SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 03/16/18 1103784 What we learned from the Ducks' 3-0 win over the 1103821 Blackhawks score early but Jets score often in 6-2 victory Canucks 1103822 Blackhawks rookie Alex DeBrincat learning patience and 1103785 Montour has been been up and down for Ducks, but now poise during drought he's back on top of his game 1103823 Anton Forsberg chased again; Blackhawks face power 1103786 True goal for Ducks’ Brandon Montour is being all-around shift in Central Division defender 1103824 Blackhawks get buzzed 6-2 by Jets 1103825 What should the Blackhawks do in goal next season? 1103787 Arizona Coyotes rookie Clayton Keller is approaching rarefied air 1103826 Colorado Avalanche keeps rolling, winning at St. Louis 1103788 Predators rally in third period topple Coyotes 1103827 Goalie Semyon Varlamov could play in his 16th 1103789 Preview: Coyotes vs. Predators, 6:30 p.m., FOX Sports consecutive game Friday against Nashville Arizona Plus 1103790 Coyotes hang with NHL’s top team, but fall to Nashville Predators 1103828 Blue Jackets defeat Flyers 5-3, move into first wild-card 1103791 Common tragedy forging greater bond between Tocchet, spot Ekman-Larsson 1103829 Blue Jackets | Seth Jones to return for Flyers game 1103830 Atkinson’s hat trick lifts surging Blue Jackets over Flyers Bruins 1103792 Bruins scratch Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk for two games 1103831 Stars showed they have contender potential, 1103793 Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk out through at least Saturday but can they find complete game in time to get into pl 1103794 Center stage: NHL contenders go deep down the middle 1103795 NHL roundup: Maple Leafs rally past Stars in SO for 11th Red Wings straight at home 1103832 Red Wings hope goalie interference is clarified when NHL 1103796 Frank Vatrano enjoys fresh start in Florida, playing top-six GMs meet role for Panthers 1103833 continue slide down standings with 4-1 1103797 Bruins notebook: Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk sit out loss to Kings games in Florida with injuries 1103834 excerpt: How escaped 1103798 Bruins draw rare blank as James Reimer, Panthers post USSR for Red Wings shutout 1103835 ‘Bright spot’ Tyler Bertuzzi gives Red Wings hope for 1103799 Morning Skate: No kidding - NHL lifestyle suits Seguin future 1103800 Chara, DeBrusk out rest of B's trip with upper-body 1103836 Kings extend Red Wings’ losing streak to eight injuries 1103837 Detroit Red Wings at live chat 1103801 Bruins recall Blidh, Postma from AHL 1103838 Detroit Red Wings lose 8th straight on 3 third-period goals 1103802 Haggerty: Get the duckboats ready for these Bruins in Los Angeles 1103803 Backes not expected to face discipline beyond match Edmonton Oilers 1103804 Reimer dominates Bruins, Backes gets ejected 1103839 Nugent-Hopkins can relate to Oilers teammate Klefbom, 1103805 Bruins can't pull off any magic in shutout loss to Panthers injured shoulder 1103840 Jones: My plan expands playoffs of expanded NHL to 20 teams 1103806 As fighting disappears, bouts like Beaulieu-Martin stand 1103841 Nugent-Hopkins looks as good as ever after rib injury out 1103842 Lowetide: The Oilers and college free agents 1103807 The Wraparound: Maple Leafs 5, Sabres 2 1103808 Mike Harrington: Game by game, Guhle is making progress 1103843 Cats bounce back against Bruins 3-0 after bad loss to 1103809 Sabres Notebook: Buffalo set to honor Pfalzer; O'Reilly Senators quick on draw 1103844 Goalie James Reimer backstops Panthers to victory over 1103810 Sabres' O'Reilly remains NHL's quickest on the draw Bruins 1103811 Leafs at Sabres: Five Things to Know 1103845 Panthers' Frank Vatrano says first game against Boston is 1103812 returning to Buffalo for hockey 'just another hockey game' doubleheader, parade 1103846 , James Reimer likely to split next four games for Panthers Flames 1103813 Flames, Sharks meet up in another pivotal tilt Los Angeles Kings 1103814 Game Day: Flames vs. Sharks 1103847 Kings get over-the-top win against Red Wings 4-1 1103815 Francis: Flames bench barking sets tone for team intensity 1103848 Kings’ Tanner Pearson on a roll after goal-scoring drought 1103816 Flames not worried about league-leading missed shots on 1103849 Anze Kopitar’s fluke goal leads Kings past Red Wings net 1103850 MARCH 15 NOTES: LINEUPS; PEARSON; OHL 1103817 Francis: Flames zig when they're expected to zag, and COACHES POLL; WINGS; KINGS WEEKLY stay alive 1103851 MARCH 15 MORNING SKATE QUOTES: JOHN 1103818 Flames gear up for next biggest game of the year STEVENS 1103819 GameDay: Sharks at Flames 1103852 MARCH 15 POSTGAME NOTES 1103820 reflects on a career full of ups and downs as 1103853 MARCH 15 POSTGAME QUOTES: KOPITAR, LADUE game No. 1,000 approaches 1103854 MARCH 15 POSTGAME QUOTES: DETROIT 1103855 MARCH 15 POSTGAME QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS 1103856 Gameday preview: Wild at Vegas 1103890 Flyers' collapse continues in loss to Columbus 1103857 For Jason Zucker, Las Vegas homecoming is a family 1103891 Flyers need to improve (greatly) on home ice down stretch affair of playoff race 1103892 12 games for Flyers to show if they can be resilient (again) 1103893 Flyers’ latest meeting with Jackets might be most 1103858 In the Habs' room: Jonathan Drouin, Jacob de la Rose get important kudos from coach 1103894 For Flyers and their coach, it’s full speed ahead ... to 1103859 Game report: Canadiens start strong, but Penguins' skill where? proves to be too much 1103895 Flyers fail biggest test of season with loss to Blue Jackets 1103860 Stu Cowan: Mont-Tremblant teen's magical morning with 1103896 How Flyers plan on solving Sergei Bobrovsky Sidney Crosby 1103897 Flyers in a tight race but, ‘these are the fun games’ 1103861 Six-month recovery normal for Shea Weber's injury, 1103898 Flyers vs. Blue Jackets: 3 things to watch in Game 71 specialist says 1103899 Flyers 5 takeaways: Dave Hakstol says brutal loss 1103862 Game Day: Carey Price practises, but he's not ready to ‘squarely comes to me’ play yet 1103863 at Canadiens: Five things you should Pittsburgh Penguins know 1103900 Penguins rebound with road win over Canadiens 1103864 Basu: The Canadiens remain not good enough, but in a 1103901 Penguins notebook: Antti Niemi finds his way in Montreal very different, encouraging way 1103902 Penguins Evgeni Malkin, center, celebrates with Sidney 1103865 Three things we learned against Pittsburgh Crosby and Kris Letang after scoring against the Montre 1103903 The Penguins have no problem going back to college 1103904 Penguins bounce back with 5-3 win against Canadiens 1103866 Catfish Corner: The streak ended, but the Predators still keep winning 1103867 Predators' Calle Jarnkrok to miss remainder of regular 1103906 Thoughts: will the Sharks re-sign Evander Kane? season with upper-body injury 1103907 Kings win, gain ground on Sharks 1103868 Predators' plan to tweak lineup, rest players has big 1103908 Potential Donskoi injury the latest in Sharks season full of picture in mind significant hurdles 1103869 Predators continue comeback ways on road by defeating Arizona Coyotes St Louis Blues 1103909 Blues' playoff hopes absorb a blow in 4-1 loss to Avalanche 1103870 Devils' Blake Coleman made bold prediction before 1st 1103910 Ortiz: Blues keep failing to generate momentum career 2-goal game 1103911 Blues can't take advantage of chance to gain ground, fall 1103871 Devils beat Vegas: 8 observations | Michael Grabner gets to Avs 4-1 on the board 1103912 Edmundson ready to go, he'll play against Colorado 1103872 New Jersey Devils game to benefit stray animals 1103913 Edmundson is back in Blues lineup vs. Avs | St. Louis 1103873 Michael Grabner hoping breakthrough goal is start of Blues something big with Devils 1103874 Abbey Mastracco named The Record and NorthJersey.com's New Jersey Devils writer 1103914 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING Declan Farmer tied for most goals in Paralympic sled hockey history 1103915 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING Lightning let things ‘slip’ down 1103875 Islanders show no signs of life in ugly, blowout defeat stretch 1103876 With Isles in dire straits, Doug Weight backs team’s direction 1103877 Christopher Gibson yanked as Capitals rout Islanders 1103916 Patric Hornqvist’s two-goal night powers Penguins past Canadiens 1103917 Van Riemsdyk stays hot as Maple Leafs beat Sabres 1103878 SEE IT: Rangers fan sheds tears of joy after getting stick 1103918 books spot in Paralympic hockey gold-medal from Pavel Buchnevich game 1103879 Rangers must go after Ilya Kovalchuk, who isn’t who you 1103919 Hertl’s two goals lift Sharks to 4-3 win over Oilers think he is 1103920 Leafs handle Sabres but injuries pile up 1103880 Mats Zuccarello’s two best friends now thriving with 1103921 Big tipper van Riemsdyk might be out of Leafs’ reach Penguins 1103922 Senators embrace opportunity to play spoiler 1103881 Rangers’ win over Penguins shows they won’t go quietly 1103923 Four takeaways from Leafs’ road win over Sabres down stretch 1103924 Leafs roll over Sabres, despite Komarov injury 1103925 Maple Leafs out-duel Sabres but rare win in Buffalo comes at cost 1103882 Canada to play for Paralympic hockey gold against United 1103926 Leafs Locker: Roman soldier looks to playoffs States 1103927 No Andy? Maple Leafs have overcome other injuries to 1103883 Dorion hits the road with an eye toward next season stars 1103884 Game Day: Dallas Stars at Ottawa Senators 1103928 Leafs' JVR on track to match career-best 30 goals 1103885 Senators' Chris Wideman determined to return from injury 1103929 Leafs lose Andersen, beat Stars in shootout in wild night before end of this season at ACC 1103886 Senators' White staying positive, gaining confidence with 1103930 The Leafs defence is improving, but they can probably be the puck in even better 1103887 No tanks: Ottawa Senators say they're still trying to win 1103931 James van Riemsdyk reminds the Maple Leafs why he's down the stretch still valuable 1103888 Life on the farm: Senators prospects wonder and wait to live out NHL dream 1103889 Worried about the long-term effects, Mark Borowiecki will turn down fights Canucks Winnipeg Jets 1103949 Jason Botchford: Mounting zeros may well help Canucks 1103942 Jets storm back after sloppy start become draft heroes 1103943 Critics a tad rough on Buff despite a season of mostly right 1103950 Ed Willes: Same old story, same old results for Canucks stuff 1103951 Jonathan Dahlen's playoff surge for Timra shows peak of 1103944 Jacob Trouba returning to ice tonight against Blackhawks his potential 1103945 Doggin' it in the NHL 1103946 Blackhawks at Jets Vegas Golden Knights 1103947 Jets could have stalwart Trouba back in 1103932 Zucker family enjoys homecoming as son faces Golden lineup against Blackhawks Knights 1103948 Jets notebook: The Western Conference is a dogfight, free 1103933 Golden Knights prospects show leadership skills in Nic Petan, Nikolaj Ehlers improves on D Chicago 1103934 Malcolm Subban, James Neal set to return for Golden Knights SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1103935 T.J. Oshie snaps goal drought as Capitals pick apart defense-addled Islanders, 7-3 1103936 Alex Ovechkin could catch as NHL’s all-time leading scorer 1103937 With the playoffs in mind, Capitals to use final stretch to ‘find out’ what they have 1103938 Capitals search for offense outside Ovechkin 1103939 Caps prospect WATCH: March Madness begins for college hockey 1103940 Game 70 Capitals at Islanders Date, Time, How to Watch, Game Thread 1103941 3 reasons why the Caps beat the Islanders Websites 1103952 The Athletic / As the Devils vie for the playoffs, Brian Boyle has already become one of the NHL's most vocal 1103953 The Athletic / Daniel Negreanu, poker legend, is now also a Vegas Golden Knights superfan 1103954 The Athletic / Blues' Joel Edmundson looks back at the blocked that put him in surgery before the game en 1103955 The Athletic / How much does March matter for the Penguins? 1103956 The Athletic / Matt Stajan reflects on a career full of ups and downs as game No. 1,000 approaches 1103957 The Athletic / Jonathan Toews' offense has awoken, but how can the Blackhawks make sure it lasts? 1103958 The Athletic / Worried about the long-term effects, Mark Borowiecki will turn down fights 1103959 The Athletic / Consistent proving to be as good as advertised in Columbus 1103960 Sportsnet.ca / McElhinney's bump in playing time could benefit Leafs in long run 1103961 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' De La Rose, Drouin gain valuable experience vs. Crosby, Malkin 1103962 Sportsnet.ca / Five players Canucks could take in Round 1 of NHL draft 1103963 Sportsnet.ca / Rangers' Pavel Buchnevich makes young fan cry tears of joy 1103964 TSN.CA / Surging Leafs edge closer to Bruins 1103965 TSN.CA / Kadri ready to renew Ristolainen rivalry 1103966 TSN.CA / Del Zotto the lone Canucks blueliner to avoid injury bug this season 1103967 TSN.CA / Injuries put Leafs’ depth to the test 1103968 TSN.CA / Toronto home to NHL’s most productive power-play unit 1103969 TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: van Riemsdyk will draw UFA interest 1103970 TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Pastrnak powers Bruins to another win 1103971 TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Ovechkin an all-time finisher 1103972 TSN.CA / Crucial hearing in NHL concussion suit coming Friday 1103973 TSN.CA / Maple Leafs claw out win over Stars after losing Andersen 1103974 USA TODAY / From worst to one of hottest: Coyotes say streak is for real 1103784 Anaheim Ducks

What we learned from the Ducks' 3-0 shutout win over the Canucks

By MIKE COPPINGER MAR 15, 2018 | 2:25 PM

The Ducks ended a three-game skid with a 3-0 victory over the on Wednesday. It was John Gibson's third shutout of the season and a bounce-back performance for the starting goalie after consecutive contests with four goals allowed. Here's what we learned. 1. The two veterans picked up at the trade deadline are starting to build chemistry together on the fourth line. Chris Kelly was signed after playing in the Olympics with Team Canada, and Jason Chimera was acquired from the New York Islanders on the same day last month. Since then, they've been paired together on the fourth line, and though Kelly is 37 and Chimera is 38, the two have added speed to the lineup. Chimera earned his first points as a Ducks player Wednesday with a goal and an assist, and Kelly scored points in consecutive games. The Ducks now have another line — in addition to Derek Grant — they can count on after general manager Bob Murray and coach Randy Carlyle tinkered with the fourth unit during much of the season. "Scoring by committee is going to be big coming down the stretch and in the playoffs," Chimera said. "Those guys [the first line] get all the tough assignments in the playoffs. You're going to have third- and fourth-line contributing. ... You need contributions from everybody." 2. The Ducks need Ondrej Kase to rediscover his scoring touch. The 22- year-old earned a secondary assist on one of Brandon Montour's two goals, the winger's first in 11 games. Before he went cold, Kase was a force for the Ducks as one of two speed-scoring wingers (Rickard Rakell being the other). Last month, Kase enjoyed a stretch with five goals in seven games. If the Ducks are going to slide into the playoffs, they need production from players like him. 3. Ryan Kesler has been effective, but he's clearly still reeling from offseason hip surgery. That's no surprise given the circumstances. After all, Kesler had to learn to stride all over again. He's still battling all over the ice, still fore-checking ferociously, but the points haven't followed. Kesler has had nine points in 33 games this season following back-to- back 50-point campaigns. The Ducks need leaders like Kesler to start lighting the lamp.

LA Times: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103785 Anaheim Ducks

Montour has been been up and down for Ducks, but now he's back on top of his game

By MIKE COPPINGER MAR 15, 2018 | 7:10 PM

Brandon Montour started the season hot and quickly established himself as an emerging NHL player. He scored four goals in the first 10 games, and the puck-moving defenseman became a catalyst for the Ducks' offense. It was also the 23-year-old's first time opening the season in the NHL. Growing pains were bound to come. After Montour hit a slump on both ends, playing loose with the puck in his own zone at times, it appeared that coach Randy Carlyle had lost faith in him. Montour was a healthy scratch for a game against the New York Rangers on Dec. 19. Fast forward three months, and Montour is thriving again. He broke a 49-game goal-less drought with two scores in the Ducks' victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. "Shots were still there," Montour said of the drought. "They just weren't going in." His improvement has been rewarded with more shots on the ice. He now plays on the top power-play unit, his one-time shot and skating ability a valuable threat. Montour (eight goals, 20 assists) also plays on the team's top defensive pairing alongside Cam Fowler after skating much of the season on the third unit with veteran Francois Beauchemin. Montour's presence allowed general manager Bob Murray to swing a trade for Adam Henrique in November, shipping defenseman Sami Vatanen to the New Jersey Devils. He has filled the role nicely as "a mobile defenseman that can skate and get up on the play," Carlyle said. As the team pushes for a playoff spot, he's being counted on more than ever. "For me being a younger guy in this league, I play better when the coaches have confidence in me in playing bigger minutes and being counted on the ice," said Montour, who played nearly 25 minutes against the Canucks, more than all but one of his teammates. "I'm up for that challenge. … I take a lot of pride in my defense and I feel like that's a big strength of mine now. I just want to kind of continue. This is only my second season, or first full season, but I take pride in my defense. I want to be that d-guy counted on in the last minute." The top four defensemen appear to be cemented with Montour and Fowler on the first pair, and playing with Josh Manson. It's the third unit that remains unsettled. Carlyle continues to tinker with the lineup in an attempt to solidify the other combination. Marcus Pettersson, the Ducks' second-round pick in 2014, made his NHL debut Feb. 15. The lanky Swede played in eight consecutive games, with veterans and Beauchemin taking turns as the healthy scratch, but that's no longer the case. Twice in the last three games Pettersson watched from the press box, and his performance was uneven against the Canucks. He was tentative with the puck, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Carlyle continues to fiddle with the lineup. "We're always looking for people to play to a higher level and I think Pettersson's done fine," Carlyle said. "I think the youth that he has — he doesn't have a lot of experience behind him — but he has a good stick when he makes a mistake and he's a competitive guy and he can move the puck."

LA Times: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103786 Anaheim Ducks “That’s what I strive to do. Playing obviously with a guy like Cam, having the coaches trust me to be out there in key minutes. That’s what I want. I’m only going to get better if I’m doing that.” True goal for Ducks’ Brandon Montour is being all-around defender Right wing J.T. Brown said he will wear a clear shield for a few more days until the swelling in his mouth subsides. Brown was struck by a shot puck that ramped up his stick and caught him in the face while defending By ERIC STEPHENS | [email protected] | Orange County Register in a practice drill Monday. PUBLISHED: March 15, 2018 at 6:10 pm | UPDATED: March 15, 2018 at Ondrej Kase’s assist on Montour’s power-play goal Wednesday stopped 9:51 PM a 10-game pointless streak.

ANAHEIM – Brandon Montour knew it had been a long time since he last Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.16.2018 scored a goal. He didn’t need to know the exact details. “I don’t care,” Montour said after scoring two in the Ducks’ 3-0 win over Vancouver. “As long as they came.” Montour had gone 49 scoreless games since his successful finish on a rebound goal came in the third period of a Nov. 19 home game against Florida. He is a defenseman, so it isn’t expected for him to fill up the net and rack up big numbers. But there is an expectation within, particularly when you’re a player used to scoring regularly from the blue line. Double-digit goal totals in one season and part of another before his call-up to the NHL midway through 2016-17. Just because he’s progressed to the highest level doesn’t mean it should be accepted that it’ll be tougher to get pucks from the blue into the net. “I don’t take it like that at all,” Montour said Thursday. “I feel like every level that I’ve been at, I’ve been able to produce. It’s one of those things where it comes with confidence. I believe in my ability. “It’s not one of those things where because it’s the NHL – obviously it’s going to be tougher and you got all that – but I feel like I should be capable to do that.” An offensive-minded defender ever since he converted from the forward position at the junior level in the Hockey League, Montour might have heightened expectations when he scored six times in his first 19 games this season. Looking back, Montour feels he was taking advantage of a situation where the Ducks didn’t have big-minute defenders Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen to open the season and lost Cam Fowler to a knee injury for a month. An adjustment had to be made once his ice time and role reduced. “Once guys came back, it was kind of one of those when I’m just trying to figure out how to help the team as much as I can,” Montour said. “Now that I feel the last couple of weeks or month or so has gone, it’s been good. “I’ve been happy with my game and how it’s been producing and progressing over the year.” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle has seen fit to move him forward, partnering him with Cam Fowler and putting in a top-four role with heavy minutes. Montour hasn’t played any fewer than 20 over the last 13 games and logged a career high of 26:19 on Monday against St. Louis. Carlyle said Montour’s balance between taking risks to create offense and being defensively responsible has improved over the season. If anything, he can stand for the 23-year-old to be more in a combative mode and halt the progression of opposing players skating into their zone better. “I just think in the big picture, when you look at transitioning young players from the American Hockey League to the NHL, you have to continually put challenges and little tests along the way,” Carlyle said. “And I think that once they pass one test, then the next one comes. “That’s the natural progression of a player becoming an everyday player. And the way the game is trending, it probably fit more into his skill set and his skating ability and the way he plays.” Realizing that he has yet to play 100 regular-season games, Montour wants to be leaned on when the Ducks need a key defensive shift to keep from being scored on as well as a power play when they’re looking for offense. Goals will come when they come as long he continues to shoot the puck. “I believe in myself,” Montour said. “This is what I want. I’m not focused on scoring the goals for the team and stuff like that. It’s nice to have those. For me, at this level, I want to be more of a two-way guy that can be counted on in the last minute and stuff like that. 1103787 Arizona Coyotes “I’ve definitely had it before and it won’t be the last time that I have it,” Keller said. “Most players have it and it’s just something you’ve got to go through. I think it’s about shooting the pucks after practice and being the Arizona Coyotes rookie Clayton Keller is approaching rarefied air first one on the ice. … Just little things like that I’ve always done. They seem to help.”

Keller’s willingness to work on the fine details of his game and to put in Richard Morin, azcentral sports Published 4:55 p.m. MT March 15, 2018 the hours behind the scenes has also captured the attention of MacLean, who sees a bright future for the rookie.

“He’s going to be a great player in this league, and he’s playing great Coyotes rookie Clayton Keller is 19 years old and has eclipsed the 50- right now,” MacLean said. “Now, I think he’s found his second wind while point plateau in his first full professional season. But if you ask him, it understanding what it takes night in and night out. If he keeps that up, doesn’t really matter. which I think he will, he’s going to be a star in this league.” For Keller, named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month in October, the scoring wall he hit in the middle of the season has started to fall. The No. 7 overall pick in 2016 has posted six points in his past seven games. Keller Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.16.2018 also posted a career-high four points on Feb. 15. The teenager is on pace to shatter numerous Coyotes rookie scoring records. With 13 games to go entering play Wednesday, Keller was two goals behind Anthony Duclair’s single-season goals mark with 20. He is just one assist behind Peter Mueller’s assists record (31) and four points behind Mueller’s single-season rookie points record of 54. Playing for an organization that has long been lauded for its youthful talent, Keller is on the precipice of having the best rookie season in franchise history. Keller began last season as a freshman at Boston University but joined the Coyotes for the final three games of the 2016-17 season. Now, in his first full NHL season, the rookie has experienced the ebbs and flows of being a professional. “I feel good and I really feel like I’ve learned a lot this year,” Keller said. “You’re going to go through tough times where you’re not feeling it on a lot of nights, but you’ve just got to get back on what was making you successful in the beginning.” Keller has not missed a game this season and has 19 goals and 31 assists. Among those, six goals and 10 assists have come on the power play. “I feel like I’ve kind of hit that second wind of energy,” Keller said. “In every game now, I’m feeling good and pretty energized, so I think the biggest thing is moving your feet. Good things happen when you do that.” Keller feels as though his play has been synonymous with the play of the team, which entered play Thursday with the third-most points (24) among all NHL teams since Feb. 8. “I think we’re playing well,” Keller said. “But I’m not really focused on myself. I’m focused on the team, so that’s the best thing. … We’re trying to get better at home and our power play is getting better at home. When we’re playing our system and doing the right things, good things happen.” Does 50 points hold any significance to the rookie? “No,” Keller said. “I think you just go out there and try to do everything you can to help the team win.” Still, the first-year forward said he might reflect on the accomplishment after this season “I’m just focused on the team and we’ve been winning a lot lately,” Keller said. “I think that’s the most important thing, but that would be cool (to reflect after the season). But it’s not really something I’m focused on.” Among NHL rookies, Keller ranks among the top five in goals (fifth, 19), points (fourth, 50), assists (third, 31), power-play points (tied-third, 16), overtime goals (tied-first, 2), and shots (second, 171). And while his season totals are impressive, it wasn’t without a scoring drought in the middle of the season. From Nov. 2 to Dec. 10, a stretch of 20 games, Keller found the net just twice and registered eight points. He also had a five-game stretch from Jan. 22 to Feb. 6 in which he did not score a point. “We know how great he played at the start of the year,” Coyotes forwards coach John MacLean said. “Like any young guy, you’re going to hit a little bit of a wall once in a while. But Clayton is a fun kid to watch and I know (head coach Rick Tocchet) talks about a hockey nerd, but (Keller) is always looking at you to go out on the ice. He gets mad, he gets frustrated, but he always wants to do well.” Keller said that his scoring drought this season was not the first he’s had in his hockey-playing career. 1103788 Arizona Coyotes

Predators rally in third period topple Coyotes

Richard Morin, azcentral sports Published 9:52 a.m. MT March 15, 2018 | Updated 10:01 p.m. MT March 15, 2018

Kevin Fiala and Kyle Turris each had a goal and assist in the third period, leading the Nashville Predators to a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. Ryan Ellis also scored to help the Western Conference-leading Predators get their 21st road win of the season and improve to 12-0-1 in their last 13 games overall. Pekka Rinne finished with 32 saves. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Christian Dvorak scored for Arizona, and Darcy Kuemper – out on Tuesday due to an illness – stopped 26 shots. Fiala scored the go-ahead goal at 4:31 of the third, his 23rd of the season, after Turris won a draw and quickly centered to Fiala. Turris had earlier tied the score at 2 when he took a pass from Fiala from behind the net and put the puck past Kuemper 22 seconds into the period. Turris lost on a goal on a replay challenge for offside in the first period. The Coyotes welcomed back head coach Rick Tocchet, who left the team Monday on a leave of absence to be with family. Tocchet’s mother died Wednesday at age 93. He rejoined the team in time for a morning skate on Thursday. Ekman-Larsson gave the Coyotes a 2-1 lead at 16:28 of the second period, seconds after an Arizona power play had expired. It was his 11th of the season, and Clayton Keller got an assist for his team-leading 51st point. Dvorak’s 15th goal – fifth this month – came at 4:09 of the second. His first shot was blocked, but he continued forward, got the rebound and slotted the puck past Rinne for a 1-0 Coyotes lead. Dvorak set a new career high in points in a season with 34. The Predators answered moments later. Craig Smith delivered a pinpoint centering pass to Ellis, who needed only guide the puck past Kuemper at 5:49. Ellis picked up his seventh goal of the season, Smith his 20th assist. Turris scored off a rebound at 3:40 of the first period, but the Coyotes challenged for offside and the goal was overturned. The only other noteworthy event of a scoreless first period came when Ekman-Larsson, after a scuffle along the boards with a Predators player, took an inadvertent elbow to his face from a referee skating past him. Ekman-Larsson was handed a two-minute penalty for cross-checking, adding insult to injury. The Coyotes gave themselves a chance with their penalty-kill unit keeping the Predators from adding to their lead despite a 5-on-3, but could not equalize against Rinne.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103789 Arizona Coyotes foxsportsarizona.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 Preview: Coyotes vs. Predators, 6:30 p.m., FOX Sports Arizona Plus

Staff Report The Sports Xchange Mar 15, 2018 at 12:04p ET

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes are barreling toward April with the kind of momentum any NHL playoff team would enjoy having. The only problem: The Coyotes’ terrible start to the season doomed any postseason possibilities. But their new-found success could indeed be a problem for the Nashville Predators, who are very much playoff-bound and competing to win the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s best team during the regular season. The Coyotes (23-35-11) will have coach Rick Tocchet back Thursday night at Gila River Arena against the Western Conference-leading Predators (45-14-10) for the third and final time this season. Tocchet missed Arizona’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday to be with his mother, who is fighting cancer. Arizona could also get back starting Antti Raanta, who has been out since March 3 with a lower-body injury but went through a full practice Wednesday. Backup goalie Darcy Kuemper was also out Tuesday with a game-day illness. That left rookie Adin Hill, who came up from Tucson of the American Hockey League, to make 34 saves in his first NHL victory. Raanta, Kuemper or Hill — it doesn’t seem to matter much who the Coyotes insert in goal these days. The team that began the season 0-10- 1 is 11-3-2 in its last 16 games. During the last month, only the Predators (25) have more points than the Coyotes (21) among Western Conference teams. The Predators are hotter than anyone, winning 11 of their last 12, with the only loss in a shootout. Nashville could overtake Tampa Bay (100 points) for the NHL lead by winning Thursday. The Lightning don’t play again until Saturday against the . “I feel like as a team and me, too, personally, I think it (the Presidents’ Trophy) is a goal that we can say out loud,” said Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, who leads the league in save percentage (.929) and goals-against (2.25) among goalies with at least 40 games played. “It’s something we haven’t done before here. That would mean a lot to us all. … There’s not too many banners (in Bridgestone Arena), and that would be great.” The Predators missed a chance to gain a banner last season when they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the Stanley Cup finals, when Tocchet was on Pittsburgh’s bench as an assistant coach. Nashville also won Tuesday, beating the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 as Rinne made 32 saves and Austin Watson and Viktor Arvidsson scored 34 seconds apart short-handed in the first period. Arvidsson leads the Predators with 26 goals and 52 points. “We marked it as a game that had to go our way as we sit here and … battle for what we need to do in order to better ourselves for the (playoffs),” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. “Obviously, the division, the conference, those are things we talk about, so the two points were very important.” Two points wouldn’t mean that much for the Coyotes except to give them further momentum as they try to made up for a terrible first half of the season with a respectable second half. They’ve already shown the Predators they can be a dangerous team, beating them 3-2 in Nashville on Jan. 4 before losing 3-2 in a shootout on Jan. 18 at Gila River Arena. They are 4-0-1 in their last five meetings with the Predators at Gila River Arena. “I’m just happy with how the guys are showing up to the rink,” Coyotes assistant coach John MacLean said. “When you win, everyone feels good and your energy is better. I think we see that during our little run we’re on now.” Clayton Keller, Arizona’s 19-year-old center, scored his 19th goal of the season against the Kings and now has 50 points, putting him within five points of breaking Peter Mueller’s franchise rookie record with 54 points. “You try to go out there and produce every night,” Keller said. “I try to do everything I can to help the team win.” 1103790 Arizona Coyotes “It’s frustrating because we probably should’ve won that game,” forward Brad Richardson said. “I’ll take the credit for that one, that blown faceoff there and they score. That shouldn’t happen.” Coyotes hang with NHL’s top team, but fall to Nashville Predators The Coyotes had three third-period power plays, but went scoreless in the game’s final 20 minutes as Nashville completed the comeback. BY MATT LAYMAN Arizona finished 0-for-5 on its power play (though Ekman-Larsson’s goal came just three seconds after the conclusion of a Nashville minor). MARCH 15, 2018 AT 10:36 PM “Overall, I liked our effort. I liked the way we played against them,” Tocchet said. “Would I have liked to see some people cash in on their chances? Yeah. Would I have liked to see a couple better defensive- GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes are playing much better hockey as of zone decisions? Yeah. But it’s a game of mistakes, right? We pushed late. As it turns out, so are the Nashville Predators, who took lead as the them and that’s why they’re a great team: They win those types of top team in the NHL with their win in Arizona on Thursday night. games.” The Coyotes didn’t get it done against the Preds in a 3-2 regulation loss, but a silver lining is that if any Western Conference team has been hanging with Nashville in the past month, it’s Arizona. As 98.7 FM Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.16.2018 Arizona’s Sports Station’s Craig Morgan pointed out, the Coyotes have the third-most points in the league (24) since Feb. 8, behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning (25) and Nashville (30). The loss was the first time since March 9, 2015 that the Coyotes fell to the Predators on home ice. “We didn’t give them much tonight. That’s a championship team there,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “I think guys have a sour taste in their mouth. I think they believe they should’ve won the game tonight, and I like that feeling. I know losing sucks but I just think that a couple plays at the blue line, we mismanaged the puck and it ended up in our net.” Arizona scored first, though Nashville briefly thought they had the privilege of netting the game’s first goal. In the first period, former Coyote Kyle Turris banged home a rebound on a shot from Craig Smith. That would’ve made it 1-0 Nashville, but Tocchet used a coach’s challenge. That was a wise choice. Turris was offside, and the goal was overturned. Before the first intermission, Oliver Ekman-Larsson was skating near his own bench as an official approached. The man in stripes raised his right arm and inadvertently elbowed the defenseman hard in the forehead. To add insult to near-injury, OEL was heading to the penalty box for cross- checking. Ekman-Larsson was visibly upset. “I didn’t expect that, he got me going a little bit there,” he said. “He came up right away and said sorry but I wasn’t in the mood, so I had to grab him in the third.” In the second period, Christian Dvorak entered the Nashville zone on the rush and took a shot that was blocked by a sprawling Alexei Emelin. But he got another whack at it, this time lifting it over Emelin and past Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne for the goal. It was 1-0 at 4:09, marking Dvorak’s 15th goal of the year. That lead didn’t last long. Just 1:40 later, Smith was in the right circle and fed a nice pass to defenseman Ryan Ellis, who had joined the rush. Ellis took a shot on Kuemper that went in for the goal, tying things up 1-1. Arizona took a 2-1 lead before second intermission when Oliver Ekman- Larsson had the puck up high in the offensive zone. He took a shot as Ryan Hartman kicked his legs out to try and block it, but the puck went between Hartman’s legs and beat Rinne. That was Ekman-Larsson’s 11th of the season at 16:28. “It feels like we’re around every game, and that’s a great feeling,” Ekman-Larsson said. “You play against one of the best teams in the league and you have a chance to win. So it says a lot about this team. It’s a long way to go but at the same time we’re playing better and we’re doing some good stuff out there.” It wasn’t long into the third period that Turris got his goal back, the one that he thought he had scored earlier in the game. At 0:22, Kevin Fiala was behind the Coyotes net and sent a hard pass to Turris, all alone in front of the net. He scored, making it 2-2. Minutes after that, Fiala and Turris teamed up again. This time, Turris took a clean faceoff win and sent the puck over to Fiala, who scored immediately. It was Fiala’s 23rd of the season to make it 3-2 at 4:31 in the third period. That became the game-winning goal, marking Nashville’s 102nd point of the season. 1103791 Arizona Coyotes Ekman-Larsson has said several times that a loss of this magnitude isn’t something he’ll ever fully move past, but he said Tuesday that the loss he and Tocchet share could end up forging a stronger bond between them. Common tragedy forging greater bond between Tocchet, Ekman-Larsson “I think it could,” he said. “Toc knows he can come to me if he’s mad or wants me to do something different and I feel the same way about him. BY CRAIG MORGAN | MARCH 15, 2018 AT 7:18 PM “I think it’s important moving forward that we have a good relationship and I feel like we have that. It takes time. I had [Dave] Tip[ett] for seven UPDATED: MARCH 15, 2018 AT 9:35 PM years and it took a while for us to build that chemistry, but I like everything about Toc and his system. Moving forward, I think it’s just going to get stronger and we’re going to build a better relationship.” GLENDALE, Ariz. — When Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson heard about the death of Rick Tocchet’s mom, Norma, on Wednesday, he sent his coach a simple text message. Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.16.2018 “I just told him I was thinking about him and if he needed to talk to somebody who went through it, I’m here,” Ekman-Larsson said two hours before the Coyotes faced the Nashville Predators at Gila River Arena on Thursday. “There are always people that want to help you but they never went through anything like that so it’s kind of hard for you to take it in that they want to help you when they don’t know how you feel or how they would handle it. “I know he’s my boss but if I can be there to help him, I want to be there. It’s about more than hockey. This is life. It’s a bigger picture.” Norma Tocchet, 93, passed away from brain cancer in Markham, Ontario on Wednesday evening. Tocchet took a leave of absence on Monday to be with her, his brothers Andy and Dan, and other family members. Assistant John MacLean coached the team in Tocchet’s absence. Tocchet rejoined the team at its morning skate on Thursday and coached the Coyotes game against the Predators. “I’m a routine guy,” he said. “That’s the way my mom would want it anyway.” Ekman-Larsson lost his mom, Annika, in March 2016, after a 10-year battle with cancer. She died two weeks before Ekman-Larsson took a leave of absence to be with his family for the final three games of the 2016-17 season. She was 51. “I can’t even fathom,” Tocchet said of Annika’s age. “I’m blessed to have had [my mom] that long. You lose your parents at a young age, I can’t even imagine that. That’s really tough.” Ekman-Larsson said he talked with Tocchet on Thursday morning. “We chatted a little bit about it this morning and I read somewhere that his mom was the biggest fan of him,” Ekman-Larsson said. Rick Tocchet on how his mom viewed his career: "I never deserved a penalty. I never had a bad game. It was always the coach's fault. I could do no wrong. In her eyes, I was like Gretzky and Lemieux put together." “My mom was the same way. She never missed a game over here. They want their sons to be happy and keep doing what they love to do. That’s something that helps you get through it.” Tocchet said his best memory of Norma came in junior hockey when he played for longtime NHL coach Terry Crisp and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the (1981-84). “She used to make the whole team veal sandwiches,” Tocchet said, citing his Italian heritage. “That used to get me on the power play. That’s what Terry Crisp always says. She’d be outside the bus with veal sandwiches and a bottle of wine to Terry Crisp. For some reason, I’d be on the power play the next day.” Tocchet described himself as “a momma’s boy.” He said his mom was “as pure a hockey fan” as there was. “She has probably watched more hockey than all of us put together,” he said. “Probably the last game she watched was about two months ago. I could tell. She always asks about hockey and when she didn’t ask anymore, I knew something was up.” Tocchet was remarkably open about his mom and his feelings one day after she died. Ekman-Larsson said talking about his mom’s death helped him, too. “Every time you go through something like that it’s nice to have somebody, friends or family, to talk to you,” he said. “If you keep it on the inside and don’t talk to anybody, it will be tougher to go through it and get over it or move forward. At least that’s how I feel. Maybe somebody else would feel different but once you talk about it, it’s easier for you to move forward and feel better about it.” 1103792 Boston Bruins was a shooting machine upon his arrival from the Rangers, landing 23 shots on net in his first four games with the Black and Gold. In the next five, he collected only nine shots and totaled only one goal and Bruins scratch Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk for two games one assist. But Thursday night he landed six on net, second only to Krug’s eight.

“Everyone’s going to have a night when the puck doesn’t follow you,” By Kevin Paul Dupont said Cassidy. “He helped win a puck on the winning goal [Tuesday]. He and Backes didn’t factor in the scoresheet, but they were a big part in GLOBE STAFF MARCH 15, 2018 getting that puck back.” In the previous game, noted Cassidy, Nash took a of shots that were blocked or went off net. SUNRISE, Fla. — Considerably worse for wear Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C. — where they finished their 6-4 win with Jake DeBrusk, Zdeno “So maybe now he’s overthinking it a little bit,” said Cassidy. “That’s what Chara, and Torey Krug sent to the sidelines with injuries — the Bruins starts to happen if some of the shots don’t go on net. So we’ll just Thursday morning summoned forward Anton Blidh and defenseman Paul encourage him to be himself. He has been successful for a long time Postma from AHL Providence. being that, so I would expect he will bounce back and get his opportunities.” According to coach Bruce Cassidy, DeBrusk and Chara will remain out of the lineup through the weekend, their upper-body injuries keeping them Anton Khudobin got the start against Florida and made 25 saves. Tuukka out of the game here vs. the Panthers and Saturday night’s matchup with Rask, winner of his last five starts (despite allowing 17 goals) will be the the Lightning in Tampa. starter in Tampa . . . Brad Marchand, who Tuesday night became the first Bruin since Glen Murray to pot 30 goals in three straight seasons, has a Asked specifically about Chara, and whether the ’s injury could 9-13—22 line in 17 games since his late-January suspension for drilling keep him sidelined long-term, Cassidy said, “I don’t know the answer to Marcus Johansson in the head with a running elbow . . . David Pastrnak, that. I am not worried it’s long-term, but I guess . . . once he gets further fresh from his third-period hat trick in Raleigh, has a 6-11—17 line over evaluated [by team doctors in Boston], we may get bad news. But that’s his previous 13 games . . . Ex-Bruin Frank Vatrano, flipped to the kind of the initial reaction right now.” Panthers at the trade deadline, suited up for only his third game since the Meanwhile, Krug participated in the traditional day-of-game skate here in deal. A high ankle sprain kept him sidelined for his first two weeks in the the morning and was in the lineup at the BB&T Center, leading the Bruins Sunshine State . . . Bruins great , who spends most of the in ice time with 26:35 and shot attempts (14) in the 3-0 loss. winter in southern Florida, was in the house to watch the Black and Gold. No 4, looking all of 55, sat much of the evening in the press box next to “Everything feels worse when it first happens,” said Krug, relieved that Chara. He said he will be celebrating his 70th birthday (Tuesday) with a his injury wasn’t worse. “You wonder how long it’s going to take, or quick golf junket to the Bahamas. what’s going to happen, or what the diagnosis is.

“So when you feel like you can come back a little faster, it makes you feel like you dodged a bullet.” Kevin Paul Dupont Unwilling to specify the nature of his injury, Krug added only, “My last Boston Globe LOADED: 03.16.2018 shift of that game, I was skating up the ice and felt something that didn’t feel right. Just something I couldn’t deal with then, and at times yesterday, but it’s a lot better today.” Blidh, who put up meager numbers (1-1—2) in his 19 games with the varsity last season, delivered 9-13—22 in 59 games with Providence. The Bruins used their sixth-round pick, 180th overall, to select Blidh in the 2013 draft. Blidh did not suit up vs. the Panthers. Danton Heinen slipped into DeBrusk’s spot on a line with David Krejci and Rick Nash. Tommy Wingels, who sat out Tuesday night, moved into Heinen’s spot on a trio with David Backes and . Postma, acquired July 1 of last year as a free agent, was waived to Providence late last month after the Bruins acquired Nick Holden from the Rangers at the trade deadline. Postma appeared in only 12 games with the varsity before being assigned to Providence, where he went 0- 5—5 in five games. Adam McQuaid, the extra defenseman in Raleigh, was back in vs. the Panthers and finished with a game-high six hits. “Adam’s ready to go, he’s chomping at the bit, so good for him,” said Cassidy. “Wingels is in, ready to go. Danton moves up, with Krejci and Nash to start. That might kick-start him a little bit. Always a positive, I guess, when something happens. That’s how we try to look at it.” DeBrusk appeared to suffer a shoulder injury when he banged into the boards late in the second period in Raleigh, his feet tangling with Carolina’s Elias Lindholm. Chara and Krug were injured in the third period and were not on the ice for any of the five consecutive goals the Bruins scored to overcome a 4-1 deficit for their most dramatic win of the season. General manager Don Sweeney joined the club here on Thursday and said veteran center has worked diligently in off-ice workouts, mostly aerobics, and his progress will be assessed again by the club’s medical staff next week. Now just short of three weeks since sustaining a broken bone in his right foot, the next step for Bergeron will be to shed his walking boot and resume on-ice workouts. The swelling in Charlie McAvoy’s injured knee has gone away, said Sweeney, and the rookie blue liner has been fitted with a derotation brace that he will wear upon his return to action. Injured on March 3, McAvoy is not expected back until the first week of April. 1103793 Boston Bruins

Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk out through at least Saturday

Steve Conroy Thursday, March 15, 2018

SUNRISE, Fla.--The news on the injury front may not be the worst it possibly could be, but it's not time to exhale just yet, Bruins' fans. Torey Krug (upper body) participated in the morning skate at BB&T Center and he has a chance to play tonight against Florida Panthers, though he is still a game-time decision. But Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk, both with upper body injuries, have been ruled out for tonight and Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and will be re- evaluated when they get home. When asked if this was at all tied into giving Chara a break, coach Bruce Cassidy said it was not. Is there fear of long-term injury to the captain? “I don't know the answer to that. I'm not worried it's long-term, but once he gets further evaluated we may get bad news, but that's the initial reaction right now, (that it's short-term)” said Cassidy. Krug, meanwhile, took his regular shift in the morning skate with Adam McQuaid and then worked with the first power-play unit, so he would appear to be probable. Asked if he felt like he may have dodged a bullet, Krug said “Yeah, I think so. Everything feels worse when it just happens. You wonder how long it's going to take and what the diagnosis is. But when you feel like you come back a bit quicker, it makes you feel like you dodged a bullet.” Krug did not specify his injury. “The last shift I was skating up the ice and felt something that didn't feel right and had to go to the room. It's just something I couldn't deal with that night and even times on (Wednesday). It's a lot better today,” said Krug. He said that, with Chara out of the lineup, there's even more motivation than usual not to miss time. “There is for sure. At the end of the day, you have to make the smart decision for the duration of the season and make sure you're ready to go in that regard. But when you're losing guys who play big minutes, you want to step up and be a part of that group for your team and you want to be a factor in it. It nudges you in the right direction, for sure,” said Krug. Replacing Chara will not be easy. “It's a little different because it does take away that hard matchup for us,” said Krug. “Obviously we always want Zdeno against the other teams top line and especially bigger bodies. There's a bit test tonight with that. It changes matchups a little bit. He's a big presence. He's a big guy that no one wants to go in the corner with. And when he speaks in the locker room, everyone listens up. It's big void to be filled, physically and with his voice. It's definitely tough, to be sure.” McQuaid will be back in the lineup and, as a precaution in case Krug can't go, Paul Postma was brought back from Providence. Anton Blidh but he'll most likely sit out tonight as Tommy Wingels will take DeBrusk's spot in the lineup. Danton Heinen will play up with David Krejci and Rick Nash while Wingels will go with David Backes and Brian Gionta. Anton Khudobin will get tonight's start while Tuukka Rask will go Saturday in Tampa.

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103794 Boston Bruins down-low position in coverage, having somebody that's comfortable being down there I think is a benefit, as well."

Two centers are better than one not just for faceoffs but because the Center stage: NHL contenders go deep down the middle extra responsibilities of the position allow for better awareness in the defensive zone, where wingers typically are only tasked with defending their respective opposing winger in man-to-man schemes. Giroux shifted Staff Report to wing on the top line with Couturier after spending the past eight-plus years at center and is approaching his career high in points and playing Thursday, March 15, 2018 some of the best hockey of his career. "We get a read off each other," said Couturier, a leading candidate for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward. "It's about A linesman orders Sean Couturier out of the faceoff circle and Claude chemistry and trying to trust each other out there. Guys can fill in different Giroux shrugs before stepping in and winning the draw. roles and it's nice and it helps the team. That's what you kind of want Two centers on the ice at once is a nice luxury for the Philadelphia Flyers from having so many centermen is you want to fill in each other's roles." to have. Having extra centers is a substantial benefit — if they can handle the "He's one of the best in the league at faceoffs," Couturier said of Giroux, position change. Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler made a rapid who ranks third in the NHL. "When you start with the puck, it's a huge adjustment from wing to center amid injuries, but just about everyone part of the game." agrees it's much easier to go the other way. Beyond just controlling faceoffs, having depth at center is a growing "There's a real quick adjustment to going from center to the wing: figure factor for success in the NHL. Contenders like the Flyers, Tampa Bay out how to work the walls and find your point men," Jets coach Paul Lightning, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets and two-time defending Maurice said. "That's a very difficult change." Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins all boast depth down the middle and are spreading centers all over the lineup. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018 The flexibility gives teams potentially game-altering matchups with the playoffs coming up in a month. "You can never have enough center-ice men on your team for lots of reasons," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. Crucial faceoffs, injuries and defensive-zone coverage are many of the reasons to load up on centers who can almost always shift to wing and not miss a beat. Philadelphia has long followed the model of drafting and acquiring centers and moving them around, and now has nine natural centers on its roster. The Penguins won the 2009 Stanley Cup going with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Max Talbot down the middle and captured it the past two years with Crosby, Malkin, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen. The free agent departures of Bonino and Cullen left a void that Pittsburgh filled by trading for and Riley Sheahan to again look like a championship contender. "To have the depth that we have at this point at the center-ice position is I think an important aspect of our overall game," Sullivan said. "We didn't have that coming into training camp. I think our general manager, Jim (Rutherford), has worked extremely hard at making sure that he gave us what has become now I think a strength of our team." It's also a strength of the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning, who are overflowing with center options beyond Steven Stamkos, Alex Killorn and trade-deadline pickup J.T. Miller. The Toronto Maple Leafs also roll deep with forwards who play center or have in the past, including Patrick Marleau and recent acquisition Tomas Plekanec. "I can get a can't-miss matchup," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "You're not scared of any matchup as time goes on." It's all about the matchups in the arms race that is the absurd Central Division. It wasn't good enough that the Central-leading Predators had Ryan Johansen, signed Bonino last summer and traded for Kyle Turris in November; they welcomed center Mike Fisher back from retirement and still have Colton Sissons and Craig Smith. The Jets acquired center Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues to add to an already forward-heavy roster. It paid immediate dividends with Patrik Laine extending his point streak to 13 games and Winnipeg cruising along after went down with an injury. "We'll be putting two centers out there for D-zone draws and whatnot," said Andrew Copp, who thinks Winnipeg's center depth stacks up with the best in the league. "That's really important, and then just depth with injuries. ... Now we've got six, seven, eight guys that we can really lean on." It's an increasingly popular strategy. The Flyers are vying for the league lead in faceoffs, handling the early-season crackdown on faceoff violations and compensating for a young, mostly unproven defense with versatile forwards. "Being strong up the middle is important," coach Dave Hakstol said. "That's the backbone of every line, so to have guys that are comfortable in that spot I think is important. Playing down low in your zone — there's so much switching and interchanging that goes on from the wing to that 1103795 Boston Bruins three points ahead of Los Angeles and Anaheim with 12 games remaining.

Drake Caggiula, Oscar Klefbom and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had the goals NHL roundup: Maple Leafs rally past Stars in SO for 11th straight at for the Oilers, who lost their second in a row. home DUCKS 3, CANUCKS 0

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jason Chimera got his first goal and assist with Staff Report Anaheim, and defenseman Brandon Montour scored twice as the Ducks Associated Press Thursday, March 15, 2018 extended Vancouver's scoreless streak to 10 periods. The victory left the Ducks tied with Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division at 82 points. Anaheim has played one more game than TORONTO — James van Riemsdyk had his third career hat trick and the Kings. Mitch Marner scored the winning goal in a shootout to lift Toronto over the Dallas Stars 6-5 on Wednesday night, extending the Maple Leafs' Montour scored his first goal for the Ducks in 50 games and then added franchise-record home winning streak to 11 games. a second on a power play in the final minute. John Gibson made 32 saves to hand the slumping Canucks their third consecutive shutout. Marner beat Kari Lehtonen in the third round of the shootout, completing Toronto's comebacks from 4-2 and 5-4 deficits in the third period. The 38-year-old Chimera came to the Ducks in a Feb. 26 trade with the New York Islanders. Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau also scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen allowed three goals on 20 shots before getting Vancouver has lost five straight and eight of nine. Jacob Markstrom lifted just past the game's midway point with an upper-body injury. stopped 34 shots. Curtis McElhinney came on and stopped 13 shots — including two big saves on Jamie Benn during a power play in overtime — the rest of the Boston Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018 way to help Toronto improve to 3-2-2 since star center Auston Matthews went down with a shoulder injury on Feb. 22. Tyler Bozak, who also scored in the shootout, and Marner each added two assists to keep the Maple Leafs perfect at home since losing to Colorado on Jan. 22. Tyler Seguin had a goal and two assists, Benn added a goal and an assist, and Radek Faksa, Remi Elie and Brett Ritchie also scored in regulation for Dallas. Lehtonen made 26 stops through overtime. RANGERS 4, PENGUINS 3, OT NEW YORK (AP) — scored the tying goal late in the third period and the winner 2:53 into overtime to rally New York past Pittsburgh. Chris Kreider had a goal and three assists for his first career four-point game, and Jesper Fast also scored to help the Rangers win their second straight after a three-game skid. Neal Pionk had three assists and Alexandar Georgiev, making his second consecutive start, finished with 37 saves. Georgiev denied Evgeni Malkin on a penalty shot with 11 seconds left in regulation. On the winner, Zibanejad took a nice pass from Kreider and squeezed a wrist shot past goalie Casey DeSmith for his 100th career goal. Bryan Rust, Riley Sheahan and Carl Hagelin scored for the Penguins, who lost for just the fifth time in 15 games (10-4-1). DeSmith, filling in for injured starter , stopped 29 shots in his ninth career start. The Rangers, likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010, are 2-0-1 in their last three games and 5-2-2 in their past nine. DEVILS 8, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Blake Coleman scored twice, Michael Grabner and Nico Hischier each had a goal and an assist, and New Jersey routed Vegas. Taylor Hall, Travis Zajac, and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Devils, who moved one point ahead of idle Columbus for the top wild card in the Eastern Conference. Keith Kinkaid stopped 39 shots. Erik Haula had two goals and Colin Miller also scored for Vegas, which had just completed a 4-1 road trip. The Golden Knights gave up eight goals for the second time this season in their worst home loss. They have dropped three straight games in regulation at home for the first time. Marc-Andre Fleury, who earned his 400th career win Monday against Philadelphia, gave up four goals on 11 shots before being pulled early in the second period. Backup goalie Maxime Legace came on and also allowed four goals, on 17 shots. SHARKS 4, OILERS 3, OT EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Tomas Hertl had two goals, including the game-winner 2:40 into overtime, and San Jose pulled out a win over Edmonton. Logan Couture and Brenden Dillon also scored for the Sharks, who have won two straight. San Jose is in second place in the Pacific Division, 1103796 Boston Bruins

Frank Vatrano enjoys fresh start in Florida, playing top-six role for Panthers

Steve Conroy Friday, March 16, 2018

SUNRISE, Fla. — When Frank Vatrano got the word that he was traded to the Florida Panthers, the Bruins were on a road trip in Toronto. He had time to go back to the hotel and say his goodbyes to his now former teammates — but he knew he’d be seeing them soon.

“I said ‘See you guys four times down the stretch,’ ” said Vatrano.

Indeed, last night’s game was just the first of four games between the B’s and Vatrano’s Panthers in the final three-plus weeks of the regular season. But if the East Longmeadow native was going to settle any old scores when he faces his old mates, he was keeping that to himself. He had nothing but good things to say about his time with the Bruins, even if bad luck with injuries helped to submarine what had looked like a promising run with the B’s. “The Bruins gave me the chance to live out my dream and play in the NHL so I’m forever thankful for that,” said Vatrano, who was shipped to Florida for a third round pick. “They gave me the chance to play with some pretty good guys. They developed me in the AHL and when it was my time to come up, they brought me up and I was there ever since. “They were great for my development, the coaches and management. I had a great time there. Sometimes you go down a different path. I’m in Florida now and hopefully I’ll have a good career here.” Vatrano, signed as a free agent out of UMass, appeared to have a bright future with the B’s when, in his first professional season in 2015-16, he scored 36 goals in 36 games for Providence. And in his call-up to Boston that year, he showed signs that he could score at the NHL level. The following season, he was expected to get a chance to play with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, but he suffered a foot injury on the eve of training camp and would not be able to play until Christmastime. Vatrano never really gained traction after that. He notched 10 goals in 44 games in 2016-17, and this year he was passed on the depth chart by Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk. He required waivers to go down to Providence, so the B’s did not want to risk losing him for nothing. The result was him sitting for long stretches — not ideal for either the team or the player — before he suffered a high ankle sprain in Detroit on Feb. 6. A trade seemed inevitable and, on Feb. 22, it finally came. And with the move to Sunrise came another terrific opportunity. Since getting back into the lineup on March 10, he’s played in a top-six role with Vincent Trochek and Jonathan Huberdeau. As he did in his B’s debut, Vatrano scored in his first game with the Panthers, a 4-3 victory over the Rangers. “It was tough on him when he first got here not being able to play. He worked hard off the ice obviously and he’s gotten better in the conditioning department,” said Florida coach Bob Boughner. “But when he got in, he sort of meshed right in. “Offensively with Troch and Hubie, it’s not easy to jump in with those two guys. But his offensive instincts are good. He makes himself available and gets himself open and makes great plays in close. And obviously his shot is a big asset. I think defensively he’s still adjusting to our defensive scheme. That will improve as we go along.” While he fulfilled a dream playing with his hometown team, playing in Florida simplifies things a little bit for him. “When you play in your hometown, sometimes you feel some of that pressure. You’ve got to block out the news and play hockey,” said Vatrano. “Now that I’m in Florida, it’s a little bit of a relief not playing close to him. You’re just playing hockey in a different city. “Obviously you don’t see familiar faces in every home game. It’s different in that regard. Your family’s not at every game. You can block out some of those distractions and play hockey. That’s all you have to focus on.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103797 Boston Bruins Boston Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018 Bruins notebook: Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk sit out games in Florida with injuries

Steve Conroy Friday, March 16, 2018

SUNRISE, Fla. — The news on the injury front may not be the worst it possibly could be, but it’s not time to exhale just yet, Bruins fans. Defenseman Torey Krug (upper body), who missed the third period of the Bruins’ 6-4 win over Carolina on Tuesday, participated in the morning skate at BB&T Center and was expected to make his way into the lineup last night against Florida. Defenseman Zdeno Chara and forward Jake DeBrusk, both with upper- body injuries, were ruled out for last night’s game as well as tomorrow’s game against the Lightning in Tampa. Chara and DeBrusk will be re- evaluated when the team gets home. When asked if this was at all tied into giving Chara a break, coach Bruce Cassidy said it was not. Is there fear of long-term injury to the captain? “I don’t know the answer to that. I’m not worried it’s long term, but once he gets further evaluated we may get bad news, Cassidy said, “but that’s the initial reaction right now, (that it’s short term).” Krug, meanwhile, took his regular shift in the morning skate with Adam McQuaid and then worked with the first power-play unit. Asked if he felt like he may have dodged a bullet, Krug said, “Yeah, I think so. Everything feels worse when it just happens. You wonder how long it’s going to take and what the diagnosis is. But when you feel like you come back a bit quicker, it makes you feel like you dodged a bullet.” Krug did not specify his injury. “The last shift I was skating up the ice and felt something that didn’t feel right and had to go to the room. It’s just something I couldn’t deal with that night and even times on (Wednesday). It’s a lot better today,” said Krug, who seemed stunned by a third period hit by Vincent Trocheck in last night’s 3-0 loss to the Panthers but played a season-high 26:35 and took 14 shots (eight that landed). With Chara out of the lineup, Krug said there’s even more motivation than usual not to miss time. “There is for sure. At the end of the day, you have to make the smart decision for the duration of the season and make sure you’re ready to go in that regard. But when you’re losing guys who play big minutes, you want to step up and be a part of that group for your team and you want to be a factor in it. It nudges you in the right direction, for sure,” said Krug. Replacing Chara, for however long they have to do it, will not be easy. “It’s a little different because it does take away that hard matchup for us,” said Krug. “Obviously we always want Zdeno against the other teams’ top line and especially bigger bodies. There’s a big test tonight with that. It changes matchups a little bit. He’s a big presence. He’s a big guy that no one wants to go in the corner with. And when he speaks in the locker room, everyone listens up. It’s a big void to be filled, physically and with his voice. It’s definitely tough, to be sure.” With defensive injuries, Paul Postma was recalled from Providence. He has not played for the NHL club since Dec. 14. In his last five AHL games with Providence, Postma had five assists and was plus-5. “Obviously it’s a little different style of hockey down there, a little more scrambly and less organized, but the speed’s still there and it’s nice to get my feet underneath me and play a bunch,” he said. “I had fun but I’m glad to be back up.” “The first game I was a little off just not having played in a while, but by the second period I felt pretty good. I felt like it was the same mindset as up here, just an awesome group of guys. Just easy to get in there and blend in with the guys.” Forward Anton Blidh was brought up from Providence as a precaution but forward Tommy Wingels took DeBrusk’s spot in the lineup. With DeBrusk out, Danton Heinen moved up to play with David Krejci and Rick Nash. He played there in the third period in Carolina and scored the game-tying goal in the comeback win. “(Krejci) is unreal. He likes having the puck on his stick, so I just try to get it on his stick and try to get open, because he can find you,” said Heinen. 1103798 Boston Bruins Boston Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018

Bruins draw rare blank as James Reimer, Panthers post shutout

Steve Conroy Friday, March 16, 2018

SUNRISE, Fla. — Sorry folks, but the magic doesn’t happen every night for the Bruins. For the second game in a row, the B’s found themselves down three goals in the third period. But with a quarter of their regulars unavailable for various reasons, there was no miracle comeback like the one in Carolina on Tuesday night, and they fell to the Florida Panthers, 3-0, at the BB&T Center. The B’s actually controlled much of the play but the Panthers made the most of their scoring chances while the B’s were a little too cute with theirs. When they did get the puck to the net, goalie James Reimer (46 saves) was there to make the timely stops to hand the B’s just their second shutout loss of the season. The Panthers scored two goals in the first 9:06, and the B’s were chasing the game for the rest of the night. “They played well. Early on they got to the net and we needed to defend the blue line, the original entry. I don’t think we did a good job on that and we’ve been harping on that all year. We didn’t close it off,” said B’s coach Bruce Cassidy. But even more concerning is the possible loss of more manpower. With Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy and Jake DeBrusk already out with injuries, they lost David Backes for the night with 2:06 left in the first period when he was tagged for a match penalty for what was announced as a hit from behind on Vincent Trocheck. Before that happened, the Panthers went up two goals thanks to a couple of tough shifts from a new pairing of Kevan Miller and Nick Holden. The Panthers got on the board at 6:25 when Miller got the stick knocked out of his hands and went behind the net to retrieve it. Meanwhile, defenseman Aaron Ekblad was left all alone at the side of the net to bat home a puck deflected by Nick Bjugstad for the 1-0 lead. The hosts doubled that lead when they scored off the rush at 9:06. Evgenii Dadonov carried the puck down the left wing as Bjugstad was beating Holden down the ice on the right wing. Dadonov sent a perfect pass that found Bjugstad’s blade and he directed it past Anton Khudobin. As the minutes wound down in the period, Backes hit a crouched Trocheck up high and was nailed with the match penalty. It got him the gate and an automatic review from the league. Mitigating the five-minute major was the fact that Mike Matheson jumped Backes and started throwing punches, giving him the requisite 17 minutes in penalties (two for instigating, five for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct) — wiping out two minutes of the five-minute Panthers’ power play. Surprised by the first suspension of his career two weeks ago, Backes wasn’t going to venture a guess what would happen on this one. He did not agree with the call. “I’ve had two periods to think about it. It’s the kind of hit I’ve been doing for years, so if this is the new NHL, the new standard, then I hope I can have my old league back. If not then maybe there are some adjustments that I need to make,” said Backes. Backes felt it was an innocent play, though Matheson certainly disagreed in the moment. “I was tracking back through the middle, expecting the puck to be dumped to go help maybe the first man back on it,” said Backes. “All of a sudden, he cuts to the middle. I’m going to get the puck and he kind of turns right into me. I feel like my shoulder’s down. I hit him right through the shoulder. He’s much smaller than I am. “The good thing is he finishes the game, he’s back out there next shift and he’s not injured on the play. But I guess they saw enough to give me a match penalty for it. We’ll see what happens from here.” Not only was Trocheck not injured, but he gave the Panthers a commanding 3-0 lead with a power-play goal at 14:07 of the second. From there, Florida handed the game over to Reimer, who made 20 saves in the third period to shut the door.

1103799 Boston Bruins

Morning Skate: No kidding - NHL lifestyle suits Seguin

By Joe Haggerty March 15, 2018 5:06 PM

Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading, while pleasantly surprised by the level of quality for the reboot of "American Idol" has been thus far. *An article about how the NHL lifestyle suits Tyler Seguin. Yeah. No kidding. That was part of the reason he was traded from the Bruins five years ago. *What a great finish by Bruins prospect Jesse Gabrielle with a penalty shot where he shot by not shooting a la Nikita Kucherov. Boston Bruins prospect Jesse Gabrielle with the 'no move' move to win the shootout for the Regina Pats tonight pic.twitter.com/CfRzXq435P *Seattle is certainly looking like a hockey market that is going to flourish in the NHL as they continue deep down the path to being an expansion team. *Did you want to know what it was like for FOH (Friend of Haggs) Pierre McGuire to share his between-the-benches spot with Susan Sarandon? Well, he talked about it on Ottawa sports radio on Thursday morning. *Expected No. 1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin talks about potentially being a member of the Vancouver Canucks, and the pressure of being a top prospect.

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Chara, DeBrusk out rest of B's trip with upper-body injuries

By Joe Haggerty March 15, 2018 2:54 PM

SUNRISE, Florida – The Bruins will be without a couple more of their front-line guys at least through the weekend. Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk were both missing from the morning skate Thursday at the BB&T Center and will miss games against the Panthers tonight and Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday with upper-body injuries sustained in the comeback win over Carolina. Chara tumbled upper body-first into the boards midway through the third period and appeared to be complaining of discomfort in the shoulder area on the bench before exiting for good. DeBrusk and Carolina’s Elias Lindholm got tangled before the rookie crashed into the boards early in the Tuesday night game, but he remained in the game and kept playing until he eventually had to exit in the third period as well. The moment of truth for both will be when they get looked at by the Bruins doctors next week after returning to Boston. “Upper body. Won’t play tonight and won’t play Saturday. We’ll have a better idea on both of them next week once we’re back in Boston,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “I can’t really answer to [the severity]. I’m not worried it’s long-term, but once [Chara] gets further evaluated we may get bad news. But that’s kind of the initial reaction right now. “[The injuries] all seem to snowball at once. Two guys are out and another guy is questionable or probable for us, and we were already down two guys. But at the end of the day, we’ve said it…somebody else goes in. Adam [McQuaid] has been chomping at the bit to get back in, so he’ll come in and contribute. We chose to sit Tommy Wingels the other night, so he’s ready to go in. There is always a positive when a negative happens, and that’s the way we try to look at it.” Torey Krug also had an upper-body injury in the third period Tuesday, but he felt well enough to skate on Thursday morning and is “questionable- to-probable” vs. the Panthers, according to Cassidy. The Bruins called up Anton Blidh and Paul Postma in case they’re needed with the recent rash of injuries and Cassidy is back to finagling with the lineup until he finds combos that will work.

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Bruins recall Blidh, Postma from AHL

By Joe Haggerty March 15, 2018 12:05 PM

SUNRISE, Florida – The Bruins were banged up physically by the end of their epic comeback over the on Tuesday night, and they will continue to be beset by injuries for the foreseeable future. The Bruins called up scrappy bottom-6 forward Anton Blidh and depth D- man Paul Postma from Providence on an emergency basis on Thursday morning, and it’s expected both will be there to replace injured players in Boston’s lineup. Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug and Jake DeBrusk all exited in the third period of the 6-4 comeback win over the Carolina Hurricanes, and it appeared postgame as if all three had undergone X-Rays while walking around the bowels of PNC arena. Chara tumbled into the corner boards awkwardly midway through the third period and appeared to be having trouble with his shoulder area before exiting the Bruins bench, and DeBrusk was hit hard against the side boards earlier in the game. The 21-year-old played through it for a time, but it was pretty clear he was feeling the residual effects of the hit before eventually exiting in the third. It’s unclear exactly what happened to Krug prior to his departure from the Carolina win. There should be a more thorough update later on Thursday morning as the Bruins undertake their Thursday morning skate at the BB&T Center ahead of tonight’s road game against the Florida Panthers. The 23-year-old Blidh has skated in 59 games with Providence this season and has posted nine goals and 13 assists for a career-high 22 points and a plus-9 rating after posting a goal and two points in 19 games for Boston last season. Postma has five assists in five games for the P- Bruins since getting shipped to Providence right around the NHL trade deadline after clearing waivers, but spent the rest of the season in Boston as a little-used reserve with a single point in 12 games played for the Black and Gold.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103802 Boston Bruins This Bruins team is built a little differently, of course. It's not quite as physical or nasty and not nearly as big or heavy up front. It's also a little longer in the tooth with their soon-to-be 41-year-old No. 1 D-man in Haggerty: Get the duckboats ready for these Bruins Chara. But these Bruins are also faster, much more skilled, and blessed with higher-end talent. Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak are all By Joe Haggerty March 15, 2018 11:47 AM legitimate game-breakers at this point in their respective careers. Their special teams are obviously much better with a power play that’s lethal at its best, and at its worst still far better than anything cobbled together during that sad special-teams run in 2011. It’s also much more of a SUNRISE, Fla. --The Boston Bruins are going to win the 2018 Stanley unique mixture of youth and veterans with rookies McAvoy, DeBrusk, Cup. Danton Heinen, Matt Grzelcyk, and Sean Kuraly all contributing Some might call that wishful thinking -- to the extreme -- and it certainly heavilyon a nightly basis seems premature. After all, there are a lot of heavy hitters out there: A The biggest question for this year’s team is the goaltending, and whether Tampa Bay Lightning team that’s led the league wire-to-wire with a or not Tuukka Rask is good enough to backstop a Stanley Cup veritable All-Star roster that also added Rangers captain Ryan champion. But after watching win after win after win, and seeing how the McDonagh at the trade deadline. A Pittsburgh Penguins squad that still Bruins can play when they get things going, as they did in the third period demands the highest respect as reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup in Carolina? These Bruins are good enough to win the Cup with or champs. without Rask at his best, and they will make their No. 1 goaltender look But as the Bruins themselves like to say, this is less about everybody good while playing in front of him in the postseason. else and much more about themselves. They've got something special That’s why I'm finally, grudgingly, fully on board after watching them cooking. accomplish mind-blowing things all season. The latest bit of evidence was Tuesday night’s magical third-period NHL teams have had all season to find the weaknesses on the Bruins comeback where the Bruins wiped out a three-goal deficit against the roster and exploit them, to knock the B's down a peg when injuries, the Carolina Hurricanes in the matter of 77 seconds. Three goals in 77 schedule, or a plain old slump has negatively impacted them. But that seconds! The comebacks and the quick-strike explosions of offense that hasn’t happened. Not at all. the Bruins have shown of late have to be intimidating to possible playoff opponents as the B's continue to pile up wins even as the grueling month It's now mid-March and they've only lost back-to-back games in of March is upon them. regulation three times all year. Since their hot streak began in mid- November, they've only lost consecutive games of any kind, overtime “With this team, it seems like we are never out of a game,” said Brad and shootouts included, twice. Nobody can keep them down for long, as Marchand. “[It’s the] character in the room that’s come through all year the Bruins have shown resiliency and a dominant will that will be long. It’s that feeling on the bench when we get a goal that we just kind of extremely difficult to beat when the Stanley Cup playoffs get going less start to take over [the game]. That’s what happened again [in Carolina]. than a month from now. When we have that life, it’s dangerous [to our opponents].” Something feels different and special this year. And because of that, the These are the kinds of things that happen along the way to a team that’s Bruins are going to win the Stanley Cup a few months from now. building Stanley Cup confidence, Stanley Cup chemistry and a Stanley Cup belief that they are never, ever out of a game no matter how stacked Book it, print the parade tickets and get the duck boats ready. the odds against them.

It’s why they’ve gone a ridiculous 38-9-4 since the middle of November, it’s why they’ve outscored opponents 81-46 in third periods this season, Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 and it’s why they’re on a pace for a blistering 110 points. Injuries have hit both on a massive level early in the season and on a significant level this month, with Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy on the shelf, but that has done nothing to slow them down. Instead it’s built up a mental toughness to withstand these bouts of adversity, and it’s forced them to cultivate their depth with players stepping up. It's also showed that the buttons pushed by both coach Bruce Cassidy and GM Don Sweeney have worked almost completely this season. The Bruins made big moves at the deadline by dealing for Rick Nash, Tommy Wingels and Nick Holden, and by signing Brian Gionta off the street after his stint with the U.S. Olympic team. All of those moves have made major impacts, and fortified the B’s in case of struggles from the significant rookie faction on the roster or to the injuries they’re now facing. These are all the makings of hockey teams that go on long runs in the spring, and are built for long-term playoff voyages rather than a one-and- out, just-happy-to-be-there day trip. Certainly things will have to fall into place as they do for any team with Stanley Cup aspirations, and that means the Bruins getting both Bergeron and McAvoy back ahead of the playoffs. It also means that Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk and Torey Krug can't be seriously hurt after all three were forced to exit in the win over Carolina before the Bruins waged their comeback late in the third period. But this humble hockey writer hasn’t written a midseason column proclaiming the Bruins as future Stanley Cup winners since 2011, after watching that team reel off seven wins in a row amidst a long road trip right after the trade deadline. The memory of Mike Felger scoffing at my column on the Felger & Mazz Show is still fresh, even as Tony Massarotti famously came to the same conclusion shortly afterward while watching that Bruins team clearly hit its stride. It was during that stretch that one could see the possibilities, given their overwhelming depth, their strong combination of productive offense and choking defense, and their top-notch goaltending. 1103803 Boston Bruins

Backes not expected to face discipline beyond match penalty

By Joe Haggerty March 16, 2018 1:11 AM

SUNRISE, Florida – Just a couple of games removed from serving the first suspension of his NHL career, David Backes was again potentially in the crosshairs of the league on Thursday night after a hit on Vincent Trocheck. Backes was given a match penalty for hitting from behind on a first period neutral zone body check on Trocheck that definitely caused a big collision, and got the Bruins power forward ejected from the game early in a 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center. A match penalty comes with an automatic review from the league as to the appropriateness of further disciplinary action, but a couple of sources indicated to NBCSportsBoston.com that Backes wasn’t likely to receive anything further beyond the established match penalty. The hit was instead being viewed as something similar to the Patrick Hornqvist/Charlie McAvoy hit where Trocheck “assumed a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable.” Trocheck had his head down with the puck and curled back toward his own end unexpectedly rather than dumping the puck in the Bruins zone, and that left a hustling Backes in a position where he couldn’t really avoid a big collision with the Florida forward near the middle of the ice. Also working in Backes’ favor was the fact that Trocheck wasn’t hurt in the collision, and instead jumped right on the ensuing Florida power play after Backes had been bounced from the game. Put it all together and the Bruins avoided losing another player while already missing Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk with injuries. “I was tracking back through the middle expecting the puck to be dumped in, and I was trying to be the first guy back. All of a sudden [Trocheck] cuts to the middle, I’m going to get the puck and he just kind of turns into me,” said Backes, who had just returned to the lineup on Tuesday after serving a three-game suspension for a hit on Frans Nielsen that concussed the Red Wings forward. “I felt like my shoulder was down and I hit him through the shoulder. He’s much smaller than I am, but the good thing is he was right back out there and didn’t miss a shift of uninterrupted play. “I had two periods to think about it, and it’s the kind of hit that I’ve been doing for years. So if this is kind of the new NHL, the new standard, then I hope that I can have my old league back. If I try to get into a toe drag competition with guys like Trocheck then I’m going to lose, so the physical part of the game, I think, still needs to be there.” Now Backes and the Bruins can concentrate on a big showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night where points become all- important between the two teams still vying for the Atlantic Division crown.

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Reimer dominates Bruins, Backes gets ejected

By Joe Haggerty March 15, 2018 10:59 PM

GOLD STAR: It’s got to be James Reimer and his 46 saves as he kept everything out of his net even as pucks were bouncing and hopping all around him. Give Reimer credit for making the saves when he had to as the Bruins got some pretty good scoring chances that they couldn’t finish off, and didn’t just sit back and give up with a clearly red-hot Florida goaltender. The Bruins bucked up for 20 shots on net in the final period and played a dominant brand of hockey as they always do in the final 20 minutes, but Reimer didn’t buckle while the Panthers played a pretty textbook defensive game in front of him. It might just be that Reimer had the best game of his entire season against the Bruins on Thursday night, and he certainly deserves some credit for that. BLACK EYE: A tough night for Nick Holden, who was on the ice for each of the two early goals against the Bruins that really put them in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Holden was in front of the net trying to hold things down when Kevan Miller lost his stick on the first Florida goal, and then he was beaten to the net by a backdoor-cutting Nick Bjugstad on Florida’s second goal on a quick transition play where nobody slowed down the Panthers. It was better after that, obviously, for Holden as the Panthers only scored one more goal for the rest of the game, and that one came on the power play thanks to a Vincent Trocheck sniper shot. But Holden and the rest of the Bruins ‘D’ will need to tighten things up and get better as they continue to go along without fellow defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Zdeno Chara for at least the short term. TURNING POINT: For the Bruins it was outshooting the Panthers by a 14-10 margin after the opening 20 minutes of play, and then still finding themselves trailing by a pair of goals. All it took was a couple of defensive breakdowns, a hot Florida goaltender in James Reimer and that was it for a Bruins team that didn’t have another magical comeback in them this time around. There’s only so long the Bruins can withstand both the grueling schedule and the injuries that are again hitting their top line players, and Thursday night’s shutout loss was one of the nights when it caught up to them a little bit. It would help the shorthanded Bruins if they could start playing a little better out of the starting gate in some of these games. HONORABLE MENTION: Torey Krug didn’t end up on the score sheet and he didn’t help the Bruins to a win, but give the dude credit for playing very well while playing hurt. Krug led all Bruins with 26:35 of ice time, led all players with eight shots on net, had 14 shot attempts and was all over things in the offensive zone while trying to do whatever he could to get a puck past James Reimer. Krug even took a really big hit in the third period and kept on playing because he knew that the team needed him without Zdeno Chara and without Charlie McAvoy. Krug has always proven to be a very tough competitor both mentally and physically, and Thursday night was another example of that even if it didn’t work out in a win for Boston. BY THE NUMBERS: 2 – It’s only the second time all season that the Bruins have been shut out with the first one happening all the way back in October during the second game of the season in a 4-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s the kind of hit I’ve been doing for years. So if this is the new NHL, the new standard, then I hope I can have my old league back.” –David Backes on a match penalty called on him for checking from behind after a hit on Vincent Trocheck in the first period that earned him an ejection from the game.

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Bruins can't pull off any magic in shutout loss to Panthers

By Joe Haggerty March 15, 2018 10:10 PM

SUNRISE, Florida – The Bruins were about due for one of those duds after the injuries and an arduous schedule began piling on them this month. That finally happened on Thursday night in Florida as there was no comeback, and no third period hat tricks and instead there was just a 3-0 shutout loss to James Reimer and the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center. It was only the second time all season that the Bruins have been shut out (and the first since the second game of the season on October 9), though that clearly becomes a bit of an easier chore for another team when Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk are missing from the lineup. To add insult to injury, David Backes was also bounced from the game midway through the first period with a match penalty after a big neutral zone hit on Vincent Trocheck. Before and after that hit, though, it was all Florida in the game as Aaron Ekblad tapped in a backdoor goal to open up the scoring in the first period. The Panthers caught Bruins defenseman Nick Holden napping later in the first period as Evgenii Dadonov hooked up with Nick Bjugstad on a goal at the far post after big Bjugstad beat Holden in a foot race to the net. The Panthers extended that lead in the second period after an iffy goalie interference penalty call on Rick Nash gave Florida a power play, and Trocheck finished things off with a sniper shot to the top corner of the net. Down by three goals in the third period, there was no thrilling and death- defying comeback this time around. Instead it was James Reimer that enjoyed a strong night stopping all 46 shots that he faced while playing one of his best games of the season against the Black and Gold.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103806 Buffalo Sabres Given the medical data and the lack of willing combatants, the fighting numbers are expected to continue to dwindle. It makes the action-packed bouts more noticeable. As fighting disappears, bouts like Beaulieu-Martin stand out "It's gone down a lot because the game's gotten a lot more skilled," Beaulieu said, "but I feel like there's still sometimes a need for it." By John Vogl | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018 | Updated Thu, Mar 15, 2018 Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018

Nathan Beaulieu doesn't mince words when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I've had hatred for them since I was born," the Buffalo Sabres defenseman said Thursday night. "Growing up close to Toronto, I was never a Leafs fan." Beaulieu obviously gets pumped up for games against the Leafs, but his team wasn't ready for the start of this one. So late in the first period, with the Sabres in a 2-0 hole, the defenseman challenged Toronto tough guy Matt Martin. It was an old-school hockey fight. Both players tossed haymakers, hooks and overhand rights. Beaulieu buckled Martin's knees with one blow, but the Maple Leafs forward got up and kept punching until they both tumbled to the ice. The sellout crowd in KeyBank Center roared its approval, and players on both benches tapped their sticks in a show of respect. "We've been off for a long time, and it just didn't seem like we were into it right away," said Beaulieu, whose team hadn't played since Saturday. "I just wanted to spark the boys a little bit." Buffalo scored less than a minute later to make it 2-1, but that was as close as it would get in a 5-2 loss. Defeats are common, but the spirited show of fisticuffs is rare in today's NHL. "There's not much," Beaulieu said. "A couple times I've been looking to try to get the guys going, and they're tough to find now. You've got to go straight to the heavies if you're looking for it." Martin qualifies. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has 93 NHL bouts to his credit, according to HockeyFights.com. The 6-2, 200-pound Beaulieu ran his total "Sometimes it's just something you need to do," Beaulieu said. "I have a lot of respect for him over there to give me the opportunity." The opportunities are indeed dwindling. The NHL is nearing 1,100 games played this season, and HockeyFights.com has tallied 251 fights. Just four years ago, there were 469. In 2009-10, there were 714. "It's pretty quiet," said Sabres forward Jordan Nolan. "There's not too many guys out there. I think it's different when you have a rivalry with a team or you're close in the standings with them, but lots of teams that come in here, they're not looking to get into it. "But I thought it was a pretty intense game, and Nate stepped up for us." Concussions have changed the fighting landscape. Pugilistic Ottawa defenseman Mark Borowiecki told the Athletic on Thursday that he'll turn fights down now after suffering a severe concussion in November. Players have read about the lawsuit filed by retired players against the NHL, and they know there could be long-term damage caused by head injuries. "It's difficult," Beaulieu said. "You've got to worry about your safety first. You've got to know how to protect yourself. I'm confident I can protect myself. You've got to worry about your career and your living." The Wraparound: Maple Leafs 5, Sabres 2 Beaulieu appeared to suffer a concussion during a January fight in Calgary. He was on the losing end of a battle with Curtis Lazar, and his chin bounced off the ice. He missed four games. "Right after Calgary I wanted to get another one right away just to keep the brain sharp and remind myself that I can do it," Beaulieu said. "It was a difficult bounce for me, so it was good to get one in." The one against Martin was memorable. "It really got the bench going," Sabres coach Phil Housley said. "Nate did a good job stepping up like that, just trying to create some energy and some momentum for us." 1103807 Buffalo Sabres

The Wraparound: Maple Leafs 5, Sabres 2

By John Vogl | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018

Things went well for the Buffalo Sabres' power-play unit. It fired at will, scored twice and provided a spark. It wasn't on the ice all game, though. Toronto scored once on the power play, but the Maple Leafs added three even-strength and one empty-net goal, leaving KeyBank Center with a 5- 2 victory Thursday night. Backed by their boisterous, border-crossing fans, Toronto won for just the fifth time in the last 24 visits. Buffalo took 12 shots on five power plays, connecting in each of the opening two periods. Leafs backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney finished with 38 saves. No stick, no chance: As Toronto's James van Riemsdyk gained control of the puck below the Sabres' goal line, Buffalo's and the Leafs' Connor Brown skated through the crease. They knocked the goal stick out of Robin Lehner's hand, and van Riemsdyk slipped a bad-angle shot through the hole left by the departed stick. The opening goal came with 3:39 off the clock. Staying hot: Van Riemsdyk scored his fifth goal in two games to make it 2-0. Alone in the high slot with 6:39 gone, he fired past Lehner's and bounced the puck home off the post. It was the 31st goal of the year for the pending unrestricted free agent. On the board: Sam Reinhart remained hot in his own right, pulling the Sabres within 2-1 with 5:31 left in the first. With Buffalo on the power play, Scott Wilson sent an Evan Rodrigues rebound to Reinhart. The right winger pushed home his 18th of the season, giving him 11 goals and 26 points in the last 26 games. Long-distance connection: Toronto opened a 3-1 lead as defenseman Connor Carrick skated along the blue line and sent a long shot through traffic. It went under the arm of Lehner with 6:22 gone in the second. Another point: This time, it was an assist by van Riemsdyk. He took a pass at the right side of the net on the power play and quickly turned to find Tyler Bozak on the other side of the crease for a 4-1 lead. Zebra parade: The referees called four penalties in a span of 2:33 late in the second. A Toronto power play quickly turned into four-on-three and five-on-three advantages for the Sabres. Power-play goal: Jason Pominville made sure the Sabres took advantage of the Leafs' penalties. He tipped Rasmus Ristolainen's point shot, pulling Buffalo within 4-2 with 58.5 seconds left in the first. Shots, shots, shots: Buffalo took 19 shots during the second period to build a 30-26 advantage through 40 minutes. Toronto opened with a 14-5 lead. Championship boxing: The Sabres' Nathan Beaulieu and the Leafs' Matt Martin had a haymaker-heavy fight with 6:27 left in the first period. Beaulieu threw six straight overhand rights late in the bout, including one that buckled the knees of the Toronto tough guy. Martin got back to his skates and landed a couple of rights of his own as the players tumbled to the ice to applause. The Sabres gave Beaulieu deserved stick taps after he exited the penalty box. Still out: Center Jack Eichel missed his 15th game with a high-ankle sprain, but he took part in the morning skate. He remains a possibility for this weekend. There was practice jersey hanging in the locker of concussed Kyle Okposo, but coach Phil Housley said the right winger didn't skate on his own. Scratched: Forward Seth Griffith and defensemen Justin Falk and Josh Gorges sat. Goaltender Linus Ullmark, who's been expecting a baby with his wife, was absent with a personal day.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103808 Buffalo Sabres confidence is quickly rising. This game was an even bigger pressure cooker than the one 10 days earlier as the building was swarmed by Leafs fans in their Blue and White jerseys more so than any time in Mike Harrington: Game by game, Guhle is making progress recent years. Guhle certainly didn't look out of place. He's not a star right now and maybe he never will be. Maybe his ceiling would be on the second pair, By Mike Harrington | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018 | Updated Thu, but he would certainly rate far better than many of the players the Sabres Mar 15, 2018 have trotted out on defense in recent times. And maybe his development will mushroom. We're still talking about a 20-year-old. Who knows what he might be at 22, 23 or 24? That's been If you have no idea what in the world to watch when you dare to flip on the billing for a while. Guhle knows those theories abound but he's trying the TV or walk into a Sabres game at KeyBank Center, there's an easy not to pay attention to any of them. suggestion. "This has been good for me, a real learning experience," Guhle said. "I'm Keep an eye on Brendan Guhle. It's important he plays well in the final trying to keep improving every day I'm here. I know what I'm capable of few weeks of this season. The news is pretty good so far. Each game is and I'm going to try to be the best player that I can be. I don't really try to getting incrementally better. listen to the outside noise. I just try to focus on my game and I want to do it every game." Guhle has been the Sabres' biggest prospect on defense almost from the moment he was drafted in the second round in 2015. And if you've watched the horror show of the last few years, you know this team needs help on the back end. Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018 Guhle has played 53 games in Rochester the last two years. He'll get a few more in this year during the Calder Cup playoffs. Come next September, it will be time for the 21-year-old to make this club for good. "I want to show the staff and the organization that I can play in this league and play a lot of minutes," Guhle said Thursday prior to the Sabres' loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I want to put some trust in me for next year and for myself I want to improve my game the best I can." Guhle's second callup of the season started against the Leafs during Buffalo's 5-3 win on March 5. He struggled to get used to the speed of the NHL game and was unsure of himself during certain shifts. The moment seemed a little large for him. "He had a little bit of a rough start in a big game, in a big atmosphere," admitted coach Phil Housley. "But as the game wore on, I thought he got more comfortable. I think he’s getting more comfortable as he’s playing his game, which is being good defensively. When he attacks the game with speed, he adds to our offense. I’d like to see more of that." Housley said he's liked the way Guhle's decision-making has evolved during this NHL stint, where he's played mostly with Amerks partner Casey Nelson. Coaching veteran Gord Dineen, one of Chris Taylor's assistants in Rochester, has worked with Guhle and Housley said the impact is noticeable. Housley wants to see Guhle keep utilizing his speed and become more willing to lead rushes, as well as jumping into them. "I have to be smart about it and not reckless," Guhle said. "I haven't done anything real wrong with it so far. I'm just going to see when I have a chance and I appreciate that he said. The main thing that I find is who you're on the ice against. Are they tired, been in a long shift? Are they fresh? Are we tired? Sometimes you see an odd-man rush developing, I try to put all that aside and add to it." Guhle's has one assist in seven games with the Sabres this season and his best game to date was Saturday's shootout affair against Vegas, when he set career highs in ice time (17:50) and shots on goal (four). One of his rushes came in overtime when he got in on goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who had to make one save, and nearly had to face Guhle again on a rebound. There was some confidence shown by Housley there, having Guhle out in the 3-on-3 play. "That was exciting for sure," Guhle said. "I had fun in that game, and definitely at that moment. I enjoyed it a lot. I picked the puck up in the corner and I knew there was a guy on me so I faked I was going to reverse and I knew that could lose him." Guhle hasn't scored a goal yet at the NHL level; he has eight with the Amerks this year. The Sabres aren't watching numbers much during this stretch. They're watching his ability to stay with the game and so far the returns are encouraging. He should be good and ready to help the Amerks come Calder Cup playoff time. Housley said he's still hoping to see more out of Guhle right from the hop in games. Of course, the same could be said for plenty of players in Blue and Gold, many of whom are never ready to go at the opening faceoff. "I think he tries to ease into games a bit," Housley said of Guhle. "I’d like to have him him start the way he is through the middle portion of the game. But I like his development, I like his progression." Housley used Guhle for nearly seven minutes of the first period Thursday and while there's a lot of evaluation going on, you also sense the coach's 1103809 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018 Sabres Notebook: Buffalo set to honor Pfalzer; O'Reilly quick on draw

By John Vogl | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018 | Updated Thu, Mar 15, 2018

Gold medal-winner Emily Pfalzer is returning to Buffalo, and she's in for a busy weekend. The Getzville native, who helped the U.S. women win Olympic gold last month, will take part in a hockey doubleheader and the St. Patrick's Day parade. The Sabres and Beauts will recognize her before their games Saturday, and she will march Sunday. Pfalzer will conduct the ceremonial faceoff at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Sabres host the Chicago Blackhawks in KeyBank Center. She will then head across the street to HarborCenter for the Beauts' National Women's Hockey League playoff game against the Boston Pride. Pfalzer will sign autographs from 4:45-5:15 p.m., then conduct the ceremonial faceoff at 5:30 p.m. The 24-year-old was captain of the Beauts in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, leading Buffalo to the last year. Pfalzer will also march in Buffalo’s 78th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade with Mayor Byron Brown on Sunday. Inspiring celebration continues for Emily Pfalzer, U.S. women's team It will be Pfalzer's second Sabres game since the Olympics. Tampa Bay hosted the Sabres and the U.S. women Feb. 28. Ryan O'Reilly stepped into the circle Thursday night against Toronto with 200 more faceoff wins than anyone else in the NHL. Though he's clearly focusing on the skill, he's not obsessing over it. "You can't win a draw by thinking about it," the Sabres center said. "You've just got to go do it. The more aware you are, the more present you are, the more success you'll have. That's what I try to do, just try to take it one at a time and go from there." The league instituted new rules this season to prevent cheating on faceoffs. Centers must face each other squarely with their feet planted behind red lines. It's changed the focus from angles and positioning to reflexes and dexterity. "This year, obviously, I think it's really helped out," O'Reilly said. "I have a very stiff stick, so that gives me an advantage over a lot of guys. It's something that I've been able to use." Inside the NHL: New rules provide no incentive to be All In For Dahlin O'Reilly entered the game with 1,075 victories and 683 losses in 1,758 draws for a league-best 61.1 percent success rate. Anaheim's Antoine Vermette was second at 60 percent, while Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby was second in victories (867) and draws (1,659). "I don’t think it's as important of a piece as it needs to be," O'Reilly said. "There's so much else going on in the game now. It's what you do when you have the puck and how you get it back and all those little things, but I have been confident in there this year." The Sabres will sell St. Patrick's Day-themed pucks Saturday, with all proceeds benefiting the Sabres' foundation. The autographed pucks will be sold for $20 in the 100 Level prior to the game. Sabres wives and girlfriends will assist with the sale. Buffalo will wear green St. Patrick’s Day jerseys for warmups. The sweaters will go up for auction immediately following the game at Sabres.com/auction. The auction will run until 9 p.m. March 25. The Maple Leafs made a goaltending move prior to the game, recalling on an emergency basis. No. 1 netminder Frederik Andersen left Wednesday's victory over Dallas with an upper-body injury. "I don't think there's much going on there," Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "It sure didn't seem like much." Curtis McElhinney started against Buffalo. He entered with an 8-4-1 record and .929 save percentage. Andersen is 33-18-5 with a .919. Sparks has been dynamic for the of the American Hockey League. He is 24-8-2 with a .936 save percentage and 1.78 goals-against average. 1103810 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' O'Reilly remains NHL's quickest on the draw

By John Vogl | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018 | Updated Thu, Mar 15, 2018

Ryan O'Reilly will step into the circle against Toronto on Thursday night with 200 more faceoff wins than anyone else in the NHL. Though he's clearly focusing on the skill, he's not obsessing over it. "You can't win a draw by thinking about it," the Sabres center said after the morning skate in KeyBank Center. "You've just got to go do it. The more aware you are, the more present you are, the more success you'll have. That's what I try to do, just try to take it one at a time and go from there." The league instituted new rules this season to prevent cheating on faceoffs. Centers must face each other squarely with their feet planted behind red lines. It's changed the focus from angles and positioning to reflexes and dexterity. "This year, obviously, I think it's really helped out," O'Reilly said. "I have a very stiff stick, so that gives me an advantage over a lot of guys. It's something that I've been able to use." O'Reilly will enter the game against Toronto with 1,075 victories and 683 losses in 1,758 draws for a league-best 61.1 percent success rate. Anaheim's Antoine Vermette is second at 60 percent, while Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby is second in victories (867) and draws taken (1,659). "I don’t think it's as important of a piece as it needs to be," O'Reilly said. "There's so much else going on in the game now. It's what you do when you have the puck and how you get it back and all those little things, but I have been confident in there this year."

