SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 12/18/17 1088848 Ducks’ Adam Henrique on his return to N.J.: ‘I’m sure it’ll 1088880 What we learned from the Kings' 3-2 overtime loss to the be emotional’ 1088881 John Stevens returns to Philadelphia, where his coaching career began 1088849 D-backs pitcher Archie Bradley slides in for a strike at 1088882 RETURN TO PHILLY: JOHN STEVENS DROPPED THE Coyotes game CUP OFF AT JUSTIN WILLIAMS’ DOCK; MORE 1088883 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: DECEMBER 17 Boston Bruins 1088884 GOOD MORNING, PHILADELPHIA 1088850 For Bruins’ offense, it’s a case of help wanted 1088851 Bruins face tough week to snap losing skid 1088852 Haggerty: Bruins showing they're still not 'Metro ready' in 1088885 Jared Spurgeon to return to Wild lineup vs. Blackhawks losses 1088886 Penalties drain Wild, fuel Blackhawks in 4-1 loss 1088853 A return "imminent" for McQuaid after two-month absence 1088887 Wild gets Jared Spurgeon back; Matt Dumba remains paired with Ryan Suter 1088888 Wild-Blackhawks game recap 1088854 Sabres Notebook: In wake of OT losses, 3-on-3 work gets 1088889 Kane, Crawford lead Blackhawks past Wild for 5th straight extra attention 1088890 Wild drops second game in a row, 4-1 at 1088855 Smith's OT winner completes Amerks comeback 1088891 Wild’s Jared Spurgeon to return against rival Blackhawks 1088856 Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings 1088892 Wild have no answer for in loss to rival 1088857 The pieces are coming together for Team USA Blackhawks Calgary Flames Montreal Canadiens 1088858 Flames turn up offence in win over Canucks 1088893 What will Canadiens fans find under the Christmas tree 1088859 Backlund salutes high-scoring Swedish Sedin twins this year? 1088860 Flames suffer shutout defeat at hands of Nashville 1088894 Melnick: The good, the bad and the ugly game 33, Predators Montreal 0, Ottawa 3 1088861 Jan Rutta, back practicing for Blackhawks 1088895 Nashville Predators embark on a special Christmas 1088862 Patrick Kane scores 2 goals to lift Hawks to 5th straight mission for kids of recovering addicts win 1088863 Patrick Kane leads Blackhawks to fifth straight victory 1088864 Jan Rutta, Cody Franson near return, but will there be 1088896 Devils' Sami Vatanen on facing Ducks for 1st time since room for them? 1088865 Franson, Rutta eager to get back for Chicago Blackhawks 1088897 Will Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri or Marcus Johansson play 1088866 Kane, Crawford lead Blackhawks past Wild for 5th straight with Devils on Monday? 1088867 Kane scores twice as Chicago Blackhawks win 5th straight 1088898 Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri appear ready to return to Devils' 1088868 As Patrick Kane approaches 300 career goals, Jeremy lineup Roenick says he will be best Blackhawk ever 1088899 Devils Daily Faceoff: Three storylines for Dec. 17 1088900 Devils send down Nick Lappin to free a roster spot Colorado Avalanche 1088901 Adam Henrique faces range of emotions in first game 1088869 Moving forward, Avalanche rookie Alex Kerfoot will better against Devils protect his feet 1088902 Devils getting close to being at full strength 1088870 Avalanche’s Erik Johnson suspended two games for dangerous play on Vlad Namestnikov 1088871 Everything you need to know about at 1088903 Inconsistent Rangers still have a legitimate chance at a Colorado Avalanche playoff run 1088872 Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson suspended 2 games 1088904 Rangers have new task now that they have righted the 1088873 Stralman, Lightning overcome Landeskog's hat trick for ship Avs NHL 1088905 Inside Sports Business: Timely assist from NHL helps Oak 1088874 Blue Jackets | Pierre-Luc Dubois, just 19, has solidified View Group, Seattle officials in terms of KeyArena pe spot with Jackets Ottawa Senators 1088906 The Senators made their point in enjoyable trip outdoors 1088875 Home cooking: Stars fortunate that most important stretch 1088907 Karlsson getting to the top of his game of season comes in American Airlines Center 1088908 Garrioch: Senators proud of fans for sitting through cold 1088909 Brennan: As a co-host, Melynk sure knows how to spoil a party 1088876 How will Detroit Red Wings respond to holiday road trip? 1088910 Senators finally give fans something to cheer about 1088877 Krupa: Red Wings need to think ahead; ‘the process’ isn’t working Edmonton Oilers 1088878 Will Sharks visit rekindle Oilers playoff atmosphere at Rogers Place? 1088879 Panthers fall to former coach , Golden Knights, 5-2, in Vegas Websites 1088911 Surging Flyers could tie bizarre NHL record 1088950 .ca / Canucks’ loss to Flames eclipsed by 1088912 Like it or not, boring is working for Flyers Boeser injury 1088913 Flyers’ confidence breeding creativity in their play 1088951 Sportsnet.ca / Brock Boeser will not return vs. Flames due 1088914 Flyers 5 takeaways: OT win over Dallas a show of to foot injury confidence 1088952 Sportsnet.ca / HE AIN'T HEAVY 1088953 Sportsnet.ca / Five potential trade partners for the Pittsburgh Penguins struggling Penguins 1088915 Penguins lacking in quality wins 1088954 Sportsnet.ca / After Hours: Subban on Turris, Montreal 1088916 Analysis: Kris Letang and Ryan Reaves top the list of five and being himself in Nashville questions for the Penguins 1088955 Sportsnet.ca / 5 things we learned: Ovechkin extends NHL 1088917 Penguins kill has been getting its fill OT record 1088918 Mario Lemieux reacts to NHL’s ‘Greatest Moment’ 1088956 TSN.CA / Leafs out to make Nylander 'a star' 1088919 Penguins show patience, resilience in 4-2 win over 1088957 TSN.CA / Point, Batherson work their way onto Team Coyotes Canada Jets 1088920 Sharks’ Logan Couture out with head injury 1088939 Jets get their revenge by shutting out Blues 4-0 1088940 Welcome back, Thorbs St Louis Blues 1088941 Morrissey moving forward: Smooth blue-liner keeps 1088921 Pietrangelo returns from injured reserve getting better 1088922 Blues notes: A homecoming weekend for Thorburn 1088942 Thorburn excited to see old teammates…Hellebuyck gets 1088923 Blues have no goals, and no answers for Jets an extra day to regroup…Pietrangelo set to return…Injuri 1088943 Jets can’t solve Hutton: Mason shines in return but Jets fall 2-0 to Blues 1088924 Lightning has goalie Peter Budaj’s back after near- 1088944 Winnipeg is struggling. Are Dimitry Kulikov and Tyler collapse Myers to blame? SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1088925 Ice-cold Leaf Nylander keeping up appearances 1088926 Zaitsev joins Matthews on Leafs' injury shelf 1088927 Babcock's tough love lessons for Leafs 1088928 Back to the future for Maple Leafs 1088929 Auston Matthews sighted, but not slated to play yet 1088930 Marlies mauled by Moose 1088931 Leafs have to plug a blueline hole with Nikita Zaitsev gone 1088932 In Nikita Zaitsev's absence, the Leafs will be forced to try new things 1088945 Canucks Gameday: Sputtering Flames pay a visit to the Rog 1088946 Sedins turn back the clock, put the Canucks on their backs 1088947 Brock Boeser's character, commitment to winning saluted by his teammates 1088948 Flames 6, Canucks 1: Injury a brutal blow for hotshot rookie Brock Boeser 1088949 Travis Green says Derrick Pouliot does one thing 'as good as anyone I’ve seen in a while.' What is it? 1088933 Erik Haula redirects Golden Knights to 5-2 victory over Florida 1088934 Facing Florida ‘another game’ for Golden Knights coach Gallant 1088935 Golden Knights exact revenge for Gerard Gallant in victory over Panthers 1088936 Golden Knights score 5 unanswered goals to beat Panthers 1088937 First came Ovechkin and Backstrom, now Capitals have Vrana and Kuznetsov 1088938 Was Evgeny Kuznetsov even trying to shoot on his game-tying ? 1088848 Anaheim Ducks It has been a tough year thus far for their top defender. Lindholm missed the first seven games as he recovered from major shoulder surgery and sat out another due to a lower-body ailment before the latest injury kept Ducks’ Adam Henrique on his return to N.J.: ‘I’m sure it’ll be emotional’ him out. “At least it’s injuries that you can kind of recover from,” Lindholm said. “I’ve been unlucky but lucky in a lot of ways. It could have been injuries By ERIC STEPHENS | [email protected] | Orange County Register that are going to affect you more in the long term. I just have to battle through this weak kind of injury here. Get my body healthy.” PUBLISHED: December 17, 2017 at 8:24 pm | UPDATED: December 17, 2017 at 8:26 PM Lindholm maintained an optimistic view on his interrupted season. “There’s no time of the year you want the injuries,” he said. “Rather now than later. Last year, I had it at the end of the season. Now I can get NEWARK, N.J. – As the Ducks were wrapping up their Sunday workout them early and be healthy the rest of the year.” on the practice rink at Prudential Center, the New Jersey Devils were having a casual holiday skate in the arena for their players and family Maybe the strangest thing to come out of the Ducks’ 3-2 overtime loss to members. A team party would commence afterward. the Capitals was going through the entire game without having to kill a penalty. It was the first time since Nov. 29, 2013 against Calgary. Adam Henrique might have been forgiven if he accidentally stumbled into either. And that’s a feat for a team that’s long been among the most penalized, whether Randy Carlyle has been the Ducks’ coach or not. This was his home since the Devils gave him a one-game look at the end of the 2010-11 season and then brought him into the fold. And up until “For a long time, I haven’t been involved in a hockey game where we the Nov. 30 trade with the Ducks, Henrique was part of their core until he haven’t taken a penalty,” Carlyle said. “It’s a little abnormal for our was effectively told that he wasn’t. group.” Coming back already saw him meet up with former teammates that were his just over two weeks ago. There was catching up with team personnel he often conversed with. You don’t work in one place for six-plus Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.18.2017 seasons and not make a connection, especially if you’re the type that likes to engage. “I’ve talked to a bunch of the guys,” Henrique said. “A bunch of the guys reached out since. I’ve been keeping an eye on the guys, seeing how they’re doing and just staying in touch.” None of that will compare to what might be in store for him Monday night when the Ducks take on the Devils. Henrique was a Calder Trophy finalist as a rookie, making him an instant fan favorite. He stayed that, passing the 20-goal mark three times and being active in the community and social media. Some – if not many – might have understood the move, given the Devils’ need for a puck-moving defenseman that was filled with acquiring Sami Vatanen in return and the impact of rookie No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier and other young forwards. Losing the popular Henrique was still lamented. The 27-year-old knows that. He is trying not to think about the reaction he may get or whether the Devils will do a tribute video during a stoppage. If there is one, the Game 6 overtime goal he scored to beat the New York Rangers and send New Jersey to the 2012 Final will be part of it. “I’m excited for the game,” Henrique said. “Nervous. Anxious. Excited. A little bit of everything. People have been awesome ever since that day. A lot of very nice messages from a lot of fans. A lot of people have reached out and said their thoughts on things which, it’s a great feeling. “It kind of helps the initial shock pass. You feel good about you left behind and what I did here in my time. Not only at the rink but away from the rink as well. I’m just looking forward to tomorrow.” The shock of the trade itself was something Henrique recalled Sunday but the strong start to his Ducks career – six points in his first five games – is something he desired and was glad to fulfill. Playing right away the next night in Columbus was something he implored to Ducks general manager Bob Murray. “I think it was important,” Henrique said. “Obviously with all the injuries, you want to step in and be effective and chip in. I guess prove yourself, if you will, to your new teammates. You want to go out and play hard. The biggest thing for me coming in is just being able to play my game.” Now comes Monday night. It will be a time to renew acquaintances, recall fond memories and, on a symbolic level, cut the cord. “I don’t know what I’ll think,” Henrique said. “We’ll wait and see. Honestly, I’m probably not going to try to think of all that for most of the day but it’ll be hard not to. I’m sure it’ll be emotional, not just for me either. I think a lot of people here too. “That’s one of the special things of tomorrow. I think getting through the day and the game will be good for me for moving forward with the Ducks.” Hampus Lindholm said he felt good in his nearly 18 minutes of action Saturday in Washington after an arm issue improved enough for him to return following a five-game absence. 1088849 Arizona Coyotes

