning on the job, it was the veterans who were at the forefront Sunday. Amidst that conversation, they lost the puck, which, fine, that happens. You have to give credit to Werenski for being a skilled player who is able Pearson and Horvat blew coverage on the Blue Jackets’ second goal. to do his dekes.

Brandon Sutter and Antoine Roussel took bad penalties late in the third. The bad part is when they both went into full spectator mode and just sort of ignored Riley Nash. It’s like when you’re in an old house and someone Domingue was not able to make a save when the Canucks needed it. asks what that noise was, and the person is like, “Oh, that’s just the air in Coach Travis Green can take some heat for his lack of a timeout after the the pipes,” and then before you know it, you’re in the middle of “Saw 8.” Blue Jackets’ third and tying goal to settle his players. Timeouts aren’t an That’s what Pearson and Horvat did. They employed the “air in the pipes” exact science, but it feels like the best time to calm down a rabid crowd is defence of checking up on alarming circumstances and Nash had an after a team has stormed back to tie the score late. Don’t let the easy lane to the front of the net. opponent revel in the shooting of its cannon. Make those fans and For a team that has been used as a shutdown line all year, that is the players have to watch a bad commercial on the Jumbotron to sap their kind of goal it should use at the next team meeting and then give very will to live. pointed looks in their direction. In the end, maybe you chalk a lot of it up to subpar goaltending. Still, it’s only 3-2 at this point, which isn’t the worst situation to be in. Domingue and Thatcher Demko combined for an 86.9 save percentage on the road trip, and that is simply not good enough. For a team that has Anything is better than a 6-3 lead, right? had questions all year about its defensive-zone coverage, you have to wonder how the rest of the season will go when it can’t even find a way However… to win a game against an injury-riddled opponent that was kept to the Best and I’m free, free fallin’ outside for most of it. The Blue Jackets get a power play late in the game thanks to a Sutter Of course, the game might just end up being a footnote to the season, a penalty. Don’t worry, it was a veteran trip. rough patch that is forgotten about as the Canucks make a push for the playoffs. You try not to make too much out of the rough patches the That was where Domingue is going to be criticized because at that point, same way you don’t raise your expectations over the good times. the puck started going straight through him. That’s a pretty clear shot on net, and it’s on him to find a way to stop that. But it could also be an eye-opening experience of life without Jacob Markstrom. Suddenly, the score was 3-3 and the crowd was more raucous than a Saturday night at Celebrities. I know “momentum” is a term used too And boy, it doesn’t look pretty. liberally in sports, but man alive, the energy in the building was electric Best getting ahead of yourself and the Blue Jackets were suddenly skating miles around the Canucks.

There was a time when Domingue was creating a backup goaltending There was, however, no timeout. Well, not a traditional timeout. It was controversy. You can see that one Columbus fan standing up in the the veteran savvy of Antoine Roussel, as he took a penalty to give his crowd celebrating a goal then holding his head in shame when the puck teammates a brief rest while he skated to the sin bin. That continued a didn’t go in the net. We all see you, Bob! stretch of games from Roussel that one could term “not good” and “why are you trying to cause me mental anguish?” It feels like a year ago that the GiVeR line was providing energy and creating goals. Sadly, Roussel’s penalty would lead to … Well, for one game at least, Pettersson found his mojo again, as he was firing on all cylinders early on. Best epic collapse The Badminton King found a way to tip in this Tyler Myers shot, putting The puck took an unfortunate bounce off Oscar Fantenberg and the Canucks up 2-0: redirected into the net, so it’s up to you how much you put that on Domingue. I think if anything, it just shows how good Markstrom was It wasn’t just the points, however, as The Alien was skating hard all game playing that you can remember him making a lot of saves off similar long and almost got another assist with this nice pass to Toffoli: shots. Such is the power of a goalie playing incredibly well. The best part about watching Pettersson play hockey is watching a play It is also very fair to point out that the optics of the highly paid veterans develop and thinking there is no lane for him to make a play, and then all taking two critical penalties late in the game and putting the Canucks in of a sudden, the puck is on his teammate’s stick and you get to feel such a position are a bit ugly. stupid for ever doubting him.