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103811 Buffalo Sabres

Leafs at Sabres: Five Things to Know

By Mike Harrington | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018 | Updated Thu, Mar 15, 2018

Sabres vs. Leafs in KeyBank Center. And it should be just about over by the time St. Bonaventure tips off in Dallas and certainly by the time UB tips off in Boise. Call it the pregame show to tonight's historic double dip of Big 4 March Madness. It starts at 7 p.m. on MSG and the Sabres will be back in a game for the first time since Saturday's shootout loss to Vegas. The Leafs have won two straight, extending their franchise record to 11 straight home wins with Wednesday's 6-5 shootout win over Dallas. Here are Five Things to Know about tonight's game: 1. Home cookin' The Sabres are 19-3-1 in their last 23 home games against the Leafs and that, of course, includes a lot of bad teams still having success when the Blue and White – and their cadre of fans – crosses the border. The home team, in fact, has won 25 of the last 31 games in the series, including Buffalo's 5-3 win here on March 5. The Sabres are 70-27-8 at home all-time against the Leafs. Want some perspective on the Leafs' 11-game home winning streak? The Sabres have just 10 home wins all season (10-19-5). 2. They play three more times Rasmus Ristolainen vs. Nazem Kadri will be a subplot to watch tonight after their fight was followed by their hilarious gone-viral penalty box exchange during the Buffalo win 10 days ago. "That's him. He definitely does so much in the game and brings that intensity that I think all the guys in here we feed off it," Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly said today. "He's hard to play against. He gets in their heads, and that's something that's huge. It gives us an advantage." 3. In the net Robin Lehner (14-24-9, 2.91/.911) gets the call for the Sabres against Leafs backup Curtis McElhinney (8-4-1, 2.27/.929). Linus Ullmark was not at the morning skate for the Sabres. His wife is expecting their first child. Toronto starter Frederik Andersen left Wednesday's game against Dallas in the second period with an upper-body injury and the Leafs have recalled Garret Sparks from the AHL's Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis to serve as the backup. Toronto coach Mike Babcock didn't have much to say about Andersen today but it doesn't sound like a serious issue. "I don't think there's much going on there to be honest with you," Babcock said. "He wasn't playing today anyway so we didn't bring him." 4. Who's skating/who's missing Jack Eichel took the morning skate for the Sabres but will miss his 15th straight game with a high ankle sprain. Kyle Okposo (concussion), Seth Griffith (upper body) will be out for Buffalo while Evan Rodrigues (upper body) returns to the lineup after missing five games. Leafs standout Auston Matthews was seen in the building this morning working out but will miss his eighth-straight game with a shoulder injury. Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev remains out with the flu.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103812 Buffalo Sabres

Emily Pfalzer returning to Buffalo for hockey doubleheader, parade

By John Vogl | Published Thu, Mar 15, 2018 | Updated Thu, Mar 15, 2018

Gold medal-winner Emily Pfalzer is returning to Buffalo, and she's in for a busy weekend. The Getzville native, who helped the U.S. women win Olympic gold last month, will take part in a hockey doubleheader and the St. Patrick's Day parade. The Sabres and Beauts will recognize her before their games Saturday, and she'll march Sunday. Pfalzer will conduct the ceremonial faceoff at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Sabres host the Chicago Blackhawks in KeyBank Center. She will then head across the street to HarborCenter for the Beauts' National Women's Hockey League playoff game against the Boston Pride. Pfalzer will sign autographs from 4:45 to 5:15 p.m., then conduct the ceremonial faceoff at 5:30 p.m. The 24-year-old was captain of the Beauts for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, leading Buffalo to the Isobel Cup last year. Pfalzer also will march in Buffalo’s 78th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade with Mayor Byron Brown on Sunday. It will be Pfalzer's second Sabres game since the Olympics. Tampa Bay hosted the Sabres and the U.S. women on Feb. 28.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103813 “And we’ve got to do a job.”

Flames, Sharks meet up in another pivotal tilt Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.16.2018

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia Published on: March 15, 2018 | Last Updated: March 15, 2018 7:49 PM MDT

He was still perched on a shelf by the team’s whiteboard, spreading his energy-cleansing vibes over the Calgary Flames dressing room. Jobu — the team’s good-luck charm and a replica of the one used in the movie Major League — had helped them exorcise their demons at Anaheim’s Honda Center earlier this year, and, ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, the coaching staff dusted off the voodoo-inspired figurine. It worked in Anaheim as they snapped a 13-year streak of futility, and it worked against the Oilers whom they hadn’t beaten in seven tries. But Jobu may have to work a small miracle to help guide the Flames into the 2018 post-season through the remaining 10 games of the regular season. “Whatever works, man,” said Flames forward Matt Stajan. “He’s helped us, so we’re leaving him in here.” It’s that time of the year, when the biggest game is the current game. For the Flames, the next one is against another Pacific Division rival, the San Jose Sharks (38-23-9), who are sitting comfortably at second in the division with 85 points, pay a Friday visit to the Saddledome (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). The Flames, on the heels of the 1-0 win over the Oilers, are still on the outside looking in at the playoffs with a 35-26-10 mark and 80 points. “Every detail in the game at this time of the year is that much more important because the games are so close,” Stajan said. “Every little play can be the difference between winning and losing and getting two points and not getting two points. “That’s what we’ve talked about a lot here, and that’s the focus, and don’t look past it. If you do that, you’ll get the two points you need.” The Flames wrap up a three-game homestand with another proverbial four-point contest, which is against a team that’s won two games in a row and continues to roll, despite various injuries plaguing their group. “A huge game,” Stajan said. “It’ll be like that from (Friday’s game) until the end of the season. It’s playoff mentality for us right now. We can’t take any games off, and we need two points (Friday) and two points the game after that. We’ll get ready for (Thursday) and go from there.” The Flames are still without the services of left-winger Matthew Tkachuk, who has been dealing with what is suspected to be a concussion while Sean Monahan is fighting some type of injury. Their top centre took a maintenance day Thursday but is confirmed to play Friday. And while Tkachuk’s energetic, feisty approach to opponents and his you-know-what-disturbing-style are missed by teammates, Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan is pleased at how Sam Bennett has filled into his role. “He’s got some of the attributes that Chucky has,” Gulutzan said. “He’s gritty. He won a lot of battles in the corners. (Against the Oilers,) they had a pretty clear assignment — try to hem them in and hold down that McDavid line. In the clips, each guy was aware when they were out there … they limited the glorious chances.” Against the Sharks, whom they’ll also face next Saturday at San Jose, it’s a well-rounded attack that is assisted by roving blueliner Brent Burns. The Flames have lost three straight to the Sharks, including two games this season — a 3-2 loss at the Dome on Dec. 14 and a 3-2 shootout decision in San Jose on Dec. 28. Their fate, at this point, is in their own hands. “We certainly do (believe that),” Gulutzan said. “We’re playing L.A., we’re playing San Jose twice, we’re playing Anaheim … Of course we do. We said in February that it was going to come right down to it. We’ve got everything we need right in front of us and our playoff hopes right in front of us. 1103814 Calgary Flames

Game Day: Flames vs. Sharks

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia Published on: March 15, 2018 | Last Updated: March 15, 2018 6:55 PM MDT

THE BIG MATCHUP Flames LW/C Sam Bennett vs. Sharks D Brent Burns The battle of the beards. Sam Bennett (and his re-discovered facial hair) will go up against one of the most skilled, tough to play against, savvy blueliners in the National Hockey League. Good news, though, as Bennett has been playing excellent as of late and has filled in seamlessly for Matthew Tkachuk on the Flames shut-down line of Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik. Burns plays a big-boy game, and it’ll be another test for Bennett as he tries to find the net. The 21-year-old has gone point- less in his last two games. FIVE STORYLINES 1. STILL NO TKACHUK For a fourth straight day, there was still no sign of Matthew Tkachuk at the . The Flames did have Wednesday off as a recovery day, but when the team skated Thursday, their rabble-rousing winger was absent. Not good. The 20-year-old was injured in the third period of Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders after Mathew Barzal slid into his feet causing Tkachuk to hit his head. Officially, he is out with an upper body, but common sense dictates that Tkachuk is dealing with a suspected concussion. Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan gave no timeline for his return, either. “He’s still day-to-day,” he said. 2. LINES IN A BLENDER With a few missing bodies at Thursday’s skate, Gulutzan’s lineup was impossible to predict. Sean Monahan took a maintenance day which meant Mark Jankowski drew into his spot on the top line with Johnny Gaudreau and Micheal Ferland. Meanwhile Kris Versteeg, who was re- activated from injured reserve Wednesday, was skating with Garnet Hathaway and Nick Shore. That left Curtis Lazar and Matt Stajan to skate on a line with Chris Stewart. But Troy Brouwer was also rotating through. 3. VERSTEEG IN? It’s still not a guarantee that Kris Versteeg will draw into Friday’s lineup. The 31-year-old right-winger is eligible to play following hip surgery, but the head coach wouldn’t say whether he was going to play Versteeg. “It’s not safe to say he’s in or not … he’s pretty much ready to go, but we have four guys that are healthy that haven’t played for a while,” Gulutzan said. “And we have to check the status of our other guys that didn’t play on Tuesday night.” Versteeg has missed 49 games following hip surgery and has been skating with the team since Monday’s practice. 4. DONSKOI HURT? In Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers, Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi appeared to leave the game with a shoulder injury late in the third period after being driven into the boards by defenceman Ethan Bear. And that’s bad news for the Sharks. Donskoi has been humming along since the acquisition of winger Evander Kane, scoring six points in seven games since the trade. Last season, he had only 17 points through 61 games while fighting through a pair of shoulder ailments. “It’s tough,” Sharks teammate Logan Couture told the San Jose Mercury News. “It looked like it was possibly the same thing he hurt before. I haven’t seen him yet. You hope that he’s back sooner than later.” 5. ABOUT THE SHARKS The Sharks sit fifth in wins (15) when surrendering the opening goal, second in wins when trailing after the opening period (eight) and sixth in wins (five) when trailing after two frames … Couture’s team-leading 28 goals move him into fourth place on the Sharks all-time goals list, passing Owen Nolan with his 207th career tally … The Sharks canceled their previously scheduled skate on Thursday.

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103815 Calgary Flames Despite the fact almost every team around them has more points and a game or two in hand, Gulutzan is convinced his Flames can control their own destiny. Francis: Flames bench barking sets tone for team intensity “We certainly do — absolutely,” said Gulutzan, whose club hosts San Jose Friday. ERIC FRANCIS “We play L.A., San Jose twice, Anaheim, so of course we do. We said all along it was going to come right down to the wire here. We’ve got it all Published on: March 15, 2018 | Last Updated: March 15, 2018 6:08 PM right in front of us — we’ve got to do a job. It’s a good spot to be in.” MDT It’s certainly a far better spot than they were in before Smith’s Sunday sermon – coincidence or not. Glen Gulutzan seemed impressed by the narrative, but was quick to dismiss it. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.16.2018 The Calgary Flames coach doesn’t believe Mike Smith’s post-game critique of the club on Sunday was what helped prompt the netminder’s teammates to step up their game against the Oilers. In fact, Gulutzan is convinced none of the players were aware of a Smith soliloquy that was widely credited for helping right the ship two days later. “Guys don’t read that stuff,” said Gulutzan, playfully enjoying the ability to take the media down a peg “Unless guys go to a website to check out Smitty’s interview — I don’t know if guys like Smitty enough to say, ‘okay, I want to see Smitty talk for awhile.’ So, they don’t all hear that.” That’s not to say the coach wasn’t impressed by Smith speaking out in front of the media. Fact is, Gulutzan sees tremendous value in the vocal leadership guiding his team right now, more than ever. Not just in the room, but during the game as well. Gulutzan said the volume and growing list of players barking out on the bench these days shows him how intense things are getting this time of the year. “There have been some squabbles, which is good, as it means guys are pushing each other on the bench,” said Gulutzan of the in-game information exchange. “There’s some good emotion there. You know you’re in a good spot when your guys are buddies and going out to eat at night, yet on the bench they’re getting a little bit heated, saying, ‘You’ve got to change quicker,’ and stuff like that. “You get that push from your top veteran guys, and that’s when your team is going to grow. When your players are the ones pulling and challenging and pushing, that’s good. “We’re a real close group in there. We’re a close team. When they go out for dinner at night they’re dividing up into who wants seafood and who wants pasta. They’re not dividing into cliques.” It’s not surprising to hear who is making their thoughts be known to the group. “Matt Stajan has really become vocal here in the last little bit,” said Gulutzan of the 34-year-old who is four games away from playing his 1,000th NHL contest. “Gio (captain Mark Giordano) has stepped up in that department, as has his game. I like that part of it. At this time of year experience becomes crucial. We’ve got guys who are experienced and who are stepping up. “What Smitty did was just another example of a veteran guy who is stepping up and being competitive — we’ve got a lot of that. Those guys are all in it and passionate about it.” Any surprises? “Stewie has really come in,” said Gulutzan of deadline day waiver pick up Chris Stewart, who was playing goaltender in the dressing room Thursday as Troy Brouwer’s young son took shots on him. “We heard just great things coming from Minnesota on him. Real positive, veteran voice on the bench and real good sense of humour. That’s been a refreshing positive.” Nothing was more refreshing than getting back into the win column Tuesday, snapping a seven-game losing streak against Edmonton and staying on the fringe of the west’s playoff picture. 1103816 Calgary Flames Flames head coach Gulutzan pointed out that, occasionally, those shots — especially from the Flames’ defenders — are purposeful. They actually coach their players to miss the net on a situational basis. Flames not worried about league-leading missed shots on net “You have to get it past the first blocker and if that means putting it off the end wall and letting us play scrum down there, just don’t miss wide on the wide side and break the other team out,” Gulutzan said. “We’re trying Kristen Anderson, Postmedia to put as many pucks on and create as much chaos as we can. For me, that stat isn’t a bad stat.” Published on: March 15, 2018 | Last Updated: March 15, 2018 7:10 AM MDT There’s evidence to back that up, too. From an individual standpoint, Alex Ovechkin has missed the net 134 times in a 69-game span which is the most in the NHL. But he also leads Interrupted as he was getting set to go about his game-day preparations, the league with 298 shots on net and has scored an NHL-leading 42 Travis Hamonic paused briefly when the statistic was presented to him. goals. As of Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers, the Calgary Flames Calgary’s top snipers — Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Matthew have missed more than 1,000 shots on net. It’s currently leading the Tkachuk — and defencemen Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano all National Hockey League by 58 shots (the Carolina Hurricanes were No. have missed over 80 shots on net. Those five players also lead the team 2 at 983) and their 1,041 attempts that have whistled wide are nearly 100 in shots attempted, which backs up the narrative that missed shots aren’t more than a handful of playoff-bound teams like the Tampa Bay necessarily a bad thing. Lightning, San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Nashville Predators. Maybe that Gretzky guy was onto something . . . “Well, what did Gretzky say? ‘You miss 100 per cent of the shots you “It’s a good thing — we shoot the puck a lot,” said Michael Frolik, who don’t take,’” Hamonic quipped, with a grin. has taken 144 shots on net this year, the seventh-most on the team. “Everyone can see that. Especially at home, we’ve gotten a lot of shots Actually, in this case, the Flames HAVE missed a portion of the shots lately. Obviously, you want to hit the net all of the time. But I probably that they HAVE taken, which isn’t exactly what the ‘Great One’ and the wouldn’t make a big deal of it.” most prolific shooter in NHL history meant. Hamonic agrees. “So, I guess it means we have to hit the net then,” the Flames defender continued, chuckling. “I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t really sat on the bench and been like, ‘Holy, man. We’ve missed the net a lot,’” he said. “That’s just my He’s not wrong. perception. As a ‘D’-man, when you get the puck . . . it’s kind of like when you watch on TV sometimes, you’re watching football and you’re yelling “If we play the odds and we hit the net a little more, analytically that will at the quarterback to go downfield with it and you don’t realize that your tell you that it’s going to go in eventually, right?” Hamonic continued. “It’s view is a lot different than the quarterback’s who has 15 people that are easier said than done, but if we’re getting attempts — and I don’t know six-foot-seven in front of him. what those Corsi or analytic stats tell you but it means you’re out-playing a team and whether that’s true all of the time, I don’t know. But it’s kind of “As a D-man, sometimes there are a few guys coming out at you and you one of those stats if you throw the puck on the net from a lot of different have to go wide.” places, it counts as an attempt. And that’s just fine with the coaching staff. “So, I don’t know what that (missing the net) stat means.” “You can interpret it, ‘Well, they can’t hit the net,’” Gulutzan said. “But if But the answer is obvious, and it’s not necessarily a negative aspect of you looked a little further, all of the top teams are missing the net the their game. That being said, at first glance, the number is eyebrow- most times. It means we’re generating a lot of attempts. Carolina was No. raising. 2 and Tampa Bay was No. 3, and I’d probably like to be in Tampa Bay’s shoes today. Boston was No. 4. We’d like to be in their shoes. Over 1,000 missed shots seems like a lot of missed opportunities and chances which would — upon hitting the net — potentially translate “It means we’re generating a lot of attempts and trying to create offence.” directly into goals, wins and points down the stretch. NOTE: RW Kris Versteeg was re-activated from injured reserve on Statistics can tell a story, especially in sports. And this one has its pros Wednesday which signals his imminent return to the Flames lineup. The and cons. 31-year-old has missed 49 games following hip surgery and has been skating with the team since Monday’s practice. The Flames had a “What’s the common denominator between shark attacks and ice cream? recovery day on Wednesday but prior to Tuesday’s game, Gulutzan They both happen in the summertime. I mean, you can make analytic indicated he wanted Versteeg to log another practice before re-joining stats about anything, right?” Hamonic said. the lineup. “(Versteeg) is getting real close to game-ready,” Gulutzan said “There’s a narrative to support any argument if you really want to support on Tuesday. “He’ll practice Thursday and we’re getting to a point where something statistically. But they do serve a purpose. And a stat like that, he’s going to be game ready.” it shows we have to hit the net. We have to make an effort to bear down on our opportunities, especially at this time of the year when games tighten up. Special-teams opportunities tighten up. So, when you do get Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.16.2018 that look in the slot or the look at the point or that net-front presence, we have to make sure we’re hitting the net for those second and third opportunities. “This time of the year, we talk about greasy goals and those are the ones that make a difference.” Where the Flames stand after Wednesday night: With only 11 games remaining, including Friday’s clash against the Sharks, their playoff hopes are on the line in the next few weeks. Hitting the net a little more, at this point in the season, couldn’t hurt. But, for a moment, let’s put that on hold. A deeper dive sees the Flames have actually hit the net 2,384 times (the fifth-most in the NHL heading into Wednesday’s action) which is, in fact, a good sign — they’re shooting from everywhere and anywhere. Their missed shots are broken up as follows: They’ve hit the crossbar 13 times, hit 41 posts, and 110 shots have gone over the net. But the most staggering number is their 877 missed shots that have gone wide of the net, a statistic worth investigating. 1103817 Calgary Flames The Flames were given the day off Wednesday and will likely only skate for 20 or 30 minutes Thursday as they gear up to host San Jose in yet another crucial divisional game with 11 contests left. Francis: Flames zig when they're expected to zag, and stay alive Until then, they’ll watch the NHL scoreboard with hopes the handful of teams clawing for the final playoff spots up for grabs won’t make good on their games in hand. ERIC FRANCIS On Tuesday the Flames got help as the Kings lost in a shootout and the Published on: March 15, 2018 | Last Updated: March 15, 2018 7:12 AM Stars lost in regulation. MDT They’ll have to count on such breaks continuing, while also taking care of their part of the equation. Every time it appears the Calgary Flames are going to zig, they zag. A team as inconsistent as the Flames have been this year is always looking for reasons to believe they can build momentum, which is exactly Their unpredictability has gone a long way towards explaining how they what Tuesday’s monumental win should do. lost control of their playoff destiny. Whether they’ll follow up a zag with a zig is still anyone’s guess. On Tuesday the lads responded to the possibility of being humiliated and essentially eliminated by the Oilers at home by piecing together their most complete effort of the season. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.16.2018 Conventional wisdom suggested they’d falter. Again. But this team and this season have been anything but conventional. A 1-0 win did plenty to help the players mentally, as they overcame well- documented struggles at home and against the Oilers in one fell swoop. Several relieved players were walking around the dressing room after the game, playfully jabbing media-types for constantly reminding them they had lost seven in a row to the Oilers and had just one regulation win at the Dome in their previous 11. They responded to the challenge at a time when they needed to the most, which is another positive sign for a team criticized all year long for not being able to rise up for the big games. Even their coach suggested as much earlier in the campaign following losses to Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto (twice) before Christmas. How they follow up their emotional win Friday against visiting San Jose is anyone’s guess, but what buoys confidence for the lads is the way they won. Simply put, it’s the way they were designed to win games ever since defenceman Travis Hamonic was brought in to round out one of the league’s most envied top four. “I think so,” said Hamonic of the theory the Flames should be winning more low-scoring affairs than they have. “If you talk to the coach I’m sure every coach probably wants to win 1-0 or 2-1. The fans, not so much. But this time of year those are the type of things you have to do to win. We talked before the third period how we wanted to prove to ourselves we can win those type of games. “I haven’t played 100 games in the playoffs but I’ve played enough to know that’s how you’re going to win.” Especially when the goaltender behind them has returned to the MVP- type form he displayed before his injury to carry the Flames on his back. “We’ve created a lot lately, but having that feeling with Smitty is going to help our group,” said coach Glen Gulutzan, whose club has thrown 135 shots on net the last three home games. “That just gives your team a little bit of confidence moving forward.” Something they were lacking when Smith was injured the last month. Understandably. Sam Bennett did well to duplicate the type of emotional effort injured winger Matthew Tkachuk can typically be relied upon. He led the team with five hits, had three blocked shots and spearheaded a motivated group of forwards who focused on defensive play all night long. Although Connor McDavid was the most dangerous player all night long, the Flames used a five-man approach to keep him off the scoresheet. Not enough is being said about the clutch, second-period goal Johnny Gaudreau scored to ultimately win the game. The pass from Sean Monahan to set Gaudreau up alone was equally as impressive, especially considering the Flames’ top centre is clearly playing through a significant injury he won’t soon divulge. Where Flames stand after Wednesday night: 1103818 Calgary Flames “And we’ve got to do a job.”

Flames gear up for next biggest game of the year Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.16.2018

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia March 15, 2018 7:49 PM MDT

He was still perched on a shelf by the team’s whiteboard, spreading his energy-cleansing vibes over the Calgary Flames dressing room. Jobu — the team’s good-luck charm and a replica of the one used in the movie Major League — had helped them exorcise their demons at Anaheim’s Honda Center earlier this year, and, ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, the coaching staff dusted off the voodoo-inspired figurine. It worked in Anaheim as they snapped a 13-year streak of futility, and it worked against the Oilers whom they hadn’t beaten in seven tries. But Jobu may have to work a small miracle to help guide the Flames into the 2018 National Hockey League post-season through the remaining 10 games of the regular season. “Whatever works, man,” said Flames forward Matt Stajan. “He’s helped us, so we’re leaving him in here.” It’s that time of the year, when the biggest game is the current game. For the Flames, the next one is against another Pacific Division rival, the San Jose Sharks (38-23-9), who are sitting comfortably at second in the division with 85 points, pay a Friday visit to the Saddledome (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). The Flames, on the heels of the 1-0 win over the Oilers, are still on the outside looking in at the playoffs with a 35-26-10 mark and 80 points. “Every detail in the game at this time of the year is that much more important because the games are so close,” Stajan said. “Every little play can be the difference between winning and losing and getting two points and not getting two points. “That’s what we’ve talked about a lot here, and that’s the focus, and don’t look past it. If you do that, you’ll get the two points you need.” The Flames wrap up a three-game homestand with another proverbial four-point contest, which is against a team that’s won two games in a row and continues to roll, despite various injuries plaguing their group. “A huge game,” Stajan said. “It’ll be like that from (Friday’s game) until the end of the season. It’s playoff mentality for us right now. We can’t take any games off, and we need two points (Friday) and two points the game after that. We’ll get ready for (Thursday) and go from there.” The Flames are still without the services of left-winger Matthew Tkachuk, who has been dealing with what is suspected to be a concussion while Sean Monahan is fighting some type of injury. Their top centre took a maintenance day Thursday but is confirmed to play Friday. And while Tkachuk’s energetic, feisty approach to opponents and his you-know-what-disturbing-style are missed by teammates, Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan is pleased at how Sam Bennett has filled into his role. “He’s got some of the attributes that Chucky has,” Gulutzan said. “He’s gritty. He won a lot of battles in the corners. (Against the Oilers,) they had a pretty clear assignment — try to hem them in and hold down that McDavid line. In the clips, each guy was aware when they were out there … they limited the glorious chances.” Against the Sharks, whom they’ll also face next Saturday at San Jose, it’s a well-rounded attack that is assisted by roving blueliner Brent Burns. The Flames have lost three straight to the Sharks, including two games this season — a 3-2 loss at the Dome on Dec. 14 and a 3-2 shootout decision in San Jose on Dec. 28. Their fate, at this point, is in their own hands. “We certainly do (believe that),” Gulutzan said. “We’re playing L.A., we’re playing San Jose twice, we’re playing Anaheim … Of course we do. We said in February that it was going to come right down to it. We’ve got everything we need right in front of us and our playoff hopes right in front of us. 1103819 Calgary Flames

GameDay: Sharks at Flames

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia March 15, 2018 6:55 PM MDT

THE BIG MATCHUP Flames LW/C Sam Bennett vs. Sharks D Brent Burns The battle of the beards. Sam Bennett (and his re-discovered facial hair) will go up against one of the most skilled, tough to play against, savvy blueliners in the National Hockey League. Good news, though, as Bennett has been playing excellent as of late and has filled in seamlessly for Matthew Tkachuk on the Flames shut-down line of Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik. Burns plays a big-boy game, and it’ll be another test for Bennett as he tries to find the net. The 21-year-old has gone point- less in his last two games. FIVE STORYLINES 1. STILL NO TKACHUK For a fourth straight day, there was still no sign of Matthew Tkachuk at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Flames did have Wednesday off as a recovery day, but when the team skated Thursday, their rabble-rousing winger was absent. Not good. The 20-year-old was injured in the third period of Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders after Mathew Barzal slid into his feet causing Tkachuk to hit his head. Officially, he is out with an upper body, but common sense dictates that Tkachuk is dealing with a suspected concussion. Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan gave no timeline for his return, either. “He’s still day-to-day,” he said. 2. LINES IN A BLENDER With a few missing bodies at Thursday’s skate, Gulutzan’s lineup was impossible to predict. Sean Monahan took a maintenance day which meant Mark Jankowski drew into his spot on the top line with Johnny Gaudreau and Micheal Ferland. Meanwhile Kris Versteeg, who was re- activated from injured reserve Wednesday, was skating with Garnet Hathaway and Nick Shore. That left Curtis Lazar and Matt Stajan to skate on a line with Chris Stewart. But Troy Brouwer was also rotating through. 3. VERSTEEG IN? It’s still not a guarantee that Kris Versteeg will draw into Friday’s lineup. The 31-year-old right-winger is eligible to play following hip surgery, but the head coach wouldn’t say whether he was going to play Versteeg. “It’s not safe to say he’s in or not … he’s pretty much ready to go, but we have four guys that are healthy that haven’t played for a while,” Gulutzan said. “And we have to check the status of our other guys that didn’t play on Tuesday night.” Versteeg has missed 49 games following hip surgery and has been skating with the team since Monday’s practice. 4. DONSKOI HURT? In Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers, Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi appeared to leave the game with a shoulder injury late in the third period after being driven into the boards by defenceman Ethan Bear. And that’s bad news for the Sharks. Donskoi has been humming along since the acquisition of winger Evander Kane, scoring six points in seven games since the trade. Last season, he had only 17 points through 61 games while fighting through a pair of shoulder ailments. “It’s tough,” Sharks teammate Logan Couture told the San Jose Mercury News. “It looked like it was possibly the same thing he hurt before. I haven’t seen him yet. You hope that he’s back sooner than later.” 5. ABOUT THE SHARKS The Sharks sit fifth in wins (15) when surrendering the opening goal, second in wins when trailing after the opening period (eight) and sixth in wins (five) when trailing after two frames … Couture’s team-leading 28 goals move him into fourth place on the Sharks all-time goals list, passing Owen Nolan with his 207th career tally … The Sharks canceled their previously scheduled skate on Thursday.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103820 Calgary Flames “You know what? It's the best league in the world. You can't approach it, at the start of your career, that you're going to play forever. You go day by day. And here I am.” Matt Stajan reflects on a career full of ups and downs as game No. 1,000 Which, according to Stajan, is a lesson to other lesser lights. Stay the approaches course. He never possessed the high-end ability that would allow him to coast. By Scott Cruickshank Mar 15, 2018 3 Flash was – and is – foreign to him. In his first shot at the OHL draft, he was snubbed. (“And there were 20 rounds that year.”) Regrouping while skating for the Mississauga (Midget CALGARY — He cannot provide the details surrounding the occasion of AAA) Senators, he upgraded his skill and drew Belleville's interest the his 1,000th game. Well, not yet. Give it a few more days. following season. But Matt Stajan's very first taste of the NHL – and the lead-up to the Meaning he needed to win over a fresh batch of skeptics. milestone moment – is plenty vivid. Rightfully so. “His first training camp, there wasn't a wow factor,” says Jamie Pringle – “You'll like this,” he (correctly) predicts before diving into the tale, which then an assistant in Belleville, now an assistant in Calgary. “But as we takes place back in 2003. started to get the numbers down, he stayed because of his smarts. You could tell he was a good thinker of the game. Really, a defend-first kind • Tuesday, April 1 – Stajan records a point in his OHL swan song, the of player. Belleville Bulls' elimination post-season loss to the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. “I remember he came in wearing these big, white tube socks and he had these spindly little pipe-cleaners for legs. There wasn't anything to him. • Thursday, April 3 – Signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs and travels But he had a brain and he was willing to get into hard areas.” immediately to St. John's to join the AHL team. His value, beyond checking acumen, was noted. During Stajan's rookie • Friday, April 4 – Makes his pro debut against the Moose, campaign in Belleville, Pringle served as the team's eye in the sky – registering a helper. assessing action from the press box. The next year, though, he was assigned to work the bench. • Saturday, April 5 – Discovers that the Leafs would like to squeeze him into the Game 82 lineup. In other words, that freaking night. It had been Stajan, only 17, who helped him make the adjustment. So Stajan hops a mid-day flight in St. John's. By 4:30 p.m. he's at “He basically took a roster (sheet) and went down it and said, 'Hey, Pearson Airport, where his sister Michelle is waiting to ferry him to the here's the approach you need to take. This guy might need a pat on the doors of the Air Canada Centre. back. This guy just needs to be taught, even keel. This guy might need the odd kick in the ass,'” says Pringle. “And he wasn't shy about saying, 'I “I walk in at 5:15 for a 7 o'clock game,” he says. “I remember wheeling in need the odd kick in the ass, too.' It was invaluable for me to know, 'OK, with my hockey bag. There were already fans there. I looked 10 years these are the buttons I need to push.' old. I had a shaved head from the playoffs in junior, a Mohawk. And I was a scrawny kid. It was all happening fast.” “He just had a real good grasp at an early age of the mentality and the personalities in the room and how we mesh them together.” He hands his gear to equipment staffers, who quickly find a stall for him – right beside . Meanwhile, Gary Roberts, spying the spindly He produced offensively in Belleville, too, and was taken 57th overall by interloper, wonders aloud who the new trainer is. his favourite team, the Leafs, at the 2002 NHL draft in his hometown. That had been a thrill – one that lasted more than seven seasons. Roberts soon learns that Stajan is his centre for the evening. Owen Nolan will patrol the right side. Then one Sunday morning, Stajan and Katie, his high-school sweetheart, were about to tuck into a platter of French toast, when the phone buzzed. His second shift of the night, deep in Toronto territory, Stajan cleanly loses the draw. But the Ottawa Senators' defencemen bumble away the It was Ian White, saying he'd been shipped to Calgary. puck. “While I was talking to him, I got a call from (Toronto general manager) “So I went in on a breakaway,” Stajan says. “I didn't get all of it, and it Brian Burke and right then and right there, it was, 'Staje, thank you for went five-hole (on goalie Martin Prusek). That whole sequence, it was your services here. We've made a trade and you're part of it. You're just meant to be. And on . Unforgettable. going to Calgary,'” says Stajan. “A crazy day. But now looking back at it, it was probably one of the best things that's happened to me and my “A pretty amazing week to look back on – I scored a point in each league family.” within five days. Pretty neat stuff. If I ever want to write a book, I guess I have some stories.” At the time – Jan. 31, 2010 – it didn't feel so hot. They'd been living in their new house for only two weeks. Katie was crying as she crammed Of course, not every contest is going to pack the same sort of wallop. clothes into suitcases. Then again, how could it? Especially when you consider that a blur of 995 appearances have followed Game 1. “It was really surreal,” she says. “It's crazy how fast it happens. The personal side of it is different than the hockey side, for sure.” Propelled by good fortune and a stubborn streak, the Calgary Flames centreman can nearly touch the coveted four-digit benchmark. Barring Joining Stajan and White were Niklas Hagman and Jamal Mayers. En mishap, Stajan will reach the 1,000-game plateau March 21 against the route to Toronto were , Fredrik Sjostrom, Keith Aulie. visiting Anaheim Ducks. In Calgary, he generated enough – 16 points in 27 dates – to log his “When I get there, it'll definitely be a credit to not just myself, but second straight 50-plus-point season, but his work under coach Brent everybody around me,” the 34-year-old says. “Right from the two Sutter was criticized. So, too, was the four-year extension handed to him organizations I played with to all the coaches and teammates I've had by general manager Darryl Sutter. and, most of all, my family, my wife (Katie), who is there for the day-to- day grind through the whole career.” “To be honest, I had a short leash with Brent,” says Stajan. “I got off to a really bad start and once you lose that trust with a coach early on, it's With the Leafs, Stajan watched Tom Fitzgerald and Roberts hit the hard to gain that confidence back. I was kind of stuck in a hole with him.” marker – on the same night. He's seen Craig Conroy, Olli Jokinen, and Nolan receive their silver sticks as members of the Flames. At the 2011 camp – with Stajan buried on the depth chart behind centres Jokinen, Brendan Morrison, Mikael Backlund, Roman Horak – general Now he himself is days away from becoming the 317th member of the manager Jay Feaster piled on: “I contrast him with, say, Nik Hagman, club. who came in here … saying, 'I have to make this hockey team.' With Matt, it's, 'Every city needs a whipping boy.'” “I never came into the league saying, 'I'm going to play 1,000 games,'” says Stajan, who's rustled up 411 points along the way. “It was just do Stajan lost sleep, dusted off his defensive game, re-made himself, my job, come to the rink, work hard, be effective, be a good person, be a learned to embrace scant duty, stiffened his upper lip, eventually tiptoed good teammate. Through all that, games keep ticking by. It's kind of out of the dog house. No small feat. surreal that it's almost here. “By the end of Brent's tenure … I built my way back up,” says Stajan. “We're proud people and this game isn't smooth. There's ups, which are great, there's downs, which you've got to find your way through. There's bumpy roads for every single guy in the room.” He became a pillar of the Flames' dressing room. Just as he was in Belleville. Just as he was in Toronto. Always the glue guy, just with more scars and less hair as the winters skipped by. “The way he was in junior is the same way he is here,” says Pringle. “Whether it's veteran guys or rookies, they all feel good going to him.” And while teammates learned to lean on No. 18, a rock during tough times, it was Stajan and Katie who suffered the cruellest blow imaginable when their infant son Emerson died March 3, 2014. The city embraced the young couple. “I feel like the doors of communication have been opened up. If we're doing a charity event, other families have come up to us to talk about loss,” says Katie, who, with her husband, hosted a January 2015 event called A Night Under The Stars, which raised money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Foothills Medical Centre. “When we do things like that, it makes us feel that Emerson's legacy lives and he will forever live in everyone's hearts and his life had so much meaning and purpose.” Now, more than eight years after arriving in Calgary, Stajan's contract is set to expire. His aim is to continue playing. Whether that's here or in another NHL centre remains to be seen. First things first – those 1,000 games. “You can't really (think), 'I'm going to get there,' because things change in this game daily,” says Stajan. “It's a day-to-day league. Just look at the start to my season this year – I fought it for the first half. I had one point in the first 30 games, even though I felt great. The confidence wasn't there. But you work hard and it eventually turns if you stick with it. “That's how I've gone about my career. There's been so many ups and downs, all you can do is control what you can – that's been my focus.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103821 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks score early but Jets score often in 6-2 victory

Staff Report

Kyle Connor hasn't looked ahead all season and he's not about to start doing it now. The 21-year-old rookie scored twice Thursday night to reach 25 goals, and the Winnipeg Jets rebounded from a quick deficit for a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. "Going into the season I didn't really set any expectations numbers-wise," said Connor, who has 44 points in 65 games. "I just went into it with an open mind and try to work hard and improve every game. "It feels pretty good. Right now I'm just in the moment." Bryan Little and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and an assist as all four Winnipeg lines produced goals. Joel Armia and Paul Stastny also scored. Connor Hellebuyck turned away 25 shots in his 36th win, increasing his franchise record for . Patrick Laine extended his club-record point streak to 14 games with an assist on Stastny's goal. The 19-year-old star has 16 goals and eight assists during that span — most of which came during the Jets' recent road trip — helping the 2016 second overall draft pick earn NHL First Star honors for a second time this season. Brandon Saad and scored for Chicago. Saad opened the scoring just 11 seconds into the game. Following a much-longer-than-usual video review stemming from a coach's challenge for a possible offside, the goal stood. "Sometimes the first shot goes in — that's not that big of a deal," Hellebuyck said. "I actually prefer it that way so I can shut them out the rest of the way." The Jets took over from there with three goals over the next 9:15, chasing Blackhawks goalie Anton Forsberg as he allowed three goals on six shots. J.F. Berube made 30 saves in 2½ periods of relief. "It's tough, especially after the initial start of that game, (Saad) scoring that goal as quick as I've seen," Sharp said. "And then it was five unanswered pretty quickly, felt like everything was going in. Leave the puck in a bad area and it's a scoring chance or a goal against. It's a dangerous team over there and a tough first period." Winnipeg had been outscored 7-2 in losing its previous two games against Central Division rival Chicago this season. "You score six, hey, it feels easy," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "I don't think we had a lot in the tank. Our drivers worked hard." NOTES: Connor scored his second goal into an empty net. ... Laine ranks second in the NHL with 40 goals and leads the league with 18 power-play goals.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103822 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks rookie Alex DeBrincat learning patience and poise during goal drought

03/15/2018, 10:11PM Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus | email

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Alex DeBrincat has learned plenty of lessons in his first NHL season — how to avoid getting crunched along the boards like he was seemingly every game early on, how to navigate NHL defenses, how to be a dependable two-way player in the NHL. But the one he said with a shrug Thursday morning might be the most important lesson yet. “You can’t score every game,” DeBrincat said. That’s new for DeBrincat. Following Thursday’s 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, DeBrincat is now mired in a 12-game goal drought. That’s a long time for any scorer. It’s a lifetime for DeBrincat. In his three prolific seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, he never went more than four regular-season games without a goal, and even that only happened twice. Before this stretch, DeBrincat had three goals in his last four games, and eight in his last 11. He has 22 on the season, fourth among NHL rookies. “It’s a bit longer than I’m used to, but coming into this year, I kind of had a feeling it was going to happen sooner or later,” DeBrincat said. “I’m just trying to play the same way, maybe help out in different aspects of the game. And when a goal opportunity comes, I’m going to try to bear down and, hopefully, I put it in the net.” Joel Quenneville has had no problems with DeBrincat’s play during the drought — a good and rare sign for a 20-year-old rookie. Quenneville likes the way DeBrincat has looked alongside Nick Schmaltz on the revamped second line; Schmaltz said he and DeBrincat “think the game similarly.” On Thursday, they skated with John Hayden instead of Vinnie Hinostroza. “He’s been fine,” Quenneville said. “He still does a lot of good things away from the puck, and has the puck enough in those areas where he’s had some decent looks. The finish is not quite to where he’d like it, or the pace he’s been at all year long. … You can look at the numbers, but I still think game in, game out, he’s pretty effective.” Confidence is always a factor in the NHL. Future Hall of Famers such as Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane (and Marian Hossa before them) have openly discussed their own confidence issues during scoring slumps, so it’s natural for a 20-year-old to have a similar struggle. But those same veterans have been in DeBrincat’s ear, telling him to keep doing what he’s been doing. “Obviously, when you’re not putting it in the net, it’s a little bit harder,” DeBrincat said. “But what I’ve learned from those guys is they’re telling you to stay positive and if you stay positive, it’s going to come sooner or later. That’s what I’m trying to do.” Said Schmaltz: “He’s a goal-scorer. Everyone goes through those droughts where the pucks aren’t bouncing for you. But once he gets one in, I think he’ll start rolling again. He can score in bunches.” Roster report With Anthony Duclair out at least another week or two, the Hawks have the bare minimum of players — 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies. Had there been an injury during the morning skate, or if a player had gotten sick, there wouldn’t have been time to get a call-up to Winnipeg in time. The Hawks are still clinging to their one remaining regular call-up with a little more than three weeks left in the season. “It’s where we’re at,” Quenneville said.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103823 Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.16.2018

Anton Forsberg chased again; Blackhawks face power shift in Central Division

03/15/2018, 09:38PM Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus | email

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Throughout the past few months, as they’ve plummeted from contention to consternation, the Blackhawks have repeatedly pointed to their dominant performance in a 5-1 road victory over the Winnipeg Jets way back on Dec. 14 as proof that they’ve still got it, that — despite what the standings say — they’re not far off. That the three-time Stanley Cup champions are clinging to a three- month-old victory over a team that hasn’t won a single playoff game since its inception in 2011 is as big an indicator as any of the power shift that has taken place in the Central Division. The Hawks are no longer the team everybody else is chasing. The hunted have become the hunters. “It’s exciting,” second-year Jets sniper Patrik Laine said before Thursday’s 6-2 rout of the Hawks. “We know that we have a really good team here and it was just a matter of time [before] we were going to get success. There’s still a lot of work to do. It’s not complete. But anything can happen in the playoffs.” The Jets aren’t going anywhere, either. Their dynamic core of Laine, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Dustin Byfuglien are signed through next year, many of them long-term. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, just 24, is a Vezina Trophy candidate. They had an easy time Thursday night. Brandon Saad scored 11 seconds into the game, but the Jets scored five straight goals to close out the period, with Anton Forsberg giving up three goals on six shots before being pulled for J-F Berube. It was the sixth time this season Forsberg has been chased from the net in just 27 starts. Patrick Sharp had the other goal for the Hawks. And Winnipeg isn’t even the scariest team in the division. The Nashville Predators are currently the top team in the league. Their unrivaled top four defensemen are locked up, and their outstanding top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson are signed long-term. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars have Jamie Benn, Alex Radulov, defenseman John Klingberg and goaltender Ben Bishop locked up for years to come. “Even Colorado is trending up with their team,” Hawks center Nick Schmaltz added. “These teams aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.” It’s going to be challenging enough for the Hawks to get back into contention next season. They need so many things to go right, from Corey Crawford’s health to Saad’s production to the continued development of their younger players to some free-agent help on the blue line. But even if all that does break in the Hawks’ favor, it’s not as if they’ll be able to waltz back up to the top of the Central Division. Too many teams are too good, too young, and too well-built for long-term, sustained success. But Patrick Kane pointed out that the Central Division has been a meat- grinder for years. And while winning the division is always the goal, just getting back into the playoffs is what really matters. “Nothing’s given, even if you win the division,” Kane said. “The biggest thing is just making the playoffs and giving yourself a chance. Eight can beat one, seven can beat two, whatever it is. The way the parity is in the NHL now, the biggest thing is just trying to get into the playoffs. If we’re chasing teams, we’re chasing teams. Just get in any way you can.” The Hawks have reason for optimism, too. Jonathan Toews, Kane, Saad and are locked up for years to come. Nick Schmaltz and Alex DeBrincat aren’t going anywhere. And assuming Crawford is healthy by the fall, he’s got two years left on his contract. So while the Jets, Predators, Stars and Avalanche are all poised for long-term success, the Hawks, ever defiant, believe they are, too. “We’ve got a lot of youth, a lot of talent, as well,” Toews said. “It’s up to us to continue to improve, and find ways to unleash that potential.”

1103824 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks get buzzed 6-2 by Jets

John Dietz Follow @johndietzdh

It took just 11 seconds for Brandon Saad to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at Winnipeg on Thursday night with a gorgeous snap shot that sailed past Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Even better for Saad and Co., Winnipeg lost a challenge, saying the play was offsides, and the Hawks were awarded a 2-minute power play. And that's where the good news ended for Hawks fans. After a successful penalty kill, Winnipeg proceeded to embarrass goalies Anton Forsberg and J-F Berube by pumping in 5 first-period goals in under 15 minutes en route to a 6-2 victory. Forsberg played just under 9½ minutes and allowed 3 goals on 6 shots. Berube went the rest of the way, making 30 saves. "Consistency's been our biggest challenge all year," coach Joel Quenneville told reporters. "You get a break right off the bat and have some excitement in your game -- and we had a heckuva game in here last time -- and then it's like, OK, you're down 5-1 after one. "That's the ballgame right there." Go ahead and put half of the blame on Forsberg and half on his teammates for not competing hard enough in the defensive zone in the first 20 minutes. Paul Stastny made it 1-1 just 3½ minutes after Saad's goal by redirecting a Nikolaj Ehlers pass between Forsberg's legs. Two minutes later, Erik Gustafsson and David Kampf lost a battle in the corner, the puck was sent back to the point to Jacob Trouba, and Trouba zipped a shot on net that was tipped in by Joel Armia. Then, at 9:26, Jack Roslovic wrested the puck away from Artem Anisimov, skated past the right faceoff dot and lifted a shot that sailed over Forsberg's left shoulder. From there, the issue was never in doubt. Brian Little and Kyle Connor made it 4-1 and 5-1 late in the first period and Hellebuyck made 24 saves as Winnipeg improved to 42-19-10. Connor, who started the season in the minors, added an empty-netter in the third period and has 25 goals on the season. Patrick Sharp scored the Hawks' other goal. It was his ninth of the campaign and 286th of his career. He needs 2 more for 250 in a Hawks uniform. Saad needs 4 more goals to reach 20 for a fourth straight season. The Hawks (30-34-8) are at Buffalo on Saturday before playing five of their next six at home.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103825 Chicago Blackhawks

What should the Blackhawks do in goal next season?

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 15, 2018 10:45 PM

The last time the Blackhawks were in Winnipeg they exploded for three first-period goals en route to a 5-1 victory on Dec. 14. The roles were reversed on Thursday. It appeared the Blackhawks might be headed for another drubbing when Brandon Saad scored 11 seconds into the game and they were awarded an ensuing power play following a failed offside challenge by the home team, but the Jets killed it off then responded with five unanswered goals over the next 11:53 and didn't look back as Chicago lost 6-2. Anton Forsberg was pulled for the sixth time in his 27th start this season after allowing three goals on six shots, while J-F Berube gave up two goals on his first five shots before stopping 27 straight. It was the 14th time the Blackhawks allowed five or more goals in a game this season, having done that only eight times last season. Needless to say, it's been a roller coaster in goal as of late. To make matters worse, the Blackhawks aren't as optimistic about Corey Crawford returning before the season ends and maybe that's for the better. But there's a big question mark between the pipes when you factor in Crawford's health and the inconsistency from their backups, which has included Jeff Glass, Forsberg and Berube. The Blackhawks weren't expecting Forsberg to be the next when they included him in the trade package involving Saad and Artemi Panarin this past offseason, but they were certainly hoping he would be around the league average in save percentage (.913). Instead, it's slipped to .905, which ranks 43rd of 52 goaltenders that have started at least 20 games this season. That's also his 5-on-5 save percentage, which is 49th out of 52 among goalies with 800-plus minutes of ice time. When it rains, it often pours with Forsberg in net and he hasn't shown signs of progression to prevent the bleeding from getting worse. The backup goaltending position is more important than ever in this day and age, especially for the Blackhawks with Crawford likely going into next year having not faced a shot in game action in nine months. For those reasons, it might be wise for the Blackhawks to strongly consider rolling with Berube as the No. 2 to at least start next season if an external option isn't the preferred direction. It would allow Forsberg to fine-tune his mechanics, build his confidence and continue his overall development with the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League, where he backstopped the Lake Erie Monsters to their first ever Calder Cup championship in Columbus Blue Jackets franchise history two years ago. Berube and Forsberg are both under contract for the Blackhawks in 2018-19, and it's no secret there's a belief within the organization that Forsberg has a higher ceiling. He just hasn't been able to reach it yet in the NHL for whatever reason. There are 11 games left, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Berube get more than half of those. Yes, his save percentage is one percentage point below Forsberg's at .904. But three of his eight appearances have come in relief. In his five starts, he has a .908 percentage; in his three relief appearances, it's at .893. Berube deserves a longer look, one that could carry weight when determining next season's backup.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103826 Colorado Avalanche Varly is battling like that he’s one of the best goalies in the league, if not the best. He’s really stepping up since Bernie’s been down and Bernie did the same thing when Varly got hurt. It’s nice that we have two goalies Colorado Avalanche keeps rolling, winning at St. Louis that are exceptional.”

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post Denver Post: LOADED: 03.16.2018 PUBLISHED: March 15, 2018 at 8:56 pm | UPDATED: March 15, 2018 at 9:45 PM

ST. LOUIS — Against the the only team it does not have a game in hand over in the tight Western Conference playoff race, the Avalanche used another method to separate itself from the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. The Avs just beat them fair and square in their own building, winning 4-1 at the Scottrade Center behind outstanding performances from Colorado’s best players. All four goals (along with six assists) came from the Avs’ top line of center Nathan MacKinnon, and Gabe Landeskog, and goalie Semyon Varlamov (44 saves) was exceptional in holding leads in a game Colorado never trailed. “It’s a huge win,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “That’s a playoff-type game, as close as you can get to the playoffs without being there. “Our guys played with great urgency, good commitment and intensity. It was far from perfect but when you play with that type of urgency and intensity good things will happen to you.” MacKinnon had two goals and an assist and Rantanen had two goals and two assists, scoring his first goal off a brilliant stretch pass from Landeskog, who had three assists. Varlamov shut the door at the other end as Colorado improved its points streak to nine games (6-0-3). In the playoff race, the Avs climbed to 84 points, five more than the Blues, with 12 remaining games. Colorado (38-24-8) has played at least one fewer game than the handful of other teams seeking a wild-card berth. But at this rate, the Avs could catch Minnesota (85 points) for the third Central Division playoff spot. “That was a big game,” Landeskog said. “We know there are 12 games left but in our heads we’re going to make it. We already made up our minds about that a long time ago. And we keep believing, and we keep doing everything that we can every day to prepare ourselves and make sure we keep getting better as the season progresses.” The Avs, who had lost 13 of its previous 15 games at the Scottrade Center, finished 2-0 on the Central Division road trip. They won 5-1 at Minnesota on Tuesday. Varlamov might make his 16th consecutive appearance Friday against Nashville at the Pepsi Center. Goalie remains out with a head injury. “This time of the year, you get a little tired,” Varlamov said after winning his 20th game of the season. “What I need to do is just try to recover as fast as I can. Tomorrow is a new day. I’ll have to forget about this game and then just look forward.” MacKinnon gave the Avs a 2-0 lead by scoring his 34th and 35th goals in the first period. His first one was a quick wrister from the left circle and the second a weak-side rebound off Tyson Barrie’s shot from the point. St. Louis got within 2-1 at 9:15 of the second period, when defenseman Joel Edmundson wristed the puck at the net through traffic from the point. Varlamov didn’t see it and the building became energized. But Rantanen quieted the crowd seven minutes later, at 16:29, when he accepted a long stretch pass from Landeskog and drove in on goalie Jake Allen from the right wing. A Blues defenseman was closing in down the middle on the left-shooting Rantanen, so he used his backhand and beat Allen with a perfectly placed shot in the top corner for his 24th goal of the season. Rantanen added an empty-net goal at 19:18 of the third period, guaranteeing Colorado would not lose its sixth consecutive game at Scottrade Center, and third this season. “We were due,” MacKinnon said of winning at St. Louis. “We were feeling good after beating Minnesota. This is not an easy place to play but we really capitalized on our chances.” St. Louis outshot the Avs 45-23, including 22-6 in the third period. “They played a good game. I think Varly really stole it for us. But that’s how it is. When teams are losing at home they press,” MacKinnon said. “When 1103827 Colorado Avalanche

Goalie Semyon Varlamov could play in his 16th consecutive game Friday against Nashville

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: March 15, 2018 at 1:09 pm | UPDATED: March 15, 2018 at 7:35 PM

ST. LOUIS — Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov made his 15th consecutive appearance Thursday and he might be called upon to complete Colorado’s back-to-back stretch with travel Friday when the Nashville Predators visit the Pepsi Center. Avs coach Jared Bednar has two options Friday against the Western Conference-leading Preds: A tired Varlamov or rookie Spencer Martin, the latter of whom is No. 4 on the organizational depth chart and has played in just three NHL games and none this season. Colorado has two other goalies on the non-active roster but both Jonathan Bernier and Andrew Hammond haven’t been cleared from head injuries, Bednar said. The coach said he and his staff would evaluate the situation after Thursday’s game. The Avs won’t return to Denver until early Friday morning and they won’t have a morning skate at the Pepsi Center. Nashville also has a consecutive-night stretch, playing at Arizona on Thursday. House of horror. The Avalanche’s recent record against the St. Louis Blues is ugly — particularly at Scottrade Center, where the playoff- contending teams collided Thursday. The Blues entered 3-0 against Colorado this season, had won four in a row in the series and earned points in the previous 15 games (12-0-3). St. Louis was on a five-game winning streak over the Avs at Scottrade Center, where it had won 13 of the last 15 meetings (13-2-0). “It’s just one of those buildings where it’s been tough to play in, and obviously they’ve had some good teams,” Avs defenseman Tyson Barrie said after Thursday’s morning skate. “But at this point, we’re not even thinking about that. We’re at a different point in our game, a different point in our year. We’re a different team.” Footnotes. Goalie Nicole Hensley of Lakewood and the U.S. women’s Olympic team made the ceremonial puck drop. She starred at nearby Lindenwood University and set the all-time saves record in NCAA women’s history. … Blues defenseman Joel Edmondson returned to the lineup Thursday after missing 13 games with a broken arm — an injured he suffered by blocking a shot against the Avs on Feb. 8. … The Avs entered Thursday having produced points in eight consecutive games (5- 0-3) and 10 of their previous 11 (6-1-4). They took an eight-game power- play goal streak into Scottrade Center, where they hadn’t scored with the man-advantage in the previous eight games. St. Louis had killed off 38 of its last 40 penalties at home against the Avs. “It’s a tough building to score in, so once you get the man-advantage, you really have to capitalize,” Barrie said. Spotlight on: Viktor Arvidsson. The Predators’ leading scorer had one of two short-handed goals in Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over Winnipeg that extended Nashville’s lead in the Central Division and tied Tampa Bay for an NHL-most 100 points. Arvidsson, 24, is the gem from the 2014 draft class. He was selected in the fourth round (112 overall) but has become one of the league’s top scorers. He tied fellow Swede Filip Forsberg for a team-high 31 goals last season and currently leads the Preds with 26. The 5-foot-9 Arvidsson is in his third full NHL season.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103828 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets defeat Flyers 5-3, move into first wild-card spot

By Steve Gorten Posted Mar 15, 2018 at 11:03 PM Updated Mar 15, 2018 at 11:03 PM

PHILADELPHIA — There were a dozen games left in the regular season for the Blue Jackets when the puck was dropped Thursday night, but it felt like a playoff game. “This one, for sure,” Jackets wing Cam Atkinson said. The Jackets wanted to get even with the Flyers, and not just in the Metropolitan Division standings — “We owed them,” Atkinson said — and Philadelphia was desperately trying to avoid losing for the sixth time in the past eight games. When the final horn sounded at Wells Fargo Center, the Jackets celebrated a 5-3 triumph. They notched their sixth consecutive win, jumping the New Jersey Devils into the first wild card while tying the Flyers in points (81), and Atkinson recorded his fourth career hat trick — the franchise’s first since Scott Hartnell’s on Dec. 22, 2016. “We deserved that win,” said Atkinson, who scored the Jackets’ final three goals. “We talked about it before, even coming in last night on the plane. ... We’re so focused right now. It’s do or die. We knew they were (two points) ahead of us and it’s going to be a battle the whole way in. We’re in control of our fate and we’ve got to keep this thing going.” Atkinson fired wide in the waning seconds on his first attempt into an empty net, but grabbed the rebound and scored his third goal with 0.8 seconds to spare. “It’s a safe play, right? Getting it deep. Forecheck to yourself,” Atkinson quipped. “Hey, I’ll take it.” The Jackets put together a six-game winning streak in November, and an unforgettable 16-game run last season. But that was when “everything was going our way,” Atkinson said. “This year, it’s been up and down. You want to be playing your best hockey at the end of the season, and into the playoffs. We’re playing with confidence throughout the lineup, and it shows.” The Jackets had lost two of the teams’ three matchups this season, two of which were decided after regulation, all of which ended 2-1. Thursday’s game seemed headed to overtime as well after the Flyers outshot the Jackets 9-3 to start the third period. But the Jackets held on, largely thanks to goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who made 12 of his 27 saves in the final period. “It was a huge third period,” Bobrovsky said. “It’s nice that we closed that out.” The Jackets seized a 2-0 lead in the first period when Oliver Bjorkstrand fired in a wrister from the left circle down on one knee at 9:41 and Boone Jenner redirected in Jack Johnson’s shot 11 seconds later. The Flyers responded with Claude Giroux’s goal less than two minutes later, but Atkinson scored with 1:52 left in the first for a 3-1 lead. Nine players recorded a point for the Jackets in the first period. Shayne Gostisbehere scored on a power play 14 seconds after intermission. Atkinson buried his second goal at 3:23 before Andrew MacDonald pulled the Flyers within one goal again at 12:23. “This was a big one for us the way it’s looking right now,” Jenner said. “But we’re looking to keep building on it.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103829 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Seth Jones to return for Flyers game

By Steve Gorten Posted Mar 15, 2018 at 9:58 AM Updated Mar 15, 2018 at 9:58 AM

Seth Jones didn’t practice on Wednesday, but Blue Jackets fans can exhale — the defenseman will play in Thursday’s pivotal game at the Philadelphia Flyers, coach John Tortorella said. Tortorella said Jones, who missed the third period of 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday after aggravating an upper-body injury from last Thursday, was held out of practice as “a maintenance day,” which he also was given on Sunday. Jones and Jack Johnson are the only Blue Jackets defensemen to play in all 70 games this season. Defenseman Ryan Murray, who was “nicked up” for Monday’s game, did practice Wednesday, but Tortorella said he will stick with Markus Nutivaara as Johnson’s partner in the second pairing. Nutivaara played 18:41 and had a plus-1 rating against the Canadiens in place of Murray. It was Nutivaara’s first game back after 11 missed because of an upper-body injury. Tortorella said Nutivaara defended well, moved the puck quickly up the ice, and made “good first passes and quick plays in the neutral zone.” “For a guy who comes off an injury ... and jumps into a game, I thought he played very well,” Tortorella said. So he’s going to get another opportunity.” With 10 defensemen on the roster — Zach Werenski, David Savard, Ian Cole, Taylor Chorney, Scott Harrington and Dean Kukan, who currently is on injured reserve, are the others — “we have a healthy competition going with our D now,” Tortorella said. Listen to the Cannon Fodder podcast: Noted Nutivaara, “I love the competition. Every game, you have to be at your best. There are so many good Ds behind you and in front of you, so you have to focus.” Kukan received a two-year contract extension that will pay him $700,000 next season and $750,000 in 2019-20. It’s a one-way contract, meaning Kukan will receive an NHL salary even if the team assigns him to minor- league Cleveland at any point. Kukan posted four assists and a plus-3 rating in 10 games before suffering a shoulder injury on Feb. 18 against Pittsburgh that has caused him to miss 11 games. “For him to come in and play the way he did, and has, and probably will again this year, it’s just a good scope for our general manager to see and for the coaches to see where he fits — not only this year, but in the future,” Tortorella said, adding that Kukan’s stint with the team has been “really positive.” Left wing Matt Calvert, who didn’t play Monday because he was sick, practiced Wednesday and will be in the lineup against the Flyers, Tortorella said. Calvert’s return means Lukas Sedlak will be a healthy scratch. The Jackets ended practice with a tight-quartered two-on-two competition in which goals were placed at the top and bottom of one faceoff circle. “Sometimes you get more out of (players) when they think it’s a game,” Tortorella said, noting that the drill injected fun into the practice and created contact needed after a day off. Tortorella said of the final stretch of games, “If you are going to put so much pressure on yourself that you’re not enjoying it, then why are you playing?” Also, he added, such an attitude “has to be an awful way to live as a hockey player.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103830 Columbus Blue Jackets

Atkinson’s hat trick lifts surging Blue Jackets over Flyers

Staff Report Mar 15, 2018 at 10:41p ET

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cam Atkinson scored a hat trick to lead the surging Columbus Blue Jackets to their sixth straight victory, 5-3 over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Oliver Bjorkstand and Boone Jenner also scored for the Blue Jackets, who tied Philadelphia for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Claude Giroux, Andrew MacDonald and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for the slumping Flyers, who dropped their seventh in the last eight games. Philadelphia and Columbus are one point ahead of idle New Jersey, which holds a wild-card spot. If the playoffs began on Friday, the Flyers would finish third in the division based on tiebreakers while the Blue Jackets would get the first wild card. Both teams have 11 games remaining. Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 saves, including some big stops early in the third. He denied Nolan Patrick from close range with a good glove save 1 minutes into the period and used his pad to stop Sean Couturier a minute later. Atkinson scored into an empty net with 0.8 seconds remaining for this third goal. Most of the scoring happened in the first two periods. Gostisbehere scored just 14 seconds into the second on a power play when his wrist shot from the right circle went under Bobrovsky’s right arm to pull Philadelphia to 3-2. Atkinson responded with his second of the game, a slap shot from a sharp angle on a 2-on-1 break that would turn out to be the game-winner, to put the Blue Jackets back up by two goals with 16:37 left in the second. That was the last straw for Flyers coach Dave Hakstol, who pulled Petr Mrazek after the goalie allowed four goals on 10 shots. He was replaced by Alex Lyon. MacDonald pulled Philadelphia to 4-3 with 7:37 left in the second when his slap shot from the slot went off both posts and in. There were offensive fireworks in the first period, too. Columbus produced the first goal with 10:19 left when Bjorkstand scored a highlight-reel goal from his right knee. Seth Jones‘ initial shot was blocked by Jori Lehtera, and Bjorkstand gathered the puck as he was falling down and fired it past Mrazek’s glove side. The Blue Jackets went up 2-0 just 11 seconds later when Jenner scored on a deflection. Giroux’s one-timer from the left circle pulled Philadelphia to 2-1 with 8:26 left in the period, but Columbus quickly pushed it back to a two-goal advantage when Atkinson deflected Zach Werenski‘s shot from the point past Mrazek. The Flyers had two good chances on a power play in the closing minutes of the period, but Bobrovsky extended his left pad to stone Jakub Voracek and then snared Gostisbehere’s slap shot from the point. NOTES: Flyers G Brian Elliott practiced in full pads with goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh at the morning skate. Elliott had core muscle surgery on Feb. 13 and was expected to miss five to six weeks. . Columbus LW Matt Calvert returned to the lineup after sitting out Wednesday’s 5-2 win over Montreal. … The teams ended the regular- season series with two wins apiece. foxsportsohio.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103831 Dallas Stars "Every team has faults at this time of year, because the emotion and intensity are so high, and the stakes are really high," Hitchcock said. "For a lot of our guys, this is a new experience, and it can at times be Stars showed they have Stanley Cup contender potential, but can they overwhelming. So you get the focus back to just playing and competing find complete game in time to get into playoffs? and actually having fun doing it."

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.16.2018

For about 30 minutes Wednesday, the Stars saw a glimpse of their potential. Now they have to try to get it back on a consistent basis for the better part of the next month or so. During a stretch in January and February, the Stars ran through teams with a precision that had onlookers saying they might well be a contender for the Stanley Cup. They beat the Bruins, the Wild, the Blackhawks, the Penguins. They rode Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, Jamie Benn and John Klingberg to one of the top 10 offenses in the NHL. They rode Ben Bishop and Kari Lehtonen to one of the top five goals-against averages. Coach Ken Hitchcock was showing everyone he was the right hire at the right time by harnessing the Stars' skill and turning it into a workable, winning hockey team. And then it all fell apart. You could point to a 6-0 loss Feb. 11 against Vancouver or poor performances against the Jets, Lightning and Predators, but the bottom line is this team has gone 5-7-3 and fallen into a visible funk. That's why a four-goal run Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs might be the life saver they need. Yes, the Stars stumbled early in allowing two quick goals. Yes, they couldn't make the big play in the biggest moment at the end of the game and lost 6-5 in a shootout. But, for 30 minutes, they looked like their old selves. "We wake up in the morning and see if we can keep building on this," Hitchcock said of facing Ottawa on Friday as the next step on this six- game road trip. "I thought the way our lines looked, we looked more in sync. We looked like we had four lines that could play." Hitchcock shuffled his lines again and thinks he might have hit on something. Brett Ritchie played with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Alexander Radulov played with Mattias Janmark and Devin Shore. And Jason Spezza played at times with Jason Dickinson and Remi Elie. And in the game, Ritchie and Elie added to goals from Seguin, Benn and Radek Faksa. It's the first sign of balanced scoring in weeks. "We played a little more simpler, we weren't trying to make that extra pass," Seguin said of that 30-minute stretch. "The defense was good, but we had better puck possession." And that has been the plan all year. It's just that the Stars have lost their way. Can they locate the GPS device in time make sure they have a place in the playoffs? Well, it's a real challenge. Dallas is on the bubble at 38-26-7 (83 points) and entering Thursday's play sat within a group of six teams that ranged from 79 points to 83 points. Three will make it. Three will not. The problem is the Stars have been sitting in a playoff spot because of that previous run and now have the appearance of a team losing its grip. Hitchcock said the team has fight the negative urges and embrace the opportunity. The worst problem about Stars' shootout loss to Maple Leafs isn't about what happened in Toronto "We've worked our way into this mix, which is a long way from where we started," Hitchcock said. "We would have given anything to be in this mix. We're in a great place competing for a playoff spot, and we've got to enjoy it." The coach also acknowledges that won't be easy. Goalie Ben Bishop is recovering from a knee injury, and Kari Lehtonen is expected to play his seventh straight game Friday. He might have to do it while tired. "This is a lot to ask a goalie who has been a backup all year," Hitchcock said. "It's been a tough go for him. He's like the rest of our team -- we're running on fumes right now. We've got to build up his energy, because he's going to have to play some more. We don't have any choice right now." But they do have the choice to embrace positivity and try to get back that feeling they had for 30 minutes Wednesday. 1103832 Detroit Red Wings Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.16.2018

Red Wings hope goalie interference is clarified when NHL GMs meet

Helene St. James, March 15, 2018

LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Howard laughs about it, Justin Abdelkader figures it’s in his favor, and coach sometimes uses it just to buy a little time. When NHL general managers meet next week, starting Monday in Boca Raton, Fla., goaltender interference is expected to be among the hotter issues. Specifically: What is it, actually? “None of us know any more, to be honest with you,” Howard said Thursday. “It went from one extreme to another and then to another extreme. I agree that goalies need to fight through stuff — you don’t want guys flopping in there, but at the same time, they have to find the common ground of if it’s allowing us to do our job or not.” The Wings had used a coach’s challenge for goaltender interference 12 times through March 8. Four goals were overturned. “It’s a hard, hard rule because of the fact it’s hard to have black and white,” Blashill said. “If you do have black and white, meaning if they are in the crease and they bump the goalie it’s no goal, you are going to have less goals. So you have to make a decision, do you want to make it black and white, or do you want more goals? And if you want more goals, then it becomes difficult. I think it’s why these types of replay rules are real tough. “There are different options. You could go back to kind of the idea that the crease is the crease and if you make contact in the blue, it’s going to be no goal. You could attach a two-minute penalty to a challenge — that would certainly diminish the challenges and as such you’d probably only get the real ones that the coaches feel are egregious, and you could also probably do away with the replay.” Blashill downplayed the Wings’ record in using the challenge, saying, “it can be misleading because I think there have been times when we’ve used it as a timeout. Rather than just call a normal timeout, you use it as a timeout for differing reasons, maybe to calm the guys down.” League-wide through March 8, there had been 142 challenges for goalie interference, with 96 upheld, and 46 overturned (40 to no goal, six to goal). There seemed to be a policy shift around the All-Star break, though it wasn’t clarified to players. Howard liked the way the rule was called through the first half. “It was more in favor of goalies,” he said. “Now it’s more in favor of scoring.” Howard would like to see officials more sympathetic to goalies. “When you get bumped and you’re going to set up for a play but a guy runs into you, and then the ref thinks you have enough time to set up,” he said of an example where interference should be called. “This game is so fast that that’s usually not the case. If you get bumped, it throws your alignment off the puck and then by the time you get set it can be in the back of the net.” Justin Abdelkader, the top net-front guy on the team, tries to make the most of the shift. “I feel like now you can almost make contact a little bit with the goalie,” he said. “The crease was always a sacred place where you couldn’t go in and now I feel like you can. If there’s contact but it’s not substantial contact, they can still rule it a goal. It’s a big-time grey area right now and we need to revisit that to make sure everyone is on the same page because I think there has been a lot of controversial calls, especially since the All-Star break.” Anthony Mantha, on the other hand, is wary of having his feet in the paint. “As soon as you are in the crease, the ref yells at you to get out,” he said. “Even if you’re playing a rebound and you hit his pad, for me that would be goaltender interference if the puck goes in afterwards. “If you get pushed into the goalie, I mean, there’s a fine line where if you throw yourself in the goalie, or if you try to resist the push and you kind of bump into him. It depends who the refs are and how they see the play go.” 1103833 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings continue slide down standings with 4-1 loss to Kings

Helene St. James, March 16, 2018

The best thing happened for the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday: They lost another game. They gave up three goals in the third period at Staples Center en route to a 4-1 defeat to the Kings, dropping to 0-7-1 in the last eight games. The Wings’ playoff hopes all but mathematically over, the lower they finish in the standings, the better their draft lottery odds. The Wings fell behind midway through the first period after Anze Kopitar won a faceoff against . Alex Iafallo sent the puck to Paul LaDue, who fired a shot from the right point through traffic. It took the Wings about half the period to get going. A nice shift by ’s line produced some good looks on Kings goalie Jonathan Quick by Larkin and Anthony Mantha. Tyler Bertuzzi scrapping with Dion Phaneuf highlighted a bland second period. The Wings started the third with a man advantage and converted after 45 seconds. Frans Nielsen sent the puck back to Niklas Kronwall, who fired a puck towards the net that Gustav Nyquist deflected at the last second for his 18th goal of the season. The Kings recaptured the lead when Kopitar scored at 8:22, just as a penalty on Nielsen expired. The puck went over the net, hit the crossbar and went in off Coreau. Tyler Toffoli scored with 90 seconds to go in regulation. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103834 Detroit Red Wings and equipment manager for the Soviet National Hockey Team — and Fedorov’s roommate.

“Let’s go have dinner,” Tchekmarev said. Russian Five excerpt: How Sergei Fedorov escaped USSR for Red Wings “I can’t,” Fedorov said. “I gotta go.” “Where are you going?” Tchekmarev was now laughing. Keith Gave, Special to the Detroit Free Press Published 12:00 a.m. ET “I’m going to Detroit.” March 16, 2018 “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let’s go,” Tchekmarev said. “We can talk about it over dinner.” In “The Russian Five: A story of espionage, defection, bribery and “No, there’s a gentleman here right now. I’m going.” courage,” Keith Gave, the spy-turned-Detroit Free Press newsman whose clandestine mission to , , put the Red Wings’ “No, no, no!” acquisition of the iconic quintet in motion, shares the pulse-pounding and Fedorov turned and walked away, not sure what might happen next. He unforgettable tale of how Sergei Fedorov, Slava Fetisov, Vladimir didn’t look back. Konstantinov, Slava Kozlov and slipped past the Iron Curtain, wound up in crumbling 1990s Detroit, helped build a Former Red Wings great Sergei Fedorov talks Tuesday evening at Joe championship empire and changed the landscape of American hockey Louis Arena before the Red Wings-Capitals game. Video by Helene St. forever. This excerpt of the new book, scheduled for release March 20, is James, Detroit Free Press. the first installment in a five-part series leading up to the Freep Film Festival, which opens with the world premiere of the "Russian Five" “I knew he might grab me and drag me to the coaches,” Fedorov documentary on April 11 at Fillmore Detroit. recalled. “He was twice bigger than me. I had no idea what would happen. It was kind of a nervous moment. But eventually I would be able After months of meticulous planning, the moment of reckoning was to get to his mind for him to understand: I was really going.” approaching quickly, and was getting nervous. Fedorov walked his friend to the elevator. Before a hasty, emotional Worried about being recognized by the wrong people — and the departure, he reached into his pocket and took out all the money he’d Portland, Ore., hotel was crawling with them — he and an accomplice saved after four years of playing hockey as a professional in the Soviet ducked into the back of their waiting limo parked in a dark corner on the Union, about $1,500, and put it in Tchekmarev’s hands. side of a hotel. Polano, who had coached the Detroit Red Wings before becoming an assistant general manager with the franchise, told the driver “It was a small token of my appreciation if he gets in trouble for me that they’d soon be joined by two more men, and he should be ready to leaving and being my roommate,” Fedorov said. He knew well that in leave immediately, heading in the direction of the airport. those days in the Soviet system even innocent people were persecuted just for being in the same circle as someone who was perceived to be a In “The Russian Five, A story of espionage, defection, bribery and troublemaker. courage,” Keith Gave, the spy-turned-newsman whose clandestine mission to Helsinki, Finland, helped bring the iconic quintet to the Detroit Sergei Fedorov scores on Phoenix Coyote goalie Jimmy Waite and Red Wings, chronicles the group's unlawful move from behind the Iron defenseman Gerald Diduck during an April 1998 game, at Joe Louis Curtain to crumbling 1990s Detroit in his captivating new book. Arena. Now the driver was nervous. He studied Polano in his rear-view mirror Fedorov rejoined Lites and they jumped into the idling limo. Twenty and saw someone straight off a Hollywood set — 6-foot-3, 210 lean minutes later, the four men were sitting in owner ’s plush pounds, a guy casually dressed wearing a mane of thick, black hair Gulfstream G2, which was fueled-up and ready for take-off. The combed high and back, and a chiseled, ominous expression that defection of one of the ’s most prominent young hockey suggested he may soon be joined by Mafioso hitman. stars was under way. On July 23, 1990, nearly a year after our first meeting in Helsinki, Sergei Fedorov, five months shy of his 21st birthday, “Look man,” the driver said, turning in his seat toward Polano, “I don’t arrived in his new hometown to begin his career in the National Hockey want to be involved in anything like this. I don’t want any trouble. I’ve got League. a family.” “We had him in Detroit before the Russians knew he was gone,” Polano Polano burst out laughing. “He thought we were going to whack said. somebody,” Polano said. Quickly and calmly, he explained that nothing bad or illegal was happening, but that the driver was playing a key role in . . . a story that would make headlines around the world the next day. In an interview shortly after his induction into the in “Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine,” Polano assured the driver as he November 2015, Fedorov admitted he didn't know what to make of that pointed to the hotel lobby. “And the guy sitting in there right now is going meeting in Helsinki when I showed him the list of Detroit Red Wings draft to give you a real big tip.” selections and handed him the media guide stuffed with the letter I had written inviting him to Detroit as a defector. That guy, , who had spent nearly a year orchestrating this elaborate escape plan, was sitting there waiting. And waiting. Drinking “I still didn’t understand what the draft is, who the Red Wings are, nothing coffee after coffee as he read and reread a newspaper, trying to blend really about the NHL,” he said. “I just say, ‘OK. Great. So what?’ That into the furniture in the lobby of the Shilo Inn — and not rouse suspicion. was my attitude. I had no idea that in a year I could have gone anywhere.” As Polano was talking the chauffeur off the ledge, a bus pulled up to the front of the hotel. It emptied quickly. A few dozen hungry young men The letter eventually created some anxiety. “It was a nervous time, an sprinted to a dining area where a late meal was being served. Last off the uncomfortable time,” he said. “Later, I read the letter and understand. It bus was the guy who would be making those headlines. was exciting kinds of thoughts.” Sergei Fedorov spotted his man sitting there reading a USA TODAY Exciting enough that Fedorov put the brakes on an offer from his Red newspaper and walked calmly up to him. Army coach and commander, Viktor Tikhonov. The Red Army club was intent on promoting Fedorov from private to lieutenant, a significant “Ready to go, Jim?” Fedorov asked, in practiced English, as casually as if advancement in prestige, pay and other perks. But it also came with he were commenting on the weather. Lites rose and they headed out a substantial strings attached. He would be asked to sign a 25-year back door toward the waiting limo. But just as they were about to leave contract. Fedorov’s father, Viktor, had urged him to sign it — and Sergei the hotel, an elevator door opened and there stood one of Fedorov’s was tempted. Soviet Red Army teammates, a tall, older man. Fedorov stopped. Lites’ heart sank. Busted. But the dollar signs the younger Fedorov saw in that Helsinki letter prompted him to reconsider. On arriving home in Moscow, he turned to “I be right there, Jim,” Fedorov said. the one person outside his hockey circle and his family that he thought he could trust: Valery Matveev, a sports writer with Pravda, one of two “Sergei, let’s just go, right now,” Lites implored. national newspapers in the Soviet Union at the time. “Thirty seconds,” Fedorov said, and he walked toward Sergei Matveev, a slight, bespectacled man approaching his 30s, had chronicled Tchekmarev, one of his closest, most trustworthy friends in a society the young Fedorov’s rise to stardom during his four years with CSKA where trust was rare and fragile. Tchekmarev was a massage therapist Moscow. He was the first journalist to write a lengthy feature story about Fedorov. In the process, the reporter earned the player’s trust. And I It took a lot of zeroes to convince Sergei Federov to come to Detroit. The eventually earned Matveev’s trust over a series of lengthy conversations same amount of money as Red Wings captain , to be in Moscow about five years after the fall of the Soviet Union. exact. Tikhonov paid much attention to the young guys, and when he brought That seemed to get Fedorov’s attention even more than the Corvette Sergei to Red Army, Fedorov was the coach’s favorite guy on the team. brochure Lites gave him. Lites understood that it was important to him He was quiet, worked hard and he was big and strong. Tikhonov knew it that he would be making as much as the team captain. The Wings’ was unusual to find so many good things in one person. executive thought for sure he’d be leaving Chicago right then with the newest Detroit Red Wings star. Instead, Fedorov stood up, shook Lites’ “After he got that letter, Sergei started thinking for the first time seriously hand and, with Ponomarev interpreting, thanked him for his generous of his future in the NHL,” said Matveev, adding that he immediately offer and declined. advised Fedorov to seek a release from the Red Army so that he could play in the United States. “I cannot leave now,” Fedorov said. “Oh, no,” Fedorov responded. “My parents would be very upset with me if “But Sergei, all this is yours if you leave right now,” Lites pleaded. “You I change my mind now and try to get a release.” never know what is going to happen in world politics. could change. You never know when you will have an opportunity like this Matveev advised him against it. He felt the shifting political winds in the again. It might change politically. It might all go away. If you do this now, I collapsing Soviet Union. have lawyers here who can make everything good.” “I told Sergei it would be a stupid thing to sign with Red Army,” Matveev Incredibly, considering how frustrated he was at toiling in conscripted said. “Then it becomes very hard to get a release. It’s not comfortable to servitude and kept in what he called “a cage” by the Soviet hockey play hockey for a man who is also your commanding officer. If he did system, Fedorov still resisted. something to anger the coach, Tikhonov could sign an order sending him to the Chinese border for 25 years.” “My military service is going to end soon,” Fedorov told Lites through his interpreter. “I do not want to desert from the military. I will be out the first About the same time in Detroit, Jim Lites found someone else willing to week in January, and I am not going to continue my service. I want to facilitate a defection. In October, early in the 1989-90 season, Lites was play in the NHL and I will come out in the summer. You can count on it.” in the Wings’ locker room when he was approached by Phil Myre, the team’s goaltending coach. Myre mentioned that he had a good Lites was disappointed, but he left feeling good about what had relationship with renowned Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak, and Tretiak transpired. Fedorov left the meeting feeling confident, too. He told had a good friend in Montreal, a photographer, who had nearly unbridled Matveev about the contract Lites had offered him, the same one the access to the CSKA and the Soviet National Team’s players. Detroit club captain had signed. Within minutes, Lites was on the phone with the photographer, Michel “It was an official document with dollar figures that had lots of zeroes,” Ponomarev. Within a few days, the two were meeting in Montreal. There, Matveev said. “Sergei starts to understand that he is an important Lites met a man pushing 50, a Russian ex-pat who had left his country person.” when he was in his 30s. Not so fast. Fedorov’s military service was to end on Jan. 1, 1990, but Because he spoke Russian, French and English, the Soviets used Tikhonov arbitrarily extended his term of service until the Ponomarev as their official photographer whenever they were in North ended to guarantee he would return with the team to Russia. Fedorov America or Western Europe. “I can talk to the guys for you,” he told Lites, was losing patience with the Soviet system when he nearly landed in jail who was beginning to feel like he could make the kind of deal that would while trying to vacation at a Black Sea resort. pay enormous dividends for the Red Wings. “Sergei and I and a couple of my friends decided to spend a few weeks “As Mike Ilitch told me over and over, always close,” Lites recalled. “So I on vacation at a nice Intourist hotel near Sochi, one of the nicest cities on sat there and said, ‘Let’s talk. If we do this, you have to work for me. I the sea,” Matveev said. When they checked in, they had to show their have to know your loyalties are to us.” Their handshake deal was passports. Fedorov’s passport listed no home address. followed up with a written contract that said the Detroit hockey club would pay Ponomarev $35,000 for a successful defection of Sergei Fedorov or “Every person in Russia has to have a home address stamped in the . middle of his passport,” Matveev said. “If you don’t, it’s like you are a street person, a beggar, and the hotel wouldn’t let him stay there. We “And Michel, from that day on, was my guy. That’s how all this started.” tried to explain that Sergei Fedorov is a very famous hockey player, and that he was born in Pskov, but living in Moscow with me while the Red Not long afterward, Fedorov’s representative, Valery Matveev, and Lites’ Army is promising to get him his own apartment very soon. But Red Army rep, Michel Ponomarev, began to communicate. Both understood that wanted Sergei to sign the (military) officer papers first.” Fedorov was reluctant to leave the Soviet Union, even when his military service ended. The hotel referred Fedorov to the police for help. He worried about his family, his parents and brother, and what might “But the young officer at the desk in police headquarters didn’t want to happen to them if he defected like his best friend and linemate Alexander even talk with us,” Matveev said. “He took Sergei’s passport and said the Mogilny, whose family was harassed and faced some minor reprisals best place for him to stay is in jail at the police station. Sergei got very after he left. angry, and we tried to relax him. But Fedorov was still willing to listen. With Ponomarev facilitating, “We went to the store and bought a lot of beers, Heineken, and a carton Fedorov agreed to meet Lites in Chicago, just before Christmas in 1989, of Marlboro cigarettes. We came back to the police station and gave the when Fedorov’s Red Army club was competing in the Super Series of beer and cigarettes as a present for the police officer, and he gave us the exhibition games against NHL clubs. Lites was well-prepared, and he paper that Sergei needed immediately. was confident he could get Fedorov to walk away right then. “We had a nice vacation, but that’s when Sergei started thinking: ‘Get me He booked a suite at the luxurious Drake Hotel, a favorite shelter by out of here.’ ” Detroit hockey clubs when they were barnstorming around the NHL. The Soviets were staying at a hotel nearby. Ponomarev, who had flown in Keith Gave spent six years in the United States Army as a Russian from Montreal, arranged to have dinner with Fedorov. The dinner would linguist during the Cold War, then transitioned into a career as a sports be served by the Drake Hotel’s room service. writer covering hockey for the Detroit Free Press. His 15 years with the newspaper were the highlight of his 40-year career in the news industry, “Sergei walks in and he’s dressed in his best suit,” Lites said. “It was a which included stops at The Associated Press and Dallas Morning News. good Russian suit, especially for a 20-year-old kid. But really it looked Gave resides in Roscommon, where he continues to write. Follow him on like something he had gotten out of the Goodwill. It was shiny. But it Twitter @KeithGave. didn’t matter. He was a handsome guy, really good looking. And he was confident.” How to buy the book They talked for hours, during and after dinner. Lites showered him with What: "The Russian Five: A story of espionage, defection, bribery and all manner of Red Wings gear, including home and road jerseys with his courage" name on them. Then he got serious. Publisher: Gold Star Publishing, Ann Arbor. “I armed myself with all the things I thought would matter to the Release date: March 20. Russians,” he said. They included a copy of Steve Yzerman’s player contract. Lites was offering Fedorov the same terms. How to pre-order: Visit Amazon.com, Indiebound.org or other online book outlets, Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103835 Detroit Red Wings “He’s had some games -- the Chicago game he didn’t show up (minus-4 in the Jan. 25 game) -- and this isn’t a league you can afford to do that,” Blashill said. “It’s too hard of a league. Bert is a heck of a player and he ‘Bright spot’ Tyler Bertuzzi gives Red Wings hope for future can have success in that role. But he has to go out and grab it.” Red Wings at Ducks Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 4:24 p.m. ET March 15, 2018 Faceoff: 10 p.m. Friday, Honda Center, Anaheim, California TV/radio: FSD/97.1FM Looking for someone to make you feel optimistic about the Red Wings’ Outlook: The Ducks (35-24-12, 82 points) are one point out of a playoff future? spot and are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. … C Ryan Getzlaf has 41 assists and 51 points. Try forward Tyler Bertuzzi, given how he has played lately. Detroit News LOADED: 03.16.2018 Playing on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist Monday in San Jose, Bertuzzi continued his recent hot streak with assists on all three goals in the Red Wings’ 5-3 loss. That gave Bertuzzi seven points in the last seven games – not counting Thursday’s late game in Los Angeles – and was just the latest in a string of impressive games. “Tyler was excellent,” coach Jeff Blashill told reporters afterward. “He’s a real bright spot for us. He’s got a real bright future. He can be a heck of a player. “He needs to become a little stronger and a little faster. That’s going to happen this offseason. I believe he has the determination. “He’s been hurt the last couple of summers, but he’s got poise, he’s got hockey sense. He’s real good with the puck. There’s a real bright future there.” It’s been interesting to watch Bertuzzi evolve since being drafted 58th overall (second round) in 2013. Then, Bertuzzi was considered an agitator, a player who could disrupt opponents. But he was considered lacking on offense. But over the years Bertuzzi, 23, has developed into more of an offensive force, while still being an agitator – although he’s curbed that role, concentrating on being a dependable two-way player. Bertuzzi’s offensive game grew to the point where he was named playoff MVP last year when Grand Rapids won the Calder Cup. He had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 19 games. That followed a springtime trend for Bertuzzi in the American League playoffs. The year before, Bertuzzi had seven goals in nine Griffins playoff games, while in the 2015 playoffs Bertuzzi had 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 14 games. Blashill has always believed that Bertuzzi thrives in playoff situations because the games are suited to his grinding, tough-minded style. “When is a game is wide open, you don’t notice him as much,” Blashill said. “But when the game is a grind, you notice him more and certainly he makes tons of little plays.” Bertuzzi has strong hockey instincts, balancing what he might lack in speed and size. “He just has real good hockey smarts, and poise with a real hard approach,” Blashill said. “That’s a special combination and that is transferable to successful hockey. “Bert goes to the net hard, gets pucks out on the wall and he’s smart enough to play with real good players. He’s a good piece.” Blashill has put Bertuzzi with Zetterberg and Nyquist on multiple occasions since Bertuzzi was recalled from Grand Rapids in late December, and the line has had moments of effectiveness. Bertuzzi’s workmanlike approach has blended well with the skill of Zetterberg and Nyquist. Bertuzzi has mentioned on several occasions that playing with Zetterberg is a particular pleasure, because of the veteran’s approach on and off the ice. “Playing with Henrik Zetterberg, I feel real good, and obviously I’m happy where I am,” Bertuzzi said. Bertuzzi hit a bit of a lull late January and early February when some lackluster games, along with bad penalties, forced Blashill to cut Bertuzzi’s ice time, and even be a healthy scratch one game. But he is learning to be an NHL player, every game. 1103836 Detroit Red Wings Coreau made 18 saves Thursday and looked more in control than in any of his three starts.