D-backs pitcher Archie Bradley slides in for a strike at Coyotes game

Staff Report BY HABOOB BLOG | DECEMBER 16, 2017 AT 11:03 PM UPDATED: DECEMBER 17, 2017 AT 8:56 AM

On the baseball diamond, Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley isn’t known for his slider. In fact, Bradley’s four-seam fastball is his most effective pitch. However, in a special guest appearance at the Arizona Coyotes game Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bradley put both together — just not in the way you think. While there for his friend’s bachelor party, Bradley took the ice and elected to join in on some human bowling fun. Sitting on a mat, Bradley was sent sliding from one end of the ice to the other by a massive slingshot. Bradley used his speed to then sprawl out from the mat, knocking down all six pins for the strike. In true comical form, Bradley stood up to cheers from the crowd. While Bradley enjoyed the festivities Saturday night, his fun for the weekend isn’t quite over yet. It was announced Thursday that he will join Arizona State’s 942 Crew in the Curtain of Distraction Sunday when the Sun Devils take on Vanderbilt at Wells Fargo Arena. And if his act is anything similar to that of other stars who have joined the curtain, it will be something to look forward to.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088850 Boston Bruins ■ Rask and Anton Khudobin will split the netminding chores Monday (Columbus) and Tuesday (at Buffalo). Rask remains hot, without a regulation loss in his last six starts (5-0-1), and with a 1.50 goals against For Bruins’ offense, it’s a case of help wanted mark and a .944 save percentage. Cassidy said he will announce Monday morning how the two will split the chores. Good bet: Rask on Monday, followed by Khudobin in Buffalo. By Kevin Paul Dupont ■ As of Sunday morning, the Blues Jackets were tied for third (with New GLOBE STAFF DECEMBER 17, 2017 Jersey and Toronto) in the Eastern Conference with 41 points. They’ve sustained their impressive play from last year, despite an inexplicably awful power play that Sunday morning ranked as the league’s worst (90.3 failure rate). Last season, the Jackets ranked 12th overall on the A few thoughts, observations, and shots high off the glass following the man-advantage with a a 19.9 success rate. Bruins’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Rangers on Saturday at TD Garden. ■ The Sabres again have sunk to the league basement, ahead of only ■ Too much of the Boston offense remains in the hands of a select few. bottom-feeding Arizona. The distant, distant sons of the French Brad Marchand and Danton Heinen were the lone scorers against the Connection have scored the fewest goals (72) of the Original 31. Blueshirts. The Bruins have scored 85 goals, the fewest of any of the current 16 clubs with playoff seeds, and Marchand (13) and David Pastrnak (15) have accounted for 32.9 percent of all of the goals. More help is needed. Boston Globe LOADED: 12.18.2017 ■ Adam McQuaid, sidelined the past two months with a leg fracture, could be back in the lineup this week, perhaps Monday night at TD Garden against the Blue Jackets. Once back, coach Bruce Cassidy will consider dressing McQuaid as a seventh defenseman, or possibly change the configuration of his six pack — to the point of sitting out a different defender each night. The Bruins also have Paul Postma as a depth defenseman. “If you [take out] the last guy in, [Matt] Grzelcyk, then you are back to four righties,” noted Cassidy. “We’ve had mixed levels of success with that. Then it becomes, who on right side comes out. We could go with seven D, and Adam would help the penalty kill.” A factor that could help Grzelcyk stay in the lineup: he has teamed with Charlie McAvoy for point duty on the No. 2 power play. “Or we could play six D one night, seven the next,” mused Cassidy. “Again, it will create good competition.” No team ever has too many blue liners. Witness: last spring’s playoffs, when the Bruins found themselves without Brandon Carlo, Torey Krug, and McQuaid. ■ Reassigned to AHL Providence early last season, his game not quite NHL-ready, Heinen has made himself a reliable offensive component the last three weeks, especially of late with linemates Riley Nash and David Backes. He picked up his seventh goal Saturday and is 3-4—7 in his last eight games. One possible way to add to the goal scoring — bump Heinen up to second-line duty with David Krejci. The talented Czech pivot has worked much of the year with other rookie wingers, Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork, which in part has held back his production. “It hasn’t been ideal for David,” said Cassidy, noting that one of his potential wingers, Pastrnak, has remained on the Marchand-Patrice Bergeron trio. “So he’s getting some kids.” On Saturday, Krejci inherited center-turned-wing Ryan Spooner. Who knows what combo he will see Monday, but it could be Bjork on his right side, with Spooner on the left. DeBrusk saw only 7:43 of ice time Saturday, with Cassidy not satisfied with his overall play. “I didn’t think he was hard enough on the puck,” said the coach. “He lost some battles on the walls, and in the middle of the ice, by my count, had two backhand turnovers . . . every game is close, you just have to manage the puck better in those situations.” ■ Bjork spent the Ranger matinee in the press box, the first time he has sat out as an extra (coach’s decision). His preference would not be to grow up one day to be a sportswriter. “No, not at all,” said the affable ex- Notre Dame standout. “I don’t think I would be very good at that.” The 2½ hours on the ninth floor, he said, provided him with a different perspective. “You see a lot more,” he said. “Main thing for me, is that it lights an extra fire in your belly . . . inspires you to get on that ice and help the team. It’s where my head’s at right now.” Bjork had a bird’s-eye view of the crazy Michael Grabner goal that deflected off of Tuukka Rask’s mask, banged off the glass on the rear boards, ricocheted off Rask’s back, then kicked in the net off of Rask’s right skate. “Bank , nice,” said a smiling Bjork after Sunday’s optional workout in Brighton. “We worked on that today.” 1088851 Boston Bruins While Cassidy doesn’t appear to want to go back to the four righties-two lefties combination he started the season with, he opened the door to possibly going with seven defensemen some nights. Bruins face tough week to snap losing skid “It’ll create good competition,” Cassidy said.

Steve Conroy Monday, December 18, 2017 Boston Herald LOADED: 12.18.2017

For the first time in a month, the Bruins are riding a losing streak. Granted it’s only two games, and the second loss — in overtime Saturday to the Rangers — earned them a point in the standings and possessed enough good things to be considered a glass-half-full defeat. But the Bruins are facing the kind of week in which things could snowball on the them quickly. They have four games in six days leading into the Christmas break, and it won’t be easy. They face another tough Metropolitan Division team in Columbus tonight at home, then travel to Buffalo tomorrow night to face the last-placed Sabres — who have been playing much better lately (two wins, three OT losses in last six) and always seem to get up for the B’s. After a day off, the Bruins face a good Winnipeg team on Thursday at the Garden, then finish up with a matinee against the Red Wings on Saturday. If the competition doesn’t sink them, the schedule could. One problem is allowing the first goal. Though that wasn’t indicative of their play on Saturday — the Rangers scored first on a fluke — it has been three straight games of giving up the first goal. They’re not playing poorly defensively, but they need to bury the kind of chances that they’ve had. “It’s not what we want,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We want to have the lead, especially in our building. We’ve got to find a way to finish better, to be honest with you. I thought we defended well, even in Detroit. It was kind of a vanilla game for long stretches but we did enough to win (in overtime). “But we’d like to get back to where teams are on their heels in this building, and quite frankly on the road — but specifically in our building.” Cassidy is trying to figure out who should play with David Krejci. He went a few games using the veteran centerman with two rookies, Anders Bjork and Jake DeBrusk, but that’s hit a snag of late. Bjork struggled badly enough in Thursday’s loss to Washington to be scratched on Saturday in favor of the returning Ryan Spooner at right wing, while DeBrusk found himself playing less than eight minutes on Saturday. There has been an internal discussion of bumping up Danton Heinen to play with Krejci, said Cassidy, but the staff also want to create some continuity for the veteran center. “It’s not ideal for David,” Cassidy said. “We’ve decided to leave (David Pastrnak) up (with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand), so he’s getting some kids. He’s getting Ryan Spooner, who’s a centerman but probably thinks the game a lot like David, so I think they could complement each other. “I just think they need a heavier presence on the line. What I mean by heavy is more of a net presence, net drive. It doesn’t have to be a 230- pounder, but a guy that will get to the net for them. That could be Jake or Anders. It’s what we’d like to see more out of them on a consistent basis.” Cassidy wasn’t making any lineup announcements yesterday, but he sounded inclined to put Bjork back in the mix. Whether that adversely affects DeBrusk remains to be seen, but Cassidy wants to see more out of the left winger than he saw Saturday. “I didn’t think he was hard enough on the puck,” Cassidy said. “He lost some battles along the wall and through the middle of the ice. By my count, he probably had two backhand turnovers and those are the tough ones. We try to emphasize with the young guys, play on your forehand if you’re not sure because you’re always stronger. Those backhand plays in the middle of the ice . . . every game is close and you just have to manage the puck better in those situations. “You’ve go to get those (bad plays) out of your game. Live to fight another day, manage the puck, eat the puck and put it to a safe area. You can’t make a play every time. Teams are too good.” Adam McQuaid is getting very close to a return. And though it didn’t sound like tonight’s game was likely, the defenseman could see action this week. 1088852 Boston Bruins Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.18.2017

Haggerty: Bruins showing they're still not 'Metro ready' in losses

By Joe Haggerty December 17, 2017 10:40 AM

BOSTON – Much may have changed with the Bruins since last year but some things have stayed the same, for instance the Metro Division is still a heck of a lot better than the Atlantic within the Eastern Conference power structure. The Bruins have dropped two in a row to traditional Metro Division power teams with losses to Washington and the 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers on Saturday night at TD Garden. The Bruins are an average 4-3-2 against Metro Division teams this season, but they have yet to beat three of the divisions' best teams (Blue Jackets, Rangers and Capitals) with a 0-3-2 record against them. Bruins have a chance to improve this record on Monday against Columbus. A win on Monday would be important, because the Bruins haven't looked "Metro ready" in any way, shape or form yet. It feels like Washington is just NHL kryptonite to the Bruins at this point, the struggles against the metal of the Metro Division this season shows Bruce Cassidy that his team still has a lot to iron out before being considered true contenders. In back-to-back games against Washington and New York, the Bruins were chasing for the entire duration of both contests despite getting more shots on net. They are still too young in key areas, mistake-prone at key moments, and still getting pushed too much to be considered a threat to any of the Monsters of the Metro. David Pastrnak wasn’t in much of a reflective mood when asked about it after the loss to the Rangers, but the mention of salvaging a point while coming back from two goals down was going to have to be good enough against the Blueshirts this time around. “I think it’s just that we are just people. I don’t know, you know, we just need to sit down a minute. We have a tough week ahead of us so we got a point, it’s better than nothing,” said Pastrnak. “The Rangers is a good team and always play good against us. It’s good that we came back and, you know, we got the point. Obviously we could have finished stronger, and it shows how it is. We are going to get better from our mistakes.” The good news is that the Bruins have improved vastly and are playing like a team who could make the postseason. They hold a pretty comfortable three point lead over the Habs for the Atlantic’s third spot with a whopping three games in hand. They can’t allow slippage in the standings given that it looks like a lock that five playoff teams proceed out of the Metro Division. Much of this is idle talk, however, with the Bruins not even at the half-way point of the season. Clearly the team still has plenty of work still to be done after watching the power play embody a dumpster fire on Saturday night. There’s also the lingering doubt that despite their improvements, the B’s just aren’t yet strong enough to fight off teams with size and skill like you’d expect from a division that produced the last two Stanley Cup champs. “I think we’ve been pretty good [defensively]. It’s been mostly power play breakaways really, but I think we’ve been jumping and making plays when the defense has been jumping in the rush. I don’t think there has been too many turnovers off that,” said Tuukka Rask. “But I think when you play teams like Washington and the Rangers, they are pretty heavy and they battle in front of the net. So you’ve really got to get your nose dirty and battle in front of the net to get rewarded. That’s something that we need to pay attention to, I guess.” The positive take away is that any losses to teams from the Metro will serve as another key chapter in the learning experience for the Bruins rookie group, and it also serves as a good gauge letting the Bruins know that they still have some serious improvement to come. They’ll get another immediate crack at one of their Metro Division big brothers when the Columbus Blue Jackets come to town on Monday. The Bruins will get a chance to show that they've learned this past week after breaking down against the Capitals and Rangers, and perhaps buck the trend against a Blue Jackets team cut from the same mold. The B's believe they’re improving as the season wears on, but it’s time to prove it improvement in the all-important won-loss category against one of the Metro Division heavyweights.

1088853 Boston Bruins

A return "imminent" for McQuaid after two-month absence

By Joe Haggerty December 17, 2017 3:22 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass – It sounds like the toughness quotient might be going up quite a bit higher for the Bruins in the near future. Adam McQuaid may be cleared to play as soon as Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, or at least later on in the week if it doesn’t happen against the rough-and-tumble, Metro Division Blue Jackets. The 6-foot-5 hard-nosed defender has been out for nearly two months with a broken right fibula, but has been back skating with the Bruins for a couple of weeks. “I don’t know if Monday he’ll be cleared, but he’s getting close. He’s practicing with us, so it’s imminent for him. I just don’t want to pinpoint an exact day,” said Cassidy of McQuaid, who was one of a handful of players along with Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork, Frank Vatrano, Paul Postma and Anton Khudobin that skated on Sunday at Warrior Ice Arena. There certainly may be some rust in McQuaid’s game after missing the last 24 cgames dating back to the Oct. 19 injury. Ddding another tough customer and D-zone warrior certainly won't hurt the Bruins. In the short term, the presence of McQuaid could protect some of B's top players like Brad Marchand who has received some questionable hits over the last couple of months. In the long term his presence adds more size, strength and toughness in the defensive zone. In terms of pairings it would be logical to swing Kevan Miller back over to the left side, and potentially pull rookie puck-mover Matt Grzelcyk out of the lineup once McQuaid is ready to play. But Bruce Cassidy indicated it won’t be that simple, and there may be times when the Bruins roll seven defensemen given their strength in numbers once McQuaid comes back. “If you take the last guy in, Grzelcyk, [out of the lineup] then you’re back to your four righty [defensemen]. We had mixed levels of success with that, and then it’s a matter of who on the right Is going to come out if he stick with the three lefties,” said Cassidy. “That’s an internal discussion that we’ve already started to have. He will definitely help the penalty kill. It could be a different lineup every night where we go with six D one night, and then go with seven D the next night. It will create good competition.” McQuaid wants to temper the excitement now that he’s on the verge of a return, and is simply putting in work until he’s given the green light to play. The busy NHL schedule and the lack of quality practice time isn't the perfect scenario for the 31-year-old defenseman to return, so it’s simply a matter of doing what’s best for player and team. “I’d like to get back as soon as I can obviously. I’ve missed a lot of time, but it’s a process. I just try to approach it like I’m not getting my hopes up too much,” said McQuaid, who had an assist and a minus-3 in the six games he did appear in. “We’ll have a better idea tomorrow. The more and more game-like situations you get in [can help]. “We haven’t gone too far down the road so I don’t know exactly [when I’ll return]. I’m just out there trying to get closer, but I’m excited about where I’m at and the possibility of moving forward. It’s been fun watching the guys, but I can’t wait to get back in there and be part of a winning hockey team again.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088854 Buffalo Sabres Larsson did. Three big plays right in a row. It turns the momentum right back to us."