I just want to rewind to the epic 6-3 collapse against Pittsburgh earlier in Best weird declarations of love the year, when Green said, “We had a young group of forwards playing and probably haven’t been in that kind of scenario in the NHL maybe Miller continued his hard play as of late as he, too, had a three-point ever, and felt like all of a sudden, we couldn’t make a play. We lost some game to match Pettersson as they battle it out to see who will lead the puck battles in our zone, and we talked about it. In those kinds of games, Canucks in points. you’ve got to pay the price to win, and I don’t think we did it.” Somewhere, Boeser is just watching highlights of his All-Star Game MVP Again, not to rail on the veterans, but the game against Columbus was performance and sighing. on their shoulders. It was not a “young person” problem. Two things stand out about Miller.

The Canucks now head home for a four-game stand against Arizona, One, his bomb of a slap shot. He has been using it more and more Colorado, Columbus and the New York Islanders. Luckily, the Canucks recently, and he loads that baby up like it’s rabbit- duck-hunting season. have been tremendous on home ice this season, but the next four games He brings the hammer down in a way we haven’t seen since Thomas just took on a whole new level of pressure thanks to the result of the road Vanek left town several years ago. It’s a delight to watch him analyze his trip. options, then decide his shot is the best option, so he just lowers a clap If ever there was a time for players to step up and put their stamp on it as bomb on net. It has become a huge part of the Canucks’ power-play leaders, their time is now. success as of late.

Worst decision Two, it feels like Miller is a huge part of the leadership of the Canucks. From talking to him after the game and talking to other teammates, it Never say “they got this.” That’s like reading from the book of the dead. feels like Miller has a really good pulse of the team. If you want smart, insightful answers, track down Miller and he will give them to you. He is IN 4 GAMES SINCE JACOB MARKSTROM'S INJURY, THE #CANUCKS always willing to answer questions after even the worst of losses. HAVE LIMITED OPPONENTS TO 7.49 EXPECTED GOALS AGAINST AT 5-ON-5. It’s also hard not to enjoy seeing a team leader go out on the ice and put his money where his mouth is. It feels like every game, Miller is on the Best of the rest ice acting like it’s Game 1 of the playoffs.

The Canucks shut down the offence once the score hit 3-1, but early on, Again, it’s easy for me to suggest letters for a team on the outside the returns looked good on having Virtanen skate with Horvat and looking in, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Miller got an “A” somewhere Pearson. They generated some chances, as seen above, and then you down the line. also had Virtanen going to the front of the net to get shots off in the slot, something you don’t really see when Eriksson is riding shotgun with the Best dekes Insurance Line. Toffoli showing off his dangles much to the delight of Reddit and one It should be noted that Horvat and Pearson had a terrible game in terms huge “Waterboy” fan. Full credit to Toffoli for finding a way to not only of puck possession, so one wonders how long Green will go with that make a zone entry but then also cutting back and getting into a high- approach. Right or wrong, Green has faith in the Insurance Line to play danger spot instead of just taking a shot from a bad angle. shutdown hockey, and with so few games remaining in the regular season, it’s honestly hard to guess how far Green will ride with Virtanen Best effort in the top six. It’s a weird world as you feel for a guy, then realize he’s making a lot of Best juice money, so you don’t really know where you land on it.

If there was one silver lining, it was the play of Pettersson and JT Miller, Best what are we even doing here with a shoutout to Tyler Toffoli for his puck retrieval skills. As Thomas Just before Sutter took his penalty in the third period, he had this chance Drance noted, the power play has looked far better than it has as of late, on net: and a large part is due to the first unit’s ability to not only move the puck around the ice with speed but also its ability to get the puck back in board I had to watch the replay several times to try to figure out what I was battles. watching. I have no idea how Sutter goes from “good puck protection, now I’m in all alone on the goalie” to “I should dish this to the guy furthest It probably helps that it has escaped the agonizing strategy of slowly away from the net.” That’s like me waiting to hold the door open for you passing the puck on that Brock Boeser to Hughes to Pettersson to from over a block away and then when you finally get there I rip the door Hughes to Boeser loop of infinity that would end with an easy shot on net off and throw it at you. from the point. I’m pretty sure that metaphor tracks. Here is just one example of the offense they were generating on the power play: Like, in theory, I get it. If he gets the puck to Tyler Motte, Motte is coming in with speed and has a chance to catch the goalie moving, even though Your mileage may vary on how much love you give to point shots, but the Joonas Korpisalo clearly isn’t fooled for a second about what’s going to Canucks were going hard to the net and tipping a variety of shots, so at transpire as he gently moves an inch over to the left on the pass attempt. least the point-shot strategy was being used in concert with their forwards. It wasn’t just “take a sad lonely shot from the point on an But how Sutter doesn’t just shoot there blows my mind. I’d even have unscreened goalie while a sad trombone plays you off the ice” that taken a low shot for a rebound attempt for Eriksson. I might even have they’ve utilized in the past. accepted a pass to Eriksson.