Is Coreau doing enough to win the backup job behind Jimmy Howard Kings extend Red Wings’ losing streak to eight next season? It’s debatable. But at least Coreau is erasing that ugly start in Boston. Ted Kulfan, March 16, 2018 ■The “tank” continues. The losing streak lives another day, but give the Red Wings credit: They’re playing hard. This was, essentially, a 1-goal game, but the Red Wings simply don’t have the scoring and depth to compete most nights. It’s not March Madness around the Red Wings these days — more like March Sadness. Everyone knew when the schedule came out, this portion of the schedule would be extremely difficult. It’s proving to be. The march toward the bottom of the NHL — and better odds to land the first overall pick — continued in earnest Thursday with a 4-1 loss to the Detroit News LOADED: 03.16.2018 Los Angeles Kings. The loss extended the Red Wings’ winless streak to eight games (0-7-1), with difficult road games in Anaheim (Friday) and Colorado (Sunday) left to conclude the weekend. How is this March going? The deciding goal Thursday, with the score tied 1-1 in the third period, pretty much typifies how things are going for the Red Wings these days. Or, more accurately, going against the Red Wings (26-33-11). Kings forward Anze Kopitar was able to get the shaft of his stick on a fluttering puck while battling for a loose puck behind the net of goaltender Jared Coreau. The puck just got over the net and bounced off Coreau’s back and into the net, giving Los Angeles a 2-1 lead. A true fluky goal, a goal that you might not see over a course of the season. But, not surprisingly the way the season is ending for the Red Wings, it happened against them. “I don’t know, really, if we can play any differently,” said captain Henrik Zetterberg to Fox Sports Detroit afterward. “We work hard, battle well, we’re not getting goals (for) us and getting tough goals against.” Gustav Nyquist (power play) scored the Red Wings goal, tying the score 1-1 45 seconds into the third period on the power play. Paul Ladue, Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli and Dustin Brown (empty net) scored for the Kings (39-26-6) Toffoli squashed any hopes of a Red Wings comeback with his 23rd goal with just 90 seconds left in regulation, putting in a rebound of Drew Doughty’s shot. “There wasn’t a lot of offense out there, it was tough to come by,” coach Jeff Blashill told FSD. “We competed real hard. Obviously it’s not a 4-1 game, it was a one-goal game.” The Red Wings appeared to get the lift they needed on Nyquist’s 18th goal. Niklas Kronwall took a shot from the point, and Nyquist’s redirect glanced off the post. But Nyquist was there to tap the rebound past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (20 saves). With the loss and Toronto’s victory, the Red Wings were mathematically eliminated from earning one of the three automatic Atlantic Division playoff spots The only way the Red Wings can make the playoff is by virtue of being a wild card — although being 17 points behind with 12 games remaining, it’s likely only a matter days before that route will close, too. Here are some other observations: ■This was another good game for Tyler Bertuzzi. The Kings played one of their trademark physical games, scrapping for every inch on the ice, and Bertuzzi wasn’t shy against the rugged Kings. Bertuzzi didn’t back down against defenseman Dion Phaneuf in a scrum in front of Coreau, and shot right back up later in the game when Phaneuf drilled him in the corner and went right back after Phaneuf. Bertuzzi continued to be around the net, played well on Henrik Zetterberg’s line, and has arguably been the Red Wings’ best player on this road trip. ■Coreau has settled down after a difficult opener in Boston two weeks ago. 1103837 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings at Los Angeles Kings live chat

By Ansar Khan

GAME INFORMATION * Who: Detroit Red Wings (26-32-11) at Los Angeles Kings (38-26-6) * Where: Staples Center in Los Angeles * When: 10 p.m. tonight * TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus/NBC Sports Network * Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM and Red Wings radio network * Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram * Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage Jared Coreau will start for the Red Wings, returning to the site of his first NHL shutout on Jan. 5, 2017, when he stopped 34 shots in a 4-0 victory. Coreau has made two starts with Detroit this season, getting pulled during the second period in Boston and losing 3-2 at Columbus. The Red Wings will try to snap their seven-game winless streak (0-6-1) against a Kings club battling for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Frans Nielsen returns to the lineup after sitting out three games due to a concussion. Tyler Bertuzzi is coming off a career- high three points (all assists) in Monday's 5-3 loss at San Jose. Anze Kopitar leads L.A. with 28 goals and 76 points. Defenseman Dion Phaneuf has three goals and three assists in 14 games after being acquired from Ottawa. The Kings won the first meeting between the teams, 4-1 at on Nov. 28. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103838 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings lose 8th straight on 3 third-period goals in Los Angeles

By The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Anze Kopitar broke a third-period tie with a fluke goal and the Los Angeles Kings beat Detroit 4-1 on Thursday night to hand the Red Wings their eighth consecutive defeat. Los Angeles moved two points in front of idle Anaheim for third place in the Pacific Division. Paul LaDue, Tyler Toffoli and Dustin Brown also scored for the Kings, who are one point behind second-place San Jose. Jonathan Quick made 20 saves as Los Angeles won for the sixth time in nine games. Gustav Nyquist scored for Detroit, and Jared Coreau stopped 18 shots. The Kings got a bit lucky to go ahead 2-1 at 8:22 of the third. Kopitar and Brown were battling with the Red Wings for control of the puck along the wall behind the Red Wings net when Kopitar flicked the puck up high. It landed on the roof of the net, trickled over the crossbar and dropped on the back of an unsuspecting Coreau before lightly falling off his jersey and beyond the goal line when it hit the ice. No matter, it counted as Kopitar's 29th goal of the season. Toffoli scored on a rebound with 1:30 left for his 23rd goal and Brown added an empty-netter. Detroit tied it at 1 just 45 seconds into the third period on a power play. Nyquist took a long pass from Frans Nielsen near the net. Nyquist's first shot hit the post but ricocheted back to him and he tapped it in for his 18th goal. Neither team could score in the second period. The Kings came up empty despite three power plays. Los Angeles opened the scoring at 8:55 into the first after Kopitar won a faceoff in the Detroit end. Kopitar passed the puck out to Alex Iafallo and he quickly sent it to LaDue, who slapped it by Coreau. LaDue was recalled from the minors Jan. 29 but hadn't been active since Feb. 13. It was his third goal of the season. The Red Wing play at Anaheim on Friday, while Kings host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103839 Edmonton Oilers Slepyshev took another step back when scratched against the Sharks after some good games, unless he was sick or he’s ailing and the club isn’t saying. His contract’s up; do the Oilers resign him or trade his rights Nugent-Hopkins can relate to Oilers teammate Klefbom, injured shoulder at the draft? "You can play with it, but it’s a matter of how sore and how dangerous it This ’n that is to the point of it getting weak" Oilers assistant coach Jim Johnson’s father has passed away, and he wasn’t behind the bench for the Sharks’ game. Fellow Oilers assistant Ian Herbers, who normally sits in the press box during games, took his Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal spot on the bench. Oilers defenceman Kris Russell, who has been playing with a sore left hand (shot block) for a while now, took another one off the mitt against Ryan Nugent-Hopkins knows exactly what Oscar Klefbom is going the Sharks. through with his shoulder injury. The Oilers signed Russian right-winger Kirill Maksimov, their 2017 fifth- Nugent-Hopkins had major surgery in his second NHL season, the rounder who has 33 goals and 73 points in 59 games for the OHL lockout year of 2012-13, after initially hurting it in his rookie year when he Niagara Ice Dogs. The six-foot-two, 195-pound forward is 19th in league played 62 games and was runner-up in Calder Trophy voting to the points. Colorado Avalanche’s Gabriel Landeskog. Milan Lucic has one goal in his last 67 shots since scoring against “You can play through a shoulder problem, but when you leave the rink, Montreal Dec. 23, and about a dozen posts. Will this nightmare ever you’re really sore,” said the 24-year-old. “I played my first couple of years end? He was counted on to be an automatic top six winger, but he has with it before I had surgery for my torn labrum, and looking back, maybe I seven points in his last 34 games. And he’s -18. He played only 13:11 should have had it earlier. You can play with it, but it’s a matter of how against the Sharks, just 3:30 in the third period. sore and how dangerous it is to the point of it getting weak.” Logan Couture continued his terrific career run against the Oilers with He admitted guarding against getting hit on the bad shoulder. two points in the Sharks’ shootout win on Wednesday. He has 18 goals and 29 points in 29 career games against Edmonton. “You over-think things and put yourselves in spots you shouldn’t,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “There’s no tip-toeing around this. I don’t know if it’s the The Sharks lost first-line winger Joonas Donskai in the third period with a same thing with Oscar, but guys who have bad shoulders, it’s a never- shoulder injury when he whacked into the boards in a puck-battle with ending. Knock on wood, I haven’t had any other trouble. It’s about Ethan Bear. Donskai, who was a handful all night long, had shoulder maintenance and keeping the shoulders as strong as possible,” he said. problems last year. Sens unlikely to move Hoffman Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.16.2018 Who is the ideal winger for Connor McDavid? Is it the Ottawa Senators’ much-underrated Mike Hoffman? The winger the Oilers will see next Thursday when they wind up their upcoming four-game road trip in the nation’s capital following games in the southeastern U.S. against the Florida Panthers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Carolina Hurricanes. Yes, they’d love to acquire Hoffman and may be pushing the issue, but the Sens aren’t crazy about trading him. And talk of Nugent-Hopkins for Hoffman is probably off-base. That would be a lateral move for the Oilers, no gain there. The 28-year-old Hoffman makes $5.1 million for two more years, and sources say he’s not on the block because Senators general manager Pierre Dorion likes the chemistry he has with No. 1 centre Matt Duchene and doesn’t want to mess with that. They listened to lots of offers at the trade deadline and didn’t move him. Ottawa has precious few offensive wingers. Mark Stone is their No. 1, and Ryan Dzingel, who’s got 20 goals this year, is the other, but he hasn’t built up any hockey creed that he can do that year after year. Dorion did watch the Oilers’ games in Calgary and against San Jose this week, but he’s also out west scouting juniors for the draft. New appreciation for the wing Nugent-Hopkins has a different appreciation for wingers now that he’s one of the breed. Centres have more defensive responsibility, but wingers are dealing in close quarters along the boards. Nugent-Hopkins is getting the hang of that. “As a winger, those pucks come ringing around the boards to you and there’s a lot less you can do with it,” he said. “As a centreman, you have backhand, forehand, but with the winger, you have to make the play and there’s no two ways about it, and I have a new respect for all the wingers with guys (checkers) closing down on you. “Everybody’s so good at pinching you off (the wall) and San Jose’s so good at it.” Rattie called up The Oilers have called up Ty Rattie, their leading minor-league scorer (21 goals) for a second time from Bakersfield. They’re carrying an extra forward, Anton Slepyshev, for the four-game road trip, and it didn’t appear anyone got hurt in the loss to San Jose, but we’ll wait and see. McDavid was the only one banged up when he plowed into the end boards when checked by the Sharks’ Justin Braun. He got up shaking his left hand and maybe he got a knock on his head, but he finished the game. 1103840 Edmonton Oilers Bettman recently dealt with the idea of more teams in the playoffs. “Not from my standpoint and not from most of the governors I’ve talked to,” he said recently on his tour through Vancouver, Edmonton and Jones: My plan expands playoffs of expanded NHL to 20 teams Calgary. “We think what we have right now is pretty terrific. The regular season is Terry Jones compelling, exciting unpredictable and we have great races. “We’re going to have teams that make the playoffs by a point or two. I think what we’ve got now is pretty good. And I believe most of our clubs With the expectation the National Hockey League will expand to 32 feel the same way. The feedback we get from fans from the research we teams by adding the Seattle Totems (I loved that name in the old do is similar. I don’t forsee a change.” with the Edmonton Flyers, the Portland Buckaroos, etc.), there’s talk of expanding the Stanley Cup playoffs. But Gary, they haven’t read the Jones Plan yet. The idea of 16 teams in and 16 teams out isn’t exciting general Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.16.2018 managers when it comes to job security. But who wants five rounds of playoffs ending in July or seasons starting on Labour Day? I doubt many would want to depart from the basic concept of best-of- seven series formats. Some of us remember best-of-three and best-of- five first round series after the merger. To have a top team put together a 100-point regular season and then get eliminated by a hot goalie in two or three games (with only a couple of home gates) just doesn’t fly. So how would you do it? First, you’d want to decide how many teams should qualify for the playoffs. My number would be 20 of 32. Twenty-four would only leave eight teams out and half the teams would have their playoff positions clinched by Valentine’s Day. But 20 does work in a bracket-style playoff format. There have been suggestions such as a play-in game like the one introduced in major league or even two play-in-games on the Tuesday after the season ends with the winners proceeding into normal seven-game series against the first- and second-place teams. But with that format, there would be no home playoff game for half those teams. While there’s plenty of potential for a Bobby Thompson/Ralph Branca memory-maker in there, playing 82 games to make the playoffs and be bounced out in one game on the road isn’t much like being in the playoffs for a fan or the team. My solution would put the top six teams East and West in traditional best- of-seven first-round series. You’d need to play 1st versus 6th, 2nd versus 5th and 3rd versus 4th. You’d put the next four East and West, in best-of-three series with the first game at the home of the lowest-finishing team and Game 2 and Game 3 (if necessary) at the team finishing higher. It would mean 7th vs 10th and 8th vs 9th. The two winners of the best-of-three series would then meet in another best of three series with the same format while the top six are in mid- series of their best-of-seven series. You’d end up with three winners of the best-of-seven series and the one survivor of the best-of-threes to proceed to the second-round best-of- seven series, the traditional best-of-seven Eastern and Western Conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final. Like the teams in the best-of-seven first-round series, the team coming out of the best-of-threes would need to win four games to do that. So that’s fair. The number of flights would be the same as a six-game series. So that’s fair. You could argue that it would be more advantageous to finish seventh than sixth because the sixth-place team would have to beat the first- place finisher, and the seventh-place team would have to beat the 10th place team and the 8th or 9th place team. That’s a flaw. But the seventh- place team’s post-season could be over in two games (one at home) so you’d still probably prefer to finish sixth. So, there you go Gary Bettman. Your new playoff format. What’s that Mr. Commissioner? 1103841 Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.16.2018

Nugent-Hopkins looks as good as ever after rib injury

Robert Tychkowski

If this keeps up, everyone on the Oilers will want broken ribs. Players are supposed to struggle when they return to action after missing a quarter of the season with a lengthy injury, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks like he never missed a shift. Those 18 games on the shelf didn’t seem to leave a speck of rust or dust on him at all. He scored a goal in his first game back and already has three goals and two assists in the six games since his return. Playing on Connor McDavid’s line for the last three games helps, as the Oilers experiment with the possibility of him being a steady left winger there next season, but you have to make the most of your opportunities and he’s doing exactly that. “Our first game together I changed my game a little bit and it wasn’t clicking right away so I just went back to playing the way I play,” said Nugent-Hopkins, who scored the 3-2 goal for Edmonton in the third period Wednesday. “We read off each other well. Early in the game he set me up a couple of times for nice chances. Same with last game in Calgary, we found each other. Its’ starting to click pretty well. “Obviously it’s fun playing with him because he’s a different level player. Whoever gets to play with him is going to be enjoying it. We’re finding each other and playing well.” NET FRONT PRESENCE got a rare start for the Oilers after watching Cam Talbot play seven straight. It was just his second game in the last 16 games, so he has to enjoy them when he can. “You try to make the stops,” said Montoya, who saved 36 of 40 shots in the 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose. “I felt good. I feel like I gave the team a chance. “This is the kind of team that’s going to score goals so as a goalie that’s a great feeling. If you give up one or two you know your team is capable so you just focus on the next shot. That’s all I really concerned myself with.” Head coach Todd McLellan thought Montoya played more than well enough for the win. “Our backup goaltender gives us a performance like that, I thought we should be able to close it off.” GOING AWAY PRESENT In what might have been his last home game before undergoing shoulder surgery and shutting it down for the season, defenceman Oscar Klefbom notched a goal and added an assist against the Sharks. It was nice to get a couple of points, but he said he would have much rather gone out with a win. “It was fun to be able to help the team,” he said. “I think I’ve played many games better than I played tonight, but the puck went in and I created some offence. I’m very happy for that but it’s tough, I’d rather not have any goals and win a game. It was a tough one.” With three leads on home ice, Klefbom says there is no excuse for letting this one get away. But the Oilers were sloppy and careless with the puck at times and it cost them dearly. “San Jose is a very good team that will take advantage of it,” said Klefbom. “It was a tough one. They’re a good team, but we have to find a way to win this game. We’re at Rogers, we had the lead three times, we should be able to get two points.” The coach agrees. “We turned a few pucks over which allowed them to get back into it,” said McLellan. “Just a few individuals with some tough nights that created some turnovers.”

NUMBERS GAME Leon Draisaitl had a tough night for the Oilers. He was on the ice for all four goals against. He did go 12-5 in the faceoff circle, though … Connor McDavid played 22:07 and had two assists, but didn’t register a shot on net. He is five points back of Nikita Kucherov for the scoring lead. 1103842 Edmonton Oilers Ottawa signed goalie Matt O'Connor, $850,000 in possible bonuses Montreal signed defenceman Tom Parisi, $415,000 in potential bonuses Lowetide: The Oilers and college free agents Edmonton signed defenceman Matt Benning, $300,000 in potential bonuses

Edmonton signed goalie Shane Starrett, $215,000 in potential bonus By Allan Mitchell Mar 15, 2018 dollars Calgary signed defenceman Josh Healey, $132,500 in possible bonuses In theory, signing college free agents is an intelligent way to add to the Toronto signed centre Casey Bailey, $25,000 in potential bonus money pro depth chart. For just money (and an entry-level deal that takes one slot on the 50-man roster), an NHL team acquire a useful plug-and-play Calgary signed defenceman Kenney Morrison, nothing past a signing option in an area of need. The Oilers have been using this area of free bonus agency more in recent seasons, but are they getting value? Montreal signed goalie Charlie Lindgren, nothing in extra bonuses Oilers college free-agent signings Edmonton signed goalie Nick Ellis, no bonus beyond signing bonus During the period where the Oilers were rebuilding under Steve Tambellini and then Craig MacTavish, the quality of the group being Vancouver signed defenceman Troy Stecher, nothing after signing bonus signed was high (Justin Schultz representing a high-water mark) and the Edmonton signed winger Patrick Russell, no added bonuses club graduated Taylor Fedun, Schultz, Andrew Miller and Jordan Oesterle. Only Schultz' deal featured a major bonus number ($2.85 Winnipeg signed centre Brandon Tanev, no additional bonus money million available for each of his first two seasons, via CapFriendly), none of the other deals from 2011-2014 were worth more than $1 million a Vancouver signed goalie Michael Garteig, no additional bonus dollars year in the ELC. Vancouver signed centre Griffen Molino, no bonus beyond signing March 8, 2011: Oilers sign Taylor Fedun from Princeton Edmonton signed forward Joe Gambardello, no bonuses beyond signing March 19, 2011: Oilers sign Tanner House from Maine bonus March 31, 2011: Oilers sign Hunter Tremblay from University of New Edmonton leads the group with six signings. Toronto, Calgary, and Brunswick Vancouver have three apiece, Montreal has two and Winnipeg and Ottawa one. The Oilers were also close in the Spencer Foo signing, so I July 1, 2012: Oilers sign Justin Schultz from Wisconsin think it's reasonable to suggest the team has been more aggressive than the others in the group when it comes to signing college free agents. April 17, 2013: Oilers sign Andrew Miller from Yale How much success have they enjoyed? For lack of a better metric, I'll list March 31, 2014: Oilers sign Jordan Oesterle from Western Michigan the teams by games played procured via this method. Peter Chiarelli took over the business in 2015, signing his first college Edmonton 240 (Drake Caggiula and Matt Benning) free agent almost one year to the day from his arrival in Edmonton. None Vancouver: 133 (Troy Stecher, Griffen Molino) of the bonus outer markers come close to Schultz and only two contracts during the Chiarelli regime feature bonuses that are in excess of Winnipeg: 104 (Brandon Tanev) $250,000. Montreal: 16 (Charlie Lindgren) April 7, 2016: Oilers sign Nick Ellis from Providence. Nothing beyond signing bonus Toronto: 13 (Casey Bailey) May 6, 2016: Oilers sign Drake Caggiula from North Dakota. Potential Ottawa: 1 (Matt O'Connor) bonuses of $425,000 times two Calgary: 0 May 9, 2016: Oilers sign Patrick Russell from St. Cloud State. Nothing The Oilers have two players who arrived in the NHL, reflecting both their beyond signing bonus commitment to signing college free agents and perhaps to roster August 27, 2016: Oilers sign Matt Benning from Northeastern. Potential weaknesses that allowed quick advancement. That's not necessarily a bonuses of $300,000 in second year negative, NHL teams should capitalize on any and all advantages, and in the case of both Caggiula and Benning, the new arena, the McDavid March 28, 2017: Oilers sign Joe Gambardella from UMass-Lowell. draft and opportunity to advance surely had a part in things. Nothing beyond signing bonus Is it worth it? April 10, 2017: Oilers sign Shane Starrett from Air Force. Potential bonuses of $132,500 in year one and $82,500 in year two The bigger question about all of this: Is it worth the roster spots? Edmonton has 12 per cent (more when Colin Larkin is included next March 4, 2018: Oilers sign Colin Larkin from UMass-Boston (Div. 3). year) tied up in college free agents. Is the organization getting value? Nothing beyond signing bonus I think the answer is yes—for now. One of the reasons Caggiula and The latest signing, Colin Larkin, is from a Division-III school and Benning came to Edmonton was the quality of the depth chart. Benning represents what might be a disturbing trend for the Oilers in college free signing in Boston (his drafting team) would have certainly involved agency: Is the organization getting bullied out of contending for the top- playing time in Providence and who knows how long it would take to end prospects? Or did the team take a chance on a player who can overcome the incumbents with the big club. At some point, the club thread the needle? As a point of reference, Division-III NCAA players should be procuring its own complementary talent via the draft, giving who make the NHL are a fairly rare item (Guy Hebert, Keith Aucoin and them more control over the second contract. Kurtis McLean are three such men). I would rate Caggiula as a fourth-line NHL talent—your mileage may vary Since 2015, when Chiarelli took over the club and Connor McDavid but among forwards with over 500 minutes at 5-on-5 this season he arrived via the draft, NHL teams have been very active in college free ranks No. 281 in scoring with 1.15/60. There are 279 top9 forwards in the agency. Among the seven Canadian teams, there have been 19 men NHL at any given time, I'm comfortable listing Caggiula just outside. That signed between 2015-2017. (Note: Although this list has been carefully isn't a putdown, there are 43 less productive forwards offensively this constructed, I cannot claim it is a complete list of college free-agent year who have played 500 or more minutes. signings in this time period). Benning is a solid third-pairing defenceman based on my metrics (Corsi Toronto signed forward Trevor Moore, $2.55 million in available bonuses and qual comp), your mileage may vary here, too. Either way, coach Todd McLellan has employed both men over two seasons and that's Toronto signed goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo, $1.7 million in possible bonus where the rubber hits the road. It is my opinion the investment, both cap dollars and 50-man, has been worth it during this transition period. Calgary signed forward Spencer Foo, $1.7 million in possible bonuses UMASS BOSTON: AN UNLIKELY SPRINGBOARD TO AN NHL Edmonton signed forward Drake Caggiula, $850,000 in possible bonus CONTRACT. HTTPS://T.CO/G5PCNFVM6F money — FLUTO SHINZAWA (@GLOBEFLUTO) MARCH 10, 2018 Betting against the Edmonton Oilers has been good for business since 2006. It would be easy to look at the signing of Larkin as a wasted spot on the 50-man list (not the world's biggest crime, but those slots have value). Larkin has played three games for the Bakersfield Condors since the end of his college career and has two shots on goal. There's every chance we never see him at the NHL level, a possibility that extends to Joe Gambardella, Shane Starrett and others, too. That said, if the reason you're down on the signing is his D-III career, I think it's an unwise reaction to the signing. Larkin may be that unique skill set that slipped through the cracks and the Oilers are taking a chance on a 6-foot-3 centre with speed and some skill. I can get behind the idea behind the procurement. On a larger scale, at some point Edmonton won't be able to afford this kind of commitment, due to a flourishing farm team producing talents at all positions annually. That is not an issue at this time. The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103843 Florida Panthers

Cats bounce back against Bruins 3-0 after bad loss to Senators

BY WALTER VILLA

It was 30 for 34, and it was a huge win for the Florida Panthers. Backup goalie James Reimer — No. 34 — got a start on his 30th birthday and helped put the Panthers back on track with a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at the BB&T Center. After a bad home loss to the out-of-contention Ottawa Senators on Monday night, the Panthers atoned with goals by Aaron Ekblad (his 14th), Nick Bjugstad (16) and Vincent Trocheck (a team-high 27). Reimer, who has won five of his past six games, stepped in for starter Roberto Luongo, who was rested. The Panthers improved to 16-4-1 since Jan. 30 and now have 77 points. They trail the New Jersey Devils by three points for the first Eastern Conference wild-card playoff berth. The Panthers trail the Columbus Blue Jackets by two points for the second wild-card spot, and Florida has two games in hand on both rivals. Evgenii Dadonov set up the first two goal with assists for the Panthers, who have won nine of their past 10 home games. Bjugstad also added an assist as both players remained hot. In his past 21 games, Dadonov has 25 points. In Bjugstad’s past 11 games, he has 13 points. The Panthers caught a break when the Bruins (96 points) rested starting goalie Tuukka Rask, who is 20-3-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average in his career against Florida. The Bruins were also without defensemen Zdeno Chara (upper-body injury) and Charlie McAvoy (knee), center Patrice Bergeron (foot) and left winger Jake DeBrusk (upper body). Miami Herald LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103844 Florida Panthers Reimer’s shutout was the third of the season for the 30-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday night.

“If that’s what happens on my birthday,” Reimer said, “I’ll take it every Goalie James Reimer backstops Panthers to victory over Bruins day.” The Panthers have now won nine of their last 10 home games and still Matthew DeFranks have not lost consecutive home games since early December. They erased the taste of Monday’s 5-3 loss to Ottawa and sluggish wins in two previous games with Thursday’s victory. Games in hand in the NHL are insurance policies, cautious cushions that “We got to remember why we’re in the position we’re in,” Boughner said can spin a host of underlying problems. They could usher in comfort before the game. “It’s because we’re committed. We’re structured. We’re when there should be none. They can welcome complacency where detailed and then we had some great individual performances on top of there should be none. But most of all, they create a condensed schedule that. We got to get back to that.” in the season’s final month, when bodies are fatigued and minds tired. The Bruins iced a wounded roster. First-line center Patrice Bergeron and Starting with Thursday night’s 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins, the Florida top rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy are in the middle of extended Panthers began a grueling final 24 days of the season in which the team absences due to injury. Forward Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Zdeno plays 15 games. They play on back-to-back days four different times. Chara got hurt in Boston’s last game and missed Thursday. Starting They don’t have two days between games the rest of the way. Florida goaltender Tuukka Rask sat while backup Anton Khudobin played. entered the day with the fewest games played in the NHL. The Panthers play the Bruins three more times the rest of the season, Behind 46 saves from backup goaltender James Reimer and goals from the result of a scheduling quirk and a rescheduled game from January. Aaron Ekblad, Nick Bjugstad and Vincent Trocheck, the Panthers rebounded from a loss Monday to capture their 16th win in 21 games “I think we got to treat it as sort of a mini-playoff series,” Boughner said. since the All-Star break. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.16.2018 Florida is now three points behind New Jersey for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand on the Devils. With Columbus’ win over Philadelphia, the Blue Jackets and Flyers are tied with 81 points for third in the Metropolitan Division. A tiebreaker means Columbus still holds the first wild card spot in the conference, four points ahead of Florida, though the Panthers have three games in hand. “Those games are useless if you don’t win them,” Reimer said. “We just got to keep taking care of our own games and see where the chips fall come early April.” The squished schedule can create headaches for Panthers coach Bob Boughner and his coaching staff. How do they handle 38-year-old goalie Roberto Luongo’s playing time? Can they afford to lessen the load on Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck, two of the league’s most used forwards? And can they do this while closing in on their second playoff berth in three seasons? Reimer provided a big answer on Thursday night. Reimer has been largely a hidden figure since Luongo returned from a groin injury last month. Reimer played just two of the previous 11 games entering the game against Boston. He won three of his last four starts despite posting a .875 save percentage and 4.02 goals against average. But Boughner stressed Thursday morning that Reimer and Luongo would split upcoming games as the Panthers play three times in four days, including next week’s back-to-back in Montreal and Ottawa. At a point in the season when even a short losing streak or uneven play can torpedo a team’s postseason hopes, Reimer would still hold a key to Florida’s playoff hopes. “I think it’s a relief for us, for Louie and for Reims,” Boughner said. “We have total confidence in him, we always have. When it’s his turn to play, obviously it’s nice to see a performance like that.” Reimer has been inconsistent this season. When Luongo suffered a hand injury in October, Reimer couldn’t carry the Panthers, even being yanked in consecutive losses to Tampa Bay and Columbus. When Luongo went down with his groin injury, Reimer led the Panthers on a five-game winning streak in December. He’s displayed his value as a backup goalie. He’s also showed why he’s a backup goalie. On Thursday night, Reimer flashed why he could be so important for the Panthers down the stretch. Against one of the league’s best teams — although missing a handful of key pieces — Reimer shut them down. “Fantastic, one of his best games of the year,” Boughner said. “We needed that. We needed a big-time goaltender performance. He looked comfortable and he battled hard and made some big saves at the right times for us.” Boston pushed in the first period with 14 shots. Reimer saved them all. Boston pushed in the second period with 12 shots. Reimer saved them all. When the Bruins earned a third-period power play, Reimer made two big stops on Torey Krug slap shots. He stoned Danton Heinen on a deflection in front of the net. “He was our best player,” Barkov said. “He was unbelievable. Shutout and win for us against Boston, it was a tough game. He got us a win.” 1103845 Florida Panthers

Panthers' Frank Vatrano says first game against Boston is 'just another hockey game'

Matthew DeFranks

Ask Panthers forward Frank Vatrano, and he’ll say Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins is just another hockey game. Whether you believe him or not is up to you. Vatrano will face his former team for the first time since Boston traded him last month to Florida for a third-round pick. In Boston, Vatrano was buried on the depth chart, overtaken by young forwards like Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk. He played just 25 games, scoring two goals. “It’s just another hockey game,” Vatrano said. “I have some good friends over in that room. It’s just another hockey game. I want to go out there and prove I can play. That’s pretty much what I want to do, hopefully get a win.” The Bruins were the only organization Vatrano ever knew. When he was a teenager growing up in East Longmeadow, Mass., (about 90 miles west of Boston), Vatrano played for the Boston Jr. Bruins. He went to college at UMass (Amherst) for two seasons before signing with Boston as an undrafted free agent. As a local product, Vatrano said the decision to sign with the Bruins “was kind of a no brainer.” Vatrano will play his third game for the Panthers on Thursday night, the first of four games down the stretch against Boston. Vatrano has primarily played on Florida’s second line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Vincent Trocheck. He has one goal. “When he got in, he sort of meshed right in,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “Offensively, playing with Troch and Huby, not easy to jump right in with those two guys. His offensive instincts are good. He makes himself available and gets himself open and makes great plays in close. Obviously, his shot is a big asset.” The second-line role was a stark difference to his place in Boston. With the Bruins, Vatrano was often a healthy scratch, but wasn’t exposed to waivers since he would have been plucked by another team. So he remained in press box purgatory. When he did play, Heinen and DeBrusk claimed the offensive roles in Boston and Vatrano was relegated to a fourth-line grinder. But Vatrano didn’t fit in with the defensive style of a fourth line. “Guys ended up, I don’t know if passing is the right word, but I guess we’ll use that one, and started to take his minutes,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “And then with Frank, I don’t know if he was a fit on the fourth line. Once he got knocked out of those second and third line roles, we liked our fourth line, [Tim] Schaller, [Noel] Acciari, [Sean] Kuraly. So he went from the third line to out of lineup unfortunately for Frank.” Vatrano averaged just 9:28 of ice time per game in Boston, a paltry figure for a player who scored 39 goals in 43 AHL games with Providence. In his first game with Florida on Saturday against the Rangers, Vatrano logged a career-high 19:05. Cassidy also said a slew of injuries derailed Vatrano’s progress. When he was traded to Florida, Vatrano missed eight games with a high-ankle sprain. “Then guys solidify themselves in the lineup and welcome to pro hockey type of thing,” Cassidy said. “That’s how it goes. I wish Frank personal success, hopefully not tonight, but tomorrow or their next game.” Vatrano added: “The Bruins gave me a chance to live out my dream and play in the NHL, so I’ll be forever thankful for that. They gave me a chance to play with some pretty good guys and they developed me in the AHL. When it was my time to come up, they had me come up and I was up there ever since.” After he was traded in February, Vatrano was able to go back to the hotel to tell his then-Boston teammates about the transaction. “I said ‘See you guys four times here down the stretch.’ It’s just another hockey game, but it’s nice when you’re playing against some familiar faces. … I’m sure I’ll be getting an earful from some of the guys over there, so I’m excited to hear.” Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103846 Florida Panthers James Reimer Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo, James Reimer likely to split next four games for Scratches: Micheal Haley, Connor Brickley, Radim Vrbata, Alexander Panthers Petrovic Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.16.2018 Matthew DeFranks

As the Florida Panthers begin a condensed schedule to end their season, coach Bob Boughner will try to pencil in off days for goaltender Roberto Luongo, including potentially Thursday night against the Boston Bruins. Luongo, 38, has started the last five games for Florida, and 10 of the last 11. Since Feb. 17, when Luongo returned from a groin injury, backup goalie James Reimer has only played twice. On Thursday morning, Boughner said the Panthers coaching staff hadn’t decided whether Luongo or Reimer would face the Bruins. But Luongo was the only goalie at morning skate and he stayed late, suggesting Reimer would start against Boston. “It’s all going to be scheduling,” Boughner said. “We know that we have an afternoon game Saturday and one of them’s going to play Monday and one’s got to play back-to-back against Ottawa. It’s about trying to get Louie some rest here and that’s out thought process today if Louie doesn’t go, he gets an afternoon game against Edmonton and another game Monday where he gets some rest.” The rest of the season, the Panthers have four sets of back-to-back games and zero games with two days of rest in between. With Saturday’s afternoon game against Edmonton, the Panthers will start a three games in four days stretch. They play at Montreal on Monday and at Ottawa on Tuesday. Luongo has missed significant time this season, both with a hand injury (six games) and a groin injury (27 games) but has been stellar when he has played. This season, he has a .926 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average. But he allowed five goals on 25 shots during Monday night’s loss to Ottawa. Reimer, who turned 30 on Thursday, has won three of his last four starts despite a .875 save percentage and 4.02 GAA in those games. Petrovic up in the air Boughner said defenseman Alexander Petrovic (lower-body) would be a game-time decision on Thursday night. Petrovic did not practice on Wednesday. “He’s going to test it out this morning and we’ll know more after the skate kind of thing,” Boughner said. “If need be, we put him out for warm up and make a decision after that.” If Petrovic can’t play, it’ll be the first time out of the lineup in the last 45 games for the 26-year-old. Ian McCoshen would take his place on the third pairing with MacKenzie Weegar. Bruised Bruins Boston will be without five lineup regulars on Thursday night, with forwards Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk out, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy sidelined and goaltender Tukka Rask backing up Anton Khudobin. Defenseman Torey Krug will be a game-time decision, Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. Like the Panthers, the Bruins have played the fewest games in the league. Both teams have 15 games remaining in the final 24 days of the season. Thursday’s projected lineup against Boston, 7:30 p.m. Evgenii Dadonov – Aleksander Barkov – Nick Bjugstad Jonathan Huberdeau - Vincent Trocheck – Frank Vatrano Jamie McGinn – Jared McCann – Denis Malgin Maxim Mamin – Derek MacKenzie – Colton Sceviour Keith Yandle – Aaron Ekblad Mike Matheson – Mark Pysyk Ian McCoshen – MacKenzie Weegar 1103847 Los Angeles Kings

Kings get over-the-top win against Red Wings 4-1

By CURTIS ZUPKE

Judging by the look on his face, the most surprised person in the arena was Anze Kopitar. That's not often said of the goal scorer, but his game winner Thursday was probably the oddest of his career. It was more like a random shot in a pickup street hockey game: Chasing the play behind the Detroit Red Wings' net, Kopitar got the shaft of his stick on a fluttering puck, had it ramp off his arm before it popped up over the crossbar and in off of 6- foot-6 goalie Jared Coreau. "It was definitely one of the strangest ones that I've scored," Kopitar said. The play unfolded so slowly that when Kopitar went to the front of the net to whack in the puck he saw it trickle in, like a coin deposited in a kid's money bank, for the deciding score in a 4-1 win in front of 18,230 fans at Staples Center. "When plays like that happen, it's kind of in slow motion," Kopitar said. "I was right at the post and seeing it tumble and I was like, 'What's going to happen? Can I get a stick on it?' And then I saw it roll down his back and I started celebrating." It could have been the hockey gods repaying the Kings for a goal off the netting by Detroit in a 2014 game. "Well, this one's legal, right?" Kopitar said. But it was really the Kings working their way through a sluggish second period, killing off a penalty to start the third and finishing off a game Red Wings team with third-period goals by Tyler Toffoli and Dustin Brown, on an empty net. Rookie defenseman Paul LaDue also pitched in with the game's first goal, in his first game since Feb. 13. His wrist shot from the right side found the net at 8:55 of the first period. "It was unbelievable," LaDue said. "This is my first playoff run here, so it's something special and I've got to take a lot of things away from it." LaDue's high-sticking penalty on Jonathan Ericsson at the end of the second period facilitated Detroit's tying goal. LaDue's stick didn't appear to hit Ericsson in the face, but it was high, and the Red Wings converted 45 seconds into the third period on Gustav Nyquist's putback of his own tip on Niklas Kronwall's shot. But, overall, the Kings like LaDue's offensive instincts. Kings coach John Stevens praised LaDue, among other depth players, for toiling in practice. "They've worked extremely hard to stay sharp so they can come in and help us," Stevens said. "It's a credit to Paulie and the work he's done that he was able to come in and have a game like that, that's a hard, fast game, and be a good player." Toffoli went after the puck amid several Red Wings and knocked it in with 90 seconds remaining for his 23rd goal. Kopitar's two assists tied his career high at 51. His goal was his team-leading 29th. "Just one of those games where you've just got to stay with it, and hope you catch a break," Stevens said. "Obviously we caught a break there. But it's not often you see a play like that. Maybe it helped us out [that] goalie's so tall. But it was a hard game, and I thought our best players led the way tonight, and Kopi's certainly one of them." LA Times: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103848 Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ Tanner Pearson on a roll after goal-scoring drought

By ROBERT MORALES | Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — Tanner Pearson recently went 15 games without scoring a goal, but the Kings forward has scored four in his past six games. That has him smiling. “I think when you do the right things well, you kind of get rewarded; it’s funny how the game works,” he said at Thursday’s morning skate ahead of his team’s game against the Detroit Red Wings at Staples Center. “Especially the last two games, our line’s done really well, and creating offense. We’ve just gotta stick to doing the little things the right way and we’ll get lots of breaks going the other way.” The line of center Adrian Kempe and wings Pearson and Tyler Toffoli accounted for five points in a 3-0 victory over Vancouver on Monday, and three points in the Kings’ 4-3 shootout loss Tuesday at Arizona. Pearson has 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points. His career-high in goals (24) and points (44) was set this past season. He’s just 25, so he’s thinking he still has plenty of upside. “You always have to,” said Pearson, in his fifth season. “When that stops you kind of start doubting yourself and that’s not a good recipe. You’ve always gotta think you have more and more to contribute to the team.” Coach John Stevens likes what he’s currently seeing from Pearson. “We think his pursuit of the puck’s been a lot stronger here lately,” he said. “He’s winning a lot of puck races and a lot of puck battles and I think that’s leading to good opportunities for him. “Just seems to us that he’s got a lot more jump in his step, both he and Ty (Toffoli). Their games have really rounded into form again.” With that said, Stevens wants to see Pearson be more of a steady threat. He is right now, but not so much during the aforementioned drought he experienced. “He’s shown the ability to score in the mid-20s in terms of goals, he’s shown the ability to kill penalties and play on the power play, so we call him an all-situations player,” Stevens said. “The thing we want to see is consistency. We don’t want to see long stretches where you don’t score, we don’t want stretches where your play drops off. “The real key to a really good established player to reach his potential, just like a team, is going to be consistency in his play.” Pearson has spent more time on a line with Kempe and Toffoli this season than with any other line. When forward Jeff Carter returned nine games ago after missing four-plus months, he centered Pearson and Toffoli because that line was together a lot in recent seasons. But Stevens juggles his lines a lot and he reunited Pearson with Kempe and Toffoli for the Vancouver game. ICE CHIPS The Kings next host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at 1 p.m. … The Kings, with 82 points going into Thursday’s game, had 12 games left in the regular season – seven at home. One of the road games is March 30 against the Ducks, one of the teams the Kings are battling with for a playoff spot. … After Saturday, the Kings embark on a four-game swing with stops in Minnesota, Winnipeg, Colorado and Edmonton. Of the four teams, only Edmonton is not in contention for a playoff spot. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103849 Los Angeles Kings the power play at the outset of the third period. It was No. 18 for Nyquist, and it tied the score 1-1.

At that point, Detroit 26-33-11 (63 points) was very much in the game, Anze Kopitar’s fluke goal leads Kings past Red Wings and in position to ruin the night for the Kings. But the Kings held their ground until Kopitar’s goal sparked a three-goal third period. By ROBERT MORALES | PUBLISHED: March 15, 2018 “You won’t get a lot of chances against a team like this,” Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg said. “They play very solid defensively in their zone, but they don’t create that much, either. LOS ANGELES — Sometimes the craziest things happen in hockey. “It’s especially tough when they get goals like they did today, even though we battled back and got that tying goal on the power play. That Tied in the third period with a Detroit Red Wings team going nowhere second goal was a tough one.” fast, the Kings needed something good to happen. What they got was something delightfully weird. The Kings next host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at 1 p.m. Anze Kopitar and teammate Dustin Brown were battling the Red Wings’ Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.16.2018 Nick Jensen for the puck behind the Detroit net. The puck went off Kopitar’s stick, into the air and over the net, hitting goalie Jared Coreau in the back and falling across the goal-line for the go-ahead goal. Kopitar’s 29th of the season came 8:22 into the period, Tyler Toffoli scored his 23rd at 18:30 and Brown his 21st into an empty net during a power play at 18:48 as the Kings defeated the Red Wings 4-1 before a sellout of 18,230 on Thursday night at Staples Center. It didn’t matter that the win came against a Detroit team that came in 0-6- 1 in its previous seven games and is not in contention for a postseason berth. It was significant because the Kings (39-26-6, 84 points) broke their tie for third place in the Pacific Division with Anaheim and are now two points ahead of the Ducks. A third-place divisional finish guarantees a playoff spot. The Kings have 11 games left, as do the Ducks. Kopitar’s goal came right as the Kings failed on a power-play opportunity. “Well, it was definitely an odd one,” Kopitar said, smiling. “We were trying to get some stuff going there, it was late in the power play and then the play just really happened. I mean, you’re trying to get possession, try to take the puck to the front of the net and then see what’s up. “I think he (Jensen) hit it off my stick and I think it grazed my arm or something and then landed on top of the net and then rolled over to his (Coreau’s) back and then it just kind of rolled in. It was definitely one of the strangest ones I’ve scored.” When you’re on, you’re on. And no one has been more on all season than @AnzeKopitar pic.twitter.com/nJN6h5Eezq — LA Kings (@LAKings) March 16, 2018 Kings coach John Stevens was asked post-game if he figured it was going to be his team’s night when he saw Kopitar’s goal. “It was a hard game, to be honest with you,” he said. “There wasn’t a lot of room out there for either team and just one of those games where you’ve just gotta stay with it and, hopefully, you can catch a break. “We obviously caught a break there. Not often do you see a play like that. Maybe it helped us out the goalie’s so tall.” Coreau, who stands 6-foot-6 without skates on, stopped 18 of 21 shots. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stopped 20 shots. The Kings took a 1-0 lead when defesnseman Paul LaDue scored his third of the season at 8:55 of the first period. Kopitar won a faceoff, with the puck going to Alex Iafallo, who whipped a pass to LaDue standing inside the blue line. LaDue let go a rocket of a shot that got past Coreau into the lower left corner of the net. Kopitar and Iafallo had the assists. Back in the lineup, back on the scoresheet!@pDue54 gives the LA Kings the 1-0 lead pic.twitter.com/PipeVUTA15 — LA Kings (@LAKings) March 16, 2018 LaDue had not played in the previous 14 games – he sat out 13 as a healthy scratch and missed one while down on the farm at Ontario. He was thrilled to be playing in his first game since Feb. 13 at Carolina. “Yeah, it was unbelievable,” LaDue said. “It was a tough stretch there, but the team was doing well and you’ve just gotta stay ready. And to come out and get that win tonight, it felt unbelievable.” It was a high-sticking penalty on LaDue at the end of the second period that led to Detroit’s only goal, scored by Gustav Nyquist 45 seconds into 1103850 Los Angeles Kings and his recent surge a simple market correction of a wonky shooting percentage earlier in the year.

–The OHL’s coaches poll is out. There is an impressive number of Kings MARCH 15 NOTES: LINEUPS; PEARSON; OHL COACHES POLL; prospects to feature prominently: WINGS; KINGS WEEKLY Gabriel Vilardi

#1, Eastern Conference, Best Playmaker JON ROSENMARCH 15, 2018 #1, Eastern Conference, Best Stickhandler

Drake Rymsha FOX SPORTS WESTMORNING SKATE NOTESVIDEO #1, Western Conference, Best on Faceoffs Beware the Ides of March, Insiders. After a recovery day, the LA Kings took the ice at 10:00 a.m. this morning – in advance of tonight’s rare 7:00 Jacob Friend p.m. Staples Center start time – and should match up thusly against the Detroit Red Wings (NBCSN / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio): #1, Western Conference, Best Body Checker Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown Jacob Moverare Rieder-Carter-Lewis #2, Western Conference, Best Defensive Defenseman Pearson-Kempe-Toffoli Matthew Villalta Clifford-Amadio-Thompson #2, Western Conference, Best Puckhandling Goalie Forbort-Doughty -The LA Kings conclude a four-in-six stretch (or continue a five-in-eight, depending on the eye of the beholder) with a challenging game against, Martinez-Phaneuf well, a team that has lost seven in a row. Since winning at Madison Square Garden on February 25, the Red Wings have gone 0-6-1 and Muzzin-LaDue have opened five consecutive road games with regulation losses in Notes! Columbus and San Jose. -The vitals: Jonathan Quick was the first goaltender off the ice and will be The schedule is the schedule, as John Stevens has said, but at this point expected to start. He’s 9-13-1 with a 2.83 goals-against average and a of the season, is it generally preferable to avoid the teams limping in to .907 save percentage in his career against Detroit. Kevin Gravel, games whose postseason fates have already been determined, out of Christian Folin, Torrey Mitchell and Andy Andreoff remained on the ice the general recognition teams forced to play spoiler have the reputation for extra work with Jack Campbell, so they’re likely out of tonight’s lineup. of being tricky and dangerous? -Their vitals: Jared Coreau is likely to start for the Wings, per Helene St. “To be honest, I didn’t know that they were on a seven-game losing James. He has primarily played in Grand Rapids this season and has a streak, and I think at this point of the season, we have to worry about 3.63 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage in 16 career ourselves and what we’re doing,” Jake Muzzin said. “Especially on home games for Detroit but shut Los Angeles at Staples Center last January. ice, we have to dictate the play, be it our game, as opposed to their The Wings are essentially healthy and should be getting Frans Nielsen game.” (concussion symptoms) back tonight after a three-game absence. At The Red Wings present their own set of challenges when compared to practice yesterday, they showed a lineup that suggested Bertuzzi- teams such as the Blues or Blackhawks, who were not playing their best Zetterberg-Nyquist, Mantha-Larkin-Helm, Athanasiou-Nielsen- hockey when they visited Staples Center. They’re not even in the same Abdelkader and Svechnikov-Glendening-Frk up front with defensive boat as the Canucks, another group whose injury issues had derailed pairings of Ericsson-Daley, DeKeyser-Green and Kronwall-Jensen. what had been a promising start to the season. Detroit is fully healthy, Detroit is 0-6-1 in their last seven games. and with Frans Nielsen expected to return from injury, will match up with -Tanner Pearson has four goals in his last six games, bringing his total a center group of Zetterberg-Larkin-Nielsen, giving them good skill, on the season to 14. speed and responsible play down the center of the ice. They’ve also had two full days since their last outing, a 5-3 loss at San Jose. “When you do the right things well, you get rewarded,” he said. “It’s funny how the game works. Especially the last two games, our line has done Is there anything specific about tendencies – whether tactical or more really well creating offense. We’ve got to stick to doing the little things in emotional – that teams on longer losing streaks exhibit? our own zone right and get lots of pucks going the other way.” “I’m not sure,” Stevens said. “St. Louis came out here the other night with Winning boards battles and screening goaltenders are indications that his a skid and played extremely well. Sometimes you’ll count a team that’ll game is going just fine. He’s on pace for 182 shots, which is just a hair almost just hit a reset button and comes in with all kinds of energy and off last year’s 80-game total of 187. He won’t hit last year’s career-high of confidence, just saying, ‘were just going to play our game’ because they 24 goals, but with 21 assists on the season, his next helper will set a new were worried about other things before. But, I think every situation’s high in that category. For whatever reason, even as the Kings’ offense different. Sometimes schedules dictate how teams coming in. They’re has improved, the puck simply hadn’t found the back of the net after coming off a two-day break here, so I would expect them to be revved up leaving Pearson’s stick prior to his recent burst. His surge in scoring has and ready to go and get a really good game. I don’t think any one lifted his shooting percentage to 9.0%; the high-percentage shooter had situation is exactly the same. I think teams struggle at different points of finished at 17.6%, 10.9% and 12.8% in the three years prior, beginning the season for different reasons. Sometimes there’s things going on with 2014-15. behind the scenes that nobody’s aware of that effects the spirit of the hockey team. But, I do think, when you’re playing a team like that, John Stevens was asked an interesting question this morning: how much whether a team’s on a roll or a team’s struggling, I think the first 10 more upside might Pearson have? minutes of the hockey game can have a big impact. You can’t win the game in the first 10 minutes, but you can lose it. You want to make sure “That’s a good question,” Stevens said. “I talked to those kids just the you’re ready to go.” other day, and I still look at them at kids, but they’re really veteran players that we rely on now, and we’re looking at them for some -A brand new Kings Weekly is upon us, Insiders. Tonight’s table of secondary leadership on our team because they’re playing with a young contents: kid. I looked at Muzz and Marty that way forever. They’re just young kids, but they’re not kids anymore. They’ve grown into established pros. 1) Bark Madness [Tanner has] shown an ability to score in the mid-20’s in terms of goals. 2) Bark Madness He’s shown an ability to kill penalties and play on the power play, so we would call him an all-situations player. The thing we want to see is 3) Bark Madness consistency. You don’t want to see long stretches where you don’t score, you don’t want to see stretches where you play drops off, and I think the 4) Bark Madness real key to a really good, established player to reach his potential, just 5) Bark Madness like a team, is going to be consistency in his play.” Forget #MarchMadness because #BarkMadness is where the real With a CF% of 51.7% and a CF%Rel of +2.4%, there are no indications competition is WHO YOU GOT?! @LAKings that Pearson’s down year offensively is anything other than an anomaly, Vote https://t.co/6hHyMqv9lg pic.twitter.com/qxW8tnBBnG — FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) March 15, 2018 -via FOX Sports West J/k, Insiders. Alex Curry and Carrlyn Bathe, with the fine touches from producer extraordinaire Jack Wilson (I owe him money), chat with Tobias Rieder, kick off the Lil’ Kings program, share sights and sounds from both Jim Fox and Sang Yoon Food and Wine Event and Pride Night, and, yes, listen to the players advocate for their dogs to win this year’s Bark Madness tournament. -Tonight’s officials are referees Tim Peel and Ghislain Hebert and linesmen Ryan Gibbons and Darren Gibbs. Alex Faust and Jim Fox will have tonight’s call on NBCSN. Pia Toscano will sing the national anthem. Enjoy your Thursday, Insiders. Los Angeles is always the most beautiful after it rains, but not even close to as beautiful as you. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103851 Los Angeles Kings league. We’re just trying to make sure we’re ready, and we always prepare for the other team’s best team.

-Two quotes withheld for today’s practice notes MARCH 15 MORNING SKATE QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.16.2018

JON ROSENMARCH 15, 2018

MORNING SKATE QUOTES On what he’s seen recently from Tanner Pearson who has four goals in his last six games: We think his pursuit of the puck’s been a lot stronger here lately. He’s winning a lot of puck races and a lot of puck battles. I think it’s leading to some good opportunities for him. It just seems to us like he’s got a lot more jump in his step. Both he and Ty, I think their games have really rounded into form again. We expect him to be a good 200-foot player, but if we put the finger on it, his urgency and his loose puck races and his loose puck battles have really made a difference in his game. On whether Jeff Carter appears to be fresh, as if he was starting a new season in October: I’m not sure if that’s the comparison I’d use. I think it’s very difficult for a guy to be off that long coming back at this point of the season. I think his presence in our lineup has been very important. I think his production has been very helpful to us. He’s another guy that can play in all situations. There’s a lot of experience in all parts of the game. I do think it’s a grind for Jeff. I think the schedule, the way it is, is a grind. We’ve tried to manage his minutes depending on the situation, but all things considered, being off that long with that type of an injury, I think he deserves a lot of credit for coming back and having the impact that he has. On anything different in Detroit’s game from the last time the teams met: In terms of style of play, very similar. I think there are some things they do that are kind of unique to them, the way they really try and push people out of the zone and look for the second layer of speed coming underneath. I think their D, they’re probably as mobile now as they’ve been. I think they’ve had some injuries on the back end at different times during the year, but I think they’ve got really good speed on their team. They’re a really good rush attack team and I think they’ve always been a team that’s extremely strong on the puck, led by Zetterberg. He plays kind of a Kopitar-type game where he likes to put people on your back. In terms of style of play, I think they’re very similar to what we saw earlier in the year where they’re a real speed team and they can come at you in layers. They’ve obviously gone through some different ups and downs during the year where they’ve got things going for a while and then haven’t had much success. But, in terms of what we expect from them, style of play and game plan, I think it’s very similar. On whether he’s employing more of a game-to-game or longer-term focus: Well, we still look at segments, and we still look at our success in segments, and we’ve been kind of hovering just below the number of points we’d like to get. If you look at the game the other night, we didn’t give up a lot in that game, but it was tough creating anything. We ended up getting a point, and that point puts us in a playoff spot right now, so it’s a big point. But, that segment’s over, and moving on we’d like to get more than five points in a segment. We scored three goals in four of the last five games. We’ve got to get our goals-against down. It’s cost us. Obviously, the St. Louis game is an outlier. You can get rid of that one. That was a total write-off for us. The Chicago game we kind of had some self-inflicted wounds there, and the PK let us down, and the other night, I actually thought we had a good start, but again, you give up four goals, counting the shootout goal, you need five to win. That’s not the way we need to play. But, we scored three. I think we’ve done a good job of cutting down the opportunities against, we just have to make sure that we manage the puck, especially early in hockey games so we don’t start chasing games. But, to get back to your question, it’s about how we’re playing, continuing to get our team game stronger, making sure everyone’s committed to the same plan here, and I think our guys have done a good job of that. On whether Detroit is more dangerous as a team with “nothing to lose”: I don’t know. I just see every team is dangerous in its own way. I think every team in the league is very well coached, and I would include Detroit in that. I think they’ve got some really established veteran guys that have great leadership that have won before, and I think they have some young kids that are trying to take a step. That makes them a dangerous team. I mean, any given night, they can beat any team in the 1103852 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 15 POSTGAME NOTES

JON ROSEN MARCH 15, 2018

POSTGAME NOTES -With the win, Los Angeles improved to 86-82-32-all-time against Detroit, a record that includes a home mark of 50-35-15. The Kings swept the season series with Detroit for the first time since 1988-89 and only the third time in franchise history. It was the first time Los Angeles won a season series with Detroit since 2010-11, when they went 3-1-0. The Kings have one game against the Eastern Conference remaining: Saturday’s game versus New Jersey. -With the win, Los Angeles improved to 21-9-1 against the Eastern Conference, 12-4-0 against the Atlantic Division, 17-7 in games decided by three or more goals, 21-3-2 when scoring first, 15-3-2 when leading after one period, 23-2-1 when leading after two periods and 21-10-3 when outshooting their opponent. -With 3 GF and 1 GA in the third period, the Kings improved to a league- best +36 third period goal differential (90 GF, 54 GA). -Anze Kopitar (1-3=4) tied his career-high with 51 assists on the season. He is the first King to surpass 50 assists in the season since he did it himself during the 2011-12 season. The last player other than Kopitar to reach 50 assists was Lubomir Visnovsky, who registered 50 in 2005-06. Kopitar recorded his career-high 22nd multi-point game of the season. His 29th goal of the season moves him one goal within 30, a feat he accomplished in 2009-10 (34) and 2007-08 (32). He extended his point streak to six games (2-9=11). -Drew Doughty (0-3=3) extended his assist streak to three games (0-6=6) and his point streak to four games (1-6=7). He also surpassed the 40- assist plateau for the second time in his career and is just one point shy of tying his career-high in assist (43 in 2009-10). His three assists in the third period are the most by a King in a single period this season. -Tyler Toffoli (1-0=1) recorded his 23rd goal of the season, tying the second most he has scored in a season (also 2014-15). His career-high is 31, set in 2015-16. -In his last 15 games, Jonathan Quick has a 2.14 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage (428 SA, 399 SV, 29 GA, 813:46 MP). -Los Angeles attempted 48 shots (22 on goal, 13 blocked, 13 missed). Detroit attempted 46 shots (21 on goal, 14 blocked, 11 missed). Tyler Toffoli led all skaters with five shots on goal. -The Kings won 23-of-47 faceoffs (49%). Adrian Kempe won 4-of-7, Anze Kopitar won 8-of-16, Trevor Lewis won 0-of-1, Dustin Brown won 1-of-1, Nate Thompson won 1-of-4, Michael Amadio won 1-of-5 and Jeff Carter won 8-of-13. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103853 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 15 POSTGAME QUOTES: KOPITAR, LADUE

JON ROSEN MARCH 15, 20180 COMMENTS

Anze Kopitar, on his fluky game-winning goal: Well, it was definitely an odd one. We’re trying to get some stuff going there. It was late in the power play, and the play just really happened. I mean, you’re trying to get possession, you try to take the puck to the front of the net and then see what’s up, and I think he hit it off my stick and I think it grazed my arm or something and landed on the top of the net and then rolled over to his back and it just kind of rolled in. It was definitely one of the strangest ones I’ve ever scored. [Reporter: When you say, ‘he,’ are you talking about the Detroit player, or Dustin?] Yeah, it was the Detroit player. We kind of whacked sticks, and then he hit it on a perfect angle right onto my stick. Kopitar, on earning the win during a tight third period: I honestly thought it showed character. Going into the third and taking a penalty late in the second, obviously you have to start of on a kill, and we gave up that goal but bounced right back. It showed resilience and character of this team that we don’t get discouraged, and we got the job done. That’s the bottom line. Kopitar, on whether the game-winner was “karma” for the puck-off-the- netting goal in 2014: Well, this one’s legal, right? The other one shouldn’t have counted. But, yeah, maybe a little bit of karma, yeah. [Reporter: You looked like you were the most surprised in the building when you saw it go in.] Well, I was right there, and actually, I think when plays like that happen, it’s kind of in slow motion, and I was right at the post seeing the puck tumble and was like, ‘uhh, what’s going to happen, can I get a stick on it?’ and then I saw it kind of roll down his back and started celebrating, I guess. Paul LaDue, on returning to the lineup after an extended absence and scoring a big goal: Yeah, it was unbelievable. It was a tough stretch there, but the team was doing well, and you’ve just got to stay ready, and to come out and get that win tonight, it felt unbelievable. LaDue, on what he thought he showed John Stevens in his first game back: I don’t know, I just went out there and played my game and tried to help the team as much as I can and who knows what’s going to happen from here, but I thought it was a good win and it was a good night. LaDue, on whether he was trying to snap a puck quickly to the net or find a spot to shoot at: I was just trying to go to that left side. I saw that was open, but I think the forward went down on his knee and that was kind of the only lane to get it by him. I don’t think the goalie saw it, but I was pretty happy that it went in. LaDue, on what it’s like getting into an important game in the middle of a playoff push: Oh, it’s unbelievable. This is my first playoff run here, so it’s something special, and I’ve got to take a lot of things away from it, but tonight was great, and we’ve just got to keep moving forward and get another win on Saturday. LaDue, on whether he made contact with the opposing player’s face on his high-sticking call: It did get him up high, but I don’t think it hit his face, either. The ref saw what he saw, and he made his call, but I’m just glad we were able to rally back after that [power play] goal and get the win. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103854 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 15 POSTGAME QUOTES: DETROIT

JESSI MCDONALD

POSTGAME QUOTES Jeff Blashill, on how he thought Jared Coreau played: I thought Jared played good. I thought our team played good in front of him. You know, I thought we played extremely good defensively. I mean it was a tight, tight checking game. It was hard to get offense. Both teams blocked tons of shots. Both teams had stick on puck. I thought Jared did a good job, made saves when you needed to. I thought Quick made saves when you needed to. And unfortunately we come up on the short end of that. I mean our kill had done a great job on that kill and it goes up, hits the goalie in the back of the net, and goes in. So it’s unfortunate. Blashill, on playing like a team that’s still in playoff contention: We’ve got lots of character in our room, there’s no question of that. We fought our tails off for a long time here, haven’t had results. That’s a hard thing. Our guys keep coming and playing. I think that speaks to the leadership in this room. Henrik Zetterberg, on Kopitar’s goal: Yeah, even the first goal from the blue line there also, but you won’t get a lot of chances against a team like this. They play really very solid defensively. Clog up the neutral zone, but they don’t create that much either. So it’s especially tough too, when they get goals like they got today even though we were battling back and got that tying goal on the power play. So that second one is a tough one. Zetterberg, on Coreau’s performance: He played well. I don’t know, the middle of the game I think was ten shots each so you don’t get a lot of action as a goalie, but when they get some chances they have some skilled players on their team. Zetterberg, on the scrappiness of Tyler Bertuzzi: Yeah, awesome. I think he’s been one of our best players since he got the opportunity to play a little bit more and he will have a long future here. Jared Coreau, on how he thought he played: There was some good things, some bad things, you know, some things you learn from. Ultimately we just didn’t get the win. Coreau, on Kopitar’s goal being “flukey”: Yeah, it just went off our guy, their guy, back of the net, rolled up and hit me in the back. Coreau, on not being able to find a way to win: You know, we had our chances in front, we just–I think some puck luck will help. Not much else to say. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103855 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 15 POSTGAME QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS

JON ROSEN MARCH 15, 20180 COMMENTS

On whether he thought it would be the Kings’ night when Anze Kopitar scored his fluky goal: Well, you know, it was a hard game, to be honest with you. There wasn’t a lot of room out there for either team, and it was just one of those game where you just kind of stay with it and hopefully you catch a break. We obviously caught a break there. Not often do you see a play like that. Maybe it helped us out the goalie’s so tall, but it was a hard game, and I thought our best players led the way tonight, and Kopi’s certainly one of them. On the challenges of playing a team like Detroit that’s not in the playoff race: I don’t see a whole lot of difference, to be honest with you. Give those guys a lot of credit. The team played really hard tonight, it was really well prepared. Really tough on the puck, PK was extremely aggressive, as aggressive as we’ve seen in a while. You wouldn’t have known it if you didn’t check the standings and you watched that game tonight. You wouldn’t know that team was out of a playoff spot because they played like they were fighting for one. On how pleased he was with the third period of a close game: Very. I mean, I think you’ve just got to stay with it. This time of the year it might take you all day to get the two points, but you want to make sure you stay with it and continue to do the little things well, and I thought we did that. That’s an important game for us here. We’ve got a few games left at home before we head out on the road. We all know how tight the race is. Games aren’t easy. Not going to be easy. Nice to get the first goal tonight for a change and take advantage of it and not have to chase the game like that, but it’s a good two points. On how nice it was to see Paul LaDue score after an extended absence: Good. I mean, he did that in one of the last games he played in a very similar situation. Paulie’s a good player. I mean, Kevin, the guys not playing right now, that’s the hard part. The guys not playing we still think they’re important guys to our team. We still really put a lot of attention to detail to making sure they’re ready and getting the work they need so they can stay sharp. You look at Kev, you look at Paulie, you look at Andy, Michael’s been in and out, they’ve worked extremely hard to stay sharp so they can come in and help us, and it’s a credit to Paulie and the worke he’s done that he was able to come in in a game like that that’s a hard, fast game and be a good player. On whether he wanted to get LaDue in to take advantage of his offensive skill set: Well, just with the schedule, we think he’s really efficient at moving pucks and he defends really well. He’s a little bit of Martinez where he can defend really well, he can seal plays down well in his own zone and he can use his feet to make plays. He didn’t get any power play time tonight, but we had four guys that were playing in those situations ahead of him. We had full confidence that we could use him in those situations and really learn to trust him. We think he and Muzz have played well together. Same thing with Foles. We think Foles has played well, but we just thought it was a good spot to put him in, and we thought he could help us, and he did. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.16.2018

1103856 Minnesota Wild

Gameday preview: Wild at Vegas

Sarah McLellan

9:30 p.m. at Vegas • T-Mobile Arena • FSN, 100.3-FM Wild to play first game in Vegas Preview: The Wild begins a back-to-back on the road by visiting the Golden Knights for the first time. The team beat Vegas 4-2 and 5-2 in Minnesota. The Golden Knights have won an impressive 24 games on home ice. Players to WATCH: Former Wild winger Erik Haula has 11 power-play goals. C William Karlsson has 36 goals and 62 points. G Marc-Andre Fleury recently posted his 400th career win. Numbers: Wild C Eric Staal has five points in two meetings with Vegas. W Charlie Coyle has two goals and three assists during a four-game point streak. Vegas has lost three in a row at home. Injuries: Wild F Luke Kunin (torn ACL) and D Jared Spurgeon (right hamstring tear) are out. The Golden Knights are without Fs William Carrier (shoulder), Oscar Lindberg (concussion), (upper body), David Clarkson (back) and Mikhail Grabovski (concussion); defensemen Clayton Stoner (abdominal) and Luca Sbisa (undisclosed); and G Malcolm Subban (hand). Star Tribune LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103857 Minnesota Wild

For Jason Zucker, Las Vegas homecoming is a family affair

By DANE MIZUTANI

LAS VEGAS — Wild winger Jason Zucker has had this road trip has been circled on the calendar since the NHL schedule was released last June. In that sense, perhaps it’s not surprising that the 26-year-old seemed downright giddy in the visitor’s locker room on Thursday following a lengthy practice at T-Mobile Arena. “It’s really weird coming here knowing that we’re playing a game tomorrow,” Zucker said. “It’s something I never thought was going to happen.” Yes, an NHL team in Las Vegas seemed nearly unfathomable when Zucker was a kid, especially considering the hockey he played growing up there was on wheels, not ice. In fact, that’s actually where Zucker got his start, lacing up the roller blades for the first time at 2 1/2 years old and dabbling in roller hockey shortly after that. Eventually, he switched over to . And now, two decades later, his Wild are scheduled to take on his family’s favorite team, the Golden Knights. Zucker’s parents, Scott and Natalie, will be attendance, cheering on their son from their usual season ticket seats. “It’s going to be a little bit weird for them,” Zucker said. “They’re usually cheering for the (Golden Knights). I think they’re pretty excited. It should be a lot of fun.” Zucker’s older brother, Evan, also will be in attendance. But he’s a diehard Golden Knights fan, so the whole blood-is-thicker-than-water thing will be tested to the max. “I think he might be cheering for them tomorrow,” Zucker said with a laugh. “It’s just going to be fun to have everyone here and know I’m playing in our hometown. We never thought this was going to happen, so it’s pretty cool.” Zucker’s wife, Carly, and and children, Sophia and Hendrix, also made the trek from the Twin Cities for the game. “I wouldn’t have let them miss it,” Zucker said. “It’s something that I definitely wanted to share with them.” Zucker planned to hang out with the family Thursday night before getting to bed at a reasonable hour. After all, he wants to make sure he’s sharp against the hometown team. “This place has been waiting for a pro team for a long time,” Zucker said, adding that he’s happy for his hometown. “They were really excited about it and have rallied behind it since Day One. Now that the team is doing well, it’s even easier to get behind them and cheer for them. Even though good to see them do well, we’re looking to coming in here and take two points from them tomorrow.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103858 Montreal Canadiens

In the Habs' room: Jonathan Drouin, Jacob de la Rose get kudos from coach

Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette

When you’re counting down the days to the end of a season that has been a major disappointment, you look for any encouraging signs. There were several of those in the Canadiens’ 5-3 loss to the Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. Start with centres Jacob de la Rose and Jonathan Drouin. They were matched up against two of the best players in the world — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — and they weren’t overwhelmed. “They handled it the best they could,” coach Claude Julien said. “I don’t have the (Patrice) Bergerons and those guys have to learn to do those things. Overall, they did well. The (winning goal) was a tip-in and Malkin scored on a power play.” It was Drouin who merited a special mention from the coach. “Jonathan continues to thrive on those assignments,” Julien said. Drouin might have had his best game of the season in the faceoff circle as he won 11 of 14, mostly against Malkin. He also showed more determination to shoot the puck. He had two shots on goal, had four blocked and was off target on five others. But his most impressive play of the night was in the second period, when his strong forechecking effort led to Nicolas Deslauriers’s goal, which lifted the Canadiens into a 3-3 tie. “You have to give credit to Dru (who) was at the end of his shift and he outbattled the two defencemen in the corner and (Daniel Carr) set it on a tee for me,” Deslauriers said. “I found myself by myself. “The play started when the two guys went off and Dru stayed on and battled and he got some support from Carrsy,” Deslauriers said. “When you change two guys and one guy keeps going on the forecheck, it gives the other team problems. He created some chaos there.” The Penguins had a 39-20 edge in shots on goal and Deslauriers offered an explanation. “I think there were some times where we overpassed,” he said. “You can take notes on their last goal. (Carl) Hagelin came up over the blue-line and he takes a wrister. It wasn’t an overly hard shot, but there are guys in front for it to bounce off. You have to put the puck at the net.” “I thought they blocked a lot of shots,” Julien added. “They blocked the shooting lanes and they forced us to pass. There were not enough pucks going to the net for my liking. They shut us down. They’re the Stanley Cup champs for a reason.” De la Rose was given the task of shadowing Crosby and, while the Pittsburgh star had the edge in the faceoff circle, he was limited to one assist. The 22-year-old de la Rose said he didn’t need this game to convince himself that he can play in the NHL, but “obviously I can take this experience with me and try to bring it to the next game. “He’s the full package,” de la Rose said when asked about Crosby. “He’s a strong skater, good hands and he can play defence.” The one player who had his way with the Canadiens was Patric Hornqvist, who scored two goals, including the winner in the third period. It’s safe to say Hornqvist got the bounces — his first goal went in off Paul Byron’s stick and the second was a tip-in at the crease, but Hornqvist showed the value of getting to the net and getting pucks to the net. He accounted for 10 of the Penguins’ 39 shots on goal. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103859 Montreal Canadiens

Game report: Canadiens start strong, but Penguins' skill proves to be too much

Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette

The bottom line: Patric Hornqvist’s second goal of the game proved to be the winner as the Pittsburgh Penguins escaped Montreal with a 5-3 win Thursday night. While the Penguins outshot Montreal 39-20 in the game, the Canadiens took a 2-0 lead in the first period and kept things close until Hornqvist scored his 22nd goal of the season and 400th point of his career at 12:24 of the third period to give Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead. He and Evgeni Malkin were both in front of the net and had a swipe at Carl Hagelin’s shot from the blue-line. Bryan Rust added an empty-net goal to seal the deal. It was the first time Antti Niemi has given up more than three goals since joining the Canadiens. The win allowed the Penguins to stay even in points with the Washington Capitals in the battle for the Metropolitan Division lead, but Washington has the edge because it has played two fewer games. Finn on fire: Artturi Lehkonen deflected Jeff Petry’s shot from the point to open the scoring at 3:15 of the first period. It was the ninth goal of the season for Lehkonen, who has scored four goals in the past three games. Byron delivers on power play: Paul Byron made it 2-0 when he scored a power-play goal at 6:31. Byron was in the slot when he was set up by Brendan Gallagher for his 17th goal of the season. Alex Galchenyuk picked up his second assist of the night. Penguins roar back: Penguins managed to tie the score by the end of the first period. Rust set up Phil Kessel on a 2-on-1 to put the Penguins on the scoreboard at 10:05. It was the 29th goal of the season for Kessel. The tying goal was a bit of a fluke. Hornqvist made a good move to get around Petry and then tried to pass to Hagelin in front of the net. Byron got his stick on the pass and inadvertently directed it past Niemi at 14:33. Malkin gives Penguins the lead: Malkin gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the night when he scored a power-play goal at 10:30 of the second period. Malkin was given too much space and he beat Niemi with a one- timer from the right faceoff circle after a feed from Kris Letang. It was Malkin’s 40th goal and 88th point this season. All even after two: Nicolas Deslauriers beat Tristan Jarry for his eighth goal of the season at 12:57 to tie the game. Jonathan Drouin and Daniel Carr earned well-deserved assists on the goal as they dug the puck out of the corner. Good news from Team Clinic: Goaltender Carey Price joined his teammates for the morning skate Thursday. Coach Claude Julien said Price isn’t ready to play, but it was encouraging to see him practise for the first time since he suffered a concussion on Feb. 20. There was no sign of forward Andrew Shaw, who was knocked out in a collision with Dallas’s Greg Pateryn Tuesday. Julien shied away from saying Shaw had a concussion and noted that Shaw was feeling better. Coming up: The Canadiens travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs in the latest instalment of the NHL’s oldest rivalry Saturday (7 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Radio). The Canadiens are back home on Monday to play the Florida Panthers. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103860 Montreal Canadiens When asked what impressed him most about Crosby, Ouimet said: “Not only his skills on the ice, but his personality. He was so humble, he really took the time to talk to me like we were friends. He doesn’t think that he’s Stu Cowan: Mont-Tremblant teen's magical morning with Sidney Crosby better than anyone else. I was giving him compliments, but he just told me that every player in the NHL is good.”

Ouimet is a Canadiens fan and his favourite player is Brendan Gallagher, Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette but that’s not who he was planning to cheer for Thursday night. “I think I’ll probably be cheering for the Penguins,” he said. “The Canadiens’ season is pretty much over, so I’ll be cheering for a third Guillaume Ouimet was given the opportunity to see Sidney Crosby up- Stanley Cup in a row for Sidney.” close in action Thursday night when the Pittsburgh Penguins played the Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 But it was nothing compared to actually being on the ice with Crosby, something Ouimet got to experience in January at an outdoor rink in Mont-Tremblant. Ouimet, who is captain of the Junior Double-A Mont-Tremblant Diables, has been skating on the same outdoor rink since he was about 5 and the 19-year-old still likes to go by himself early in the morning to do some drills and again at night to play shinny with his friends. It was about 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 9 when he noticed a car pull up in the nearby parking lot and a man get out and start walking toward the rink. “At first, I was just surprised to see someone else at the rink so early in the morning on a weekday,” Ouimet recalled over the phone Wednesday from Mont-Tremblant. “But as he got closer, I realized who it was and I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it … it was unreal.” It was Crosby, who was vacationing in Mont-Tremblant during the Penguins’ bye week in the NHL schedule. “When he first showed up he didn’t have his skates … he was just checking out the ice,” Ouimet said. “He asked me a couple of questions about the ice and if I was alone. I asked him if he wanted to join me for a skate and he said: ‘Of course.’ He went back to his car to grab his skates and laced them up while sitting in the snow, just like a kid would do. It was pretty impressive to see. “When you think about it, it was his bye week — his only week with no hockey during the entire season. He comes to Mont-Tremblant and he brings his skates? That shows you how much he loves the game. He could have gone on a beach in Mexico or somewhere and relax.” Ouimet’s story has received a lot of media exposure, including an interview with Tony Marinaro on TSN Radio 690. Afterward, Marinaro reached out to his friend Andy Kirstein, who has Canadiens season tickets, to see if he would give Ouimet his seats for Thursday’s game. Kirstein is president and CEO of Como Fred David, which designs, manufactures and distributes women’s apparel. “I read the story online a couple of weeks before Tony had him on the air,” Kirstein said over the phone Thursday morning from London, England, where he was on a business trip. “I thought it was just a great story … that’s the type of story you wish would happen to everyone, including yourself. I thought it was very cool and Tony called me and I said it would be my pleasure to give the kid my tickets.” Kirstein’s seats are very good ones, located in the third row of the Prestige section, and Ouimet brought his father, Guy, to the game. Kirstein said he received a “beautiful letter” from Ouimet, thanking him for the tickets. Ouimet said he spent about an hour on the outdoor rink with Crosby while the player’s girlfriend, Kathy Leutner, took photos so Ouimet could have some souvenirs — and also so his friends would actually believe him. After getting on the ice, Crosby told Ouimet he had been having some problems coming out of the left corner with the puck in the offensive zone, getting poke-checked by defencemen, so the NHL superstar set up a drill using a pair of his girlfriend’s boots as cones and had Ouimet work with him. “He’s the best player in the world, but his desire to improve and his work ethic is phenomenal,” Ouimet said. “I realize why he’s the best player in the NHL … every little thing that’s not perfect he wants to work on it. I think that’s the main key to be the greatest at what you do.” Afterward, Ouimet gave Crosby a tour of the nearby indoor arena where his junior team plays and took him into the Diables locker room. Ouimet said Crosby spent about 10 minutes speaking with some arena workers, using the French he learned while playing junior for the Rimouski Océanic. “His French is pretty good,” Ouimet said. 1103861 Montreal Canadiens

Six-month recovery normal for Shea Weber's injury, specialist says

Stu Cowan, Published on: March 15, 2018

Canadiens defenceman Shea Weber had surgery Tuesday in Green Bay, Wisc., with the team announcing only that it was “to repair an injury to tendons in his left foot.” The surgery was performed by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson and the Canadiens said Weber’s recovery period is expected to be six months and that they would coordinate a media opportunity “at a later date.” Weber visited with his teammates in the locker room at their Brossard practice facility Thursday morning, but did not speak with the media. Dr. Andrew J. Elliott is an orthopedic surgeon for the foot and ankle at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, which has team physicians for numerous pro sports clubs, including the NHL’s Rangers. While Elliott doesn’t know the specific tendon injury Weber suffered, the surgeon was able to shine a light on those type of injuries during a phone interview Wednesday night and said a six-month recovery period is normal. “Depending on which tendon it is and how good of a repair they get … if they get a really good repair then it really shouldn’t give him any long- term disability,” Elliott said about Weber. It has been reported Weber suffered the injury during the first game of the regular season in Buffalo when he was hit by a shot. Weber played 26 games this season — posting 6-10-16 totals and averaging a team- high 25:20 of ice time — before being shut down after a game in Ottawa on Dec. 16. “Either the puck or the stick can do it through a blunt injury to the tendon and the tendon can either be sort of severed at that time or it could actually rupture a few weeks later after being hit really hard,” Elliott said when asked how Weber’s injury might have happened and then worsened. “It can cause the tendon to soften and it can rupture later. I’m not quite sure which scenario he has.” When asked what Weber’s rehab might include, Elliott said: “Depending on which tendon, we usually immobilize them for a period of time, probably six weeks to eight weeks. We then let them start walking around and then we graduate them through physical therapy. Depending on the tendon, sometimes we keep them non-weight bearing for a longer period and then it takes them a little bit longer to come back just because of that. It really depends on which tendon it is that was injured. That will kind of dictate the length of time for rehab.” Weber, 32, has eight more seasons remaining on a 14-year, US$110- million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $7.857 million. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103862 Montreal Canadiens When Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin met with the media in early January, he said about Jonathan Drouin playing centre: “In the perfect world, if we had this No. 1 centre, this guy that could make plays, a high- Game Day: Carey Price practises, but he's not ready to play yet end centre — no, he’d probably be on the wing. But he still does the best for now for what we have.”