It was a rare practice where the Sabres had every player on the ice. Sabres Notebook: In wake of OT losses, 3-on-3 work gets extra attention There were 24 players in all (14 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies). Decisions have to be made for the three games this week on Nathan Beaulieu (flu) and Jacob Josefson (ankle), and both could return. By Mike Harrington | Published Sun, Dec 17, 2017 | Updated Sun, Dec 17, 2017 The final pre-Christmas games are here Tuesday and Friday against Boston and Philadelphia, respectively, and then Saturday in Carolina.

The Sabres kept their line combinations mostly intact Sunday, running a It was time for a new drill Sunday morning in KeyBank Center. After three pair of three-man units and a pair of four-man units. overtime losses in an eight-day span dropped the Sabres to 1-6 in 3-on-3 play, coach Phil Housley went for some specialized instruction. Eichel centered Kane and Jason Pominville while Larsson was between Pouliot and Sam Reinhart. The four-man units had O'Reilly centering The Blue team and the Gold team took their benches and it was time to Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons and Scott Wilson, while Josefson was go full speed at 3 on 3, complete with assistants keeping time of the five in the middle with Jordan Nolan, Evan Rodrigues and Hudson Fasching. minutes and changes on the fly.

"I thought it went really well," Housley said. "It helped us recognize when we're getting in bad areas on the wall or we're getting squeezed on the Buffalo News LOADED: 12.18.2017 puck to work to keep possession. We recognized a couple things when we went the other way on a 2-on-1 with the third guy adding but reading the play and maybe staying off a little bit in case there was a shot that missed the net. We have some safety back there and it was good to work on it." Buffalo's 1-6 record is the worst in the NHL, and the six losses are tied with Detroit (2-6) for the most. In an eight-day span, the Sabres got beat three times in 3-on-3 play, in the final minute in both Chicago and St. Louis and in Friday's 5-4 defeat here against Carolina on a goal by defenseman Jacob Slavin. At one point in Sunday's drill, Housley briefly stopped the proceedings to remind his players the keys in overtime are puck possession and quick changes. The Sabres have been guilty of overstaying shifts in the extra session and it's led to tired players and some goals. Housley also wants them to circle back at times, maybe even play the puck to their goalie while a change is going on, rather than just give it up with a bad shot. "It was good, really good for us," said defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. "We need to practice it, get better at it. But it was fun and it was good for us conditioning-wise too." Housley split up Jack Eichel and Evander Kane in the 3-on-3 session Friday. He started Eichel with Benoit Pouliot and used Kane with Ryan O'Reilly. The Slavin goal was scored with Eichel, O'Reilly and Jake McCabe on the ice and came 12 seconds after Kane failed to beat Cam Ward on a breakaway. Sunday's drill gave some new players a chance at 3 on 3 and center Johan Larsson, who has only one goal on the season, scored at one point with a neat snipe to the top corner on goalie Robin Lehner. The coach said he will keep tinkering with the overtime lineup. "It always happens in hockey where you're getting a Grade A+ look and it turns around the other way and you're picking it out of your net," Housley said. "We've been looking at that. We haven't gotten the results but we've had the opportunities so we have to be careful about changing too much." Larsson's lone goal remains an empty-netter in the Oct. 15 win at Anaheim, but he was happy to make a major contribution in Friday's game. During a 4-on-3 penalty kill in the first minute of the second period and no score in the game, Larsson had consecutive shot blocks and then cleared the puck out of the Buffalo zone. "It was a big moment in the game and you just try to be solid," said Larsson, who had six goals last year and 10 in 2015-16. "Our pre-scouts have been really good. We're well prepared. Things will obviously change at times out there but good preparation helps you a lot and we've had that." "He's been a really good mainstay on our penalty kill," Housley said. "It's been really, really solid at home. He provides stability back there, one of the guys first over the boards. It really lifted our bench, got our guys going after he blocked those two shots." The Sabres are 12th in the NHL on the penalty kill at 82.2 percent, a big jump from last year's No. 25 rating. But at home, Buffalo is tied for the fewest goals allowed and is second in percentage at 92.7, allowing just three goals on 41 chances. The Sabres are second in percentage to Minnesota, which has allowed three on 53 chances (94.3 percent). Buffalo has allowed a power-play goal in just two of its 15 home games. "Guys want to pay the price in those situations," said Ristolainen. "It takes a lot of guts to block shots and the other night you see what Johan 1088855 Buffalo Sabres

Smith's OT winner completes Amerks comeback

By Staff | Published Sat, Dec 16, 2017

The overcame a 2-0 deficit late in the third period to earn a 3-2 overtime win at the Utica Comets Saturday night and pick up at least a point for the 17th time in the last 19 games dating back to Nov. 1. C.J. Smith completed the comeback effort with his 10th goal of the season just 17 seconds into the extra period on a breakaway. The rookie also assisted on both Rochester goals during regulation, giving him 20 assists and 30 points through 28 games. He leads the Amerks in goals and assists and is the top rookie scorer in the AHL. Utica’s Michael Carcone opened the scoring 7:16 into second period with assists going to Cole Cassels and Patrick Wiercioch. Cassels made it 2-0 4:51 into the third on an unassisted goal. Rochester’s Sahir Gill tapped in a feed from Smith in front of the net while on the power play to put the Amerks on the board with 6:33 to go. Stuart Percy had the secondary helper on the play. Nicholas Baptiste converted on a loose puck in front of the net to tie it up with 2:52 left on his fifth goal of the season. Assists went to Smith and Kyle Criscuolo. Cruscuolo and Brendan Guhle picked up the assists on Smith’s overtime winner. Backup goaltender Adam Wilcox made 31 saves to earn his fourth win in his 11th game played this season. Rochester had 30 shots on goal and went 1-for-6 on the power play. The Comets didn’t score during three attempts on the man advantage. Gill is currently second on the team in points with seven goals and 12 assists. Rochester improved to 3-2-1-1 against Utica this season. A 10-game point streak by the Amerks was snapped on Friday with a 3-2 loss to the . The Amerks (16-6-3-3) return home on Wednesday to host the Belleville Senators at 7:05 p.m. They then head to Laval for back-to-back games against the Rocket on Dec. 22 and 23 before heading into the Christmas break.

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088856 Buffalo Sabres 27. Florida Panthers. So many mistakes after one-year playoff run might take a long time to fix. (27)

28. Edmonton Oilers. Had 46 shots on goal but got shut out by Nashville Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings backup Saros. (29) 29. Ottawa Senators. What was Melnyk thinking spouting off at major By Mike Harrington | Published Sat, Dec 16, 2017 | Updated Sat, NHL event? (28) Dec 16, 2017 30. Buffalo Sabres. Shootouts no longer an issue because they're 1-6 in overtime. Yeesh. (30) 31. Arizona Coyotes. Back to being terrible with 1-6-2 slide. (31) Through Friday's games. Last week's rankings in parentheses. 1. Tampa Bay Lightning. With 23 wins in first 31 games, they're up to a Buffalo News LOADED: 12.18.2017 127-point pace. (1) 2. Nashville Predators. Averaging 4.5 goals per game in December. (4) 3. St. Louis Blues. Offense suffering with Schwartz, Pietrangelo out with injuries. (3) 4. Los Angeles Kings. Gaborik scores at MSG in 1,000th career game. (2) 5. Vegas Golden Knights. Fleury recalls clinching save of '09 Cup win in beating Penguins. (7) 6. Columbus Blue Jackets. Tortorella's no-questions, 13-second presser after 7-2 loss to Oilers is an all-timer. (8) 7. Washington Capitals. Here they come: Have won eight of 10 to tie for Metro lead. (10) 8. Winnipeg Jets. Open tough three-game roadie Tuesday in Nashville. (5) 9. New Jersey Devils. Close call: Hall escapes collision with knee bruise, no ligament damage. (9) 10. Toronto Maple Leafs. Scored just three goals in dropping all three games without Matthews. (6) 11. San Jose Sharks. After slow start to season, have pulled into third in the Pacific. (13) 12. Chicago Blackhawks. OT thriller vs. Sabres started desperately needed four-game winning streak. (18) 13. New York Rangers. NBC reality show shots of players riding subway to practice sparked a laugh. (15) 14. Minnesota Wild. Ex-Sabres in culture shock: Boudreau scratches Ennis one night, and Foligno the next. (19) 15. New York Islanders. Lee moves up to third in the league with 19 goals. (12) 16. Dallas Stars. Got four of six points in three-game New York City trip. (14) 17. Calgary Flames. Monahan (17 goals, 30 points) not getting the notice he deserves for a solid season. (16) 18. Pittsburgh Penguins. Two points out of Metro cellar, GM Rutherford says time for a big move might be at hand. (11) 19. Anaheim Ducks. Hits keep coming: Now Perry is week to week with knee injury. (22) 20. Boston Bruins. Hit town here Tuesday off tough back-to-back vs. Blue Jackets. (20) 21. Philadelphia Flyers. First team since '05 Sharks to follow 10-game losing streak with five-game winning streak. (23) 22. . Ward is sixth active goalie to get to 300 wins. (24) 23. Vancouver Canucks. Old friend Anders Nilsson was brutal in goal against Preds, giving up Subban's center-ice laser as part of 7-1 defeat. (17) 24. Montreal Canadiens. Outdoor game in Ottawa opens stretch of seven straight on the road. (21) 25. Colorado Avalanche. Have used 11 forwards, seven defensemen for five straight games. (25) 26. Detroit Red Wings. With window slammed shut, GM Holland and coach Blashill both could be in trouble. (26) 1088857 Buffalo Sabres

The pieces are coming together for Team USA

By Amy Moritz | Published Sun, Dec 17, 2017 | Updated Sun, Dec 17, 2017

COLUMBUS – The pieces are beginning to come together for Team USA. Or at least the staff is enjoying moving the pieces they have around. On Day 3 of the pre-tournament camp for the U.S. National Junior Team there's still plenty of competition for spots, and plenty of playing around with line combinations and positions as Team USA prepares for the IIHF World Junior Men's Championship which begins in Buffalo Dec. 26. Sunday evening, the team held an intrasquad scrimmage at the OhioHealth Ice Haus. They played scoreless five-on-five while had a few goals netted during a three-on-three session. And for the record, Casey Mittelstadt was playing center between Kieffer Bellows and Joey Anderson. It was the first look at center during this camp for Buffalo Sabres top draft pick. But U.S. coach Bob Motzko isn't sure where Mittelstadt will end up. It's all part of assembling the moving jigsaw puzzle. "We had talked about Casey on the wing or Casey in the middle. So we put him in the middle tonight and we wanted to see how that looked," Motzko said after Sunday's scrimmage. "It's not how he's going to look. He's going to be fine. But how the rest of it falls underneath. Those are the puzzle pieces that we're putting together. I think that became a little more clear. I know you want me to be a little more specific and I can't." But as for Mittelstadt, "he can go anywhere – the side or the middle," Motzko saidd. "I don't think he would care. And he's going to be effective. It's how everything falls around it."

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088858 Calgary Flames “Lots of guys needed it,” Gulutzan added. “This is a stick-with-it league. We had some guys step up from the beginning. Gio. Janks’ line was playing hard. Benny had a great game. We had lots of guys going, and Flames turn up offence in win over Canucks we need to continue with that.” The Flames now prepare for the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., Sportsnet 360/Sportsnet 960 The Fan) and welcome the Montreal Kristen Odland, Postmedia Canadiens on Friday (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan) before the Christmas break. Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 10:10 PM MST Calgary Herald: LOADED: 12.18.2017 Their penalty kill needs work, and their power play is still dreadful. But at the moment, the even-strength play of the Calgary Flames is the one good thing they have going for them. In a bounce-back performance from Saturday’s shutout loss to the Nashville Predators, the offence exploded for five goals — four of which came in the second period to chase starting netminder Jacob Markstrom — as they capped off the season series against the Vancouver Canucks with a 6-1 victory. Meanwhile, back-up netminder David Rittich made 16 saves but saw his bid for his first career shutout thwarted by Markus Granlund, who scored at the 6:43 mark of the final frame. “I don’t really care about that,” Rittich said. “For me, it’s more important the score after the game, and it was 6-1, and we got two points. Yeah, I know a shutout would be nice, but it didn’t happen. “They played like they didn’t need a goalie. I just said, ‘Thanks guys.’” Although he was not tested often, Rittich was consistent and battled adversity, particularly on one play when he tried to clear the puck but sent it straight to Nic Dowd in the slot. The newly acquired Canucks centre gloved it down and shot it at a startled Rittich. Rattled, Rittich sent his stick flying towards Thomas Vanek on the following chance and was handed a “throwing the stick” penalty (yes, that is the official name in the NHL rulebook). They survived 40 seconds of it before the Canucks’ Daniel Sedin was sent to the box for tripping. It mattered not. While the Flames penalty kill was scored on in the third period on the Canucks’ lone goal of the game, their power play prepared for another silent night until Micheal Ferland’s third-period dagger. It was the Flames’ first powerplay goal in six games to end an 0-for-23 drought (including four scoreless man-advantages Sunday) dating back to Dec. 6 against the host Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to Sunday’s game, the power play was 3-for-37 in the previous 11 games. With seven seconds left on Dowd’s delay-of-game penalty, Ferland bashed in a rebound on a makeshift unit of Ferland, Mikael Backlund, Sam Bennett, TJ Brodie, and Dougie Hamilton. One reporter, sarcastically, quipped that their PP problems were solved. “Yeah,” Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan replied dryly. “Only took us five tries.” On the other side, the Canucks are missing a large portion of their top players, and, to make matters worse, they lost rookie sensation Brock Boeser, who blocked a shot with a foot injury in the second period. But in the NHL, there is no time to feel sorry for anyone. And that’s especially true of the Flames, who, despite the win, still have problems of their own. Leading the scoring brigade in the second period was Flames captain Mark Giordano, who had a pair of goals, Matthew Tkachuk (who snapped a three-game point-less and goal-less skid) and Bennett (who had a four- point outing) as the Calgary club peppered its hosts with 38 shots. “I think even though the last three games where haven’t got a win, we were playing good hockey, (but) we just weren’t getting rewarded,” Bennett said. “It feels good for everyone (Sunday).” Mark Jankowski put the Flames on the scoresheet 5:45 into the first period of the second half of the back-to-back games. It was a beauty set- up by linemates Garnet Hathaway and Bennett to make the goal happen. Hathaway, the resident mucker, drove to the net and took Canucks Troy Stetcher and Ben Hutton with him while Bennett battled behind the net to feed the puck to Jankowski. The marksman ended the night with three points. 1088859 Calgary Flames