Best locked in But with a guy in the passing lane, why would you pass back against the flow of the rush? That seems like a dangerous choice to make in a game There has been talk of Pettersson slowing down and perhaps being in which you’re trying to play safely. overshadowed by the play of Miller. Combined with how Petey slowed down last year, at least it felt like it was a talking point worth debating. Sutter scores goals with a nice wrist shot. That is his jam. That’s his bag, baby. He calls Baton Rouge and talks about all the wrist shots he takes.

Why is he passing there?

Where is Kevin Bieksa when you need him to tell Sutter all about the shots?

Best response

Best of the two time

Someone better tell Zack MacEwen to grow a bulletproof mullet and buy some Google prototype glasses, because he just became the Two Time tonight.

As noted, several Canucks players have joined the Jake Fight Club, but the Big Fella is the first guy to throw down twice for the club.

MacEwen is literally fighting to keep a spot in the lineup at this point.

Best one of us

They’re humans, just like us!

Best Canucks Reddit Investigates

Hat tip to Canucks Reddit for catching this fan snagging a puck out of the air and then his lady friend doing the proper amount of celebratory high- fives.

Best EBUG save

Don’t let Carolina fool you, the Canucks have had the best emergency backup goalie in the league for years. Alex Edler was out there diving head-first to try to block shots.

Best Beer League 101

This is the most relatable GIF of the year:

Virtanen took a shot, flubbed it, then did the ol’ “better check my stick to make sure it isn’t broken, my stick must have caused this bad shot” routine that every person who has ever played hockey has done in their life.

Best jersey botch

Andrew Cassels was fantastic with Todd Bertuzzi and Markus Naslund. I often wonder what he could have done with those two for an extra couple of seasons.

Also, he had an amazing mullet and looked kind of like Ewan McGregor playing the role of a hockey player.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179526 Websites Quiet at the deadline, the Stars are hoping the answer to a long playoff run is within. They might be right.

8. Vegas Golden Knights The Athletic / The Athletic’s NHL Power Rankings: New leader emerges Record: 36-22-8 for March to the playoffs Previous Ranking: No. 15

Alec Martinez is already making his presence known on the Golden By Scott Burnside Mar 1, 2020 Knights’ blue line, but what kind of presence will surprise addition Robin Lehner prove to be between the pipes for one of the hottest teams in the league? We have reached the stretch run. 9. Philadelphia Flyers Rosters are set. Every game holds even more importance as teams try to make the most of their trade deadline acquisitions – and others start to Record: 37-20-7 count how many draft picks they will have in June. Previous Ranking: No. 14 This month’s Power Ranking brought a new – and close – battle for first One of the surprise teams of the second half, the surging Flyers are place, recognition for the hot teams in Vegas, Philadelphia and New shockingly putting heat on the Pens and Caps atop the Metro. York, and a familiar face holding steady at the bottom of the list. 10. New York Islanders The rankings are a compilation of voting by The Athletic’s NHL team and will be done at the beginning of every month of the regular season. Record: 35-21-8

Previous rankings: Preseason | November | December | January | Previous Ranking: No. 7 February Once considered a playoff lock, the Isles have slid into the murky wild- 1. Boston Bruins (14 first-place votes) card mess in the Eastern Conference. That does not bode well.