Drouin has played the entire season at centre, posting 11-25-36 totals Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette and a minus-24 while winning only 41.9 per cent of his faceoffs. Drouin has shown signs of improvement recently with a goal and two assists in his last two games while going plus-2. Goalie Carey Price, who has missed the last 11 games after suffering a “Just because (Bergevin) said that doesn’t mean the ideal world will be concussion from a slapshot off the mask during a game in Philadelphia here next year, either,” Julien said about keeping Drouin at centre. “Right on Feb. 20, was on the ice with goalie coach Stéphane Waite 30 minutes now, I think he’s progressing well at centre and I think he’s taking pride in before the Canadiens’ morning skate Thursday in Brossard and also took that. You see his faceoffs has gotten better in the last week or week and part in the team’s practice, but is not ready to return to the lineup. a half or so, he’s started to take a lot of pride in that and we’re rewarding him with those types of things like you saw last game (taking important “Carey Price won’t play tonight,” coach Claude Julien said after the faceoffs). I thought the last couple of games he’s played well at both morning skate. “He took part in his first practice today, and it’s the first ends of the ice. step in his progression.” “No matter what happens, you can never have enough guys that can play Antti Niemi will start in goal Thursday night at the Bell Centre against the the middle because you look at our roster right now and how thin we’re Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio 690) with getting down the middle with all the injuries and even Tomas Plekanec Charlie Lindgren as the backup. Price split time in the same net as being traded, it’s an important position,” the coach added. “So whenever Lindgren during the morning skate with Niemi at the other end of the ice. you can have some guys that can play centre, it’s a bonus because Niemi has a 5-2-4 record with a 2.30 goals-against average and a .933 playing the wing’s a lot easier to play because you don’t have as much save percentage with the Canadiens this season and is 3-0-3 in his last ice to cover. Centre has to cover a lot more, so we appreciate the fact six starts. that we’re giving him the opportunity to play there and who knows? If he continues to play the way he is right now, we’re allowed to be wrong Carey Price on ice in Brossard with #Habs goalie coach Stéphane Waite sometimes because we’re seeing progress. I think the comment (from before start of practice #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/7LVfObT5eU— Stu Bergevin) was made at the time we weren’t seeing things we’re starting Cowan (@StuCowan1) March 15, 2018 to see now. Again, I said at the beginning of the year, you don’t necessarily shut anybody down anywhere because you never know — Shaw feeling ‘much better’ you may need him there again and the smart coach just keeps his Andrew Shaw, who appeared to be unconscious after falling to the ice options open.” following a big hit on Dallas defenceman Greg Pateryn during the Drouin will face a tough challenge Thursday night when he goes up Canadiens’ 4-2 win over the Stars Tuesday night at the Bell Centre, against Penguins centremen Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. wasn’t on on the ice Thursday morning and is being evaluated on a day- to-day basis. “I think it’s a great challenge for him,” Julien said. “A player who takes that challenge head on has an opportunity to become better and that’s Julien was asked if Shaw has been diagnosed yet with having a what I’ve seen from him lately. He’s loving those challenges right now concussion. and we’re relying on him a lot more because he’s showing us signs that “Not yet, believe it or not,” Julien said. “There’s symptoms when a guy’s he can handle that. Again, it’s the growth of a young player who’s still 22 knocked out. But he’s feeling much better, so it’s hard to detect. But I years old and it’s rewarding (showing) patience of keeping him there and think at the end of the day, you’re going to treat it like it (is a concussion) working with him.” and make sure that he goes through all the protocol and that he’s well The lines before we even see him back on the ice.” Here’s how the Canadiens’ lines and defence pairings looked at the Shaw suffered two concussions last season. morning skate: “He’s at home feeling much better yesterday, today,” Julien said. “That is Byron – Drouin – Gallagher good news. Feeling better probably than we even anticipated. He’s still, obviously, being evaluated on a daily basis. He’s in contact with our Galchenyuk – de la Rose – Lehkonen medical group, so I don’t know all the final details whether he’ll come tonight (to watch the game) or not, but he’s feeling much better. Hudon – L. Shaw – Scherbak “I’m a coach and I have to respect the medical staff and how they handle Deslauriers – Froese – Carr it,” Julien added. “Right now, all I can tell you is he’s recovering well, so McCarron that’s good news.” Reilly – Petry Defenceman Shea Weber, who had surgery on Tuesday to repair tendons in his left foot, visited his teammates in the Brossard locker room Alzner – Juulsen Thursday morning. The recovery period for Weber is expected to be six months. Benn – Lernout Neither Price or Weber spoke with the media. Where they stand McCarron called up from Laval The Canadiens (26-32-12) are in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, 15 points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets (37-28-5) for the final wild- The Canadiens called up forward Mike McCarron from the AHL’s Laval card playoff spot with a 0.0 per cent chance of making the playoffs Rocket on Wednesday night, but he won’t play against the Penguins. according to sportsclubstats.com. The Canadiens are coming off a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars Tuesday night at the Bell Centre. McCarron played with the Rocket Wednesday night in Toronto, where they lost 4-0 to the Marlies, and only arrived in Montreal in the wee hours The Penguins (40-26-5) are fifth in the Eastern Conference and second of the morning. He did take part in Thursday’s morning skate. in the Metropolitan Division and are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Rangers Wednesday night in New York. “He played yesterday and came here this morning,” Julien said. “We might see him play, but not tonight.” This will be the first meeting this season between the Canadiens and Penguins, who will meet again on March 21 and March 31 in Pittsburgh. In 52 games with the Rocket, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound McCarron posted 7-17-24 totals along with 109 penalty minutes and a minus-12. McCarron Canadiens numbers was pointless in eight games with the Canadiens last season and has 2- 5-7 totals in 59 career NHL games. The Canadiens selected him in the The Canadiens rank 29th in the NHL in offence, scoring an average of first round (25th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft. 2.53 goals per game, and rank 23rd in defence, allowing an average of 3.07 goals per game. They rank 14th on the power play (20.8 per cent) Drouin sticking at centre and 28th in penalty-killing (75.7 per cent). Brendan Gallagher leads the Canadiens in scoring with 26-17-43 totals, but ranks only 107th in overall NHL scoring. On the Canadiens, Gallagher is followed by Alex Galchenyuk (16-26-42), Max Pacioretty (17-20-37), Jonathan Drouin (11-25-36) and Jeff Petry (10-24-34). Penguins numbers The Penguins rank fifth in the NHL in offence, scoring an average of 3.24 goals per game, and rank 20th in defence, allowing an average of 3.00 goals per game. They rank No. 1 on the power play (25.6 per cent) and 14th in penalty-killing (80.7 per cent). Evgeni Malkin leads the Penguins in scoring with 39-48-87 totals and ranks second in the NHL scoring race, four points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov (34-57-91). On the Penguins, Malkin is followed by Phil Kessel (28-50-78), Sidney Crosby (23-53-76), defenceman Kris Letang (6-36-42) and Jake Guentzal (20-21-41). What’s next? The Canadiens have a practice scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday in Brossard before heading to Toronto, where they will play the Maple Leafs on Saturday night (7 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690). The Canadiens then have an 11:15 a.m. practice scheduled for Sunday in Brossard before facing the Florida Panthers Monday night at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio 690). Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103863 Montreal Canadiens

Pittsburgh Penguins at Canadiens: Five things you should know

Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette

Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Penguins game at the Bell Centre Thursday (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio): Strange scheduling: Sometimes you wonder if there’s a serious glitch in the computer that spits out the NHL schedule. We are in the final month of the season and the Canadiens are playing the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time. The teams also have two games scheduled for Pittsburgh this month. The schedule gives the Canadiens a bit of a break because they enjoyed a day off Wednesday while the Penguins played the Rangers in New York. Injury woes: The Canadiens are coming off an impressive 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars Tuesday, but they lost Andrew Shaw in the process. While there has been no official update from the Canadiens, it’s a good bet that Shaw suffered another concussion when he ran into Dallas defenceman and former teammate Greg Pateryn. The hard-nosed Shaw was already playing through a knee injury and it would be prudent to shut him down for the season. Niemi leads the way: Antti Niemi has been the Canadiens’ best goaltender this season and he should high on the list for any team shopping for a backup goaltender this summer. He stopped 36 of 38 shots in the win over Dallas and improved his record with the Canadiens to 5-2-4. The 34-year-old Finn, who was picked up on waivers from Florida, has a 2.30 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage, and those numbers would be among the league leaders if he had played more games. Penguins eye division lead: After a 4-3 overtime loss in New York on Wednesday, the Penguins are tied with the Washington Capitals for the Metropolitan Division lead. Each team has 85 points, but the Caps have two games in hand. GM Jim Rutherford deserves credit for making another key move at the trading deadline when he acquired Derick Brassard from the Ottawa Senators. Brassard gives the Penguins another 20-goal scorer and makes Pittsburgh one of the NHL’s strongest teams up the middle. Malkin the MVP? When you think of the Penguins, you think of Sidney Crosby, but teammate Phil Kessel believes Evgeni Malkin should win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player this season. Malkin leads the Penguins with 87 points and is second to Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay, who has 91. Malkin has 39 goals, three fewer than leader Alex Ovechkin. Kessel is second in scoring on the Penguins with 28 goals and 78 points while Crosby has 23 goals and 76 points. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103864 Montreal Canadiens we’ve been talking about. But at the same time, you’ve got to give them credit; they’ve won their Stanley Cups for a reason.”

Not a word about his own team, not a word about how well they played Basu: The Canadiens remain not good enough, but in a very different, against them through 40 minutes. Just focusing on the talent he saw on encouraging way the opposition. When Julien was asked how he felt De la Rose and Drouin did handling By Arpon Basu their matchups, this is what he said. “Well, I mean, they handled it the best they could. I think overall, I don’t have the (Patrice) Bergerons, I don’t have those guys. So those guys There was a change in the way the Canadiens viewed this season many, have to learn to do those kinds of things. For the first time for Jacob de la many games ago. It was when they arrived at the end of the five stages Rose, a young player, I thought he handled it well…I didn’t think they did of grief and landed on acceptance, accepting this season for what it was, a bad job. I think they handled it well. And Jonathan continues to thrive accepting this team for what it is, accepting that they were not good on those kinds of assignments, so I see a guy playing much better lately.” enough. “I don’t have those guys” is much better for Julien than “not good “Not good enough” were words Claude Julien used often after losses, but enough” because it is Marc Bergevin’s job to make sure he has those when he said it, he wasn’t referring to talent. He was almost always guys and it is his job to make sure the players are giving the proper referring to effort. effort. The fact Julien doesn’t need to say “not good enough” nearly as often will go a long way to building the winning culture Gallagher was We haven’t heard him say those three words very often since the referring to. Canadiens reached the acceptance stage of grief. There is a school of thought that says players perform better once the pressure of making the Culture is great, culture is important, but culture will only get you so far. playoffs is lifted, once they become loose and almost energized by their And until Julien gets “those guys” there will need to be a lot of own failure. I’m not sure how much I buy that, because even when their acceptance going on in Montreal. own pressure is lifted, the teams they are facing are still ramping up for the playoffs or attempting to get into the playoffs, and that desperation The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 seems to be a better performance enhancer than a lack of pressure. So to say what the Canadiens are accomplishing right now is diminished because the pressure is off is, to me at least, wrong. Only one of those six players was in uniform when the Pittsburgh Penguins, coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers a night earlier, stepped onto the ice at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens, with Jonathan Drouin, Jacob de la Rose, Logan Shaw and Byron Froese lining up down the middle against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan, were facing a motivated and somewhat angry Penguins team, the Stanley Cup champions. A loose team would have been blown out of the water. The Canadiens didn’t play loose because they are trying to establish something, something that will carry over from this season to the next with the players that survive the summer and are back in the fall. So when De la Rose gets assigned to play against Crosby and Drouin is assigned to face Malkin and they hold their own, and Noah Juulsen plays close to eight minutes at 5-on-5 against Crosby and looks like a veteran doing it, and Mike Reilly draws Malkin with Jeff Petry and winds up being the better of the two on his pair, there’s value there. But the biggest value might be that the Canadiens, with their lineup being in a state of utter disrepair, were not satisfied going toe-to-toe with the champs. They wanted more because it was there for them to take, with Patric Hornqvist scoring the winning goal with less than eight minutes left. “As athletes you don’t really think that way,” Gallagher, the lone front- row-of-the-photo player remaining, said when asked if it’s now permissible to talk of moral victories. “One of the things we’re really trying to get pushing forward around here is the winning culture and winning attitude. If you start taking moral victories in losses I don’t think you’ll ever get to where you want to be. “For us right now, you show up every day, you’re working to get better. We understand the situation we’re in, but these games aren’t wasted. You can use them to build for next year. The hockey we’ve been playing here the last little bit is a step in that direction and building that culture that we’ve been looking for.” The Canadiens are no longer not good enough in effort, but with all the injuries and their place in the standings not forcing anyone to play hurt, it is the fact they are not good enough in talent that jumps off the ice when the Cup champs are in town. And it was easy to tell it did to the players as well. When Gallagher was asked what he thought the team could learn from the game they played against the Penguins, this is what he said. “You see why they’re so good. They really wear teams down, they come at you line after line. They don’t really give you many chances to strike, they’re four lines deep and they’ve got some guys on the back end that can skate. For them, it’s just line after line, that’s where you build momentum in games, that’s where you wear teams down, that’s how you create offence eventually. That’s kind of what happened to us. Start of the third, they just came out there and really controlled the pace of the game and we just weren’t able to really push back, which is something 1103865 Montreal Canadiens

Three things we learned against Pittsburgh

By Arpon Basu

Penguins 5, Canadiens 3 • Two days after what my colleague Marc Antoine Godin called the Canadiens most courageous win of the season, they came out with an effort that might have surpassed it, even though they lost. The Penguins are the bizarro Canadiens, a team overflowing with talent at centre against a team that, umm, isn’t. But what they aren’t is the Dallas Stars, they are lethal and the Canadiens more than held their own, even if the shot counter didn’t look like it. Yes, the Penguins tested Antti Niemi far more often than the Canadiens forced Tristan Jarry to make a save, but not all shots are created equal. This is a heat map courtesy of Natural Stat Trick of shot attempts early in the third period, at a time when the Penguins were outshooting the Canadiens at more than a 3-to-1 clip. As you can see, the shots from the area that matters, right in front of the net, are more or less equal. This, considering the lineups facing each other, is beyond comprehension. Claude Julien has been saying for weeks now that what matters to him in this lost season is that his players compete, that they don’t lay down and lose. If they do that, he’s happy. One has to imagine he was a happy man tonight. • So, about Niemi. Two nights after beating the team that bought out the final year of his contract on Tuesday, hindering the Dallas Stars’ chances of making the playoffs, Niemi makes 34 saves against the team that signed him as a free agent then cut him loose on Oct. 24, putting him on waivers before the season was three weeks old. Niemi has become a fixture in Three things because it is not fair to suddenly expect performances like this from him, even though his play in a Canadiens uniform would normally dictate that is exactly what we should expect from him. Yes, he gave up four goals, but he had absolutely no chance on any of them. Niemi giving up a bad goal is an extremely rare thing, and that is made more exceptional by the fact he was facing the Penguins, who probably grew too accustomed to him doing that. • A snapshot of Jonathan Drouin’s night: Midway through the second period, the Canadiens are changing lines. Drouin gets the puck deep and goes after it, but does so with purpose, not like someone who is just trying to get in a line change. He pressures the puck behind the Canadiens net, battles for it in the corner and generally disrupts the Penguins breakout for long enough that Daniel Carr had time to join the play from the bench, gathered the loose puck and found Nicolas Deslauriers all alone in the slot. He, in vintage Deslauriers fashion, snapped a one-timer from one knee top shelf on Jarry. Because he does that all the time. No big deal. But as great as Deslauriers had to feel letting go of that laser and scoring for the first time since Jan. 23, it was Drouin who should feel the most pride, because that was one of his most impressive points of the season. It showed something he hasn’t shown nearly often enough, some fight. It’s a shame it took him being put on a line with two players who reached the NHL through sheer hard work for him to start working more himself, but that’s what he’s doing and it showed more than ever on that second assist. The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103866 Nashville Predators

Catfish Corner: The streak ended, but the Predators still keep winning

The Tennessean March 15, 2018

The Predators' win streak ended, but the followed it up with a first period onslaught against the Jets. They are now in position to end the season as winners of the Central Division, the Western Conference, and the President's Trophy. On this episode of Catfish Corner, Adam Vingan and Jon Garcia talk Austin Watson's short-handed prowess, and how important home ice advantage is going to be come the playoffs. In true recording fashion, this episode was recorded before the news of Calle Jarnkrok's regular season-ending injury. Tennessean LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103867 Nashville Predators

Predators' Calle Jarnkrok to miss remainder of regular season with upper-body injury

Adam Vingan, USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Predators forward Calle Jarnkrok will miss the remainder of the regular season with what the team is calling an "upper- body injury." Jarnkrok suffered the injury against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. He was the recipient of a hard check into the boards from Jets forward Andrew Copp during the third period of Nashville's 3-1 victory. The 26- year-old labored toward the dressing room as he exited the game and wore a sling around his right arm as he left Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday evening. Jarnkrok was in the midst of a career season with 16 goals and 35 points, 29 of which were recorded at even strength. He, Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell experienced success as a well-rounded unit, outscoring opponents 11-6 and controlling roughly 67 percent of high-danger scoring chances when together this season. The Predators will miss Jarnkrok's versatility and penalty-killing contributions, but they have the forward depth to minimize the impact of his absence. "Certainly I think the addition of Ryan Hartman coming in here has been big," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "He's been down playing with Bonino. They've played together, so that combination is there. Ryan can chip in. Colton Sissons is a guy that can always chip in. (Miikka) Salomaki gets back in the lineup. He was playing really well when he came out, too." The wording of the timeline suggests that Jarnkrok could return during the Stanley Cup playoffs depending on how far the Predators advance, though Laviolette wouldn't say as much Thursday. Nashville had 13 remaining regular-season games before facing the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. The postseason begins April 11. Tennessean LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103868 Nashville Predators

Predators' plan to tweak lineup, rest players has big picture in mind

Adam Vingan, March 15, 2018

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Two weeks ago, the Predators enacted a plan. With a full complement of players after the passing of the trade deadline, coach Peter Laviolette began cycling through the roster, rearranging familiar combinations and scratching key regulars. "I don't know if it's necessarily that we're experimenting," Laviolette recently said. "We're just trying to get guys time just to get them out there and keep everybody sharp at everything." To be clear, this isn't an NBA-style strategy of holding out healthy players for rest purposes. Laviolette, by the way, objects to the word "rest" when asked about his recent lineup decisions, preferring to describe players' absences as "maintenance." Either way, it seemed like a bold move at first. But it hasn't hindered their pursuit of the Central Division title and Presidents' Trophy. As with everything else that the Predators have done this season, they're keeping the big picture in mind. "Especially this time of year where some guys get banged up and need a day or two, we have the privilege where we're able to do that," Predators center Ryan Johansen said. "There's a lot of teams in the league fighting for a playoff spot that aren't 100 percent healthy and their bodies are grinding along, where we can take a few maintenance days and get our rest." When Laviolette introduced the rotation, he said that he wanted to ensure that each member of the roster was "playoff-ready." The Predators' place in the standings has allowed him to sit players who could use an extra day to rest nagging ailments ahead of the postseason, which starts April 11. A byproduct of that decision is that Laviolette has had to tweak his lineup accordingly, which offers its own benefits. The Predators started 12 different forward lines in their previous six games before facing the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, not accounting for in-game adjustments. That number will rise with Calle Jarnkrok out for the remainder of the regular season because of an upper-body injury. "We found some chemistry this year with certain lines," Predators defenseman P.K. Subban said. "But I think that also because of our depth, it allows us to see what other chemistry we can come up with. "You can always go back to what's originally there. It just gives an opportunity to throw different looks at teams and also challenge our guys as well, give other guys opportunities to play in situations they're not used to and see what comes of it." "Depth" has been something of a buzzword in the Predators' dressing room this season. They learned of its importance during their most recent playoff run and know that they'll need it again. "I think it just proves that we're a deep team," Forsberg said of the team's fluctuating lineup. "Anyone can play with anyone. It doesn't matter who you put with each other. ... Everything can happen in the playoffs. You've got to be able to adjust, and I think this is good (preparation)." Tennessean LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103869 Nashville Predators

Predators continue comeback ways on road by defeating Arizona Coyotes

Adam Vingan, USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Quick, name the Western Conference team with the second-most points behind the Predators over the past five weeks. To find the answer, you have to look at the complete opposite end of the NHL standings. The conference-worst Arizona Coyotes are using what's left of their season to shed their reputation as also-rans. The league-leading Predators couldn't disregard the plucky Coyotes and didn't in a 3-2 victory, their 12th in the past 13 games. Nashville's 13- game point streak on the road (10-0-3) ties the franchise record established two seasons ago. Here are three observations from Thursday's win: Comeback kings As demonstrated on their previous road trip, the Predators aren't discouraged by late-game deficits. Their win Thursday was their fifth in a row on the road in comeback fashion. Behind 2-1 after two periods, Nashville swiftly tied the score when center Kyle Turris, who had his first-period goal overturned when Arizona successfully challenged for offside, slipped undetected into the slot. Turris then facilitated forward Kevin Fiala's blazing game-winning goal with a clean faceoff win. The Predators, who started the season 0-10-2 when trailing through two periods, are 5-1-3 in their past nine games under those circumstances. Turris, Fiala, Smith feeling it Turris, Fiala and Craig Smith discovered instantaneous chemistry upon Turris’ arrival in November. They roared to a hot start and have sustained it over the past four-plus months. The three combined for seven points Thursday, led by Turris' goal and two assists. When together at even strength, Turris, Fiala and Smith have outscored opponents 26-11 and accounted for more than 60 percent of scoring chances. Ellis' end-to-end impact Since making his season debut more than two months ago, Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis has positively impacted the team on both ends and in all situations. He's piled up points as of late, scoring his third goal — all of which have been game-tying — for his ninth point in the past seven games with a second-period strike. He settled Smith's pass with his left skate during an odd-man rush and slipped it behind Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Tennessean LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103870 New Jersey Devils

Devils' Blake Coleman made bold prediction before 1st career 2-goal game

By Chris Ryan

LAS VEGAS -- Blake Coleman told his family it was going to happen. For whatever reason, the Devils forward felt good going into Wednesday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights, so he told his family to be on the look out for a couple goals. Coleman then scored two in a game for the first time in his career. "I actually called it, to my family before the game," Coleman said. "For whatever reason I felt good coming in, and happy to contribute. Happier to get the two points." His family wasn't there in person, but his girlfriend's family did make the trip. Not a bad way to make an impression, right? Coleman's two goals sparked the Devils' 8-3 win over the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena, and despite the lopsided score, both came at important junctures of the game. Devils roll past Vegas He opened the scoring at 6:23 of the first period when he turned the tables on a Vegas power play, netting a shorthanded goal for a 1-0 lead. After the Golden Knights closed the second period with two goals and momentum, Coleman gave the Devils some breathing room with his second score 2:04 into the third period, pushing the advantage to 5-2 before the Devils blew things open. Coleman's eighth and ninth goals of the season came after a stretch of games where coach John Hynes said the rookie played some of his best hockey. "He was an engine for us. He's another guy, I think he's played some really good hockey here the last couple weeks," Hynes said. "Probably could have a couple more goals than he's had, but he's played the game the right way. Tonight the puck went in for him, so hopefully it continues to do that." Coleman was the only Devil to net two goals when they erupted for a season-high eight on Wednesday, and he was one of five players with two points on the night. How Devils could handle Keith Kinkaid, Cory Schneider down stretch The Devils scored more than three goals just once in their previous 11 games entering Wednesday, so it served as a breakout performance for the entire lineup. "Just getting a lot of pucks to the net, and fortunately a lot of pucks fell tonight and bounces went our way," Coleman said. "We were getting a ton of chances some of these games and not getting some of the bounces, so it's nice to be rewarded and it's a big win against a really good team." Star Ledger LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103871 New Jersey Devils game, and we need that down the stretch. As much as we need to defend and keep pucks our of our net, we need to score goals and be an effective team 5-on-5.” Devils beat Vegas: 8 observations | Michael Grabner gets on the board Devils roll past Vegas behind season-high 8 goals | Rapid reaction Fending off Vegas' push By Chris Ryan A 4-0 lead seemed plenty comfortable for the Devils. By the time the second period ended, it wasn't. LAS VEGAS -- If you blinked, you may have missed a Devils goal on The Golden Knights struck for two goals over the final nine minutes of the Wednesday. second, pulling within 4-2 after 40 minutes. Another goal for Vegas to start the third could have put the Devils in serious trouble, but Coleman's The offensive outburst fueled the Devils' season-high eight goals in an 8- goal stopped the bleeding before Grabner, Kyle Palmieri and Hall all 3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. added goals to pull away for good. For the second straight game against a division-leading team in the “I think if you look at the first period, they were the much better team," Western Conference, the Devils went on the road and walked out with an Hynes said. "We were probably lucky to get out of that first period up 2-0. impressive victory. I thought we started the second period better, played better than we did in the first period. Then they got some momentum on the power play, From the scoring outburst to Michael Grabner getting on the board and scored a couple goals, hit the post. They’re a heck of a team, so then I more, here are eight takeaways from the Devils' convincing win. thought we gathered ourselves between periods and then we were able to find a way to get the key goal in the third period and build from there." Grabner getting on the board Winning in tough buildings Earlier in the week, Grabner talked about getting his first goal and point to help get the monkey off his back. He got both on Wednesday. The Devils continued to show their knack for winning in some of the toughest buildings in the NHL. Grabner assisted on Travis Zajac's second-period goal before scoring his own in the third, marking his first two points as a Devils since the Feb. 23 The Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators and trade from the Rangers. Once both goals were scored, Devils coach Golden Knights are all in first place or tied for first place in their John Hynes saw some relief. respective divisions as of Thursday and all have at least 24 home wins this season. The Devils are a combined 4-0-0 in road games against "He cares. He wants to help. He knows why we got him," Hynes said. those teams. "He’s had a couple meeting with us, and you could just see in his body language and his face. After he got the assist was one, then the goal, Now with back-to-back wins over Nashville and Vegas. the Devils have you could tell it was just a big smile on his face. Good for him and displayed the needed confidence and talent to pick up two needed road hopefully that continues, because he’s a guy when he gets hot, he can wings to kick off a six-game trip. get real hot, so hopefully he does." “We’ve had confidence in ourselves all year. We’ve put ourselves in good Devils Golden Knights Hockey spot," goalie Keith Kinkaid said. "You look at coming into hard buildings — Penguins, Nashville, (Vegas) — we get up for those games. We’ve The forward did have a big smile on his face as he was swarmed by just got to keep it going here on the road trip." teammates following his third-period goal. Now with No. 1 with the Devils out of the way, he hopes more can quickly follow. Handling Vegas "It’s nice. Hopefully I can build off that and carry it over the last few Of all those road cities, Vegas has been particularly troublesome for games here," Grabner said. "So it was a big win for us and it’s nice to get visiting this season. one finally." The "Vegas Flu" has affected some opponents making their first stops in NHL.com Sin City, but the Devils seemed to handle the game and the visit perfectly from start to finish. Grabner likely won't have an easier goal than his first as a Devil and his 26th overall this season. The play was largely set up by a dominant shift "They’ve got a lot of good vibes going right now," Grabner said. "The fans by center Nico Hischier, where the rookie center nearly scored once and are into it, they’re having a good season, so it’s a tough building to come had another chance to do so again before dropping a pass to Grabmer in. It’s loud. We got some timely goals today where we kind of took the for the finish. crowd out of it a little bit and kind of got our game going. They still had their momentum swings and their change, but we got some timely goals New Jersey Devils v Vegas Golden Knights at the start of the third period, so that’s nice for us.” "He had a good rush there and had a shot there before," Grabner said of Kinkaid notches another win Hischier's play. "I tried to get my stick on it, and he got his own rebound back and made a great play out of the corner with Gibby there. I was just Kinkaid now has 18 wins on the season, passing Cory Schneider for the trying to battle in front and get open, spin off the guy. I think he could team lead. In his last 10 starts, Kinkaid has won eight times. When you have shot it too, but he’s a good passer, so he made a great pass." get eight goals of support in one game, it's tough not to keep a good run going. Hall not doing it all “That was a fun game for us," Kinkaid said. "We got some fortunate As the Devils piled up their first six goals of the night, one name was bounces, but I think we worked hard. Especially in the third, pouring it on oddly absent from the score sheet. But getting six goals without Taylor and getting a few dagger goals and never letting up.” Hall's direct involvement might have been a good sign for the Devils. Keeping good vibes going on road trip Hall did score and add an assist on the Devils' final two goals, but the team generated offense and finished chances to get things rolling. The Devils entered their season-long six-game road trip at a crucial point of their season as they continue to fight for a playoff spot. "That’s what playoff teams and championship teams are," said forward Blake Coleman, who scored twice. "They’re four teams that can score. Two games against Nashville and Vegas to start the trip were daunting, It’s not always going to be six in a row in one game, but you need to but the Devils managed to piece together the performances they needed. show up on night’s when Taylor’s maybe not there. Even if he is, if you get contributions down the lineup, you’re going to be a really hard to “They weren’t two perfect games by any means. We got outshot in both skate with.” them, but at this time of year, you just want to bank wins, you want to bank points," Hall said. "We’ve had some games at home where we Hall's 31st goal and 45 assist put his team lead at 76 points for the probably deserved a better fate than we’ve got. Outplayed teams and season, pushing him closer to his career-high total of 80 points. didn’t win games. It might be evening out at this point, but like I said, it’s a win and a tough building to play in, so we’ll take it." But if the Devils can rely on more secondary scoring beyond what Hall generates, they're that much more of a dangerous team. Log jam in the standings "Tonight was huge for that. I really believe when you have nights like this, Each win for the Devils is vital in March and down the stretch, and guys don’t grip their sticks as tight," Hall said. "You get points, you get Wednesday's put them squarely in the middle of the Eastern Conference goals, you’re on for goals, you start feeling good about your offensive playoff picture. They leapfrogged the Columbus Blue Jackets back into the first wild card spot with 80 points. The Devils and Blue Jackets both have 70 games played. The Devils also moved five points ahead of the Florida Panthers, the conference's ninth-place team, but the Panthers do have three games in hand. On the other side of the picture, the Devils now find themselves knocking on the door behind the three teams ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division. They trail the Flyers by one point with the same number of games played. The Washington Capitals and Penguins both hold a five-point lead over the Devils with 85 points atop the division. The Penguins have one more game played, while the Capitals have one fewer. Star Ledger LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103872 New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils game to benefit stray animals

NorthJersey Published 10:15 p.m. ET March 15, 2018

NHL: Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils will take the ice March 29 not only to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins, but also to benefit animals. The Pucks 4 Pets night at 7 p.m. at the in Newark will raise money for NJ Strays, a nonprofit dog and cat rescue charity. Tickets cost $67 and include an on-ice photo, with proceeds benefiting NJ Strays. Tickets can be bought online at njstrays.org/hockey. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103873 New Jersey Devils

Michael Grabner hoping breakthrough goal is start of something big with Devils

Andy Vasquez, March 15, 2018

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — On the scoresheet, it doesn’t look all that significant. Michael Grabner scored the Devils’ sixth goal in Wednesday night’s 8-3 route of the Golden Knights. But for Grabner, it might be a moment that sparked something big for him in a Devils uniform. Grabner, who was traded from the Rangers to the Devils on Feb. 23, went nearly three weeks without a point in a Devils uniform. But he broke through with an assist and goal in Wednesday’s win, and he’s hoping it’s the start of something big. “It’s nice to get one, finally,” Grabner said. “Hopefully I can build on that, and carry it over for the next couple of games here.” Grabner was the Rangers' best goalscorer, tallying 25 goals in the first 59 games of the season. But in his first eight games with the Devils, he couldn’t get on the board. When he finally did score on Wednesday night, Grabner pumped both fists, turned to his teammates and grinned. Devils coach John Hynes could see the relief on his face, and knows that one goal could change things dramatically as the Devils prepare to face the Kings and Ducks this weekend. New Jersey Devils' Michael Grabner (40) controls a “He cares. He wants to help. He knows why we got him,” Hynes said of Grabner. “You could just see it in his body language and his face after he got the assist, and after he got the goal you could tell, it was just a big smile on his face. So good for him, and hopefully that continues because he is a guy when he gets hot that he can get real hot. So hopefully he does.” Grabner admitted that the trade and all the talk leading up to it, might have thrown him off a little. “At the end of the day we’re all human. It’s tough,” He said. “It was a long couple weeks before the trade, knowing you’re going to get traded. It’s just mentally tough, and I was kind of relieved when it all was done. Now I just can focus on hockey.” While he was relieved to be traded, and to not have to move across the country, it still changed Grabner’s routine. He’s been living out of a hotel, returning home to see his family for a few days when the schedule permits. But he said the Devils front office and his teammates have made the adjustment as easy as possible. “Now I’ve just got to try to get my game back,” he said. “Hopefully I score some goals.” Grabner actually notched his first point as a Devil early in the second period, when he assisted on a Travis Zajac goal. And when Grabner’s first goal finally came, he didn’t have to work all that hard for it. Nico Hischier set up the goal with a strong shift, nearly scoring himself before he made a play on the puck out of the corner, rushed the net and found Grabner on the left side of the net for an easy goal. “When you come to a new team, it’s kind of like starting the season over again,” Grabner said. “You want to help the team, you want to score goals, and you’re trying to work toward the first one. It took a few games, but I finally got one.” Bergen Record LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103874 New Jersey Devils

Abbey Mastracco named The Record and NorthJersey.com's New Jersey Devils writer

NorthJersey.com staff Published 4:43 p.m. ET March 15, 2018

Abbey Mastracco has been named The Record and NorthJersey.com’s New Jersey Devils beat writer. She will move into her new role the week of March 26. Mastracco’s professional career includes covering the NHL’s L.A. Kings and Anaheim Ducks for FOX Sports, NHL.com, and the Associated Press before moving east to cover the Mets a year ago for NJ.com. “I’m extremely excited to come aboard with the great team at The Record and NorthJersey.com,” Mastracco said. “I fell in love with hockey from my very first assignment. The energy, the heavy-hitting, the dynamic scoring and the personalities of the players make hockey one of the most enjoyable sports to cover. It’s an exciting time to be a Devils fan and I can’t wait to get started with what is hopefully going to be a very long playoff run.” “Abbey is a dynamic reporter and writer who will bring a fan’s passion to her coverage of the Devils – no matter how they read it, from our print editions to our digital platforms,” said Rick Green, editor and vice- president of content for NorthJersey.com and The Record. “She’s got the right blend of experience and energy that will resonate with our readers. We couldn’t be happier that she’s part of our team.” Mastracco has also covered the NBA, NFL and college football and , and she has worked at FOX Sports on the TV side in production and on the editorial side with FOXSports.com. : @AbbeyMastracco Bergen Record LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103875 New York Islanders

Islanders show no signs of life in ugly, blowout defeat

By Associated Press March 15, 2018 | 10:30PM

T.J. Oshie scored twice, Dmitry Orlov and Nicklas Backstrom each had a goal and two assists, and the Islanders were routed by the first-place Capitals 7-3 Thursday night at . Andrei Burakovsky added a goal and an assist, and Lars Eller and John Carlson also scored to help Washington improve to 10-4-3 in its last 17 games against the Islanders. Evgeny Kuznetsov had three assists and Philipp Grubauer finished with 35 saves for his 11th win of the season. Brock Nelson, Andrew Ladd and Ryan Pulock scored for the Islanders, who lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Christopher Gibson started and gave up five goals on 12 shots before he was pulled midway through the second period. Jaroslav Halak came on and finished with eight saves. Orlov gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead with 2:43 left in the first as he beat Gibson for his ninth of the season. Burakovsky extended Washington’s lead at 3:12 of the second, and Backstrom made it 5-2 with his 18th with 9:38 remaining in the middle period, ending Gibson’s night. Christopher Gibson was pulled in the second period.Paul J. Bereswill Carlson got his 13th with 4:19 left in the third to give the Capitals a four- goal lead. Pulock got the Islanders to 6-3 just 52 seconds later, but Oshie scored an empty-netter for his second of the night and 14th of the season with just under two minutes to go. The Islanders were coming off a 5-2 win at Calgary on Sunday night that snapped their eight-game skid (0-4-4) with Gibson making 50 saves. Nevertheless, their defensive struggles returned against the Capitals. The Islanders have allowed a league-high 252 goals and are 15-23-8 since finishing November at 15-7-2. They will almost certainly miss the playoffs for the second straight year and the third time in five years. New York has won only one playoff series — in 2016 — in the nine-year career of their captain John Tavares, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Nelson opened the scoring at 2:19 of the first as he took a pass from rookie Tanner Fritz while skating down the slot before beating Grubauer for his 16th. Eller tied it at 10:19 with his 16th before Oshie scored at 11:29 to put the Capitals ahead 2-1. Ladd tied the score 2-2 at 12:29 when he scored his 10th. Rookie Mathew Barzal got his team-leading 52nd assist on the play. New York Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103876 New York Islanders

With Isles in dire straits, Doug Weight backs team’s direction

By Andrew Gross

The playoffs are nearly out of reach for the Islanders, but Doug Weight, calling himself still a “work in progress” as a coach, is confident in the direction the organization is heading. “It’s really hard between patience and acceptance,” he said Thursday. “I really believe in this franchise. We’re still going in a good direction. It’s hard for everybody to understand that, but I believe in it and I believe in the process we’re going through.” Weight, 47, replaced the fired Jack Capuano on Jan. 17, 2017 and has a 54-42-14 career record. “You’re always learning,” he said. “You don’t want to turn your cheek to it and say, ‘We had injuries, we didn’t have this in the beginning.’ Those are always going to be there. Every team has that. You still have to face it and get better from it, and that’s what I’m trying to do.” Back to Halak? Goalie Jaroslav Halak is likely to start Friday night at Washington, but Weight wouldn’t rule out Christopher Gibson getting a fourth straight start. “At this time of the year, you can’t take anything off the table,” he said. Isles files Nikolay Kulemin, out since undergoing shoulder surgery on Nov. 13, may be within a week of taking a full practice. The 31-year-old forward, an impending unrestricted free agent, accompanied the team on its recent road trip and has started to take contact on the ice. “It’s time-sensitive now for the doctors,” Weight said. “They want to make sure he’s 100 percent. I would say he’s really close to starting to practice with us.” Forward Alan Quine (lower body) missed his seventh game but skated toward the end of Thursday’s optional morning skate. Forward Scott Eansor, 22, who has 16 goals and six assists in 57 games for Bridgeport (AHL), agreed to a two-year, two-way contract. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103877 New York Islanders

Christopher Gibson yanked as Capitals rout Islanders The Islanders are inching closer to calculating when they’ll be eliminated

By Andrew Gross

The promise the Islanders saw in goalie Christopher Gibson’s play was nowhere to be found on Thursday night. “Today was just one of those games that tells me I still have a lot of things to work on to play with the best,” Gibson said. The Capitals beat the Islanders, 7-3, at Barclays Center and chased Gibson from his first home start of the season at 10:22 of the second period. He had allowed five goals on 12 shots. The teams meet again on Friday night at Washington. “We didn’t get any bounces but we also had breakdowns that weren’t very good,” defenseman Johnny Boychuk said. “This time of year, when you’re fighting for your life and we don’t get those bounces, you’ve got to have a little bit of anger and drive. Playoff hockey. It just wasn’t there.” The Islanders (30-30-10) remain in last place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the Rangers, and are 10 points behind the Devils for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They fell short in their attempt to win consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 15-16. Philip Grubauer, allowed to settle in after a shaky start, made 35 saves for the Capitals (40-23-7), who remain in first place in the division. Jaroslav Halak wound up stopping eight of nine shots. Gibson, making his third straight start and fourth in the last five games, was coming off Sunday’s 50-save performance as the Islanders snapped an 0-4-4 skid with a 5-2 win at Calgary to end a 1-0-3 road trip. “We played pretty well,” Islanders coach Doug Weight said. “I know it was 7-3. I don’t know what to tell you.” If the rest of this disappointing season does not include any sort of playoff pursuit, the time can be well spent evaluating whether Gibson, 25, can be part of the Islanders’ goalie rotation in the future. Both Gibson, playing on a one-year, two-way deal worth $650,000 in the NHL, and Halak, completing a four-year, $18-million deal, are impending unrestricted free agents. Thursday was Gibson’s eighth NHL appearance. Andre Burakovsky, parked in the slot, deflected a shot past Gibson’s left pad to make it 4-2 at 3:12 of the second period. After Cal Clutterbuck was whistled for slashing Tom Wilson, who in the first period left his skates and briefly knocked Casey Cizikas from the game, Nicklas Backstrom batted a power-play goal over Gibson’s glove at 10:22 and Halak was summoned. “We needed a spark,” Weight said. Gibson looked suspect on two of the Capitals’ three first-period goals, which came on nine shots. “I wasn’t happy with my game tonight,” Gibson said. “There was more than one goal I should have had. I’m disappointed with my performance.” Lars Eller beat Gibson to the far post from the right circle to tie it at 1 at 2:19 and defenseman Dmitry Orlov slipped a shot underneath the goalie’s pads from below the left circle to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead at 17:17. Andrew Ladd snapped a 25-game goal-less streak dating to Dec. 21, tying the score at 2 at 12:29 of the first period after Brock Nelson opened the scoring at 2:19. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103878 New York Rangers

SEE IT: Rangers fan sheds tears of joy after getting stick from Pavel Buchnevich

BRETT BODNER

The Rangers made one of their fans cry for a good reason Wednesday night. A young fan named Benjamin broke into tears after he was handed a stick by his favorite player, Pavel Buchnevich, during the team's warm-up skate before playing the Penguins. Benjamin, who was wearing a KHL Buchnevich jersey, waved to the Rangers winger to get his attention. Buchnevich saw the fan, recognized the jersey and then tossed a stick over the boards to give the boy a souvenir. Pavel Buchnevich brought a young fan to tears when he gave him a stick during the Rangers pregame skate Wednesday night. When he caught the stick, the fan slapped the boards in joy and the two gave each other a high five through the glass. The young boy's emotions overwhelmed him in the moment and he couldn't help but cry. Zuccarello, Rangers top Hagelin, Brassard and Pens in OT Buchnevich then skated back over to pose for a picture with the Rangers fan. Happy tears with his hero! pic.twitter.com/H3nNCzdrR3 — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 14, 2018 The Rangers Twitter account also shared a photo of the two meeting in person. Buch meets his biggest fan Benjamin! pic.twitter.com/OnpvrbecxH — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 15, 2018 Both were equally happy after the game, following the Rangers' 4-3 overtime win against the Penguins. Buchnevich has been with the Rangers since he was drafted in the third round of the 2013 NHL draft. Susan Sarandon flops as guest broadcaster for Rangers game After playing in the KHL for the 2015-2016 season, Buchnevich signed a three-year entry level contract with the team and made the lineup for the 2016-2017 season. Buchnevich has played in 63 games for the Rangers this season, registering 14 goals and 26 assists. New York Daily News LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103879 New York Rangers Nickolai Bobrov is the scout who recommended Georgiev, likening him, we’re told, to Sergei Bobrovsky, who also went undrafted before he signed with the Flyers in 2010 at age 21. Rangers must go after Ilya Kovalchuk, who isn’t who you think he is 3. You saw Chris Kreider, if you didn’t blink, put up four points (1 goal, 3 assists) within a span of 14:11 in Wednesday’s victory over the Penguins between his goal at 8:42 of the third period and his set-up for Mika By Larry Brooks March 15, 2018 | 7:47PM Zibanejad’s winner at 2:53 of OT. That’s the fastest four-point performance, per the Rangers and confirmed by Elias, since Petr Nedved set the franchise record with two goals and Regarding the Rangers, whose playoff elimination tragic number was 15 two assists (on goals by Kevin Stevens and Peter Popovic) within a span points (Columbus) and 14 points (New Jersey) prior to Blue Jackets- of 7:51 in the second period of a 6-3 victory in Carolina on Dec. 26, 1998, Flyers in Philadelphia on Thursday: in pre-Czechmate days. 1. Of course and absolutely the Rangers should and will pursue Ilya New York Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 Kovalchuk when the scoring machine hits the open market as a 35-year- old unrestricted free agent July 1. He would have been the right guy this year for the intended retool had the Devils been more amenable to shipping his rights across the Hudson for less than a first-rounder, and he is the right guy for next year’s rebuild/rebound season in which the Blueshirts should be able to compete for a playoff spot with some fortification. You’re delusional if you believe the Rangers are going to throw a bunch of young lambs onto the ice to be slaughtered in 2018-19. The Baby Blueshirts will need accomplished veterans to help show the way, and Kovalchuk — most certainly along with Rick Nash, no guarantee to return after experiencing life near the top of the league in Boston — is one of the guys management will attempt to enlist who can do that. Now, you may be thinking Kovalchuk, who has led the KHL in scoring each of the past two seasons and whose .511 goals per game average is 12th in NHL history among players with at least 400 goals, might be the natural sniper the roster and pipeline lack but that he is selfish and not much a team guy after bolting New Jersey for Russia in 2013 and isn’t the one to lead the way. Not so. Who says? Martin Brodeur for one, that’s who. “Kovy is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Brodeur, who played four seasons with No. 17 in New Jersey, told The Post on Monday. “And I’m not talking about just his play on the ice. “He was one of our most engaged guys in the room. He was great that way. He really cares about winning, and he cares about guys on his team. Away from the rink, and I think it’s unusual in the NHL for someone from Russia, but his wife organized dinners and was great with the team. “I have only good things to say about him,” said Brodeur, who was at the Garden, scouting the match against Carolina in his role as assistant general manager of the Blues. “I understood why he left, but from a personal and team standpoint, I wasn’t happy. It was a big loss for us. “If he comes back, and it sounds like he might — I think he would have this year if it weren’t for the Olympics — he’s going to be a very good player for whoever signs him.” All the kids here will benefit from veteran leadership, but perhaps Kovalchuk can have even a greater influence with Pavel Buchnevich, Vlad Namestnikov and Alex Georgiev, if not with current SKA mates and projected future Rangers Igor Shestyorkin and Yegor Rykov. The Blueshirts aren’t going to be the only team pursuing Kovalchuk, whose SKA club opens its conference semifinal series Thursday after having swept the first round. The Blues may be interested. We’re told Dallas will be in the mix. Perhaps the Panthers. And there is the matter of a contract. The Rangers surely would prefer to sign Kovalchuk to a one-year, over-35 deal loaded with bonuses and barring that, a two-year deal. But Kovalchuk might be looking for more. The Blueshirts won’t want to sign veterans to long-term deals that might block the advancement of their kids, but even this refreshed feeder system is lacking in goal scorers. So that concern should not be an impediment to bringing Kovalchuk to Broadway, where goal-scoring and leadership will be needed next season. 2. Entry-level contract slides apply only to players who sign at age 18 or 19, so there are no games-played restrictions/considerations on Georgiev, who was 21 when he signed his three-year deal in July after the goaltender impressed Benoit Allaire at development camp. 1103880 New York Rangers “I was just really, really excited. I couldn’t really believe it,” Brassard said. “I would have never thought a couple years ago I would be playing here.”

New York Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 Mats Zuccarello’s two best friends now thriving with Penguins

By Brett Cyrgalis March 15, 2018

They were the first two teammates to get to the hospital, and they broke down in tears at the sight of Mats Zuccarello, their good friend. Zuccarello was in the midst of a four-day period during the spring of 2015 when the Rangers winger couldn’t speak due to having taken a puck to the head that fractured his skull and caused bleeding in his brain. Those two players, Derick Brassard and Carl Hagelin, are now both members of two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. And Wednesday night, they returned to the Garden and actually lost to the Rangers, 4-3 in overtime. It was a reminder of the difficult time Zuccarello had, the friends who were there for him, and how much has changed within the Rangers organization since that moment. “Two of my best friends,” Zuccarello said Wednesday morning, his team out of the playoff picture and rebuilding while Pittsburgh goes for a three- peat. “So to see them together is, I don’t know, kind of weird. But it’s a good team. I wish them good luck — not tonight, but in the future. We’re not friends tonight.” Hagelin, who scored the Penguins’ third goal of the game, left the Rangers after that 2015 playoff run and found his way to Pittsburgh to collect those two Stanley Cup rings. Brassard had a more circuitous path. In the summer of 2014, he signed a five-year, $25 million deal with the Rangers. He was then traded to the Senators before the 2016-17 season in exchange for Mika Zibanejad, and he was part of the Ottawa team that beat the Rangers in the second round last spring (and then lost to the Penguins in the conference final). The Senators imploded this season, and general manager Pierre Dorion was forced into a rebuilding process that is still centered around the seemingly inevitable trade of captain Erik Karlsson this summer. In the interim, Dorion found a new home for Brassard just before the Feb. 26 deadline. “It was something [between] me and Pierre in Ottawa, it was like mutual,” Brassard said before he collected an assist in 16:42 of ice time between Phil Kessel and Bryan Rust. “Two weeks before that, he told me he was going to move me. And after that — it was just the Erik Karlsson thing, and a couple guys that were unsure about their future — it was pretty clear they were doing a rebuild a little bit. So with one year left, I thought it would be better if I had a chance to win and go somewhere. … Basically, after that two weeks, every day they were working towards something, and then I end up here.” The day before the trade deadline, at around 2 p.m., Brassard was told he was going from the Senators to the Penguins. The first person he called was Hagelin, who was taking a nap. “I saw a missed call from him, the day before the deadline, so I knew something was up with him,” Hagelin said. “It was excitement. It’s good to get a good person, a good player, into the locker room. Shows that the team wants to win.” The initial proposed trade actually was rejected by the NHL, putting everything on hold for a few hours until the Golden Knights came in and ended up absorbing part of Brassard’s salary. “The whole day and whole night,” Brassard said. “Basically I went for dinner [not knowing], and I heard about 9:30 p.m.” Zuccarello said he texts with Brassard almost every day. When he was asked about his best Brassard story, he said: “I don’t think I can share it publicly.” The two of them and Hagelin were all single guys living in Manhattan, playing for a Rangers team that had been a Stanley Cup contender since 2011 before declaring it would rebuild in early February — which could see Zuccarello tradedthis summer. Overall, the 30-year-old Brassard played 254 regular-season games for the Rangers, adding 59 in the postseason. From the time he came to Broadway from the Blue Jackets in the 2013 blockbuster deal that sent Marian Gaborik to Columbus, Brassard was one of the team’s central figures during an era that was defined by much success, but no championship. Brassard, the affable French-Canadian nicknamed “Big Game Brass,” might be able to amend his lack of a championship with a Penguins team that has as good a shot as any to win. 1103881 New York Rangers

Rangers’ win over Penguins shows they won’t go quietly down stretch

By Colin Stephenson

A team playing out the string would not have come back the way the Rangers did Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Garden. Down two goals to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions entering the third period, and with no real shot at the playoffs to incentivize them, somehow the Rangers kept fighting, and pulled off an unlikely 4-3 overtime win over the Penguins. “Nothing to lose,’’ Mika Zibanejad said when asked how the Rangers were able to will themselves to keep playing hard. “And that’s kind of the mentality we have to have. No one’s counting on us. We believe that we can win games, and that’s what we’re trying to do. By just taking it a game at a time, we’ll see what happens at the end of it.’’ Zibanejad scored with 3:17 left in the third period to tie it 3, then notched the 100th goal of his career to win it at 2:53 of overtime. And rookie goalie Alexandar Georgiev had 37 saves, including one a penalty shot by Evgeni Malkin with 10.7 seconds left in regulation to force the extra time. The win lifted the rebuilding Rangers to a 5-2-1 record in the eight games since the Feb. 26 trade deadline. They are eight points out of a playoff spot with 11 games remaining. It may not be the best way of increasing their odds to win a top-3 pick in the NHL draft lottery, but the fans in the Garden didn’t seem to mind. Georgiev, who was called up after backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec suffered a knee injury, has started two straight games and won both. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said this week that Georgiev will play more as the Rangers try to figure out if they can trust him to be Henrik Lundqvist’s backup next season. His teammates have made it clear they don’t mind having the 22-year-old Georgiev (3-2, 2.75 goals-against average, .929 save percentage) playing behind them. “He’s been so good for us,’’ forward Chris Kreider said of Georgiev. “It’s been easy to play in front of a guy like that. We’ve been really lucky my entire time here, regardless if it’s Hank, or his backup, or even third string, in this case.’’ As far as whether the Rangers can consider themselves in the playoff race, Kreider, who scored the Rangers’ first goal, on a power play rebound in the third period, and set up both Zibanejad’s goals, danced around the question. “It’s a group of professional athletes,’’ he said, carefully avoiding any discussing of longshot playoff hopes. “Guys aren’t going to quit, right, so it’s one game at a time.’’ Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.16.2018

1103882 Ottawa Senators tunes. Ear-splitting screams erupted with every Korean pass or shot that came near the Canadian net.

Prompted to cheer loudly during one timeout, the screaming reached a Canada to play for Paralympic hockey gold against United States cacophonous 106 decibels — about the equivalent on the ears of using a power saw. The Canadian Press “I couldn’t believe how loud it was out there,” said McGregor. “It was almost deafening.”

Canada will be gunning for gold on Sunday less than a month after the , — Billy Bridges lived through the lean years Canadians wrapped up a disappointing Olympic tournament. The men of Canadian sledge hockey, when the privilege of playing for Canada’s were eliminated in the semifinals by Germany, while the women lost to national team came with a hefty $15,000 price tag. their archrival Americans in a shootout. “Plus we had to pay for our travel and all our own food. We were eating McGregor, a former triple-A hockey player who lost a leg to cancer, said fast food. We had 4 a.m., 5 a.m. ice times, because that’s all we could his team would love to bring hockey gold and glory back to Canada. afford, the cheap ice,” Bridges said. “Absolutely, because the past two Games specifically, in Vancouver and Bridges and Tyler McGregor two goals apiece as the Canadians Sochi, our team showed up to the Paralympics looking to cap off a triple dispatched South Korea 7-0 in Thursday’s Paralympic hockey (formerly gold, because our men’s and women’s teams had both left the Games sledge hockey) semifinals, booking their first berth in the gold-medal with gold medals,” said the 24-year-old from London, Ont. game since they won Paralympic gold in 2006. “It’s different this time around. We might be the only (Canadian hockey) They will face the world No. 1-ranked Americans, who defeated Italy 10-1 team leaving Pyeongchang with a gold medal. Canadians expect that of in the other semifinal. us, our country takes a lot of pride in being a leading hockey nation and as a team, we want to bring home a gold medal, because I think it would Canada, which beat the U.S. 4-1 for a record fourth world title last year, showcase our sport tremendously back home, it would have a huge has yet to be tested in this tournament, running roughshod over impact on the growth of our sport. We want solidify our stake as a leading opponents 42-0 through four games so far. hockey nation.” Bridges credits Hockey Canada, which brought Canadian sledge hockey Canada had to settle for bronze four years ago in Sochi after losing to the under its umbrella in 2004, with raising the level of excellence and U.S. in the semis. The Americans went on to win gold, with the Russians, professionalism in the program. who were banned from Pyeongchang due to doping infractions, claiming silver. “I’m so lucky that I was a part of the team before Hockey Canada took over, because I got a chance to see what they’ve done,” said Bridges, a Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.16.2018 five-time Paralympian from Summerside, P.E.I. The Canadian players are as well-funded as “any amateur athlete” Bridges said, receiving a monthly stipend — or carding — from Sport Canada, money from Own The Podium, plus sponsors. “I can’t believe I’m a disabled athlete, basically making a living and playing hockey on the greatest stage and having people watch, and doing interviews,” said Bridges, who was born with spina bifida. “Ten- year-old me would never believe this right now, when I realized I was a disabled person, and that I wasn’t going to the NHL. That was always my dream, to go to the NHL and be a big hockey star. And it’s something special to be a part of this now.” The Canadians put on a show at Gangneung Hockey Centre, with Liam Hickey, Dom Cozzolino, and Greg Westlake scoring one goal each. Corbin Watson and Dominic Larocque shared time in net, making a save apiece, as the Canadians outshot South Korea 24-2. Canadian coach Ken Babey would like to have seen more parity in a tournament where the Americans breezed through the first round, outscoring opponents 28-0. Canada and the U.S. also have the youngest teams, each averaging about 27 years old. There are five players over 50 in the tournament, including 61-year-old Japanese netminder Shinobu Fukushima. “It’s kind of like women’s hockey in the sense that we have to help grow the game, we have to share our knowledge, share some of our resources, because it’s not going to grow unless we do,” he said. “I really think as leaders, Canada and the United States … I think we should continue to do what we do, and maybe do even more.” To that end, Canada hosted South Korea last year in Calgary, plus visited South Korea to play a series of games. “I think (the Koreans) are way better than they were two years ago. They’re faster, they’re more skilled, they’re playing a style now, a system,” said Babey, who coached at SAIT for 27 years before taking over the Para program in 2015. “And we try to get countries like Italy, , the Czechs coming to Canada if they want. We’ve extended informal invitations to do that for next year.” The beginning of the next Paralympic quadrennial, he said, would be the perfect time for countries to get on board, since Para hockey has a much shorter learning curve than the standup game. South Korean fans certainly seem to have embraced the game. Thursday’s crowd, which included South Korean First Lady Kim Jung- sook, rivalled the attendance for the Canada-U.S. women’s final at last month’s Olympics. Fans danced and sang along to the blaring K-pop 1103883 Ottawa Senators

Dorion hits the road with an eye toward next season

Bruce Garrioch

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion caused a firestorm of speculation when he was in the press box to see the Edmonton Oilers in back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday. In fact, by the time he rolled out of Edmonton on Wednesday night after completing a seven-day scouting trip, the talk was that maybe the Senators were working on a deal to send winger Mike Hoffman to the Oilers for centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Indications are the rumoured deal was never discussed, and it’s highly doubtful the Senators would move Hoffman after resisting offers to trade him at the Feb. 26 trade deadline because he’d developed such strong scoring chemistry with centre Matt Duchene. For those wondering why Dorion saw the Oilers twice, he did a short tour of the West — it included college games, the Western Hockey League and some pro games — because the organization is preparing for the June 22-23 draft in Dallas, offseason trades and free agency on July 1. Dorion was also spotted Monday night in San Jose and Tuesday in Calgary, so Edmonton was a stop on the way home. First and foremost, Dorion comes from a scouting background. He decided not to stick with the Senators after the deadline because he wanted to get a live look at some of the top prospects for the draft, plus get a handle on teams in the West that he simply hasn’t had the chance to see enough. He actually started the scouting tour last week in Barrie where he saw No. 2-rated prospect Andrei Svechnikov, a winger with the OHL’s Colts. It’s believed he also stopped in Boston to see winger Brady Tkachuk, who is wrapping up his year with Boston University. Dorion worked his way up through the ranks by starting as an amateur scout with the Montreal Canadiens. He also made a stop with the New York Rangers before joining the Senators in 2007 as director of player personnel. He’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and hit the road to see players, and he’s not alone on that front. General managers listen to what their scouts tell them during meetings, but many like to see for themselves what kind of player the organization is drafting. The stop in Edmonton was nothing more than Dorion doing some homework for what’s going to be a busy summer. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103884 Ottawa Senators Kari Lehtonen Mike McKenna Game Day: Dallas Stars at Ottawa Senators Sick Bay Martin Hanzal, Ben Bishop, Marc Methot Ken Warren The Big Match-Up Tyler Seguin versus Matt Duchene: Going into Thursday’s games, Seguin ranks fourth in the National Hockey League with 37 goals, trailing DALLAS AT OTTAWA only Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Laine and Evgeni Malkin. He’s registered Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. TV: TSN 5, TVA. Radio: TSN 1200 AM, one goal and two assists against Toronto on Wednesday, giving him 94,5 Unique FM. eight goals and nine assists in his past 11 games. Duchene picked up two assists in the Senators’ win over Tampa on Tuesday, staying above Five Keys To The Game: a point per game pace (10 goals, 12 assists) in 21 games since the start of February. 1) Spoiler alert: Senators head coach Guy Boucher isn’t fond of the phrase, but the Senators are again in position to ruin the party for Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 another club fighting for a National Hockey League playoff spot. 2) Taking another look: Magnus Paajarvi, who made the most of the Florida trip by scoring three goals in two games, is giving the Senators reason to think about re-signing him for next season. 3) Accepting the responsibility: There’s enormous pressure on Stars backup goaltender Kari Lehtonen, who has been thrust into a top role because of Ben Bishop’s injury. 4) Riding momentum: As unlikely as the Senators’ sweep of the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning was, it does provide some reason for optimism. 5) Stopping Seguin: Tyler Seguin has done his part as a front-line centre, carrying the Stars offence, but, even with three points from him, it wasn’t enough to prevent a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Special Teams Senators: PP 17.0 pe cent (25th), PK 75.9 per cent (27th) Stars: PP 19.8 per cent (21st), PK 82.0 per cent (10th) Rosters Senators Forwards Ryan Dzingel-Matt Duchene-Mike Hoffman Bobby Ryan-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Marian Gaborik Magnus Paarvaji-Zack Smith-Tom Pyatt Alex Burrows-Jim O’Brien-Max McCormick Defencemen Freddy Claesson-Erik Karlsson Ben Harpur-Cody Ceci Mark Borowiecki-Thomas Chabot Goalies Craig Anderson Mike Condon Sick Bay Clarke MacArthur, Chris Wideman, Mark Stone Stars Forwards Jamie Benn-Tyler Seguin-Alexander Radulov Antoine Roussel-Radek Faksa-Tyler Pitlick Devin Shore-Jason Dickinson-Mattias Janmark Remi Elle-Jason Spezza-Brett Ritchie Defencemen Esa Lindell-John Klingberg Dan Hamhuis-Greg Pateryn Stephen Johns-Julius Honka Goalies 1103885 Ottawa Senators Senators forward Marian Gaborik, right, seen here celebrating with Erik Karlsson after scoring a goal against the Lightning on Tuesday, didn’t skate Thursday, but is still expected to play Friday night against the Senators' Chris Wideman determined to return from injury before end of Stars. this season THE LAST WORDS The Senators could have winger Mark Stone back from his unspecified Bruce Garrioch leg injury as early as Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers or possibly next Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. “We’re hopeful. We’ll see. he hasn’t skated yet,” Boucher said Thursday. Winger Marian Gaborik didn’t skate Thursday, but should suit up against Dallas. “It’s a Chris Wideman is determined to play again this season, and he’s doing little nagging thing. He’ll be good to go,” Boucher said … Defenceman everything in his power to make that dream reality. Fredrik Claesson will be back in the lineup in place of Erik Burgdoefer, who was returned to Belleville of the American Hockey League … The Ottawa Senators defenceman wasn’t expected to be back at all after Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, who hasn’t lost in regulation (3-0-1) requiring surgery to repair a hamstring injured when Pittsburgh Penguins in his last four starts, will start in net against the Stars. He made 31 stops centre Evgeni Malkin fell on him during a game on Nov. 16. in a 3-2 victory in Dallas on March 5 … The Senators will hold an open A potential unrestricted free agent as of July 1, Wideman received a practice Friday. Fans are welcome to attend the morning skate, with good prognosis from team doctors Monday. He hopes to soon get word Canadian Tire Centre doors opening at 9:45 a.m. Those wishing to that he’s cleared for contact during practice, and then, of course, the final attend are asked to make donations of non-perishable items to the step would be to return to the lineup before the Senators’ season ends Ottawa Food Bank. April 7. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 “I’m going to try,” Wideman said Thursday. “I’ve put in so many hours of work on the ice and in the gym with the trainers, it’s really my goal to play. If I have the clearance from the doctors, I’m going to play … 100 per cent. “I saw the doctors on Monday and they did an evaluation and they figured I’m probably a month to (six weeks) ahead of where they expected me to be. They’re going to talk and I should know more by (Saturday).” Wideman said he was trying to get more involved when skating with teammates. When the Senators aren’t in town, he has been on the ice with player development coach Shean Donovan or power skating coach Shelley Kettles. “I’m definitely not shying away from anything,” Wideman said. “I don’t really feel anything, I’m not really limited. The hardest part for me is when the guys go away and they play back-to-back … I’m missing a morning skate and two games, so I’m here on the ice by myself. “(Donovan and Kettles) have been great, but you can’t simulate the games or being out there with NHL players.” Returning to the lineup would give him peace of mind heading into what could be a long off-season. “I’ve proved people wrong my entire career,” Wideman said. “I don’t think people picked me to be sitting here right now. It’s just another obstacle for me and I’m excited about it. “It’s challenged me a lot mentally and physically, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job of getting through that. Hopefully I can get into some games before the end of the year.” Wideman skated recently with the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League, but said he wouldn’t be interested in a conditioning stint before making his return to the NHL. “I’m excited for the next couple of steps here,” he said. OFF THE GLASS Senators winger Mike Hoffman has developed good chemistry with centre Matt Duchene in the past month, and he enjoys the opportunity. “Chemistry is huge in the hockey world and it’s been nice that we’ve been together for a long time here,” Hoffman said. “I know, when he first got here, we started together and kind of split up and everyone was kind of playing with each other and nobody could really get a feel for each other. As of lately, it seems like we’ve had lines stick together and stay together. The chemistry is showing.” … While Dallas Stars defenceman Marc Methot made the trip here, the Ottawa native and former Senator won’t be in the lineup for Friday’s game after cutting his hand while blocking a shot during Tuesday’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens. He’s not expected to return any time soon … Senators head coach Guy Boucher has had his share of success against the Stars, with a 5-0-0 career record. The Senators’ next victory will lift Boucher into a tie with Dave Cameron for fifth place among all Senators head coaches … Defenceman Mark Borowiecki reiterated Thursday he would carefully pick his spots before fighting again. “I’ve made conscious effort to not fight,” Borowiecki said. “For me, and my health on and off the ice, I don’t think fighting is the right thing for me. If it happens spontaneously, I’ll do it.” Borowiecki has a history of concussions and has had several discussions with Boucher about fighting. 1103886 Ottawa Senators

Senators' White staying positive, gaining confidence with the puck in latest AHL stint

Ken Warren

BELLEVILLE — Colin White is keeping his head up. In more ways than one. Reassigned to Belleville from Ottawa on Feb. 27 after enjoying a fair measure of success on a line with Matt Duchene — White has scored two goals and an assist in 15 NHL games — he insists the move will benefit him in the long run. Playing 20 minutes per night in the AHL, he says, is giving him the confidence to make more offensive plays while also becoming smarter defensively. At the same time, he says, you always have to be on the lookout for the unexpected in games that often carry a rougher edge than those in the NHL. “It’s harder than the NHL, almost,” said White, who has eight goals and 13 assists in 42 games with Belleville. “It’s definitely not as positioned, your head always has to be on a swivel, but I definitely have more time with the puck, too.” While it’s still possible that White could be recalled to the Senators before the season ends April 7, his big-picture goal is to crack the opening day lineup in 2018-19, hopefully having built up more strength in the summer. “I’m already planning my summer training,” said White, who suffered a setback when he broke his left wrist in training camp. “I said last summer was the biggest summer of my life. But now it’s this summer. “I’ve definitely got better this year, and in the last four weeks I’ve taken it up a step, too. There’s always adversity, and definitely starting out like that (with a broken wrist), I was a bit behind everyone.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103887 Ottawa Senators the same things we’re looking at and it’s normal because they’re looking at the draft. Inside, we’ve got to make some decisions here and we’ve got to know what we want and what kind of culture we want to grow here. No tanks: Ottawa Senators say they're still trying to win down the stretch The guys have got to fit the culture.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 Bruce Garrioch

The Ottawa Senators are well aware some fans get frustrated every time the Senators pick up two points as the season winds down because they’re part of “TankNation.” As the Senators prepared to face the Dallas Stars at Canadian Tire Centre on Friday night after back-to-back wins in Florida, they wanted want no part of any discussion about losing down the stretch just so the organization could get a better pick in the National Hockey League draft in June. Not only have the Senators moved two points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks for 28th place overall, but they also have two games in hand. Going into Thursday’s games, Ottawa was also just three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for 26th. The Senators’ tragic number for official elimination from the playoffs is eight points, and the closer they finish to the bottom the better their odds of getting the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery, which has been tentatively scheduled for April 28 in Toronto. Mark Borowiecki, right, defends in front of Senators goalie Craig Anderson during a March 8 game against the Sabres at Canadian Tire Centre. Jean Levac/Postmedia “It’s a tough one. I get it. They’re fans of the organization and they’re thinking organization first,” Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki said following a spirited 50-minute skate Thursday. “We’re all competitors, we all draw a paycheque here. I’m not going to come in here and roll over. “I’m not going to come in here and mail it in (during) practice and mail it in (during) games. It’s not the way I’m wired, not the way I was brought up, and I hold myself to the standard I hold myself to and everyone else in here would agree. “Whatever happens happens, but we’re all going to come in here and try.” Ottawa isn’t the only NHL locale where this conversation is taking place. Fans of the Canucks, Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings are having it, too. The Senators served notice before the trade deadline that their roster would undergo a rebuild. Whether it’s a full rebuild depends on a lot on the future of captain Erik Karlsson, but owner Eugene Melnyk and general manager Pierre Dorion appear willing to take a step back in order to a bigger step forward in the future. Of course, the top pick in this year’s draft would be a key building block for the future, especially if the Senators could get Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, the top-ranked prospect for the 2018 draft. “I don’t really pay attention to that,” Borowiecki said. “There’s a reason there’s a lottery in place and that’s so you don’t just pack it in and guarantee yourself the first pick. “To think that you’re just going to go out there and lose and be better for it … First of all, as a group of athletes in here, as soon as that culture of losing creeps into your locker room and as soon as that expectation of losing creeps in, that’s really, really hard to get rid of. “I know culture isn’t a cool word with people who like numbers. If you’ve never played on a pro hockey team or played professional sports, you have to understand that there is a culture in this locker room and we want to be of winning, accountability and work ethic, not mailing it in and just rolling over.” Really, the Senators have recently been playing the way they expected to perform all season. It’s too little too late, but, as head coach Guy Boucher noted, they’re trying to find out who will fit where next season and these late-season games will be a factor in those decisions. “From (the trade deadline) on, you’re here and you want to stay here,” Boucher said. “That’s what the players are showing. There’s a lot of guys in that room that want jobs and they want to stay. Even some guys with contracts, whose names came up, they want to make sure that their names don’t come up anymore. “We’ve got to know where we’re going and that’s why all these games are so important … so important. There’s a lot of people not looking at 1103888 Ottawa Senators do. I’ve always scored — in midget, in junior, and I’m pretty sure I can score up there, too. If not this year, then it’s going to be next year.”

Like many young players, Gagné knows he has to improve his defensive Life on the farm: Senators prospects wonder and wait to live out NHL game to become a complete player. dream “I have to work on some stuff, and they want me to keep pushing myself and they have a plan with me. You just have to work hard and find a way Ken Warren to get (to the NHL).” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 BELLEVILLE — Push the gas pedal a little and dodge the messy snow/freezing rain/flurries that often develop off Lake Ontario, and it’s an easy two-and-a-half-hour drive from Belleville to Ottawa. For the Ottawa Senators’ farmhands toiling here in the American Hockey League, though, the 270-km trip to a shot in the NHL is always cloudy, sometimes feeling like it’s a million-km trek. “I would be lying to you if I said I wanted to play in the American Hockey League my whole life,” winger Ben Sexton said following a spirited late- morning practice at the new and vastly improved Yardmen Arena earlier this week, a workout at which the audience included a few injured players and a couple of in-house construction workers on a break. “Hopefully, that (NHL) dream comes true sooner rather than later.” Sexton, 26, the son of former Senators general manager Randy Sexton, has rather quietly been on a roll, spending much of his time on lines with highly touted prospects Colin White and Filip Chlapik. Since recovering from a concussion that kept him out of the lineup for most of the first half of the season, Sexton has scored seven goals and 10 assists in his past 16 games. He has five goals – including a hat trick – and seven assists in his past eight, and was named AHL player of the week in late February. The hands are good enough for him to get a look in the NHL. He scored 19 last season with Albany. The question is whether he needs to add a step or two to keep up to the NHL pace, which becomes faster by the day. With all the speculation surrounding the Senators before the trade deadline — seemingly half the club’s forwards were included in one trade possibility or another — it would be easy for those in the AHL to lose themselves, wondering and waiting if they might receive a late-season call-up. Every trade or injury at the NHL level presents a potential opening, which explains the presence of Jim O’Brien and Max McCormick in the Senators’ everyday lineup. Sexton, though, says thinking too much about all of the above is wasted energy. “I can’t control the moves they make or don’t make,” he said. “I have to keep developing every day with the guys down here, controlling what I can. I know it sounds cliché, but realistically that’s all you really can do. If you have that mindset, it’s always better.” In many ways, Belleville’s season has mirrored Ottawa’s. While Belleville stayed afloat early on, largely thanks to the goaltending of Andrew Hammond — traded to Colorado in the Matt Duchene deal — they’ve been hurt badly by injuries and inconsistency. They sit seventh and last in the North Division with a 20-32-10 record heading into Friday’s game against the loaded Toronto Marlies, who have six players making in excess of $600,000 on guaranteed contracts. As in Ottawa, it will be an early summer, with no playoff payoff. Sexton, now in his fifth AHL season, recognizes that part of his role is to keep the Senators’ younger prospects from becoming frustrated. “I’m not old, but I’m not young, either,” he said. “You have to provide good leadership. Even though the year hasn’t gone the way the organization wants, players still have to get better. You work with the young guys, trying to set an example.” One of those prospects is Gabriel Gagné, the 6-5, 21-year-old winger who leads Belleville with 18 goals. Gagné, drafted 36th overall in 2015, is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, but after scoring only two goals with Binghamton of the AHL in his first pro season in 2016-17, he’s progressing well. “For sure, I think about it,” Gagné said of possibly receiving a promotion to the NHL in the final weeks of the season. “I’m hoping to have my chance. I just need one chance and I’m going to prove to them what I can 1103889 Ottawa Senators 2016-17 (NHL) 14 2017-18 (NHL) 5 Worried about the long-term effects, Mark Borowiecki will turn down Source: hockeyfights.com fights Fighting might have got his foot in the door, but now he is ready to start closing the door on that part of his career. He said he feels like he’s at the point where he can contribute in other ways. He worked hard in By Chris Stevenson improving his skills this past off-season. They are modest totals, but he has career bests in goals (three) and shots (53) and is one point away from tying his career high of 11 points with 13 games left in the season. “For me and my health on and off the ice, I don’t think fighting is the right thing right now.” On the possession front, he’s broken into positive territory in unblocked shot attempts at 50.14 per cent, one of two current defencemen, along The two weeks of constant vomiting, the mood swings, the wondering if with Erik Karlsson, to be north of 50 per cent (keep in mind he was out his professional life as he knew it was over, pushed Mark Borowiecki to for December which wasn’t a good month for the Senators). make the decision. “My focus this past summer was on my hands and my shooting and my The Ottawa Senators defenceman missed 23 games after sustaining a conditioning. I think it has paid off for me,” he said. “People who have concussion when he was sent flying into the boards by New York watched me this year can’t say that this hasn’t been the best hockey that Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith on Nov. 19. He was unconscious I’ve played. I felt it out there myself. I have that belief in myself now, that I on the ice. know I can contribute in ways with my gloves on. It’s something that I’m going to keep working on. I’m not going to just sit here and be content On an off day in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, he sat on a rock and with it. I plan on doing the same thing this summer, working on those skill turned his face to the sunshine and talked on the phone with his wife, sets a lot and really trying to round out my game. Tara, for an hour, turning over and over the thought that had been going through his mind since his return. “The way I’ve been playing this year, I don’t have to fight to make a mark on the game. That last game against Tampa, for me, I had a bunch of When he got off the phone that day, a player who had opened the door to hits, a bunch of blocked shots. I was still that physical presence, but in a his professional career by fighting all comers — “I never had that ability different way. I thought that was one of my best games of the year. If I to say no” — had decided that was exactly what he was going to do. can keep playing that way, I can have an impact physically with my gloves on and I think that’s going to be an important thing for me moving “I need to make a decision here in terms of how many shots can you take forward.” to the head before it comes back to bite you?” Borowiecki wondered to The Athletic on Thursday. Senators coach Guy Boucher said he has had conversations with Borowiecki about changing his game and how he can contribute. He He’s concerned, and he should be, about the long-term effects of taking asked Borowiecki to try and get more involved in the play this season what amount to needless punches to the head. He knows and is willing to and has been happy with the results. accept there is a certain level of risk associated with a collision sport like hockey, especially the way he plays it (since he became a full-time player “One of the reasons he’s here is he’s a tough guy, but he’s definitely in 2014-15, he is third in hits with 1,022 behind Matt Martin, 1,187; and developed way past that, like way past that. I need him on the ice,” Cal Clutterbuck, 1,063). Boucher said. “That’s what he is right now. He jumps into the play and I’ve asked that of him since the beginning of the season and that’s how He said he thinks his game has improved to the point where he can keep he started the year. his gloves on and still be an intimidating presence. “That’s what he’s become now. He’s not just this guy you put out there to “I think now kind of maturing on the ice with my game rounding out and scare the opponent. He can play now.” being able to contribute in more ways and also maturing off the ice as kind of an adult and someone who wants to have a life after hockey, I Boucher knows there are still going to be times when Borowiecki is going want a family,” he said. “ I want to do all those things.” to drop the gloves. It’s still part of his game, but it’s going to take a different set of circumstances for him to fight now. The effects of the concussion he sustained in November were “scary,” he said and when the fog started to lift, he saw more clearly the decision he “Sometimes your better players are being harassed and since the players had to make. stick together some guys are going to stand up for those guys and Boro is certainly one of those guys. He never shied away from it,” Boucher “I’ll be honest with you. I spent a week to 10 days, two weeks, throwing said. “There are a lot of moments in the game where you don’t need that up when my head would move up and down. I wasn’t driving. I wasn’t anymore. You really don’t. I’d rather have him on the ice hunting guys myself. It’s scary. It really, truly is. It’s one of those things you’ve got to because he hits so hard and the opponent knowing that he’s on the ice make a choice,” he said. and not in the penalty box for X number of minutes and they’re free to “Back when I broke into the AHL, CTE (chronic traumatic skate around because he won’t be there. encephalopathy), it really wasn’t at the forefront like it is now. I just didn’t “When there’s a hunter on the other side, he always on your mind and care. I just wanted to establish myself. I was fighting 15, 20 times a year. obviously Boro’s one of those guys, so that does have an intimidation Not as a heavyweight, not taking some of the shots that some of those effect.” other guys take, but more as a gamer, a middleweight. Borowiecki said his talk with Tara, “the voice of reason,” he called her, “I think (turning down fights) is something I need to do to grow as a confirmed what he had been thinking. He said he had been keeping to player and a person. For me and my health on and off the ice, I don’t himself during the road trip as he contemplated this adjustment in the think fighting is the right thing right now. If it happens spontaneously I’ll course of his career. do it … even this year, as recently as my last fight (against Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson on Feb. 27), I didn’t have to go, and I don’t “We had an adult conversation … we both kind of said our piece and even know if I consciously chose to, but it was almost like a reflex, I just talked it through and we agreed,” he said. “She’s very supportive of me in went.” whatever direction I wanted to go. She didn’t read me the riot act and say ‘you have to stop fighting’ and she didn’t say ‘you have to fight to be in Borowiecki, 28, fought 38 times in the AHL between 2011 and 2014. He this league.’” has had another 47 fights in the NHL, including five this season. He’s not naive enough to think he’s not going to have guys knocking on Mark Borowiecki career fights by season (includes pre-season): his door, especially given the way he plays the game. That’s fine. He’s 2011-12 (AHL) 11 just not going to go looking for it anymore or accept a fight for the sake of justifying his existence. 2012-13 (AHL) 15 “No matter how much I try and avoid it, I’m going to go out there and lay 2013-14 (AHL) 12 someone out and I’m going to turn around and my gloves are going to be off,” he said. “That’s the nature of the beast, right? But am I going to out 2013-14 (NHL) 5 there chasing guys around the ice calling them out? That’s a maturity, a 2014-15 (NHL) 15 growth as a person and as a player to cut that out.” 2015-16 (NHL) 8 The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103890 Philadelphia Flyers A weak clearing attempt by rookie Travis Sanheim led to Columbus’ first goal, a left-circle drive by a falling-down Oliver Bjorkstrand with 10:19 left in the opening period. Flyers' collapse continues in loss to Columbus Just 11 seconds later, Boone Jenner got position on defenseman Brandon Manning and redirected Jack Johnson’s pass past Mrazek, giving the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead. by Sam Carchidi, Giroux, who has been virtually a one-man offensive show over the last two weeks, cut the deficit to 2-1 with 8:26 to go in the first, scoring his 26th goal of the season and his 11th in the last 18 games. The Flyers have been Team Resilient this season. After hitting the right post on a breakaway, Giroux took a pass from They overcame a 10-game winless streak and the loss of their top two Travis Konency and whipped a left-circle one-timer into the net and goalies to injuries. pumped his fist wildly. The Flyers regained the momentum for a few shifts, but Columbus took it away late in the period. Now they have to overcome a March skid that has knocked them out of first place and made fans uneasy about whether they will even make the With 1:52 to go in the session, Atkinson tipped Zach Werenski’s point Stanley Cup playoffs. drive past Mrazek to give Columbus a 3-1 lead. The misery continued Thursday night at the Wells Cargo Center. It seemed fitting that the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” blared through the speakers at the first intermission because the Flyers Columbus 5, Flyers 3. were headed to their seventh loss in eight games since they climbed into The Flyers lost for the seventh time in eight March games, and they fell first place in the division. into a tie for third place with Columbus in the Metro. Now, with 11 games left in their topsy-turvy season, their sights aren’t on Cam Atkinson scored a hat trick, including an empty-net goal, to spark a Metro title. Columbus to its sixth consecutive win, and former Flyer Sergei They’re on securing a playoff spot. Bobrovsky made several acrobatic saves and lifted his career record to 10-3-1 against his former team. “When we get that one win, we’ll get our confidence back,” Giroux said in a church-quiet locker room. New Jersey is just one point behind the Flyers and has a game in hand. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.16.2018 Florida, which is trying to sneak into the final wild-card spot, moved to within four points of the Flyers. The streaking Panthers, who have three games in hand on Philadelphia, were 16 points behind the Flyers on Feb. 26. “Obviously, a sense of urgency now has to be amped up,” said Andrew MacDonald, who, along with fellow defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, was among the Flyers’ scorers. “We’re still sitting pretty,” said Gostisbehere, resident optimist, after the Flyers held a team meeting following the loss. “We just need to keep pushing.” The Blue Jackets built a 3-1 first-period lead and the Flyers chased the game. “We were pretty loose in our coverage,” MacDonald said.”Maybe our level of intensity and attention to detail wasn’t where it needed to be, especially starting the game.” Coach Dave Hakstol took the blame for the slow start, saying Columbus was “a little more ready to play. That squarely comes to me … and that can’t happen at this time of the year.” Fourteen seconds into the second period, Gostisbehere snapped a 19- game goal drought by scoring a power-play tally from the right circle to get the Flyers within 3-2. The Flyers swarmed Bobrovsky over the next few shifts, but Atkinson made it 4-2 by beating Petr Mrazek with a right-circle blast with 16 minutes, 37 seconds left in the second. Goodbye, momentum. Goodbye, Mrazek, who allowed four goals on 10 shots and continued to come up small. Since winning his first three games with the Flyers, Mrazek has just one victory in his last seven starts. Mrazek was replaced by rookie Alex Lyon, who received a standing ovation late in the period when he made six saves during an abbreviated Columbus power play. Lyon stopped all 18 shots he faced and may have earned a start Saturday in Carolina. About three minutes after the goalie change, captain Claude Giroux left the game with about 14:30 left in the second when he was hit in the face with a shot. Giroux went to the locker room and had several stitches administered above his lip and didn’t return until 1:07 remained in the second. With 7:37 left in the second, the Flyers got to within 4-3 on a point drive by MacDonald, who was aided by Michael Raffl’s screen. Columbus, taking advantage of poor defensive play, scored almost as many goals in Thursday’s first period (three) and it did in the previous three games (four) against the Flyers. 1103891 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers need to improve (greatly) on home ice down stretch of playoff race by Sam Carchidi

One of the most perplexing parts of the Flyers’ up-and-down season has been their inability to take advantage of home ice. The Flyers are the only team in a playoff spot that has more losses (19) than wins (17) at home. They are just 17-13-6 at home after going 25-11- 5 last season. “Home-ice advantage is usually pretty huge, and we’ve always had success here at the Wells Fargo,” captain Claude Giroux said before the Flyers lost to visiting Columbus, 5-3, on Thursday. “We haven’t had the success that we’re looking for at home [this season], but at the same time we have a lot of games at home coming up and it’s important for us to get those wins.” Giroux thinks the Flyers may be trying too hard to please their home fans. “Maybe we put too much pressure on ourselves,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it has to be an advantage for us.” Conversely, the Flyers have played extremely well on the road (18-12-5). Entering Thursday, no Metropolitan team had more road wins than the Flyers. “Maybe we try to be too pretty at home and try to put on a show,” winger Michael Raffl said. “I don’t think we’re a team like that. That’s what has given us success on the road – it doesn’t have to be beautiful, it has to be effective. Play simple and get a couple greasy ones instead of making that extra pass that makes it look unreal.” The Flyers have five of their remaining 11 games at the Wells Fargo Center. They are in danger of recording fewer than 20 home wins for just the second time in 21 seasons, excluding the lockout-shortened 2012- 13 campaign. Strome signs Left winger Matthew Strome, 19, selected by the Flyers in the fourth round of the draft last June, signed an entry-level contract Thursday. The 6-foot-4. 206-pound Strome has 37 goals and 68 points in 64 games with Hamilton in the Ontario Hockey League this season. He is the younger brother of NHL players Dylan Strome (Arizona) and Ryan Strome (Edmonton). According to CapFriendly.com, Strome’s three-year deal is worth an average of $925,000 per season. Breakaways In the last nine games before Thursday, the Flyers’ power play was 3 for 30, while their penalty kill had allowed seven goals in 24 opportunities. … Shayne Gostisbehere is averaging 0.77 points per game. The Flyers have had only three defensemen in franchise history average more than that while playing at least 60 games in a season: Mark Howe (four times), Garry Galley, and Behn Wilson. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103892 Philadelphia Flyers defensemen average more than that in a season in which they played at least 60 games: Mark Howe (four times), Garry Galley, and Behn Wilson. … Columbus has just four games remaining against teams in a current 12 games for Flyers to show if they can be resilient (again) playoff spot. The Flyers have six games left against such teams. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.16.2018 by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER

After the Flyers’ 1-0 shootout win in Montreal on Feb. 26, they moved atop the Metropolitan Division and were 13 points ahead of the team just out of a wild-card spot (the Islanders) and a staggering 16 points ahead of Florida. Since then, the Flyers have lost six of seven and dropped to third place in the Metro. In addition, they are just six points ahead of surging Florida (which is on an 8-1-1 run), and the Panthers have three games in hand and are battling to get into a wild-card spot. With that as a backdrop, the Flyers have a virtual must-win game Thursday against visiting Columbus. The good news: The Flyers have shown resiliency all season, overcoming a 10-game losing streak and the loss of their two top goalies to climb from last place to (briefly) first place in the Metro. Twelve regular-season games remain. Games that will show whether they can be resilient down the home stretch. Columbus, which has won five straight, is two points behind the Flyers, and Thursday’s matchup figures to be a tight, low-scoring affair. The teams have met three times this season, and each game has ended in a 2-1 final. Columbus won in a shootout Dec. 23, and the Flyers won in overtime Feb. 16 and in regulation Feb. 22. In the last meeting, Petr Mrazek made 19 saves and collected his first win as a Flyer. “I love this time of the year,” said Mrazek, who is 2-3-1 with a 2.47 goals- against average and .917 save percentage in his career against the Blue Jackets. “I enjoy it so much. Everybody can feel the pressure, but in a good way, so I’m looking forward to it.” On Thursday, Mrazek will face Sergei Bobrovsky, who is 9-3-1 with a 1.82 GAA and .936 save percentage against his ex-teammates. “I think he’s the best goalie in the league right now,” Flyers winger Michael Raffl said after Thursday’s morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. “But you can’t stop what you can’t see. We have to get in front of him and get some greasy rebounds.” Overall, Bobrovsky is 30-21-5 with a 2.42 GAA and .921 save percentage. With the Flyers, Mrazek is 4-4-1 with a 2.85 GAA average and .898 save percentage. If the Flyers make the playoffs and Mrazek gets at least five regular- season wins, the fourth-round draft pick they will send Detroit in June will become a third-rounder. It seemed like a foregone conclusion at the time that the Flyers would make the playoffs and Mrazek would get at least five wins. But the Flyers, with their special teams being the main culprit, have made things tough on themselves lately and nothing is guaranteed. “You have to enjoy the battle, and I think the guys do,” said coach Dave Hakstol, whose team is trying to rebound from Monday’s crushing 3-2 defeat to Vegas, which scored the winner with 2 minutes, 40 seconds left. “You look at the standings and everything is tight. These are big games, day in and day out, and every game you play is your next-biggest game. Those are things that I think as a team we embrace, and you have to go out and enjoy the challenge of it.” The Flyers are just 17-12-6 at the Wells Fargo Center; they are the only team in a current playoff spot that has a losing record at home. “Our record at home is not what we want, but it’s not terrible,” Hakstol said. “But you know what? You have to win games at home. We’ve lost a couple tight ones here, especially of late. … Sometimes, there’s a little extra pressure when you play at home. You feel like you have to do a little bit more rather than keep it a little bit simpler. So it’s just that fine line of being able to use the home-ice atmosphere to our advantage.” Half of the Flyers’ 12 remaining games will be at the Wells Fargo Center. Breakaways In their last nine games, the Flyers are just 3 for 30 on the power play. In that span, their PK has allowed seven goals in 24 opportunities. … Claude Giroux has 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in his last 17 games and has a seven-game points streak. … Shayne Gostisbehere is averaging 0.77 points per game. The Flyers have had only three 1103893 Philadelphia Flyers “It’s definitely the biggest game of the season, we know that,” Giroux said. “But sometimes you can’t overthink it. You just have to go out there and play the game. If you don’t enjoy it you’re not going to play your best. Flyers’ latest meeting with Jackets might be most important “They’re rolling right now. They’re playing some good hockey and they’ve got momentum. So it’s important for us to go and get a good start here and kind of get the fans on our side.” By Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times ***

NOTES >> The Flyers practiced at Wells Fargo Center Wednesday after PHILADELPHIA >> Since they essentially swapped goalies and contract sitting through their annual team picture session. On hand for the problems in various trades a few years back, the Flyers have mostly not practice were goalie Michal Neuvirth and defenseman Robert Hagg, who enjoyed a special closeness they’ve shared with the Columbus Blue are both on the injured list. According to general managing practitioner Jackets. Ron Hextall, Hagg will miss another week or so and Neuvirth maybe a couple more weeks. Maybe. ... Another practicing injured Flyer is Johnny They dumped their talented but unhappy young backup goalie, Sergei Oduya, who was claimed off waivers at the trade deadline and was Bobrovsky, on the Blue Jackets, and he went on to win a Vezina Trophy injured in Florida in his first Flyer game. “Not the way you want to start,” there. said Oduya, now listed as day to day. “We’ll manage it and move forward. I feel better. That’s a positive.” They acquired Columbus’ talented young backup goalie Steve Mason, and he won a lot of games here before they let him go. Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 They sent expensive veteran Scott Hartnell there and brought in expensive veteran R.J. Umberger, and Hartnell kind of thrived for a while while Umberger’s career quickly died on a vine. That’s all past history, of course, except Bobrovsky is still starring in Columbus’ goalie crease. He’s partly responsible for what has happened on the ice in recent years between these teams, too. From a Blue Jackets home win over the Flyers on Dec. 21, 2013 through a 1-0 Blue Jackets home win over the Flyers March 21, 2017, Columbus beat the Flyers in 13 out of 15 meetings. Many of the same Flyers players who went through all those games are still around to simmer about it, and that should count for something as the teams prepare to meet again Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center. “They’re tough to play against, obviously,” said seventh-season Flyer Jake Voracek, who started his career with the Blue Jackets as a teen back in 2008. “It’s been like that for the last four or five years. It’s always tight games against them, whether it’s there or here.” There and here, it has been a little better for the Flyers against the Blue Jackets in recent meetings. The Flyers won the last two, a grinding 2-1 home victory Feb. 22, and a 2-1 win in Columbus Feb. 16. The Jackets had won by 2-1 in C-Bus in the team’s first meeting of the season on Dec. 23. During that long-term losing run to Columbus, the Flyers did enjoy a respite two years ago, beating the Jackets 6-0 March 5, 2016. But the Flyers only won three of the next eight games (including the last two) since then. That said, three of those eight went overtime or beyond. So the teams, in a way, have only tightened up. Yet in recent days, they‘ve been going opposite ways. The Flyers, who put themselves in a solid position for the playoffs via a 10-0-2 run through February, have suddenly lost six of their last seven games to slide back onto slippery ground. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets (37-28-5, 79 points) have won five straight games, and enter this one just two points behind the Flyers (35-24-11, 81) in the Metropolitan Division standings with a dozen games remaining for both teams. So basically ... everybody’s starting to sweat? “We don’t know what’s going to happen but we control what position we are in right now,” Claude Giroux said Wednesday. “We control our own destiny. I really feel like we’re playing good hockey right now. I know we didn’t get the results last game, but Vegas coming in here (Monday), they’re one of the best teams in the league and we were right there playing with them. ... But that’s what happened. We’ve got to find a way.” What happened is a goal by the Golden Knights late in the third period slapped the Flyers with a loss. This just two games after a goal with 22 seconds remaining in regulation in Boston left the Flyers getting nothing out of a well-played game there, too. “Over the last three games we lost two games in kind of a heartbreaking way. We should have come up with two, three or four points,” Voracek said. “But it is what it is. There’s nothing we can do about it now. “We’re playing Columbus tomorrow. We know what it’s about. We have to treat it like a four-point game.” They also have to treat it as their most important game of the season, which isn’t hard to believe considering it’s against a hot and hard- charging Blue Jackets team and a goalie who loves to beat the team that cast him away. 1103894 Philadelphia Flyers turn around and lose seven of eight ... it’s all enough to give Claude Giroux a headache to go along with the pain in his mouth.