Backlund salutes high-scoring Swedish Sedin twins

Kristen Odland, Postmedia Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 8:22 PM MST

Growing up in Vasteras, Sweden, Mikael Backlund remembers when Daniel and Henrik Sedin broke into the Swedish Hockey League at 16, wearing full cages and skating with Modo Hockey. When the Calgary Flames centre was 11-years-old, he recalls when the twins played their first season in the National Hockey League and documented their journey with the Vancouver Canucks. “A big thing in Sweden,” Backlund pointed out. “The Swedish media was following them.” But like many players that wind up playing against or with their idols in the best league in the world, Backlund also remembers the first time he lined up against Henrik on the face-off dot with Daniel on his flank. At that time, jitters, understandably, dominated the young Flames pivot’s game. “I remember a pre-season game here (in Vancouver) … it was very nerve-wracking,” Backlund said. “I was probably 18 or 19-years-old and playing against Sweden’s top-two players at the time. They are stars. I remember I was very nervous. It was hard playing against them.” The 28-year-old also recalled the final game of the 2009-10 season, Backlund’s first in the NHL, which pitted the Flames against the Canucks on April 10 — a game which capped off an incredible year for Henrik, who captured the Hart Memorial Trophy as well as the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and leading point-scorer respectively. “They beat us 7-3 or something like that,” Backlund said with a chuckle. “It was pretty tough at the time but pretty cool to have played that game when all the fans were chanting, ‘MVP.’ He had a great season that year, and we did not. A pretty cool experience, for sure.” Fast-forward to Henrik’s 1,282 regular-season NHL game and Daniel’s 1,259th — Sunday’s clash at Rogers Arena against the Flames and Backlund, who has managed to rack up 495 games in the NHL. The game was the fourth and final time the teams will clash in 2017-18 and may go down in history as the final time Backlund will square off with Sweden’s most famous set of twins who are in the twilight of their NHL careers. Or not. Henrik notched his 800th career assist on Dec. 13 against the Nashville Predators while Daniel became the second Canucks player in franchise history to register 1,000 points on Nov. 30 (also versus the Preds). Henrik reached that feat on Jan. 20 of this year. In the Canucks’ 4-3 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks on Friday, the brothers had three assists apiece. Although this season they have seen their minutes dwindle, it is believed they may stick around another season. “They’re smart players,” Backlund said. “They’re hard to play against, and they’re very good together, especially in their own zone. They make those little plays and know where each other are. They’re so hard to play against. They’re so good at finding open ice.” Their intuition and play-making ability stand out, but for Flames head coach Glen Gultuzan, who spent three years as an assistant with the Canucks, there are many other factors that make them a coach’s dream. “Just watching them how they play together and move the puck (is a dream),” Gulutzan said. “But it was more than just coaching them as players — it’s the people they are. They’re coachable hall of famers, coachable superstars that want to win and put the team ahead of themselves in every thing. It makes them a pleasure to coach, those kind of people.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088860 Calgary Flames “I thought we played well. For whatever reason, the puck didn’t go in tonight,” Giordano said. “I thought our power-play was better as far as generating chances, but bottom line is we’ve gotta find a way to get one. Flames suffer shutout defeat at hands of Nashville Predators When you get a five-on-three for a long period of time, you have to score in this league. That hurt.”

The Flames beelined to Vancouver after Saturday’s loss and will try to Wes Gilbertson give the fine folks of Airdrie something to cheer about during Sunday’s Rogers Hometown Hockey broadcast — a 5 p.m. MT clash between the Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 crew from Calgary and the host Canucks at Rogers Arena. 7:47 AM MST GUESTS OF HONOUR

Flames defenceman Travis Hamonic had a special cheering section at During a second-intermission contest at the Saddledome, a long-haired Saturday’s matchup. fan named Paul fired through a tiny target from centre-ice to win $5,000 worth of groceries at Calgary Co-op. The 27-year-old and his wife, Stephanie, have launched The Northern Project — providing all-expenses-paid opportunities for Indigenous If Paul brought his skates, he might have earned a look on the power- youngsters from Canada’s Territories to attend a game at the play in the third period. Saddledome. The Calgary Flames’ struggling special-teams unit could certainly use a Fourteen-year-old MacLeod from Naujaat, Nunavut, was selected as the boost after another 0-for performance in Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to the first recipient. Nashville Predators. Along with his father Emmanuel and younger brother Pakak, they hopped The Flames (16-14-3) failed to cash on any of their five man-advantage five different flights — Repulse Bay to Coral Harbour to Rankin Inlet to opportunities against the Predators. Their power-play has now been Churchill to Winnipeg and finally to Calgary — and were picked up in a skunked in five straight games. stretch limo. “We’re not playing bad hockey. We’re actually playing good hockey, but They toured the locker-room with Hamonic at morning skate and high- we’re not getting any help with our power-play,” said Flames bench boss fived the Flames as they filed onto the ice for pre-game warm-up. Glen Gulutzan. “I thought our penalty-kill looked real sharp. Our five-on- five game is in tact. We hit four cross-bars or posts, I believe. “The smile they get, it makes it well worth it,” said Hamonic, who is of Metis descent. “This life is a good life that we live, and I’m very proud of “We’re having a little trouble generating, we’re squeezing a little bit five- what I do for a living. But I’ll be an old retired guy one day and you want on-five, but our power-play is the one thing that has to bail you out when to look back on your time and think that there was a lot more to your life you go through these things. than just being a hockey player. If you can use this stage to do those things and accomplish that, for me that’s something that I’m even more ”And it’s not.” proud of.” Predators stalwart Pekka Rinne made 32 saves for Saturday’s shutout,

while forwards Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala each solved Flames starter Mike Smith at the other end. Smith was presented with a silver Calgary Herald: LOADED: 12.18.2017 goaltending stick in a pre-game ceremony to commemorate his recent milestone as one of only 70 netminders in league history to hit the 500- game plateau. The Predators were Stanley Cup finalists last spring and have been the NHL’s hottest team for the past six weeks, now with a 16-2-2 mark in their past 20 outings. The Flames, to their credit, controlled much of the five-on-five play. Their power-play again let them down, especially after Predators right- winger Austin Watson was slapped with a five-minute major for a blindside hit on Garnet Hathaway during the middle stanza. Hathaway exited immediately but returned for the third, while alternate captain Troy Brouwer dropped his mitts and left Watson with a bloodied nose. Brouwer received an instigator penalty, so the squads were playing four- a-side when Johansen snapped the scoreless tie by backhanding a bouncing puck past Smith. Not ideal, but Predators blueliner Anthony Bitetto was dinged for boarding with plenty of time remaining on Watson’s sentence, gifting the hosts with 1:48 of five-on-three advantage. The result? Nothing to show for it. The Flames managed three shots on net — all courtesy of captain Mark Giordano — during that extended two-man edge but couldn’t tickle the twine. On their most dangerous chance, Micheal Ferland’s stick shattered as he leaned into a one-timer. “I think that was our chance to kind of get in the game,” said defenceman Dougie Hamilton of the fruitless five-on-three. “Obviously we didn’t, and it’s frustrating.” The Predators added an insurance marker in the final minute of the second, with Fiala squeaking a re-direct through Smith’s five-hole after a feed from Kyle Turris. The Flames are now 0-for-19 on the power-play in their past five games, although leading scorer Sean Monahan did come close to snapping them out of that funk when he cranked the cross-bar on a third-period power- play against the Predators. The locals dented a lot of iron on this night, with Giordano, TJ Brodie and Jaromir Jagr — back in action after a five- game absence due to a lower-body injury — all catching a piece of the post. 1088861 Chicago Blackhawks

Jan Rutta, Cody Franson back practicing for Blackhawks

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

Being injured in the NHL can create conflicting emotions. On one hand, you want your team to perform well and win in your absence. On the other, you want to have your job back when you’re healthy, and that becomes less likely if the people replacing you are playing well. That’s the predicament Jan Rutta and Cody Franson find themselves in as they work their way back from upper-body injuries. “That’s the NHL,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “It’s a competitive business, competitive team and we have to make tough decisions like that on a night-to-night basis. It speaks volumes of our depth and it’s a good, healthy situation to be in.” Rutta and Franson practiced Sunday before the Blackhawks’ game against the Wild. Franson (upper-body injury) was injured Dec. 8 against the Sabres , while Rutta suffered an apparent head injury after he was on the receiving end of a crushing hit from the Panthers’ Connor Brickley on Tuesday. Both said they are targeting a return to the lineup Thursday against the Stars. Michal Kempny and Jordan Oesterle played well in their absence and helped the Hawks to an impressive 5-1 victory over the Jets on Thursday. “That’s always a thought in the back of your mind,” Franson said of losing playing time. “Hopefully you’ve done enough to be able to put yourself in the situation where you go back in when you’re healthy.” Added Rutta: “I was pretty happy that we won in Winnipeg, it was a huge win for us. So I’m just taking care of myself now and when I’ll be ready to go, we’ll see.” Rutta, who had trouble regaining his balance after the hit, said he didn’t see the hit, which came from a “blind spot,” and he couldn’t get out of the way. “It was kind of like a welcome to the NHL hit,” said Rutta, a first-year player out of the Czech Republic. “It was fast, and it was hard.” Kane neglects option: Winger Patrick Kane was one of the few veteran mainstays who took part in Sunday’s optional morning skate for the Hawks. Quenneville said he wasn’t surprised that Kane declined to take the morning off since he always wants to be on the ice. “We try to say stay away sometimes, but he’s one of those guys who loves to be out there, does a lot of things to try to enhance his game,” Quenneville said. “He’s constantly working on things to improve himself.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088862 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane scores 2 goals to lift Hawks to 5th straight win

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

When the Blackhawks are playing bad, the gripes are many — they are too slow, they need help on the blue line, they’re relying too much on Corey Crawford. But all that noise quiets when the Hawks’ big-name, big-money players play up to their reputations. On Sunday, it was Patrick Kane’s turn to take center ice, as the winger scored a pair of goals in a 4-1 victory over the Wild. The Hawks won their fifth consecutive game as Kane scored his 298th and 299th goals, moving him past Dennis Hull into fifth place on the franchise’s all-time goals list. Meanwhile, Crawford had another strong night in net with 27 saves as the Hawks outshot the Wild 46-28 in their final home game of the calendar year. “More than anything you just want to improve on your game and your craft every day and reach your highest potential and see where that can help take this team,” Kane said. “It’s always a work in progress.” The same can be said for the Hawks this season, but they picked a good time to find their stride. It’s no coincidence the Hawks are playing better as Kane is playing better. He has seven points in his last four games. “He’s getting hot and he’s getting the puck a lot ...” Quenneville said. “He has the puck more and when he does, good things happen.” His teammates knew to look for him Sunday. In the first period, Nick Schmaltz found Kane with a perfect cross-ice pass in transition. Kane converted his one-time attempt 10 minutes, 56 seconds into the period for a 1-0 lead. Then it was Jordan Oesterle who made a pretty stretch pass to Kane, who had snuck behind the defense on a change, in the second period. Kane converted the breakaway on Wild goaltender Alex Stalock (42 saves), who was filling in for the injured Devan Dubnyk. The second goal, his 14th of the season, was No. 299 and moved him past Hull. Kane recently passed Doug Wilson for fifth on the Hawks’ all- time points list. “You’re going to pass some people when you’re playing a lot of games and playing a lot of seasons,” Kane said. “I’ve been very fortunate to play with a lot of great players, some great coaches that have been here, and great organization. It’s definitely humbling.” Added winger Ryan Hartman, who also scored: “Even with 10 seconds left I was almost 100 percent sure he was going to get a third one out there. On breakaways he’s almost automatic. You see him get that puck and he’s so quick with his hands. ... He’s rolling.” And for the first time all season, so are the Hawks. After the Blackhawks defeated the Panthers on Tuesday for their third consecutive win, Quenneville grumbled that the Hawks still needed to play better. They answered his plea. They followed an impressive effort Thursday against the Jets with a near-complete effort Sunday. “In this league you know you’re going to go through the ups and downs throughout a season,” Kane said. “The biggest thing is to try to stay even-keeled in those moments and be ready for anything.” Kane was Sunday. Chris Hine’s three stars 1. Patrick Kane, Blackhawks: Scored a pair of goals, now has 299 for his career. 2. Corey Crawford, Blackhawks: Goaltender was stellar with 27 saves. 3. Ryan Hartman, Blackhawks: Made a strong individual play to score a goal.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088863 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane leads Blackhawks to fifth straight victory

12/17/2017, 10:46PM Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus | email