Record: 41-13-12 11. Carolina Hurricanes

Previous Ranking: No. 3 Record:35-24-5

The Bruins are on a collision course with a Presidents’ Trophy and home- Previous Ranking: No. 10 ice advantage throughout the playoffs. But are they on a collision course with their first championship since 2011? Wacky times for the Canes, but in the end it comes down to this: Do they have a goaltender who can get them back into the playoffs? 2. Tampa Bay Lightning (10 first-place votes) 12. Vancouver Canucks Record: 41-19-5 Record: 34-24-6 Previous Ranking: No. 4 Previous Ranking: No. 13 The Bolts are in the midst of a curious post-deadline slide that has raised some red flags. How serious is the injury to Jacob Markstrom? The answer to this will likely be the answer to whether the Canucks can hang onto a postseason 3. St. Louis Blues (three first-place votes) berth.

Record: 39-17-10 13. Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous Ranking: No. 2 Record: 31-21-14

Thinking good thoughts for Jay Bouwmeester as the Blues right the ship Previous Ranking: No. 11 and surge ahead once again in the Central. There is no way to explain the almost nightly injuries to one of the 4. Washington Capitals hardest-working teams in the league.

Record: 39-19-6 14. Edmonton Oilers

Previous Ranking: No. 1 Record: 34-23-8

The Caps are still not quite right but continue to own more road wins than Previous Ranking: No. 17 any other NHL team. That’s something, right? Newly acquired Mike Green is already lost for most of March with a knee 5. Colorado Avalanche injury. Shocking. But the real issue is whether Tyler Ennis and Andreas Athanasiou provide enough depth scoring to propel the Oil into the Record: 39-18-7 postseason. Previous Ranking: No. 6 15. Toronto Maple Leafs The Avs are still dealing with injuries to key personnel while piling up Record: 35-23-8 points. Their plus-48 goal differential tops in the league. Previous Ranking: No. 12 6. Pittsburgh Penguins (one first-place vote) Huge road wins over Tampa and Florida helped to erase the stain of Record: 37-21-6 losing to Zamboni king David Ayres. Previous Ranking: No. 5 16. New York Rangers Like the Caps, the Pens haven’t quite got all the deadline pieces working Record: 35-25-4 together. Are we looking at a Battle of Pennsylvania in the first round? Previous Ranking: No. 25 7. Dallas Stars The smoking hot Rangers are definitely in play for a postseason spot, but Record: 37-21-7 the loss of newly inked Chris Kreider to a fractured foot is a crushing Previous Ranking: No. 8 loss. 17. Calgary Flames Record: 33-26-7 Previous Ranking: No. 26

Previous Ranking: No. 18 In a perfect hockey world Joe Thornton is wearing some other jersey right now. The Flames are hanging tough in the playoff hunt in spite of failing to address offensive woes at the deadline. 28. New Jersey Devils

18. Florida Panthers Record: 25-27-12

Record: 33-25-7 Previous Ranking: No. 30

Previous Ranking: No. 9 The Devils have turned into a good spoiler, playing some of their best hockey of the season. The Panthers are a horrific mess in their own zone and that’s likely going to cost them a playoff spot. 29. Ottawa Senators

19. Nashville Predators Record: 23-31-12

Record: 32-24-8 Previous Ranking: No. 28

Previous Ranking: No. 19 Likewise, there’s no tank in this Senators’ team. Kudos to rookie coach D.J. Smith for keeping this team battling every night. Don’t look now but the Preds are right back in the playoff hunt and thinking about their run to the Cup final in 2017. 30. Los Angeles Kings

20. Winnipeg Jets Record: 24-35-6

Record: 33-28-6 Previous Ranking: No. 29

Previous Ranking: No. 20 Good to see Gabriel Vilardi starting to fulfill his promise after dealing with long-term back issues. If the Jets are going to shoulder their way into the playoffs, Connor Hellebuyck is going to have to put on his Vezina cape down the stretch. 31. Detroit Red Wings

21. Arizona Coyotes Record: 15-47-5

Record: 32-27-8 Previous Ranking: No. 31

Previous Ranking: No. 16 Finding new ways to embarrass themselves on a nightly basis.