But that didn’t keep him from addressing his teammates behind closed For Flyers and their coach, it’s full speed ahead ... to where? locker room doors after the game. “We just talked about the position we’re in right now and what we need to By Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times do to get better,” Giroux said. “Right now we’re all frustrated, a little pissed off and I think that’s good. When we get that one win, we’ll get our confidence back.” PHILADELPHIA >> Claude Giroux was doing his very best Thursday Asked if some of the mistakes they’re making, especially those in the night to keep a stitched upper lip. It was proving difficult. defensive zone, have become chronic errors, Giroux added, “Yeah ... to be honest, I don’t know what to say to that. It’s a good question, but I Giroux’s several stitches beneath the left side of his ginger moustache don’t have an answer for you.” didn’t seem quite closed after a 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. As for his usual positive vibes ... well, they weren’t exactly oozing after a Flyers coach Dave Hakstol is paid to have such answers. seventh loss in the last eight Flyers games. “We lost too many 50-50 puck battles and we gave a few too many of Is this any way for a team of playoff lions to spend the early days of those pucks back,” Hakstol said. “...But I love the will and the fight, where March? guys continually keep coming back, fight back. But there were a couple of things that we did that were sloppy mistakes that ended up in goals- “Um, we didn’t have a good start, and they got a few goals on us and ... I against.” don’t know,” said Giroux, who missed a chunk of the second period getting minor surgery on a lip that had met a speeding puck. “We battled Flyers goalie Petr Mrazek, mostly a victim but sometimes of his own back in the third period and played well but we put ourselves in a bad misdeeds during this Flyers freefall, had no answers as his team’s position. We’d get it going and think we had the momentum and they’d repeated gifts to the Blue Jackets put him under fire through the first get a goal. So that’s very frustrating.” period and into the second. Mrazek (4-5-1, 3.15 GAA, .887 SP as a Flyer) had twice surrendered goals to Cam Atkinson — who would finish It took a while for the flopping, failing Flyers to get anything going at all. It with a hat trick — after the Flyers had closed to within one. was several minutes before they bothered to wake Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, and by the time the first period was half over, It was Atkinson’s second goal, making it 4-2 Columbus, that moved Columbus had scored a pair of goals 11 seconds apart to get a two-goal Hakstol to pull Mrazek 3:23 into the second period. Flyers rookie Alex jump. Lyon came on and stopped all 12 shots he faced. All the while, there were more than a few hairy moments in the Flyers’ Don’t be surprised to see a new starter in net for the Flyers when they hit defensive zone, which once again was a playground for the opposition. Carolina Saturday. Whether it’s forwards not holding up forecheckers or defensemen suddenly struck clueless when it comes to clearing pucks or forwards not “Peter didn’t give up a bad goal tonight, but you look for a timely save bothering to help the defensemen do that ... the Flyers’ sense of from your goaltender,” Hakstol said. discipline has been on the lam of late. And yet, the coach also said that this is no time for any Gloomy Gusses It shows. to get on his team bus. It’s chronic. “Believe me, while there are things you have to take from this game, we also have to leave it behind,” Hakstol said. “The players do, when they It’s costing them games, points, and any kind of spring visions of leave the rink. The real honest truth is, with 11 games to go, it’s an even success. race. There’s eight spots to be had and we’re right there.” “It’s a tough stretch right now,” Giroux said. “We’ve been in this position Yes they are! ... and they’re another loss or two from being out of a before. We just need to put it behind us and somehow get our confidence playoff spot. back.” “I told our players after, ‘I’ll take that challenge,’ I’ll happily take that on The Flyers strutted into the season stretch drive with a win in Montreal with our group,” Hakstol said. “Things haven’t gone well here over the Feb. 26 that completed a 10-0-2 run that seemed to indicate good things last six or seven games. We know that. But it’s that time of year. You to come in the playoffs. They had moved into first place in the have to be able to clear the deck, clear the mind, and really get focused Metropolitan Division. They were looking straight ahead, though paying on the next challenge ahead.” attention to fellow Metro bigwigs Pittsburgh and Washington. Before looking ahead, they might want to shore up their rear ranks first. Not a thought was given to a team like the Florida Panthers, who were 16 points behind the Flyers at that time. Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 Flash forward eight games over the course of 17 days and many long nights ... such as this Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center, when the Flyers look like a disorganized, poorly coached group of individuals lacking motivation against the Blue Jackets (38-28-5, 81 points). Thus, Columbus moved into a tie for third in the division with the backsliding Flyers (35-25-11-81), who have gone 1-6-1 in those eight games since the high in Montreal. Given the stinking, streaking, sinking situation, you’d think the Flyers would recognize the importance of getting a good start. Yet a couple of players said after the game that their team had lacked intensity in the first period. “I would agree,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “I thought their team was a little more ready to play and that squarely comes to me. I thought their team was a little bit more ready to play in that first 20 minutes and that can’t happen at this time of year.” By the way, those Panthers (35-26-7), the No. 9 team in the Eastern Conference, won again Thursday to move to within four points of the Flyers and Blue Jackets, who each have played three more times than the Panthers. The Eastern bloc in the NHL has tightened significantly, and the Flyers’ insistence on playing streaky hockey, one way or the wrong way, is a big reason why. They can lose three or four in a row without batting an eye, or lose 10 in a row, then not lose in regulation over the course of 12 games, only to 1103895 Philadelphia Flyers • The officials let a lot of stuff go in that first period, including a clear crosscheck into the back of Sean Couturier on the Giroux goal. Not sure how or why that wasn't called. Flyers fail biggest test of season with loss to Blue Jackets Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018

By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia March 15, 2018 9:35 PM

Allowing two goals during a span of 11 seconds in the first period set the tone for the Flyers in a 5-3 loss to the Blue Jackets in the final meeting between the two teams. Bad defensive coverages and a failure to clear their own zone led to a very poor start. Claude Giroux scored the Flyers' first goal for the third straight game and has now scored 11 goals in his last 18 games. The Flyers had to fight back from three different two-goal deficits, but couldn’t manufacture the game-tying goal in the third period. Shayne Gostisbehere scored his 12th goal just 16 seconds into the second period to reduce the Blue Jackets' lead to 3-2, but Columbus answered just 3:09 later as Cam Atkinson scored his second goal of the game. Atkinson netted a hat trick after adding an empty-net goal in the final second. The Flyers and Blue Jackets are now tied with 81 points in the Metropolitan Division as both teams have 11 games remaining. The Flyers hold the tiebreaker with one more regulation/overtime victory. • It took all of 11 seconds for the Flyers to fall behind 2-0. With the Flyers chasing the puck around their end, they couldn’t clear the zone as Travis Sanheim pushed the puck forward without gaining possession. That allowed the Jackets to maintain possession and Oliver Bjorkstrand from one knee roofed a shot from close range. Those types of mishaps the Flyers must avoid. • Columbus came right back and doubled its lead with four of its defenders along the boards. Once the Blue Jackets gained possession, Boone Jenner simply beat Brandon Manning to the front of the net and redirected Jack Johnson’s slap pass in which Petr Mrazek had very little shot at stopping. It’s a lost board battle leading to a breakdown in coverage that we’ve seen from the Flyers on several occasions this season. • Giroux had Sergei Bobrovsky beaten on a breakaway attempt but the puck hit the post. However, Giroux received his redemption and fired a one-timer past Bobrovsky. The Flyers' top two lines were very good in the offensive zone in the first period.

TK Giroux = PERFECTION pic.twitter.com/wuzzrJ1Dzj — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 15, 2018 • Another tough break for Mrazek as the Blue Jackets took a 3-1 lead after Atkinson batted in Seth Jones’ shot from the point. Another goal where the Flyers were chasing the puck in their end and couldn’t clear the zone. • Two bad goals to start the second period. Gostisbehere scored on a simple snap shot from the right circle that Bobrovsky couldn’t contain as the puck snuck past him. Mrazek answered with a bad goal of his own as Atkinson beat him blocker side. The way Mrazek played it appeared as if he was never on his angle. • Giroux took a puck to the side of his face that forced him to go to the locker room and get treatment. The Flyers' captain returned in the final three minutes of the second period. • Andrew MacDonald needed every bit of the 72 inches from post to post to beat Bobrovsky as his slap shot clanked off the right post and then the left post to cut the Jackets' lead to 4-3 after 40 minutes of action. This shot by MacDonald pic.twitter.com/x4bPKmjmXU — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 16, 2018 • The Flyers came out for the third period with a desperate mindset, outshooting Columbus, 9-3, in the first 10 minutes, but not much from the high-danger areas. • John Tortorella completely lost his mind when the officials whistled the Blue Jackets for too many men on the ice. His theatrics make those seats behind the bench worth the price of admission. 1103896 Philadelphia Flyers

How Flyers plan on solving Sergei Bobrovsky

By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia March 15, 2018 1:00 PM

One Flyers employee who has seen hundreds of players come and go has a short list of two of the hardest working athletes they've witnessed off the ice: Ivan Provorov and Sergei Bobrovsky. Provorov’s offseason regimen has been well documented, but word is, Bobrovsky would be riding the bike or working out well after all the lights to the facility had been turned off. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner didn’t just stumble into greatness, but unfortunately, it now comes at the expense of the Flyers, who infamously traded him to Columbus a season after backing up Ilya Bryzgalov. Claude Giroux was one of the few Flyers who remembers what it was like to battle Bobrovsky over the course of a season. “Just in practice when he was here, he battled every shot,” Giroux said. “It was fun to have practice with goalies like that. They just won’t let any pucks go in, even with rebounds when the play was over. He made it a lot of fun. I’m not surprised how good he’s playing because his work ethic is really good.” Take that talent and work ethic and add an extra five percent of incentive — motivation against the organization that elected to go in a different direction — and you have a stellar 9-3-1 record, 1.82 goals-against average with a .935 save percentage in 13 starts against the Flyers. “I think we’ve played good games against them,” Giroux said. “Bobrovsky has been pretty solid all those games. For us to beat him, we’ve got to find ways to get pucks to the net, get rebounds. If he sees the puck, he’s going to stop it. We’ve got to have a lot of traffic in there.” Sixteen different Flyers have scored goals against Bobrovsky, and you can count the number of players who've beaten him twice on one hand. Impressively, the one player who had the greatest amount of success against Bobrovsky is no longer here. Brayden Schenn scored six goals against big, bad Bob. Dave Hakstol has a different sense of history, one that has seen the Flyers' last three games against the Blue Jackets result in a 2-1 game, with the Flyers winning two of those matchups. “You stay with the game, whatever the game is," Hakstol said. "You look at the history of these 2-1 games against Columbus, it’s going to be a tight, close game. Our guys have full understanding of that.” To compound the challenge facing the Flyers, scoring hasn’t been a strength of theirs recently, as they’ve scored two or fewer goals in seven of their last eight games. “I think that’s one thing we can do a little bit better is keep pucks in the scoring area a little bit more,” Hakstol said. “In saying that, I think in the last 10 games, we’ve been outshot once. I think you’ve got to factor everything in and not overreact to anything.” Flyers leading scorer Sean Couturier beat Bobrovsky for an overtime winner on Feb. 16, and he hasn’t scored since. For Couturier and the rest of his teammates, nothing would be prettier than the ugliest of goals and wins against Bobrovsky right now. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103897 Philadelphia Flyers “You gotta enjoy the battle and I think guys do. I see that in the players,” Hakstol said. “You look at the standings and everything is tight. These are big games day in and day out. Every game you play is your next Flyers in a tight race but, ‘these are the fun games’ biggest game and in some senses your biggest game of the year. Those are things that I think as a team we embrace. You gotta enjoy the challenge of it.” Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 5:20 p.m. ET March 15, 2018 Dave Isaac; @davegisaac; 856-486-2479; [email protected] Up next: at Carolina Hurricanes PHILADELPHIA — It’s crunch time and the Flyers have six rookies on When: 7 p.m., Saturday the roster hoping to learn how to win in the NHL’s second season. Add in Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov, a pair of second-year players who TV/Radio: NBCSP/97.5 FM didn’t taste the playoffs last season, and there’s a lot of inexperience. Courier-Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 For all the advice Stanley Cup winner Valtteri Filppula may have to give, turning off the television isn’t among his messages to the Flyers’ young players. “I’m bad at telling that because I like to watch and see what’s going on,” Filppula said. “Whatever works…that’s more of an individual thing.” Maybe it’s good for the young guns to watch highlights of all the teams chasing the Flyers, who are still in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Maybe those footsteps the Flyers feel and hear behind them add to the pressure in a positive way. “These are the fun games,” said Filppula, who won it all with the Detroit Red Wings a decade ago. “I don’t think you have to really prepare anyone too much. Especially as of late I think we’ve been playing pretty well so we don’t need to change too many things. We need to keep playing and believe that what we’re doing, it’s going to work.” “We knew two weeks ago that teams would be doing a push to make the playoffs,” captain Claude Giroux added. “For us, it’s making sure we don’t focus on that. We need to focus on what we’re doing, how we’re doing as a team and how we can get better. Sometimes it’s hard not to look at the scores and what other teams are doing, but at the end of the day, if we don’t win we’re not going to make the playoffs.” Wednesday the Flyers opened the doors of the renovated gym and nutrition areas of the team's practice facility to the media. Wochit It can be easy to forget to smile when the margin of error is so small. That’s what the Flyers are trying to remember. Their standing in first place lasted less than one day. They beat the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 26 and one day later the Washington Capitals jumped them. The Flyers entered Thursday’s pivotal game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with only one win since then. Victory in Montreal was followed by a five-game losing streak where four of the games they had a less-than- stellar performance. It can be easy to lose sight of the big picture in a streak like that, but the team’s leadership group has tried to keep everyone focused. “We’ve been able to keep an even keel through ups and downs and there’s a clear understanding of what’s at stake,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “I don’t think you need to overstate that. Everybody knows what’s on the line night in and night out. You have to be able to mentally process that and then put your energy and focus into playing the game. The core leadership does a good job of that and conveying that to the young guys in the dressing room.” If the Flyers miss out on the playoffs, for the third time in the last four years, it would be a pretty big collapse. They had a nine-point cushion on a playoff spot when they were in first place. Of course the team wants to make the postseason every year, but this year in particular would help the development of their eight players age 23 or younger. “Obviously it helps when you just play. It helps when you don’t think about it too much,” Filppula said. “At this point you’ve played big games in junior. You’ve kind of grown into big games. To be honest, it’s not much different. You want to win really bad. You know it’s an important game. But you also just have to trust what you’re doing and at the end of the day see what happens.” Filppula sees the Flyers’ young group as having several potential big- game players. It’s pretty clear watching the flashy moves of Konecny and the emergence of Nolan Patrick that someday the Flyers could be a very dangerous bunch in the playoffs. And as the Nashville Predators proved last season when they were the last team to qualify, anything can happen when a team gets in. Of course, you’ve got to get there first. 1103898 Philadelphia Flyers “It’s a long, hard battle from Game 1 all the way through Game 82 to be a playoff team and I think we came into this year with our focus pretty clear knowing that it’s a hard fight to get in,” Dave Hakstol said. “it’s a great Flyers vs. Blue Jackets: 3 things to watch in Game 71 time of year to be right in the middle of that fight and to control our own destiny. That’s what you want to have.”

2. Can Lindblom light the lamp? Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 7:00 a.m. ET March 15, 2018 Oskar Lindblom has been knocking on the door for quite a while now. He is still searching for his first point, let alone goal, after 11 games and there's not much else he can do aside from physically put the puck in the Tonight: Flyers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets net. Site: Wells Fargo Center / Philadelphia Pa. “There was a little frustration in the second period (Monday) when he had a great opportunity right on top of the goaltender but I think he shakes Time: 7 p.m. that off pretty well,” Hakstol said. “We went out and played a good TV/Radio: NBCSP/97.5 FM hockey game. He was part of several really good scoring chances, either he having them or part of setting them up. He’s gotta stay with it.” Records: Blue Jackets 37-28-5; Flyers 35-24-11 3. Goalie matchup PROSPECT WATCH:Felix Sandstrom's rough season Petr Mrazek is expected to get the start for the Flyers. In six career FLYERS PROJECTED LINEUP games against Columbus, he has a 2-3-1 record, 2.47 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. Forwards Sergei Bobrovsky is likely the masked man for the Blue Jackets. He has 28-Claude Giroux, 14-Sean Couturier, 11-Travis Konecny done well against his former team, with a 9-3-1 record in 13 games with a 54-Oskar Lindblom, 19-Nolan Patrick, 93-Jake Voracek 1.82 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. 12-Michael Raffl, 51-Valtteri Filppula, 17-Wayne Simmonds Courier-Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 15-Jori Lehtera, 21-Scott Laughton, 24-Matt Read Defensemen 9-Ivan Provorov & 53-Shayne Gostisbehere 6-Travis Sanheim & 47-Andrew MacDonald 23-Brandon Manning & 3- Goalie 34-Petr Mrazek Injuries/Suspensions G Brian Elliott — injured reserve, abdominal surgery G Michal Neuvirth — injured reserve, groin pull D Robert Hägg — out two weeks, left foot injury D Johnny Oduya — day-to-day, "lower-body injury" BLUE JACKETS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 9-Artemi Panarin, 18-Pierre-Luc Dubois, 13-Cam Atkinson 22-Sonny Milano, 71-Nick Foligno, 28-Oliver Bjorkstrand 38-Boone Jenner, 10-Alexander Wennberg, 26- 11-Matt Calvert, 55-Mark Letestu, 17-Brandon Dubinsky Defensemen 8-Zach Werenski & 3-Seth Jones 7-Jack Johnson & 27-Ryan Murray 23-Ian Cole & 58-David Savard Goalie 72-Sergei Bobrovsky Injuries/Suspensions D Seth Jones — probable, rib injury D Ryan Murray — day-to-day, undisclosed injury RW Josh Anderson — out two weeks, knee sprain D Dean Kukan — injured reserve, upper-body injury THREE THINGS TO WATCH 1. Sense of urgency Between teams chasing them — Columbus first among them — and the inability to close out games recently, the Flyers need to play like a team with a fire under them. 1103899 Philadelphia Flyers Somewhere the Flyers needed a big momentum save from Mrazek and he didn’t have one for them. One interesting note on the cost of the Mrazek trade: he’s one win away from the fourth-round pick becoming a Flyers 5 takeaways: Dave Hakstol says brutal loss ‘squarely comes to third-round pick…but the Flyers also have to make the playoffs for that me’ pick to be upgraded. Giroux’s wild second period Dave Isaac, March 15, 2018 For most of the second period, the Flyers’ captain was off for repairs. Claude Giroux, who scored the Flyers’ first goal, stopped a 2-on-1 pass from Brandon Dubinsky, intended for Matt Calvert, with his face. He was slow to get up, having been cut on his upper lip and missed several PHILADELPHIA — It was a deflection that was a perfect 180 of the shifts. coach running the other bench. Giroux blocks a pass with his face. pic.twitter.com/WoIFO1ELNW If John Tortorella’s team had come up that small in the first period, you’d better believe he’d have ripped them three ways toward the draft lottery. — Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) March 16, 2018 Just check YouTube for the precedent. “It was good when I heard the horn to make it 4-3,” said Giroux, who Dave Hakstol took the polar opposite approach. didn’t know how many stitches were under his beard. “I just wanted to go out there and help the team come back. It wasn’t the case. “I thought their team was a little more ready to play,” Hakstol said after his Flyers lost 5-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday night. “That “Right now we’re all frustrated. We’re all pissed off. I think that’s good. squarely comes to me. I thought their team was a little bit more ready to When we get that one win we’ll get our confidence back.” play in that first 20 minutes and that can’t happen at this time of year.” Lyon earned more trust Two goals in 11 seconds midway through the first period set the Flyers back too far to come back. They now have only one win in their last eight Alex Lyon came on in mop-up duty for the third time since the end of games and the Blue Jackets are tied with them in points. The Flyers are January. He stopped all of the 18 shots he faced and gave the Flyers a only in third place in the Metropolitan Division by virtue of a tiebreaker. chance to get back in the game. It started a string of three games against division teams, the ones that The score was 4-2 when he entered the game, but the Flyers couldn’t tie are supposed to motivate teams at the start and have them come out of the game. the gates flying. “I think coming in in relief is the same concept as coming in as a starter,” “I don’t think our readiness was quite there, obviously,” said Shayne Lyon said. “You just build confidence each time it happens. Really over Gostisbehere, who scored his first goal in 20 games. “You could see that. my career, for whatever reason, it just relaxes me. I feel good. It’s It was a slow start and this time of year it’s tough to have those kind of probably not going to go that well every time, but just trying to ride the starts.” wave and get momentum each time they come in like that.” “They get a couple quick ones and we were pretty loose in our He probably earned himself at least one more start for his efforts and it’s coverage,” alternate captain Andrew MacDonald added. “Our level of not lost on the coach how hard that is to do. intensity and attention to detail wasn’t where it needed to be, especially “If you go in and give one up, that’s it. It’s game over,” Hakstol said. “Alex starting the game. From there we were playing behind the 8-ball. Found has done a good job for us a couple of times going in and closing the a way to scrap back into it, but obviously too little too late.” door and I guess I don’t want to overstate it. He went in and did his job. Hakstol took the blame for it, uncharacteristically, but it was his team that He gave us some timely saves and gave us an opportunity.” showed up small. Defense needs change Each defenseman was a disaster in the first period. Coverage lacked and Hakstol made a change in the third period, switching Scott Laughton and it allowed three goals for Columbus in the first period. They tightened up, Valtteri Filppula so that the former was on the third line and it worked but it was too little too late. Hakstol volunteering to fall on the sword was rather well. He didn’t touch the defense pairs and the third duo of his way of trying to join them in the battle after their brief postgame Brandon Manning and Gudas was an adventure all game. meeting. This hasn’t been a new occurrence for a pair that has habitually been out “At this time of year … believe me there’s things we have to take from of position and/or evaded coverage in the defensive zone over the last this game, but we also have to leave it behind, the players do, when they couple weeks. Robert Hägg is out for another week, by the Flyers’ leave the rink,” Hakstol said. “The real honest truth is there’s 11 games to estimation. When he returns, it would be hard to justify keeping these go and it’s an even race. There’s eight spots to be had and we’re right pairs together. there. I told our players after, I’ll take that challenge and I’ll happily take that on with our group. Things haven’t gone well here over the last six, Courier-Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 seven games. We know that, but it’s that time of year. You gotta be able to clear the deck, clear the mind and really focus on the next challenge ahead.” Here are four more observations from Thursday’s game… Mrazek has an off-night It was the biggest game of the year and the Flyers went out and got Petr Mrazek for situations just like this. He couldn’t have come up much smaller. On the fourth goal he allowed, which was on the 10th shot, he barely even moved. CAM YOU FEEL IT?! pic.twitter.com/YFKIE2VmK7 — Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 16, 2018 Tough to fault him on the first goal, which came right after a blocked shot and he didn’t see Oliver Bjorkstrand shoot from one knee to open the scoring. Even the goal that came 11 seconds later was difficult to stop, a redirection from Boone Jenner who had no trouble getting in front of Brandon Manning. “I didn’t have any big saves in the first period,” Mrazek said. “They pushed us hard in the beginning and scored three quick goals. That fourth one, if I had stopped (it) I would probably get the momentum back and we could still have a chance.” 1103900 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins rebound with road win over Canadiens

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Thursday, March 15, 2018, 10:18 p.m.

MONTREAL — The leadership group in the Penguins locker room sometimes is defined narrowly, including only the three players on the roster who have won the Stanley Cup three times: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Malkin prefers a more inclusive list. Patric Hornqvist is a leader, too, Malkin said after the gritty Swedish winger scored a clutch third-period goal to power the Penguins to a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. “And not just on the ice. In the locker room and on the bench, too,” Malkin gushed before working in a zinger. “I listen to his voice the whole time. Sometimes it's like too much, but yeah, he's a great player.” The Penguins needed a dose of leadership because they'd hit a rough patch on a quick two-game road trip this week. They blew a 2-0 lead with a horrible third-period effort in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Rangers on Wednesday night. Then they fell behind 2-0 before the game was seven minutes old Thursday in Montreal. “Usually when you have one of those third periods like we had last night and then you get down two goals quick, it's not a good sign,” Hornqvist said. “You can get a lot of thoughts in your head.” Montreal came by its first-period lead honestly, too, generally outskating the Penguins, taking a 7-3 lead in shots and getting goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Paul Byron. “I think we were a little bit surprised, like, ‘Oh, we play against a good team,' ” Malkin said. “We need to understand a little bit more about hockey. It's a tough league. It doesn't matter if it's No. 1 or No. 30 in the standings.” After the first 10 minutes, though, the Penguins largely controlled the game. They tied the score 2-2 before the first period was over. First, Phil Kessel finished off a two-on-one play with Bryan Rust. Then, Hornqvist chased down a deflected Kris Letang head-man pass and sent a centering pass toward Carl Hagelin at the left post that deflected in off defenseman Jeff Petry. Malkin added his 40th goal of the season in the second period when he launched a sonic blast one-timer from the right circle past former Penguins goalie Antti Niemi on the power play. “I'm not thinking about (40 goals) at the start of the season,” Malkin said. “A couple lucky goals. A couple empty-net goals. I feel great. No injuries, first of all, for me. I play with a great line, great team.” Hornqvist's clutch goal came with the score tied and about eight minutes left. He parked himself in the slot and, as he was being cross-checked to the ice by defenseman Noah Juulsen, used a between-the-legs tip to send a Hagelin shot past Niemi. “In front of the net, it's a different rulebook,” Hornqvist said. “You get hit, and I hit people, too. You just try to battle for position and take the goalie's eyes away and obviously try to get a stick on it as much as you can. I got a little lucky tonight. If you go there, you get lucky.” From there, in stark contrast to their leaky third period the night before in New York, the Penguins shut down the Canadiens the rest of the way. They won for the fifth time in their last seven games and stayed tied with the Washington Capitals atop the Metropolitan Division standings. “We kept trying to get the next goal. We just tried to do it the right way,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We stayed on the right side of the puck. We made good decisions with the puck.” The Penguins lost Carter Rowney to injury in the second period. Sullivan said Rowney would be evaluated further Friday. Tribune Review LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103901 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins notebook: Antti Niemi finds his way in Montreal

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Thursday, March 15, 2018, 7:45 p.m.

MONTREAL — When Antti Niemi played his last game with the Penguins on Oct. 21, it would have been perfectly reasonable to assume he'd played his last game in the NHL. Niemi had just turned 34, and given his performance in three starts in black and gold, he looked finished. His horror-show numbers — an 0-3 record with a 7.50 goals-against average and .797 save percentage — sure didn't indicate all he needed was a change of scenery to get back on track. A brief two-game stint in Florida after a waiver claim did little to change that notion. Niemi went 0-1 with a 5.04 GAA and .872 save percentage with the Panthers before another waiver claim landed him in Montreal in November. And then, all of a sudden, in a shock to anyone who saw him with the Penguins, Niemi turned his season around. Coming into Thursday night's matchup with the Penguins, Niemi was 5-2- 4 with a brilliant .933 save percentage since joining the Canadiens. He has more than capably filled in while Carey Price has been out with a concussion. With the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, perhaps Niemi was simply a victim of circumstance with the Penguins. After all, his three starts were all on the tail end of a set of back-to-back games on the road, and the last two were at Tampa Bay. “First of all, he's a great kid,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He's a really good person. He went through a challenging circumstance when he was with our team in Pittsburgh, and part of it wasn't his fault. Some of the starts he had were difficult starts. Unfortunately, it didn't work the way we all hoped it would, himself included. We're really happy for him that he's found his way.” SHEARY'S SPOT After being bumped down to the fourth line while the Penguins struggled in the third period of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Rangers on Wednesday night, Conor Sheary was back in his right-wing spot on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby to start Thursday's game in Montreal. As it turns out, a two-goal effort in Philadelphia on March 7 didn't open the floodgates for Sheary. He still is working to get back on track. Sullivan said that's not a shock. “It's usually a process,” Sullivan said. “Obviously when he scored that couple of goals in Philly, it's a big boost in confidence for him. I think it takes some pressure off him. Maybe he's not squeezing the stick quite as much. “Conor's an important player for us. We're going to need him to be at his best if we're going to get where we want to go. We'll keep trying to surround him and put him in positions where he can be successful. We'll take each game as it comes, and we'll make decisions accordingly.” MURRAY PROGRESSING Sullivan said Murray took live shots for the second straight day Thursday as he continues his recovery from a concussion suffered in practice Feb. 26. “He's making significant progress,” Sullivan said. “The next step will be he'll participate in a full practice when we get one.” VOTE FOR GENO With each town he visits, Sullivan gets a chance to offer his awards- season endorsement for Evgeni Malkin to a new audience. He took the opportunity in Montreal before Thursday's game. “The way he's played post-Christmas or since the turn of the year has been impressive,” Sullivan said. “He's posted some really impressive numbers, and he's helping us win. He's playing an inspired game right now, and we're going to need him to continue to do that if we're going to accomplish our goal.” Tribune Review LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103902 Pittsburgh Penguins The goal — which put the Penguins up 3-2 at 10:30 of the second — was Malkin’s 40th of the season. It marks the third time in his career Malkin has scored 40 in a season, and the first since his Hart Trophy season of Penguins Evgeni Malkin, center, celebrates with Sidney Crosby and Kris 2012. Letang after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second The lead Malkin gave the Penguins didn’t stand for very long, though. period on Thursday, in Montreal. 1 Less than three minutes later, Letang lost control of the puck in the corner of the Penguins’ defensive zone. Daniel Carr dispossessed Letang, and fed the puck into the slot to a wide-open Nicholas SAM WERNER Deslauriers, who beat Jarry to tie the score, 3-3, at 12:57 of the second. The score stayed that way until the third period, until Hornqvist's game- winner. Rust added an empty-netter for some extra insurance. MONTREAL — Two dominant storylines in the early part of the Penguins’ season were their play in the second halves of back-to-backs The win keeps the Penguins tied with Washington for the Metropolitan and the struggles of goalie Antti Niemi. Division lead, with both teams having played 71 games. The division title will be decided over the next 11, starting, for the Penguins, Tuesday Fast-forward five months, and those two forces were at play again night against the Islanders in Brooklyn. Thursday night. Only this time it was Niemi taking a loss in a different uniform, and the Penguins earning a big two points on the second leg of Post Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 a back-to-back. The Penguins bounced back from a disappointing finish in New York Wednesday to beat the Canadiens, 5-3, Thursday night and keep pace with Washington in the divisional race. Patric Hornqvist scored the game winner at 12:24 of the third period, his second goal of the game, with some nifty stick work down low to deflect a high shot past Niemi. Riley Sheahan celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal Wednesday in New York against the Rangers. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Jason Mackey's Penguins chat transcript: 3.15.18 Niemi was actually pretty good in net for most of the night, stopping 34 of the 38 shots he faced, but ultimately the Penguins’ offense was just too much. Tristan Jarry made 16 saves for the Penguins to earn his 14th win of the season. Those two points didn’t necessarily come easy, though. For the first few minutes of the game, it appeared as if the Penguins’ sluggish finish at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night carried over to their game in Montreal. The Canadiens dominated play early, and went ahead 2-0 less than seven minutes into the game. Artturi Lehkonen opened the scoring at 3:15 of the first on a deflection goal from just in front of Jarry to make the score 1-0. Montreal only took a few minutes to extend its lead, too. With Jamie Oleksiak in the penalty box for holding, the Canadiens took advantage. They worked the puck down low and, on a scramble in front of Jarry, Paul Byron knocked the puck into the net to put Montreal up 2-0 at 6:31 of the first period. Bryan Rust Jason Mackey Bryan Rust is back. Why's that so big for the Penguins? At that point, though, the Penguins seemed to shake off whatever cobwebs they had been dealing with. Bryan Rust and Phil Kessel had a glorious chance with a 2-on-1 about eight minutes into the period, but Rust’s final shot went off the post. The duo tried again a few minutes later — this time with Rust feeding Kessel off the rush — and were much more successful. The result was Kessel’s 29th goal of the season and a 2-1 Montreal lead at 10:05 of the first. The Penguins weren’t done there, either. Their next goal may have involved a bit of luck, but they all count the same. Hornqvist flipped a bouncing puck towards the goal and, with Niemi out of position, the puck barely caught the backside of the net and deflected in. Had it not bounced in, Carl Hagelin was right there to make sure it ended up in the net. Hornqvist’s 21st of the season tied the score, 2-2, at 14:33 of the first. It stayed that way until the first intermission, and through the first half of the second period. Evgeni Malkin made his presence felt midway through the second, though, with an absolute blistering one-timer off a feed from Kris Letang on the power play that Niemi had absolutely no chance on. 1103903 Pittsburgh Penguins The free agents on whom the Penguins focus can expect a sales pitch pushing the merits of the region — “It’s a great place to live,” Guerin said — and the franchise. The Penguins have no problem going back to college “The biggest thing you can offer that’s greater than money is opportunity,” Guerin said. “And we have a coach [Mike Sullivan] who’s not afraid to utilize young players and give them opportunities.” DAVE MOLINARI No matter how they enter the organization.

Post Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 The NHL draft is designed to let franchises replenish their talent pool and, if necessary, to rebuild. Early-round draft choices can be especially valuable and, used effectively, those in Round 1 can help a team lay the foundation of a Stanley Cup contender. Nonetheless, the Penguins have proved that it’s possible to earn championships without consistently getting much out of the first round. Directly, at least. They’ve won the past two Cup titles despite having just one of their opening-round selections, defenseman Olli Maatta, from the past 12 drafts in the lineup. (Derrick Pouliot dressed for two playoff games in 2016.) Penguins Evgeni Malkin, center, celebrates with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period on Thursday, in Montreal. General manager Jim Rutherford already has dealt his No. 1 pick in 2018, sending it to Ottawa in the Derick Brassard trade, so the Penguins won’t have a first-rounder for the fourth consecutive summer and the fifth time in six years. It’s tough to second-guess Rutherford’s approach, though, since his team has made a habit of capping its season with a civic celebration. Still, without the infusion of top-tier talent first-round choices can provide, the Penguins have to explore other sources of good young players, which is why assistant GM Bill Guerin said attracting college free agents “is extremely important.” Forwards Conor Sheary, Carter Rowney and Zach Aston-Reese and goalie Casey DeSmith all entered pro hockey that way. Aston-Reese, signed out of Northeastern a year ago, personified the Penguins’ philosophy. “More important than just bringing in college free agents is bringing in the right ones,” Guerin said. “To bring in the one who fits your criteria, fits your style, who you feel will fill a void on your depth chart, in your lineup. Not just go out and do it just to do it. “He’s a perfect example. He fills a void in our lineup. He’s different than other guys that we have. He’s more of a cross between a [Patric] Hornqvist and a Sheary. He has a real heavy game down low, but a good touch around the net. He’s good in the ugly areas. He gives us more depth in that type of role.” Sidney Crosby Dave Molinari Sidney Crosby thinks he might coach someday — but not in the NHL Aston-Reese was one of the Penguins’ primary targets in 2017. Guerin said the team has two of those this year but declined to identify them. Daniel Brickley, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior defenseman from Minnesota State with a good offensive skill set, might well be one, since he seems to be the most coveted free agent available. Numerous players with local ties also are candidates to sign pro contracts in coming weeks, including several who attended the Penguins’ 2017 development camp. They include: • Penn State forward Andrew Sturtz, a 5-foot-8, 185-pound junior who has 14 goals and 26 assists in 36 games. “That kid is all in, all of the time,” Guerin said. “I haven’t seen too many kids play the game harder than him at the college level.” • Robert Morris winger Brady Ferguson, a 6-foot, 195-pound senior with 15 goals and 31 assists in 39 games. “We’re extremely high on him,” Guerin said. “He’s got a very high talent level that we obviously like.” • Nittany Lions forward Chase Berger, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior who has 11 goals and 16 assists in 37 games. “He’s turned into a really solid two- way player,” Guerin said. 1103904 Pittsburgh Penguins The win keeps the Penguins tied with Washington for the Metropolitan Division lead, with both teams having played 71 games. The division title will be decided over the next 11, starting, for the Penguins, Tuesday Penguins bounce back with 5-3 win against Canadiens night against the Islanders in Brooklyn. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 Sam Werner Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Mar 16, 2018 2:14 AM

MONTREAL — Two dominant storylines in the early part of the Penguins’ season were their play in the second halves of back-to-backs and the struggles of goalie Antti Niemi. Fast-forward five months, and those two forces were at play again Thursday night. Only this time it was Niemi taking a loss in a different uniform, and the Penguins earning a big two points on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Penguins bounced back from a disappointing finish in New York Wednesday to beat the Canadiens, 5-3, Thursday night and keep pace with Washington in the divisional race. Patric Hornqvist scored the game winner at 12:24 of the third period, his second goal of the game, with some nifty stick work down low to deflect a high shot past Niemi. Niemi was actually pretty good in net for most of the night, stopping 34 of the 38 shots he faced, but ultimately the Penguins’ offense was just too much. Tristan Jarry made 16 saves for the Penguins to earn his 14th win of the season. Those two points didn’t necessarily come easy, though. For the first few minutes of the game, it appeared as if the Penguins’ sluggish finish at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night carried over to their game in Montreal. The Canadiens dominated play early, and went ahead 2-0 less than seven minutes into the game. Artturi Lehkonen opened the scoring at 3:15 of the first on a deflection goal from just in front of Jarry to make the score 1-0. Montreal only took a few minutes to extend its lead, too. With Jamie Oleksiak in the penalty box for holding, the Canadiens took advantage. They worked the puck down low and, on a scramble in front of Jarry, Paul Byron knocked the puck into the net to put Montreal up 2-0 at 6:31 of the first period. At that point, though, the Penguins seemed to shake off whatever cobwebs they had been dealing with. Bryan Rust and Phil Kessel had a glorious chance with a 2-on-1 about eight minutes into the period, but Rust’s final shot went off the post. The duo tried again a few minutes later — this time with Rust feeding Kessel off the rush — and were much more successful. The result was Kessel’s 29th goal of the season and a 2-1 Montreal lead at 10:05 of the first. The Penguins weren’t done there, either. Their next goal may have involved a bit of luck, but they all count the same. Hornqvist flipped a bouncing puck towards the goal and, with Niemi out of position, the puck barely caught the backside of the net and deflected in. Had it not bounced in, Carl Hagelin was right there to make sure it ended up in the net. Hornqvist’s 21st of the season tied the score, 2-2, at 14:33 of the first. It stayed that way until the first intermission, and through the first half of the second period. Evgeni Malkin made his presence felt midway through the second, though, with an absolute blistering one-timer off a feed from Kris Letang on the power play that Niemi had absolutely no chance on. The goal — which put the Penguins up 3-2 at 10:30 of the second — was Malkin’s 40th of the season. It marks the third time in his career Malkin has scored 40 in a season, and the first since his Hart Trophy season of 2012. The lead Malkin gave the Penguins didn’t stand for very long, though. Less than three minutes later, Letang lost control of the puck in the corner of the Penguins’ defensive zone. Daniel Carr dispossessed Letang, and fed the puck into the slot to a wide-open Nicholas Deslauriers, who beat Jarry to tie the score, 3-3, at 12:57 of the second. The score stayed that way until the third period, until Hornqvist's game- winner. Rust added an empty-netter for some extra insurance. 1103905 Pittsburgh Penguins • Nittany Lions forward Chase Berger, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior who has 11 goals and 16 assists in 37 games. “He’s turned into a really solid two- way player,” Guerin said. The Penguins have no problem going back to college The free agents on whom the Penguins focus can expect a sales pitch pushing the merits of the region — “It’s a great place to live,” Guerin said — and the franchise. DAVE MOLINARI “The biggest thing you can offer that’s greater than money is opportunity,” Guerin said. “And we have a coach [Mike Sullivan] who’s not afraid to utilize young players and give them opportunities.” The NHL draft is designed to let franchises replenish their talent pool and, if necessary, to rebuild. No matter how they enter the organization. Early-round draft choices can be especially valuable and, used Post Gazette LOADED: 03.16.2018 effectively, those in Round 1 can help a team lay the foundation of a Stanley Cup contender. Nonetheless, the Penguins have proved that it’s possible to earn championships without consistently getting much out of the first round. Directly, at least. They’ve won the past two Cup titles despite having just one of their opening-round selections, defenseman Olli Maatta, from the past 12 drafts in the lineup. (Derrick Pouliot dressed for two playoff games in 2016.) Penguins Evgeni Malkin, center, celebrates with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period on Thursday, in Montreal. Sam Werner Penguins bounce back with 5-3 win against Canadiens General manager Jim Rutherford already has dealt his No. 1 pick in 2018, sending it to Ottawa in the Derick Brassard trade, so the Penguins won’t have a first-rounder for the fourth consecutive summer and the fifth time in six years. It’s tough to second-guess Rutherford’s approach, though, since his team has made a habit of capping its season with a civic celebration. Still, without the infusion of top-tier talent first-round choices can provide, the Penguins have to explore other sources of good young players, which is why assistant GM Bill Guerin said attracting college free agents “is extremely important.” Forwards Conor Sheary, Carter Rowney and Zach Aston-Reese and goalie Casey DeSmith all entered pro hockey that way. Aston-Reese, signed out of Northeastern a year ago, personified the Penguins’ philosophy. “More important than just bringing in college free agents is bringing in the right ones,” Guerin said. “To bring in the one who fits your criteria, fits your style, who you feel will fill a void on your depth chart, in your lineup. Not just go out and do it just to do it. “He’s a perfect example. He fills a void in our lineup. He’s different than other guys that we have. He’s more of a cross between a [Patric] Hornqvist and a Sheary. He has a real heavy game down low, but a good touch around the net. He’s good in the ugly areas. He gives us more depth in that type of role.” Sidney Crosby Dave Molinari Sidney Crosby thinks he might coach someday — but not in the NHL Aston-Reese was one of the Penguins’ primary targets in 2017. Guerin said the team has two of those this year but declined to identify them. Daniel Brickley, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior defenseman from Minnesota State with a good offensive skill set, might well be one, since he seems to be the most coveted free agent available. Numerous players with local ties also are candidates to sign pro contracts in coming weeks, including several who attended the Penguins’ 2017 development camp. They include: • Penn State forward Andrew Sturtz, a 5-foot-8, 185-pound junior who has 14 goals and 26 assists in 36 games. “That kid is all in, all of the time,” Guerin said. “I haven’t seen too many kids play the game harder than him at the college level.” • Robert Morris winger Brady Ferguson, a 6-foot, 195-pound senior with 15 goals and 31 assists in 39 games. “We’re extremely high on him,” Guerin said. “He’s got a very high talent level that we obviously like.” 1103906 San Jose Sharks 3. Wilson’s received a lot of praise for his creativity this winter, landing Kane without giving up a first-round pick (in a rental scenario anyway) and finding Eric Fehr toiling in the minor leagues. Thoughts: will the Sharks re-sign Evander Kane? One move that continues to be a head scratcher, though, is his decision to waive Ryan Carpenter after just 16 games, creating a revolving door in the middle of the fourth line. By PAUL GACKLE The Sharks entered the offseason last year with such a high opinion of Carpenter after he scored nine goals and compiled 17 points in 15 Calder Cup playoff games that they protected him from the Vegas Golden CALGARY, Alberta — With six points in seven games, Evander Kane is Knights in the 2017 NHL expansion draft. clearly a good fit for the Sharks heavy forechecking style of play. He’s also enthusiastic about living in the Bay Area after tumultuous runs in Guess where Carpenter landed after the Sharks put him on waivers? Winnipeg and Buffalo, another plus. Granted, Carpenter struggled to produce during his 16-game audition, The Sharks want speed, youth and physicality. Kane should be a 30 goal producing just one assist. But it wasn’t like he was hurting the team scorer every year and he’s just hitting his prime at age 26. Sounds like a either. He posted a plus-one rating and a 48.94 percent possession match made on hockey Tinder, right? rating during his run on the fourth line. Well, in the era, things are never quite this simple. Get Sharks news in your inbox. Sign up now for the free Sharks Report Now, his career is taking off in Vegas where he’s scored eight goals, newsletter. collected 12 points and posted a 50.29 percent possession rating in 24 games while seeing minutes at third line center. With roughly $20 million in cap space available this summer, the Sharks will get an opportunity to re-sign Kane in the offseason. That said, The only scenarios that make sense here are that a. Wilson thought he general manager Doug Wilson is tackling a full docket and getting all the could pass Carpenter through waivers without getting claimed or b. he pieces to fall into place will a lot like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube. wanted to give the 27-year-old a chance to play after he clearly fell into head coach Pete DeBoer’s doghouse. At this point, Wilson’s top priority is hooking John Tavares, who could be the biggest unrestricted free agent to hit the open market in the salary Wilson is known for keeping his promises, and by doing right by cap era. The Sharks will be able to make a strong pitch. They have the Carpenter, the favor might come back around the next time he deals with cap space to win a bidding war, Canadians love playing in California and his agent. they will probably be able to give Tavares his best chance at winning a Stanley Cup in the near future. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.16.2018 But signing Tavares likely means saying goodbye to Kane because the embattled forward is likely going to want to make this contact count and earn an average annual salary in the neighborhood of $7 million. In addition, Joe Thornton is an pending-unrestricted free agent and Tomas Hertl, Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo are pending-restricted free agents. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. Granted, a Tavares, Thornton and Logan Couture center alignment with Kane, Joe Pavelski and Timo Meier on the wings would certainly make Hertl and Tierney expendable. But knowing Wilson, it seems uncharacteristic that he’d burn Hertl after the affable Czech signed a team-friendly two-year, $6 million contract in 2016 and landing Tavares, Thornton and Kane would require serious, and unlikely, compromises unless he finds creative ways to open up more cap space. Where things could get interesting for Wilson is the challenge of keeping Kane on the line as a consolation prize while he chases after his No. 1 choice, Tavares. The Toronto Maple Leafs swooped in with an $18.75 million to win the Patrick Marleau sweepstakes last summer. Wilson can’t afford to be stood up at the alter this offseason without snagging an elite- caliber forward to pave the road for the organization’s post-Thornton- Marleau future. 2. Wilson’s busy summer won’t end with the courtship of Tavares and Kane. Couture and Pavelski will both be eligible for contract extensions come July 1. Last year, Wilson made it a top priority to extend Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Martin Jones without letting them hit the market. Will he take a similar approach with his next big-name pending-unrestricted free agents this summer? In all likelihood, Wilson will give Couture an eight-year contract extension probably in the ballpark of what Brent Burns is making. Couture is driving the bus now. He deserves his payday. Pavelski’s contract situation is a little trickier. Although Pavelski is putting together another strong year after a slow start, leading the Sharks in scoring with 56 points, he’ll be approaching his 35th birthday on July 1, 2019. Wilson will probably want to see what Pavelski does in his contract year before he opens the vault for another aging forward. But judging by how things tend to go in San Jose, it seems likely that Wilson and his captain will find a way to make things work when the day comes. 1103907 San Jose Sharks Sharks on Friday Who: Sharks (38-23-9) at Calgary (35-26-10) Kings win, gain ground on Sharks When: 6 p.m. TV/Radio: NBCSCA/98.5 Chronicle News Services San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 03.16.2018

Kings center Anze Kopitar broke a third-period tie with a fluke goal and host Los Angeles beat the Red Wings 4-1 on Thursday night. The Kings moved two points in front of idle Anaheim for third place in the Pacific Division. Paul LaDue, Tyler Toffoli and Dustin Brown also scored for Los Angeles, which is one point behind the second-place Sharks. Jonathan Quick made 20 saves as the Kings won for the sixth time in nine games. Gustav Nyquist scored for Detroit, which has lost eight in a row. . The Kings got a bit lucky to go ahead 2-1 at 8:22 of the third period. Kopitar and Brown were fighting with the Red Wings for control of the puck along the wall behind the Red Wings net when Kopitar flicked the puck up high. It landed on the roof of the net, trickled over the crossbar onto the back of goalie Jared Coreau and fell beyond the goal line when it hit the ice. Toffoli scored on a rebound with 1:30 left and Brown added an empty- netter. Detroit tied it 1-1 45 seconds into the third period on a power play. Nyquist took a long pass from Frans Nielsen near the net. Nyquist’s first shot hit the post but ricocheted back to him and he tapped it in for his 18th goal. Predators 3, Coyotes 2: Kevin Fiala and Kyle Turris each had a goal and assist in the third period and Pekka Rinne made 32 saves.as visiting Nashville improved to 12-0-1 in its past 13 games. The Predators moved two points ahead of the Lightning for the overall NHL lead. The Coyotes welcomed back head coach Rick Tocchet, who left the team Monday on a leave of absence to be with family. Tocchet’s mother died Wednesday at age 93. He rejoined the team for Thursday’s morning skate. Capitals 7, Islanders 3: T.J. Oshie scored twice and Dmitry Orlov and Nicklas Backstrom each had a goal and two assists as visiting Washington dealt New York its ninth loss in 10 games. It was the first time this season the Capitals had scored seven times and their three- game winning streak is their first since early January. They remained tied with Pittsburgh atop the Metropolitan Division, but have two games in hand. Penguins 5, Canadiens 3: Patric Hornqvist scored two goals as visiting Pittsburgh won. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for his 14th win while starter Matt Murray remains sidelined with a concussion. Montreal’s Antti Niemi stopped 34 shots in his first regulation loss since Feb. 14. Blue Jackets 5, Flyers 3: Cam Atkinson scored an empty-net goal with less than a second left to complete a hat trick as visiting Columbus won its sixth in a row. Philadelphia has lost seven of eight. Maple Leafs 5, Sabres 2: James van Riemsdyk, who had a hat trick a night earlier, scored two goals to lead visiting Toronto. Panthers 3, Bruins 0: James Reimer stopped 46 shots for his third shutout of the season for host Florida. Boston’s David Backes was assessed a match penalty for a first-period hit from behind on Vincent Trocheck. Jets 6, Blackhawks 2: Kyle Connor scored twice and Bryan Little and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and an assist for host Winnipeg. Avalanche 4, Blues 1: Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist and Semyon Varlamov stopped 44 shots as visiting Colorado won its third in a row to move past Dallas into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Briefly: Nashville forward Calle Jarnkrok, who has tied his career high with 16 goals, will miss the rest of the regular season with an upper-body injury. He was injured Tuesday when he was checked by Jets forward Andrew Copp. ... Montreal goalie Carey Price practiced with the team for the first time since he suffered a concussion on Feb. 20, NHL.com reported. “It’s only a step toward his return,” head coach Claude Julien told the website. “He worked hard during a day off yesterday, and he came to work again today.” 1103908 San Jose Sharks

Potential Donskoi injury the latest in Sharks season full of significant hurdles

By Marcus White March 15, 2018 11:31 AM

Wednesday night’s overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers mirrored the arc of the Sharks’ season. At the risk of sounding like a beloved corporate cousin, it had everything. It was a game that, much like this season, required San Jose to overcome increasingly difficult hurdles. The Sharks fell behind early, then again, then again, only to overcome each successive deficit and win the game in overtime. Mix in a failed challenge, timely goaltending, special teams success, a scene-stealing performance from a member of the team’s young core (Tomas Hertl), and you have a winning recipe featuring recurrent ingredients from the season to-date. Of course, that winning recipe has the added potential of a sour aftertaste, as the Sharks saw yet another top-six forward leave the game with a familiar injury. This time, it was Joonas Donskoi, who left the game with just under seven minutes remaining in the third period nursing his left shoulder. Donskoi, who suffered two separated shoulders last season, did not return to the game, and head coach Peter DeBoer did not offer an update on his status postgame. The timing of Donskoi’s injury is far from ideal for San Jose. Not only is the Finnish forward on pace for his highest-scoring NHL season, but the Sharks are far more productive with him on the ice than when he’s not. When Donskoi’s not on the rink, the Sharks attempt 49.15 percent of the five-on-five shots, compared to 55.15 percent when he is on the rink, according to Natural Stat Trick. That relative difference (6.36 percent) is the league’s 17th-best mark among skaters, and is essentially the gap between the Boston Bruins (third in five-on-five corsi-for percentage) and New York Islanders’ (27th) respective puck possession prowess. Plus, the Sharks score an additional 0.82 five-on-five goals per 60 minutes when Donskoi’s on the ice this season, which is the best mark on the team behind Evander Kane. In all, San Jose’s just 4-2-2 with Donskoi out of the lineup this season, and 17-11-7 over the last three. To make matters worse, the Sharks are just three points clear of missing the postseason entirely with 12 games remaining, and Joe Thornton has yet to return to the ice after injuring his right MCL in late January. San Jose’s had enough depth to mitigate Thornton’s injury, especially following the acquisition of Kane, but can it handle another key injury? They will not need to answer that question if Donskoi doesn’t miss significant time, and the Sharks have overcome most of the hurdles in their way this season. But if he does, or isn’t himself when he comes back, the Sharks undoubtedly will have another one to clear. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103909 St Louis Blues That leaves the Blues four points behind the Stars (83) for the second (and final) wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Four points behind with just 12 games to play. Is that enough time? Blues' playoff hopes absorb a blow in 4-1 loss to Avalanche “I still feel confident, yeah,” Yeo said. “We’re showing that we’ve got fight in our room right now. Obviously this is a disappointing one. I think that whether you look at the shot attempts, whether you look at some of the By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch play, you can see that guys care. And I know that you don’t get points for that, but what it does, it gives me confidence that this is a group that’s gonna be ready to respond.” With a chance to move within one point of a wild-card spot, the Blues’ On Thursday, however, the first period quickly turned into the MacKinnon playoff hopes suffered a big blow Thursday with a 4-1 loss to Colorado show. The Avalanche star scored his 34th and 35th goals of the season before 18,885 at Scottrade Center. in the game’s first 13 minutes, staking Colorado to a 2-0 lead. They threw a lot at Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov — a season-high Prior to Thursday, the Blues had done a good job this season on 82 attempts when you combine shots on goal, shots that were blocked, MacKinnon, holding him pointless (and minus-4) in two games. He was and ones that missed the net. But 45 of those 82 did find their way on out with an injury the third time the teams, met Feb. 8 at Scottrade. But goal, a season high total for the Blues in a non-overtime game. he arrived in St. Louis on a hot streak, having scored nine goals with 12 assists in 12 games since returning from an upper-body injury. “We did whatever we could,” said Blues center Brayden Schenn. “We threw them at the net, we got second chances, third chances, hit posts. Edmundson’s seventh goal of the season and first since Nov. 18, gave Just one of those nights it wasn’t able to go in. the Blues some life in the second period and trimmed the Colorado lead to 2-1. “It felt like we dominated lots of the game, wore them down. At the end of the day, their big line scored for them — that was the difference in the “I wasn’t trying to score,” he said. “I was just trying to get it there for a hockey game.” rebound or a tip.” Colorado’s top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko But Rantanen applied the backbreaker, when he scored on a breakaway Rantanen dominated, combining for four goals and six assists. late in the second after Landeskog took the puck from Patrik Berglund and the Blues got caught changing defensemen. Rantanen added his As for the Blues, all that work resulted in one measly goal, by second goal of the night and 25th of the season on an empty-netter with defenseman Joel Edmundson in his first game in five weeks since 42 seconds left. suffering a broken right forearm the last time these teams met on Feb. 8. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 “These ones are hard to swallow,” Edmundson said. “I thought we played well and did everything we could. The forwards got to the net and as defense we were just trying to get it on net. Sometimes you run into a hot goalie, but at the same time we’ve got to bear down and score more.” The Blues were close on many other occasions. So close, that the league office reviewed a Jaden Schwartz shot just 3 1/2 minutes into a scoreless game to make sure it hadn’t gone in the net. It didn’t — no goal. So close, that the horn at Scottrade went off briefly when Vladimir Tarasenko sent a backhand tip-in towards a wide-open net about 3 1/2 minutes into the third period with the Blues down 3-1. But the shot sailed left of the net — the miss signifying the night and perhaps what will become a missed playoff opportunity for the Blues this season. “Listen, Vlady’s gonna be harder on himself than everybody,” coach Mike Yeo said. “Those things happen. That’s part of the hockey game. We had other opportunities. “Obviously, Vlady knows better than anybody else — he gets paid to score goals. But I would say that he generated and was involved in more scoring chances tonight than he’s been in a long time. ... If he continues to play like that from now till the end of the year, then he’ll get rewarded.” Tarasenko matched his season high with eight shots on goal and had seven other attempts that were either blocked or miss the net. He was not available for comment after the game. “When Vlady gets that chance and he misses — he doesn’t miss,” Schenn said. “Give him that chance 99 times out of 100 he’ll make it. Obviously that’s the one time he missed. It’s tough.” Playing just their second home game since Feb. 23, the Blues were trying to win three in a row for the first time since the end of January. But Stan Kroenke’s revived Avalanche had other ideas, defeating the Blues for the first time this season and the first time in the last 13 matchups between the teams. “We had a pretty good feeling coming in from the western trip, which we haven’t had in a long time to be honest,” goalie Jake Allen said. “Great practice yesterday, good feeling tonight. We just couldn’t get it done. It’s unfortunate, but we don’t have time to sit on it. We still have a chance. It’s a big game this weekend.” The Blues’ schedule lightens up over the next week in terms of caliber of competition. After playing 15 of 16 games against playoff contenders, three of their next four are against teams out of the playoff picture — starting with Saturday’s home game against the New York Rangers. But they squandered an opportunity to get on the doorstep of a wild-card position with Thursday’s loss. At 37-28-5, the Blues stay at 79 points — five points behind Colorado (38-24-8), which leapfrogged ahead of Dallas with 84 points and into the top wild-card spot. 1103910 St Louis Blues With the victory, the Avs moved five points ahead of the Blues, who remain stuck at 79 points. The Stars, who have 83 points, fell from the first wild card to the second and last position at this point. Ortiz: Blues keep failing to generate momentum Before the Blues even worry about catching the Stars and Avs, though, they must also find a way to catch and pass the Ducks and Flames. In other words, the odds are not in their favor with 12 games left in the Jose de Jesus Ortiz season. Even worse, perhaps, half of their 12 remaining games will be at Scottrade Center. It’s almost as though the Blues cannot help themselves anymore. Sisyphus had an easier time rolling that boulder up the hill, or so it would The Blues are a pathetic 20-15 at home. They had won their last two seem. games in impressive fashion on the road only to soil the bed in their return home. Their home record is not anywhere close to being good Just when their fans start believing in them again, the Blues find a way to enough. let the boulder roll back down the hill against them. The Blues’ 15 losses at Scottrade Center this season are their most Desperately in need of momentum, the Blues continue to sputter along regulation losses at home since the 2009-2010 season, when they had on the road to an early vacation. They’re just good enough to frustrate 18 regulation losses and missed the playoffs. you because there’s no doubt they can and should play better. Moreover, the Blues owned home ice while reaching the playoffs the Playing the closest thing to a must-win at this time of the year, the Blues previous six seasons in a row. In that span, they never lost more than 13 had more than enough chances to beat the Avalanche on Thursday night games in regulation in any season. at Scottrade Center. They couldn’t capitalize, though. “I don’t know numbers, but we probably definitely haven’t played our best And when you don’t capitalize you usually lose. The Avs beat the Blues at home,” Allen said. “We probably played better on the road than we 4-1 before a disappointed sellout crowd that saw the home team miss the have at home. I don’t have an answer for you. net 22 times while outshooting Colorado 82-42. “I don’t think anyone would, but I think if we could sometimes bring our “I think it’s more frustrating for the guys up front,” Blues goaltender Jake road game to the home rink we always say we play better that way. Allen said. “They’re the ones doing all the work, putting the pucks to the That’s more our style of play. I don’t think you can really complain about net and taking a beating in front of the net. It’s been a weird year for goal the way we played tonight. We just never got it done.” scoring. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 “Obviously we all know it’s been tough, but it’s tough on the guys too. They’re trying. They’re used to the pucks going in at will. Right now they’re not. I thought we did a good job throwing pucks there. They’re not finding the way in. It’s tough.” How bad was Thursday night for the Blues? None other than former All-Star Vladimir Tarasenko, one of the best forwards in the NHL, missed a wide-open net from short range with an opportunity to cut the Avs’ lead to 3-2 early in the third period. The game looks much easier from the stands and the press box, but you would probably bet your paycheck that Grandma Irene could have converted the open-net opportunity that Tarasenko missed. Heck, most junior hockey players would have scored on the miss of the night. Tarasenko and every top forward in the National Hockey League would probably convert from such close range with a relatively wide open net 99 percent of the time. You cannot take anything for granted with the Blues these days, though, especially when they’re trying to extend a modest winning streak to three. The most emblematic play of the Blues performance happened with 16 minutes, 38 seconds to play in the third period. Avs goaltender Semyon Varlamov lunged to his left side and left the entire right side of the net wide open. It was so wide open, you could have driven the Zamboni right through without even hitting Varlamov. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but you get the picture. Tarasenko, who has 27 goals and 31 assists this season, somehow swept the puck wide. The miss would have been more ridiculous only if he had missed wide right instead of wide left. The scoring opportunity seemed so easy the goal horn went off prematurely. Many in the sellout crowd of 18,885 screamed with joy before offering a collective sigh of disbelief when they realized that the Blues’ Russian sniper shot a blank. “Those things happen,” Allen said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Wayne Gretzky or Vladimir Tarasenko there’s going to be times when either pucks roll on you or slide off the end of your stick and it’s a wide-open net. “It’s happened to everyone. It’s just one of those games that we still had our chances. I thought we were right there. We were in a good spot. We were confident going into the third period. We just couldn’t get it done.” The Blues would have cut the deficit to 3-2 if Tarasenko had scored, but as it turned out it wouldn’t have been enough because they didn’t score again. The Blues’ dim playoff hopes took another significant blow because they needed a victory to cut the Avs’ lead for a wild-card spot. 1103911 St Louis Blues FIRST PERIOD UPDATE In a game with major playoff implications, the Blues fell behind Colorado 2-0 after one period at Scottrade Center on Thursday night, Blues can't take advantage of chance to gain ground, fall to Avs 4-1 Coming from behind has not been one of the Blues' specialties, and coming from two behind has been even rarer. The Blues came into the By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch game three points behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. A win would put them one point back, while a loss would put them four points out, since they would then trail Dallas after Colorado jumps ahead of them. In a game with major playoff implications, the Blues had the better of play but not the better of the scoring in a 4-1 loss to Colorado at Scottrade The Blues played well and had the bulk of the early chances, but they Center that was a serious setback to the Blues' postseason chances. couldn't score and then the bounces went Colorado's way. Nathan MacKinnon started the scoring for Colorado, putting in a shot inside the The Blues could have moved within a point of Colorado for the second far post after the Blues lost a puck battle in their own end. Colton wild-card spot with a win, but instead are now four points back with 12 Parayko looked to have screened Jake Allen on the play. games to play. That goal came with 9:49 to go in the period, and MacKinnon scored In a play that may sum up the Blues' season, Vladimir Tarasenko had a again less than three minutes later. A shot from Tyson Barrie at the chance to cut the lead to 3-2 early in third period, but his shot at an open blueline hit Alex Pietrangelo, was blocked by Allen, but the rebound net from just outside the crease went high and wide, much to the shot of came to MacKinnon, who had an open net to shoot into. MacKinnon now the arena goal-horn operator, who had already sounded it. has 35 goals this season. "We had chances, we continued to wear them down," center Brayden The Blues came close twice. A shot by Brayden Schenn was snagged by Schenn said. "Three-1 obviously makes it a little bit different hockey goalie Semyon Varloamov and was close enough that it was reviewed in game, but we never quit. It felt like it wasn't our night. When Vlady gets Toronto. In the closing minute, a shot from Parayko from outside hit the that chance, and he misses, he doesn't miss. Give him that chance 99 right post and bounced away. The Blues outshot Colorado 13-8 in the times out of 100 he'll make it. Obviously that's the one time he missed. period. It's tough. At the end of the day, we have a lot of hockey left, we still play those guys again, we feel like our game has come a long way compared Joel Edmundson, in his return to action after missing five weeks to a to where we were when we were in Minnesota, if keep on playing like broken forearm, played nine shifts in the first period. that, the wins will come, and hopefully will put us back into contention and into the hunt." St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 Colorado went up 2-0 in the first period and the Blues cut it to 2-1 on a goal by Joel Edmundson, returning to the lineup after missing five weeks with a broken forearm, and they then were all over Colorado, but couldn't score. And then the game went the other way, as a long pass from Gabriel Landeskog to to Mikko Rantanen while the Blues made a line change sprung him in alone on Jake Allen for the insurance goal. Colorado scored an empty-net goal with 41 seconds left to seal matters. The Blues outshot Colorado 45-22 and missed a whopping 22 shots, one of their highest totals for the season. They were 0-2 on the power play, the sixth straight game they didn't score with a man advantage. "These ones are hard to swallow," Edmundson said. "I thought we played well and did everything we could. The forwards got to the net and as defense we were just trying to get it on net. Sometimes you run into a hot goalie, but at the same time we've got to bear down and score more." While the Blues are still alive in the wild-card race, they have their work cut out for them, likely having to win at least eight of their remaining 12 games. One thing that happened with the loss is the Blues are no longer chasing Colorado for the last wild-card spot. The win jumped Colorado over Dallas in the standings, and Dallas now holds on to the final wild- card spot. The Blues play the New York Rangers on Saturday at Scottrade Center and Chicago on Sunday on the road. It's a rare two-game run for the Blues against teams not in the playoff race. Colorado's top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog had all four goals for the Avs. MacKinnon had two, Rantanen had two and Landeskog had three assists. SECOND PERIOD UPDATE The Blues pulled within a goal in the second period, swarmed all over the Colorado end, but couldn't score and then gave up a goal to fall behind by two goals again, trailing 3-1 after two periods against Colorado at Scottrade Center on Thursday. Joel Edmundson, in his first game back after missing five weeks to a broken forearm, scored his seventh goal of the season and his first since Nov. 18 to cut the lead to 2-1 with 10:45 to go in the period. The Blues then had a bunch of chances to tie, but couldn't. Then, with 3:31 to go in the period, Patrik Berglund ventured alone in to the Colorado end with the puck, and while the Blues made a line change, Berglund lost the puck to Gabriel Landeskog, who payed the puck up ice to a wide-open Mikko Rantanen, who came in alone on Jake Allen and scored. Now the Blues have 20 minutes to climb back into the game from two goals down, something they haven't done since that same Nov. 18 game against Vancouver. The Blues will have 59 seconds of a power play to start the third period. They didn't score on their one previous power play. 1103912 St Louis Blues Joel Edmundson - Robert Bortuzzo Goalie Edmundson ready to go, he'll play against Colorado Jake Allen AVALANCHE By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch Forwards Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen Defenseman Joel Edmundson will be back in the lineup for the Blues on Sven Andrighetto -- Tyson Jost -- J.T. Compher Thursday night, a week ahead of schedule and just in time for a key game against the Colorado Avalanche at Scottrade Center. Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Blake Comeau "I feel good," he said after the team's morning skate. "Felt good this Alexander Kerfoot -- Dominic Toninato -- Gabriel Bourque morning. Did some battle drills after everyone got off and I feel good Defensemen enough to play, so I'll be in the lineup tonight." Nikita Zadorov -- Tyson Barrie Edmundson has been out since he took a shot from Colorado's Nail Yakupov off his forearm on Feb. 8. The initial prognosis was that he Patrik Nemeth -- Samuel Girard would be out for six weeks, but it will be five weeks to the day for Edmundson to get back. Duncan Siemens -- David Warsofsky "I'm just excited to play hockey again," he said. "I've watched a lot of Goalie games over the past five weeks, watched our team struggle a bit, so I Semyon Varlamov want to get out there a bit and help them out. Spencer Martin "Coming to the rink this morning I was 50-50 if I was going to play or not, but I got a good warmup in, had a good practice, and I decided I'll play Scratched: Anton Lindholm, Mark Alt, Nail Yakupov tonight." Injured: Mark Barberio (upper body), Andrew Hammond (concussion), Edmundson was in a pairing with Robert Bortuzzo in the morning skate, Erik Johnson (upper body), Colin Wilson (concussion), Jonathan Bernier stepping into the spot that Jordan Schmaltz had been playing in (concussion) (Schmaltz will come out of the lineup), though coach Mike Yeo said the pairings would probably move around as the game went on. BIG GAME "I think we'll see a few different things through the course of the game," It's a big game for both teams. The Blues are three points back of he said. "But I've also liked Dunner's game, been real happy with the way Colorado, who have the second Western Conference wild card spot. he's played. Eddie and Bortz have at different times played together and Anaheim and Calgary sit between the Blues and the Avs. With a they've done a nice job too. That's a D pairing that I think a lot of people regulation win, the Blues would be one point back of Colorado. A wouldn't want to be on the ice against. regulation loss would put them five back of Colorado, but four back of Dallas, which would fall to the second wild card spot. "We all saw what he means to our team in the time he was out of the lineup. Obviously in terms of what he brings to the table, penalty killing, Colorado has gotten points from eight games in a row, with three of them defensive play, physicality, also kind of a quiet, important part of our tied after regulation. leadership group, it helps out a lot of the young guys on the team and a "As far as speed goes, I'm looking at (Nathan MacKinnon), I would good presence inside of our locker room. So it's good to have him back." compare him to Connor McDavid right now," Yeo said. "That's how fast HUSSO HERE, HUTTON NOT he looks, that's how dangerous he looks when he's out on the ice. Leading the league in points per game, (Tyson) Barrie leading the league Ville Husso was back on the ice for the morning skate while Carter in points per game for a defenseman, this is a dangerous group of Hutton wasn't. Yeo said Hutton had an MRI on his sore neck on offensive players. They've got young players who are playing very Wednesday and the team was waiting on the results. Husso has been confident, and their entire team is very confident. They haven't lost a shuttling back and forth between the Blues and the AHL, though it hasn't game in regulation in their last eight. The way they went into Minnesota been as bad because San Antonio was in Southern California last week and took it to them, they're coming into here and they're feeling real good on a trip, so he didn't have far to go. about themselves and we'll have to be ready for that challenge." "It wasn't actually that bad because Blues and Rampage, both teams "We have to look at it as a playoff game," Edmundson said. "Any of these were in California, so it wasn't that much travel," Husso said. "You have games, if we lose, it could be the difference in our season. We have to to be ready all the time. For me, I go where I need to go. I've been come in here and play the way we did the past two games. I feel if we do playing (in past week) like two games in the AHL, so that's a good thing, that, it will be a good challenge, and we'll be successful." too." St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 The Blues have back-to-back games this weekend, playing the Rangers on Saturday and the Blackhawks on Sunday, and Yeo said he hadn't thought past tonight's game, but there wouldn't be a problem with using Jake Allen in both games. "What I can say is we did that last year," Yeo said. "There was time Jake played three games in four days. If he gets on a roll here then I'm not afraid to do that." LINES BLUES Forwards Jaden Schwartz - Brayden Schenn - Vladimir Tarasenko Patrik Berglund - Kyle Brodziak - Alexander Steen Dmitrij Jaskin - Vladimir Sobotka - Tage Thompson Nikita Soshnikov - Ivan Barbashev - Chris Thorburn Defense Carl Gunnarsson - Alex Pietrangelo Vince Dunn - Colton Parayko 1103913 St Louis Blues

Edmundson is back in Blues lineup vs. Avs | St. Louis Blues

Tom Timmermann

Joel Edmundson returned to action for the Blues on Thursday, five weeks after he broke his forearm blocking a shot and one week earlier than initially expected. And don’t think that the way Edmundson — who scored a goal in his return — got hurt will make him rethink getting in front of a shot. On Feb. 8, he lowered his body to get in front of a shot by Colorado’s Nail Yakupov and the shot broke his arm. “I’m not changing my game,” said Edmundson, who leads the team in blocked shots per game at 2.2. “I’ll go out there and play my game. It might be in the back of my mind. It’s not going to stop me from doing anything. I’m feeling pretty good. “That’s the way I block shots and it just kind of hit me in a weird spot. I’ll just keep blocking shots just like that. Maybe put a little more protection by the elbow pad, but the technique of blocking shots won’t change.” Edmundson returned with a small piece of plastic covering the spot on his arm where the bone broke, and he has a plate inside holding the bone together. He said because the puck hit an area where he already had padding and still broke his arm, he didn’t feel the need to make significant changes to what he wore. He said he already had pads that extended three inches longer than normal elbow pads. “I was completely covered there,” he said. “It just kind of found a soft spot or something, kind of a freak accident. … I think I have the most protection of all players on there. It just found a seam and then a soft spot.” Edmundson said that when he woke up Thursday morning, he was 50-50 as to whether he would play, but after the morning skate, he felt he was ready. “I’m just excited to play hockey again,” he said. “I’ve watched a lot of games over the past five weeks, watched our team struggle a bit, so I want to get out there a bit and help them out.” Edmundson missed 13 games and the Blues went 4-7-2, almost falling out of the playoff race. They’re still in the race and have some catching up to do over the final three weeks-plus of the season. “We all saw what he means to our team in the time he was out of the lineup,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said. “Obviously in terms of what he brings to the table, penalty killing, defensive play, physicality, also kind of a quiet, important part of our leadership group, it helps out a lot of the young guys on the team and a good presence inside of our locker room. So it’s good to have him back.” POINT ONE Forward Nikita Soshnikov got his first point as a Blue on Monday in Anaheim, though he didn’t know. Soshnikov had the puck graze his stick on Ivan Barbashev’s goal that made it 2-0, but he never felt it and didn’t hear the announcement. “Barbashev told me that I got an assist. I’m like, ‘Oh really?’” Soshnikov said. “I felt something. I (didn’t) know if it was puck or somebody’s stick.” NOTES Carter Hutton didn’t take part in the morning skate on Thursday after having an MRI on Wednesday. Ville Husso, back from San Antonio, served as the backup goalie. The Blues have back-to-back games this weekend, but Yeo said he hadn’t considered what to do, though he saw no problem with Jake Allen playing both games. … The Ontario Hockey League announced the results of its annual coaches poll, and the two Blues prospects there, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, figured prominently. Kyrou was tied for first among Western Conference players as the best stickhandler and was second as smartest player, best playmaker and best skater. Thomas was first for smartest player among Eastern Conference teams, was second in best playmaker and third in best stickhandler. … With Edmundson’s return, Jordan Schmaltz was a healthy scratch, along with Oskar Sundqvist. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103914 Tampa Bay Lightning

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING Declan Farmer tied for most goals in Paralympic sled hockey history

By Roger Mooney | March 15, 2018 at 02:38 PM

Tampa's Declan Farmer is making history at the Paralympic Winter Games in South Korea. Farmer will play for his second straight gold medal in sled hockey. The game can be seen live at 11 p.m. Saturday on NBCSN or at NBCOlympics. Team USA, which has won gold during the past two Paralympics, meets Canada in the championship. Farmer's 12 goals in nine games over the past two Paralympics are tied with teammate Brody Roybal for the most in Paralympic history. Farmer, 20, has nine goals and 14 points during the four games. He had a goal and an assist during Thursday's 10-1 semifinal victory against Italy. He is a graduate of Berkeley Prep and a sophomore at Princeton University, where he is majoring in economics. A bilateral amputee, Farmer began playing sled hockey when he was 8. He played in the Tampa Bay Lightning sled hockey program before joining the national team when he was 14. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103915 Tampa Bay Lightning

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING Lightning let things ‘slip’ down stretch

By Joe Smith Published: March 15, 2018Updated: March 15, 2018 at 11:17 AM

Lightning associate coach Rick Bowness barked orders like a drill sergeant at Wednesday's intense, two-session, 90-minute practice. "Smart hockey!" "Don't (mess) around!" "Let's go!" And the players responded. Sure, the Lightning (48-18-4) is in first place, the Eastern Conference points leaders. It's won nine of its past 11 games (9-1-1). But there have been lingering, troubling issues bubbling beneath the surface, and Tuesday's 7-4 loss to Ottawa provided the needed wake-up call. "It's easier for a player to listen to a coach when you give up seven," Bowness said. "They're like, 'Oh, that's what you were talking about?' Yeah, that's what we were talking about." The Lightning has found a way to win in recent weeks, but it hasn't followed the needed formula for a playoff run. It has allowed 26 goals in the past six games. The defensive zone coverage has been lax, and there have been too many bad reads and turnovers. That's why Bowness put the players through a back-to-basics type workout Wednesday, and will again Friday. "It's not just (Tuesday) night)," Bowness said. "Things have been creeping into our game for a long time now. We've been hidden because our goalie has been great, we can score goals plus have a great power play. But there's a right way to play plus we haven't been very consistent with that." The Lightning had better shape up quickly. The red-hot Bruins come into town Saturday in a St. Patrick's Day showdown that could be for first place. If Boston beats Florida tonight in Sunrise, it'll be just two points behind. And the recent play by the Lightning won't cut it. "We won a lot of hockey games in the last stretch but that doesn't necessarily mean we found the recipe for playoffs quite yet," captain Steven Stamkos said. "I think we can. As a group, we can. I'm very confident in the specific way that you need to win in the playoffs. Giving up the amount of goals we've given up in the last stretch isn't the recipe." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103916 Toronto Maple Leafs

Patric Hornqvist’s two-goal night powers Penguins past Canadiens

KELSEY PATTERSON

Patric Hornqvist scored twice, including the third-period winner, and added an assist as the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 on Thursday. Phil Kessel, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, into the empty net, also scored for Pittsburgh (41-26-5), which remain tied on points atop the Metropolitan Division with the Washington Capitals. The Caps also won on Thursday. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for his 14th win of the season while starter Matt Murray remains sidelined with a concussion. Artturi Lehkonen, Paul Byron and Nicolas Deslauriers scored for Montreal (26-33-12). Goalie Antti Niemi stopped 34-of-38 shots in his first regulation loss since Feb. 14. The Penguins heavily outshot Montreal, making a game-winner almost inevitable. Hornqvist put Pittsburgh in front for good with 7:36 remaining in the third period by deflecting a Carl Hagelin shot past Niemi. Rust added some insurance with an empty-net goal with 1:53 left on the clock. Montreal jumped ahead to a two-goal lead early in the first period with scores from Lehkonen and Byron. Lehkonen made it 1-0 when he deflected Jeff Petry's shot past Jarry at 3:13, his fourth goal in as many games. Byron doubled the lead at 6:31, on the power play, when he jumped on Brendan Gallagher's rebound in the crease for his 17th goal of the season. The Penguins had two shots on net at that point, but the deficit seemed to act as a wake-up call. Kessel got the visitors on the board at 10:05 on a 2-on-1 with Rust after a giveaway by Petry in his own zone. Hornqvist tied the game at 2-2 when his centring pass to Hagelin in front of goal went off Byron's stick and trickled past his own goalie. It was all Pittsburgh in the second period as they outshot Claude Julien's men 18-4, but they only had one goal to show for their efforts. Malkin put the Pens in front 3-2 at 10:30 with a one-timer from the faceoff dot while playing with the man advantage. Montreal equalized when Deslauriers found himself all alone in the slot two minutes later. The 27-year-old beat Jarry top shelf for his eighth of the year after blown coverage by the Penguins. Notes: Sidney Crosby is two assists away from 800 in his career. Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103917 Toronto Maple Leafs

Van Riemsdyk stays hot as Maple Leafs beat Sabres

MARK LUDWICZAK

James van Riemsdyk had two goals and an assist to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. Connor Carrick, Tyler Bozak and Patrick Marleau also scored for the Maple Leafs, and Curtis McElhinney stopped 38 shots. Van Riemsdyk has five goals in two games after scoring a hat trick in Wednesday's 6-5 shootout win over the Dallas Stars. Sam Reinhart and Jason Pominville scored for Buffalo, and Robin Lehner finished with 33 saves. Van Riemsdyk opened the scoring from a bad angle 3:39 into the game as he spun at the end line and flung the puck between Lehner's legs, deflected off the goalie's pad into the net. Van Riemsdyk set a new single-season career-high for goals three minutes later on his 31st. Left all alone in the Sabres' end, he took his time before firing a wrist shot high to the glove side. Reinhart got the Sabres on the board with a power-play goal with 5:31 remaining in the first. Reinhart has four goals in his past six games and 26 points in his last 26 games. Carrick made it 3-1 6:22 into the second period on a long shot through traffic from the point. Bozak made it 4-1 with 5:50 remaining in the second on a terrific pass by van Riemsdyk. Van Riemsdyk spotted Bozak all alone on the opposite side of the crease and spotted him for Bozak's 11th. Buffalo cut Toronto's lead to 4-2 with its second power-play goal of the game just before the end of the second. Pominville redirected Rasmus Ristolainen's shot from the point with 58.5 seconds left in the period. Marleau added an empty-netter with 43.6 seconds remaining. Toronto forward Leo Komarov was was injured midway through the second period and did not return. Komarov collided with teammate William Nylander and was in noticeable pain on the ice before eventually being helped to the locker room. NOTES: The upper-body injury to Maple Leafs starting goalie Frederik Andersen is not considered serious, Toronto coach Mike Babcock said before the game. Andersen left Toronto's 6-5 victory over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night midway through the second period. Toronto recalled Garret Sparks to serve as its backup against Buffalo. ... RW Kyle Okposo was scratched for Buffalo as he recovers from a concussion. ... Sabres C Jack Eichel skated Thursday morning and is getting closer to returning from an ankle injury. Eichel could return on Saturday against Chicago. UP NEXT Maple Leafs: Host Montreal on Saturday night. Sabres: Host Chicago on Saturday. Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103918 Toronto Maple Leafs tunes. Ear-splitting screams erupted with every Korean pass or shot that came near the Canadian net.

Prompted to cheer loudly during one timeout, the screaming reached a Canada books spot in Paralympic hockey gold-medal game cacophonous 106 decibels – about the equivalent on the ears of using a power saw. THE CANADIAN PRESS "I couldn't believe how loud it was out there," said McGregor. "It was almost deafening."

Canada will be gunning for gold on Sunday less than a month after the Billy Bridges lived through the lean years of Canadian sledge hockey, Canadians wrapped up a disappointing Olympic tournament. The men when the privilege of playing for Canada's national team came with a were eliminated in the semifinals by Germany, while the women lost to hefty $15,000 price tag. their archrival Americans in a shootout. "Plus we had to pay for our travel and all our own food. We were eating McGregor, a former triple-A hockey player who lost a leg to cancer, said fast food. We had 4 a.m., 5 a.m. ice times, because that's all we could his team would love to bring hockey gold and glory back to Canada. afford, the cheap ice," Bridges said. "Absolutely, because the past two Games specifically, in Vancouver and Bridges and Tyler McGregor two goals apiece as the Canadians Sochi, our team showed up to the Paralympics looking to cap off a triple dispatched South Korea 7-0 in Thursday's Paralympic hockey (formerly gold, because our men's and women's teams had both left the Games sledge hockey) semifinals, booking their first berth in the gold-medal with gold medals," said the 24-year-old from London, Ont. game since they won Paralympic gold in 2006. "It's different this time around. We might be the only (Canadian hockey) They face the world No. 2-ranked Americans, who defeated Italy 10-1 in team leaving Pyeongchang with a gold medal. Canadians expect that of the other semifinal. us, our country takes a lot of pride in being a leading hockey nation and as a team, we want to bring home a gold medal, because I think it would Canada, which beat the U.S. 4-1 for a record fourth world title last year, showcase our sport tremendously back home, it would have a huge has yet to be tested in this tournament, running roughshod over impact on the growth of our sport. We want solidify our stake as a leading opponents 42-0 through four games so far. hockey nation." Bridges credits Hockey Canada, which brought Canadian sledge hockey Canada had to settle for bronze four years ago in Sochi after losing to the under its umbrella in 2004, with raising the level of excellence and U.S. in the semis. The Americans went on to win gold, with the Russians, professionalism in the program. who were banned from Pyeongchang due to doping infractions, claiming silver. "I'm so lucky that I was a part of the team before Hockey Canada took over, because I got a chance to see what they've done," said Bridges, a Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.16.2018 five-time Paralympian from Summerside, P.E.I. The Canadian players are as well-funded as "any amateur athlete" Bridges said, receiving a monthly stipend – or carding – from Sport Canada, money from Own The Podium, plus sponsors. "I can't believe I'm a disabled athlete, basically making a living and playing hockey on the greatest stage and having people watch, and doing interviews," said Bridges, who was born with spina bifida. "Ten- year-old me would never believe this right now, when I realized I was a disabled person, and that I wasn't going to the NHL. That was always my dream, to go to the NHL and be a big hockey star. And it's something special to be a part of this now." The Canadians put on a show at Gangneung Hockey Centre, with Liam Hickey, Dom Cozzolino, and Greg Westlake scoring one goal each. Corbin Watson and Dominic Larocque shared time in net, making a save apiece, as the Canadians outshot South Korea 24-2. Canadian coach Ken Babey would like to have seen more parity in a tournament that saw the Americans breeze through the first round, outscoring opponents 28-0. Canada and the U.S. also have the youngest teams, each averaging about 27 years old. There are five players over 50 in the tournament, including 61-year-old Japanese netminder Shinobu Fukushima. "It's kind of like women's hockey in the sense that we have to help grow the game, we have to share our knowledge, share some of our resources, because it's not going to grow unless we do," he said. "I really think as leaders, Canada and the United States . . . I think we should continue to do what we do, and maybe do even more." To that end, Canada hosted South Korea last year in Calgary, plus visited South Korea to play a series of games. "I think (the Koreans) are way better than they were two years ago. They're faster, they're more skilled, they're playing a style now, a system," said Babey, who coached at SAIT for 27 years before taking over the Para program in 2015. "And we try to get countries like Italy, Sweden, the Czechs coming to Canada if they want. We've extended informal invitations to do that for next year." The beginning of the next Paralympic quadrennial, he said, would be the perfect time for countries to get on board, since Para hockey has a much shorter learning curve than the standup game. South Korean fans certainly seem to have embraced the game. Thursday's crowd, which included South Korean First Lady Kim Jung- sook, rivalled the attendance for the Canada-U.S. women's final at last month's Olympics. Fans danced and sang along to the blaring K-pop 1103919 Toronto Maple Leafs

Hertl’s two goals lift Sharks to 4-3 overtime win over Oilers

JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Resiliency was the watchword for the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. Tomas Hertl had a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, as the Sharks came from behind on three separate occasions before pulling out a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. "The mentality all year has just been to stick with it," said Brenden Dillon, who also had a goal in the game for San Jose. "A big thing for us is that we can kind of lean on is that we are a never quit team and we were able to come back as the game went on. Logan Couture also scored and added a pair of assists for the Sharks (38-23-9), who have won two straight and currently sit three points up on the L.A. Kings for second place in the Pacific Division. "We are all watching the standings and there is not much room for error right now," said Sharks captain Joe Pavelski. "It is tight. We knew how important the points were tonight and it was a great job of the guys continuing to battle back. It was nice to get that extra point in overtime. It is really big for us right now." Drake Caggiula, Oscar Klefbom and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins responded as Edmonton (30-35-5) lost its second game in a row. "Just a few individuals with some tough nights that created some turnovers," said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan. "Our backup goaltender gives us a performance like that, I thought we should be able to close it off. "I thought we got a little bit tired at the end. Some guys have played a lot of hockey in the last few days and it showed a little bit at the end." Zack Kassian hooked a backhand pass from behind the net out front to Caggiula, who slipped a shot past Sharks starter Martin Jones as Edmonton took the lead 2:39 into the first. Hertl converted on a two-on-one break, beating Oilers backup Al Montoya for his 17th goal of the season, to tie it up eight minutes into the game. Klefbom put away a long point shot eight minutes into the second to retake the lead. The goal withstood a video review. San Jose tied it up a couple of minutes later with Caggiula serving a double-minor when Couture moved in from the top of the circle and beat Montoya with a wrist shot for his 28th of the campaign. Edmonton made it 3-2 early in the third when Nugent-Hopkins tipped a Klefbom shot in for his 19th, with McDavid picking up his second assist of the night to give him 86 points on the season. The Sharks knotted the game up yet again nine minutes into the third on a long shot through traffic by Dillon. The Sharks play the second of a three-game Western Canadian trip in Calgary on Friday, while the Oilers embark on a four-game trip in Florida against the Panthers on Saturday. Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103920 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs handle Sabres but injuries pile up

By MARK ZWOLINSKI

BUFFALO—The Toronto Maple Leafs continued to test the depth of their organization in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres here Thursday night. The win was the third in a row for the Leafs, but they watched with a hint of trepidation when forward Leo Komarov left the ice in the second period with an apparent leg injury. The Leafs have the day off Friday, and Komarov becomes part of a short but critical list of regulars awaiting updates on their banged-up bodies. Toronto, which had the red-hot James van Riemsdyk score two more goals Thursday, lost its most important player, goalie Freddie Andersen, with an upper-body injury in Wednesday night’s win over Dallas. Defenceman Nikita Zaitsev has been battling a lingering flu bug for the past five days, while star centre Auston Matthews has now missed six games with his shoulder injury. That’s four key regulars injured in the span of two weeks, with three weeks to go before the playoffs. All of them could be back in the lineup shortly, but the extent of Komarov’s injury was not immediately available. Leafs coach Mike Babcock had some welcome news regarding Andersen. Backup Curtis McElhinney, who stopped 13 of 15 shots in relief against Dallas, turned in a wonderful effort against the Sabres, on what was his first back-to-back appearances of the season. “I don’t think there is much going on there, to be honest,” Babcock said at the morning skate Thursday. “He wasn’t playing tonight anyway (Curtis McElhinney got the start while Andersen remained in Toronto). It’s no different than (missing Matthews or Zaitsev). We need all hands on deck and to get as healthy as we possibly can. We’re finding ways with whoever is in the lineup and that’s what we expect to do tonight.” Andersen was hurt during a crease collision Wednesday in which big Dallas forward Alex Radulov was shoved into him by Leafs defenceman Roman Polak. Radulov came down hard on the back of Andersen’s left knee, but the impact jolted his neck, back and head. McElhinney performed admirably — stopping 13 of 15 shots — after Andersen’s exit in the second period. Toronto recalled Marlies goalie Garret Sparks on an emergency basis to back up against Buffalo. McElhinney followed up with a wonderful effort against the Sabres, marking his first back-to-back appearances of the season. He improved to 9-4-1. “(McElhinney) has been pretty consistent all year, in the games he’s started,” said defenceman Morgan Rielly. “That’s a testament to his character and we have a lot of confidence in him.” Connor Carrick, Tyler Bozak and Patrick Marleau had the other goals for the Leafs, who have won a team-record 11 straight games on home ice and go for No. 12 when the Montreal Canadiens visit at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103921 Toronto Maple Leafs pucks and gets in the way of (a goalie’s sightlines) … he’s the main reason we’re so successful on the power play.”