Patrick Kane didn’t have to be out there Sunday morning, an earlier-than- usual 9:30 a.m. optional skate. Most of the other big names on the team opted out, and didn’t bother putting on all that gear for a perfunctory 25 minutes or so of simple skating and drills. But Kane doesn’t like turning down ice time. And the fact is, despite playing at a point-per-game pace all season, Kane has not been satisfied with his own game. Too many secondary assists, too many blank scoresheets, and not nearly enough goals for his taste. His Hart Trophy-winning, 106-point season of two years ago raised the bar awfully high, and Kane now expects that of himself, fair or not. So he skates. There’s always more to do, always more to work on. “The appetite to get better is part of that,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Nobody wants to be on the ice more than him. We try to say, ‘Stay away,’ sometimes, but he’s one of those guys who loves to be out there, and does a lot of things to try to enhance his game. He’s constantly working on things to improve himself.” Whatever he is doing is working. Kane scored two goals Sunday night, leading the Blackhawks to a 4-1 victory over the Wild. The Hawks have now responded to a five-game losing streak with a five-game winning streak, and Kane moved past Dennis Hull for fifth all-time on the franchise goal-scoring list with 299. After an uncharacteristic four-game stretch without a point, Kane has four goals and three assists in his last four games. “It’s always nice when you’re producing and helping out the team,” Kane sad. “That’s obviously my job, so that’s what I have to do. But more than anything, you want to improve on your game and your craft every day, and reach your highest potential and see where that can help take this team. It’s always a work in progress.” Kane doesn’t do it alone, of course. Goaltender Corey Crawford has been the Hawks’ best player all season, and he was rock solid again, making 27 saves. It was the 12th time in 25 starts that he allowed one or zero goals, and he is 9-0-2 in his last 11 starts. He hasn’t lost in regulation in more than a month. It is no coincidence that the Hawks’ win streak coincides with Crawford’s return from a nagging lower-body injury. Kane also was the beneficiary of two terrific passes on his two goals: a cross-ice feed from Nick Schmaltz for a one-timer in the first period, and a perfect stretch pass from Jordan Oesterle for a breakaway in the second. “Oesty made a great pass that was hard, it was flat, it was right on my tape — skating into it with a lot of speed,” Kane said. “Great play by him.” Ryan Hartman made it 3-0 at 1:41 of the third by going hard to the net and roofing a shot over Wild goaltender Alex Stalock (playing his second game in as many nights with Devan Dubnyk injured) for his first goal in 18 games. Matt Dumba broke up Crawford’s shutout streak at 5:56 of the third, but Tommy Wingels’ shorthanded empty-netter — his fourth goal in five games — sealed it. It still wasn’t the perfect 60-minute game Quenne-ville has been waiting for — he didn’t like the start, and the power play, while better, is now 2- of-39 in the last 10 games — but it was close. Ten points in five games is technically all you can ask for. But like Kane’s game, it can always be better. “Everyone in here believes we can do it,” Crawford said. “We’ve got a dangerous offense, and our ‘D’ are playing great, getting the puck to our forwards. It’s been fun hockey to play.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088864 Chicago Blackhawks Richard Panik was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game after a 21-game goal drought. Panik had 22 goals and 22 assists last season.

Jan Rutta, Cody Franson near return, but will there be room for them? Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.18.2017

12/17/2017, 10:45PM Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus | email

Jan Rutta knew that Florida’s Jared McCann was all over him as he chased a puck up the boards, but he didn’t know Connor Brickley was lining him up for a big hit until Brickley’s shoulder crashed into the side of his head. The other side of Rutta’s head banged into the glass, and Rutta was dazed and done for the night.

“It was maybe kind of like a ‘Welcome to the NHL hit,’ ” Rutta said with a laugh. “It was fast, and it was hard. It’s fine.” Rutta missed his second consecutive game because of the apparent head injury he suffered in that hit, but he didn’t think it was a dirty play. The first-year defenseman returned to the ice for Sunday’s morning skate, as did Cody Franson, who suffered an upper-body injury that has now cost him four games. Both players are hopeful they can play Thursday in Dallas. That is, of course, if there’s a spot in the lineup waiting for him. Coach Joel Quenneville has been quite happy with the play of Jordan Oesterle and Michal Kempny in their absence — Oesterle found himself on the second power-play unit, and Kempny scored a goal in Winnipeg — and he is usually loath to mess with a lineup that is working. “We’ll see,” Quenneville said when asked if Rutta and Franson would automatically return to the lineup. “That’s all part of the decisions at that time — performance and their health. But they’ll be good options as we get closer to making [that decision].” Franson, who was injured on a cross-check from behind in the second period against the Sabres on Dec. 8, admitted that one of his first thoughts was that he might lose the spot he spent nearly a month waiting for at the start of the season. And with eight men competing for six spots, there is always a concern that players might rush back from injuries and put themselves in danger. “That’s the hardest part,” Franson said. “When we first got the injury report back, we know [I was] going to miss the first one. I really wanted to try and push it. With the injury being what it is, it’s something [where] you have to give it time, do the day-by-day rehab, and hope for the best.” Entering Sunday’s game against the Wild, the Hawks had a plus-11 goal differential in first periods and a plus-8 goal differential in third periods, but were being outscored 29-24 in second periods. And coach Joel Quenneville knows the numbers are an accurate representation of his team’s play in the middle 20 minutes. “Not just a stat, a fact,” he said. “We seem to get in our own end, we don’t have the puck enough, puck management’s been poor, and [we’re] looking at ways to change that — trying to be more effective [and] start on time.” Quenneville has been waiting for a complete, 60-minute performance from his team for weeks. He got what he was looking for Sunday, as the Hawks blitzed the Wild with a 21-5 edge on shots in the second period and took a 2-0 lead on Patrick Kane’s second goal. “We’re coming off some wins, but I still think there’s a 60-minute, complete game for us,” he said. “[In Winnipeg], we had 40 minutes of, ‘Jeez, we’re on the right track of getting that full 60.’ That’s the objective, that’s the motivation. Because when we play like that, with the puck and pressure and time and space, we’re so much more dangerous.” Quirky schedule After an exhausting run of 10 games in 18 days, including a rare stretch of five games in seven days, the Hawks suddenly have loads of time on their hands, with three games in a 13-day span, including the upcoming three-day Christmas break. Just as they are heating up, too. Sunday’s game was the Hawks’ last at the until Jan. 5. Roster report 1088865 Chicago Blackhawks

Franson, Rutta eager to get back for Chicago Blackhawks

John Dietz Follow @johndietzdh

Rushing back from injury is obviously never a good idea. But it's also human nature to worry about your starting role when your replacement is playing well. And that's exactly the situation Chicago Blackhawks defensemen Cody Franson and Jan Rutta find themselves in as they attempt to return from upper-body injuries. "That was my biggest worry obviously when I first got the injury," said Franson, who was hurt Dec. 8 against Buffalo. "It's one of those that you can't necessarily battle through, so that's always a worry when you have an eight-man rotation like this and the guys that go in play really well. … "Hopefully you've done enough to be able to put yourself in a situation where you go back in when you're healthy." Franson and Rutta participated in Sunday's morning skate but did not play in the Hawks' 4-1 victory over Minnesota at the United Center. Franson played in 17 of 18 contests before getting hurt. He believes he will be ready to go Thursday when the Hawks play at Dallas. Rutta, meanwhile, got his bell rung when he was slammed into the boards by Florida's Connor Brinkley last Tuesday. "It was maybe kind of like a welcome-to-the-NHL hit," Rutta said. "It was fast, and it was hard." Jordan Oesterle and Michal Kempny have stepped in for the injured D- men and performed well, which could make for a tough decision or two in the coming days for coach Joel Quenneville. "That's the NHL," Quenneville said. "It's a competitive business, a competitive team, and when we have to make tough decisions like that on a night-to-night basis, it speaks volumes for our depth. It's a good, healthy situation to be in." Never satisfied: Sixteen skaters and goalie Anton Forsberg took part in the Blackhawks' optional morning skate Sunday. Patrick Kane was the only big-name veteran on the ice. "Nobody wants to be on the ice more than him. We try to sometimes say stay away," Joel Quenneville said. "But he's one of those guys who loves to be out there. He does a lot of different things to try to enhance his game. … "Kaner out there might have surprised some people. But not us." Slap shots: After scoring short-handed into an empty net Sunday, Tommy Wingels has 4 goals in the last five games and 6 overall. … The Hawks outshot the Wild 78-53 on Sunday. Forty-six of the Hawks' shots were on goal, 24 were blocked and 8 were missed. Only 28 of the Wild's shots were on net. … Richard Panik was scratched for a third straight game. … Alex DeBrincat, who turns 20 on Monday, has 23 points in 33 games this season. is the Hawks' leader in points before his 20th birthday with 129. The top five is rounded out by Patrick Kane (94), (76), (54) and Jeremy Roenick (51).

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088866 Chicago Blackhawks straight game. ... Struggling Minnesota LW Marcus Foligno was scratched for the second time in three games. ... Wild C Mikko Koivu played Sunday, but now has gone 24 games without a goal and 11 Kane, Crawford lead Blackhawks past Wild for 5th straight without a point.

By MATT CARLSON Daily Herald Times LOADED: 12.18.2017 Associated Press

CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane is finally on a roll, and so are the Chicago Blackhawks. Kane scored two slick goals, Corey Crawford made 27 saves and the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 Sunday night for their season- high fifth straight win. Kane, who has seven points in his last four games, connected on a one- timer and a breakaway to give him 14 goals this season and four in the last three games. The flashy Chicago forward's 298th and 299th career goals moved him into fifth place in team history, ahead of Dennis Hull. "That's obviously my job, so that's what I have to do," Kane said, "but more than that, you want to improve on your game, on your craft, every day." That craft is creating offense, and the 29-year-old Chicago star seems like he's back in form. "I know his game's been getting better lately," coach Joel Quenneville said. "He's getting hot. He's getting the puck a lot. ... With his game with the puck, he's just so hard to defend." Ryan Hartman also scored for Chicago, snapping a 17-game drought dating to Oct. 28. Tommy Wingels added a short-handed empty-netter as the Blackhawks followed up on a 5-1 win at Winnipeg on Thursday with another strong effort against a Central Division rival. "I think everyone in here knows we can do it," Crawford said. "We've got a dangerous offense and our D are playing great. It's been fun hockey." Matt Dumba scored at 5:56 of the third, spoiling Crawford's shutout bid on a screened shot from the right point. The Wild dropped their second straight after a four-game winning streak. Alex Stalock made 42 saves his third straight start in place of Minnesota No. 1 goalie Devan Dubnyk, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury. He helped keep the Wild, who snuffed all six Chicago power-plays, close in this one. "There's a big difference between two goals and three goals," Stalock said. "One more big save it's a whole different game." Dumba, a defenseman, has scored Minnesota's last three goals to increase his total to six. He scored twice in the Wild's 3-2 loss at home to Edmonton on Saturday. The Wild have scored just seven goals in their last four games. "The guys are getting great chances and not getting results," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I think they're getting frustrated." The Wild outshot the Blackhawks 13-9 in the first and had the better chances, but Kane connected at 10:56 for the only goal of the period. Completing a rush and give-and-go with Nick Schmaltz, Kane ripped in a one-timer from the right circle as Stalock slid across the crease. Crawford came up with several sharp saves to preserve the lead, including a close-in stop on Charlie Coyle with 10 seconds left in the first. The Blackhawks dominated in the second, outshooting Minnesota 22-6. After Stalock stopped several prime chances, Chicago took 2-0 lead on Kane's second goal, capping a breakaway with 4:24 left. Hartman made it 3-0 at 1:41 of third as he picked up the puck along the left boards, plowed to the net and beat Stalock with a high shot on the stick side. Dumba cut it to 3-1 just over 4 minutes later when his drive from the blue line sailed through traffic and over Crawford's right shoulder. Wingels backhanded in an long empty-netter to complete the scoring with 4 minutes left - and Stalock pulled for an extra attacker during a Minnesota power play. NOTES: Minnesota D Jared Spurgeon returned after missing nine games with a groin injury. ... Blackhawks D Jan Rutta missed his second game and D Cody Franson missed his fourth, both with upper-body injuries. ... Slumping Chicago LW Richard Panik was a healthy scratch for the third 1088867 Chicago Blackhawks

Kane scores twice as Chicago Blackhawks win 5th straight

John Dietz Follow @johndietzdh

A blunt, honest Patrick Kane minced no words when asked a week ago for an evaluation of his play through 29 games of the Chicago Blackhawks' season. "Obviously I need to bring more … and be able to help this team out," Kane said. "I guess you could say I'm not doing my job right now." He's sure been doing it since that interview on Dec. 9, though, hasn't he? In the four games since, Kane has 4 goals -- 2 of which came in a 4-1 victory over Minnesota at the United Center on Sunday night -- and 3 assists for a red-hot Blackhawks (17-11-5) squad that suddenly is riding a five-game winning streak. With 299 goals over his storied career, Kane moved past Dennis Hull (298) and into fifth place on the Hawks' all-time list. "It's always nice when you're producing. That's obviously my job, so that's what I have to do," said Kane, who was the only big-name player to show up for Sunday's optional morning skate. "More than anything you just kind of want to improve on your game and your craft every day and reach your highest potential and see where that can help take this team. It's always a work in progress." Ryan Hartman broke a 17-game goal-scoring drought to give the Hawks a 3-0 lead early in the third period, Tommy Wingels added an empty- netter at 16:00, and Corey Crawford made 27 saves to improve to 16-7- 2. The Hawks moved 2 points ahead of the Wild (17-13-3) and now have the sixth-most points in the Western Conference. Kane, who leads the team with 14 goals, gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead at 10:56 of the first period, one-timing a perfect pass from linemate Nick Schmaltz. He then made it 2-0 at 15:36 of the second after taking a gorgeous stretch pass from Jordan Oesterle and completing a breakaway with a wrist shot that Alex Stalock stood no chance of stopping. "You come to expect that from Schmaltzy now," Kane said. "That's a great pass cross-ice. … And then fortunate enough to be coming off the bench there with some speed, and Oesty made a great pass that was hard, it was flat, it was right on my tape. … Great play by him, too." Even superstars in this league go through dry spells, but that's rarely the case for Kane. His recent four-game pointless streak was his longest since the 2009-10 season. "He's just so hard to defend," coach Joel Quenneville said. "There's so much possession, zone time and looks where they have to be so aware of him that other things just open up. And with Schmaltzy … they find seams and score some nice give-and-go goals. That line -- when it plays in the other team's end -- it's tough to defend." The quiet, unsung hero of this winning streak is definitely Crawford. Since returning from a lower-body injury, the Hawks' steady-as-a-rock goaltender has allowed just 7 goals and owns a .956 save percentage. "He's spectacular," Hartman said. "He makes those big saves at the right time, and it's huge for us. It gets us up on the bench and it makes us work a little harder because you know he's working hard for us on the back end." Stalock, in net for the injured Devan Dubnyk, was under heavy fire all night and finished with 42 saves.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088868 Chicago Blackhawks