Is Darcy Kuemper’s return to action too little too late for the Coyotes, who Burnside’s Thoughts are suddenly outside the playoff bubble looking in? Short answer: yes. • I thought it was interesting in my friend Pierre LeBrun’s column 22. Minnesota Wild examining a couple of potential big name defenders who could hit the market in July: Torey Krug in Boston and Alex Pietrangelo in St. Louis. Record: 32-25-7 The two faced off against each other in last year’s Stanley Cup final and Previous Ranking: No. 22 it’s certainly possible they could do so once again this June. Given the way Boston GM Don Sweeney has deftly maneuvered his deep, talented Love the plucky attitude of the Wild who keep hanging around the playoff team through the salary cap minefield, it’s difficult to envision he won’t picture in spite of deadline deals, almost deals and the firing of Bruce find a way to keep Krug in the fold. Maybe Pietrangelo ends up staying Boudreau. with the only NHL team he’s known, as well. Still, it was interesting to see Florida and Toronto mentioned as two teams that might be looking for a 23. Montreal Canadiens franchise-style, right-hand shot defender, a la Pietrangelo, in the Record: 30-28-9 offseason. It brought to mind a number of conversations I had in St. Louis over All-Star weekend that suggested it might be wise to look at Las Previous Ranking: No. 23 Vegas as a possible landing spot for Pietrangelo if he goes to market on July 1. Former teammate Paul Stastny is there (he has one more year The Canadiens are coming apart at the seams as they play out the string left on his current deal) and there are lots of appealing aspects to playing once again. in Nevada, including no state income tax. Does the arrival of Alec 24. Buffalo Sabres Martinez at the deadline change the dynamic for the Golden Knights? Martinez has one more year left on his deal, as well, at a manageable $4 Record: 29-28-8 million and the team could still use some help on the right side long-term. Food for thought. Previous Ranking: No. 24 • With Nashville, Winnipeg and, yes, Minnesota, surging up the standings Sort of buyers, sort of sellers at the deadline, the Sabres aren’t fooling in the Western Conference, the notion of five Pacific Division teams anyone as they’re headed for a playoff miss for the ninth straight season. making the playoffs seems less and less likely every day. The team that 25. Chicago Blackhawks now seems most likely to be on the outside looking in is Arizona as it has played 67 games, tied for the most in the conference, with two teams to Record: 29-28-8 jump to get back into a wild-card spot. The two-month absence of starting Previous Ranking: No. 21 netminder Darcy Kuemper was crushing, although the offense has been an issue for the Coyotes, too, as they are 23rd in goals per game and Dominik Kubalik is playing his way onto the Calder Trophy final ballot and had the 19th ranked power play through Saturday’s games. Too little into the hearts of disgruntled Blackhawk fans. margin for error for the Coyotes who during Kuemper’s absence fell from first place in the Pacific to below the playoff bubble. Makes you wonder 26. Anaheim Ducks about the future of former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who was Record: 26-30-8 acquired by the Coyotes in December. “He’s been just OK, average,” one longtime scout familiar with Hall’s play said. “He’s not a great finisher. He Previous Ranking: No. 27 works but he’s not physical and he doesn’t drive the play.” Hall has 25 points in 32 games with the Coyotes but just nine goals, and he has just Lots of new pieces for Dallas Eakins to integrate. Sonny Milano’s bravura five points in his last eight games. For a long time the narrative seemed introduction to the West Coast bodes well for the future. to be would the Coyotes be able to entice Hall, on an expiring contract, to 27. San Jose Sharks sign on long-term? Now management has to be looking at his production and asking does he fit long-term? He’s certainly not in the Artemi Panarin Record: 28-33-4 zip code – Panarin signed a seven-year deal with an $11.6 million annual cap hit last summer with the Rangers – but what is Hall’s value either with the Coyotes or on the open market? Suffice it to say, his value isn’t The Athletic LOADED: 03.02.2020 where most anticipated it would be at the start of this season.