Come July, van Riemsdyk might find out just how much teams are willing Big tipper van Riemsdyk might be out of Leafs’ reach to pay for a player “everyone likes to have.” Toronto Star LOADED: 03.16.2018 By MARK ZWOLINSKI

BUFFALO—Under any other circumstances, James van Riemsdyk’s recent scoring surge would have been enough to talk about. After Wednesday night’s hat trick against the Dallas Stars, though, his performance was analyzed in the context of his future with the Maple Leafs. The lingering question comes down to simple math: Can the Leafs afford to sign van Riemsdyk to a multi-year extension before he’s eligible to hit the free-agent market in the summer? The big winger kept rolling in Thursday night’s road date with the Buffalo Sabres, scoring twice in the first period to reach a career-high 31 goals for the season. His value to the club, though, runs much deeper. In an organization that’s now loaded in many areas, van Riemsdyk is really the only prototypical power winger — with a strong net presence and a league leader when it comes to giving goaltenders fits by tipping pucks at the edge of the crease. Van Riemsdyk is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July and his next contract could very well be the richest of his career. Whether that’s with the Leafs or elsewhere, he could command a six- or seven- year deal worth $6 million to $7 million U.S. per season. His current $4.2-million cap hit represents one of the best values in the National Hockey League, and among upcoming free agents this summer only John Tavares of the New York Islanders had as many goals through Wednesday. But the odds seem long that he will get what he’s worth from the Leafs, who will soon have to also work out new deals with young stars Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. If they do re-sign those big three, as expected, it leaves little room for another big long-term contract. At the moment, the Leafs have $39.05 million committed to 10 players for next season, with Patrick Marleau the highest paid at $6.2 million per season. There are few comparables to indicate what it would take to lock up Matthews, Nylander and Marner at the same time. In the case of Matthews, though, he’ll be in a position similar to that of Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the NHL’s leading scorer whose rookie-level contract also ends next season. Both Matthews and Kucherov are destined to join the highest-paid players in the game, if not break new ground in average annual value. If there is a comparable for those two, it’s the extension the Edmonton Oilers gave superstar Connor McDavid last July — with a league-high average value of $12.5 million over eight years. An educated guess would put the annual pricetag at $22 million to $25 million to extend Matthews, Nylander and Marner collectively. That would leave no more than $18 million in salary-cap space to sign 10 other players next year, if the cap comes in at the high end of commissioner Gary Bettman’s projection of $78 million to $82 million. Van Riemsdyk has been gracious when faced with questions about his future, but prefers to focus about the Leafs’ pursuit of a long playoff run. A big part of that is the winger’s success on the power play, where he was tied with Nazem Kadri for the team lead with nine goals. Van Riemsdyk leads the Leafs in power-play ice time per game, helping mask the lack of production from the club’s second unit. At five-on-five, though, he also leads in shot attempt percentage at 55.7 per cent. “I just try to get to the good spots on the ice where you can score goals,” he said after his three-goal performance against the Stars, “and I’m playing with smart players who know how to get the puck to those areas.” Linemate Tyler Bozak spoke Thursday about the team’s successful power-play formula this season: a Bozak faceoff win after which the puck is worked around for a shot and potential tip-in from van Riemsdyk, one of the NHL’s best at that particular skill. “We’ve been together on the power play for a couple of years now, so you have that chemistry,” Bozak said. “Whenever you have a guy like James, everyone likes to have that big body in front of the net. He tips 1103922 Toronto Maple Leafs are also hopeful to get Mark Stone back in the lineup before the end of the season. Stone suffered a leg injury last Friday against the Calgary Flames and will miss his third straight game Friday, but the Senators are Senators embrace opportunity to play spoiler hopeful he could be ready for Tuesday or Thursday’s game. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.16.2018 By LISA WALLACE

OTTAWA—His coach may dislike the word, but Ottawa forward Zack Smith says the Senators are determined to act as spoiler over the next three weeks. Senators head coach Guy Boucher called the word spoiler a “loser comment” earlier this month, but Ottawa has the opportunity to play the role to the hilt as their season draws to a close. The Senators are coming off impressive back-to-back wins against the Florida Panthers, who were four points out of a playoff spot entering Thursday’s games, and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are trying to hold off Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division. On Friday the Senators host the Dallas Stars, who have a tenuous hold on a Western Conference wild-card spot. The Senators knew long ago that the post-season was out of reach for them, and while they are still feeling the sting of missing the playoffs, they want to end the season proving they are better than the 25-33-11 record they have posted thus far. If they spoil the plans of other teams along the way, all the better. “There’s teams that are fighting to get in and if we can play spoilers that’s what we’ll do,” Smith said. “We’re not here to do any other teams any favours. If we can play spoilers, that’s what we’ll do. When you’re not in the playoffs you’ve got to find motivation in different places and playing spoiler is just one of the things.” While some fans might prefer to see the Senators lose down the stretch to improve their odds at the draft lottery, the players are having none of it. “We’re all competitors, we all draw paycheques here and I’m not going to come in here and roll over,” said defenceman Mark Borowiecki. “I’m not going to come in here and mail it in at practice and mail it in at games, that’s not the way I’m wired. Not the way I’ve been brought up, not the way I hold myself and everyone else in here would agree. Whatever happens, happens, but we’re all going to come in here and try.” Stars defenceman Marc Methot was expected to make his return to Ottawa since being chosen by Vegas in the expansion draft and later being traded to Dallas, but the Ottawa native suffered a hand injury in Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens and is unlikely to play. Methot played a significant role in Ottawa’s success last season and his absence has been noticeable. “He brought a lot of stability on the back end because he’s a very consistent player,” said Smith. “He’s a veteran guy and brought leadership and while he didn’t always say a lot when he spoke you noticed. I miss him too because we had the same taste in music so we could back each other up.” Following Tuesday’s game the Senators now have three 20-goal scorers as Mike Hoffman, with 21, and Ryan Dzingel, with 20, joined Mark Stone who leads the team with 20 goals and 62 points. This is Hoffman’s fourth consecutive 20-goal season with the Senators. “We want to play well for ourselves, but as long as everyone’s doing everything for each other it’s a good thing for the team,” said Hoffman. “Everyone wants to finish on a strong note.” Hitting the 20-goal mark was a significant milestone for Dzingel, who is just in his second year in the NHL. Drafted in the seventh round, 204th overall in 2011 the Wheaton, Ill., native often heard the naysayers who said he would never make it and to prove them wrong was rewarding. “I knew I could do it,” said Dzingel. “I’ve always felt that I could do it. I just had to go out and prove that I could. My family and I always believed it in myself, or they believed in me, but it’s nice to go out and finally produce.” The 26-year-old admits it hasn’t been an easy season. The Senators fell far short of expectations and Dzingel has been dealing with a personal issue which makes the recent milestone that much sweeter. Notes: Marian Gaborik missed practice Thursday, but is expected to play Friday. Craig Anderson will get the start against the Stars. The Senators 1103923 Toronto Maple Leafs

Four takeaways from Leafs’ road win over Sabres

By Mark Zwolinski

BUFFALO—The Toronto Maple Leafs won 5-2 here Thursday night, which marks something of a rarity in these parts. It was just their 30th win all-time in 106 games in Buffalo. The more immediate record, though, matters most. It was the club’s third straight win — second in two nights — and 42nd of the season. They continued to dip into their organizational depth and won in what has been death valley for them over the years, despite missing key players. That list grew with Leo Komarov suffering an apparent leg injury in the second period. They’ll take Friday off to help heal the wounded before a home game Saturday against Montreal, followed by a road date with the East-leading Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Here are four takeaways from the Leafs’ win, which also featured two more goals by James van Riemsdyk — giving him five in two nights: KOMAROV ‘FINE’ Komarov went down after getting tangled with teammate William Nylander just inside the Leafs zone in the second period. The team called it a lower-body injury, and replays indicated a knee tweak. “I think he’s going to be fine,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said after the game. “Lower-body injury. I just saw him a second ago (in the dressing room). He was walking around. He tells me he did good in all the tests, so I don’t know if that means missing a game or playing the next game.” The medical staff will be busy on Friday, checking on injuries to Komarov, goalie Freddie Andersen (upper body) and Auston Matthews (shoulder). Nikita Zaitsev has been nursing a flu bug for five days now, as well. With a physical game expected in Buffalo, Babcock worked the rugged Matt Martin into the fourth line while sitting Andreas Johnsson, a day after his NHL debut against the Stars. Martin responded with his usual physical play and got into a punch-up with Buffalo’s Nathan Beaulieu. Right now, Babcock has Martin, Dominic Moore, Josh Leivo and Johnsson to work in and out of the lineup depending on matchups and what he sees in terms of performance. The Leafs have gone 10-6-2 in the games Matthews has missed with three separate injuries this season. They have also won back-to-back games despite Andersen leaving the first one hurt. DEPTH CHARGE Defencemen Roman Polak and Connor Carrick have filled in for Zaitsev during his extended illness. Carrick scored his fourth goal of the season and continues to show a knack for moving the puck out of the Leafs’ zone, and getting shots on net. “He’s good on the offensive blue line. He can get the puck through and he did tonight,” Babcock said of Carrick. “It’s like anything in life: You’ve got to do a good job when you get your opportunity and you want to be in all the time.” BACK-TO-BACK MAC McElhinney, who stopped 13 of 15 shots Wednesday in relief of Andersen, allowed only two goals Thursday on 40 Buffalo shots. He improved to 9-4-1 and is now 3-0-0 when facing 40 or more shots. The tell-tale number is his save percentage. McElhinney’s career mark is .907. This season it’s .931. “I thought Mac was real solid for us through the whole game,” Babcock said. “He’s been like that all year. I think Mac feels real good about himself. He knows when he goes in he’s going to play well. He’s got himself on a good roll. Obviously, with Freddie (Andersen) out — I don’t know with Freddie, we’ll know more tomorrow. I don’t know what the scoop is on Freddie. If Freddie has got to be out a little bit, then (McElhinney) will go. If Freddie is going to be right back, we’ll just go with the same rotation.” BORDER PATROL Trips down the QEW to Buffalo have long been a nightmare for the Leafs. Prior to the 2016-17 season, they won just five times in a stretch of 24 trips across the border. Since then, they’ve won three of five in Buffalo. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103924 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs roll over Sabres, despite Komarov injury

Lance Hornby

BUFFALO — Not even a rare win on this side of the Peace Bridge comes without some drama for the Leafs. James van Riemsdyk not only reached 30 goals, but a career-high 31st, just missing consecutive hat tricks, while Toronto finally reached its 30th victory here (30-64-6-6) after nearly a half-century of trying. The 5-2 win was a sweep of back-to-backs, improving Toronto to a record 7-4-2 in the second match. However, winger Leo Komarov wasn’t around to celebrate after exiting midway through with a lower-body injury. William Nylander backed into Komarov and bent his left knee awkwardly. He was helped off by teammates and the medical staff. “I think he’s going to be fine,” said coach Mike Babcock after Komarov walked past the media scrum in the dressing room with little difficulty. “He tells me he did good in all his tests, but I don’t know if that means missing a game (Saturday at home against Montreal).” Van Riemsdyk had goals three minutes apart in the first period and later an assist on old partner Tyler Bozak’s power-play strike. JVR needed one more to become the first Leaf since Wendel Clark in 1994 to get repeat hat tricks. “That would’ve been nice, but I’m not going to complain,” said van Riemsdyk, who had 30 with Toronto a few years ago. “There are different goals you try and set for yourself every year, but we’re not satisfied. We have 11 games left now and we want to keep pushing forward.” The Leafs are now at 91 points, just five behind Boston which lost Thursday to Florida and has two games in hand. Thursday’s Leafs win came in a traditionally bad karma building for them and without two other injured stars — Frederik Andersen, banged-up against the Stars the night before, and top centre Auston Matthews. The last-place Sabres would not go down without a fight, San Reinhart clicking on the power-play before the first period was out. Then after a needless Nazem Kadri cross-check on Rasmus Ristolainen, Jason Pominville made it 4-2. Patrick Marleau’s empty-netter eventually clinched the ninth win of the season for Curtis McElhinney and the 60th of his career. “It took me a while,” cracked the soon-to-be 35-year-old McElhinney. “I’ve hovered around the .500 record for my whole career. This year has been a pleasant surprise and a lot of fun to go in there and play. “It was a pretty solid game for us in a back-to-back situation. This has been a tough building, I had that experience last year in a relief effort. Even the game we played here a couple of weeks ago (a 5-3 loss) was difficult.” Babcock had showed his experimental nature with some line changes, ahead of Matthews’ possible return on Saturday against the Habs, moving Komarov to Kadri’s left side with Mitch Marner and then assigned Marleau with centre Nylander and Zach Hyman, flipping wings when needed. The hockey gods who frowned on the Leafs here earlier this month with so many unfortunate deflections as the struggling team ended an 0-4 trip, smiled on Toronto early in the evening. Buffalo goalie Robin Lehner had his stick knocked from his hands by incidental contact and was off his angle when van Riemsdyk’s first goal sailed through the five-hole. On a delayed penalty, the Sabres must have thought play would be stopped as they let JVR come off the bench as the sixth attacker, walk down Main St., and flick in his 31st. “He’s doing what he’s been doing all year,” Bozak said. “He’s getting a little more luck, up to 31 now. He’s a big reason for our success.” Toronto got too cocky and wound up defending a couple of brief 5-on-3s as it began to tire and the last-place Sabres traded hacks and whacks. Pominville’s power-play marker his 53rd point in 60 career games against Toronto. Defenceman Connor Carrick had the other goal for the Leafs, who still have two more home games against Buffalo. Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103925 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto got too cocky and wound up defending a couple of brief 5-on-3s as it began to tire and the last place Sabres traded hacks and whacks. Pominville’s power play marker was latter’s 53rd point in 60 career Maple Leafs out-duel Sabres but rare win in Buffalo comes at cost games against Toronto. The Leafs still have two more home games against Buffalo to savour.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 Lance Hornby

BUFFALO — Not even a rare win on this side of the Peace Bridge comes without some drama for the Maple Leafs. James van Riemsdyk not only reached 30 goals, but a career-high 31st, just missing consecutive hat tricks, while Toronto finally reached its 30th victory here (30-64-6-6) after nearly a half-century of trying. The 5-2 win was a sweep of back-to-backs, improving Toronto to a record 7-4-2 in the second match, however, shift disturbing winger Leo Komarov wasn’t around to celebrate at the end. He departed midway through with a lower-body injury. “I think he’s going to be fine,” said coach Mike Babcock, after Komarov walked past the media scrum in the dressing room with little difficulty. “He tells me he did good in all his tests, but I don’t know if that means missing a game (Saturday at home against Montreal).” Van Riemsdyk had goals three minutes apart in the first period and later an assist on old partner Tyler Bozak’s power-play strike. He needed one more to become the first Leaf since Wendel Clark in 1994 to get repeat hat tricks. “That would’ve been nice, but I’m not going to complain,” said van Riemsdyk, who had 30 with Toronto a few years ago. “There are different goals you try and set for yourself every year, but we’re not satisfied. We have 11 games left now and we want to keep pushing forward.” The Leafs are now at 91 points, just five behind Boston which lost Thursday to Florida and has two games in hand. Thursday’s Leaf win came in a traditionally bad karma building for them and without two other injured players of renown, Frederik Andersen, who got banged up against the Stars, and top centre Auston Matthews. Teammate William Nylander had backed into Komarov and bent his left knee awkwardly. With another large and loud pro-Leafs crowd chanting ‘Uncle Leo’, he was helped off by teammates and the medical staff. The last-place Sabres would not go down without a fight, San Reinhart clicking on the power play before the first period was out and later, after a needless Nazem Kadri cross-check on Rasmus Ristolainen, Jason Pominville — from Ristolainen — made it 4-2. Patrick Marleau’s empty- netter eventually clinched the ninth win of the season for Curtis McElhinney and the rescue effort the night before against Dallas brought the latter to 60 career National Hockey League victories. “It took me a while,” cracked the soon-to-be 35-year-old McElhinney. “I’ve hovered around the .500 record for my whole career. This year has been a pleasant surprise and a lot of fun to go in there and play. “It was a pretty solid game for us in a back-to-back situation. This has been a tough building, I had that experience last year in a relief effort. Even the game we played here a couple of weeks ago (a 5-3 loss) was difficult.” Babcock had showed his experimental nature with some line changes, ahead of Matthews’ possible return on Saturday against the Habs, moving Komarov to Kadri’s left side with Mitch Marner and then assigned Marleau with centre Nylander and Zach Hyman, flipping wings when needed. The hockey gods who frowned on the Leafs here earlier this month with so many unfortunate deflections as the struggling team ended an 0-4 road trip, smiled on Toronto early in the evening. Buffalo goalie Robin Lehner had his stick knocked from his hands by incidental contact and was off his angle when van Riemsdyk’s first goal sailed through the five- hole. On a delayed penalty, the Sabres must have thought play would be stopped as they let JVR come off the bench as the sixth attacker, walk down Main Street and flick in his 31st. “He’s doing what he’s been doing all year,” Bozak said. “He’s getting a little more luck, up to 31 now. He’s a big reason for our success this year and a big reason for our success going forward.” Carrick had not scored since Jan. 20 as he and Roman Polak were passed on the employment line by Travis Dermott. Both have played well with Nikita Zaitsev out. 1103926 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs Locker: Roman soldier looks to playoffs

Lance Hornby

As the calendar passes the Ides of March and ventures toward April 1, Roman Polak has become one of the more visible Maple Leafs. Nikita Zaitsev’s injury ended the rotation with Polak and Connor Carrick, and then a couple of high-profile opponents, Pittsburgh and Dallas, created the need for Polak’s physical forte. He helped keep the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin under control on Saturday, while playing a season-high 23 minutes — the most effective game Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said Polak has given in their time together. Without Matt Martin in the lineup Wednesday, Polak was again called upon to clear out some of the heavier Stars on Wednesday, though one zealous hit accidentally knocked Alexander Radulov into Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen. Polak has been in the starting lineup for the past two games. Playoffs is where trench soldiers such as Polak make their mark, with San Jose trading for him in late 2016 during his first stint with the Leafs. After a gruesome leg injury last year against the Capitals in the opening round, Polak worked hard all summer to earn a new contract. After he and Carrick spent a few weeks platooning recently, Polak has now given the staff some options, playing with both Travis Dermott and . “I have to say I handled it very well,” said Polak of getting used to not playing every day. “It is what it is. I’m here to play and it’s up to the coaches what they want to do. I’m just following the plan.” Does he expect to make a bigger contribution next month? “I know I will,” he said. “It’s different, the hockey is taken to a different level and after every round it gets taken to another level. You think: ‘This is it’ and you get to the second round and it’s even better with more intensity. That’s what I’m waiting for.” KEEP THE FAITH It’s possible Garret Sparks goes back to the Marlies without seeing any NHL action this week. That would be disheartening to the 24-year-old, who has been so impressive in the minors this year, with a .936 save percentage and winner of 24 games already, which helped set the Marlies’ franchise record of 72 overall. The latest was a 31-save home shutout over Laval on Wednesday before an emergency recall when Andersen was hurt. In 2015-16, injuries led to the 2011 draft pick’s NHL break, a record of 6- 9-1 in Babcock’s first season and an .893 save percentage — but with a much weaker Leafs team in front of him. “In the end your job as a prospect is to keep pushing the people who make the decisions,” Babcock said. “You do good things, eventually you’ll play in the NHL. The great thing about the AHL is that you’re trying out for 31 teams every night. To think anyone is not watching you, you’re sadly mistaken, there’s no vacuum, you’re playing in front of everyone.” LOOSE LEAFS Tomas Plekanec faces his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, on Saturday at the ACC … Among the oddities of that 6-5 Leafs shootout win on Wednesday, they relinquished a two-goal lead and overcame a two-goal deficit for just the fourth time in franchise history, all since 1994 … Noted by former Leafs GM turned broadcaster Gord Stellick, Nazem Kadri and Auston Matthews are the first two Toronto centres to score 25 goals in consecutive seasons since and Dave Keon in 1972- 73 and 1973-74 … Thursday marked 14 years to the day that former Sabre Alex Mogilny reached 1,000 NHL points as a Leaf in 6-5 overtime win in Buffalo. Toronto-born Sabre Evan Rodrigues noted to the Olean Times Herald: “(Mogilny) was one of my favourite players growing up. Just the skill he played with, he seemed to be always doing something creative every game. I always enjoyed watching that side of the game.” … Sabres coach (and brief Leaf) Phil Housley will not be the only celebrity in his family next autumn. Wife Karin is running for Al Franken’s vacated U.S. senate seat in Washington County, Minn., where the family is from. Karin is currently a state senator. Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103927 Toronto Maple Leafs

No Andy? Maple Leafs have overcome other injuries to stars

Lance Hornby

BUFFALO — If Mike Babcock is not that worried about Frederik Andersen’s injury, should anyone else be? One can usually tell from the Toronto coach’s demeanour whether his player has a serious issue or is just being held out for precautionary reasons. Babcock had a sunny outlook on Thursday morning as he updated Andersen’s upper-body issue. “I don’t think there is much going on there, to be honest. He wasn’t playing (Thursday night) anyway (Curtis McElhinney was the scheduled starter before a 6-5 shootout win in relief of Andersen). “It’s no different than (missing top scorer Auston Matthews or workhorse defenceman Nikita Zaitsev), we need all hands on deck and to get as healthy as we possibly can. We’re finding ways with whoever is in the lineup.” When Babcock starts throwing around vague medical terms such as “day-to-day”, that means trouble. Matthews has now been out three weeks with a shoulder injury, though he’s nearing a return. Andersen had Dallas forward Alexander Radulov topple over him Wednesday night, shoved by Toronto defenceman Roman Polak. The worst part seemed Radulov landing on the back of Andersen’s left knee, but slo-mo replays showed some jolts to the head and neck. Andersen started the next period and made some glove saves, but pulled himself with the Leafs trailing 3-2. The club added Marlies goalie Garret Sparks on emergency recall after his 4-0, 31-save shutout win over Laval at Ricoh Coliseum on Wednesday to back up in Buffalo. Andersen could return Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. For the veteran McElhinney, who made 13 of 15 saves and emerged victorious in the shootout, Thursday marked rare back-to-back appearances after he often goes weeks without one start. “He’s been pretty consistent all year, in the games he’s started and when he had to come in (on consecutive nights),” said defenceman Morgan Rielly. “That’s a testament to his character and we have a lot of confidence in him.” Matthews is a possibility for Saturday as well. Zaitsev had a broken foot at mid-season, but has been scratched the past few games with some sort of virus. Babcock was in the dark on that one, saying he’d know more about Zaitsev after checking with team doctors back in Toronto on Friday. Yet the Leafs have still won 41 games, are comfortably in the playoffs and still have a shot at securing home ice advantage in their remaining 12 games. “It has nothing to do with luck, it’s just the way it goes (with injuries),”defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “They happen to all teams and people take on bigger roles if needed. We feel good with the depth we have and the way guys have answered the call.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103928 Toronto Maple Leafs “In Detroit, (Jeff Blashill) coached with me and then went and coached (Grand Rapids),” Babcock said. “So I talked to him every day and built a relationship. Leafs' JVR on track to match career-best 30 goals “We’ve built a relationship with (Sheldon Keefe and Kyle Dubas) here, so you get constant talk. (Keefe) is here the whole time at training camp, we spend all that time together, he can drop in any time he wants. Lance Hornby “The other thing is they get to live in one of the best cities in the world and play in the AHL. I think that’s a pretty good deal. They get treated like an AHL team.” James van Riemsdyk casts a large shadow in front of the opposition net. ‘ ICE CHIPS But this season has brought the Leaf’s scoring touch to light, a certainty Eight members of the silver medal winning Canadian women’s team to reach his career-best 30 and beyond. Wednesday’s night’s hat trick were recognized in a first-period intermission, cheered loudly by former not only brought him to 29 to match last year, it was the offensive Olympic men’s coach Babcock … Another emotional moment came complement to Curtis McElhinney’s relief goaltending in Wednesday’s 6- when Canadian actor Michael J. Fox was introduced after a clip from 5 win over the Dallas Stars. Back To The Future. Prominent in the fight to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease which has slowed his career, a waving Fox was given a loud Toronto’s 10-game home wining streak seemed like history until JVR ovation … Van Riemsdyk became the first Leaf to get a hat trick against banged in two third-period goals and was looming over Kari Lehtonen the Stars since they moved from Minnesota to Dallas in the early 1990s. when Patrick Marleau’s last-minute tying tip found twine. Bill Derlago had the last one in Bloomington in 1985 … Nazem Kadri has 16 points during the Leafs’ past 11 at home … It was a hard Greg “I had some good puck luck tonight,” van Riemsdyk said modestly. “I try Pateryn shot that Radek Faksa tipped in for the second Dallas goal. and get better and better every year. There are certain milestones that Pateryn was a mid-round Leaf pick in 2008 who went to Montreal in the are cool to hit and we’ll see what happens.” Mikhail Grabovski deal but is only now having his best NHL season … Van Riemsdyk’s future beyond this season remains up in the air with a With two goals last night while Roman Polak and Alexander Radulov contract that’s expiring and word out that he won’t be giving the Leafs a served time for the crease collision where Andersen was hurt, Dallas has hometown discount so they can fit him and their stable of young stars captured the NHL lead in 4-on-4 situations with eight, while the Leafs under the cap. Hitting 30-plus will only drive his price up, but he’s only one of three NHL teams without one. looking as far as playoffs, which he reminded reporters the Leafs have Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 not reached yet. TOUGH LIVING Gump Worsley used to joke that the only sporting event with more danger than the goaltending profession was catching javelins at a track and field meet. Frederik Andersen, McElhinney and Lehtonen could all agree after a bizarre night on Bay St. Andersen’s head or neck was rattled by a first- period crease collision and he was lifted for McElhinney midway through the match. Lehtonen let in an awful opening goal and then gave up the JVR trick as the Leafs came back to tie. Lehtonen somehow missed Kadri coming right at him as he was handling the puck, allowing Kadri to poke in an easy one. McElhinney had his own adventures, stretched out on a rack trying to stop Remi Elie’s goal soon after arriving and a Jason Spezza overtime blast that knocked his mask off. While coach Mike Babcock joked that McElhinney needed the warm-up to get ready for his schedule start in Buffao on Thursday, it seemed Andersen would not mss any time. If he did, Garret Sparks, who just set the farm team franchise record with 72 wins, had a 4-0 shutout of Laval on Wednesday down the road at Ricoh. The Marlies’ 1A stopper, Calvin Pickard, was with the big team briefly in late December. THE BIG HURT The Auston Matthews – Jack Eichel rivalry has been very much on hold since last year because of injuries. Both have been hurt in recent weeks and though getting better, both are still out for Thursday, Eichel, with his high ankle sprain, has practised the past two days. Matthews, who is going to Buffalo “for a good skate” Thursday morning according to Babcock, could play Saturday versus Montreal. “I felt better today than I did yesterday,” Eichel told reporters in Buffalo on Wednesday. “and I think that’s what you want to look at for the positives. You just want to take a step forward every day.” Eichel didn’t want the practice to be geared to him, realizing the rest of the Sabres have a game on Thursday. “I was still getting in there a decent amount and making sure I got my reps. I was able to test my ankle, it felt good.” Coach Phil Housley says Eichel is a possibility to play on the weekend. JOHNSSON MAKES THE JUMP When he stepped on the ice, Johnsson became the 971st player to suit up for the Leafs /St. Patricks/Arenas since 1917 and the 141st to have appeared with the junior or AHL Marlies en route to the parent team. In the past few years, much of the Leafs roster has com through Ricoh and having the team right next door is a bonus. 1103929 Toronto Maple Leafs The game-tying heroics were supplied by Leafs veteran Patrick Marleau, who tipped a Marner shot past Lehtonen with 15.3 seconds to play and the Leafs using an extra skater. Leafs lose Andersen, beat Stars in shootout in wild night at ACC The goal that got us to #NHLOT#DALvsTOR | #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/FM9WjUGmkw Terry Koshan — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 15, 2018 “We did not execute, we did make any plays, we didn’t play heavy,” Babcock said of the Leafs’ effort after they went up 2-0. “We came out in TORONTO — Well, isn’t that just dandy. the third period and we dug in. We talked about just getting one and tightening up a little bit and we’ll crawl our way back into the game. In the Frederik Andersen, the Maple Leafs’ best player in 2017-18, wasn’t end, that’s what happened.” around to watch his teammates mount a comeback, go down a goal and eventually emerge with a wild 6-5 shootout victory against the Dallas It was just the fourth time in team history the Leafs gave up a two-goal Stars on Wednesday night. lead and overcame a two-goal deficit in the same game to win. After Andersen departed the game in the second period with an upper- While Andersen’s status was not immediately clear, it was plain to see body injury, Curtis McElhinney was solid in relief, especially in overtime, that forward Andreas Johnsson enjoyed his first game in the NHL. The when the Leafs killed off a Mitch Marner penalty. Leafs rookie played seven minutes 34 seconds, a total that would have been higher had he not required repairs for nine stitches in the first Leafs say upper-body for Frederik Andersen and that he's done for the period after Radulov slammed him into the boards. night. Here's another angle on Alex Radulov being sent into Andersen by Roman Polak. Radulov's leg/knee goes straight into Andersen's mask on What will Johnsson fondly recall from his NHL debut? the way down. pic.twitter.com/OHf63hoagP “Probably remember this,” Johnsson said as he pointed at the stitches — Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) March 15, 2018 above his right eye. “Radulov, JVR scoring three goals, and winning in the shootout. (The stitches) are a nice souvenir.” McElhinney, who will start in Buffalo against the Sabres on Thursday night, managed to thwart Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov in the Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.16.2018 shootout. That came after McElhinney made seven saves in overtime. Tyler Bozak and Marner scored on Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen in the shootout, ensuring that the Leafs won their 11th in a row at the Air Canada Centre, lengthening their franchise record. James van Riemsdyk recorded the third hat trick of his National Hockey League career, and Marner and Bozak each had two assists. Bring. On. The. Hats. #DALvsTOR | #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/rWoS4hyJgi — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 15, 2018 “The heart rate spikes,” McEhinney said of entering the game cold. “I think it would be interesting to see what that looks like on a heart-rate monitor. It goes up and the adrenaline starts pumping. Once the first shot is taken, you kind of settle in. “No heads up, really. I’m sitting there doing my faceoffs (chart) and the next thing you know they are handing my gloves to me.” We imagine there will be spikes of fear in Leafs Nation if it turns out that Andersen’s injury keeps him out of the lineup. Leafs coach Mike Babcock didn’t seem overly concerned after the game regarding the status of his No. 1 goaltender. “I haven’t even asked yet, but it sure didn’t seem like much,” Babcock said. “He played after he got hurt, so I don’t know exactly. It’s an upper- body injury and I will find out more here in a bit.” Babcock said he was not aware whether Andersen was going to make the trip to Buffalo. Andersen was hurt, apparently, when Radulov fell on him during the first period as Radulov jostled with Leafs defenceman Roman Polak. Andersen stayed in the game, but later took himself out. The Leafs have been in good hands with McElhinney, and Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard have been sharp for the Toronto Marlies. Still, Andersen is the guy, and his absence for any stretch likely would end any hope the Leafs have of catching the Boston Bruins for second place in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs gained two points on the idle Bruins (who have 96 points to the Leafs’ 89 and have two games in hand), but for parts of the game it didn’t look like they were going to get one point, forget two. 3 times for the 3rd. #DALvsTOR | #TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/F4YN5JTOFA — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 15, 2018 The Stars scored four consecutive goals after Nazem Kadri and van Riemsdyk scored 25 seconds apart early in the first period. The fourth, by Remi Elie, was the first on McElhinney and put the Stars up 4-2 at the second intermission. The Leafs tied the game on a pair by Van Riemsdyk to give him 29 on the season, but Brett Ritchie scored at 13:18 of the third. 1103930 Toronto Maple Leafs just plug him into a lineup like that with such good players and I think it makes him better and he can feed off that.”

There's no question the Leafs' defence is trending in the right direction. The Leafs defence is improving, but they can probably be even better They still give up too much — only the New York Rangers and Islanders have given up more shots, and they're the lone bottom-nine teams in shots against that's expected to make the playoffs — but they're making By Scott Wheeler progress.

Since Feb. 20, or 10 games ago, the Leafs have had their best stretch of the year in terms of prevention. After playing to 61 Corsi against per 60 Buffalo, N.Y. — James van Riemsdyk stood in front of reporters after the minutes on the season, they've played their last 10 to 54.66 (fourth in the Leafs' 5-2 win over the Sabres on Thursday night when a reporter told NHL). him that the team's defence has eight points in the last two games. On Thursday night, it was Rielly who fed van Riemsdyk down low for a Walking past, Morgan Rielly turned to the scrum and perked up. primary assist to open the scoring. On the 2-o goal, it was Roman Polak “Oh, this should be good,” he said. making a number of deft plays with the puck at the offensive zone blueline, and Gardiner drawing the secondary assist. In the second “That's a strong part of our team, those guys creating offence for us on period, Carrick gave the Leafs a 3-1 lead. the backend,” van Riemsdyk replied with a laugh. Rielly, who struggled for a handful of games after returning from injury, is “Thanks, James!” Jake Gardiner shouted back. back to playing like the defenceman who worked his way into the Norris Van Riemsdyk was right, even if he was flattering the two onlookers. conversation in the first half of the season. In his last 10 games, he has Only the Nashville Predators' defence has given more offensively than nine points (trailing only van Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner) and 33 shots the Leafs' this season. (tied with Kadri).

As the team has battled injuries to Auston Matthews, Frederik Andersen “It’s tougher than people think to come back into the lineup and be and, on Thursday, Leo Komarov, as well as an illness to Nikita Zaitsev, expected to just be your old self but after a couple of games it’s your new faces have stepped up, led by the team's third pairing of Connor responsibility to make sure you get to the level that you were at,” Rielly Carrick and Travis Dermott. told The Athletic.

Believe it or not, Dermott has now played as many games with the Leafs After years of questions about his ability to defend, Rielly has become (28) as he has with the Marlies this season. the Leafs best possession-driving defenceman this year while playing primarily on a pairing with Ron Hainsey, whose 47 CF% at even strength And his recent play hasn't been that of a still-adapting 21-year-old, it's ranks seventh among the Leafs’ eight regulars this season. been that of one of the team's top-four defencemen. It's probably time they play him like one. There are still some warts, though. Rielly gives up the second most high danger chances against among Leafs defencemen (his 12.65 HDCA/60 Among the 80 under-24 defencemen who’ve regularly played a game in this year is actually up versus last year's 11.16 and 2015-2016's 10.71). the NHL this season, Dermott’s 0.36 points per game (10 in 28) ranks Most of his possession boost comes from a huge CF advantage over his 21st – this, without playing on the power play like nearly all of the teammates (the Leafs generate 65 attempts on net per 60 minutes with defencemen ahead of him. Rielly on the ice and only 62 with their second-best creator, Dermott).

Did he think the transition would be this easy? League-wide, among NHL defencemen who’ve played 1,000 minutes at even strength, Rielly is 12th in CF/60 in a group that includes Kris “Not at all,” he told The Athletic, laughing. “I think I can say that pretty Letang, Duncan Keith, Zach Werenski, Roman Josi, Dougie Hamilton, clearly that I didn’t expect it to be like this. I expected to go up, maybe sit, Mark Giordano, Justin Faulk and Brent Burns. He's eighth in terms of watch a couple of games, hopefully get into one and then go back. They CF/60 Rel at +7.6. His 6.66 shots/60 ranks 14th. His 42 points and 0.66 gave me my opportunity and I just kind of went with it. I’m still here.” points per game rate place him second among all under-24 defencemen, Everyone else expected this, though. trailing only Seth Jones.

Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe says he saw it coming after watching While Carrick's play has been strong for most of the season, despite his Dermott in training camp with the Leafs. rotation with Polak, this sans-Zaitsev stretch with Dermott has been his best, too. On Thursday night, Babcock credited Carrick for the way he “When he walked in to shake our hands when he left I had a pretty good has stepped up, particularly at the offensive zone blueline. Earlier in the sense that we weren’t going to see him anytime soon,” Keefe said. day, Rielly pointed to the Leafs' depth for their current injury-riddled win streak (now three games). “I thought he was going to do really well. As you spend time in this league you can see with some of the young players that just really stand “You have more guys than you do game sweaters so that guys can step out and are able to control the game. I think those are the guys that make in and be ready. The whole team is counting on you. No one is going to it obvious they may be ready for more of a challenge. And for me he was feel sorry for you,” Carrick said. that player a lot of nights last season and this season I felt he was that every night.” “(Dermott and I) try and talk a lot, make the play easier for the other guy. As long as we’re in good spots in terms of gaps and owning the front of Andrew Nielsen, Dermott's Marlies roommate of two seasons, knew this the net, everything else takes care of itself because that’s our strength: was coming when the pair arrived together in Collingwood, Ont., three moving it up the ice. A lot of teams, their defensive scheme is to kind of years ago for their first camp. Now best friends, they still talk, text, or play hang out at the net and have all five below the hashmarks so we’ve got Xbox with each other nearly every day. Nielsen has begun watching to involve our defencemen and when we do it has worked out for us.” more Leafs games because of Dermott. Even when Zaitsev gets back, Carrick and Dermott have now made a “Even though we’re the same age I still kind of look up to him and try to case for an increased role as a pairing. Together, they've been borderline emulate what he does and the way he plays. I mean, I Watch video of dominant. But Carrick's 15:10 average ice time and Dermott's 16:35 are him before games,” Nielsen said. the lowest among the Leafs' seven defencemen.

“It’s awesome to see guys that come from the Marlies and have success If the Leafs want to continue to see the results of the last week, they're with the Leafs, especially as quickly as he has done. He’s still one of the probably owed more. Dermott, who was a major part of the best penalty guys (down here).” kill in the AHL, is likely worth tinkering with more consistently on the PK, too. Even Justin Holl, who tasted the NHL this year, isn't shocked. And he feels he's ready for it. “I am surprised in a way because I know how hard it is to play in the NHL and be good every night but I’m also not surprised because I know how “Early on, you just try to help them to trust you and take everything in and good of a player he is and we saw it every day here,” Holl said. “You can just not play to make them happy but do everything they want you to do and then from there you can kind of learn to evolve and once you get that trust behind you, you can kind of play around and try to do some more stuff and jump up on the offensive side,” Dermott said.

“I think there’s still some stuff I need to work on but overall I’m feeling more comfortable and have sunk into my game.”

Given the Leafs' unchanging playoff status, what's the worst that more of a test could do?

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103931 Toronto Maple Leafs “He can take away the goalie's eyes,” Bozak explained. “He's good at screening. He can tip it; he works on his tips a lot in practice so he

doesn't really miss any of them. He can put it up top in tight areas [too]. James van Riemsdyk reminds the Maple Leafs why he's still valuable “It's not easy to finish in traffic like that, in tight, and he does a really good job of that.”

By Jonas Siegel Mar 15, 2018 Which only adds to his value.

Unlike last season, the Leafs have had only one effective power-play unit this season and it's the one with van Riemsdyk on it alongside Bozak, It was a week before the Feb. 26 trade deadline and Mike Babcock was Nazem Kadri, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly. Van Riemsdyk, who does asked if keeping James van Riemsdyk, who scored the only goal that his work by pouncing on rebounds or depositing quick passes with night in a 1-0 win over Florida, would be an easy decision for the Maple precision from close quarters, is second to Marner on the Leafs with 17 Leafs. power-play points and is equal to Kadri with those nine goals.

“I don't think anything is an easy decision,” the Leafs coach said with The Leafs are scoring 11.8 power-play goals per 60 minutes when he's unexpected frankness. “We've talked about this a bunch, you always on the ice, the second-best mark in the league behind only fellow crease- have this plan but your plan can always change. It depends on what hound Patric Hornqvist (min. 100 minutes). people want. There's lots of times you're going through and not planning on doing anything and you end up doing something. We don't really It would have been interesting to see how Toronto would have replaced know, in the end, what's available and what we could pursue either. his net-side presence with the man advantage had a trade actually taken place before the deadline. (It will be interesting, too, to see how his likely “The way I look at it is, instead of worrying about that stuff, you just keep departure changes the complexion of that first group next season.) The playing good and give ourselves the best opportunity,” Babcock added, Leafs' other power-play unit, which operates around Matthews and referring to van Riemsdyk. “Then, whatever is best for our team, Lou will William Nylander firing from the two faceoff circles, hasn't been effective do.” at all after booming last season.

The Leafs, in other words, were open to moving van Riemsdyk if the right Nylander has only three power-play goals and eight power-play points deal came around. after setting franchise rookie records in both categories as a rookie. Matthews' last power-play goal, meanwhile, came back on Nov. 30. Again on Wednesday night, he reminded them why he's still valuable and why keeping him may have been the best option after all. His 20 even-strength goals trail only Matthews among Leafs and that's while playing the entirety of the year without either of the team's top two Van Riemsdyk had his third career hat trick in a wild 6-5 shootout win centremen, Matthews or Kadri, and the past two months without Marner against the Stars, scoring goals No. 27, 28, and 29 of the season while on the opposite wing. (finally) taking over the Leafs goal-scoring lead from Auston Matthews, who's set to miss his eighth straight game with a right shoulder injury A 30-goal threat on a third line could be a huge boon for the Leafs in the Thursday night in Buffalo. The 28-year-old, who's headed for his first playoffs, meanwhile, when scoring depth tends to matter just a little bit UFA experience later this summer, also provided the net-front presence more with first and second lines often cancelling each other out. which led to Patrick Marleau's game-tying goal with 16 seconds left in regulation. It's sort of surprising that van Riemsdyk has cracked 30 goals only once before in his NHL career. He did it as 24-year-old playing alongside Phil It looked like he may have even touched the puck before it snuck through Kessel (and Bozak) in 2013-14. Kari Lehtonen's pads. Van Riemsdyk will be in uncharted territory if he hits the milestone again “Any time you get three goals and you're at the net for the fourth too, this year while playing limited minutes. Not one player in the league over you've done something pretty special,” Babcock said after the Leafs 41st the last decade has scored 30 goals while averaging less than 15 win of the year, the most for the franchise since the 2005-06 season. minutes.

With improved depth up front, Babcock has had increasingly less use for “I try to get better and better every year,” he said, “and obviously there's van Riemsdyk this year, handing him less than 15 minutes per game — certainly milestones that are pretty cool to hit so yeah, we'll see what 10th-most among Leaf forwards, topping only Matt Martin, Dominic happens.” Moore and Kasperi Kapanen among those who've played at least 20 games. Van Riemsdyk, who soaked up a season-high of more than 19 The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 minutes against the Stars, including a shift in overtime, has made the most of his opportunities to continue scoring.

In fact, he's been one of the more productive scorers in the league on a per minute basis this season:

He's obviously most lethal with those quick hands around the blue paint, topping all NHL players this year in goals that were either deflected or tipped. He is also in the top 10 among players with at least 40 games with an average shot distance of just under 23 feet — 22.6 to be precise — heading into the game against Dallas.

That's the closest distance, on average, of his Leafs career and about three feet nearer to the net than last season.

“I just try to get to the good spots on the ice where you can score goals and I'm playing with some smart players that know how to get the puck to those areas,” van Riemsdyk said.

He got his first against the Stars from 13 feet, poking a Tyler Bozak rebound past Lehtonen. He added his second of the night from 11 feet, lifting a shot high into the cage on multiple attempts from in close. The third, coming from 12 feet, was another power-play special — the ninth such goal for van Riemsdyk this year to match a career high.

Bozak called van Riemsdyk the most important player on the Leafs top power-play unit because of his ability to finish around the net. 1103932 Vegas Golden Knights

Zucker family enjoys homecoming as son faces Golden Knights

David Schoen March 15, 2018 - 7:18 PM

Hanging on the wall of the entrance to the kitchen in Scott and Natalie Zucker’s Las Vegas home is a large plaque in the shape of the NHL logo. The piece is adorned with pucks from all the other teams in the league and includes the date their son Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild scored his first goal against each club. Of the 30 pucks on display, only one team’s is missing a date. Zucker’s hometown Golden Knights. “I want him to score because it’s the last team he hasn’t scored (against) yet,” Natalie Zucker said this week. “But it’s just going to be awesome to have everyone together.” It’s been a memorable season for the first family of Las Vegas hockey, from the Oct. 1 mass shooting that touched the Zucker family and the success of the expansion Knights — Scott and Natalie are season-ticket holders — to a career year for their son. The culmination comes Friday as Jason Zucker plays at home for the first time as a pro when the Minnesota Wild (39-24-7, 85 points) meet the Knights (45-20-5, 95 points) at 7:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena in a pivotal game for both teams. “I think it’s going to be a little bit weird,” Jason Zucker said Thursday after the Wild’s practice. “I think they’re sitting in their season-ticket seats, so they’re usually cheering for the Knights. I think they’re pretty excited about it. It should be pretty fun.” Jason Zucker is the first player raised in Nevada — he was born in Newport Beach, California — to play in the NHL and is expected to have hundreds of friends and family at Friday’s game. Among those expected to be in attendance is UNLV assistant hockey coach Nick Robone, who was shot in the Oct. 1 attack and is a close friend of the Zucker family. Scott Zucker, who is the president of the Nevada Amateur Hockey Association, said he has received dozens of text messages this week from people hoping Jason scores a hat trick and the Knights emerge victorious. “We’re Knights fans 79 games a year,” Scott Zucker said. “And those other three games, we’re Wild fans.” Jason Zucker’s homecoming comes as the Knights and Wild each have 12 games remaining and are fighting for playoff position. Minnesota sits third in the Central Division and could meet the Pacific Division-leading Knights in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Wild are 2-0 against the Knights. Natalie Zucker rolled her eyes and laughed at the possibility of a potential playoff series between the Knights and Wild. “I look at the standings every day. She doesn’t,” Scott Zucker said. “I absolutely pay attention to where the Knights are and could that be the first-round matchup. That would be fantastic to catch multiple games. That would be great.” Jason Zucker, who is set to become a restricted free agent, is in line for a hefty raise following his best season as a pro. Skating on Minnesota’s top line alongside Hart Trophy candidate Eric Staal, the 26-year-old left wing is third on the team in scoring and has career highs in goals (28), assists (26) and points (54) in 70 games. Jason Zucker has one assist in two games against the Knights. “Obviously, the Knights fans are going to cheer for the Knights,” Scott Zucker said. “It’ll be very interesting to see what kind of reception he gets, especially if we’re fortunate enough and he scores a goal. It would be really interesting to see how that goes.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103933 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights prospects show leadership skills in Chicago

By Emily Polglaze March 15, 2018 - 5:14 PM

The Chicago Wolves long have been a member of the American Hockey League, but this season was new for everyone: new affiliate, new coach, new players. And while the Wolves struggled early in the season, they had no problem finding leaders. The team’s top three scorers — TJ Tynan, Brandon Pirri and Teemu Pulkkinen — have been driving forces on and off the ice, offering a reassuring glimpse of the future for the NHL’s Golden Knights. “It’s one thing to be vocal, and that’s an important part of leadership, but it’s another thing to lead by example,” Wolves coach Rocky Thompson said. “I think those guys have done a great job all year, and our team has followed them in their direction.” The three 26-year-old veterans have been the most consistent players all season. Tynan leads Chicago in points, assists and plus/minus; Pirri tops the Wolves in goals with 24; and Pulkkinen is a tenacious shooter with a team-high 164 shots. Tynan and Pirri also served as locker room leaders — as alternates to captain Paul Thompson. Thompson, also a Golden Knights prospect, spent time with the NHL team while still lacing up for every Wolves game. The group led the Wolves through a rough start to the season — they were once last in the league — but the positive attitude has paid off. Chicago (33-19) now is second in the tough Central Division, seven points behind the , with the playoffs in sight. “You try to lead by example, but you don’t have to do that much when guys are in there working hard every day,” Pirri said. “We’re all working toward the same thing, and that’s playing on a winning team, hopefully getting noticed and getting an opportunity in the NHL.” Duke makes debut Reid Duke, the first player signed by the Golden Knights, was injured during Vegas Rookie Camp in September, and after undergoing shoulder surgery, the center finally made his first Wolves start March 3. Duke has played four games since then, and while he has no points, he’s beginning to find his groove. “I just want to keep getting better,” Duke said. “I think I’m getting my legs back under me finally, but it still takes a bit of time to get back into the feel of it and to get back to the level that I felt like I was at in the summer. Playoffs are right around the corner, so I just have to keep building.” Sharp shooters With the regular season winding down, the small details start to count, and the Wolves have a solid handle on one area of the game: shooting. Chicago is seventh in the league in shots per game with 31.57 and is limiting opponents to 28.56. The Wolves average more than three goals a game and allow fewer than three. “I think we defend well, we have good fundamentals when we’re defending that allow us to make turnovers or deny shots,” Rocky Thompson said. “We want to be possession-driven, we want to go to the net.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103934 Vegas Golden Knights

Malcolm Subban, James Neal set to return for Golden Knights

Steve Carp March 15, 2018 - 2:29 PM Updated March 15, 2018 - 7:07 PM

The Golden Knights took two more steps toward a full roster Thursday. Forward James Neal and goaltender Malcolm Subban practiced without restrictions at City National Arena and are expected to be available for Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena. Coach said a decision will be made on each player after Friday’s morning skate, but the Knights have cleared spots by assigning forward Tomas Hyka and goaltender Maxime Lagace to Chicago of the American Hockey League on Thursday. “It’s always tough when you’re sitting out,” said Subban, who sustained an upper-body injury Feb. 8 and last played Feb. 2 against the Wild, losing 5-2. “You don’t want to be out for a long period of time.” The team gave Marc-Andre Fleury Thursday off after he allowed four goals in 11 shots and was pulled 2:31 into the second period of Wednesday’s 8-3 loss to New Jersey. Gallant didn’t say who his goaltender will be against the Wild, but Subban said he’s ready to see some action. “I’m feeling good,” he said. “I’ve been trying to pay attention to details, the little things that matter a lot. I just want to prepare and be ready.” Neal, who has not played since Feb. 26 when he appeared to have injured his hand against Los Angeles, has battled injury and illness for nearly a month. He has played in only one of the Knights’ last 12 games. “It sucks being hurt and not being around the guys,” said Neal, who is the team’s sixth-leading scorer with 40 points (24 goals, 16 assists). “But I’m looking forward to getting back.” Gallant said it’s possible Neal will take Reilly Smith’s spot on the Knights’ top line if he’s in the lineup. Neal skated with William Karlsson at practice, as Jonathan Marchessault also had the day off. Neal has skated with Erik Haula and David Perron most of the year on the second line. “We’re not sure but we’re thinking about it,” Gallant said of Neal possibly moving up. Smith skated on his own after practice, but there’s no timetable for his return. He was hurt March 6 at Columbus and has missed the last four games. Wild without Spurgeon The Wild will be without one of their top defensemen Friday. Jared Spurgeon is out four weeks after suffering a partial tear of his hamstring in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to Colorado. Minnesota has had at least one player out with an injury in 61 of its 70 games.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103935 Washington Capitals Washington didn’t turn back from there. The Burakovsky-Backstrom- Oshie trio got on the board once more when Burakovsky deflected a point shot from defenseman Jakub Jerabek in the second period. That T.J. Oshie snaps goal drought as Capitals pick apart defense-addled ended a seven-game goal drought for Burakovsky and also was the first Islanders, 7-3 point with Washington for Jerabek, acquired just before the trade deadline. A power-play goal from Backstrom 10:22 into the second period prompted Halak off the bench to relieve Gibson. By Isabelle Khurshudyan “I thought it came easy for us today,” Trotz said. “. . . It was a little bit of luck going our way a little bit.” March 15 at 10:08 PM

Washington Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 NEW YORK — Jaroslav Halak swung one leg and then the other over the bench wall as Christopher Gibson skated out of the New York Islanders’ net. The Washington Capitals watched and waited, grateful that it was the other team swapping goaltenders this time as the game started to get out of hand. The Capitals picked apart the NHL’s worst defensive team, scoring five goals on their first 12 shots en route to a 7-3 win. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer, making his fourth straight start as typical No. 1 Braden Holtby continues his “reset” period, finished with 35 saves for his third straight win. It’s the first time Washington has won three straight games in more than two months. “I thought tonight we did a great job,” forward T.J. Oshie said. “Obviously, as per usual here lately, it starts with Grubi back there.” The Capitals host the Islanders on Friday in the second game of this home-and-home back-to-back set, and Holtby is scheduled to get his first start in more than a week. The 2016 Vezina Trophy winner was last in net March 6 in Anaheim, Calif., where he allowed three goals on the Ducks’ first nine shots before being pulled early in the second period, the third time he had been yanked from the net early in six starts. The team then turned to Grubauer to be the interim top goalie while Holtby took some time to work on his game. But on Thursday night at Barclays Center, the Capitals benefited from the opposing team’s goaltending struggles. Capitals Coach said he expected the game to have a playoff feel because the Islanders are desperate for points, presently on the outside of the postseason picture, and the contest was a shootout early. Against a New York team that has allowed a league-worst 3.51 goals per game, Washington scored three goals on nine shots in the first period. “The Islanders just gave us a lot of room to skate on from the beginning,” forward Andre Burakovsky said. “I mean, my first three shifts, I was skating around and around and around with the puck and making plays. We didn’t really expect that out of them. We were expecting a little bit harder pressure when we had the puck. But, yeah, they just gave us a lot of ice to skate on.” The Islanders are also one of the NHL’s most talented offensive teams, and they opened the scoring. New York center Tanner Fritz skated around the back of the net, dishing the puck to the slot, where Brock Nelson scored with a point-blank shot on Grubauer 2:19 into the game. But then Washington tied the game when Lars Eller beat Gibson with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle. That was Eller’s 16th goal, matching his career high set seven years ago with Montreal. New York’s defensive lapses worked wonders for some of Washington’s forwards. Oshie had gone 19 games without a goal, and his last even- strength goal was Dec. 22 — 33 games ago. Oshie had been getting his chances lately, finishing with five shots on goal in Washington’s last game, but his drop in production from last season, when he scored a career-high 33 goals, has stung considering the 31-year-old signed an eight-year deal this past summer worth $5.75 million a year. Before this game, Trotz reunited Oshie with center Nicklas Backstrom and Burakovsky, a trio that had been successful in the second round of the playoffs last season. Less than a minute after Eller’s goal, Oshie barreled toward Gibson on a two-on-one rush with Burakovsky. His 13th goal of the season lifted the Capitals to a 2-1 lead. Oshie also would score Washington’s seventh goal of the game, an empty-net tally. “I actually bobbled [Burakovsky’s] pass a little bit, but it found the back of the net,” Oshie said of his first goal. “It was a great play by him. If that one didn’t go in, I don’t know. I don’t know what would’ve happened.” The Islanders tied the game 60 seconds later, when Andrew Ladd scored on a rush with center Mathew Barzal. In an apparent theme for the evening, Ladd snapped a 25-game drought with the goal. But then defenseman Dmitry Orlov put the Capitals ahead again with his career- high ninth tally, turning Ladd inside out as he drove to the net and sneaked a puck past Gibson with a poor angle. 1103936 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin could catch Wayne Gretzky as NHL’s all-time leading scorer

By Neil Greenberg March 15 at 11:52 AM

It seems like every year we celebrate Alex Ovechkin reaching a major milestone, and the latest is his 600th career goal in his 990th career game. The only players to reach the 600-goal plateau quicker were Wayne Gretzky (718 games), Mario Lemieux (719) and (900). Ovechkin is also the sixth player in NHL history to score 600 or more goals for one franchise and could become the first player at age 32 or older to lead the league in goals — he has 42 goals in 69 games this season — since Phil Esposito did it in 1974-75. Even more notable, however, is that with no signs of slowing down, it’s possible Ovechkin could catch Gretzky and become the all-time leading goal scorer with 895 goals. To determine how likely Ovechkin is to become the scoring king, we are going to take a two-step approach. The first step is to project the next three years of Ovechkin’s career with the Capitals, which coincides with the end of the 13-year, $124 million extension he signed in 2008. That will require a few assumptions, including that he will remain healthy and not see his role change significantly with the team. This simulation will also reduce Ovechkin’s overall shot output from it’s current 4.3 shots per game down to 3.8, with most of that drop-off occurring during even strength, a trend we have seen over the past few years, with most of the shot volume decline occurring at even strength. By this method, Ovechkin projects to score 111 goals over the next three years, with simulations ranging from a low of 81 to a high of 142 goals over that span. That puts him between 689 to 750 career goals by the end of the 2020-21 campaign. This makes sense: At some point Ovechkin’s goal production will slow down, but it is also possible he remains a goal-scoring machine. The most exciting part of these projections for the fans that rock the red is Ovechkin’s chance at 700 career goals while wearing a Capitals sweater. By my estimation, that is a virtual lock (98 percent), provided he remains healthy and a core part of the team. The next step is to estimate how many goals Ovechkin will have for the rest of his career. For this stage, I used the favorite toy, a formula created by Bill James that calculates the probability a player achieves a cumulative statistical goal, with an arbitrary career-ending point at 40 years old. For Ovechkin’s “established level” of goals scored, we are going to use the weighted average of each simulated year as the input, thus giving us a range of possibilities, from 1 percent — a simulation in which he scores 30, 25 and 26 goals in each of the next three seasons — to 82 percent — a simulation which has him scoring 42, 51 and 48 goals from 2018-19 to 2020-21. Average those simulations together and Ovechkin’s chances at reaching Gretzky’s all-time goal mark is 34 percent, roughly 2-to-1 odds. Considering we’re talking about the odds to take down a record many thought would be unreachable given how much harder it is to score goals in the modern era compared to Gretzky’s time in the league, those are pretty good odds.

Washington Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103937 Washington Capitals Not that it’s necessarily a direct correlation, but since Kempny’s addition to the lineup, the Capitals have allowed 28.3 shots per game, much improved from a season average that’s north of 32. Washington has With the playoffs in mind, Capitals to use final stretch to ‘find out’ what allowed fewer than 30 shots in five straight contests, its best stretch of they have the season. “There’s times in the year where I’ll flip guys in and out just to keep them in ready-mode,” Trotz said. “And I’ll still do that this time of year as well, By Isabelle Khurshudyan but there’s times where you say, ‘Hey, I’ve got to lock this in a little bit,’ or, ‘Hey, this is an opponent that’s got a playoff-feel.’ The game on March 15 at 6:30 AM Sunday is going to have a playoff feel. I think these [next] two games are going to have a big playoff feel because the Islanders, they’re still in, but

they need some points quickly, and we just happen to be the team that’s The approach to this Washington Capitals‘ season was different from the right in front of them.” start. After a summer of salary cap constraints and subsequent roster Here’s how the Capitals are expected to look against the Islanders on turnover, the organization made it clear the mission was twofold: contend Thursday night in Barclays Center: for a Stanley Cup, but also develop young players the team will have to count on both this season and for years to come. Forwards Coach Barry Trotz stuck to that for the first three-quarters of the season, Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Tom Wilson regularly playing four rookies in the lineup. But the trade deadline brought two new faces to the team, defensemen Michal Kempny and Jakub Andre Burakovsky-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie Jerabek, and the team endured a middling February with a 6-6-2 record. The Capitals have continued to hover at or near the top of the division, Jakub Vrana-Lars Eller-Brett Connolly and with 13 games left and an almost-certain postseason berth, the Chandler Stephenson-Jay Beagle-Devante Smith-Pelly mission has shifted slightly. The goal of contending for a Stanley Cup remains, so Trotz intends to use the final stretch of the regular season to Scratched: Alex Chiasson, Travis Boyd explore exactly what he has on his roster, even if it means some young players will be out of the lineup. Defensemen Rookie defenseman Madison Bowey was sent down to the American Dmitry Orlov-Matt Niskanen Hockey League on Tuesday because he hasn’t played since Feb. 20 and Michal Kempny-John Carlson he doesn’t need to clear waivers to be reassigned. Trotz said the tentative plan is for him to spend the next two weekends with the Brooks Orpik-Jakub Jerabek Hershey Bears and get some game action before he’s recalled back to Washington. Fellow rookie blue-liner Christian Djoos is expected to be a Scratched: Madison Bowey, Christian Djoos healthy scratch for a fourth straight game Thursday night against the Goaltenders New York Islanders, as Trotz has played Jerabek on a third pairing with veteran Brooks Orpik. Djoos has played in 56 games this season with Philipp Grubauer (starter) three goals and 11 assists, and the Capitals have taken 52.5 percent of the even-strength shot attempts when he’s on the ice, according to Braden Holtby Natural Stat Trick.

“Right now, we’ve got to find out what Jerabek can do,” Trotz said. Washington Post LOADED: 03.16.2018 “Djooser has done a great job. We’re really happy with Djooser, and he’s proven it this year. Right now, we’re finding out about Kempny and Jerabek, and they get a little bit of a longer leash right now to get some rhythm. Just putting them in for a game, taking them out, putting them in — it’s hard for us to even gauge that because you don’t know if it’s a good game or a bad game. You give them a couple in a row and see if it’s consistent and you get a better feel for the player. Jerry’s been in there because we need to find out, and I think we feel really good about Djooser. “With Bowey, we know exactly what he’s done — he’s done a great job. The thing that I see for us right now is Bows hasn’t played for a long time. I look at the window that Hershey has and where we are, and I know that we’re going to use Jerry and Djooser in these coming games here, so Bows is not playing again. I need to give him all the tools.” The next three games especially will be telling for Trotz. The Capitals begin a back-to-back home-and-home set with the Islanders on Thursday before playing the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at Wells Fargo Center. While New York is desperate for wins, eight points out of the second wild-card spot, the Flyers have just three fewer points than the Capitals, a potential first-round matchup if Washington falls out of first place in the division. In the nine games since the Capitals acquired Kempny from the Chicago Blackhawks, he’s moved into a top-four role, averaging more than 17 minutes per game and skating beside John Carlson. The reviews from Trotz have been favorable; he’s praised Kempny’s skating and first pass. Jerabek, 26, signed with Montreal before the season after playing in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League last season, and he’s played just 29 NHL games in his career and is more of an unknown quantity than Kempny. “Some of those battle areas where you’ve got to separate and get the puck, he’s done a really good job — probably a better job than I thought I knew about him,” Trotz said. “He’s got a real good first pass, and he seems to defend pretty well in tight areas. I don’t think he’s going to give you a lot offensively in the offensive zone — his numbers don’t indicate that over the course of time, and it’s the same with Kempny — but they can transport the puck, and as you know, you want to get it from one end to the other.” 1103938 Washington Capitals

Capitals search for offense outside Ovechkin

By Matthew Paras Thursday, March 15, 2018

Alex Ovechkin’s 600th career goal Tuesday night was not only another milestone for the Capitals superstar, it was an exclamation point on the type of throwback season the 32-year-old is having. Ovechkin — who is responsible for more of his team’s offense than any player in the league — has 42 goals on the season and is in the running for the Hart Trophy, the NHL’s most valuable player honor. The Capitals will hold a ceremony to honor Ovechkin’s 600th before Friday’s game against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin is providing 20.3 percent of his team’s scoring this season — no other player in the league tops 17 percent. The Capitals are fortunate to have Ovechkin, especially considering the offense has dried up around him in recent weeks. Since the All-Star break, the Capitals rank 19th in total goals scored. They entered the break with the 11th most goals scored. With the Capitals defense also struggling, it’s been harder to win games. Coach Barry Trotz said a scoring drought can feed on itself. “When you go dry, there’s a couple of things,” Trotz said. “You’re trying to get too fine and missing the net. I think we’ve missed the net too often. You start hanging onto the puck that extra second … the extra second probably means three feet in our business. And so those windows close down on you.” To get Ovechkin some help on offense, Trotz has been tinkering with his lines. The Capitals coach briefly tried pairing Brett Connolly, who has one goal in his last 20 games, with Nicklas Backstrom on the second line. He also didn’t wait long to pull T.J. Oshie off the third line with Lars Eller and Andre Burakovsky. Oshie’s season is particularly mystifying after he scored a career-high 33 goals last season. He parlayed his contract year into a massive eight- year, $46 million deal in the summer. This season, Oshie has just four even-strength goals. He had 25 last season. Like Connolly, he has just one goal in his last 20 games. “At times, it’s because of poor play,” Oshie said of the scoring struggle. “A lot of instances this year seems like there’s been bad luck. But it just comes down to sticking with it. Keep going to scoring areas, get to the front of the net. All the pucks end up there eventually, anyway. I’ll continue to look to doing that.” The Capitals have gotten valuable contributions from Backstrom and center Evgeny Kuznetsov. After the Capitals’ win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, Kuznetsov marveled at Ovechkin’s 600 goals and joked he couldn’t even score 20 in a season. But the Russian was selling himself short. He already has 21 goals through 69 games. Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has said he would like to see Kuznetsov become a 25-goal scorer on a regular basis. Playing alongside someone like Ovechkin should put that goal within reach. With 13 games left, Ovechkin has a chance to hit his season-long target of 50 goals. “I have a lot of confidence in the group that we have,” Trotz said. “They’ve been doing that for a long time, and they’ll start feeling it again. We’ll be fine.”

Washington Times LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103939 Washington Capitals performance in the World Junior Tournament. He projects to be a bottom-six, penalty kill type of player, but his blistering speed always makes him a threat on the offensive end of the ice. Caps prospect WATCH: March Madness begins for college hockey Defensive prospect Dmitriy Zaitsev missed two games for the Warriors after taking an illegal hit from Swift Current's Tanner Nagel. Nagel was assessed a three-game suspension for the hit, but Zaitsev's By J.J. Regan status remains in flux for now. March 15, 2018 2:04 PM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 It's not just March Madness for basketball, the college hockey tournaments are underway as well. The matchup of most interest to Capitals fans was the battle between Shane Gersich's North Dakota and Steven Spinner's Nebraska-Omaha in the NCHC quarterfinals. North Dakota emerged victorious with a 4-0 win on Friday and a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday. Gersich scored one goal while Spinner tallied one assist. North Dakota will play St. Cloud State on Friday in the semifinal of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. Providence College also advanced in the tournament after dispatching Maine in two games in the quarterfinals. Caps prospect Brian Pinho recorded one assist in the two games. Providence will play Northeastern in the semifinals on Friday. The postseason came to an end for Chase Priskie's Quinnipiac as they were defeated in two games by Cornell. Other prospect notes: Pinho earned two end of season Hockey East awards for his strong senior season as announced on Wednesday. He was named the winner of the Gladiator Custom Mouthguards Best Defensive Forward Award and also garnered Third Team All-Star honors. The Hershey Bears are dealing with a number of injuries as Riley Barber (upper-body), Mason Mitchell (upper-body) and Connor Hobbs (lower- body) have all been ruled out of all three of Hershey's games this weekend. Head coach Troy Mann said he considers Barber to be week- to-week. With injuries mounting the Bears recalled forward Hampus Gustafsson from the ECHL. He has spent most of the season with South Carolina, recording 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 29 games. In the 14 games he has with Hershey already this season, he managed two assists. Defenseman Kris Bindulis was also re-assigned from South Carolina to Hershey. He has 15 points in 34 games with the Stingrays and two penalty minutes to show for his six games with the Bears earlier in the season. Goalie Vitek Vanecek's start on Saturday marked the 100th professional game of his career. In his Hershey career, Vanecek has recorded a 28- 18-9 record with a 2.67 GAA, .903 save percentage and seven . Goalie is a crowded position in the Capitals' organization with Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer with the NHL squad and Ilya Samsonov considered the future starter in Washington. Vanecek has done well in the AHL, but has not to this point shown he can compete for playing time at the NHL level. Speaking of Samsonov, his highly anticipated North American debut has been delayed as his KHL team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, won its first- round playoff series over Avtomobilist in six games. The chances he would come to North America this spring were already remote given the fact that the Bears will almost certainly not make the playoffs which means he would not have as much opportunity to practice and play. Advancing to the second round in the KHL makes it even less likely we see him before summer/fall. The Capitals and extended their affiliation agreement through the 2019-20 season, it was announced on Thursday. Holtby, Grubauer and Jay Beagle all have played for South Carolina in the past. Goalie Adam Carlson seems to have earned the confidence of the coaches of his ECHL team. The Kansas City Mavericks had three games this past week and Carlson started all three of them stopping 74 of the 81 shots he faced (.914 save percentage). He was named the second star of the game on March 7 after leading the Mavericks to a 4-1 win over Colorado. Check out the highlights of Djurgardens IF win over Orebro in the SHL (sometimes the video says it can only play in Sweden, but I have watched it three times despite not being in Sweden). The first goal of the game was scored by forward prospect Axel Jonsson-Fjallby. He is someone who is generating a lot of excitement after a strong 1103940 Washington Capitals Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 Game 70 Capitals at Islanders Date, Time, How to Watch, Game Thread

By J.J. Regan March 15, 2018 6:00 AM

What: Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. When: 7:00 p.m. ET How to WATCH: Capitals-Islanders will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington (Channel Finder) Live Stream: You can watch the Capitals-Islanders game on NBC Sports Washington's live stream page. WHEN IS THE CAPITALS-ISLANDERS GAME? The Capitals (39-23-7) take on the Islanders (30-29-10) Thursday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET in Brooklyn. WHAT CHANNEL IS THE CAPITALS-ISLANDERS GAME ON? The Capitals-Islanders game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. Coverage kicks off with Capitals FaceOff at 6:00 p.m. followed by Caps GameTime at 6:30 p.m. Stay with NBC Sports Washington for Caps Extra following the game, Caps Overtime at 10:00 p.m. and Caps in 30 at 11:00 p.m. for all your postgame coverage. (NBC Sports Washington channel Finder) 6:00 p.m. — Caps FaceOff 6:30 p.m. — Caps GameTime 7:00 p.m. — Capitals at Islanders 9:30 p.m. — Caps Extra 10:00 p.m. — Caps Overtime 11:00 p.m. — Caps in 30 WHAT ARE THE PROJECTED LINES FOR THE CAPITALS- ISLANDERS GAME? Here are the projected lines for the Caps-Islanders game: Forwards Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Tom Wilson Andre Burakovsky - Nicklas Backstrom - T.J. Oshie Jakub Vrana - Lars Eller - Brett Connolly Chandler Stephenson - Jay Beagle - Devante Smith-Pelly Defensemen Dmitry Orlov - Matt Niskanen Michal Kempny - John Carlson Brooks Orpik - Jakub Jerabek Philipp Grubauer starts with Braden Holtby as backup Scratches: Alex Chiasson, Travis Boyd, Christian Djoos WHERE CAN I STREAM THE CAPITALS-ISLANDERS GAME? The Capitals-Islanders game, as well as Caps GameTime and Caps Extra, is available to stream live here through NBC Sports Washington's live stream page and is available to authenticated NBC Sports Washington subscribers on desktops, tablets, mobile devices and connected TVs anywhere in the United States. CAPITALS-ISLANDERS OPEN THREAD Use the comment section below to discuss the game action with other Capitals fans. For all the latest Caps coverage, follow Capitals Insider Tarik El-Bashir, Capitals correspondent JJ Regan and the NBC Sports Capitals account on Twitter. Be sure check out our Capitals page and NBC Sports Washington's Facebook page. 1103941 Washington Capitals

3 reasons why the Caps beat the Islanders

Staff

Both the Capitals and New York Islanders combined for five goals in a crazy first period and it looked like we were headed for a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair on Thursday. After the first, however, the Capitals kept on scoring, but shud down the Islanders in a 7-3 win. Brock Nelson struck first for the Islanders who were buzzing, but Lars Eller, T.J. Oshie and Dmitry Orlov all scored to help give the Caps a 3-2 lead after 20 minutes. Then Philipp Grubauer shut the door, allowing only one goal the rest of the game. Six different Capitals scored in the seven-goal effort. Both teams will meet again Friday for the rematch in Washington. Here are the three stars of the game: 1. Andre Burakovsky: Burakovsky looked like the Caps’ most dangerous weapon as he zipped all over the ice. His speed made him a factor all game long. Not only did he set up T.J. Oshie to help him snap his goal drought, he also scored on a beautiful deflection off a lengthy Jakub Jerabek shot. 2. T.J. Oshie: Boy did he need that one. Oshie snapped a 19-game scoreless drought in the first period as he roofed the puck past Christopher Gibson. Andre Burakovsky fed Oshie for the shot and Oshie hesitated slightly to force Gibson to commit, giving Oshie an open top to shoot at. For a player on a lengthy drought, Oshie showed a lot of poise by not rushing the shot initially, but waiting for Gibson to put himself in a helpless position. Oshie also added an empty-netter for his second goal of the game, his first two-goal effort since Nov. 14. 3. Philipp Grubauer: This game was wide open at the start as both teams combined for five goals in the first period. New York continued flying in the second period, but the scoring dried up as Grubauer shut the door on the Islanders. After giving up two goals in the first, Grubauer allowed only one more goal despite facing 26 shots and it came when the result was no longer in doubt. Grubauer's play allowed the Caps to pull away despite getting outshot 38-22 for the game.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103942 Winnipeg Jets Goals by Stastny, Joel Armia and Roslovic on just six shots chased starting goalie Anton Forsberg from the cage before the initial frame was half over. His stand-in, J.F. Berube, surrendered goals to Bryan Little and Jets storm back after sloppy start Kyle Connor late in the period. Maurice said Stastny’s quick answer back was key. By: Jason Bell "We’ve been pretty good all year that our game really doesn’t change a lot if something ugly happens early in the game," he said. "Being able to Posted: 03/15/2018 9:52 PM answer right back is important. It makes you feel good. And then again, and now you’ve got them on their heels a little bit. Last Modified: 03/15/2018 11:06 PM "I thought the compete was good. Having (Trouba) back helped. (Andrew) Copp’s line and Roslovic’s line, again, really important for us being good. Being able to use the ice well enough. They make good A pair of mid-winter defeats to the Chicago Blackhawks — troubling at plays. There’s some skill there, too." the time — are now long forgotten. Connor, in his rookie campaign, added an empty-netter to push his Those setbacks are in the past for the well-balanced, high-flying scoring to the 25-goal mark. Winnipeg Jets, who’ve left the once-dominant, former perennial Stanley Cup favourites in their rear-view mirror this NHL season. As expected, the Blackhawks offered some pushback in the second period, and Patrick Sharp converted from the doorstop after some good Down a goal just 11 seconds after the opening draw Thursday night, the work behind the net by Nick Schmaltz. Jets replied with five of their own before the first period was over and cruised to a 6-2 victory over the visiting Blackhawks. Saad had opened the scoring on the game’s first shift, scooted down the left wall and beating Hellebuyck glove side. Winnipeg challenged the Boosted by the long-awaited return of defenceman Jacob Trouba and the play, alleging Jonathan Toews was off-side. all-clear sign given to slick centre Paul Stastny after he spent one game on the shelf, Winnipeg (42-19-10) made Central Division cellar-dwelling And a couple of different TV angles indicated he very well could have Chicago look sluggish and disinterested. been, however, as the NHL hockey operations later said in its explanation, "... it was determined there were no definitive replays which The list of five Jets marksmen did not include the name Patrik Laine, who showed that Chicago’s Jonathan Toews was off-side prior to the puck had 12 goals in the club’s previous nine contests. In fact, the club crossing the blue line." generated a goal from each of its four lines. The deficit didn’t last long. Stastny, back in the lineup after missing "This team preaches about depth and we have a lot of it, and it’s good to Tuesday’s contest in Nashville, poked in his 15th goal of the season — get guys back with Jacob and (Stastny). We’re good up and down the his third as a Jet — past Forsberg at 3:43, after wingers Laine and lineup," said rookie forward Jack Roslovic, who scored his fourth goal of Nikolaj Ehlers played catch through the neutral zone. the year and chipped in an assist. Laine made NHL history on the play, extending his point streak to 14 "(Trouba and Stastny) are two of our older guys and leaders on the games, the longest ever by a teen. bench. When someone moves out, we have people to replace them. But when they come back, when they’re healthy, it’s always a good thing." Armia scored his 12th just under two minutes later on a deflection off a point blast from Trouba to lift the Jets into the lead. Trouba, who missed 20 games with an ankle injury, finished the night with two assists in 14 minutes, 47 seconds of play. Only Joe Morrow Signal the blowout. Roslovic stripped Artem Anisimov of the puck on the played fewer minutes (14:29) on the Jets defence, as head coach Paul ‘Hawks side of centre, fended him off and then fired his fourth of the year Maurice stuck with a plan to ensure a less-taxing night for the fifth-year at 9:26, prompting a goalie change. Late in the period, Little snapped an blue-liner. 11-game scoring drought with his 14th on a hard, high shot past Berube at 17:36, and assisted on Kyle Connor’s 24th just 44 seconds later. Trouba seemed almost surprised by how easily he meshed after seven weeks away. The Jets face the visiting Dallas Stars on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. "It felt good, felt better than I was expecting," he said. "We got off to a little bit of a different start with the goal there but nothing really changed on the bench which was nice to see. I kind of missed being part of that, Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.16.2018 everyone staying positive, the same kind of attitude." Trouba grinned when asked whether he was content with how his minutes were managed. "Ya, I guess," he said. "It’s nice to have the luxury to ease your way back into it. I guess it’s nice. (Being a workhorse) is what I prefer but it is nice... not go overboard and push it to the max." The Blackhawks beat the Jets 5-1 in Winnipeg in mid-December and 2-1 in early January. But the 2010, ’13 and ’15 NHL champions are, for the first time in a decade, irrelevant as the rush to the post-season begins to ignite. The Jets, meanwhile, have their collective compass aimed in a direction mostly foreign to them. Firmly entrenched in second spot in the Central — nine points up on the Minnesota Wild — it’s no longer a matter of whether the club qualifies for its second playoff appearance since arriving from Atlanta in 2011 but how deep in the playoffs they go. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves to up his record to 36-11-9 this season. Brandon Saad beat him cleanly just 11 seconds in but, he maintained, his confidence didn’t waiver. "We’re a great offensive team and sometimes the first shot goes in. That’s not that big of a deal," said Hellebuyck. "These guys play great in front of me, all the details are good." Winnipeg, enjoying its first of six straight on home ice after going 3-2-1 on the road to begin the month — came out guns blazing, snapping a three-game winless streak. 1103943 Winnipeg Jets While I’ve thought for a while that Josh Morrissey would be a better power-play quarterback, the first unit runs through Wheeler, so they need a right shot for the one-timer threat from the point. Trouba will be a good Critics a tad rough on Buff despite a season of mostly right stuff option here if this group starts to falter. However, no Jets player puts fear into an opponent like Byfuglien can, whether they’ve seen one of his devastating hits live or on television. By: Scott Campbell Opponents always know where he is, and proceed in a more cautious manner. Posted: 03/15/2018 3:25 PM He’s a big reason I confidently believe that the Jets have plenty of team toughness. In past seasons it was often stated that Dustin Byfuglien was the straw His excellence at trapping an errant puck at the opposing blue-line or that stirred the Winnipeg Jets drink — a central figure in both good and picking a pass off in the neutral zone is due to his terrific ability to read bad times. the play. These are so common with him I think some people vastly underrate how important they are. This season has been a bit different, with Connor Hellebuyck and Blake Wheeler leading the way from the start. The big defenceman has His strong play in Jacob Trouba’s absence has been welcomed by a adjusted his style of play to fit in with a group that’s proven, when team struggling with many injuries. healthy, to be a serious Stanley Cup contender. With 38 points in 58 games (a 53 point pace over 82 contests), his While we know he’s still a huge factor in the dressing room, we have also numbers are similar to past seasons, although goals are down. seen his play significantly evolve this year — mostly in a positive way. As a leader in the dressing room, he’s taken a tough challenge in altering Oddly, that’s not enough for a number of naysayers, who seem to pop up his style of play and owned it. in force every time he’s involved in an event that goes against the Jets. Byfuglien might, or might not be the Jets' big dog nowadays, but he We don’t have to look far too back see that these fans have been waiting definitely deserves praise for his overall impact on the team this season. to strike at him — they needed patience because Byfuglien has been excellent for quite a while. But then overtime happened Monday in the Jets' 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.16.2018 Washington Capitals, in which Byfuglien pinched into the offensive zone, looking to grab a puck ahead of Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals' centre won the game on a breakaway after tapping it by Byfuglien, and the finger was pointed at him by many. I initially thought it was a bad pinch as well, but after looking at it in slow motion I changed my tune. After the Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little two-on-one was broken up, the puck headed to the boards. Wheeler was higher (closer to the Jets net) than Kuznetsov and went into cruise control. It sure looked like Byfuglien glanced quickly at that situation and decided he could go for it, trusting his captain. Problem was, Wheeler was semi-angled at the boards, and instead of thinking Byfuglien would go for it and might not retrieve it, decided to stay his course a bit longer, gambling that his defenceman would win this. That was enough to leave him no chance at catching Kuznetsov after he won the battle on the boards. I’m not a Byfuglien apologist, but I understand his thinking. If that were me, I’d be mad at both myself and Wheeler. I’m only suggesting that sometimes people judge the play wrongly at first look, and jump at the easy target, the highest-paid player on the team. Since the start of this season, Byfuglien has been asked to play better defence, which he has, overall. I wouldn’t say he’s a lot better in his own zone, as he’s far from perfect, but a lot of his success has to do with being in position and not being "Rogue Buff." It makes it a lot easier for his teammates to know where he’s at — not constantly worrying about how they need to cover for him. It isn’t easy to alter your game to this extent. After joining the Jets for that 1979 Avco Cup run I was asked to change from being more of an offensive defenceman with the green light to jump into the rush whenever I saw an opportunity. Going from that to being a guy who was asked to be more defensive- minded and step up my physical game was a big challenge. I not only had to learn to harness my instinct to take off with the puck, it also forced me to look at plays developing in front of me differently. As highly as I think of Byfuglien’s play this season, there are areas that involve him where the Jets could likely improve themselves. While he played the large majority of overtime in Washington, I believe the Jets are better served by both Josh Morrissey and a healthy Jacob Trouba going over the boards before him in three-on-three hockey. He just doesn’t have the quickness those two do — the big guy takes a little more time to get rolling. The team obviously has more problems than this during gimmick-time though, both in tactical and player choices. We can be thankful that ends soon. 1103944 Winnipeg Jets

Jacob Trouba returning to ice tonight against Blackhawks

By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 03/15/2018 1:10 PM

Barring any drastic — and perhaps even violent — event from now until puck drop between the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks tonight (7 p.m.; TSN3; TSN1290), it appears defenceman Jacob Trouba will make his return to the Jets lineup for the first time in seven weeks. "Well if my car doesn’t blow up when I start it, I’ll take that as a positive. He’s very interested in playing tonight," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said following the Jets morning skate. "He’s been signed off on by everybody. It was an ankle sprain so he’s done, let’s call it tweaks, that you go through when you come back; he’s had those, he’s survived them. His agent is on board – everybody wants to see Jake play tonight." Maurice insinuated that he might be the only one concerned about bringing back Trouba, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Anaheim against the Ducks on Jan. 25. Being cautious, Maurice said he would wait until the pre-game warmup is finished to make a final call. "I’m a little bit sensitive. I’ve got a little bit of sunburn here and I’m careful about walking out into the sunlight again, but there’s no reason why he wouldn’t play," Maurice said. "I just wanted him to get through the morning skate and see how he is, but I’ll make that decision at game- time tonight." Trouba, 24, said the ankle felt strong enough to play, and he was eager to get back on the ice after a 20-game absence. Prior to the injury, Trouba had three goals and 20 points in 50 games, while playing on the top pairing with Josh Morrissey. "Boring, that’s for sure," said Trouba, describing what it’s been like to be out for so long. "It hasn’t been fun watching, but we’ve done an excellent job filling a lot of injuries holes that we’ve had. We’ve managed, which is a sign of a good team, good depth." The Jets (41-19-10), who enter tonight’s game seven points up on the Minnesota Wild for second spot in the Central Division, have certainly been tested of late on the injury front. In a 3-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, Winnipeg had seven regulars out of the lineup, including three of their top-four centremen. Maurice provided updates for the players currently bruised and battered. Besides Trouba, only centreman Paul Stastny will return to the lineup. Stastny was a late scratch against the Predators, exiting shortly into warmup with what Maurice described as "tightness issues." Centres Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry are the next closest to return. Maurice said both players have been cleared for contact come Saturday’s practices, and a decision on them will be made after that. Many eyebrows were raised when goaltender Michael Hutchinson was forced to leave midway through the first period Tuesday. Maurice confirmed that he indeed has suffered a concussion, his second of the season. Also out is No. 2 tender Steve Mason, who continues to recover after receiving a scope on his knee. Both are considered week-to-week. Recovery from a lower-body injury on Toby Enstrom also appears to have hit a snag. Enstrom, who was seen labouring after blocking a shot in practice on the NHL trade deadline day in February, was first expected not to miss any time. But after a number of setbacks in recent weeks, Maurice seems to prefer being cautious, not wanting to rush Enstrom back too early. He’s considered day-to-day and could return soon. The same can’t be said for defenceman Dmitry Kulikov, whose injury has inflamed to the point where certain x-rays can’t be read properly. Until that happens, Kulikov is considered week-to-week. "A few more days before I have an answer for you," said the Jets coach. Finally, Maurice said Matt Hendricks is expected to miss between six-to- eight weeks with a lower-body injury. Connor Hellebuyck will get the start tonight against the Blackhawks.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.16.2018 1103945 Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg's director of fitness, Dr. Craig Slaunwhite, partnered up with winger Shawn Matthias, and jogged to many of the important spots, including the Lincoln Memorial. Apparently, there are 145 steps to Doggin' it in the NHL ascend. Dump and Chase would admire it from afar. 2ND PERIOD: By: Jason Bell and Mike McIntyre Laine-mania rages on in Finland. Posted: 03/15/2018 9:00 AM Phenomenal Jets winger Patrik Laine, 19, has an army of fans back home, and we can safely assume many of his supporters stayed up way past their usual bedtimes earlier this week to watch the Winnipeg- Washington battle and his showdown with Caps’ sharpshooter Alex The Winnipeg Jets – held together by chewing gum and baling wire — Ovechkin, his childhood idol. are back home after a demanding six-game road trip that began March 4 with a 3-2 triumph in Carolina and wrapped up with a 3-1 defeat in The start time was 2 a.m. in Tampere, Laine’s hometown. Nashville 10 nights later. "The games are late here. But I think Patrik’s fans don’t care. They In between, the club posted victories against the New York Rangers and watch," Petri Tuononen, who manages Laine’s former squad, the New Jersey Devils, a loss in Philly and an OT loss in Washington. Tampere of the Finnish , told Jason in a quick chat Monday. "Top players like Patrik are like rock stars here." That’s 3-2-1 for the Central Division’s second-best squad, not bad considering the Jets had a pile of regulars in sick bay when they left to Laine ripped 17 goals and chipped in 16 helpers in 46 games as a 17- face the Hurricanes 11 days ago and have had a parade to the infirmary year-old for Tappara, competing against men — some twice his age — while away. before he was drafted second overall by Winnipeg in 2016, right after Toronto selected Auston Matthews. Despite rough weather, numerous flight delays and Internet issues, Mike (alias Dump) followed the team’s every move on the trip and kept his A former teammate isn’t surprised by the tall, blond teen’s success on finger on the pulse of the league, too. this side of the pond. Jason (a.k.a. Chase), meanwhile, was somewhat out of the loop as he Henrik Haapala, 24, who rejoined Tappara last month after splitting time covered the McEwen and Carruthers teams — and devoured way too between the Florida Panthers and their AHL affiliate Springfield (Mass.) many doughnuts — at the Brier national men’s curling championship in Thunderbirds, says Laine was hugely popular in the Tappara dressing Regina. Neither made the playoffs, although the Brad Gushue team was room, and stardom couldn’t happen to a nicer, more hard-working and untouchable there, anyway. committed guy. Now, the dynamic D & C duo is back together for the final push to the "He’s something special in Winnipeg. He can score from anywhere," said NHL playoffs and beyond. Here’s our 10th edition on the week that was: Haapala, who went undrafted, but signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Panthers last summer. Jason spoke with him Monday to gauge PRE-GAME WARMUP: how closely Laine's old hockey chums are following his fortunes. You know we couldn't go too much longer here without another segment "His shot, I think, it’s so heavy and always on the net. But nobody really featuring canine companions. knows why. If somebody knows why it’s better than everybody else, I think we would all try to do the same thing that he’s doing." We've made no bones about the fact we love dogs, so any time they are brought into the hockey world we can't help but stick out our tongues and Laine had a sensational NHL rookie campaign, firing 36 goals in 73 wag our tails. games. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the league’s top rookie. First up comes this fantastic ceremonial puck drop . He’s rocketed to 41 tallies — his latest coming against Washington

backup netminder Philipp Grubauer Monday night — in just 70 games Meanwhile, as Mike was making his way around the East Coast over the this year, and tops all other shooters with 18 power-play goals. last 10 days, covering the Winnipeg Jets on their season-long journey, he Laine was a focus of Finnish sports media before he turned pro in North came across something at the Washington airport — which is really America. located in Virginia — that gave him paws for thought. He netted seven goals at the '16 world junior championship and guided It was just after 5 a.m. Tuesday. A young couple were gorging on a pizza Finland to a gold on home ice in Helsinki. Later that winter, he helped which, frankly, left Mike feeling a bit jealous. But sitting in front of them, Tappara capture the Finnish league crown and was named the post- drooling at their every bite, was their four-legged friend in a FREAKING season’s most valuable player. BABY STROLLER. He also won silver with Team Finland at the IIHF world championships in No. Just no. Russia that spring. And by the way, the same goes for putting sweaters on your pets. Stop it! When he makes news here, trust that it’s garnering major attention 1ST PERIOD: across the pond, Tuononen said. Give this guy an Emmy! "In Finland, TV sports and (online) pages speak of him almost every day. When Patrik scores, there is straight-away big news and video right A Carolina sportscaster knocked it out of the park this week with his away. Of course, sometimes we talk on our team about his scoring at this summary of a devastating home-ice Hurricanes' 6-4 loss. moment. But it’s not a surprise for us because he was such a good scorer when he was here," he said. As you'll see in this clip below, Mark Armstrong chose to focus on the glass being half full. In this case, the fact Carolina looked terrific through "He was so young. Of course, he is still so young. But he has talent, and two periods in carrying a 4-1 lead. As for what happened after that — to he has practised I don’t know how many hours… probably thousands. the tune of surrendering five consecutive third-period goals — well, who needs to really spend any time worrying about that? "He’s one of these top guys that when it’s a tight game, he wants to be on the ice when you’re battling to win that game. His mind is that way, he It’s rare when there's time on the road for some site-seeing, but the Jets wants to be the scorer. He’s practised all of his shooting for that." had a mild, sunny Sunday in the U.S. capital to check out the national landmarks, a day before their clash with Washington. Laine's exceptional exploits in recent weeks have heightened the buzz already surrounding a two-game, regular-season series set for Nov.1-2 at Speedy winger Nikolaj Ehlers headed for the White House, although it Hartwell Arena in Helsinki between the Jets and Panthers. doesn't sound like the POTUS was out on the grounds hitting practice balls. Both games were sold out mere minutes after tickets went on sale earlier this week. Blue-liner Tucker Poolman, winger Adam Lowry and goalie Michael Hutchinson hopped on bikes for a short cycling of some of Washington's "It’s a very big thing. In Tampere, there are big posters in our city…and it biggest attractions. has Patrik’s photo and (Florida's) Aleksander Barkov’s photo, because he is also an ex-junior. So, it’s big," Tuononen said. At least one Jets fan from River City is making the trek to the homeland of legendary Jets sniper Teemu Selanne and the teen with similarly magical hands. We expect there will be others. 3RD PERIOD: A few more tidbits on Laine. Mike saw the hoopla in full effect on this recent road trip, as the Jets touched down in major markets such as, New York, Philadelphia and Washington. Not surprisingly, Laine handled it like a pro, surrounded by massive media scrums, answering every question with his usual mix of honestly, candour, humour and self-deprecation. A couple of favourites: After Ovechkin scored his 600th goal of his remarkable career, Mike asked Laine what that was like to witness. The sophomore quickly pointed out he had a pretty good view, considering he was on the ice at the time. Mike also asked Laine if he was surprised to be left all alone in front of the Capitals' net later in the game, allowing him to rip home the tying goal. His answer didn't disappoint. One final gem from Patrik Laine, in response to my question about whether he was surprised to be left alone in front of the Washington net on his goal. "“I guess I’m so invisible in front of the net that nobody saw me. I was pretty surprised there was a lot of room." #wfp As good as Laine is in English, we can't help but wonder if we're missing out on better stuff that he's giving to the many Finnish journalists and TV crews that seem to be at almost every stop lately. OVERTIME: He seems to be a lightning rod for criticism. Either you love the player, or you hate him. Around these parts, Winnipeg Jets fans aren't exactly lining up to join the P.K. Subban fan club. Last month he nearly came to blows with Winnipeg centre Mark Scheifele. And Tuesday night in Nashville he got involved in an MMA- style grappling match on the ice with Nikolaj Ehlers — even if Mike didn't have the best view of it from the Nashville press box.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.16.2018 1103946 Winnipeg Jets

Blackhawks at Jets

Posted: 03/15/2018 7:16 AM Staff

Chicago (30-32-8), locked up in the Central Division cellar and 14 points back of the final wild-card spot, hasn’t had much to celebrate this season. The club did win its last game, a 3-1 triumph on home ice against Boston, and is 5-5-0 in its last 10. Winnipeg product C Jonathan Toews doesn’t produce offensively like he used to but is still a regular contributor as he closes in on his 30th birthday in April. He has 19 goals and 30 assists on the season and comes back to his hometown with a pair of goals and four helpers in his past five games. Toews ranks third (58%) in faceoff percentage among all NHL players, with a minimum of 1,000 faceoffs taken. RW Patrick Kane, who also turns 30 later this year, leads the ‘Hawks with 25 goals and continues to demonstrate his play-making skills, registering 41 assists. RW Alex DeBrincat is having a fine rookie campaign, netting 22 goals and adding 20 assists. There’s still no set return date for G Corey Crawford, who hasn’t played since Dec. 23 and has been on injured reserved since late in December with what the team is calling an upper-body injury, believed to be concussion-related. In his absence, G Anton Forsberg has carried the load. This season, the Swedish-born goalie is 9-14-3 with a 2.94 goals- against average and .908 save percentage. Blackhawks bench boss Joel Quenneville coached his 1,608th career game last weekend, moving him above Al Arbour for the second-most games coached in NHL history. He now sits behind only , who coached 2,141 career games. Quenneville is the second-winningest coach in NHL history with 881 wins, behind only Bowman (1,244 wins).