As Patrick Kane approaches 300 career goals, Jeremy Roenick says he will be best Blackhawk ever

By Dan Santaromita December 17, 2017 9:44 PM

Patrick Kane's career to this point has already cemented him as one of the best Blackhawks ever, but former Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick thinks Kane will stand alone in Blackhawk history by the time he hangs up the skates. Roenick made a guest appearance on Intermission Live during the first intermission of Sunday's 4-1 Blackhawks win against the Wild, a game in which Kane scored two goals to bring his career total to 299 and move into fifth place in Blackhawks history in goal scored. During the interview, Roenick had plenty of praise for No. 88. Host Pat Boyle told Roenick that Denis Savard thinks Kane will be the best Blackhawk ever and Roenick agreed. "I say 100 percent of that," Roenick said. "I say that only because you look at the dynamics of the way this guy plays, you see the way he scares the bejeezes out of other defensemen on other teams, three Stanley Cups, the points that he's putting up, he's going to go down as the best American with Mike Modano." Kane scored a goal in each of the first two periods on Sunday to give the Blackhawks a fifth straight win. He has 14 goals and 20 assists this season to lead the Blackhawks in both categories. The milestones are falling and more are approaching. Not only is Kane one goal away from 300 for his career, but he is approaching 500 career assists (currently at 487) and 800 career points (currently at 786). He's 29 and showing no sign of slowing down so the milestones should continue to fall, thus making Roenick's argument that he could finish his career as the best ever. Roenick's predictions didn't stop there. He continued to say Kane and Toews will be honored in another way. "He's going to have a statue, along with Jonathan Toews, out there on Madison Avenue at one point in their careers, in their lives," Roenick said. "It's well deserved because they really took this organization that was sputtering and have turned it into the best organization in all of sports. They deserve a lot of credit and they will go down as one of the best Hawks ever."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088869 Colorado Avalanche

Moving forward, Avalanche rookie Alex Kerfoot will better protect his feet

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post December 17, 2017 at 3:35 PM

Avalanche rookie wasn’t wearing the plastic skate-boot protection that used to be made manditory by the team. Because of superior stick technology and training methods, slap shots in today’s NHL have never been harder — including the difficulty to see the puck — and more dangerous to block. Even with increased manufacturer skate-boot technology from the factory, players at the highest level need addition protection for their feet and ankles. Dec. 9 at Pittsburgh, Kerfoot wasn’t wearing the plastic skate fenders he wore in Sunday’s practice — the same pair he likely will wear Monday against the Penguins after missing three games because of a severe foot contusion. Kerfoot, who inadvertently blocked a shot from teammate Erik Johnson a week ago, is questionable for the second meeting in eight days with Pittsburgh. He wouldn’t have suffered the injury if he had been wearing the Skate Fender Pro, the Velcro-attached product available online for $69.99. “I’ll never play at this level without them again,” Kerfoot said. “I’ve worn them for the last two days in practice and I can’t tell a difference. I’m already used to them.” The Avs mandated the skate fenders for the 2015-16 season, after prized center Nathan MacKinnon suffered a broken foot and missed the last part of the 2014-15 season. Patrick Roy was head coach and vice president of the team at the time, and he ordered the extra protection. Jared Bednar took over for Roy as head coach before last season, and at some point the skate fenders were no longer mandatory. “We strongly encourage that they wear them,” Bednar said Sunday. “Some guys don’t like wearing them, but we like to see guys wear them. We have a handful of guys who don’t. I think it’s like anything else, like getting used to wearing your seat belt. Once you wear it for a week, you don’t notice that it’s on. “Speaking for (Kerfoot) specifically, he’s a young guy trying to crack into the league and he (hypothetically) gets hit in the wrong spot and he breaks his foot and he’s out six weeks. Or he can wear them and not miss any time. So I think it’s important if guys wear them, if they can get used to them. There’s a bunch of different options for them now. You can get them built into your skate or wear the clear plastic ones that most of our guys have, and they can modify them for each particular guy.” NHL hearing. Johnson was scheduled to have a hearing by telephone with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Sunday, to discuss his boarding penalty on Tampa Bay forward Vladislav Namestnikov in the Lightning’s 6-5 victory Saturday at the Pepsi Center. Johnson is facing a likely suspension.

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088870 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche’s Erik Johnson suspended two games for dangerous play on Vlad Namestnikov

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: December 17, 2017 at 6:18 pm | UPDATED: December 17, 2017 at 6:41 PM

Defenseman Erik Johnson, who leads the Avalanche in average ice time at 25:38 — 10th most among all NHL players — will serve a two-game suspension for boarding Tampa Bay’s Vladislav Namestnikov on Saturday night, the NHL Department of Player Safety ruled Sunday. Johnson will sit out Monday’s game against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins and Thursday’s game at the Los Angeles Kings. He has played in all 32 of Colorado’s games thus far. Johnson is considered a repeat offender, having served a two-game suspension for slashing in February 2014. He declined comment after practice Sunday, before he had a telephone hearing with the league.

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088871 Colorado Avalanche

Everything you need to know about Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post December 17, 2017 at 4:50 PM

PITTSBURGH AT COLORADO, 7 p.m. Monday, ALT; 92.5 FM Spotlight on Mike Sullivan The Penguins’ third-year coach got his 100th win with the team Saturday, becoming just the fourth coach in franchise history to hit the century mark — joining Michel Therrien (135, 2005-09), Eddie Johnston (232, 1980– 83, 1993–97) and Dan Bylsma (252, 2009-12). Sullivan, 49, led the Penguins to winning the Stanley Cup the last two seasons. The Massachusetts native broke in as an NHL head coach in 2003-04 for the Boston Bruins, but he was fired after two seasons and served as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks until joining Pittsburgh in 2015-16. NOTEBOOK Penguins: They have lost two of their last three games by identical 2-1 scores, beginning last Monday against the visiting Avalanche. Pittsburgh lost 2-1 on Thursday at Vegas to begin a three-game trip before winning 4-2 at Arizona on Saturday. Defenseman Olli Maatta scored with 14.8 seconds left in regulation Saturday to break a 2-2 tie. , Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby also scored for the Penguins, who blew a 2-0 lead. … Pittsburgh hasn’t allowed a power-play goal in its last eight games, going 23-for-23 in penalty killing. Avalanche: The Avs gave up three 4-on-4 goals in Saturday’s 6-5 loss to the visiting Lightning. They practiced their 4-on-4 play extensively Sunday. … Defensemen Cale Makar and Conor Timmins, the Avalanche’s top two picks in the 2017 draft, will represent Canada at the under-20 World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y. Avs rookies Tyson Jost and Sam Girard are eligible to play for Canada but won’t be loaned, Colorado coach Jared Bednar confirmed Sunday. “Looking at Makar and Timmins, it is a perfect opportunity for them,” Bednar said of the future Avs. “We are looking forward to those guys having a real good tournament. It’s a great experience for them to be able to go there and go compete in that. I think that is starting to show you that we have a little bit of depth and some young guys coming our way.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088872 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson suspended 2 games

Staff Report By: Associated Press December 17, 2017 Updated: December 17, 2017 at 7:50 PM

NEW YORK — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Sunday for boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov. Johnson was assessed a minor penalty for slashing and a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding in the second period of Colorado's 6- 5 home loss Saturday night. The suspension will cost Johnson $64,516.

Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088873 Colorado Avalanche remains sidelined by a foot injury. He has missed three straight games. ... Colorado D Erik Johnson drew a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Vladislav Namestnikov at 15:57 of the second. Stralman, Lightning overcome Landeskog's hat trick for Avs ... Landeskog had his first career hat trick on Nov. 16 against Washington. He's the first Avs player to have two hat tricks in a season since Milan Hejduk in 2006-07. ... The Lightning's 12-1-0 record against Western Conference teams is the best by an East team. By: DENNIS GEORGATOS, Associated Press December 17, 2017 Updated: December 17, 2017 at 11:52 am Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 12.18.2017 DENVER — The Tampa Bay Lightning got a timely offensive boost from its defensemen to keep their winning streak going. Anton Stralman had two goals, and fellow defensemen Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev also scored to help Tampa Bay beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-5 Saturday night for their seventh straight win. "It was huge. We needed that tonight," Hedman said. "We want to create offense from our 'D' and tonight was a good example that we are getting involved in the offensive zone and capitalizing on opportunities." Nikita Kucherov and Yanni Gourde had the other goals for the Lightning, who have two wins against the Avalanche during the streak. Gabriel Landeskog had his second career hat trick and added two assists, and Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for Colorado, which nearly rallied after twice trailing by four goals. "They came on strong at the end, put on a lot of pressure," said Tampa Bay goalie Peter Budaj, who finished with 32 saves against his former team, including several key stops in the late going. "This is a big win for us. It was back and forth and back and forth. But at the end, we came through." Landeskog said the Avalanche showed fortitude in fighting back but also made some mistakes that prevented them from completing the comeback. "We're here to play," he said. "We're not going to be pushed around and we're not going to give up on anybody. The most important thing is we showed it to ourselves tonight. The 4-on-4 goal, the (last Tampa Bay) goal, kind of ticks me off; it was missed coverage by me. If that doesn't happen, all of a sudden we got a tie hockey game. Nonetheless, it sends a strong message to us that we can come from behind." Trailing 5-2, the Avalanche got within two on Landeskog's third goal of the night, a power-play score at 6:27 of the third in which he used his stick to change the direction of Tyson Barrie's slap shot past Budaj and into the net. Landeskog's third goal snapped Colorado's 0-for-20 streak on the power play, a drought that had spanned six games. Colorado pulled to 5-4 when MacKinnon scored on a wrist shot at 9:22 of the third but Tampa Bay answered with a goal by Sergachev at 11:32, putting his stick on the puck amid heavy traffic in front of the goal and knocking it through Landeskog's legs and into the net. MacKinnon scored again to pull the Avalanche within one again with 5:46 remaining. Colorado pulled the goalie for an extra skater for the last 90 seconds but couldn't tie it. After a scoreless first period Tampa Bay got four gaols in the second period, including the first two 19 seconds apart. Kucherov started the flurry at 9:11, gathering in a lead pass from Hedman and skating between the circles before lifting a shot over goalie Jonathan Bernier's stick-side and into the net. At 9:30, Stralman corraled a loose puck in front of the net by going airborne over the fallen Jonathan Bernier and tapping the puck into an empty net. The Lightning made it 3-0 at 11:22 of the second on a goal by Hedman, who hit a backhander past Bernier, and added another by Gourde at 13:21 to cap the outburst that covered a span of 4:10. The Avalanche got on the board with 5:44 left in the middle period when Landeskog finished off a breakaway with his 11th of the season, beating Budaj with a wrist shot over his glove side. The Avs missed a chance to score later in the second when Hedman used his hand to swat away a loose puck in the crease after it trickled away from Budaj, who had saved a shot from MacKinnon. Tampa Bay went up 5-1 on Stralman's second goal of the night at 2:29 of the third. Landeskog got his second of the night when he deflected in a shot from the slot by Barrie at 4:58. NOTES: Lightning F Ryan Callahan is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury suffered Thursday at Phoenix. ... Avalanche C Alexander Kerfoot 1088874 Columbus Blue Jackets the AHL. Columbus also recalled defenseman Cameron Gaunce. Jordan Schroeder was sent back to Cleveland, as was Gabriel Carlsson.