• Hall of Fame collegiate coach Jerry York doesn’t want much after former player Chris Kreider signed a seven-year contract extension with the Rangers worth $45.5 million. Maybe a box of golf balls would be nice, York joked when we spoke a few days after the deal was announced and shortly before Kreider suffered a fractured foot blocking a shot on Friday night against Philadelphia. And while current Rangers coach David Quinn was the head coach at arch-rival Boston University before getting his first NHL head coaching gig in New York, York joked that he’s still pleased for both the organization and for Kreider to have found what appears to be a perfect match that may keep Kreider in Ranger blue for his entire career. York said he has always been impressed with Kreider’s capacity to improve. It happened over the course of his three years at Boston College and it has happened since Kreider turned pro. And it’s not just the physical attributes, York said. Kreider, an explosive skater, has always been fast and durable. “But his hockey sense kept improving,” York said. Kreider’s defensive zone coverage, breakout skills and passing, have all improved, he added. “He just grinds it out and digs in, that’s what makes him a valuable resource to the Rangers,” York said. There is no timetable for Kreider’s return, and whether or not he can help the Rangers in their surprise bid for a playoff berth, in the big picture this deal should pay huge dividends for years to come. Now, about those golf balls.

• Back in September, I spent a few days at the Philadelphia Flyers training camp, including time with three new members of the coaching staff: head coach Alain Vigneault and assistants Michel Therrien and Mike Yeo. No one was quite sure how it would all fit together, but in spite of a variety of injuries to key pieces, including Oskar Lindblom’s diagnosis with Ewing’s sarcoma and the loss of 2017 No. 2 overall pick Nolan Patrick for the entire season, the Flyers emerged from the trade deadline as one of the hottest teams in the NHL and looking like a lock to make the playoffs. Kudos to GM Chuck Fletcher for finding important fits on the blue line, like Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun, in the offseason. Center Kevin Hayes, who signed a whopper seven-year deal with a $7.14 million AAV, has been full value for a contract that was originally met with much skepticism. Hard to imagine that Vigneault doesn’t get some Jack Adams love as a coach of the year nominee. But dig a little deeper, suggested one former Flyer, and some praise should also go to Scott Gordon, who took over as interim coach last season when Dave Hakstol was fired. Gordon didn’t have the roster that Vigneault has had, but Gordon helped a number of young players learn to play at the NHL level and was, to Vigneault’s credit, a big part of this season’s training camp plans to help with the transition. Even with a banner crop of experienced head coaches on the market this summer, Gordon’s work with the Flyers shouldn’t go unnoticed.

• Couple of things on EBUGs. Love the acronym by the way. Let’s not confuse the great story that was David Ayres with what could have turned out to be an absolute travesty. Not in the way that the Maple Leafs not taking advantage of Ayres is a travesty (which it was but that’s a travesty of their own making) but in the way it would have made a mockery of the game had Ayres been lit up for eight goals on 10 shots, which looked like it might happen when he gave up goals on the first two shots on net. Credit to the Hurricanes and to Ayres that it didn’t turn out that way. But the very nature of EBUGs is a threat to the sanctity of competitive balance, which is critical to the integrity of any pro sports league. So why shouldn’t the NHL take a look at this? I love how people immediately assume that it might come up at next week’s GMs meetings only because it involved the Leafs. Really? And how this is about ruining a good story. Hogwash. The Ayres story will almost certainly never be replicated. Its goodness will live forever. Ayres’ stick is going into the Hockey Hall of Fame. So looking at the issue to figure out ways to maintain the competitive spirit of the game while having a plan in place for those extremely rare moments like the one that unfolded last Saturday isn’t a bad thing. It’s called due diligence.

• And finally, another reminder of the way that hockey can teach us things about the greater world around us, how the game can transcend stats and wins and losses. It was heartwarming to see Bobby Ryan first be so open about his fight with alcoholism and then see his warm reception as he returned to the Ottawa lineup this week. That he scored three times in his homecoming, of course, was icing on the cake. But it has been his candor about the process of asking for and getting help that should be applauded. So, kudos to fans not just in Ottawa but everywhere who understood that this was way more than a hockey moment. And here’s to Ryan and taking it one day at a time. 1179527 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / The 25 Most Powerful Women in Hockey

by Drew Lesiuczok.

LINDSAY ARTKIN | NHL COACHES’ ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

The demands on NHL coaches have never been greater and Lindsay Artkin is helping ensure they’re well-equipped to take it all on. The NHLCA is the go-to source for coaches on all things that aren’t hockey related, from help with pensions and health insurance to tips on mental health resources and sponsorship information. Artkin is also working to develop the next generation of coaches, including spearheading innovative programs coming down the pipeline specifically designed to diversify the coaching prospect pool.