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.16.2018 1103947 Winnipeg Jets The Jets have a 41-19-10 record for 92 points and are closing in on a playoff berth, despite going 0-2-1 in their last three games.

“Well 92 points doesn’t get you in the playoffs,” Maurice said. “The big Jets could have stalwart defenceman Trouba back in lineup against theme for us is handling the day in front of us. Not tomorrow, not the next Blackhawks day. Just dealing with your day.” The Blackhawks have a 30-32-8 record and are destined to miss the Ted Wyman playoffs but they’ve played well against the Jets, beating them 5-1 and 2- 1 in their only two meetings. March 15, 2018 This is the first of three games they have remaining this season. March 15, 2018 12:28 PM CDT Hellebuyck will start in goal, while the Blackhawks counter with Anton Forsberg. It took head coach Paul Maurice a while to run through an update on the mounting injuries for the Winnipeg Jets but he did manage to sprinkle some good news into his report. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.16.2018 Defenceman Jacob Trouba, who has missed the last 20 games with a sprained ankle, is listed as possible for Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Bell MTS Place. Trouba took part in the game day skate and said afterward that he feels good and is ready to go. Maurice said he will make a game time decision on Trouba but all indications are the versatile defenceman will be back in the lineup. “If my car doesn’t blow up when I start it, I’ll take that as positive,” Maurice said. “He’s very interested in playing tonight. It’s all signed off on by everybody. It was an ankle sprain, so he’s done all the tweaks that you go through when you come back. “He’s had those, he’s survived them. His agent is on board and everybody wants to see Jake play tonight. I’m a little sensitive, I’ve got a little bit of a sunburn here and I’m a little careful about walking out into the sunlight again. But there’s no reason why he wouldn’t play. I just want to get through the morning skate and see how he is and I’ll make that decision at game time tonight.” Maurice also said centre Paul Stastny, who missed Tuesday’s game in Nashville due to unspecified tightness, will play Thursday. He’ll likely be back between wingers Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers on the team’s hottest offensive line. Maurice also said centre Mark Scheifele (upper body, four games) and Adam Lowry (upper body, 18 games) will take part in full-contact practice on Saturday and could be back in the lineup Sunday when the Jets host the Dallas Stars. The only other piece of good news was that defenceman Toby Enstrom is close to returning, but “The coach is being stubborn on that one.” Goaltender Michael Hutchinson, who left Tuesday’s game in the first period after giving up three goals on 15 shots, has been diagnosed with a concussion and centre Matt Hendricks is out 6-8 weeks with a lower body injury. Defenceman Dmitry Kulikov’s status for the rest of the regular season is unknown. Maurice said they are “Waiting for some inflammation to dissipate” before they can even understand the extent of his injury. Finally, goaltender Steve Mason is “coming along” after suffering a lower body injury in practice last week. He’s on schedule to return in two weeks. With Mason and Hutchinson on the shelf — it’s Hutchinson’s second concussion of the season — Eric Comrie will serve as the primary backup to Connor Hellebuyck. Maurice said Comrie will play at least three of the Jets remaining 12 games. Trouba was injured on Jan. 25 in a game at Anaheim but he said Thursday that he is feeling good. “It’s been boring, that’s for sure,” Trouba said. “It’s not easy watching but I think we’ve done an excellent job of filling a lot of injury holes that we had. We’ve managed, which is the sign of a good team, with good depth. “I’m excited to get back and not really focus on anything exact. Just play a simple game and just go out and play how I play.” He certainly sounded like he expected to play on Thursday. “It’s in the coach’s hands now,” he said. “It’s obviously something you don’t want to re-injure or go backwards with. I wouldn’t say play it safe, but play it smart. You know what lies ahead and you want to be ready. It’s been a long layoff for me so getting back into game and getting feeling good is something that’s important for me.” 1103948 Winnipeg Jets REMINDER:

81 – INJURED – 26

Jets notebook: The Western Conference is a dogfight, free Nic Petan, 27 – INJURED – 29 Nikolaj Ehlers improves on D 85 – 18 – 52

09 – INJURED – 40 By Murat Ates 44 – INJURED Mar 15, 2018 24 INJURED – 33

INJURED – 57 “The Western Conference, it’s a dogfight,” said Blake Wheeler. “Every team we play is fighting for something.” THAT'S:

It was early in February and the Winnipeg Jets' captain had just played a SCHEIFELE pivotal role in the Jets’ 3-0 win over Colorado. STASTNY

“You’ve just got to find a way,” Wheeler added. And then, because he LOWRY plays baseball hockey for the Springfield Isotopes Jets, he commented on the game’s injuries. “It’s just one of those things – you hate to see TROUBA guys go down but when that happens, you’ve just got to make the most ENSTROM of it.” KULIKOV That night, it was Brandon Tanev and Matt Hendricks who were hurt. Adam Lowry had aggravated his upper body injury two days earlier, Mark The first time Mark Scheifele was injured, I advocated strongly for Scheifele had already been out for five and a half weeks and Jacob Winnipeg to call up Jack Roslovic and Nic Petan, who were tearing the Trouba had been out for one. It sure seemed like a lot of injuries for a AHL apart at the time. team to go through at once. Roslovic was called up first and has outlasted Petan, scoring 1.98 5-on-5 February continued. The Jets got Scheifele back and traded for Paul points per 60 minutes. That rate ranks Roslovic sixth among Jets skaters, Stastny at the deadline. Patrik Laine even tied Alex Ovechkin for the one spot behind Scheifele and one spot ahead of Mathieu Perreault. NHL’s goal scoring lead – if only for a moment – and it seemed as though Winnipeg had cause for optimism despite its injury trouble. Petan, who was called up on February 5 and who largely got Perreault’s old gig on the fourth line with Hendricks and Joel Armia, has struggled to Perhaps that was only for a moment, too. produce offence in the NHL. With just two goals and no assists in 15 games, Petan’s 1.09 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes is ahead of only That Western Conference dogfight Wheeler talked about? Six Jets were Brendan Lemieux and Shawn Matthias. shot down between March 6 and 12. That brings us to Winnipeg’s most recent lineup – the one they used in In just seven days, Winnipeg lost all of Scheifele (again), Steve Mason, Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss to Nashville: Dmitry Kulikov, Toby Enstrom, Hendricks, and Stastny. As a result, the club leads the NHL in a dubious new fancy stat: injuries suffered per Ehlers – Wheeler – Laine calendar day of March. Connor – Little – Armia Courtesy NHL Injury Viz, there are a few different ways to visualize this. First, here are all 31 NHL teams sorted by the cumulative cap hit of their Copp – Roslovic – Perreault injured players (CHIP): Dano – Matthias – Tanev Winnipeg ranks seventh overall by this metric, which uses cap hit as a Chariot – Byfuglien way to estimate the quality of players lost. Of note, the Jets trail only one current playoff team – Vegas, who has survived a particularly unique Morrissey – Myers string of goaltending injuries – although Anaheim still has a fighting chance. Morrow – Poolman

Here is Winnipeg compared to its Central Division rivals: Winnipeg’s entire fourth line of Dano/Matthias/Tanev was in the press box as recently as a week ago but still finished 50 per cent in shot Winnipeg has taken the division lead by this metric and will almost attempts. The Jets also played fully two-thirds of the game with at least certainly keep it through the end of the season. one of its 7/8/9 defencemen on the ice.

There are a lot of interesting stories here. Make your own conclusions And the Jets still held their own with Nashville at 5-on-5: about Nashville, first in the division and last in the cap hit of its injured players. Chicago was having a strong season until Corey Crawford’s Nashville’s “5-on-5” goal came just as a power play was expiring and the injury as shown here by the uptick at Game 35. Injuries have had a major other two came shorthanded. Let me be clear – it was still a well- role in this year’s Central Division standings. deserved loss – but with such a battered roster clawing its way to 55.1 per cent of the shot attempts, I am left with no other conclusion but There is a limitation to using cap hit as an estimator, however. Think of Winnipeg’s depth is real and it is spectacular. Winnipeg’s blueline, currently missing three of its top six players: Trouba ($2.81M), Enstrom ($5.75M), and Kulikov ($4.3M). Is Enstrom really Of course, the NHL doesn't hand out trophies for having good depth. Top worth twice as much to Winnipeg’s defence as Trouba is? That’s end talent – and the more, the better – is what wins championships. obviously not the case. When it comes to top end talent, Winnipeg is well stocked. As I've said With that in mind, NHL Injury Viz provided me with this third and final before, it is more important to win in April and May than it is today. The chart – the NHL’s teams sorted by the average minutes played by their worst thing Winnipeg could do in their current situation is panic and rush injured players (scaled by number of games missed). Note: this chart, guys back before they are ready. unlike the other two, ignores goaltending. The way I see it, the entire point of having such superlative depth that Sorted this way, Winnipeg falls just outside of the NHL’s top 10. your fifth line can play the Predators to 50 per cent shot attempts is that Vancouver supplants Anaheim for top spot in the NHL. Nashville loses its you can use it during times like these. spot as the Central Division’s least affected team when Ryan Ellis’ Meanwhile, Petan – a clear upgrade to that fifth line – is sitting in the minutes get factored in. As a final note: even if time on ice were the AHL. In my opinion, he should be called up immediately in place of perfect indicator of value, this still doesn't account for the impact of Matthias. Winnipeg losing so many players at the very same time. Here is a look at Petan via the “Replacements” chart at Hockey Viz:

You’re looking at score-adjusted shots for and against. This isn’t a with- or-without-you though – it’s simply Petan without each player and each player without Petan (IE the “with” component is missing.)

Most Jets have performed better without Petan than he has without them. His middling, low-event results are actually pretty disappointing until you compare him with Matthias:

In Matthias’ case, the difference in quality is much starker. All Jets players perform better without him than he does without them. Unlike Petan, whose “without” numbers are perfectly average, Matthias sees his shot rates against skyrocket – he’s firmly in the “BAD” section of this chart.

Possession wise, Petan is the superior player. Offensively, both have poor results but Petan is still the superior player. As disappointing as Petan’s offensive results have been, his 1.09 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes still falls in the range of a below average third line or an above average fourth line player. Matthias, meanwhile, is last among Jets forwards with 0.74 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes – that’s unimpressive, even on the fourth line.

Of course, this very specific roster preference could become moot based on the news in today's morning skate. I'll be posting injury updates on Twitter as the day rolls along.

MORNING UPDATE: Stastny will play tonight vs. Chicago. Trouba is a game time decision. Scheifele and Lowry will practice on Saturday and could return as soon as Sunday at home to Dallas. Hutchinson has another concussion, Enstrom is “close,” and Hendricks is out six to eight weeks with a lower body injury. Kulikov has no timeline as of yet.

If it were me making the decision, I would take those game time decisions and delay them each by an extra few days. I've said many times that wins next month are infinitely more important than wins this week. I stand by that.

Immediately following Wheeler’s February “dogfight” interview, reporters converged on Nikolaj Ehlers who had sealed Winnipeg’s win with an empty net goal.

Ehlers was asked to comment on being entrusted to protect the Jets 2-0 lead.

“(Defence) is something I have been working on since I came here,” Ehlers said. “Since I got sent down to Halifax. It feels good now that it’s paying off and it’s something that I’ve, of course, still got to work on.”

A few days later, I spoke to Ehlers one-on-one. I wanted to find out what he had learned about playing in the NHL from his rookie season to now.

“It’s like there’s four quarters in the hockey season,” Ehlers said. “(The NHL) gets better each quarter – you know, the first 20 games, the next 20, next 20, next 20. The hockey is getting better and better and the last 20 games are pretty close to playoff games, I think.

“It’s something you’ve got to keep an eye on because you’ve got to get better too. You’ve got make sure that you work on your game every single day to keep up with the other guys.”

With 12 games left to go in the regular season, the Jets are right in the middle of Ehlers’ fourth quarter. Ideally, Winnipeg would be in position to take its game to new heights. Instead, this moment is more about the Jets surviving the dogfight until reinforcements come in than it is about winning it outright.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103949 Vancouver Canucks Sometimes, things happen for a reason. Boeser being out allows for a different perspective, like the team can be viewed without any Snapchat filters. Jason Botchford: Mounting zeros may well help Canucks become draft This is important because since the start of the 2015-16 season no team heroes in the league has scored fewer goals. This should underscore the monumental rebuilding task that still lies ahead. Jason Botchford The Canucks’ lack of prospects on the blue line is getting a lot of run recently, and rightfully so. But the idea that the Canucks have enough March 15, 2018 depth in among their forwards prospect pool to now use it to trade for blueliners is a fool’s mission. March 15, 2018 7:50 PM PDT Even if all the top goal-producing prospects, including Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Dahlen, work out, there’s a better-than-reasonable chance it’s still not going to be enough to push the Canucks from lowest scoring VANCOUVER WHITECAPS NHL team to above average. Bend but don't Brek: How the Whitecaps keep winning on the road In other words, the team still needs help everywhere. It took them all season, but the Vancouver Canucks are finally “doing the This is no revelation, but it should make the draft a lot easier to manage. right things.” Just pick the best player you can with the biggest offensive upside. They can’t score — and it couldn’t be happening at a better time. Right now, the city can hope that it’s Dahlin and the way the Canucks are The Canucks are currently putting on a Ted Talks marathon on how to playing it’s hard to imagine they won’t have the best chance at winning lose hockey games. the opportunity to draft him. Picture a presentation that begins with a startling video of a player being unable to score a goal for what feels like forever. There’s then another. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.16.2018 And another. Keep going. They’ve been shut out three straight games and gone 212:09 minutes without scoring. Twenty-three more and the Canucks will have a new franchise goal-less record, setting the gold standard for team futility. This one could come with a prize, however, that will be embraced by fans, not players. Finish last overall this season, and there’s an 18 per cent chance of winning the draft lottery and the right to pick earth-moving defenceman Rasmus Dahlin. On Feb. 1, it looked improbable. The Canucks were 15 points up on last place. After Wednesday’s loss, it’s been whittled down to three. You know how hard it is to lose 12 points in the standings in six NHL weeks? Almost as hard as going three games without a goal. Those who want to vent will blame many of the big-name players. The Sedins are slumping, sure, but they don’t have a winger who can help them. Bo Horvat’s linemates have been game, but none of the possible options are close to being first liners. The team is woefully undermanned and finds itself in the exact same position it was a year ago despite the team’s promise this would be a deeper club, more prepared with “real” players who could fill in when injuries occur, like they do every year. This is not the way the front office intended things to go, which raises valid questions about the pieces they’ve added. The Canucks’ stated goal was to insulate the group from precisely the scenario now playing out. Injuries will be blamed when this season heaves its final breath. But none of the players who are out were added to the organizational chart since the start of the 2016-17 season. In reality, most of the players hurt weren’t going to help the Canucks score many goals, anyway. Both Markus Granlund and Loui Eriksson were deployed as matchup, shutdown wingers this season. Meanwhile, Brendan Gaunce and Chris Tanev have never been goal-scoring threats. Sven Baertschi’s injury hurts and without question he could help. And then there’s Brock Boeser, the larger-than-life rookie who may have earned the Canucks’ general manager his extension all on his own. Boeser’s imprint on the Canucks’ season is only getting deeper and more defined with every game he’s missed. He isn’t just coming off as one of the best rookies in the league, it’s beginning to seem like he’s among the most important players to his team. Boeser has missed five games, all of which the Canucks have lost. They’ve scored only three goals. None of those three were on the power play. The Canucks have scored 46 power-play goals on the season, and Boeser has had a hand in half of them. 1103950 Vancouver Canucks 5-foot-11, 185-pounder who scouts say has the potential to be a top- pairing blueliner.

“We’re excited about our future,” said general manager Jim Benning, Ed Willes: Same old story, same old results for Canucks who’s come under some criticism for the Canucks’ poor record. “We feel we have some good young players coming but we want to surround them with veteran players who can teach them the right way to play.” Ed Willes Benning has also taken heat for his recent free-agent signings including March 15, 2018 5:12 PM PDT ____, ____, and ____ who’ve had disappointing seasons. The (pick one of four-, five- or six-) year contract he handed out to veteran forward ____ has been cited as one of the worst free-agent signings in the last _____ years. The first instalment in this much-loved franchise came almost two decades ago and concerned the Vancouver Grizzlies who, of course, It’s expected the Canucks will call up Reid Boucher to replace the injured were the perfect subject because they never won. _____. This is the (fourth, fifth, sixth, pick appropriate number) Boucher has been called up from Utica this season. He leads the Comets in I’d also like to point out that one of my made-up-quotes in the fill-in-the- scoring but hasn’t been able to crack the Canucks’ lineup on a consistent blanks Grizzlies’ game story contained the same quote — “They’re a basis. good young team,” — which actually appeared in the real game story. This remains one of the highlights of my career. The Comets currently sit ____ in the AHL’s North Division. Their playoff season starts in ___ weeks. Since then, we’ve used the model on a couple of subjects and while we haven’t been able to sell the software as planned — odd considering the “There have been some positive signs in Utica this season,” said cost-cutting measures which have taken place in our industry — there Benning. remains a place for the fill-in-the-blanks sports story, patent pending. The Canucks return home in ____ days and fan appreciation night is You may be aware, for example, the finale of the last three Canucks’ scheduled for their ____ meeting with ____. In the wake of another seasons has followed a certain pattern, one which lends itself easily to disappointing stretch run, attendance has been dwindling at Rogers the boilerplate treatment. The Canucks lose. They lose again. Someone Arena. gets injured. They never score. Rinse and repeat.

With that in mind, we offer our latest in this series: The Canucks’ game story from March. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.16.2018 ST. LOUIS (or any of the 30 other NHL cities, this is the beauty of our template) — The Vancouver Canucks dropped a 3-0 decision to the _____ here on ____ night, extending their losing streak to ____ games and their goalless streak to ____ minutes. The Canucks last scored ____ weeks ago in ____. They now sit ____ in the NHL, just ____ points ahead of the last-place (pick one of Buffalo Sabres or Arizona Coyotes). “We did a lot of good things out there tonight,” said team captain Henrik Sedin. “It’s tough for us right now but if we play like this, the results will come.” In St. Louis (or wherever), the Canucks were shut out for the ____ straight game while the slumping Blues (or whoever) beat Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom twice in the first five minutes before coasting to the win. Markstrom whiffed on a long wrist shot by the Blues’ ____ on the first shot of the game and while he went on to stop 35 of the 38 shots he faced, he bore the responsibility for the loss. “I have to be better,” he said. “We all have to be better but it starts with me. If I stop that first one it changes the game.” At the other end of the ice, the Canucks directed 22 shots at Blues goalie ____. Their best chance came in the second period when ____ missed an open net on the team’s only power play. The Canucks received more bad news when ____, their promising young forward, left the game in the third period after he was hit in the foot by a slap shot. ____ could be seen in a walking boot after the game. The team didn’t give a timetable for his return. ____ became the latest Canuck to suffer a significant injury this season. The team got off to an encouraging start over the first two months, holding down a playoff spot with a ____ record before ___ was lost for six weeks with a high-ankle sprain. That injury, coupled with the loss of defenceman Chris Tanev and forward Sven Baertschi, sent the Canucks into a ____ tailspin from which they never recovered. The Canucks lead the NHL with ____ man-games lost to injury. “We’re being tested right now and we’re not good enough,” head coach Travis Green said. “Our details weren’t very good tonight. This is a tough league and you have to bring it every night.” Prior to his injury, _____ had created excitement in Vancouver with a productive start to his season. He’s seen as a key part of their youth movement which includes recent draft picks ____, ____ and ____. _____ leads the (pick one of WHL, NCAA, Swedish Elite League) in scoring and is expected to sign with the Canucks along with ____ and ____. Hockey insider ____ says the Canucks have the ____-best prospect pool in the game. The Canucks will be picking fifth (sorry, no other choice here) in this year’s draft and are believed to be targeting (pick one of Swedish, Finnish or American college) defenceman ____, a 1103951 Vancouver Canucks Molin did register seven more points than Dahlen but played in eight more games due to the Canucks prospect joining Timra later in the season. Here are some of the categories where Dahlen thrived: Jonathan Dahlen's playoff surge for Timra shows peak of his potential 1st – Game-winning goals (8) 1st – Points-per-game of any player over eight games played (1.00) By Ryan Biech 2nd – Goals (23) Mar 15, 2018 2nd – Power-play goals (9) 2nd – Shots on goal (161) The Canucks' other Swedish prospect is doing his best to show that you With the majority of the other players having played 52 games compared shouldn't sleep on him. to Dahlen's 44, it's impressive to see how productive he was despite When Vancouver acquired Jonathan Dahlen from the Ottawa Senators in missing those games to start the year. He finished the season with the exchange for Alex Burrows the move was praised, as they capitalized on 12th highest time on ice per game (among forwards with 15 games the inflated trade deadline market prices and enhanced their future by played). adding a recent second-round pick. The deal looks even better now, as At first glance, a point-per-game pace isn't outstanding given Dahlen's Burrows' game has declined with the Senators and Dahlen continues to situation. But, for context, he was recovering from mono for the first part position himself as a promising prospect for the Canucks. of the season and teammates Filip Hallander and Jacob Olofsson missed Although Dahlen had a slow start to the season, due to being diagnosed large parts of the season while they attended various international camps with mononucleosis, he has been playing like a man on a mission this or tournaments, which makes Dahlen's scoring output slightly more week. understandable. With Timra IK qualifying for the best-of-five Allsvenskan Finals against We've used pGPS in the past to look at how players compare to their Leksands, the Canucks prospect put his team on his back and led them statistical cohorts to get an idea of what to expect. Dahlen didn't have to a 3-0 sweep, punching their ticket to the promotion round against any comparable players, and that is due to a few factors. Generally, there Karlskrona HK. In those three games, Dahlen had four goals and three aren't many successful draft-plus-two players in the Allsvenskan. They assists and was all over the place. He was making plays in all three have either moved onto the SHL, AHL, or NHL after being drafted from zones, relentless on the forecheck and creating offensive opportunities the Swedish second tier league, or just aren't very good. for himself and others. Dahlen's situation was unique. He was expected to go to the AHL and His game use the first year of his entry-level contract to work on his game on the smaller rink and push himself into consideration for an injury call-up. But If there is one flaw in his game, it's his skating. he was diagnosed with mono at Young Stars, played some pre-season games for the Comets and then was loaned back to Sweden to get a Dahlen doesn't lack top end speed — when given a lane he can beat chance to play big minutes. other players in a foot race, which has been evident recently as he has been able to beat defenders to loose pucks or go wide and then slowly There was an option to go to the SHL or return to the AHL, but the cut in to get a lane — the problem is in his ability to use his edges and be Canucks prospect decided to stay with Timra because he wanted to help shifty with the puck. lead them back to the SHL. It is admirable that Dahlen wanted to help the program where he's played since he was a child, and that goal has Dahlen's game is very north/south. He works hard, can get going when almost been realized. he has a straight line and is able to use his stop and starts effectively. That abrupt stop was evident in one of the goals he scored this past What can we expect? week: Since Dahlen is on loan to Timra from the Canucks and burning the first His skating won't hold him back at the next level but is something that year of his entry-level deal, he is eligible to play for Utica in the AHL can be improved. If he can work on his edge work and add some more playoffs and could play an NHL game. But with Timra making the agility to his game, then his work ethic and tenacity will help him be more promotion round against Karlskrona, it almost certainly kills any chance successful. of seeing Dahlen with the Canucks this year. The schedule is as follows: The Ostersund native is very good at playing with highly skilled players. Game Date Home Away We saw it last year with Elias Pettersson, the two read off each other well and have since been dubbed the Dynamic Duo. This season, he has 1 March 25, 2018 Karlskrona HK Timra IK shuffled up and down the lineup but has stood out most when playing 2 March 27, 2018 Timra IK Karlskrona HK with Jacob Olofsson and Fabian Zetterlund. 3 March 29, 2018 Karlskrona HK Timra IK His straight-line speed helps immensely on the forecheck. It allows him to get in on defenders, which in turn allows his linemates to be open in 4 March 31, 2018 Timra IK Karlskrona HK prime locations. An example of this is on Johannes Kinnvall's goal in the first game of the promotion round against Leksands: 5 April 2, 2018 Karlskrona HK Timra IK In this circumstance, Dahlen isn't the first on the puck in the corner but 6 April 4, 2018 Timra IK Karlskrona HK yells for Erik Karlsson (the non-Senator one) to put it further into the 7 April 6, 2018 Karlskrona HK Timra IK corner and heads there. The puck comes loose, Dahlen takes a quick glance to see Kinnvall open in front and then puts it on his tape. Plays The Canucks play their final regular season game on April 7. If Timra's like this are quite common for the Canucks prospect and illustrate his series goes six games, then rushing Dahlen over to squeeze in an NHL awareness, passing ability and smart reads. game seems like a fruitless effort. However, I do expect the organization to assign Dahlen to Utica to help them in their quest for a playoff spot On the power play, the 5-foot-11 forward usually parks himself in front or and then in the actual dance. rolls off to the side to get rebounds or provide a passing option. He isn't a strong net-frontpresence but seems to get his stick on rebounds, quickly The Comets should get an influx of talent with Nikolay Goldobin, Tyler whacking away and making it hard for the goaltender to cover it. Motte, Dahlen and possibly Adam Gaudette (as long as he doesn't appear in an NHL game) joining them to close out the season. Dahlen doesn't possess a particularly strong shot but instead tries to be deceptive. Little fakes, slapshots from weird spots, or little pulls to adjust It would be a great opportunity for Dahlen to get some AHL game action the angles quickly make up for the lack of strength on his wrist shot. before the off-season and understand what to expect at that level. I expect him to start next season in Utica and be given minutes to be an Overall, his defensive game is decent. What I've noticed is that he is offensive leader. smart at his placement on the ice in the defensive zone and is constantly adjusting to ensure his man is covered. He's rarely out of position and With the long-term view in mind, Dahlen profiles to be an NHL player constantly adjusting to support his teammates. because of his ability to play anywhere in the lineup, complement offensively skilled players and his instincts. He is unlikely to be a game His stats breaker on his own in the NHL, but can be effective playing with Dahlen finished the 2017-18 season tied for second in Allsvenskan someone like Pettersson. scoring, trailing only Emil Molin. The Canucks got tremendous value in the acquisition of Dahlen and those types of moves should be exactly what continues to happen in this rebuild: trade the veterans who aren't going to help this team when they get better for players who might have a chance to make an impact. Dahlen isn't going to be a flashy player, but the idea of reuniting the dynamic duo of Pettersson and Dahlen in Canucks colours is a fun idea.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103952 Websites “All of these places need funding. They need more research so we can get rid of this disease for good. I can be a guy that only has to take two pills in the morning and two at night and can still play hockey and live a The Athletic / As the Devils vie for the playoffs, Brian Boyle has already normal life. We need to get to that point for everybody.” become one of the NHL's most vocal champions Still, Boyle is 33 years old and trying to keep pace in a sport that has gotten younger and faster during his time in the NHL. His team is one of the surprises of the league this season, rising from a lottery-bound club By Corey Masisak that secured the No. 1 pick in the most recent draft to a playoff contender that just moved into the first wild card position in the Eastern Conference Mar 15, 2018 following Wednesday's 8-3 win in Las Vegas. “He’s going to do everything he can to support other people’s efforts to try and conquer this disease, but also realize that you’ve only got so It was an incredible moment watching Kendall James, a beautiful little girl much time in the day,” Curran said. “If he can help anybody as people who has endured 43 weeks of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation and helped him, and if he can do anything that supports someone as he feels a surgery to remove part of the mass in her abdomen in her fight against he’s been supported, it’s what he wants to do. The only problem is he’s cancer, walk to center ice Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena. only got so many hours.” The Nashville Predators fan base welcomed her with a thunderous Boyle’s condition also wasn’t the only health problem his family has dealt ovation. Devils alternate captain Brian Boyle, a fellow cancer survivor, with. skated over to her with Predators captain Roman Josi for a ceremonial puck drop. When a hockey player has 12 brothers and sisters, including one that was also drafted by an NHL team, the family becomes part of his story. Kendall, decked out in Predators gear, looked to Boyle first. She gave Boyle’s father, Artie, had beaten cancer when doctors gave him a five him a quick wave and a thumbs up. percent chance to live. “Oh gosh … yeah,” Boyle said, his voice trailing off a bit to convey the Boyle's own fight against the disease is one of the best stories in the NHL weight of another indelible memory. this season. His work to help others is no surprise to any of his former “It was great that she was out there. It was great to see her get that big teammates. ovation. I don’t know if she was really comfortable in front of all of those “He’s one of the nicest people I’ve met in hockey,” New York Rangers people, but after what she’s been through in the past year, to see that forward Mats Zuccarello said. “I was a young kid coming here from great, big smile … it’s inspiring. She is inspiring.” Norway and he treated me so well. We had so many good times. … “You These types of moments are a part of Boyle’s life now. After being couldn’t ask for a better guy to do this, with who he is and what he’s been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in September, Boyle has through and how well he’s playing this season. It is inspiring.” become a leader and champion of one of his sport’s great causes: Added another ex-Rangers teammate, Chris Kreider: “He definitely took Hockey Fights Cancer. me under his wing when I first got here and was a great friend to me. “Bringing the attention, getting people to donate — that’s what it is all Talk about a resilient person, a resilient family, they’ve been through a about,” Boyle said. “This is going to be our calling for my wife and I going lot. It’s harrowing. It’s upsetting. I’m sure he’ll say everything happens for forward.” a reason. He’ll be nothing if not a great ambassador, a great inspiration for people going through a similar situation. He’s going to help a lot of Boyle has always been a large presence in every hockey dressing room people.” he's resided in. Beyond towering over many players with his sculpted 6- foot-7 body, Boyle’s magnetic personality has made him a leader at so Kreider mentioned the Boyles are a resilient family. It’s not just Brian, or many stops during his career path from Boston College to his fifth NHL his father Artie, that he was talking about. team, the New Jersey Devils. Brian and Laura Boyle have two young children. Their son Declan has He’s always been a mentor to younger players, active in the community, spent swaths of time in hospitals during this hockey season. They feared popular with the media. This year has been a different kind of challenge, the worst, that another family member was going to have to fight this on many levels. terrible disease. Having the ability to continue playing hockey just months after being Boyle told reporters at the NHL All-Star Game that his son has brain diagnosed with leukemia makes him an obvious candidate to help raise arteriovenous malformation, which is a problem with arteries and veins awareness for various charities. People see athletes as heroes, and for that disrupts blood flow. It almost prevented him from attending as an anyone dealing with cancer, Boyle makes an impact just by putting on his injury replacement for Taylor Hall. uniform and stepping on the ice. “We’re fortunate that it wasn’t what we thought it was going to be,” Boyle It’s part of his nature to want to do more. said. “He’s not a cancer patient, but he’s still a kid who’s had to battle some things. And to see the nurses and doctors do what they do every “The outpouring of support, the number of phone calls, voicemails, texts, single day with different kids — they’re angels.” from people that some of whom were just acquaintances, some of whom were people he’d never met and yet he was so taken with the efforts that All of this would be an incomprehensible ask for any normal young family people had to gone to wish him well, pray for him and try to put his mind to deal with. If Boyle wanted to ask out of the appearances or the visits in a positive place as they could — he was so appreciative of that,” Rick with other sick children, everyone would understand. Curran, Boyle’s agent, said. “He will tell you that his life support has been Lauren, his wife. She’s “I said, ‘Look, I’m getting a lot of requests here.’ He said, ‘Rick, I will do been absolutely tremendous,” Curran said. “As big and strong as he is, anything and everything that I can to bring attention to the need to help he pales in comparison to the strength that he found in his wife. She has beat this thing. At all levels. Every form of cancer.’” just been a pillar through everything. They also just had a baby last fall. She’s the one that has her hands full.” Just being able to play and contribute for the Devils this season would be enough to make Boyle’s story remarkable. His desire to help others adds Through everything that has happened, something that could feel far less another wrinkle. meaningful has occurred: Brian Boyle is having one of the best seasons of his NHL career. There are requests for Boyle’s time through Curran, who works for Orr Hockey Group. There are various asks made through the Devils, which Signed to a two-year contract in the offseason to provide depth and all get filtered through vice president of hockey communications and mentorship for a young club, Boyle’s debut was delayed because of his team operations Pete Albietz. diagnosis. Still, he needs two goals and five points in the Devils’ final 12 games to match the second-highest totals of his career. If Boyle had it his way, every reply would start with, ‘Yes, whatever you need.’ He’s basically been right at the team’s average puck possession rate, though a little unlucky in a share of the goals while he’s on the ice. Boyle “It’s my pleasure,” Boyle said. “I’ve played … 900 pro hockey games is also averaging more time on ice per game than he has in any of the [counting his time in the minors]. I can figure out a way to adjust. I’ve past four seasons. always been a believer that we have a platform and a voice for a reason and it’s up to you how you want to use it. “I feel pretty good,” Boyle said. “It’s been a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety. We were scared for a while. We were scared for our son. It can take a toll on you emotionally. For the most part, I feel really good. Every year the league gets faster and I feel like I’m keeping up as well, if not better.” The NHL rewarded Boyle by inviting him to replace Hall at the All-Star game in Tampa, where he played for three seasons. In a season of touchstone moments, that weekend was full of them. “He’s a great person,” Pittsburgh Penguins forward Carl Hagelin said. “He means well and he cares for not only his closest friends but people in general. For him to be able to go to the All-Star Game was a special moment. The type of guy he is, he’s always liked to be involved in the community. He’s just a good person.” “It was kind of like magic,” Curran said. So too was Saturday night in Nashville. Boyle met Aleks, another child with cancer before the game. The Predators’ foundation was hosting him at the game, and Boyle took a break from the Devils’ pregame soccer routine to speak with him. Then came the tear-inducing meeting with Kendall on the ice. Then came a very important game for the Devils against one of the best teams in the NHL. Boyle helped bolster his team’s playoff chances by scoring his 13th goal of the season, tallying the deciding shootout goal and playing the most he has in the past 20 games because his club was short two injured centers. There will be more nights like this for Boyle. The league, his team and others outside hockey will ask for him to help. If there are enough minutes in the day, Boyle will be there and ready to help others fight. “I’ve felt really bad for Brian and his family, especially with what his son is going through now too. It seems like they can’t catch a break,” Kreider said. “But you wouldn’t know it from talking to him or watching him play or being around their room. That’s just Brian for you. I guess sometimes pretty good people get dealt a pretty tough hand. “He’s just an amazing person.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103953 Websites He’s first all-time with more than $36 million in earnings. He’s third all- time with $17 million in World Series of Poker earnings and sixth all-time with 105 World Series of Poker cashes, according to WSOP.com. On the The Athletic / Daniel Negreanu, poker legend, is now also a Vegas World Poker Tour, he’s second all-time with $6.4 million in earnings and Golden Knights superfan nine final tables. He has cashed 23 times. Overall, he has won more than 50 poker events and has had cameos in multiple movies and TV shows. He was in a Katy Perry music video and Michael Russo tried to fool a lie detector on the show Sports Science. He has authored multiple books on Hold’em, is active on social media (@RealKidPoker), Mar 15, 2018 has a website and blog (fullcontactpoker.com) and two years ago a documentary was released detailing his life and career called, KidPoker.

Affable, energetic, funny, what you see from Negreanu during his LAS VEGAS — Walk around T-Mobile Arena, and everywhere you look tournament play as seen often on ESPN and Fox Sports is what you get are fans wearing Marc-Andre Fleury, William Karlsson, James Neal and when you hang out with him for an hour on a Wednesday night. Jonathan Marchessault jerseys. He is still largely the face of poker. And he has quickly become the most Not Daniel Negreanu. identifiable celebrity spokesman for the Golden Knights. An hour before Wednesday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils, The Vegas resident was an original member of Golden Knights owner Bill one of poker’s most popular and recognizable stars for the past 15 years Foley’s “Founding 50,” which ultimately grew to more than 75. waltzes into the Jack Daniels Lounge wearing the No. 92 sweater worn by Tomas Nosek, an undrafted fourth-liner from the Czech Republic Their job? taken in last June’s expansion draft from the Detroit Red Wings and not exactly one of the household names that have helped the Golden Knights “Selling tickets to something that didn’t exist and asking people to pay 10 soar shockingly toward a likely Pacific Division championship. percent for a team that wasn’t awarded and we didn’t have any sort of timeline on when they’d get their money back and it was non-refundable,” “I think I have the only one,” Negreanu says, proudly. Negreanu said. “We had to, you know, sell it, really.” In Sin City, where they love to put on over-the-top shows up and down That’s why there’s unmistakable pride when you watch Negreanu walk the Vegas Strip, there has been nothing bigger than the Golden Knights around T-Mobile Arena and take in a game. in Year 1 of their NHL existence. He owns 16 season tickets, 12 in the upper deck that he donates to The Minnesota Wild, who boast the NHL's only Nevada-produced player Foley’s charity, the Folded Flag Foundation, and four in Section 6, 11 in history, Jason Zucker, will get their first taste of it Friday night in front rows behind the benches at center ice where he is basically the mayor of what's expected to be thousands of Wild fans along for the ride. known by everybody. The Golden Knights have a 10-point lead in their division and have “During the exhibition games, there were season-ticket holders around established expansion records for wins, points and road wins. me and they were like, 'Why did they stop the play?'” Negreanu said. “I’d Negreanu’s eyes light up with astonishment when asked how amazed he be like, That’s called ICING! You know, so I was basically teaching them is in what has transpired since the Golden Knights first hit the ice for the rules. Not anymore. They know it.” training camp last fall. Daniel Negreanu “When you look at what every pundit said, no one had Vegas higher than 28th overall,” said Negreanu, who grew up in Toronto, is a long-suffering One of the winningest poker players of all-time, Canadian Daniel Maple Leafs diehard and is second all-time in fantasy titles on his now- Negreanu is also a hockey nut and one of the key celebrity fans for the rebuilding 20-year keeper league team. “A few guys took a flier and said Vegas Golden Knights. (Credit: Chris Weeks/WireImage) they would win a few games. But, first of all, the idea of hockey in Vegas was awakened just a couple of years ago. To see it go from that to There are other well-known people there like local celeb Ed Bernstein, already having a team, and a team that’s really good, it’s amazing. No Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer and, uh, the owner of Sapphire’s adult one expected that we would draft a team, through the expansion draft, establishment. that would be competitive to the point where you want to keep your “There’s often a very interesting view behind me of guests that he assets at the deadline. brings,” Negreanu said, laughing. “Only in Vegas do you go to a hockey “Guys like (David) Perron and Neal, we were like, 'Oh cool, they can game and they’re handing out cards for free bottle service at Sapphire’s.” audition here for where they’re going to play after the deadline.' And then, But as Negreanu walks to his seats transfixed on line rushes in warmups, you know, the team’s doing so well that it would’ve been a travesty to get he high-fives fans, fist bumps the in-arena host with a golden rid of them.” microphone, takes pictures with kids, dances to the music and man-hugs Not only didn’t general manager George McPhee sell, he bought by his longtime agent and lawyer, Brian Balsbaugh, whose seats are a row acquiring skilled forward Tomas Tatar from the Red Wings. in front of Negreanu and is at the game with his youngest son, 9-year-old Cash, who plays hockey for the Junior Golden Knights. The Golden Knights have 24 home wins, winning 19 of their first 23 inside their palace of an arena nestled between the hotel and casinos of Balsbaugh is a former Adjunct Professor of Sports Law at the University New York-New York and the Monte Carlo. of Minnesota. His wife is from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and in Sept. 2003, Balsbaugh, an agent for several PGA golfers, signed It’s here where the entertainment that surrounds the game is unlike any Negreanu to be his client at the old Palomino in downtown Minneapolis. other experience in 30 other NHL barns. Today, Balsbaugh is CEO of Poker Royalty and represents most of the It's loud. Very loud. top-20 poker players in the world. There are cheerleaders and a drum line and a giant castle and party “People think there is a public personality and a private personality with decks and outrageous videography and on-ice projections and Daniel. But Daniel’s exactly the same,” Balsbaugh said. “He’s my kids’ intermission performances from anything from the Golden Knights’ godfather, he’s my best friend, we’ve been business partners for 15 Drumbots to the surrounding Cirque du Soleil casts. years and I feel like everybody else knows him as well as I know him. Even when the Golden Knights trailed 4-0 in what turned out to be their “He’s the same person all the time. He’s completely genuine all the time.” worst loss of the season by an 8-3 score Wednesday to the Devils, the party kept rocking. Negreanu’s entire life revolves around the Golden Knights these days. “Like Alex Ovechkin said when he came here, ‘I don’t know if it’s a beach He has only missed six home games due to poker tournament club, a dance party, or a hockey game because everybody’s dancing,’” obligations, and he quickly notes that the Golden Knights are 3-3 in Negreanu said. “And, I mean … people are drinking. It’s Vegas.” games he misses, so that can’t happen anymore. Negreanu, the 43-year-old that burst onto the poker scene as KidPoker, “When I’m home in Vegas, they’re non-miss,” Negreanu said. was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame four years ago. He has won six One of the biggest tournaments on the European Poker Tour is the World Series of Poker bracelets and two World Poker Tour Grand Final in Monaco at the historic Monte Carlo casino. Negreanu has championships. competed in the tournament for a decade, cashed for more than $2 million. Unfortunately, the tournament takes place in late April. He added with a laugh, “From a tailgate perspective, we might have to have a breathalyzer at the door before people get in.” “Just not gonna happen this year,” Negreanu said. “I can’t imagine missing the first playoffs here ever, and ever (again), really. The playoffs As for those playoffs, Negreanu was asked whom he wants the Golden are just something you can’t miss. So, I have evolved my schedule, and Knights to play. it’s enriched my life.” “If I’m being completely honest, and I hope I don’t jinx myself, I don’t think The World Series of Poker, which does last until mid-July, starts in late Calgary is going to make the playoffs, but if I had to pick one right now, May in Las Vegas. What if the Golden Knights ride this Cinderella season and I’d say it looks good — Colorado,” he said. “I think we match up best to the Stanley Cup Final? with Colorado. Not Minnesota! Minnesota, they’ve done really well against us winning two games, they seem to roll four lines and they’re “If we’re in the Stanley Cup, I can miss a couple events,” Negreanu said, deep and they’re pretty steady. laughing. “It would be a good problem to have.” Daniel Negreanu Negreanu takes a pause to just consider the fact that he’s discussing the possibility of an expansion NHL team taking part in the playoffs, let alone Negreanu sits right behind his longtime agent, Brian Balsbaugh — who playing to potentially hoist Lord Stanley’s cherished cup. once worked in Minnesota — at Golden Knights games. (Credit: Michael Russo) “I’ll tell you what I did expect,” Negreanu said of this season. “I expected Colin Miller and Nate Schmidt to improve their numbers. Because I “And the teams that we struggle against are teams that want to slow the thought that the offense was going to be pretty staggered, so a lot of the game down and play like sort of zone to zone. We like to be in transition. goals would come from the point because (Miller and Schmidt) were Minnesota doesn’t seem to want to play that with us, and they’re very more offensively gifted. No one saw William Karlsson putting up 35 smart not to. Like any team that keeps a third man back does really well (goals). I mean, Marchessault was going to get his points but other than against Vegas. I hate giving away the secret but when Dallas did it, they that, like Neal’s gonna get his 20, 25 (goals), but it it didn’t feel like there beat us 3-0. When we don’t score, it’s usually because people are was going to be a lot of offense throughout the lineup. clogging up the neutral zone, protecting the lead if they have one, or are just like, 'We are fine playing a boring style of hockey.' That’s not the “I thought, 'Fleury is going to have to steal some games here and there. style we like to play.” We will be one of the lower-scoring teams.' I didn’t foresee (coach Gerard) Gallant using the assets he had to create such a high-tempo Negreanu does know the sport, having been mostly a road hockey player style. Like, you didn’t expect that, but it actually makes so much sense. growing up. You have a team of guys that weren’t expected to do well, you know what, let’s gamble. Let’s just get the puck in transition and turn it up ice “I was not a very good skater,” he said. “Scouting report would’ve been immediately. And forecheck and forecheck and forecheck!” like, 'Really weak skater, tenacity, he’s a grinder, but can’t skate for shit.'” What Negreanu loves is he and the rest of the Golden Knights contingent Negreanu’s Maple Leafs are third in the Atlantic. A Golden Knights-Maple — which, by the way, isn’t as outnumbered by opposing fans turning Leafs Final could potentially give Negreanu a coronary, but — sorry, Golden Knights games into a destination trip as one may think — isn’t Leafs faithful — he says, “I don’t think this is Toronto’s year. I think just watching victories night after night. they’re going to run up against it. Boston’s going to be a tough, brutal, grinding series … and if you’ve got injuries going in, you’re probably Fans are being thoroughly entertained by one of the most exciting teams going to have some more after (Brad) Marchand gets involved in some in the NHL. dirty hits here and there. “You would have expected the team to be slow, to be kind of meandering “I don’t know if they’re ready yet. I think (Mike) Babcock’s done a good around the ice, a bunch of old guys waiting to retire, but it turned out that job of coaching what he’s got, but I think there are holes on defense. … I McPhee did a really good job of picking guys that had talent, that weren’t don’t think that they’ll be able to get through the tough sled, and if they being utilized,” Negreanu said. “So, you look at Karlsson as an example had to go through Boston and Tampa, I don’t see it.” or (former Wild players Erik) Haula or (Alex) Tuch. Negreanu definitely wears his Golden Knights heart on his sleeve. He “They were never really given a chance to show their offensive chops, has several jerseys, maybe his favorite being the one with a “TUCH- but they got a brand new chance here and they had the chops in juniors YEAH” nameplate. and whatnot, and all of a sudden you put them all together, a bunch of guys with a chip on their shoulder with a lot to prove.” Believe it or not, even though many hockey players are typically poker fanatics and Negreanu’s clearly a hockey guy, he doesn’t really know any The Golden Knights have been embraced by the community. of the Vegas players. Negreanu says all his friends' kids, many of whom are top-end soccer “I don’t do that,” he said. “You know, from afar I’ve talked to a few here and players, have already fallen in love with hockey and started and there, but I don’t really go party with them or anything.” playing. So his belief is the sport will grow in Las Vegas just the way it has in non-traditional markets like Florida, Arizona and California. Negreanu joked last year that he was semi-retired from poker with all the young, up-and-coming newbies out there, but he says now that he has And the organization became such a special vehicle toward helping the started to revive his game. community heal following the Oct. 1 mass shooting during the Route 91 Music Festival that killed 58 and injured hundreds just down the road at “October, November, December I put together what I call PSP, a Mandalay Bay. personal strategic plan of attack in terms of what I’m going to study,” he said. “I basically didn’t play much, but I studied for three months, The Golden Knights still honor a hero from that tragic night every home watching game film and also working with a computer scientist and game. They've paid homage to the heroes by having players accompany another guy who can sort of help make the information manageable for firefighters, doctors, nurses, police officers and paramedics on the ice me to use. before their home opener. “And that really helped. The first night after I played with that, I won a “The sadness and the tragedy didn’t go away, but we turned it into a million at the Bellagio and I’ve done really well since then. But, you know, positive somehow,” Negreanu said. “It gave me chills when they were I’m playing slightly less but much more effective and I plan to play hard at walking in and they were saying, ‘Introducing, Dr. Michael Lee,’ the World Series as always.” accompanied by some guy named James Neal. It really illustrated the heroes, the actual heroes of our community, not just the hockey players, Daniel Negreanu in a way that I think the whole league looked at and said, ‘Wow, it He sees a big correlation between poker and hockey. became easy to root for Vegas.’” “I think with poker that you can compare it to virtually any sport because Around the arena, there are pregame concerts and large gathering spots, in any sport you see teams that will try to take advantage of something,” bars and restaurants for home and visiting fans alike. Thousands of Wild Negreanu said. “So when you think of game theories — that’s a popular fans in for Friday’s game have already organized a gathering at the word in poker, we call it GTO. Poker, a lot, really revolves around that. Beerhaus next door at 3 p.m. Friday. When you see people doing something wrong, or like say a team is “You know what’s great about it?” Negreanu said. “It doesn’t feel like playing too aggressively, there’s a counter-strategy to that. Vegas when you walk that area. It feels like kind of a cool, normal city, “Like football. Perfect example. If a team is running the ball too much, but sports happy. And we didn’t really have that before. We didn’t really well then your defense should set up against the run, and not worry have that kind of culture, a whole bunch of places where people just about the pass. Or vice-versa. If they throw a lot, maybe you can put hang out. I think playoffs will be awesome.” more resources toward that. And then, like in hockey, it’s very similar too. If you have a team that runs run-and-gun, like Vegas, well maybe you want to hem them up in the neutral zone, or not play their style. So, always adapting in sport and in poker, there’s a lot of similarities.” Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green has played in the World Series of Poker. So has Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, and several other NHLers play poker religiously, whether in tournaments or cash games in casinos or on team charters. Asked the best? Negreanu laughs. “(Former Gophers star) Phil Kessel’s a good buddy of mine,” Negreanu said. “He thinks he’s the best, he really does. He thinks he’s the best poker player. But I don’t know about that. His poker game is so much like his hockey game. He’s just a savant talent, right? He has no idea why he scores so many goals. He really doesn’t have a clue. I understand it better than he does. He’s like, I don’t know, eh. I just go out there and I try to shoot the puck and score. “It’s kind of like the same in poker. Not the most analytical.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103954 Websites defenseman. No punches were thrown, but Tarasenko was whistled for a roughing penalty.

Edmundson came on one shift later and said he wanted to drop the The Athletic / Blues' Joel Edmundson looks back at the blocked shot that gloves with Zadorov, but the Avs player had left the ice. put him in surgery before the game ended “I wanted to go see if the guy wanted to fight, just to kind of stand up for 'Stas,' and that shift is when I got injured,” Edmundson said. “I went to By Jeremy Rutherford the bench and it wasn't going away. I didn’t want to do anything stupid, so I was like, ‘Hey let’s get an X-ray just to make sure.’” Mar 15, 2018 Blues general manager Doug Armstrong knew that if Edmundson was willing to get his arm looked at, he was not well. When the Blues’ game against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 8 began, “I thought it might be OK because he actually played for a bit, but when a Joel Edmundson was on the bench under the bright lights at Scottrade guy like 'Eddie' goes to the locker room, you know it’s serious,” Center. When it ended, he was on the operating table under anesthesia Armstrong said. “He’s a little bit like Barret Jackman in that sense that at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. they play through a lot of pain, so if they do leave, you know it’s something that is potentially serious.” Edmundson had blocked a team-high 125 shots going into the night and suffered no serious damage, so the third-year defenseman thought Edmundson headed back, taking off his helmet and gloves, and then nothing of stepping in front of a one-timer off the stick of former went to the trainer's room, where he needed help getting his upper gear teammate Nail Yakupov in the first period. off. He got his sweater and shoulder pads over his head and then noticed something peculiar. “Same thing every time — I’m trying to stop the puck from getting in the net,” Edmundson said. “That’s my job to block shots, so I didn’t think “I saw blood on my left hand,” Edmundson said. “I was confused. I was twice about it. I knew it was going to be a hard shot. I saw it was coming, looking around and I had no idea where it came from. But I took my so I turned my head like I usually do, and went down.” elbow pad off and it was soaked in blood. No one could see it through the pad, but once I took it off in front of the doctors, there was blood Yakupov's attempt from the top of the right circle went an estimated 18 everywhere. feet, traveling about 60 miles per hour, before it was deadened by Edmundson's right forearm. His arm was completely covered in padding, “I thought it was just another cut or something. I couldn’t turn my arm, so but the shot hit him in the seam of that padding, between his glove and I couldn’t see (where the puck hit). But there was just a big gash there, his built-up elbow pad. about one-and-a-half to two inches long. I didn’t see the gash at all. I didn’t know what it looked like, but it was just kind of dangling there.” “I thought it was just another blocked shot, like shake it off,” Edmundson said. “I didn't really know what a broken bone felt like, but my whole arm The Blues took an X-ray and confirmed that Edmundson had indeed just kind of went numb. The puck fell right in front of me, so I just tried to fractured his forearm. scoop it up with that arm. But I put my hand over the puck and I couldn’t feel it at all.” “They took one picture and just by one picture they could see the crack,” he said. “They did one or two more and you could see a clear crack.” Edmundson tries to sweep it away, but can’t get a grasp. Colorado's Colin Wilson skates past him and nearly gains possession along the wall, It was a good thing that Edmundson didn't fight Zadorov. but the Blues' Brayden Schenn gets position and clears the puck out of “That would have been bad,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been able to throw the zone. left because I wouldn’t have been able to grab with the right hand. Colton Parayko, Edmundson's defensive partner, was standing in front of There’s no good way to look at it. I was either throwing with my right or the crease and watched him block the shot. He couldn’t believe when he grabbing with my right, and either way it would have killed. So it was a then saw Edmundson go for the puck a second time. good thing I went to get X-rays.” “The first time I looked, he was down, and then the second time I look up Edmundson was in the trainer's room for less than 10 minutes. Knowing he’s over playing the puck,” Parayko said. “I’m like ‘What’s going on that his parents were watching the game, he immediately sent a text here?’ You don’t really know where it hits him, but it looked like it kind of message to his father, Bob, to give his parents an update. caught him in the arm. Those spots are pretty dangerous because it’s in Edmundson didn't respond to his dad right away, but what doctors were between the glove and the pad – basically puck on bone. It’s amazing saying was that they were worried about an infection, so they sanitized that he kept battling through it. It's pretty insane actually.” the cut with some cream and made plans for him to have immediate As Schenn swats the puck the length of the ice, Edmundson bends in surgery. half, holding his arm, and that's when Parayko knew it was serious. “He Until now, the 24-year-old had only suffered a broken nose in his career doesn’t hunch over in soreness very often,” Parayko said. “You could tell because of fighting and had never had surgery. He went to the locker he was in a lot of pain. You knew something happened.” room by himself, removing his skates with one hand, unsure of how Bob and Lois Edmundson, Joel's parents, were watching the game from many weeks he’d miss. the family's living room in Brandon, Manitoba, and they knew as well. “I was pissed off because I didn't know how long it was going to be,” “I thought, ‘That didn’t look too good,’” Bob said. “Then he skated off the Edmundson said. “I wasn't in the best mood.” ice dragging his arm, and I said, 'Lois, that doesn’t look good.’ They After dressing in a Blues' tracksuit, Edmundson returned to the trainer's showed the replay and I said, 'Broken arm.'” room where he learned he’d be out six weeks. That was at the first Edmundson headed to the Blues' bench, where goalie Jake Allen gives intermission, when the club was leading Colorado 1-0, so players him a pat on the backside, and then Parayko taps his glove on the top of stepping off the ice were coming in to check on their teammate. Edmundson's helmet, which was their way of saying, “good job.” “They were saying, 'Hell of a block, Eddie,' giving me props,” Edmundson Edmundson remains hunched over and, with head medical trainer Ray said. “But then they looked at me like, 'Are you alright? You’re pale.'” Barile at the other end of the bench, assistant trainer Dustin Flynn Chris Thorburn was one of them. instead checks on the defenseman’s condition. “Eddie turned and looked at me and I was just like, ‘Holy …’ it wasn’t “Dusty was asking me the basic questions, but I was in pain, so I wasn’t even Eddie,” Thorburn said. “I don’t know if it was shock or what. He really answering too much,” Edmundson said. “He just kept on asking me looked like he was struggling. Thank God we had the doctors and the if we should go back and get it looked at. I just wanted to wait it out and training staff around to make sure nothing happened.” see if it would go away.” At that point, Blues orthopedic surgeon Rick Wright drove Edmundson to Edmundson had another reason for wanting to stay in the game. A few Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and while Wright was parking his car, minutes earlier, Colorado's Nikita Zadorov had laid a clean but vicious hit Edmundson called his dad to say he was headed into surgery. on Blues center Paul Stastny. Edmundson, who was not on the ice, was not happy. “I was in the lobby in my Blues gear,” he said. “I’m on the phone with my parents and people are looking. No one came up to me, but you get the Three Blues — Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexander Steen and Alex looks.” Pietrangelo — all confronted the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Avalanche Edmundson then changed into a surgical gown and was prepped for the When the defenseman takes the ice Thursday, he'll be wearing even procedure with a dose of anesthesia. Before the medicine kicked in, he more padding on his right forearm. There will be no gap between his remembers chatting up the nurses and admitted that he may have even glove and his elbow pad. been hitting on them. There will also be no hesitation in Edmundson's willingness to step up “Probably,” Edmundson said. and block a shot against the same Colorado club that caused the injury. “He better watch what he says because his mom is a nurse,” Bob “You have no doubt he will,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said. “You don’t Edmundson said, laughing. throw around the word ‘warrior’ lightly, (but) he is. The way that he competes, sacrifices his body, pays a price and does it night after night Whether he was flirting or not, Edmundson and everyone in the room after night …” thought it was surreal that he was playing a hockey game an hour earlier and, after flirting with danger, a blocked shot now had him set up for “I’m not switching my style,” Edmundson said. “I won’t think twice about surgery. it. The guys say I’m crazy. I tell them, ‘I love blocking shots.’ Guys hate blocking shots, but they do it. I don’t know why, but I look forward to it. I The game was still going on at Scottrade Center. love jumping in front of shots, especially if we’re playing somebody like “They all love the Blues and they couldn’t believe it,” Edmundson said. (Montreal's Shea) Weber. I want to block that. It’s kind of weird. I’m just “I’m sitting on the surgery table, and while all the doctors and nurses are messed up in the head, I don’t know. The pain is going to go away, and figuring their stuff out, I’m checking live updates of the game on my it’s stopping a goal — that’s the main thing.” phone. Right before surgery, it was like 3-1 or 4-1 — the boys were just going off.” The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 And then, Edmundson, snapping his fingers, says, “I'm out. I was out cold before the game was even over.” A couple of hours later, after the Blues wrapped up a 6-1 win over the Avalanche, he awoke with six screws and a plate in his arm, which was now heavily wrapped in a cast. “I looked down at my arm and I was like, ‘I guess it’s over with,’” Edmundson said. “I didn’t even know what happened.” Shortly after midnight, Edmundson FaceTimed his parents to notify them he was out of surgery. He spent the night at the hospital and, despite being an NHL player accustom to four-star hotels, he didn't mind. “I was actually surprised how comfy the beds are,” Edmundson said. “I had a great sleep.” The Blues confirmed the surgery at 10 a.m. the next day. There was a report that he had suffered a compound fracture, meaning Edmundson's bone had pierced the skin, but that was inaccurate. “It wasn't a compound, but it’s not a bad rumor,” he said. “Everyone thinks I’m tough now, so I’ll take it.” At 10:30 a.m., Ryan Miller, the Blues' director of hockey administration, picked up Edmundson from the hospital and took him home. Edmundson lives in the same complex as teammate Robby Fabbri, but Fabbri was back home in the Toronto area, rehabbing from his second knee surgery in seven months. So he FaceTimed Fabbri, who told him, “Someone is after us.” It would be tough to prove whether any hockey ghosts were coming after Edmundson, but he finally found out who took the shot that fractured his forearm. It wasn't who he thought it was. “I actually didn’t know it was 'Yak' until after the surgery,” Edmundson said. “He texted me saying ‘sorry’ and that’s when I realized it was him. I thought it was (Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen) the whole time.” But despite the sizable incision, one that had to be lengthened to be able to insert the plate, Edmundson isn’t holding any grudges. In fact, he likes the scar that was left behind. When told it was like a hockey tattoo, Edmundson agreed. “I love it, I love it, it’s a good story,” he said. “I have lots of scars on my face, but this one stands out the most. Chicks dig scars. I mean, I can’t do anything about it, so I might as well like it.” Edmundson wore his original cast for about four days and then traded it in for a removable one, so he could begin working on his range of motion. He had a ball in his right hand at all times, which allowed him to regain strength in his fingers after about a week, and eventually his wrist. He progressed from squeezing the ball to twisting his arm while holding the shaft of a hockey stick, then a hammer and then a baseball bat. Five weeks later, the pain has subsided and the scar has softened, but as Edmundson showed The Athletic when the Blues were in Anaheim last week, he can feel the plate in his arm. Doctors have told Edmundson that the cracked bone is as strong now, if not stronger, than it was before the injury. But while practicing the past couple of weeks, he admits that he still thinks about it. “It’s definitely in your mind; you don’t want to hurt it again,” Edmundson said. “But at the same time, I know it’s sturdy now. You’ve got to fight through the pain, but it still plays in your mind that it feels weak.” 1103955 Websites Trophy-winning Capitals. A few days later in Detroit, something called the “HBK Line” became a thing. Kris Letang started playing 30 minutes a night and he was almost flawless throughout. It all came together in The Athletic / How much does March matter for the Penguins? March. 2017 Penguins By Josh Yohe Stanley Cup champions Mar 15, 2018 Finished second in Metropolitan Division March record: 12-6-3 MONTREAL — Historically speaking, a team shouldn't desire to play the Letang also played a role in this March, though in a much different Penguins in April, May or June. They've won the Stanley Cup five times manner. The Penguins played without him in March and they wouldn't in the past 27 years, have reached a Stanley Cup final six times and enjoy his services again the rest of the season, as he eventually currently boast a core of players that thrives in the postseason. underwent neck surgery. It wasn't a flawless stretch by any means, but the Penguins heated up enough to hold off Columbus, thus earning home History also tells us that you don't want to play the Penguins in March. advantage in the first round of the playoffs. March success is no guarantee that the Penguins will thrive in the Without question, the Penguins get hot in March in their championship playoffs — interestingly enough, the Penguins are almost always good in seasons. March, even in seasons when their playoff performance was ultimately a disappointment — but it has always been a trend in their championship But what about those other seasons? What about the great Penguins' seasons. teams who have flamed out in the playoffs? Let's take a look back at previous March records of the best teams in Here are some examples. Penguins' history, along with the most disappointing teams in franchise 1993 Penguins history. (We'll call “March” the entire month plus the few regular season games that are usually scheduled in early April.) Lost in the second round 1991 Penguins First place in the Patrick Division Stanley Cup Champions March record: 17-2-1 Finished first in Patrick Division This team was the ultimate outlier. Lemieux went on the greatest binge of his career, producing 29 goals and 53 points during a 17-game winning March record: 9-4-2 streak that still stands as an NHL record. These Penguins never should The Penguins played most of the 1990-91 regular season without Mario have been defeated in the playoffs. But they're proof that an indomitable Lemieux, who was dealing with a multitude of back issues following March doesn't mean postseason success is a given. surgery during the previous summer. He returned in late January, and by 1994 Penguins March, the Penguins found their stride. They had once trailed the Rangers by a dozen points for Patrick Division supremacy but caught Lost in the first round them in March thanks to a victory at Madison Square Garden and Kevin Stevens' fluke overtime goal against the Rangers at Civic Arena four First place in the Northeast Division nights later. March record: 13-7-1 1992 Penguins This is a forgotten team in Penguins' history. Under Eddie Johnston, the Stanley Cup champions Penguins won the division even though Lemieux played sporadically because of back and fatigue issues. There's nothing wrong with a 13-7-1 Finished third in Patrick Division March record, certainly. But this was the only Penguins' team to lose to the Capitals in the playoffs. March record: 11-5-1 1996 Penguins If there is a team that the current Penguins look to pattern themselves after, it might be this one. The 1991-92 Penguins were the quintessential Lost in the conference final example of a team that was able to flip the switch when it pleased. They finished third in the division and even making the postseason took some First place in Northeast Division work as those Penguins blew off large chunks of the regular season. March record: 12-8-0 They finished the playoffs by winning 11 straight games. While they didn't take the regular season all that seriously, they did start to find their These Penguins faded a bit down the stretch and it cost them the No. 1 footing in March. seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. In fact, they dropped three of their final four games, missing out on the top seed to the Flyers. They 2009 Penguins never looked right in the first round series against the Capitals, losing the Stanley Cup champions first two before managing to win the series in six. Later that postseason, they were stunned by the Panthers in seven games. Finished second in Atlantic Division 2010 Penguins March record: 14-2-3 Lost in the second round Remember that whole Dan Bylsma magic thing? It started here. Bylsma was hired in February and the Penguins took off almost immediately Finished second in Atlantic Division under his watch. They started swarming the opposition on a nightly basis, March record: 11-6-3 out-shooting teams with great frequency while using an energy and forecheck that was simply too much to handle. These Penguins ran out of gas. I once asked Sidney Crosby about this team and how much frustration he felt, not only because they lost to the 2016 Penguins underdog Canadiens in the second round, but also because the rest of Stanley Cup champions the draw — the Penguins would have played the Flyers in the conference final and the Blackhawks (before they had won anything) in the Stanley Finished second in Metropolitan Division Cup final — seemed fairly favorable. He responded: “Nah. We were done. Olympic year. Final the past two years. We were out of gas.” Of March record: 16-5-0 the 16 games they played in March, they only won seven in regulation. There are plenty of similarities to the 2016 Penguins and the 2009 Then, they struggled to put away a pretty ordinary Senators team in Penguins. Like Michel Therrien seven years earlier, Mike Johnston was overtime of Game 6. Then came the Canadiens series. In this case, dismissed largely because the Penguins' stars had stopped listening to March foreshadowed what was to come. him. Mike Sullivan didn't need much time to turn the Penguins around. By 2012 Penguins March, they had become the league's best team. A six-game winning streak was punctuated by a 6-2 rout against the eventual Presidents' Lost in first round Finished second in Atlantic Division March record: 14-4-1 One of the most frustrating teams in Penguins' history. Sure, that record down the stretch looks impressive. But consider that those Penguins lost two games against the putrid Islanders in March, which cost them the division championship and a much easier draw. Those Penguins permitted 41 goals in their last 11 games. Defense didn't matter because of all the goals they were scoring. Sound familiar? 2013 Penguins Lost in conference final Finished first in Atlantic Division March record: 8-4-0 Because of the lockout that season, April essentially served as March, so we're going with the April record as the “March record.” And by the way, this team was so good that the 8-4-0 record to close the season actually wasn't very impressive. Then Penguins GM Ray Shero added four pieces to this team and probably didn't need to. This team didn't look right down the stretch and never dominated in the postseason the way it had earlier in the regular season. 2014 Penguins Lost in second round Finished first in Metropolitan Division March record: 11-8-3 These Penguins only won half of their games down the stretch and performed so poorly in the playoffs that Shero and Bylsma would be fired shortly thereafter. It was a flawed team and, despite a good regular season, these flaws did start to show in March. So, what does it all mean? The Penguins have an oddly brilliant history of playing wonderful hockey in March. So far this month, they're 4-2-1, so it's too early to draw conclusions. In their five Stanley Cup seasons, they've compiled a 62-22-9 record in regular season games played beyond March 1. That's a 117 point pace. History says that they better heat up in the next couple of weeks if they're to play at their best in the postseason. Few teams play poorly leading into the postseason before flipping the switch. It usually just doesn't happen that way. This is especially true of the Penguins. While their five championship teams span multiple generations, Penguins teams have all been pretty similar. From 1991 to 2017, championship Penguins team have always been about a combination of star power and energy. Sure, good goaltending goes a long way. Playing structured hockey is great, too. But the Penguins are all about offense, and they have historically found a different gear in March, which has led them to greatness on five occasions. There is a cavalier feel to the current Penguins, who can seemingly score at will. They have been allowing goals with alarming regularity this month, much like the 2012 squad. This is a bad sign. But then, the Penguins are playing without Matt Murray and were due for a minor funk following their wonderful run in January and February. They have time to find their stride before the postseason. If the Penguins are going to make history by winning a third straight Cup, they'll probably start playing better soon. It's the way it has always been. Note: The Penguins are not holding a morning skate in Montreal Thursday. Sullivan will meet with the media at 5:30 p.m., where it's expected he will announce Tristan Jarry as the starter for this game.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103956 Websites “You know what? It's the best league in the world. You can't approach it, at the start of your career, that you're going to play forever. You go day by day. And here I am.” The Athletic / Matt Stajan reflects on a career full of ups and downs as Which, according to Stajan, is a lesson to other lesser lights. Stay the game No. 1,000 approaches course. He never possessed the high-end ability that would allow him to coast. By Scott Cruickshank Flash was – and is – foreign to him. Mar 15, 2018 In his first shot at the OHL draft, he was snubbed. (“And there were 20 rounds that year.”) Regrouping while skating for the Mississauga (Midget AAA) Senators, he upgraded his skill and drew Belleville's interest the following season. CALGARY — He cannot provide the details surrounding the occasion of his 1,000th game. Well, not yet. Give it a few more days. Meaning he needed to win over a fresh batch of skeptics. But Matt Stajan's very first taste of the NHL – and the lead-up to the “His first training camp, there wasn't a wow factor,” says Jamie Pringle – milestone moment – is plenty vivid. Rightfully so. then an assistant in Belleville, now an assistant in Calgary. “But as we started to get the numbers down, he stayed because of his smarts. You “You'll like this,” he (correctly) predicts before diving into the tale, which could tell he was a good thinker of the game. Really, a defend-first kind takes place back in 2003. of player. • Tuesday, April 1 – Stajan records a point in his OHL swan song, the “I remember he came in wearing these big, white tube socks and he had Belleville Bulls' elimination post-season loss to the Toronto St. Michael's these spindly little pipe-cleaners for legs. There wasn't anything to him. Majors. But he had a brain and he was willing to get into hard areas.” • Thursday, April 3 – Signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs and travels His value, beyond checking acumen, was noted. During Stajan's rookie immediately to St. John's to join the AHL team. campaign in Belleville, Pringle served as the team's eye in the sky – assessing action from the press box. The next year, though, he was • Friday, April 4 – Makes his pro debut against the Manitoba Moose, assigned to work the bench. registering a helper. It had been Stajan, only 17, who helped him make the adjustment. • Saturday, April 5 – Discovers that the Leafs would like to squeeze him into the Game 82 lineup. In other words, that freaking night. “He basically took a roster (sheet) and went down it and said, 'Hey, here's the approach you need to take. This guy might need a pat on the So Stajan hops a mid-day flight in St. John's. By 4:30 p.m. he's at back. This guy just needs to be taught, even keel. This guy might need Pearson Airport, where his sister Michelle is waiting to ferry him to the the odd kick in the ass,'” says Pringle. “And he wasn't shy about saying, 'I doors of the Air Canada Centre. need the odd kick in the ass, too.' It was invaluable for me to know, 'OK, “I walk in at 5:15 for a 7 o'clock game,” he says. “I remember wheeling in these are the buttons I need to push.' with my hockey bag. There were already fans there. I looked 10 years “He just had a real good grasp at an early age of the mentality and the old. I had a shaved head from the playoffs in junior, a Mohawk. And I was personalities in the room and how we mesh them together.” a scrawny kid. It was all happening fast.” He produced offensively in Belleville, too, and was taken 57th overall by He hands his gear to equipment staffers, who quickly find a stall for him – his favourite team, the Leafs, at the 2002 NHL draft in his hometown. right beside Ed Belfour. Meanwhile, Gary Roberts, spying the spindly That had been a thrill – one that lasted more than seven seasons. interloper, wonders aloud who the new trainer is. Then one Sunday morning, Stajan and Katie, his high-school sweetheart, Roberts soon learns that Stajan is his centre for the evening. Owen were about to tuck into a platter of French toast, when the phone buzzed. Nolan will patrol the right side. It was Ian White, saying he'd been shipped to Calgary. His second shift of the night, deep in Toronto territory, Stajan cleanly loses the draw. But the Ottawa Senators' defencemen bumble away the “While I was talking to him, I got a call from (Toronto general manager) puck. Brian Burke and right then and right there, it was, 'Staje, thank you for your services here. We've made a trade and you're part of it. You're “So I went in on a breakaway,” Stajan says. “I didn't get all of it, and it going to Calgary,'” says Stajan. “A crazy day. But now looking back at it, went five-hole (on goalie Martin Prusek). That whole sequence, it was it was probably one of the best things that's happened to me and my just meant to be. And on Hockey Night in Canada. Unforgettable. family.” “A pretty amazing week to look back on – I scored a point in each league At the time – Jan. 31, 2010 – it didn't feel so hot. They'd been living in within five days. Pretty neat stuff. If I ever want to write a book, I guess I their new house for only two weeks. Katie was crying as she crammed have some stories.” clothes into suitcases. Of course, not every contest is going to pack the same sort of wallop. “It was really surreal,” she says. “It's crazy how fast it happens. The Then again, how could it? Especially when you consider that a blur of personal side of it is different than the hockey side, for sure.” 995 appearances have followed Game 1. Joining Stajan and White were Niklas Hagman and Jamal Mayers. En Propelled by good fortune and a stubborn streak, the Calgary Flames route to Toronto were Dion Phaneuf, Fredrik Sjostrom, Keith Aulie. centreman can nearly touch the coveted four-digit benchmark. Barring mishap, Stajan will reach the 1,000-game plateau March 21 against the In Calgary, he generated enough – 16 points in 27 dates – to log his visiting Anaheim Ducks. second straight 50-plus-point season, but his work under coach was criticized. So, too, was the four-year extension handed to him “When I get there, it'll definitely be a credit to not just myself, but by general manager Darryl Sutter. everybody around me,” the 34-year-old says. “Right from the two organizations I played with to all the coaches and teammates I've had “To be honest, I had a short leash with Brent,” says Stajan. “I got off to a and, most of all, my family, my wife (Katie), who is there for the day-to- really bad start and once you lose that trust with a coach early on, it's day grind through the whole career.” hard to gain that confidence back. I was kind of stuck in a hole with him.” With the Leafs, Stajan watched Tom Fitzgerald and Roberts hit the At the 2011 camp – with Stajan buried on the depth chart behind centres marker – on the same night. He's seen Craig Conroy, Olli Jokinen, and Jokinen, Brendan Morrison, Mikael Backlund, Roman Horak – general Nolan receive their silver sticks as members of the Flames. manager Jay Feaster piled on: “I contrast him with, say, Nik Hagman, who came in here … saying, 'I have to make this hockey team.' With Now he himself is days away from becoming the 317th member of the Matt, it's, 'Every city needs a whipping boy.'” club. Stajan lost sleep, dusted off his defensive game, re-made himself, “I never came into the league saying, 'I'm going to play 1,000 games,'” learned to embrace scant duty, stiffened his upper lip, eventually tiptoed says Stajan, who's rustled up 411 points along the way. “It was just do out of the dog house. No small feat. my job, come to the rink, work hard, be effective, be a good person, be a good teammate. Through all that, games keep ticking by. It's kind of “By the end of Brent's tenure … I built my way back up,” says Stajan. surreal that it's almost here. “We're proud people and this game isn't smooth. There's ups, which are great, there's downs, which you've got to find your way through. There's bumpy roads for every single guy in the room.” He became a pillar of the Flames' dressing room. Just as he was in Belleville. Just as he was in Toronto. Always the glue guy, just with more scars and less hair as the winters skipped by. “The way he was in junior is the same way he is here,” says Pringle. “Whether it's veteran guys or rookies, they all feel good going to him.” And while teammates learned to lean on No. 18, a rock during tough times, it was Stajan and Katie who suffered the cruellest blow imaginable when their infant son Emerson died March 3, 2014. The city embraced the young couple. “I feel like the doors of communication have been opened up. If we're doing a charity event, other families have come up to us to talk about loss,” says Katie, who, with her husband, hosted a January 2015 event called A Night Under The Stars, which raised money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Foothills Medical Centre. “When we do things like that, it makes us feel that Emerson's legacy lives and he will forever live in everyone's hearts and his life had so much meaning and purpose.” Now, more than eight years after arriving in Calgary, Stajan's contract is set to expire. His aim is to continue playing. Whether that's here or in another NHL centre remains to be seen. First things first – those 1,000 games. “You can't really (think), 'I'm going to get there,' because things change in this game daily,” says Stajan. “It's a day-to-day league. Just look at the start to my season this year – I fought it for the first half. I had one point in the first 30 games, even though I felt great. The confidence wasn't there. But you work hard and it eventually turns if you stick with it. “That's how I've gone about my career. There's been so many ups and downs, all you can do is control what you can – that's been my focus.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103957 Websites “Personally, there’s a lot of things I can work on,” Toews said. “I think even throughout the stretches where our team wasn’t scoring I felt like I was getting stretches and a lot of great shooting opportunities that I The Athletic / Jonathan Toews' offense has awoken, but how can the wasn’t converting on. I think with my linemates, playing a majority of the Blackhawks make sure it lasts? year with Brandon Saad, I think we did a good job of creating when we had the puck, but sometimes we felt we were one-and-done where we get one chance and we’re skating back to our end to get the puck, and I think that can drain the energy out of you over the season. I think for By Scott Powers myself it’s focusing on where I can support my linemates better and try work on keeping puck possession so you can create more and more Mar 15, 2018 plays where eventually pucks go in for you.”