Blue Jackets | Pierre-Luc Dubois, just 19, has solidified spot with Jackets Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.18.2017

By George Richards @GeorgeRichards Posted Dec 17, 2017 at 7:33 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — At this time last year, Pierre-Luc Dubois was a young hockey player on the move. Literally. One of the top players in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Dubois had been traded — in a blockbuster deal in junior hockey circles — in December from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles after parts of three seasons to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. “It was a new challenge for me, that’s for sure,” Dubois said. Fast forward a year. Dubois isn’t going anywhere. Last month, the Blue Jackets told him to go ahead and find his own place if he wanted to. Dubois ended up moving out of the bedroom he used at David Savard’s place as family from Canada has joined him at his new living quarters in Columbus for Christmas. At this time last season, Dubois was preparing for the World Juniors. Saturday, he was centering the top line of an NHL team. “Last year feels like a long time ago,” said Dubois, 19, who centers Josh Anderson and Artemi Panarin on the Jackets’ top line. “I have met some great people, learned a lot in the past year. But it feels like a long, long time ago. So much has happened.” Although Columbus could have sent Dubois back to juniors for one more season, it was obvious early on that he belonged in the big leagues. Dubois made his NHL debut on opening night against the Islanders and scored his first NHL goal. “I thought ... in the second half, after adjusting to the league and getting familiar with everything, and getting comfortable, I believed he could have an impact on our team,” GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. “I think he’s ahead of schedule. He’s having an impact on our team right now.” Dubois started the year as a bottom-six forward, but that didn’t last. Due to injuries — and things just not working out — the Jackets moved their 6-foot-3, 207-pound center up to the top of the forward combos. “Every game we play seems to give him more confidence; he’s just full of confidence right now,” Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson said. “He is protecting the puck, is moving his feet and isn’t scared to make a play. You see his big body and his speed, he’s very effective out there. He didn’t get many minutes early on, but when he got his opportunity, he shined.” Said coach John Tortorella: “He has slowly gone about his business and has gained confidence. He has been a guy who doesn’t worry about the noise around him; he just concentrates on his game and tries to get better. He’s a good pro. He’s getting better step by step. He has such a bright future.” For Dubois, who has six goals and 14 points in 33 games, a lot of what he is going through with the Blue Jackets these days is new to him. The son of a hockey coach, Dubois gets the hockey-side of things, but he still is a teenager traveling North America as part of a professional hockey team. Dubois says he is enjoying every minute of this new adventure. So, too, are the Blue Jackets. “This has been really cool,” Dubois said. “When you’re a rookie, everything is new from the rinks to the teams and the players. It happens once in your life. I’m trying to embrace it, but still concentrate on my game.” Slap shots The Blue Jackets made some roster moves before heading to Boston on Sunday afternoon, bringing forward Sonny Milano back from Cleveland of 1088875 Dallas Stars

Home cooking: Stars fortunate that most important stretch of season comes in American Airlines Center

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika

The Stars have done a lot to improve a bad road record in the past few weeks. Now, they are in position to use some strong recent history at American Airlines Center to take advantage of one of the most important stretches of the season. Dallas plays nine of the next 10 games at home, and that's good news for a team that is 10-4-0 on home ice. Yes, this team just finished a 5-2-1 stretch on the road to push the road record to 8-10-2, but it's pretty clear the difference between home and away this year. The Stars average 3.43 goals per game at home and 2.45 on the road. They allow just 2.43 goals per game with a .918 save percentage at home, while they give up 3.20 goals per game on the road with an .891 save percentage. It's pretty startling. Goaltending needs to remain strong, because Stars are not 'scoring their way out of trouble' "I think that's everybody, most teams are much better at home," said center Jason Spezza. "I think the old saying is you try to play .500 hockey on the road and pick up your points at home." Well, the Stars have the opportunity to pick up some points. They sit right in the middle of the wildcard playoff race in the Western Conference with teams that are starting to heat up like Chicago, Minnesota, Anaheim and San Jose. If Dallas can capitalize on this run, there is significant positioning to be gained. But it won't be easy. Among the opponents are the Capitals, Blackhawks, Predators, Blues and Sharks. Those are good teams, and losses in head-to-head matches affect the standings even more. On the good side, the Stars are starting to get healthy. Antoine Roussel (elbow) and Martin Hanzal (hamstring) each have returned from recent injuries and looked good Saturday in Philadelphia. "The positive we take out of this is our role players did exactly what they needed to do," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said after calling out the leading scorers in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Flyers. "Our role players were outstanding, and that's what's led us to good team play 5-on-5. They're doing their job." Defenseman Marc Methot went out with a knee injury Nov. 6 and could possibly return this week. If he does, the Stars also could be healthy for this home stretch. That's important, because Dallas ends the season with 11 of 16 games on the road. By then, they either need to be much better as visitors or sitting on a pile of points gained from all of these home games. The Stars will play nine of the next 10 games at American Airlines Center and need to keep playing the way they have at home so far this season. Here are their home and road splits:

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088876 Detroit Red Wings

How will Detroit Red Wings respond to holiday road trip?

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 2:09 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017 | Updated 6:05 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017

The Detroit Red Wings enter the lead-up to the Christmas holiday break on a merry and determined note. They took Sunday off, will practice Monday and then fly to New York for Tuesday’s game against the Islanders. The next night the Wings are in Philadelphia, and then they’ll spend two days in Boston before wrapping up the week with a game against the Bruins on Saturday. "We're have three big games coming up and we just need to keep sticking with it," Justin Abdelkader said. It has been a miserly stretch for the Wings, with nine points over the past 12 games (2-5-5), but the Wings have played better than the results reflect over the past five games (2-1-2), ever since that 10-1 loss in Montreal. The goal is to build on Friday’s victory over Toronto. “It was a big week for us and we didn’t come out the way we wanted to,” Dylan Larkin said. “It was nice to get a big win at home to end that week. Start of a new week and we’ve got three games before Christmas, three big games, all on the road. We’ve got to ride this feeling good. We can’t get too comfortable. We’ve got to be ready to play on the road.” A New York Christmas The first stop on the Wings’ road to the holidays has them up against an opponent that scores prolifically (3.5 goals-per-game, second in NHL; power play is 12th at 20.2 percent). The Islanders, though, surrender goals in almost equal measure (3.4 goals-against, 30th, and penalty kill is 31st at 73 percent). Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek is slated to start one of the next two games. He was in net for the Wings’ sole appearance last season at the Barclays Center, making 32 saves in a 4-3 overtime victory. ‘Zat you, captain? After going 22 games without a goal and just seven assists, Henrik Zetterberg has a goal and three assists the past three games. He set up Tomas Tatar’s power play goal Friday with a beautiful pass from the left boards past two Leafs, timed perfectly to hit Tatar’s stick as he reached the crease. Zetterberg’s productivity has pushed him to third on the team with 20 points (five goals). He’s one point off from where he was last season after 32 games, when he had six goals and 21 points. Feeling better Going back to that Dec. 4 game at the Islanders last year, remember who scored in overtime? It was Danny DeKeyser, with his second goal of the season. DeKeyser scored his first of this season Friday (also set up by Zetterberg). DeKeyser was one of the Wings who needed a bounce-back season, but it has been a rough go. He injured an ankle three games in and missed nearly six weeks. He hasn’t played as well as he’s capable since returning, but that should be changing as he’s regaining his footing. “The last few games I’ve started to feel a little bit better on the ice,” DeKeyser said. “I thought I had a little bit more jump, got up into the play a little bit more. I’m just going to try to keep that going. Any time you score, it gives you a confidence boost. “I mentioned a few weeks ago, ankles can be tough. When you are off the ice for four, five, six weeks it’s kind of hard. You lose your conditioning. It does take a little bit to get back into form. Hopefully I’m back now and just keep going.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088877 Detroit Red Wings Mrazek’s six did not plays (DNP) from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2 and the four from Nov. 11 through Nov. 19 are all exercises in going with the hot goalie, Jimmy Howard. Krupa: Red Wings need to think ahead; ‘the process’ isn’t working A wise move, perhaps, if the standard is making the playoffs. If the standard is creating the next Stanley Cup contender in Detroit, Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News Published 1:39 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017 however, it is imprudent. Meanwhile, Mrazek can play well, and he will play well, again. But not without the minutes. Detroit – On Nov. 10, 17 games into their season, the Red Wings stood 8-8-1, in fourth place in the Atlantic Division, one point out of a wild-card Having both goalies going well has been the key to trading one of them in playoff spot. a way most advantageous to rebuilding the Red Wings for 18 months. It might have been the best way to make the playoffs, too. Their goal differential was minus-1. If all they can fetch for Mrazek now is something like a third-round pick, Not a fine performance, but it met expectations. The Wings were a team his career will have been miserably managed by the Wings. on the bubble, despite ample predictions they would not make the playoffs. With such obvious rebuilding measures lower in priority than making the playoffs, the sense the franchise is not moving in the right direction They had just finished seven of eight games on the road and had played grows. only five at home since the start of the season. But they could look at the schedule and see 13 of the next 15 in their new home, Little Caesars Blashill’s ‘process’ Arena. What the future holds is utterly vague. Make or break time began the second week of November. Thoughts that Holland might be in his last season, by his own volition or The stretch ended Friday with the Red Wings lying four points behind the the decision of the franchise, and Jeff Blashill’s inability to get this roster Bruins for the playoffs, while Boston had three games in hand. to win consistently for two seasons, raise questions about who will be Their goal differential is minus-17. During a recent broadcast, Paul Woods, who has been part of the franchise since his speedy days on a wing during The Dead Wings era, The Wings went 4-5-6 in the 15-game stretch, ending with their second praised Blashill’s ability to remain self-possessed during some recent win in regulation in four weeks, 3-1, over the Maple Leafs. postgame media conferences. Instead of improving playoff prospects, the 15 games proved a profound The observation was apt. puzzlement. It underlined how dire the circumstances of the Red Wings became, It also provides a signpost. during the critical juncture. The rebuilding on the fly fashioned by Ken Holland and the rest of his All kidding about it aside, Blashill’s increasingly desperate invocation of management team beginning six seasons ago after the consecutive “the process” and how the players must cleave to it is precisely all he can retirements of Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Lidstrom has yet to slow the do, unless he and management start putting development before winning decline of the club’s performance, let alone provide evidence of a hockey games. turnaround. As the last 15 games demonstrated, they are not winning enough, Having chosen to compete for the playoffs while fashioning scant regardless. revitalization of the lineup, the Wings long ago lent considerable credibility to the argument they have frittered time. That they can perform the coach’s methods – “the process” – with considerable success and still lose, is all the more evidence the Wings The continue to do so. should deploy whatever young talent the organization has on board. By not leaving the playoffs to clubs better able to support the effort, they If it produces losses and only a slightly elevated chance of drafting a star, are not playing young players as much as they should. so be it. A byproduct of the initiative will be the greater development of any young talent they may have in Grand Rapids and more time on ice They have not advantageously moved one of their goalies. for the young guys already in Detroit. They have not stripped the roster of a bit of its congealed salary fat. The opportunities and need to accelerate rebuilding has been obvious for a while. The last 15 games should make the necessity clear to all. Instead, the Red Wings are precisely where they were 13 months ago, increasingly a long shot for the playoffs and a team whose most A team seeking to establish an identity for two seasons does not quite constructive moments are when Andreas Athanasiou, Dylan Larkin and know what it is, even now, beyond its desire to play fast and with “the Anthony Mantha receive time on ice. process” Blashill seeks to habituate in them. Larkin is playing a lot. Mantha is playing more, and Athanasiou is That plainly is not enough. sometimes, too. It should be even more, and not a sometimes thing. It is unlikely to be more so in the coming days and weeks. Despite the organization’s dubious thoughts about how playing Tyler Bertuzzi and Joe Hicketts will affect the club’s performance, they should When they get it right almost continuously through a game, they can still be playing regularly in Detroit and not Grand Rapids. lose. They have done precisely that in six of their nine one-goal losses this season. Other than Bertuzzi’s wrist injury, they both should have been in the lineup to start the season. It feels as though the Red Wings have better ways to use their time. Bertuzzi and Hicketts will play for the Wings someday. It is time to let them make their mistakes and get them out of the way, just as Athanasiou, Larkin and Mantha continue to do. Detroit News LOADED: 12.18.2017 It is how young players improve. It is how franchises move into the future. The organization is not doing what it should, on various fronts, to hasten the course. By not playing Petr Mrazek every third game out of the gate this season, they deprived a talented young goalie of a regularly-scheduled opportunity to get his career back on track. Doing so also would have improved the club’s chances of deriving some reconstructive benefit from trading one of their two talented goalies. 1088878 Edmonton Oilers He also agrees that the Sharks should bring out of the best of Edmonton. “Now that we have more of a history against each other it will be good. It will be highly competitive right off the bat. We’re seeing each other for the Will Sharks visit rekindle Oilers playoff atmosphere at Rogers Place? first time since the playoffs last year so you know they’ll be hungry. We have to come out and out-compete them.” Robert Tychkowski Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 12.18.2017 10:50 PM MST