KATIE GUAY, KELLY COOKE, KENDALL HANLEY, KIRSTEN WELSH | ON-ICE OFFICIALS

Bending the rules a little bit here (which is ironic) by grouping four names into one entry, but it’s only fitting considering these four all made history at the same time.

In September, referees Katie Guay and Kelly Cooke, and linesmen Kendall Hanley and Kirsten Welsh served as on-ice officials during NHL prospect tournaments — the first time women have ever called an NHL- affiliated event. If you tuned in to the Women’s Elite 3-on-3 Game during All-Star Weekend, you witnessed another piece of history when the foursome worked the game. (Though perhaps it didn’t register, since a good sign of strong officiating is going unnoticed.) It feels like it’s only a matter of time until the NHL catches up with the NBA and NFL and calls up its first female official to the big leagues. Remember these names.

KORI CHEVERIE | RYERSON RAMS MEN’S HOCKEY LEAD ASSITANT COACH

After a successful six-year run playing in the CWHL, it didn’t take long for Kori Cheverie to find her calling as a coach. She made history in August 2016 when she became the first woman to be a full-time assistant with a men’s U Sports team, and has since begun appearing behind Canada’s bench at various under-18 women’s tournaments. She made another leap in January when she served as an assistant with the senior women’s national team for the final three games of the Canada-USA Rivalry Series.

“BERRY” AND “TURBO” | TEAM CHINA DEFENDER AND FORWARD

China has its eye on the podium at Beijing 2022, and has been investing heavily in its effort to become a women’s hockey powerhouse. As the nation works towards that ambitious goal, it’ll lean heavily on two players in particular to lead the way on the ice: long-time Chinese national team captain Yu Baiwei, who goes by “Berry,” and top forward Fang Xin, a.k.a. “Turbo” because of her speed. (You’re rooting for them already, aren’t you?) China hasn’t qualified for the Olympics since 2010 but with an automatic host-entry in 2022, their journey to the biggest international stage is an intriguing one to keep an eye on.

DARYL WATTS | WISCONSIN BADGERS FORWARD

Looking for Canada’s next offensive powerhouse? She’s in Wisconsin. Daryl Watts took the women’s college hockey world by storm in 2017–18 with a remarkable 42-goal, 82-point campaign (over 38 games), winning the Patty Kazmaier award as the best player in the NCAA — the only freshman to claim the honour in its 22-year history. One year later, the Toronto native transferred from Boston College to the storied Badgers program and is leading them in assists (49) and points (73) through 34 games. She was recently named one of 10 finalists for the Kazmaier again this year as a junior, joined by fellow Canuck standouts Sophie Shirley and Sarah Fillier, and budding U.S. star Abby Roque. The future is bright.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.02.2020 1179528 Websites part of the team’s improved play of late, but few results will be as rewarding as Sunday’s.

“I’m sure that goal is going to mean a lot to him for the rest of his life,” Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Gaudreau scores on 'tough day' after death of his said Milan Lucic, who scored Calgary’s second-period goal with a net- grandfather front whack.

“We were all happy for him, especially when he got that goal. A loss in the family, especially someone that close to you, can be tough at times. Eric Francis | March 1, 2020, 8:43 PM But he stepped up and played a good game.”