Toews has had a couple stretches over the last few seasons in which Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville reminds us all the time points aren’t he’s shown he still has offensive ability and can accumulate points. The the only way to measure Jonathan Toews. line of Nick Schmaltz, Toews and Panik was the Blackhawks’ best line for some time last season. Saad, Toews and Vinnie Hinostroza produced Toews certainly measures himself that way, though. Toews values those when together this season. Toews began this season on a five-game other parts of his game that Quenneville does, but the production still points streak and had nine points over five games from Dec. 31-Jan. 9. matters to him, and he gauges his stats from season to season. Now he's finally heating up again. His nine points in March have already “It’s hard not to,” Toews said Wednesday. “I think once in a while you exceeded any month’s point total this season, and the Blackhawks have look at the big picture, trying to see what the trends are in your game, nine more games before the calendar flips to April. what you need to work on, what you’re doing well. Sometimes things change as far as circumstances that you focus on what you can do “I feel like late in the season is where I always pick it up and play my best better, what you can improve on. Yeah, there’s no doubt everyone kind of hockey,” Toews said. “I don’t know if you stop thinking out there and just looks at their numbers especially when you consider yourself an play, eventually pucks go in. It’s easier to concentrate on the process. I’m offensive player.” getting a lot of good opportunities to shoot on the power play and things are happening from there as well. It’s not easy to pinpoint, but there’s For most of Toews’ career, he’s been a moderate offensive player, probably a few things like that that are contributing right now.” especially among the league’s centers. He has finished among the top- 10 centers in points over an 82-game schedule once in his career. That Toews is right. He has often been at his best — or near it — late in the came during the 2010-11 season when he produced a career-best 76 season. He has averaged 0.97 points in February and 0.88 points in points. On average, he’s about 20th among centers in points each March, which rank first and third, respectively, in terms of the most season. productive months of his career. In past years, the points haven’t mattered as much. He matched up Quenneville pointed to Toews playing with Saad and Patrick Kane as against top lines, was on the ice for many more goals for than goals why he’s producing now, but it’s gone beyond that line. Of Toews’ nine against, contributed on both sides of special teams, won a ton of faceoffs points in March, he’s registered four points on the power play, four at 5- and still produced a respectable amount of points. Back then, fans on-5 and one at 3-on-3. weren't fixated on his lack of production and massive cap hit. Losing has Toews has benefitted from moving away from the slot and to the right a way of changing perspectives. half-wall on the power play. It’s allowed him to be more mobile, distribute This season he hasn’t done enough of those other things to ignore the the puck better and get off his shot. fact he’s on track to have the worst offensive season of his career. His “I guess when pucks start going it’s easy to let every part of your game rate of 2.13 points per 60 minutes is the lowest of his 11-year career. just settle in and just go out there and play and make things happen and Why has this happened? There are a number of reasons. eventually the chances come and eventually they go in,” Toews said of the power play.” • Toews hasn’t produced much on the power play. His 2.75 points per 60 minutes on the power play is the third worst rate of his career. He’s Quenneville will have to decide heading into next season whether to especially struggled to score on the power play as his 0.54 goals per 60 keep Kane and Toews together. He’s often split the two apart to give the rate is the worst of his career. Of the 49 forwards who have played 200 Blackhawks more balance. Late this season, Quenneville united them minutes on the power play this season, he has the second fewest goals because nothing else seemed to be working. Quenneville said with two. Wednesday playing Kane and Toews together next season is a possibility. • Toews’ shooting percentage has dropped. His overall 9.45 shooting percentage marks the first time in his career he’s been under 10 percent The results with Kane and Toews together this season have been mixed. for a season. His 8.63 shooting percentage in 5-on-5 play is the second In 175 minutes of 5-on-5 play, they have a 55.08 Corsi percentage and worst of his career. His 4.88 power-play shooting percentage is the worst 47.37 goals for percentage. They have been on the ice for nine goals for of his career. and 10 against. • Toews’ 5-on-5 production isn’t where it’s often been. He’s averaging The goals for percentage probably does draw a yellow flag. The 1.84 points per 60 minutes, which is the third worst of his career. His 0.76 Blackhawks have often succeeded when Toews is matched up against goals per 60 minutes is also third worst in his career and 1.08 assists per top lines and creating more goals for than against. That’s also often 60 are fourth worst. allowed Quenneville to get Kane and his line more offensive zone opportunities and better matchups. That’s probably why Quenneville will • His linemates aren’t helping. While Toews’ 0.83 primary assists per 60 separate them again next season. minutes in 5-on-5 play has been among his best seasons, he’s having a career-worst season producing secondary assists. He’s averaging 0.25 Toews would benefit greatly from two things happening next season. secondary assists per 60 minutes, about half of what he typically First, Saad needs to start finding the net again. He’s shooting a career- averages. Brandon Saad not living up to expectations, and Richard Panik worst 7.53 percent in 5-on-5 play. He’s usually around 11 percent. failing to duplicate last season hurt as well. Second, that line needs a consistent right winger. The hope was Panik would be that, but his inconsistencies proved to be too much. The line • Possession isn’t resulting in scoring, and he’s defending a lot more too. has been effective with Hinostroza this season, and Alex DeBrincat, Toews has never been on the ice for more shot attempts for and against Anthony Duclair and Kane have all also played 100-plus minutes with per 60 minutes than he has been this season. He’s been on the ice for Toews this season. 75.49 shot attempts for per 60 minutes and 58.16 against. It’s nearly the same for shots on goal for and against. The problem for Toews is that This season isn't going to end the way the Blackhawks hoped it would, hasn’t translated the way he’d hope in terms of goals. Toews has been but there is value in Toews finishing strong. Over the past 25 games, on the ice for 43 goals for and 39 against this season for a 52.44 goals he’s second only to Kane in points on the Blackhawks. If he can keep it for percentage, the second worst of his career. At his best, Toews had a up, that’s something he and the Blackhawks can carry into next season. plus-30 goal differential during the 2010-11 season. “It comes down to having confidence,” Toews said. “It comes down to • Toews hasn’t registered a shorthanded point this season. Never has he looking at where you’re at positionally, how you’re playing the game, how finished a season with fewer than two shorthanded points, and he had a you’re trusting your linemates. As we head into the postseason or career-best seven shorthanded points during the 2015-16 season. whatever happens the next handful of games, keep getting better. When the offseason comes, it’s always good to assess what you need to work Toews touched on a number of factors when explaining why his on and definitely get ready for next year.” production has often been absent this season.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103958 Websites 2016-17 (NHL) 14 2017-18 (NHL) 5 The Athletic / Worried about the long-term effects, Mark Borowiecki will Source: hockeyfights.com turn down fights Fighting might have got his foot in the door, but now he is ready to start closing the door on that part of his career. He said he feels like he’s at the point where he can contribute in other ways. He worked hard in By Chris Stevenson improving his skills this past off-season. They are modest totals, but he has career bests in goals (three) and shots (53) and is one point away from tying his career high of 11 points with 13 games left in the season. “For me and my health on and off the ice, I don’t think fighting is the right thing right now.” On the possession front, he’s broken into positive territory in unblocked shot attempts at 50.14 per cent, one of two current defencemen, along The two weeks of constant vomiting, the mood swings, the wondering if with Erik Karlsson, to be north of 50 per cent (keep in mind he was out his professional life as he knew it was over, pushed Mark Borowiecki to for December which wasn’t a good month for the Senators). make the decision. “My focus this past summer was on my hands and my shooting and my The Ottawa Senators defenceman missed 23 games after sustaining a conditioning. I think it has paid off for me,” he said. “People who have concussion when he was sent flying into the boards by New York watched me this year can’t say that this hasn’t been the best hockey that Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith on Nov. 19. He was unconscious I’ve played. I felt it out there myself. I have that belief in myself now, that I on the ice. know I can contribute in ways with my gloves on. It’s something that I’m going to keep working on. I’m not going to just sit here and be content On an off day in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, he sat on a rock and with it. I plan on doing the same thing this summer, working on those skill turned his face to the sunshine and talked on the phone with his wife, sets a lot and really trying to round out my game. Tara, for an hour, turning over and over the thought that had been going through his mind since his return. “The way I’ve been playing this year, I don’t have to fight to make a mark on the game. That last game against Tampa, for me, I had a bunch of When he got off the phone that day, a player who had opened the door to hits, a bunch of blocked shots. I was still that physical presence, but in a his professional career by fighting all comers — “I never had that ability different way. I thought that was one of my best games of the year. If I to say no” — had decided that was exactly what he was going to do. can keep playing that way, I can have an impact physically with my gloves on and I think that’s going to be an important thing for me moving “I need to make a decision here in terms of how many shots can you take forward.” to the head before it comes back to bite you?” Borowiecki wondered to The Athletic on Thursday. Senators coach Guy Boucher said he has had conversations with Borowiecki about changing his game and how he can contribute. He He’s concerned, and he should be, about the long-term effects of taking asked Borowiecki to try and get more involved in the play this season what amount to needless punches to the head. He knows and is willing to and has been happy with the results. accept there is a certain level of risk associated with a collision sport like hockey, especially the way he plays it (since he became a full-time player “One of the reasons he’s here is he’s a tough guy, but he’s definitely in 2014-15, he is third in hits with 1,022 behind Matt Martin, 1,187; and developed way past that, like way past that. I need him on the ice,” Cal Clutterbuck, 1,063). Boucher said. “That’s what he is right now. He jumps into the play and I’ve asked that of him since the beginning of the season and that’s how He said he thinks his game has improved to the point where he can keep he started the year. his gloves on and still be an intimidating presence. “That’s what he’s become now. He’s not just this guy you put out there to “I think now kind of maturing on the ice with my game rounding out and scare the opponent. He can play now.” being able to contribute in more ways and also maturing off the ice as kind of an adult and someone who wants to have a life after hockey, I Boucher knows there are still going to be times when Borowiecki is going want a family,” he said. “ I want to do all those things.” to drop the gloves. It’s still part of his game, but it’s going to take a different set of circumstances for him to fight now. The effects of the concussion he sustained in November were “scary,” he said and when the fog started to lift, he saw more clearly the decision he “Sometimes your better players are being harassed and since the players had to make. stick together some guys are going to stand up for those guys and Boro is certainly one of those guys. He never shied away from it,” Boucher “I’ll be honest with you. I spent a week to 10 days, two weeks, throwing said. “There are a lot of moments in the game where you don’t need that up when my head would move up and down. I wasn’t driving. I wasn’t anymore. You really don’t. I’d rather have him on the ice hunting guys myself. It’s scary. It really, truly is. It’s one of those things you’ve got to because he hits so hard and the opponent knowing that he’s on the ice make a choice,” he said. and not in the penalty box for X number of minutes and they’re free to “Back when I broke into the AHL, CTE (chronic traumatic skate around because he won’t be there. encephalopathy), it really wasn’t at the forefront like it is now. I just didn’t “When there’s a hunter on the other side, he always on your mind and care. I just wanted to establish myself. I was fighting 15, 20 times a year. obviously Boro’s one of those guys, so that does have an intimidation Not as a heavyweight, not taking some of the shots that some of those effect.” other guys take, but more as a gamer, a middleweight. Borowiecki said his talk with Tara, “the voice of reason,” he called her, “I think (turning down fights) is something I need to do to grow as a confirmed what he had been thinking. He said he had been keeping to player and a person. For me and my health on and off the ice, I don’t himself during the road trip as he contemplated this adjustment in the think fighting is the right thing right now. If it happens spontaneously I’ll course of his career. do it … even this year, as recently as my last fight (against Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson on Feb. 27), I didn’t have to go, and I don’t “We had an adult conversation … we both kind of said our piece and even know if I consciously chose to, but it was almost like a reflex, I just talked it through and we agreed,” he said. “She’s very supportive of me in went.” whatever direction I wanted to go. She didn’t read me the riot act and say ‘you have to stop fighting’ and she didn’t say ‘you have to fight to be in Borowiecki, 28, fought 38 times in the AHL between 2011 and 2014. He this league.’” has had another 47 fights in the NHL, including five this season. He’s not naive enough to think he’s not going to have guys knocking on Mark Borowiecki career fights by season (includes pre-season): his door, especially given the way he plays the game. That’s fine. He’s 2011-12 (AHL) 11 just not going to go looking for it anymore or accept a fight for the sake of justifying his existence. 2012-13 (AHL) 15 “No matter how much I try and avoid it, I’m going to go out there and lay 2013-14 (AHL) 12 someone out and I’m going to turn around and my gloves are going to be off,” he said. “That’s the nature of the beast, right? But am I going to out 2013-14 (NHL) 5 there chasing guys around the ice calling them out? That’s a maturity, a 2014-15 (NHL) 15 growth as a person and as a player to cut that out.” 2015-16 (NHL) 8 The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103959 Websites Not only does Panarin prove to again be remarkably consistent, he’s remained at an elite level of performance when it comes to moving the puck the right way and generating offense. The Athletic / Consistent Artemi Panarin proving to be as good as “(Panarin) is a guy that knows how to get the attention and then find the advertised in Columbus open guy,” Shelley said. “He’s an excellent anticipator, even when there’s open space when there’s not much out there for him now because he is a guy that’s being targeted, he’s finding it.” By Alison Lukan There’s perhaps no better example of what Panarin can do than the five- Mar 15, 2018 assist performance he put up Dec. 8 in New Jersey. All of Panarin’s skills were on display, including two helpers that came on royal road passes — a pass that crosses an imaginary line that goes lengthwise up the ice from the goal out to the top of the circles. Royal road passes that lead to When Artemi Panarin was traded to the Blue Jackets this offseason, the a shot attempt have one of the highest degrees of likelihood of leading to first reviews of the move were frequent and repetitive surrounding one a goal. point — how will he do playing away from a player like Patrick Kane? “Getting to know him, he knows where to put the puck,” Pierre-Luc “Throughout my career, people always said I’m playing (well) because of Dubois said earlier this season. “You just have to skate into it and I never somebody else,” Panarin said through his agent, Dan Milstein, at a news know 100 percent if he’s going to make those plays, but I kind of expect it conference after the trade. “Nobody remembers when I played prior to from him. He’s so good, so smart.” the last couple years. I’m used to it, and I don’t pay any attention to it. I get a little bit angry with it.” And perhaps the most interesting wrinkle to all of this is that Panarin’s performance this season has come with more challenging starts, perhaps But the question lingered. Could Panarin produce in a similar way to what due to his head coach’s trust in the player’s abilities. Panarin’s zone start made him so successful in Chicago? Now 70 games into the Russian’s ratio this year, which measures his percentage of offensive zone starts first season with the Blue Jackets, we decided to take a look at how he’s relative to total starts, is at 64.74. That’s a big decrease from the 80.51 done, and if it’s better or worse than his play with the Blackhawks. he was seeing last year in Chicago. Let’s start off with where everyone looks first, the scoreboard. Last year, “We wondered how is he going to adapt here but he drives the bus when in 82 games, Panarin put up a stat line of 31-43-74 with 9-8-17 coming it comes to playing defense, winning battles and competing,” Shelley on the power play. This year, through 70 games, the forward has 21 said. “That’s what really jumps out to me. He’s out there making it goals and 40 assists for 61 total points and has 6-10-16 while playing happen.” with the man advantage.

Obviously, with 12 games left this season we can’t compare those totals directly, but we can compare the rate at which Panarin has been scoring. The Athletic LOADED: 03.16.2018 Using data from Corsica.hockey, the chart below shows Panarin’s points per 60 and primary points (goals plus primary assists) per 60 for both last year and this. We see that in each of these measures, Panarin hasn’t varied significantly in his performance this year compared with last. This is particularly meaningful on special teams knowing that he’s played on a Jackets power play that struggled early in the season. “He’s come in here and every single night he’s brought his game,” defenseman Zach Werenski said. “In a year where we’ve kind of been up and down, haven’t scored many goals, he’s a guy that’s every single night he’s on the scoresheet.” While scoring is valuable, what has been just as meaningful is Panarin’s play away from the puck. “I always start by saying we know him as a goal scorer,” former NHL player and current Jackets broadcaster Jody Shelley said. “When you look at the highlights — he’s a highlight reel. He’s a star in the National Hockey League. But right away, the way he plays away from the puck, the way he never loses the battle, the way he competes, those were three things I did not know about him.” The style is one that is informed by Panarin’s passion for mixed martial arts, Shelley believes, and it’s the type of work on the ice that can pay off. In the GIF below we see Panarin fight to maintain possession of the puck through two separate battles. The end result of his play is that the Jackets maintain control of the puck and David Savard’s shot ends up in the net. Plays like this only reflect that Panarin has remained remarkably true to the player he showed himself to be before he came to Columbus, not just in his own individual performance, but in his benefit to his team. We can see this in numbers that track the percentage of shot attempts, goals and expected goals (shot quality) the Jackets have with Panarin on the ice as illustrated in the chart below. “He’s playing his game, he’s one of our hardest workers,” Werenski said. “I can learn a lot from him, just the way he plays the game, how hard he competes.” We can look at what Panarin does well at an even deeper level, also. The Athletic’s Corey Sznajder’s tracking work documents every pass that leads to a shot (a shot contribution), every zone entry (getting the puck into the offensive zone) and every zone exit (getting the puck out of the defensive zone). The chart below, courtesy of CJ Turtoro, illustrates how Panarin performed in these categories last year compared with this. 1103960 Websites Needing some help from a backup at some point in the post-season? Okay, sure. And look at what Marc-Andre Fleury did with Pittsburgh last season when Matt Murray was hors de combat. But Fleury was no typical Sportsnet.ca / McElhinney's bump in playing time could benefit Leafs in backup — he was the Penguins’ main man in the Cup run of 2009 and long run the near-miss the year before. When he drew the assignment, he was no ordinary Yesterday’s Man.

Mike Vernon was another case in point back in 1997. Most figured Chris Gare Joyce Osgood, the ostensible No. 1, would get the start in the Red Wings’ post- season, but instead Scotty Bowman went with Vernon, who had a March 15, 2018, 11:56 PM Stanley Cup on his CV. He wound up being good for another ring. There’s no mistaking McElhinney for Fleury or Vernon. And leave aside the biggest goaltending gamble of all time: the Canadiens’ decision to go BUFFALO, N.Y. — You can forgive Toronto Maple Leafs fans if the with rookie Ken Dryden, he of six career NHL games, instead of Rogie upper-body injury of goaltender Frederik Andersen in the home shootout Vachon, a future Hall of Famer. win over Dallas Wednesday has them on shpilkes. The Leafs were going to opt to start their No. 2 man Curtis McElhinney in Buffalo Thursday, the If Andersen isn’t good to go for a while, well, you’d have to think that the latter of back-to-back games. Effectively there was no change to the Leafs wouldn’t be completely at sea, at least if you’re looking at the short lineup, only a what-if to ponder: What if Toronto has to call McElhinney’s run. Not that McElhinney has a Cup on his resume like Fleury or Vernon, number again in a much more meaningful game than a late-season tilt nor generational upside like Dryden barely out of college. No, with the going-nowhere Buffalo Sabres? McElhinney is now as ever a backup; a fall-back. He does have history, though. There wasn’t definitive intel to glean from McElhinney’s performance in the Leafs’ 5-2 win over the host Sabres, who, given the exodus of face- Want to livestream 56 Leafs games this season? See how you can painted fans down the Queen Elizabeth Way, were the second-most stream this + over 300 regular season NHL games with Sportsnet NOW. beloved team in the KeyBank Center Thursday. On the last Saturday night of last season, with the Leafs’ playoff hopes McElhinney made a blocker save on Ryan O’Reilly with the game hanging in the balance, Andersen went down in a pile against the scoreless in the first minute but soon thereafter he was staked to a lead. Penguins and McElhinney was summoned. The Leafs came from behind At the end of the night he had made 38 saves, 18 in a furious second in that game and McElhinney wound up making a save on a Sidney period when the puck pin-balled all around the Leafs’ goalie on a power Crosby one-timer in the final minute of regulation that clinched the play before the second intermission. needed two points for a post-season berth. And, yeah, that would be a reason for his teammates to raise their game when his number has been Livestream every single game of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs— called this season, last night included. blackout free—plus all 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, key Raptors & NBA Playoffs matchups and the 100th Mastercard Memorial Cup, all in Thursday night in Buffalo wasn’t remotely like the situation that one subscription. McElhinney was thrust into last April. And Mike Babcock wasn’t ringing alarm bells about Andersen’s injury after the win over Dallas. Andersen The only blemishes on his night’s work were power-play goals by Sam could be back in time for Saturday night when the Canadiens visit Reinhart in the first and Jason Pominville in the second. No matter, Toronto. Or not. The Leafs might exercise some caution with Andersen. McElhinney improved his season record to 9-4-1. He came into the game Or have no other choice. Andersen could be right as rain and good to go with a .929 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average, so those the rest of the way and into the post-season. Or maybe get banged up numbers will be fractionally shinier after the fact. “My [career] record has by, say, Brad Marchand or some rules-breaker taking liberties. been closer to .500 so this year has been a bit of a surprise,” McElhinney said, keeping his ego in check. Even if he’s not called on in the post-season, it might have been a net benefit that McElhinney had a chance to get a couple of victories in a Shinier too is the Leafs record: The win over the Sabres put the Leafs 20 couple of nights this week and maybe a bit more of a workout down the games over .500. Yeah, they’re very unlikely to run down Tampa. Maybe stretch than might have been anticipated. Boston could be a target, though that’s a big ask down the stretch — the win against the Sabres and the Bruins’ loss to the Panthers Thursday, leaves Toronto five points behind the current No. 2 seed in the division. (Boston has two games in hand.) Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.16.2018 Buffalo has infamously been a bit of a graveyard for the Leafs over the years and when you looked at the schedule, it looked like a trap game, even if the Sabres were without Jack Eichel. McElhinney credited his teammates with setting the tone early. “It’s a tough building [for us] and I thought we had a good start tonight,” McElhinney said. “I thought we played a pretty solid game for a back-to-back situation.” One of the old-school hockey canards is that some goaltenders inspire teammates to raise their game. The standard line goes something like: “They play hard in front of him.” Buy it or not, it at least looked that way with McElhinney Thursday. After notching a hat trick against Dallas, James van Riemsdyk scored twice in the first seven minutes in Buffalo and the die was cast. While Reinhart’s goal brought the Sabres to within one going into the first intermission, they never really threatened to tie the game. When the score tightened, so did the Leafs’ play in their own end. Goals by Connor Carrick and Tyler Bozak stretched the Leafs’ lead to 4-1 in the second and Patrick Marleau snuffed out faint late hope for the Sabres with an empty-netter. You had to cringe when you saw Leo Komarov collide with linemate William Nylander and limp off with what looked like a hyper-extended knee. What his status will be going forward is to be determined. More worrisome, though, is the status of Andersen in the near future and the weeks ahead. Before he came to Toronto from Anaheim, the oft-asked questions about Andersen pertained to his ability to stand up to the workload of a No. 1. It looked like he dispelled any doubts with his play in 58 games prior to being knocked out of the win over Dallas Wednesday. Now, those questions will be reheated. You have to believe that any team’s hopes in the playoffs ride on the well-protected shoulders of its No. 1 goaltender. 1103961 Websites It’s been a long road for the Swede to show he was capable. He was drafted 34th overall in 2013 and has played just 108 NHL games to the 133 he’s played in the AHL. Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' De La Rose, Drouin gain valuable experience It appears as though it’s starting to finally click for him. vs. Crosby, Malkin “There are different circumstances and he was in and out of the lineup, but when he was out he was upset,” said Gallagher. “When he was Eric Engels coming back he was motivated to play, and now for him getting a chance to play he’s really taking advantage of it. He’s showing what he can do at March 16, 2018, 12:12 AM this level.” The Canadiens had hoped it wouldn’t take this long for Drouin to do the same at centre, but he had spent his first NHL years as a winger with the MONTREAL – It was a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but an Tampa Bay Lightning and expectations might have been unreasonably experience worth savouring for certain members of the Montreal high for what he could do on a roster with an obvious talent deficiency. Canadiens. Two in particular, both of them 22 years old, who drew what might be considered the toughest assignments in the NHL. “In an ideal world, he’d be on the wing,” said Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin earlier this year about the player he traded 19-year-old Jacob De La Rose learned he’d be matched up against Sidney Crosby stud defenceman Mikhail Sergachev for. when he read his saw his name in the starting lineup, and Jonathan Drouin knew he had drawn Evgeni Malkin by default. Colossal challenges They were words that stung Drouin, but ones that also motivated him to that were met well by both players, according to Canadiens coach prove himself. Claude Julien. “I like centre,” he said prior to Thursday’s game. “I’m getting better at it. “I don’t have the [Patrice] Bergerons,” said Julien. It’s like if I can’t play it next year, then at that point I haven’t succeeded. But I’m still being given the chance to show what I can do. I can play the Never mind the Boston Bruin who happens to be the best defensive position, and I’m starting to like it quite a bit.” centre in hockey; Julien doesn’t even have Tomas Plekanec, who’d have taken the Crosby assignment—and part of the Malkin one, too— if he Julien sees the difference. were still plying his trade with the Canadiens instead of doing so for the Toronto Maple Leafs. “If he continues to play the way he is right now, we’re allowed to be wrong sometimes because we’re seeing progress. I think [Bergevin’s] Phillip Danault (headaches) and Andrew Shaw (concussion symptoms) comment was made at the time we weren’t seeing things we’re starting to could’ve helped, too. Knowing that they weren’t available and knowing see now,” said Julien Thursday morning. the Canadiens were dressing 11 players who hadn’t started their year in Montreal against the two-time Stanley Cup champion Penguins was “I think Jonathan continues to thrive on those kind of assignments, so I knowing how this was going to play out. see a guy playing much better lately,” Julien said after matching Drouin up against Malkin, who had come into the game having scored 25 goals But as Julien pointed out, there was experience – and confidence – to be since Jan. 1. gained from it. It’s fair to say both De La Rose and Drouin took their share. There was evidence of it all over the ice on Thursday. “Obviously it’s a great challenge and I like to challenge myself, too,” said “He didn’t deserve to be minus-2,” said Gallagher. De La Rose. “I think I was plus-1 against [Crosby]. Obviously we want to Hornqvist’s winner and Rust’s empty-net goal made it so. But all in all, it win the game, but I think our line [with Alex Galchenyuk and Artturi was a very positive night for Drouin and De La Rose. Lehkonen] did a pretty good job against him.”

It was just three minutes into the game when De La Rose transitioned the play to offence, starting the play that led to the opening goal. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.16.2018 Galchenyuk took over and found Jeff Petry at the point and Lehkonen slashed to the middle and put a nifty tip on a shot that beat Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. Drouin and his unit got to work on the power play three minutes later and the puck eventually found Paul Byron for his 17th goal of the season. But what Drouin was doing in the neutral zone—and more importantly in his own zone throughout—was something worth paying attention to. He shadowed Malkin well, kept his feet moving and his head on a swivel, and he started the momentum in the faceoff circle that led him to win 79 per cent of his draws in the game. Neither De La Rose nor Drouin were on the ice when Bryan Rust gifted Phil Kessel the goal that got the Penguins on the board. And though Drouin was caught on for Patric Hornqvist’s 2-2 marker, it was Petry who fell for Hornqvist’s deke and Byron who slipped his pass into the Canadiens’ net. Later in the game, with the score 3-3, the Canadiens got caught running around in their own end and a puck came to Hornqvist in the slot to put the game on ice and he delivered. Drouin got caught in no man’s land, but that’s what happens when assignments get missed all over the ice. “We were all out of whack on that play,” said Drouin’s linemate Brendan Gallagher. So were the Penguins earlier, when Drouin came storming into the offensive zone and trapped defenceman Kris Letang in the corner to free the puck on Nicolas Deslauriers’ goal that made it 3-3 in the second period. That was the ebb and flow of this game, with the Canadiens holding their own (to the best of their limited ability) against a much stronger opponent. “If you want to be in this league, you gotta be able to [stand] up to challenges like that,” said De La Rose. 1103962 Websites Zadina is the latest star to come out of the Halifax Mooseheads system in the QMJHL. Developing on a team that has produced two of the past five No. 1 overall picks (Nathan MacKinnon in 2013, Nico Hischier in 2017), Sportsnet.ca / Five players Canucks could take in Round 1 of NHL draft and a few other top-10 picks (Jonathan Drouin, Timo Meier, Nik Ehlers), Zadina is on track to become a top-line sniper in the NHL if all continues to go well. Rory Boylen With 42 goals in 55 QMJHL games this season, he’s tied for fifth in the entire league, but when you account for goals-per-game average, he March 15, 2018, 2:36 PM moves up a spot. “When he gets time and space with the puck, he makes plays at ease,” Mooseheads defenceman and projected first-rounder Jared McIsaac told With a 3-0 loss to Anaheim on Wednesday night, Vancouver’s third Sportsnet in January. “He’s got a really good shot, one of the most lethal straight game without scoring a goal, the Canucks are officially shots in our league, maybe even the CHL.” eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoffs contention. They may have unofficially been out of the running for the past few months, though the The few games he’s missed have been due to the world juniors and a final nail in the coffin was hammered at the end of this three-game road two-game suspension for the play below. trip. 3. Andrei Svechnikov, RW But while fans of the team won’t be looking forward to the Stanley Cup this summer, there will be another prize on the way that could one day After starting the year ranked No. 2 in Sportsnet’s NHL draft rankings, help the Canucks get there. Svechnikov has slipped behind Zadina to No. 3 but not because of his own play. Unlike the other top prospects in this draft, Svechnikov did not Already with an unprecedented collection of youth (as Sportsnet’s Iain play a significant role for his country at the world juniors, but still MacIntyre wrote about earlier this season), Vancouver will add another managed five assists in five games. At the Top Prospects Game in top-level prospect in the early stages of the 2018 NHL Draft. After January, Svechnikov was bested by Zadina, two goals to none. finishing in a bottom three spot in the league the past two seasons, Vancouver has whiffed on draft lottery luck and picked fifth overall in both But at the recent Five Nations Tournament in which the Russians 2016 and 2017. As they continue to sink lower in standings with a 2-6-2 finished with a 2-2 record, Svechnikov was tied for the lead in goals (four) record in their past 10, Vancouver could at least guarantee itself a top- and points (eight). four pick by finishing last overall. What’s especially amazing about Svechnikov’s first year in North In that scenario, they’d also have approximately a 48.1 per cent chance America is how he’s stood out from the pack in scoring despite missing of picking within the top three. significant time for international tournaments and because of a hand injury that forced him out of action for two months in the first half of the While we don’t yet know exactly where the Canucks will select in Round season. With 66 points in 41 games, Svechnikov has an 11-point lead in 1, we can look at the players who could be available at the top end of the the rookie scoring race. His 37 goals are tied for 11th in the OHL, with a draft. Even if Vancouver doesn’t end up with projected No. 1 pick per-game average better than anyone ahead of him. Rasmus Dahlin, there are other high-end prospects who will likely have a lasting impact in the NHL. Since returning from his injury in December, he has 52 points in 31 OHL games, including a nine-game stretch in which he recorded at least two 1. Rasmus Dahlin, D points each time he hit the ice. Since Dec. 8, Svechnikov’s been held pointless just three times. This is the guy everyone is talking about. Dahlin is in line to be the first defenceman taken at the top of the draft since Aaron Ekblad in 2014. Another winger with a powerful shot, the six-foot-three, 184-pound Svechnikov says he watches a lot of Auston Matthews and, like the When asked on Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver about the prospect of being Maple Leafs’ top young centre, the Russian could also move right to the chosen by the Canucks this summer, Dahlin replied: “That would be sick. NHL after being drafted. We will see.” “I think if there’s one (Canadian Hockey League) player right now who There’s been a ton of focus on the production of Canucks prospect Elias can step into an NHL lineup it would probably be [Svechnikov],” NHL Pettersson in the SHL this season, as the fifth-overall pick from last Central Scouting’s Karl Stewart told NHL.com earlier this month. “He’s summer not only led the league in scoring but set a new points record for big and his shot is so powerful. He just drops the shoulder and turns it an under-20 player in the league. This has allowed Dahlin to fly under the on; you can’t stop him. His shot bides him so much time and space that radar in terms of where his season ranks on the all-time list. defenders have to play up on him, but he has the skill to dance around With 20 points in 41 regular-season games, Dahlin finished with the fifth- you. He’s a magician on the half-wall on the power play.” best season ever in the SHL by a defenceman under the age of 20. Even 4. Brady Tkachuk, LW more incredibly, of the four players ahead of him, only one had his big SHL season in the first year of being eligible for the NHL draft: Victor Brother of feisty Flames forward Matthew, there’s some who believe Hedman, who had 21 points in 43 games. If you go by points-per-game Brady is the better of the two. With 28 points in 36 games for Boston average, the two are even at 0.49. University this season, Brady is the highest-scoring NCAA player who is in his first year of NHL draft eligibility. Dahlin on playing Pettersson this season, "He is unreal, he can do things no one else can. He led our league in points and is only 19 years Tkachuk was a star at the world juniors for the Americans, finishing sixth old." #Canucks in tournament scoring with seven points in six games. He was the top producer among draft eligibles there, too, finishing one point ahead of — Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) March 14, 2018 Zadina. Dahlin is a shifty and creative defenceman, who says he still needs to Consistently ranked in the 4-5 range in Sportsnet’s draft lists this season, work on his defensive game and bulk up physically. That’s normal for a the area Tkachuk needs to improve most on is his skating, which sounds 17-year-old player. He scored six points in seven games for Sweden at similar to Matthew in his draft year. Brady plays with the same kind of the world juniors, a huge impact in what’s generally a tournament owned edge as his 57 PIMs this season, and 73 in just 24 USHL games last by 19-year-old players. And though he went to the Olympics for Sweden, season, attest. He says he wants to bulk up more, as young players do, he got into just two games and saw very few minutes. but Tkachuk is already six-foot-three and 200 pounds. Next, Dahlin could join Sweden at the world championship before his A late birthday (Sept. 16), Tkachuk barely missed the cutoff to be eligible name is called at the NHL draft. Whether Vancouver is able to land him for the 2017 NHL Draft. first overall or not, Dahlin is expected to step right into the NHL next season. 5. Adam Boqvist, D 2. Filip Zadina, RW A sub-six-foot defenceman with excellent foot speed and ability to create offence, Boqvist isn’t at the level of Swedish counterpart Dahlin right In our first draft rankings of the season, Zadina came in at No. 6 as he now, having spent most of his season in the Swedish junior league, but moved from the Czech Republic for his first taste of North American the potential is sky high. hockey. But after strong showings at the Top Prospects Game, world juniors, Five Nations Tournament, and being the second-highest rookie Boqvist is currently on loan to Almtuna in the Allsvenskan, but spent 25 scorer in the QMJHL (79 points in 55 games), Zadina has been ranked games in Sweden’s under-20 league earlier this season. His 14 goals No. 2 by Sportsnet for the past two months. rank second all-time by a player under 18-years old in that league, behind only Lars Johnsson, the seventh overall pick in 2000. His goal number as a junior ranks ahead of Hedman and Erik Karlsson and, as you see in this graphic below from eliteprospects.com, he did it in far fewer games (granted Hedman was just 16 at the start of his season). The issue the Canucks would be faced with if they held a top-three pick would be deciding between taking one of the elite shooting wingers, or fill an organizational need, where Boqvist would fit. Conventional wisdom would suggest you always go with the best player available, especially this early in the draft, but Boqvist’s huge upside at least gives pause for thought.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103963 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Rangers' Pavel Buchnevich makes young fan cry tears of joy

Mike Johnston March 15, 2018, 1:23 PM

Pavel Buchnevich’s fan base has grown significantly this year thanks to the breakout sophomore season he’s having with the New York Rangers. His popularity received yet another boost Wednesday night when he gave a young fan named Benjamin one of his sticks prior to a 4-3 overtime win over the Penguins. Benjamin gained Buchnevich’s attention near the glass during warmups at Madison Square Garden by wearing one of Buchnevich’s old KHL jerseys. Prior to debuting in the NHL in 2016, Buchnevich spent the majority of his four-year KHL career with his hometown team Cherepovets Severstal. Cherepovets is not in the upper echelon of KHL franchises so it must have been quite the surprise for the 2013 third- round pick to see it. Following the game, Benjamin was interviewed by Rangers TV reporter/host Amanda Borges and recounted his experience. “I’m a season-ticket holder for the Rangers,” he said. “My grandfather has been a season-ticket holder for a very long time. I’m wearing this jersey tonight, my grandpa got it for me from a Russian website. It took about three months to come and then I’m at the glass, I have [Mika] Zibanejad, [Chris] Kreider, they’re all waving to me, and then I see Buchnevich and then he winks and he’s like, ‘Wow, that’s a very nice jersey,’ and then he’s talking to Vlad Namestnikov because they’re both Russian, like ‘Wow look at this kid.’ A second later, boom, Buchnevich comes and gives me the stick over the glass and I’m crying. I’m a huge Ranger fan so it’s just really emotional.” Last night 12 year old #NYR Season Ticket Member Benjamin had the "top moment of his life" when Pavel Buchnevich gave him his signed stick. See him tell his RangersTown story! pic.twitter.com/DUPf0G3sKZ — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 15, 2018 Buchnevich has been a bright spot in a disappointing season for the Rangers and appears to be a player the team’s general manger, Jeff Gorton, can build around moving forward. One thing is for sure, Gorton and Rangers brass will love Benjamin’s scouting report on Buchnevich. “He’s a great player,” Benjamin added. “He has a great one-timer, I love seeing him play on the power play. He’s just an overall great player and he’s gonna be someone for this rebuild for the Rangers who’s going to evolve into one of the top stars and help this team.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103964 Websites McElhinney’s only blemish in that frame was not being able to sweep a loose puck out from his crease that was eventually potted by Sam Reinhart on the power play. The second period was busier for TSN.CA / Surging Leafs edge closer to Bruins McElhinney, who turned aside 18 of 19 Sabres shots but allowed a second on the power play to Jason Pominville. In between the two extra- man goals, McElhinney was on top of his game – he was in good position for most of the night, tracking well in traffic and sealing his posts as the Kristen Shilton Sabres tried to beat him from behind the net. After the game, McElhinney said it was Buffalo’s pushback more than anything that the Leafs stopped – doing that gave them an edge in the BUFFALO –The Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres have seen a lot second frame. But, overall, he was pleased with the support he got up of each other lately. Just 10 days after the Sabres dropped the Leafs in front and with his own preparation in putting together two straight wins on Buffalo, Toronto returned to the scene of the crime and left with a 5-2 consecutive nights. Thursday’s game marked the third time in 12 starts victory on Thursday night. It was the third straight win for the Leafs – they this season that McElhinney has faced at least 40 shots; he turned aside host the Sabres twice more during the last two weeks of the season – 38 of 40 from Buffalo. moving them to 42-22-7, five points behind the second-place Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division. Komarov suffers lower-body injury TAKEAWAYS The Leafs are already dealing with injuries to Matthews and Andersen, plus a lingering flu defenceman Nikita Zaitsev has been battling the last Start right, finish right few days. So when Komarov collided with teammate William Nylander Coming off a 6-5 shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday at near the blueline in the second period and got his leg tangled up on the home, the Leafs emphasized the importance of getting their legs moving play, it was the last thing Toronto needed to see. early prior to playing the second half of their back-to-back. They were Nylander was cutting back and lost an edge when he skated into able to jump out to an early 2-0 lead by doing exactly what the Sabres Komarov, falling into the veteran’s left leg and twisting it backwards at an did so effectively in a 5-3 win over Toronto on March 5 – putting pucks on awkward angle as he tumbled to the ice. Komarov was down for a few the net and establishing a presence in the offensive zone. minutes before being helped off the ice, and then was bracing himself on Mitch Marner, skating with Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri, played a big a trainer as he went down the tunnel to the Leafs’ room. The 31-year-old role in driving the Leafs up front, turning pucks over on the backcheck, Komarov has been one of the Leafs’ best penalty killers, averaging the moving seamlessly through the neutral zone and propelling his line’s fourth-most short-handed minutes per game and second-most among offensive zone possession with a good forecheck. After a first period forwards (2:35). He’s also been as versatile as any winger for the Leafs where the Leafs’ controlled play at 61 per cent possession with a 2-1 all season, deployed in every situation from even-strength to power-play lead, the middle frame was once again a struggle for the Leafs while the situations, penalty kill or 5-on-3. Sabres dominated them in all three phases. Komarov, who finished the night with 8:11 of ice time, doesn’t have the While Curtis McElhinney’s terrific play kept the Leafs in the lead, Connor flashy statistics (seven goals, 12 assists in 71 games), but his Carrick offered some insurance with a point shot through traffic near the contributions run deeper inside and outside the dressing room than is halfway point of the period; it was Carrick’s fourth goal of the season, and immediately recognizable. first since Jan. 20. Then it was Tyler Bozak’s turn to pile it on. He had put “I think he’s going to be fine…I just saw him a second ago walking together a nice stretch of games recently and after a two-assist night around; he tells me he did good in all the tests,” Leafs head coach Mike against Dallas, which included scoring the shootout winner, Bozak tallied Babcock said after the game. “So I don’t know if that means missing a a backdoor power-play goal late in the frame to put the Leafs up 4-1. game or playing the next game.” That was the eighth goal scored by that first power-play unit in the Leafs’ Bad blood boiling over last eight games. Buffalo responded with another power-play goal from Jason Pominville in the third, but wouldn’t come any closer to a It’s been well established there’s no love lost between Kadri and Sabres comeback and Patrick Marleau added the empty-net dagger with 43 defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen. After dropping the gloves during the seconds left to seal a victory for the visitors. Leafs’ visit to Buffalo earlier this month, their jawing in the penalty box over how many more times their teams will face each other before the Man on fire end of the season went viral. James van Riemsdyk tallied a hat trick against Dallas on Wednesday and Before Thursday’s game, both players acknowledged they expected to picked up right where he left on in the opening four minutes against exchange a few more pleasantries before it was all said and done, and Buffalo. His line once again established good offensive zone pressure by the second period the two were mixing it up once again. They were and were cycling the puck well when he managed a five-hole strike from chirping at each other early on, but it wasn’t until Kadri was coming out of a tough side angle to put Toronto up 1-0. It was van Riemsdyk’s 30th the box after serving a hooking penalty in the second period that things goal of the season, marking the second time in his 10-year NHL career escalated a notch. When he emerged, the 6-foot Kadri went barrelling that he’s reached the milestone. He came achingly close last season with towards the 6-foot-4 Ristolainen near the Sabres’ bench, where he 29 goals over 82 games; he hit 30 in just 70 games this season. delivered a hit to the back that Ristolainen sold hard as a cross-check to His next goal came exactly three minutes later in the first period, a bar put Kadri back in the box before he’d even made it to the Leafs bench. down strike from the hashmarks that set a new career-high for van On the ensuing power play, it was Ristolainen’s point blast that was Reimsdyk with 31 goals. He added an assist to his point haul before the perfectly re-directed by Pominville to give Buffalo its second man- end of the second period with a helper on Bozak’s marker, putting him at advantage goal of the night. As Buffalo chased Toronto looking to close five goals and one assist in his previous five periods of play. the gap in the third period, there wasn’t much more opportunity for the Van Riemsdyk has been a streaky scorer all season, putting together two to interact. But with two more games still to play between these runs where he can’t miss juxtaposed with stretches of 10 or more games divisional rivals over Toronto’s last 11 games, Kadri and Ristolainen with only one or two goals. But when he’s on, van Riemsdyk is as stand to have plenty of feisty moments ahead of them. powerful and potent with the puck on his stick as anyone on Toronto’s Next game roster. With star centre Auston Matthews out with a shoulder injury for the eighth straight game, the contributions of the Leafs’ other forwards The Leafs head home for a meeting with the Montreal Canadiens, their have been more critical than ever and van Riemsdyk is answering the longtime archrivals, on Saturday night. bell.

Mac up to the task TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 The last time McElhinney saw playing time in consecutive games? The 2016-17 NHL season, not 2017-18, let alone on consecutive nights. But the backup, who has been a good soldier for the Leafs in taking on the unenviable task of only playing the second half of back-to-backs, was more than ready to step up with Frederik Andersen’s status uncertain after suffering an upper-body injury on Wednesday. During the first period, the Leafs made things pretty easy on their netminder by controlling play and outshooting the Sabres 18-11. 1103965 Websites After "hilarious" penalty box conversation, Kadri and Ristolainen renew rivalry

Defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen always seems to be in the middle of TSN.CA / Kadri ready to renew Ristolainen rivalry everything when the Sabres and Leafs clash and last week was no exception. The Finn levelled Nazem Kadri with a borderline hit leading to a fight and then some trash talk in the penalty box. The pair seemed to Mark Masters be planning their next meeting, which comes tonight in Buffalo. Last night, Mike Babcock downplayed concerns regarding Frederik Andersen’s injury. Again today Babcock seemed to indicate the concern TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes level wasn’t high when it comes to the NHL’s leader in minutes played. from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The team had a team meeting at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Thursday morning. The “Yeah, I don’t really have much," he said when asked for an update on Sabres held a regular skate. Andersen. "I don’t think there’s much going on there, to be honest with you. He wasn’t playing today anyways so we didn’t bring him. Sparky will Is Nazem Kadri expecting to mix it up with Rasmus Ristolainen again back-up and Mac will start.” tonight? McElhinney won in relief last night and has excelled this season posting "Yeah, of course," he said nonchalantly. a career-high .929 save percentage. The Leafs centre and Sabres defenceman have had a feud brewing for a “I feel very comfortable out there right now," he said last night. few games now, but Kadri isn't about to let it get personal. "Obviously, we’ve gotten the goal support which certainly goes a long way so, so far things have gone pretty well, can’t complain." “He competes hard so that’s something I can appreciate and I can respect," he said. "I certainly know what that’s like. You want to be hard What's he most proud of this season? to play against. He plays important minutes and he’s a big body and he wants to make it as hard as possible, especially when guys are coming "Probably just picking up wins (8-4-1 record), that's the biggest thing," the into your city and your building.” 34-year-old noted. "And just those solid performances, especially in the back-to-back games." Ristolainen has quickly emerged as a key character in the QEW rivalry, dropping the gloves with James van Riemsdyk last season before going Garret Sparks was called up on an emergency basis and will dress as after Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner later in the same game. the backup tonight. He's been outstanding in the AHL this season posting a 24-8-2 record and .936 save percentage to lead the league. “It’s fun playing against him," Marner said. "He’s a hard competitor. He goes out every shift and plays the same way every time. You got to make Leafs Ice Chips: Babcock downplays Andersen injury sure you’re ready when you play him. I think he’s always ready for those Toronto-Buffalo games.” Frederik Andersen didn't make the trip to Buffalo and will not dress on Thursday night, but head coach Mike Babcock continues to downplay In the final game between the teams last season, Kadri chirped concerns about Toronto's No. 1 goal. Meanwhile, Garret Sparks has Ristolainen after scoring a goal, setting off a brouhaha. And then last been called up and will dress as the back-up to Curtis McElhinney week Ristolainen levelled Kadri behind the net with a big hit. Kadri felt it against the Sabres. was late and initiated a fight. Leafs Ice Chips: Babcock downplays Andersen injury Sabres players say this is nothing new for Ristolainen who is public enemy No. 1 for a lot of their opponents. Frederik Andersen didn't make the trip to Buffalo and will not dress on Thursday night, but head coach Mike Babcock continues to downplay “He brings that intensity and that’s something all the guys feed off of," concerns about Toronto's No. 1 goal. Meanwhile, Garret Sparks has said centre Ryan O'Reilly, who has just one minor penalty this season. been called up and will dress as the back-up to Curtis McElhinney "He’s hard to play against. He gets in their heads and that’s huge, that against the Sabres. gives us an advantage.” Auston Matthews made the trip to Buffalo and skated with the other "They’re both hard competitors," said Marner. "Nazzy’s a guy that if scratches. He was still wearing a red non-contact sweater and will miss something happens to him that he doesn’t like, he’s going to let you know an eighth straight game tonight. about it and is going to want payback for it.” Nikita Zaitsev will miss a third straight game due to illness and has not After the fight last week, Kadri and Ristolainen continued to trade verbal been spotted on the ice since last Friday's practice. Babcock hopes to blows in the penalty box. Ristolainen told Kadri the teams would be have a more definitive diagnosis for the defenceman by Saturday. playing four more times and Kadri seemed to correct him, noting there are only three more battles between the clubs this season. “We need all hands on deck," Babcock said, "and we need to get as healthy as we possibly can. But we’re finding ways with whoever’s in the Marner was sitting beside Kadri in the box as the conversation unfolded. lineup and that’s what we expect to do tonight.” “It was hilarious," said Marner. "I mean, I was laughing. It was pretty The Leafs power play has converted on five straight opportunities in the funny to be part of that." last three games. What's working so well right now? “Whenever Naz gets into it with guys, I think the majority of the room Quarterback Morgan Rielly, who has 19 power-play points on the enjoys it," said Tyler Bozak. "We get to see it quite a bit. Yeah, I’m sure season, believes the break-out plays following clearances have clicked of they’ll have their battles for the rest of the year and everyone will be late allowing the Leafs to get set up in the offensive zone quicker. He happy about that.” also points out that JvR, the net-front presence, and Marner, the half-wall distributor, are playing at an extremely high level. Ristolainen received some good-natured ribbing from teammates for losing the numbers game. Marner leads the team with 22 power-play points. Kadri and van Riemsdyk are tied for the lead in power-play goals with nine. “Yeah, we gave it to him a little bit," O'Reilly said laughing. "That was pretty funny. That’s for sure.” Prior to this hot streak, the Leafs had clicked on only five of 31 man- advantage chances over the previous 12 games. "I thought it was pretty funny," said a laughing Sam Reinhart, "so we’ll have to see what happens tonight.” "We got too deliberate and too slow and didn't work," said Babcock. "We're way quicker again and we're moving the puck well and have good The Leafs will also play the Sabres in Toronto on March 26 and April 3. net presence and a good scheme." After "hilarious" penalty box conversation, Kadri and Ristolainen renew NHL: Stars 5, Maple Leafs 6 (SO) rivalry James van Riemsdyk buried back-to-back goals to finish off his hat trick Defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen always seems to be in the middle of and erase the Stars lead but after Dallas went back in front, Patrick everything when the Sabres and Leafs clash and last week was no Marleau tied things back up with 16 seconds left in the third and Tyler exception. The Finn levelled Nazem Kadri with a borderline hit leading to Bozak and Mitch Marner would seal the win in the shootout. Curtis a fight and then some trash talk in the penalty box. The pair seemed to McElhinney stood tall in goal for the win after Frederik Andersen left with be planning their next meeting, which comes tonight in Buffalo. an upper-body injury. NHL: Stars 5, Maple Leafs 6 (SO) James van Riemsdyk buried back-to-back goals to finish off his hat trick and erase the Stars lead but after Dallas went back in front, Patrick Marleau tied things back up with 16 seconds left in the third and Tyler Bozak and Mitch Marner would seal the win in the shootout. Curtis McElhinney stood tall in goal for the win after Frederik Andersen left with an upper-body injury.

TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103966 Websites are part of the game. We play a tough game and trying to stay healthy through an 82-game season isn’t easy. It’s unfortunate. I don’t know what else to tell you.” TSN.CA / Del Zotto the lone Canucks blueliner to avoid injury bug this Del Zotto has just 11 games to go now to be able to wear a full NHL season season as a badge of honour. Somehow he hasn’t been injured, other than wounded pride, as he and the Canucks play out the string now already looking forward to next season before this one is has come to an Jeff Paterson end.

ANAHEIM – Smiles have been in short supply lately in the Vancouver TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 Canucks locker room, but a big one broke out over Michael Del Zotto’s face. It’s remarkable nothing else broke, like an arm or a leg, given the kind of season it has been on the injury front for the struggling hockey club that was officially eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention with a 3-0 loss in Anaheim last night. Del Zotto couldn’t help but laugh when asked how he’s managed to avoid being bitten by the injury bug that has feasted on his Canucks teammates all season. And with word Wednesday that requires shoulder surgery and is the latest to be shut down for the season, the Canucks went into battle against the Ducks missing eight regulars from their lineup. Del Zotto and Henrik Sedin are the only Canucks to appear in all 71 games for Vancouver this season. On the blueline, Derrick Pouliot is the only other defenceman to dress for 60 games in Canuck colours this year. So Del Zotto stands alone in terms of durability. However, not willing to tempt fate, the 27-year-old knocked on wood, and had everyone within ear shot do the same, before he answered the question about his durability. “I haven’t been healthy the past couple of years and I’ve had some tough injuries that have kept me out of the lineup a long time,” he said in the wake of the Canucks third straight shutout loss. “I play the game hard. I give everything I have every single night whether it’s being physical or blocking shots. I take pride in my work ethic every single day. You play the game hard, injuries and bumps and bruises are going to happen. It’s been nice to stay healthy for 71 games and I’ve got 11 more to go.” In his nine year career, Del Zotto has played more than the 71 games he’s appeared in so far only twice. He suited up for 80 games with the New York Rangers in his rookie season of 2009-10 and was in uniform 77 times two seasons later. Since then, through injury and inconsistency, Del Zotto has not come close to playing a full season. And the past three years in Philadelphia he dressed for 64, 52 and last season just 51 games. It’s been a bumpy ride for Del Zotto in his first season in Vancouver after signing a two-year deal as an unrestricted free agent last summer. He leads all Canucks defencemen with six goals and is second on the blueline with 19 points. He is the runaway leader on the team with 210 hits – 74 more than anyone else. He sits sixth overall in the league in that category and third among all defencemen. However, he has been on the ice for a team-high 89 goals against in all situations which over the past five seasons is the second highest number for any Canucks defenceman. And it won’t be long now until he tops that list. With Del Zotto on the ice, opponents have controlled 55 per cent of even strength shots and scored more than 57 per cent of all goals. So the ice has been tilted, and not in the direction the defenceman or his hockey club would like to see. Del Zotto has been game. It’s impossible to knock his effort level. And Wednesday, with the Canucks reeling and searching for an answer to their scoring woes that have now reached 212 minutes and nine seconds without a goal, the veteran was among the most dangerous offensive players in the lineup. He set up Nic Dowd for a deflection opportunity early in the hockey game on the same sequence rattled a slap shot off the post behind Ducks netminder John Gibson. Then in the second period Del Zotto drilled Gibson squarely between the eyes on a quick shot off the rush after taking a pass from Jake Virtanen. These days, however, close calls and chances are all the Canucks have to show for their efforts. They’ve dropped five straight and eight of their last nine. By the time they step onto the ice at home against San Jose, the Canucks will have gone more than a full week without putting a puck in the net. It’s been a grind for players like Del Zotto who have soldiered on while teammates, particularly fellow defencemen, have fallen with regularity. “There’s not really much you can say about it,” he says of the toll the injuries have taken on the team. “You can be frustrated all you want. I don’t even know how many guys we have out of the lineup. (Told it’s eight). That’s almost half your roster, right? That’s a lot of guys. Injuries 1103967 Websites going to play us hard and we’re going to have to try and give our goalies a little more breathing room and keep their guys away from the net and keep doing what we do offensively.” TSN.CA / Injuries put Leafs’ depth to the test TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 Kristen Shilton

BUFFALO – A season ago, the Maple Leafs were admittedly spoiled by the lack of major injuries to their top players. But whatever luck Toronto possessed then, when their top-nine forwards missed a combined 10 games the entire season, has diminished over the course of this campaign. In Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, the Leafs will be without starting goaltender Frederik Andersen as he deals with an upper-body injury suffered in Wednesday’s win over Dallas. They’ll also be missing top-line centre Auston Matthews for the eighth straight game (and 18th contest of the season) with a shoulder ailment, and top-four defenceman Nikita Zaitsev will sit out his third consecutive game with the flu. The absence of all three players at once will put the Leafs’ often-praised depth to the test. “That happens to all teams, but it’s just a matter of keeping with the game plan,” said Morgan Rielly of key players missing time. “We have great depth. We have guys that are going to take on bigger roles if needed but we feel comfortable with the group we have.” Andersen pulled himself from Wednesday’s game midway through the second period with the undisclosed issue, forcing backup Curtis McElhinney to step in while Toronto trailed Dallas 3-2. The veteran’s 13-save performance lifted the Leafs’ to an eventual 6-5 win in the shootout, one of many examples over McElhinney’s eight-win season (in 13 outings) that have fostered confidence among teammates despite his light workload. Andersen has made 58 of 70 starts so far this season, producing a .919 save percentage, with McElhinney ( .929 save percentage, 2.27 goals- against average) relegated to starting on the second half of back-to- backs and coming in to relieve Andersen on three other occasions. Head coach Mike Babcock had little by way of an update on Andersen’s status following Thursday’s optional morning skate (“I don’t think there’s much going on there to be honest with you”) but since McElhinney was scheduled to start against Buffalo anyway, the Leafs recalled prospect Garret Sparks from the AHL Toronto Marlies and left Andersen in Toronto. “[McElhinney]’s a great leader, a great guy in the room and then obviously as he shows, he’s a great goaltender,” surmised Tyler Bozak. “We’re really lucky to have a guy of that calibre and that type of person as a backup. You never want to see your starting goaltender go down but we’re really confident in Mac. He’s been in this league a long time and knows how to win games.” If nothing else, the Leafs have become accustomed to dealing with lineup changes. Along with Matthews missing significant time, Zaitsev had previously missed 17 games with a foot injury, Rielly missed six with an elbow problem and a smattering of regular skaters have sat out a game or two with nagging injuries and illnesses. Yet Toronto is still safely ensconced in a playoff spot as the Atlantic Division’s third seed, boasting a 14-point lead over the Florida Panthers. Andersen has been the Leafs’ backbone throughout the season, making the prospect of any extended time without him all the more daunting. Babcock didn’t expect to know more about a timeline for Andersen or Zaitsev's returns until after the Leafs’ scheduled day off on Friday. “It’s no different than Z [Zaitsev] or Matty [Matthews]. We need all hands on deck and we need to get as healthy as we possibly can,” said Babcock. “But we’re finding ways with whoever is in the lineup and that’s what we expect to do again tonight.” The Leafs have posted a respectable 9-6-2 record without their former leading scorer Matthews, and have won 15 of their last 21 games. But Buffalo is always a challenging stop for Toronto, even with an overwhelming majority of fans in attendance cheering on the visitors. When the teams battled 10 days ago, the Leafs were on the losing end of a 5-3 decision. “I think we just gave up too much; they got to our net too much,” said Bozak. “They got a few bounces here and there in that game. …They’re 1103968 Websites

TSN.CA / Toronto home to NHL’s most productive power-play unit

Travis Yost

Do the Toronto Maple Leafs have the best power-play unit in the NHL? It’s hard to avoid that line of thinking if you’ve been watching Toronto of late. At the team level, they are sixth best in the NHL in converting on power-play opportunities (21.7 per cent). But digging a little deeper, you start to notice that Toronto’s two power-play units aren’t quite the same. The unit that’s played far and away the most minutes with the man advantage in Toronto consists of Nazem Kadri, Mitch Marner, Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Rielly. The group is interesting for two reasons. One, it’s incredibly offence-oriented – each skater is a talented playmaker in his own right, and on the power play, deficiencies in the defensive zone really aren’t material. Two, it’s just another data point in the league’s shift towards four forward/one defenceman power play deployment. If you have been watching Toronto over the last few weeks, you have noticed that this group has converted on a curiously high number of power-play chances. They have outperformed basically every other regular Toronto power- play combination, including another frequently played unit in Auston Matthews, Patrick Marleau, William Nylander, Connor Brown, and Jake Gardiner. Because of how frequently the Kadri five-man group has played and because of how productive they appear to be while on the ice, I was curious as to how they would compare to some other first units across the NHL. The below data table reflects each team’s most commonly utilized five-man unit and their production on a goals-per-60 basis. As a note, I included both Toronto units for a point of reference: The table is sorted by goal production and, sure enough, the Kadri power-play unit ranks as one of the league’s most productive groupings, with 22 goals to their credit. Only three units rank above them – Nathan MacKinnon’s in Colorado, Matt Duchene’s in Ottawa, and Joe Thornton’s in San Jose – but all of those units have pretty limited ice-time together. Of the groups that have seen considerable power-play opportunity, the Kadri line has been the most productive, though the Crosby unit is just a goal or two behind from overtaking the lead. Watching the Kadri group, it seems to me that they make defences awfully uncomfortable. Each player is individually creative with the puck and can not only stickhandle into tight areas, but also work through constricted passing lanes to open up better looks for quality scorers. They are also fantastic at cycling the puck, with sequential passing sequences designed to pull a penalty killer out of his box and into chase- the-puck scenarios. I think that’s an important distinction because this particular unit in Toronto – unlike some of the other great power-play units around the league – doesn’t have your prototypical sniper teeing up one-timers from the circles. They do have a bunch of guys (most notably Bozak and van Riemsdyk) who consistently post high shooting percentages, in large part because they have an aptitude for generating shots at or around the net mouth. It’s a great example of a team succeeding without having a Steven Stamkos or Patrik Laine-type forward. The only thing left for this quintet? Replicate their success in the postseason – presumably against Patrice Bergeron and the Boston Bruins. Easier said than done.

TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103969 Websites contributed a couple of assists in a 6-5 shootout win vs. Dallas. Marner has 21 points (9 G, 12 A) in the past 14 games, while Bozak had two points (1 G, 1 A) in his previous seven games…Stars C Tyler Seguin TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: van Riemsdyk will draw UFA interest produced a goal and two assists in a 6-5 shootout loss at Toronto, and has 17 points (8 G, 9 A) in the past 11 games…Stars LW Jamie Benn added a goal and an assist, and has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in the past 10 games…Sharks LW Tomas Hertl scored a pair of goals in a 4-3 overtime Scott Cullen win at Edmonton; he had two points (1 G, 1 A) in his previous 10 games…Sharks RW Mikkel Boedker added a couple of assists, giving

him 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in the past 14 games…Oilers C Connor McDavid James van Riemsdyk knows what to do around the net; Kreider, Couture, contributed a couple of assists in a 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose, and Gibson and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. has 15 points (6 G, 9 A) in the past nine games…Devils C Blake Coleman scored twice in an 8-3 rout at Vegas. He had two points (1 G, 1 Toronto Maple Leafs left winger James van Riemsdyk notched a hat trick A) in his previous 14 games…Devils LW Taylor Hall, C Nico Hischier and in a 6-5 overtime win against Dallas. It ended a four-game streak without RW Michael Grabner each had a goal and an assist against the Golden a point, but he’s also tallied 29 goals for the second straight season. Knights. Hall has 40 points (19 G, 21 A) in the past 29 games, Hischier has four points (2 G, 2 A) in the past three games, and those were He may not be the ideal player, and is playing 14:47 per game this Grabner’s first points for the Devils in his ninth games since arriving in a season, his lowest average time on ice since 2010-11, but van trade…Devils LW Brian Gibbons added a couple of assists, matching his Riemsdyk’s soft hands around the net provide real value and should put production from his previous 10 games…Golden Knights D Colin Miller him in demand as a free agent this summer. had a goal and an assist in a 8-3 loss to New Jersey, matching his Here is a look at the top wingers that will be unrestricted free agents this production from the previous nine games. summer: FIRSTS James Neal Vegas RW 211 78 Andreas Johnsson – The 23-year-old Swedish winger made his NHL James van Riemsdyk Toronto LW 191 72 debut for Toronto against Dallas, but left early with an upper-body injury. He had 54 points (26 G, 28 A) in 54 AHL games to earn the promotion. Evander Kane San Jose LW 203 69

Daniel Sedin Vancouver LW 234 64 TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 Michael Grabner New Jersey RW 224 62 Rick Nash Boston LW 196 59 Thomas Vanek Columbus LW 210 54 Patrick Maroon New Jersey LW 217 54 David Perron Vegas LW 217 46 Leo Komarov Toronto LW 219 40 HEROES Chris Kreider – The Rangers winger was a force, putting up a goal and three helpers in a 4-3 overtime win against Pittsburgh, matching his production over his previous 10 games. Logan Couture – San Jose’s pivot had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 overtime win at Edmonton. He had just two goals in his previous eight games. John Gibson – Anaheim’s netminder posted a 32-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over Vancouver. He has a .941 save percentage in his past nine games. ZEROES Erik Haula and David Perron – While Haula did score a pair of power play goals, the duo was on the ice for four even-strength goals against and one shorthanded goal against, finishing minus-5 in an 8-3 loss to New Jersey. Leon Draisaitl – The Oilers centre was on the ice for three even-strength goals against in a 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose. Marc-Andre Fleury – It was a rough night for Vegas. Their starting goaltender was pulled after allowing four goals on 11 shots, on the way to an 8-3 home loss to New Jersey. VITAL SIGNS Frederik Andersen – Toronto’s goaltender took a bump in the head and was forced to leave a 6-5 shootout win over Dallas. With Andersen likely out for some time, Garret Sparks could be on the way up from the AHL, where he has a .936 save percentage in 35 games this season. SHORT SHIFTS Mika Zibanejad is finishing strong for the Rangers. Ducks D Brandon Montour buried a couple of goals in a 3-0 win vs. Vancouver. He had four assists in his previous 15 games…Ducks LW Jason Chimera added a goal and an assist against the Canucks; he had no points in his previous nine games…Rangers C Mika Zibanejad scored a pair of goals in a 4-3 overtime win over Pittsburgh, and has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past five games…Rangers rookie D Neal Pionk put up three assists, giving him eight assists in the past eight games…Maple Leafs RW Mitch Marner and C Tyler Bozak both 1103970 Websites Andrei Vasilevskiy - Tampa Bay's goaltender allowed six goals on 29 shots in a 7-4 loss to Ottawa, giving him a .894 save percentage in his past nine starts. TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Pastrnak powers Bruins to another win Devan Dubnyk - The Minnesota netminder gave up five goals on 22 shots in a 5-1 loss to Colorado, and has a .885 save percentage in his past seven starts. Scott Cullen VITAL SIGNS

Paul Stastny – The newly-acquired Jets centre suffered a lower-body Pastrnak leads Bruins’ big comeback; Lehkonen, Miller, Smith and more injury in pre-game warm-ups and was out of the lineup for a 3-1 loss at in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. Nashville. HEROES Michael Hutchinson – Winnipeg’s goaltender suffered an upper-body injury, possibly a concussion, and was forced to leave a 3-1 loss at David Pastrnak – The Boston winger tallied three goals and an assist, Nashville. leading the Bruins to a big third-period rally for a 6-4 win at Carolina, giving him 16 points (5 G, 11 A) in the past 10 games. The 25th pick in Marc Methot – Dallas’ stay-at-home defenceman suffered an upper-body the 2014 Draft, Pastrnak has more goals than anyone from that draft injury at Montreal. class. Andrew Shaw – Montreal’s agitating winger suffered a concussion after David Pastrnak Boston RW 25 240 86 hitting Stars defenceman Greg Pateryn. Leon Draisaitl Edmonton C 3 256 SHORT SHIFTS 72 Embedded Image Nikolaj Ehlers Winnipeg LW 9 224 67 Mike Hoffman has topped 20 goals for the fourth straight season. Viktor Arvidsson Nashville RW 112 209 65 Senators LW Mike Hoffman scored two goals in a 7-4 win at Tampa Bay, Sam Reinhart Buffalo RW 2 236 57 and has 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in the past nine games…Senators LW Ryan Dzingel, LW Marian Gaborik, RW Tom Pyatt and D Erik Karlsson each Aaron Ekblad Florida D 1 294 50 contributed a goal and an assist against the Lightning. Dzingel has four points (3 G, 1 A) in the past four games, Gaborik matched his production Dylan Larkin Detroit C 15 229 49 over the previous 19 games, Pyatt had two assists in his previous 23 Tampa Bay C 79 138 games, and Karlsson has 23 points (4 G, 19 A) in the past 22 45 games…Senators C Matt Duchene and D Cody Ceci both added a couple of assists. Duchene has 20 points (9 G, 11 A) in the past 18 William Nylander Toronto RW 8 172 42 games and Ceci has one assist in the past 11 games…Lightning D recorded two assists in a 7-4 loss to Ottawa, giving him 17 Sam Bennett Calgary LW 4 230 42 points (4 G, 13 A) in the past 17 games…Canadiens C Jonathan Drouin Artturi Lehkonen – Montreal’s sophomore winger scored two goals in a 4- and LW Alexander Galchenyuk both had a pair of assists in a 4-2 win 2 win against Dallas. He had three points (1 G, 2 A) in his previous 14 over Dallas. Drouin has six points (2 G, 4 A) in the past eight games and games. Galchenyuk has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past eight games…Bruins LW Brad Marchand contributed a goal plus a couple of assists in a 6-4 J.T Miller, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov - The new Lightning win over Carolina, and has 40 points (15 G, 25 A) in his past 25 forward moved to left wing on the top line and buried three goals in a 7-4 games…Bruins rookie D Matt Grzelcyk posted a goal and an assist loss to Ottawa. Miller has nine points (5 G, 4 A) in seven games with against the Hurricanes, matching his production from the previous 10 Tampa Bay. Stamkos and Kucherov both earned three assists against games…Bruins C Riley Nash added two assists, giving him 10 points (3 the Senators. Stankos has 28 points (10 G, 18 A) in the past 23 games, G, 7 A) in the past eight games…Hurricanes LW Teuvo Teravainen, RW while Kucherov has 30 points (7 G, 23 A) in the past 20 games. Sebastian Aho and LW Brock McGinn each had a goal and an assist in a 6-4 loss at Boston. Teravainen has 14 points (8 G, 6 A) in the past 14 Ryan Spooner N.Y. Rangers C 7 2 games, Aho has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past eight games, and 9 11 McGinn matched his production from the previous 13 J.T. Miller Tampa Bay C/LW 7 5 4 games…Hurricanes C Elias Lindholm and D Justin Faulk both 9 contributed a couple of assists. Lindholm had four assists in the previous 13 games, and Faulk has seven assists in the past eight Paul Stastny Winnipeg C 7 2 6 games…Avalanche RW J.T. Compher scored a pair of goals in a 5-1 rout 8 at Minnesota, snapping a 14-game scoring drought…Kings C Jeff Carter scored two goals in a 4-3 shootout loss at Arizona, and has eight points Brian Gionta Boston RW 7 2 4 (6 G, 2 A) in the past eight games…Kings D Drew Doughty contributed a 6 pair of assists, and has seven points (1 G, 6 A) in the past nine Evander Kane San Jose LW 8 3 3 games…Coyotes C Nick Cousins produced a goal and an assist in a 4-3 shootout win against the Kings. He had one assist in his previous 11 6 games. Brendan Leipsic Vancouver LW 7 2 Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov turned away 33 of 34 shots in a 5-1 win 4 6 at Minnesota. He has a .932 save percentage in his past eight Rick Nash Boston LW 8 3 2 games…Predators G Pekka Rinne saved 32 of 33 shots in a 3-1 victory 5 over Winnipeg, giving him a .945 save percentage in his past nine starts…Oilers G Cam Talbot recorded 31 saves on 32 shots in a 10 loss Patrick Maroon New Jersey LW 6 1 at Calgary, and has a .932 save percentage in his past dozen 4 5 starts…Canadiens G Antti Niemi stopped 36 of 38 shots for a 4-2 win against Dallas, giving him a .933 save percentage in 14 games since Mike Reilly Montreal D 8 0 5 arriving in Montreal. 5 FIRSTS Mike Smith – Calgary’s veteran netminer recorded a 28-save shutout in a 1-0 win over Edmonton. It was his second start coming back from injury, Adin Hill – The 21-year-old Coyotes goaltender, a third-round pick in and had a .882 save percentage in his previous six games. 2015, earned his first career win, with 34 saves on 37 shots, in his fourth career start, a 4-3 shootout decision over Los Angeles. ZEROES

Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin – Carolina’s top defence pairing was on the ice for three goals against in a 6-4 loss to Boston. TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 Christian Folin – The Kings blueliner had a tough night (6 for, 17 against, 26.1 CF%, 1-9 scoring chances) and was on the ice for two goals against in a 4-3 shootout loss against Arizona. 1103971 Websites Kevin Bieksa – The Ducks blueliner had a hard game (12 for, 15 against, 44.4 CF%, 8-13 scoring chances) and was on for three goals against in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis. TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Ovechkin an all-time finisher Neal Pionk – The Rangers rookie blueliner was stuck in his end of the ice (7 for, 32 against, 18.0 CF%) during a 6-3 win over Carolina. Scott Cullen Charlie Lindgren – Montreal’s rookie goaltender gave up five goals on 25 shots in a 5-2 loss at Columbus. He’s been slumping, with a .848 save percentage in his past four starts. Ovechkin hits a milestone; Vesey, Wennberg, Fleury, Quick and more in Roberto Luongo – The Panthers netminder surrendered five goals on 25 Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. shots in a 5-3 loss to Ottawa. He had a .932 save percentage in his previous 13 games. Washington Capitals superstar left winger Alex Ovechkin scored a pair of goals in a 3-2 overtime victory against Winnipeg, the second of which Scott Darling – The rough year continued for the Hurricanes netminder, was the 600th of his illustrious career. It was a vintage Ovechkin who allowed four goals on 21 shots in a 6-3 loss at the Rangers, giving performance as he launched 15 shot attempts with eight on goal. him a .863 save percentage in his past 14 games. Historically, he’s an all-timer. His 600 goals in 990 games is impressive, VITAL SIGNS of course, but consider that he’s done it in what is virtually a dead-puck era. Seth Jones – Columbus’ star defenceman did have a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over Montreal, but was forced to leave the game for Using Hockey-Reference’s Adjusted Goals stat, which adjusts scoring for “precautionary reasons”. He had 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in the past nine the era in which it occurs, Ovechkin already ranks seventh all-time, with games. 690 adjusted goals. Anthony DeAngelo – The Rangers defenceman suffered an ankle injury Gordie Howe RW 1767 801 925 0.45 during a 6-3 win against Carolina. Jaromir Jagr RW 1733 766 841 0.44 Mark Stone – The star Senators winger did not accompany the team to Florida due to a leg injury. Wayne Gretzky C 1487 894 758 0.60 SHORT SHIFTS Teemu Selanne RW 1451 684 741 0.47 Matt Duchene is quietly producing in this lost Senators seasson. Brett Hull RW 1269 741 738 0.58 Senators C Matt Duchene and LW Magnus Paajarvi both scored a pair of Jarome Iginla RW 1554 625 706 0.40 goals in a 5-3 win at Florida. Duchene has 18 points (9 G, 9 A) in the past 17 games, while Paajarvi had one assist in his previous 10 Alex Ovechkin LW 990 600 690 0.61 games…Senators LW Mike Hoffman and D Erik Karlsson both Brendan Shanahan LW 1524 656 672 0.43 contributed a couple of assists. Hoffman has eight points (3 G, 5 A) in the past eight games and Karlsson has 16 points (2 G, 14 A) in the past 14 Phil Esposito C 1282 717 671 0.56 games…Panthers LW Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss to Ottawa, giving him 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in the past 10 Maurice Richard RW 978 544 653 0.56 games…Panthers C Vincent Trocheck added a couple of assists and has Among the players with at least 500 games played, Ovechkin ranks 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in the past 10 games…Rangers C Mika Zibanejad fourth with .61 adjusted goals per game, behind only Mike Bossy (.76), and RW Pavel Buchnevich both had three assists in a 6-3 win over Mario Lemieux (.75), and Pavel Bure (.62). The per-game rate is due to Carolina. Zibanejad has seven points (3 G, 4 A) in the past six games, decline as his career goes on, because even a legend like Ovechkin is while Buchnevich had two points (1 G, 1 A) in his previous nine slowing down. games…Rangers RW Mats Zuccarello added a couple of goals, giving him four goals in the past three games…Capitals C Evgeny Kuznetsov That might seem like outrageous talk for a guy who has scored a league- produced a goal and an assist in a 3-2 victory against Winnipeg, giving leading 42 goals in 69 games this season, but consider that in 2007-2008 him 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in the past eight games…Blue Jackets D Ian and 2008-2009, combined, he scored 121 goals in 161 games, while Cole both recorded a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win vs. Montreal; he has averaging more than six shots on goal per game! four points (2 G, 2 A) in the past five games. So, the adjusted numbers already suggest that Ovechkin may be the Ivan Barbashev is heating up for the Blues. best goal-scorer ever. Can he possibly catch Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 goals? If he could average 40 goals per season for the next seven Blues C Ivan Barbashev produced a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win at years, he’d be right there (880 plus however many he adds before the Anaheim, giving him five points (3 G, 2 A) in the past four games…Blues end of this season), but that’s a tall order to keep doing that through age D Alex Pietrangelo added two assists, and has six points (3 G, 3 A) in the 39. past six games…Kings RW Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Vancouver. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) in the past eight But, if you want to set the all-time goal-scoring record, a previously games…Kings C Adrian Kempe contributed a couple of assists; he had untouchable record, it should be difficult. The hard is what makes it great. one assist in his previous eight games…Sharks RW Timo Meier and C Chris Tierney both produced a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win against HEROES Detroit. Meier had three goals in his previous nine games, and Tierney Jimmy Vesey – The Rangers winger netted his first career hat trick in a has nine points (4 G, 5 A) in the past 12 games…Sharks C Joe Pavelski 6-3 win against Carolina. He had just one goal in his previous 13 games, and D Dylan DeMelo each had a pair of assists. Pavelski has nine points but is up to 15 goals in 67 games this season. (3 G, 6 A) in the past six games and DeMelo has seven assists in the past five games…Red Wings LW Tyler Bertuzzi assisted on all three Alexander Wennberg – The Blue Jackets centre accumulated a goal and goals in a 5-3 loss at San Jose, giving him seven assists in the past three assists in a 5-2 win over Montreal, giving him seven points (1 G, 6 seven games…Red Wings C Henrik Zetterberg, RW Gustav Nyquist and A) in the past four games. D Trevor Daley each had a goal and an assist at the Sharks. Zetterberg had two assists in his previous seven games, Nyquist had two assists in Marc-Andre Fleury – Vegas’ veteran netminder turned away 38 of 40 his previous 10 games, and Daley had three goals in his previous 18 shots in a 3-2 win at Philadelphia to earn his 400th career win. He has a games. .948 save percentage in his past five starts. Panthers RW Nick Bjugstad controlled play (21 for, 4 against, 84.0 CF%) Jonathan Quick – The Kings veteran netminder posted a 35-save shutout in a 5-3 loss to Ottawa…Canadiens LW Artturi Lehkonen had 12 shot in a 3-0 win against Vancouver, giving him a .935 save percentage in his attempts (5 SOG) and had a strong game (25 for, 6 against, 80.7 CF%, past 11 games. 14-4 scoring chances) in a 5-2 loss at Columbus…Ducks LW Rickard ZEROES Rakell had ridiculous possession numbers (19 for, 2 against, 90.5 CF%, 11-1 scoring chances) in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis. Marian Gaborik – Ottawa’s veteran winger had a brutal night (7 for, 19 Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 38 of 40 shots in a 5-2 win against, 26.9 CF%, 1-7 scoring chances) and was on the ice for all three over Montreal, giving him a .930 save percentage in his past dozen goals against in a 5-3 win at Florida. games.

TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103972 Websites enough pressure on the NFL and the plaintiffs to reach a settlement in that case in 2015.

Since a settlement in the football lawsuit was reached, Brody never TSN.CA / Crucial hearing in NHL concussion suit coming Friday issued a legal judgment over the claims that repeated head hits are connected to long-term brain diseases. Rick Westhead Zimmerman and the plaintiffs have asked judge Nelson to establish two classes in a class action: one providing medical monitoring for players at risk of developing brain diseases and another for retired players who already have been diagnosed with disease such as dementia, The National Hockey League concussion lawsuit is finally coming to a Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. head.

More than four years after the landmark case against the NHL was first filed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, lawyers for the league and a TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 group of disgruntled former players face off in court Friday to argue over whether the litigation should proceed as a class action. If judge Susan Nelson decides to approve the case as a class action – a decision that might not come for many months – some 5,000 former NHL players would automatically become plaintiffs, hiking the stakes for the NHL and raising the league’s potential financial liability. For the players, a loss would mean that the roughly 300 former players who have either filed a lawsuit against the NHL or retained lawyers to do so would have to argue their claims individually. The hearing Friday is expected to last several hours. Lawyers for each side will have 30 minutes to make oral arguments about their respective cases. The judge will also hear arguments related to the NHL’s motions to exclude expert witnesses working for the plaintiffs. During arguments over the case’s future as a class action, lawyers for the former players will likely underscore the emotion of the case, drawing comparisons between the NHL, which steadfastly refuses to concede a connection between head hits and long-term brain damage, and the tobacco industry, which for decades denied a link between its products and cancer. Judge Nelson is a former trial lawyer who represented plaintiffs during tobacco-related personal injury lawsuits in the mid-to-late 1990s. Plaintiff lawyers may also recap some of the NHL’s internal emails and documents, a paper trail that includes: - A 2009 email chain where a top NHL lawyer suggested to commissioner Gary Bettman and others that the NHL not invest in researching the health of former NHL players and “focus on the here and now and leave the dementia issues up to the NFL!” - Emails that show deputy commissioner Bill Daly in 2011 acknowledging a connection between head hits and fighting and long-term health problems such as depression. - Emails showing the NHL quietly shut down its concussion study group in 2007 after researchers lost interest in the project and had not analyzed any data collected since 1997 because they were not being paid by the league. - Emails from an unnamed NHL team doctor slamming the league for having “situational ethics” when deciding when players are held out of games after Chicago Blackhawks forward Martin Havlat returned to play during the 2009 playoffs two days after being knocked unconscious. “This hearing is going to give the judge the opportunity to tell the parties and in many respects the players how she views the evidence,” said Charles Zimmerman, lead lawyer for the former NHL players, in an interview on Tuesday. “The judge will have to comment and give her views on whose evidence makes the most sense. She’s going to have to decide if this case can proceed as a class action, which is highly significant to all of the players who don’t yet have lawyers, and on the strength of the science that we think supports the link between head hits in hockey and brain damage.” Zimmerman said the hearing and subsequent judgment would be a watershed moment in the highly polarizing issue of head trauma and professional sports. “The NHL has argued there is no science that shows the disease CTE or any other brain degenerative disease is connected to hockey,” Zimmerman said. “This is the first time the court has been confronted with that question in any sport in a contested basis. Football and the NCAA have both settled lawsuits before judge issued rulings on this. That’s why this is so significant.” While judge Anita Brody in the NFL concussion lawsuit heard arguments about whether that case should have proceeded as a class action, she reserved her decision for more than a year. That had the effect of putting 1103973 Websites execute, we didn’t make any plays, we didn’t play heavy, but I thought we came out in the third period and we dug in. We just talked about, ‘Let’s just get one and they’ll tighten up a bit and we’ll crawl our way back in the TSN.CA / Maple Leafs claw out win over Stars after losing Andersen game,’ and so, in the end, that’s what happened.” After Babcock shortened his bench and started blending lines in the third, Toronto’s offence re-emerged. Van Riemsdyk knocked in another Kristen Shilton rebound off Lehtonen and completed his first hat trick of the season (the third of his career) on the power play five minutes later. Toronto’s power play has been red-hot of late, going 8-for-16 in its last seven games. TORONTO – On a night when a lot went wrong for the Toronto Maple “I just try to get to the good spots on the ice where you can score goals Leafs, just enough went right – at the right time – to earn them a 6-5 and I’m playing with smart players who know how to get the puck to shootout victory. those areas,” said van Riemsdyk. “I got some good puck luck tonight and was able to capitalize on my chances.” Taking on the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, the Leafs were already without top-line centre Auston Matthews (shoulder injury) for the seventh So did Marleau, when the Leafs were out against five exhausted Stars straight game, and by midway through the second period starting who couldn’t get a change late in the third period and he knocked in a goaltender Frederik Andersen pulled himself from the game with what goal to force overtime. That’s when it was McElhinney’s turn to shine. later would be revealed as an upper-body injury. The goaltender stood on his head in the extra frame and the shootout, flashing the leather twice on Seguin and making a couple saves right off Andersen seemed fine prior to abruptly exiting the ice during a TV his mask. He finished the night with 13 saves on 15 shots. timeout, forcing backup Curtis McElhinney to take over. But before the Leafs had even lost Andersen, they’d already coughed up their two-goal “He gets ready for games in crazy ways, but that’s all goalies,” said Mitch first period lead, with Dallas pocketing four unanswered goals by the start Marner of McElhinney. “He gets his mind ready, and for moments like of the third period. A 3-2 deficit wasn’t easy for McElhinney to step into, that he’s always ready to jump in. Everyone saw it tonight; coming in cold but he helped the Leafs claw back on the strength of a James van tonight against that team isn’t easy, especially in the shootout. He had a Riemsdyk hat trick and a game-tying goal by Patrick Marleau with 15.3 great night for us.” seconds left in the third period. McElhinney was already scheduled to start in Buffalo, but Babcock didn’t Tyler Bozak scored the shootout winner as the Leafs (41-22-7) won their commit to whether Andersen will back him up. franchise-record 11th straight game on home ice. But suffice it to say, no one among the Leafs is lacking for confidence in “There was no heads-up, really. It’s just one of those things,” said McElhinney if he’s the starter for a spell going forward. McElhinney. “I’m sitting there [charting] my faceoffs and next thing you know they’re handing my gloves to me. It was a strange game, a little bit “I mean, Mac’s been great all year, obviously,” said Babcock. “He was back and forth with some good opportunities. Nice way to come back and good in the shootout, gave us a chance and got us a big win. We’re pull it out at the end.” trying to crawl our way into the playoffs and you need points and we don’t have enough so we got to find ways to win." The only obvious collision Andersen was involved in during the game’s first half happened at the 14:24 mark of the opening period when Stars TAKEAWAYS winger Alex Radulov went careening into Andersen’s net and landed on top of him. Giving their all Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said after the game he believed While the Leafs had a shocking number of passengers for too much of Andersen was rattled on the play, and he didn’t have any further update Wednesday’s game, Bozak and van Riemsdyk consistently stood out in a on his status. But Babcock added that he didn’t think the injury was good way for continuing to press hard. Bozak started the night by serious as Andersen continued to play after he was hurt. assisting on van Riemsdyk’s goal and was flying all over the ice in the first period with good play through the neutral zone. He kept on sparking But a source told TSN.ca Wednesday night that the team is recalling his line alongside van Riemsdyk and Connor Brown, and he got a couple Garret Sparks from the AHL Toronto Marlies to be McElhinney’s backup great shifts off the rush going for his line – on one, van Riemsdyk tried in Buffalo on Thursday. feathering a pass to Brown on a two-on-one but the puck ricocheted off a sliding defenceman who cut off the lane, yet still almost wound its way Coming in cold off the bench, McElhinney ended up being the difference through the air and in. When many of Bozak’s teammates started letting for Toronto Wednesday. He not only earned them at least a point with a their games slip in the second period, Bozak was backchecking and solid effort in the third period, he was also terrific in overtime when the playing hard down low to get some semblance of a cycle going for his Leafs had to kill off a minor penalty and were outshot 7-3. It was the line with a rotating crop of wingers. Eventually that line’s hard work paid second time this season McElhinney has replaced Andersen mid-game, off when Bozak set up van Riemsdyk’s third period score to give the and marked his eighth win in 13 appearances this season. Leafs some juice. Bozak also scored the Leafs’ shootout winner prior to Marner potting the final goal in the shootout. He finished the night with “The heart-rate spikes [in that situation]. I think it would be interesting to two points and was plus-3, with 59 per cent possession, while van see what that looks like on a heart rate monitor,” McElhinney said. “But it Riemsdyk finished at 61 per cent possession. certainly goes up and the adrenaline starts pumping and when the first shots are taken there you start to settle in. Jonesing for Johnsson “I feel very comfortable out there right now and, obviously, we’ve gotten It was a long road to his NHL debut for Andreas Johnsson. After being the goal support which goes a long way.” brought over to North America from the in 2015, Johnsson took an elbow to the head in an AHL playoff game with the Andersen didn’t get quite the same support McElhinney received over the Marlies and missed the remainder of the postseason with a concussion. first period and a half, with the Leafs’ early 2-0 lead aided by some lucky That injury affected him into the following year and slowed his progress bounces. Nazem Kadri got Toronto on the board by capitalizing on a towards an NHL opportunity. So when Johnsson finally got his shot on wandering Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen, who tried to play the puck outside Wednesday, he was sure to make the most of it. He flew onto the ice for his net but it bounced right to Kadri with a gaping net to score on. Just 25 his first shift like a rocket, and put his first NHL shot on net on just his seconds later, van Riemsdyk banged in an easy rebound off Lehtonen’s second shift. He didn’t shy away from using his body to get physical in pad. the corner and win puck battles. Then suddenly, it felt like déjà vu all over But Dallas (38-26-7) responded with two goals of their own in just 1:32, again for Johnsson when Radulov caught him from behind and pancaked courtesy of captain Jamie Benn and centre Radek Faksa, to tie things up the rookie into the boards. Johnsson immediately went to the Leafs’ before the end of the frame. bench, and retired to the dressing room right after that. The 23-year-old was able to return for the start of the second period after a cut to his face While the first period ended on a low note for Toronto, the second frame was dressed. With the Leafs trailing early in the second period, he didn’t was one of the worst periods of hockey the Leafs have played all season. get as much ice time from there as Babcock might have liked, but They managed just three shots on net (compared to Dallas’ 14), had one Johnsson had good jump when he was on the ice and didn’t let the horrendous turnover and ineffective stretch passes earned the Leafs just dustup with Radulov keep him from using his body effectively along the 30.56 per cent possession. The Stars, meanwhile, kept their offensive boards. Babcock said he wasn’t able to deploy Johnsson the way he momentum going with Tyler Seguin and Remi Elie extending Dallas’ lead wanted with the Leafs chasing the game, so he didn’t have a good to 4-2 after 40 minutes. scouting report on the winger’s debut. Johnsson finished at minus-1 with one shot on goal in 7:34 of ice time. “They played right and we didn’t. They were better than us,” said Babcock. “They played hard. We didn’t handle their forecheck, we didn’t TSN.CA LOADED: 03.16.2018 1103974 Websites “Our guys have come together,” Chayka said. “Our young guys have learned what it takes to win, and our veterans have stabilized the room. All of those things took time.” USA TODAY / From worst to one of hottest: Coyotes say streak is for real USA TODAY LOADED: 03.16.2018

Kevin Allen, Published 2:54 p.m. ET March 15, 2018 Updated 3:00 p.m. ET March 15, 2018

General manager John Chayka’s take on the Arizona Coyotes’ late- season surge is that it is sustainable energy. “What we see is a group that has beliefs, and real hope for what we can accomplish here,” Chayka told USA TODAY Sports. The upgraded optimism in Arizona stems from an 11-3-2 run over the past five weeks, which represents the team’s best 16-game run in five years. In that period, the 23-35-11 Coyotes have posted three shutouts and given up two or fewer goals eight times. The Nashville Predators, who visit on Thursday, are the only Western Conference team with more points during the last month. The Coyotes don’t believe this is a case of wait-until-next-year promise arriving several months early. They see this run of success as what they could have done at the beginning of the season had they not been beset by a myriad of problems. They haven't just become a hot team. They are finding their game. “We had to suffer a bit in order to prosper,” Chayka said. The disappointing season, which started with a 0-10-1 record and has them as the 30th-ranked team, can be attributed to several factors. Adjusting to new coach Rick Tocchet. New veterans adapting to a new team. Younger players learning the NHL game. Starting goalie Antti Raanta suffering an injury. Key young defenseman Jakob Chychrun recovering from surgery. Since New Year's, the Coyotes are 14-8-6. “We have an extremely young group and there was a lot of learning that was going on at the start of the season,” Coyotes center said. “We didn’t understand how detailed and structured you have to be and what it takes to win.” Rookie Clayton Keller, 19, is a key figure in the late-season surge, posting five goals and nine assists in the past 16 games. He’s +12 during that stretch, an indication of how much tighter defensively the team has been. Overall, he has 19 goals, 50 points and a -10 rating. Chayka said Tocchet has learned to expect late-night texts from Keller with videos and thoughts about what he needs to do to have a greater impact. It’s clear that his development is crucial to the team’s future success. “He’s been real strong for us,” Stepan said. “He’s got some real elite talent.” Stepan also has two goals and 12 points during the last 16 games. Christian Dvorak, 22, has five goals in his past 11 games. Stronger goaltending has aided the Coyotes down the stretch, although Raanta is injured again. Chayka acquired goalie Darcy Kuemper, 27, from the Los Angeles Kings before the trade deadline because he wanted to improve the team’s depth. Chayka sees Kuemper as another potential Devan Dubnyk, a goalie who reaches his potential after receiving the right opportunity with a new team. Kuemper had a 27-save shutout in his last outing. But he will be tested Thursday night when the Nashvile Predators come to town. “We are playing with a lot more confidence,” Stepan said. Stepan said this stronger play definitely was born out of the team’s early struggles. “There was a huge adjustment,” Stepan said. “Not only did we have a new coach to adjust to, regarding what he wants, and his lingo, and his system, but we also had new assistant coaches and a lot of new faces and a lot of young guys. And now what’s showing now is that we are learning from the bumps we took.” Chayka had added veterans Stepan, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jason Demers last summer with the hope they could help the younger players, but their own adjustment wasn't seamless.