Read by many fans as disengaged at times, Gaudreau rarely shows emotion, which is why his particularly animated goal celebration caught SUNRISE, Fla. – The embrace was one of significance, the words meant the attention of many. even more. The players were well aware of the news Gaudreau was processing Johnny Gaudreau had just finished a subdued post-game scrum with the leading up to the game, prompting a blanket of support from several of media when general manager Brad Treliving entered the dressing room the lads who know what it’s like to play following a familial loss. and quietly wrapped his arms around his star. “It’s hard, but it can be inspiring,” said interim coach Geoff Ward. “I’m proud of you,” said Treliving. “We have an inner voice, all of us — kind of a voice that we listen to. It’s The sentiment had far more to do with what Gaudreau faced off the ice different people. It could be your wife. It could be your girlfriend. It could the previous 24 hours than what he had just done on it. be your dad, could be your mom. Maybe for him, it was his grandfather, I Gaudreau revealed after the game, rather hesitantly, that the goal he don’t know. But you have special people and when something like that scored to kick-start the Calgary Flames’ 3-0 win over the Florida happens, it hurts. For him to come and play the game tonight that he did, Panthers on Sunday was in honour of someone very special in his life. I thought it was a great performance by one of our best players. He led us in a lot of ways tonight.” “My grandfather passed away before our game in Tampa (on Saturday) and I found out after the game,” said Gaudreau, eyes down. Six minutes after his goal, Gaudreau was tripped on a breakaway and rewarded with a penalty shot. On the ensuing attempt, his series of jukes “It was kind of a tough day, but it was nice to find the net there for him in and jives failed to fool Sam Montembeault. the first. It sucks losing people. I was pretty pumped up to get that one for him.” At the other end, Cam Talbot’s first appearance in five games ended with his second shutout of the season, a 38-save gem that sure seemed to Burying a pretty pass from Elias Lindholm six minutes into a crucial have a rallying feel for a team that continues to bond. matchup with the sinking Panthers, the typically understated winger punctuated his power-play marker by bowing his head and clenching Ward called the third period his team’s best of on a hard, successful both fists with rigour. roadie.

Home of the Flames “It’s a tight room so when something happens to anybody in there, the rest of the guys, they know and they care,” said Ward, whose team hosts Stream all 82 Flames games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. “Guys want to pick him up and guys want to make sure that they’re doing everything they can in order for our team and for him to have success. I Asked what the goal would mean to his paternal grandfather, Gaudreau think basically from the standpoint of caring for each other as teammates smiled briefly. and being as tight as they are in there … they care.”

“Probably a lot,” he said of his 17th of the year. On Sunday, it showed.

“He watched a lot of my games and was always a big supporter of me Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.02.2020 and my brother playing hockey, so it was a special time to find the net there. Emotional. Really cool. It was a pretty emotional day there after the game yesterday.”

It sure put the Flames’ 4-3 loss against the Lightning on Saturday into perspective as Gaudreau reflected on the life of John Guy Gaudreau and all the memories he shared with him in Vermont, where his father grew up.

“Well, it’s an emotional time,” said Mark Giordano.

“We have a really tight-knit group in there, and you could see how crushed he was yesterday on the bus. You feel for him as a teammate. I like to look at him as a little brother, to be honest. We’ve been around each other for so long. So just try to give him support. I know his family really well and our thoughts are with them. For him to show up today and put that effort in, I thought he was great all night. I thought for him to come in and score, that’s really cool and something I’m sure he’ll share with his family tonight.”

Gaudreau followed the goal up with an assist on TJ Brodie’s third-period clincher, giving the Flames seven of ten points on a five-game road trip through some hostile environments. It kept the team in a close playoff race with just 15 games left in the schedule.

FANTASY POOL ALERT!

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It was a memorable trip for a team that continues to grow tighter and tighter through a minefield of adversity that somehow has the team playing some of its best hockey of the season. Gaudreau has been a big 1179529 Websites

USA TODAY / Calgary Flames' Johnny Gaudreau dedicates goal to grandfather who died the day before

Mike Brehm

Calgary Flames star Johnny Gaudreau pumped his fists several times and gave a huge smile after he scored a power-play goal in the first period against the Florida Panthers Sunday afternoon.

But his reaction was about more than giving his team a 1-0 lead while it's in a tight playoff race in the Western Conference.

Gaudreau revealed after the game that he was scoring the goal, the 150th of his career, for his late grandfather.

He had found out after Saturday afternoon's 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning that his paternal grandfather, John Guy Gaudreau, had died earlier in the day.

"It was kind of a tough day, but it was nice to find the net there for him in the first," Gaudreau told reporters. "It sucks losing people, but I was pretty pumped up to get that one for him."

The goal ended up being the game winner as Cam Talbot made 38 saves for a 3-0 victory. The win moved the Flames into third place in the Pacific Division.

"He watched a lot of my games and was always a big supporter of me and my brother playing hockey," Gaudreau said of his grandfather. "So it was a special time to find the net there and just emotional. It was really cool."

USA TODAY LOADED: 03.02.2020