For an Edmonton Oilers team that’s been stumbling its way to the second worst home record in the NHL, finding a way to re-establish itself on home ice has become the biggest priority of the season. They are in a desperate hole, racing against time and numbers that are not in their favour, thanks to just five measly wins in 15 home games. They need something to snap them to attention at Rogers Place and after what happened last spring, the San Jose Sharks might be the perfect team at the perfect time. The Oilers played their most inspired hockey of the entire year in sending San Jose packing in six hard-fought games last spring and you have think facing them again for the first time will help rekindle that same energy and emotion. In both the team and the fans. “They probably have a bad taste in their mouth from last year,” said Oilers winger Patrick Maroon. “That stuff doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s the same when we play Anaheim after what they did to us last year. It left a bad taste in our mouth too. It’s going to be a good game, another good challenge.” The Sharks are a timely opponent for a lot of reasons. When a team is seven points and six teams back of a playoff spot heading into Christmas, these head to head games are the best way to make up ground. It’s also a decent measuring stick, an opportunity to see if the recent upswing in Edmonton’s game is for real. “San Jose is a very good team, they don’t give up much and they’re well coached,” said Maroon. “It’s a good test to see where we’re at after the last four games.” Oilers coach Todd McLellan said Edmonton’s biggest challenge this season has been themselves, which is where he wants the attention focused Monday night. He’s sure there will be some added emotion because they met in the playoffs last year but right now, with San Jose eight points ahead in the standings, they don’t have a lot in common. “If we were neck and neck and it was later in the year, you might talk a bit more about (a rivalry),” said McLellan. “But were just trying to crawl back to their level and have a chance to compete with them at the end of the year. “We have a lot of work to do. I’m not looking at it as a rivalry game. We have an internal rivalry going with our own team. Home versus road, one good game, one bad one. That’s the rivalry we’ll focus on and talk about.” The home record is everything right now. If the Oilers were just average at home, even just .500, they’d be two points out of a playoff spot. Instead, their only two home wins in the last seven games came against lowly Arizona and expansion Vegas, when the Knights were down to their fourth-string goalie. Take away the 8-2 win over Vegas and Edmonton’s been outscored 24- 10 and shut out twice in their last six at home. Compare that with a 9-7-2 record on the road and it makes no sense. “I think we should just stay on the road for the rest of the year,” chuckled Maroon, who can’t understand why a team that went 25-12-4 at home last year is suddenly getting stage fright in front of its own fans. “Last year, our home game was really good. It was hard for teams to come in here and play. A lot of teams didn’t want to play in here,” he said. “We need to make it hard, make it frustrating for teams to come in here again.” It’s a trend too big to ignore, and it’s killing them in the standings, so, yes, the Oilers have addressed it internally. But they’re trying not to dwell on it as they head into one of their longest home stands of the season with seven of their next eight at home. “This is a big stretch for us,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse. “We want to go into the Christmas break feeling good about ourselves and a big part of that is going to be our ability to pick it up on home ice.” 1088879 Florida Panthers Schmidt initiated a fantastic give-and-go on the defensive end by sending a pass to William Karlsson, who pushed the puck ahead to Reilly Smith, who then fed Schmidt to the left of Reimer and he finished the play with a Panthers fall to former coach Gerard Gallant, Golden Knights, 5-2, in one-time wrist shot to cut Florida's lead in half at 6:39. Vegas Miller tied it with 2:40 left in the opening period, firing a top-shelf slap shot over Reimer's glove. W.G. Ramirez NOTES Associated Press Vegas D Deryk Engelland played in his 500th career game. The Golden Knights acquired Marchessault from the Panthers during the expansion draft in June. With his first period assist, Nick Bjugstad moved into sole possession of 18th place on the Panthers' career points list with 146. The Although Gerard Gallant downplayed Vegas' latest win against his former Panthers have been perfect on the penalty kill in six of their last eight team, Jonathan Marchessault — who played under Gallant with Florida games, including five consecutive games without allowing a power-play — made it clear how important it was. goal. Erik Haula scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Golden Knights beat the Panthers 5-2 Sunday. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 12.18.2017 Marchessault said the team wanted to win for Gallant, who they affectionately call “Turk,” as much as the Golden Knights wanted to win for Marc-Andre Fleury on Thursday, against his former team — the two- time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. “It's like last game for (Fleury),” Marchessault said. “We wanted that win so much for him (and) I think tonight was the same thing. We wanted this win for Turk. It just ended on such a terrible note, I think he's feeling pretty happy right now. “It's our old team and we wanted to get that win. We have a good thing going on right here.” After a loss at Carolina on Nov. 28, 2016, dropped the Panthers to 11-10- 1 on the season, Gallant was immediately fired. And rather than riding with the team to the airport, he removed his luggage from the team bus and hailed a cab to the airport. A little more than a year later, Gallant is all smiles in leading the surprising expansion Golden Knights, who improved to 21-9-2 and moved into first place in the Pacific Division. They are tied with Los Angeles with 44 points, but have the tiebreaker by having played two fewer games. “It (was) another game for me,” Gallant said. “I was fortunate enough to be with that team for 2 1/2 years as a head coach and enjoyed every minute of it. I get ready for this game the same way I get ready for every game. It doesn't make one bit of a difference to me.” Nate Schmidt, Colin Miller, Marchessault and James Neal also scored for Vegas, while goalie Malcolm Subban stopped 16 shots. The 18 shots by Florida were its fewest of the season, four less than its previous low of 22 against Anaheim on Oct. 26. “You knew how much it meant to (Reilly Smith) and how much it meant to Marchy and how much it meant to the staff,” Schmidt said. “As much as we try and play it down, everybody has that little added (momentum) when they face a former team or former employer.” Vegas is now 8-0-0 with 39 shots or more in a game, and has tallied 40 or more shots-on-goal in six games this season. Radim Vraba and Mike Matheson scored for the Panthers, while James Reimer stopped 35 shots. With the score tied 2-2, Haula gave the Golden Knights their first lead of the game when he was left alone to the left of Reimer to tip Marchessault's wrist shot from the point with 8:20 left. Marchessault and Neal added empty-net goals in the final 2:10. “Our third period was probably, obviously, the most disappointing period for me in a long time, maybe the season,” Florida coach Bob Boughner said. “I thought that was uncharacteristic of our team. We're usually a team that battles to the end and plays hard, win or lose. And it didn't seem that we had a lot of juice and we didn't win a lot of battles in the third.” Lost in expansion draft and traded away, ex-Panthers Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith face Florida on Sunday Vrbata opened the scoring with a power-play goal, as he took pass from Denis Malgin at the faceoff dot and blasted a one-timer past Subban just 2:58 into the game. Matheson made it 2-0 at 5:13 as he glided past the blue line to receive a pass from Evgenii Dadonov and slapped the puck past Subban. But just as the Knights have done in their building repeatedly in their inaugural season, they rallied quickly. 1088880 Los Angeles Kings

What we learned from the Kings' 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders

By CURTIS ZUPKE DEC 17, 2017 | 8:30 AM

The Kings are stuck in a New York state of grinding their gears. They got the start they wanted, only to give it up. They made a play on a penalty kill, only to have it turn into a goal. They ultimately got one point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders at Barclays Center on Saturday, hard earned but stinging with frustration. Most of the final two periods were spent in their end, and they couldn’t pull out a win after Anze Kopitar’s dramatic goal with 13 seconds left in regulation. Here's what we learned: The penalties are adding up. The Kings took five minor penalties that gave the Islanders more than eight minutes of power play time. That’s a lot of time chasing the puck, and Kings coach John Stevens said it taxed his main horses, Kopitar and Dustin Brown, not to mention limit Marian Gaborik to 10 minutes, 11 seconds of ice time. It's part of a trend that one could see coming. The Kings' top-ranked penalty kill can only be asked to do so much, so perhaps it was a matter of time before it took on too much water. The Kings have allowed a power-play goal in five straight games. More frustrating is that some of the penalties are in the offensive zone — two against the New York Rangers on Friday and one Saturday when Gaborik accidentally high-sticked Johnny Boychuk. Oscar Fantenberg should shoot more. He first has to get into the lineup, and that happened Saturday because it was the second game of a back- to-back and Kurtis MacDermid turned in one of worst games of the season Friday and was scratched. Fantenberg is known for his offensive tendencies and good shot, on display with his first-period goal, the second of his NHL career. It happened in front of his father and grandfather, who traveled from Sweden to watch him play. Defensemen play has been a topic with the Kings, and Fantenberg could have earned another spot in the lineup. "I thought he gave us good, solid play," Stevens said. "That's what we're hoping for." Elite players are killing the Kings. On Friday night, it was Rick Nash. On Saturday, it was John Tavares. Both had clutch goals that world-class players are known for. It’s probably more a reflection of their talent than the Kings’ inability to stop them. The Kings have high-end players, of course, and they did their part to tie up the game late. Kopitar scored after Drew Doughty made a keep-in play to maintain the possession. Now if they could get some help from their teammates, it would go a long way.

LA Times: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088881 Los Angeles Kings

John Stevens returns to Philadelphia, where his coaching career began

Curtis Zupke

It’s become almost tradition for John Stevens and Paul Holmgren to get together here, an annual meeting of hockey lifers. Every summer, Stevens and Holmgren have breakfast at the Jersey Shore. Only about four miles on the waterway separate them — Stevens in Sea Isle City and Holmgren in Avalon. They talk about anything other than hockey: their kids and fishing, among other topics. By the time they’re done, it’s no longer breakfast. “It usually lasts four or five hours,” Holmgren said. They couldn’t do it this summer because Stevens was preparing for his first season as head coach of the Kings and couldn’t meet with his former boss and mentor, Holmgren, president of the Philadelphia Flyers. Stevens instead will get a quick hello with Holmgren and the rest of the Flyers’ family Monday when he revisits the organization so responsible for his career path. “I think everything I had in hockey I’m indebted to them for, both playing and [after],” Stevens said. “They brought me back as a player, and when I got injured, gave me the opportunity to coach before I was probably ready, knowing that I’d work hard at it.” It was Flyers senior vice president Bob Clarke who first asked minor leaguer Stevens to attend a coaches’ clinic, and Stevens was on his way. “I got an eye injury where he called my wife before he called me and told my wife I was going to coach,” Stevens said. “That’s the kind of guy he is, but if you know Clarkie and Holmgren and those people, they’re as good as it gets in the game, and my family owes them a lot.” Stevens started his coaching career with the Philadelphia Phantoms. He coached the Flyers for more than three seasons and took them to the 2008 Eastern Conference finals before he was fired in 2009 by then general manager Holmgren, who also pegged Stevens to be a coach early on. “He was such an intelligent player, even though he didn’t have a great career as an NHL player,” Holmgren said in a phone interview. “He was a studious, soak-it-all-in type of player. You factor in the integrity of the person and it [made sense for him to coach] … I’m surprised it took him as long as it did to get another opportunity. I’m happy for John.” Stevens and the Kings are 0-2-1 on this trip but so far it’s been a successful transition from Darryl Sutter. Stevens is polite and measured, at least publicly. “He hasn’t snapped yet,” Anze Kopitar said. “I think we’re all waiting for that at some point.” Stevens credits Sutter for showing him how to read a team emotionally. He held an outdoor practice in New York, a day after a lifeless loss to the New Jersey Devils. “Johnny knows how to have fun at certain times, and he knows how to be stern and kind of lose it on us every once in a while too,” Drew Doughty said. “He has a very good, happy medium with that, whereas there’s longer stretches and longer periods of time when Darryl was here, things weren’t very happy around here.” Stevens was energized Sunday in his return to the area he called home for 18 years, and where he spent his day with the Stanley Cup. His youngest son, Nolan, a forward at Northeastern, was in town. Monday’s game doesn’t carry extra meaning, but the location does. “It’s where I raised my family,” Stevens said. “It’s home for my kids. If you ask them where they’re from, this is where they’re from.”

LA Times: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088882 Los Angeles Kings sports, when you’re not at the rink, I think you get a little bit maybe dispersed in the community, but when you go to the rink, I think the support there is loyal and is as strong as anywhere in the league. The RETURN TO PHILLY: JOHN STEVENS DROPPED THE CUP OFF AT building’s been full in there, the fans are terrific, they’re passionate, they JUSTIN WILLIAMS’ DOCK; MORE know the game. I think it’s been terrific, but it’s just such a big community with so many other interests, including the weather. The weather is probably a huge interest out there with the ocean and the mountains and the desert and everything else there, but I’d say once you get to Staples JON ROSEN Center, it’s as good as it gets anywhere. … I think there are a big group of fans that were the fans when Foxy was playing, right? I think the loyal DECEMBER 17, 20170 COMMENTS fan in Los Angeles was terrific, and I think the fact that the team’s had success, they’ve had some long-standing members of the hockey team with Dustin Brown and Kopitar and Doughty and Quick, and the list goes ALUMNIMEDIA AVAILABILITYSTANLEY CUP on and on. They’ve really grown a real connection with the team, and I think they’ve had great fans forever, but certainly with the success of the The Los Angeles Kings did not skate on the final off-day of the road trip, team through the last 10, 12 years with the same players being here, I but instead met in a ballroom at the hotel in Philadelphia, where they think it’s only added to that relationship. were active, played the soccer game that has become popular across junior, collegiate and professional dressing rooms, and took part in a On his Stanley Cup celebration memories, and whether he celebrated structured and more dynamic activity that fired up their muscles, opened with Justin Williams in 2014: up their hips and led to a full-body warm-up. Along with the more physical portion of the meeting, John Stevens sat down with the group in an effort We did. We had the Cup back-to-back. I took heat for it, but there was no to “reroute” their performance after an 0-2-1 start to the road trip so that intention. When I won the Calder Cup as a player in ’98 and as a coach the staff could “get the team reset a little bit.” They watched video, and in ’05, we have the picture at the top of the Art Museum Steps where it while some players ultimately moved on with their day, Stevens followed looks down Ben Franklin Boulevard – the Rocky Steps. So we had it up with individuals and smaller groups, facilitating good discussions in when the kids were [smaller], when I was playing, and then we had it which points could continue to get across. when the kids were [slightly bigger], when I was playing, and then we had the Cup when they were full-grown, so we wanted to have the picture at Monday will mark John Stevens’ first game as a head coach at the Wells the same spot, which we did, and Willie did too, because this is where he Fargo Center since his October, 2006 – December, 2009 tenure as the started. … We did it quietly. We never told anybody we were doing it, but Flyers’ coach. Though he grew up in Ontario, he was a second round as usual, somebody got a picture of it on social media. But that was the Philadelphia draft pick in 1984, played for both the Flyers and Phantoms, only reason we went there, and then we had it at the Shore, and we had coached the Flyers and Phantoms, and moved to nearby Sea Isle City, a get-together that Justin and his wife came to, and then I actually took New Jersey, where his sons, John and Nolan, were raised. He has the Cup – I had a good buddy that’s a captain, so we drove it in the entrenched relationships with figures of the Philadelphia and South morning, early in the morning, right to his dock, through the Intracoastal. Jersey hockey community, from pillars such as Bob Clarke and Paul It was pretty cool. So, we actually delivered it to his dock and dropped it Holmgren, and down to the grassroots level, where on Sunday morning off to him. he credited Guy Gaudreau – Johnny’s dad, and the Director of Operations at Hollydell Arena in Sewell, N.J. – for influencing the It worked out well, because … we got it, they drove back from, I think surge of high-level players from the area. Quickie’s place to Toronto. The Cup changes handlers. You can just imagine, everyone’s excited to get the Cup, but if you’re handling the Philadelphia has left an indelible mark on Stevens’ professional and Cup, and you’re exhausted and done with it, and he’s taking it to the next family life. He has photos from the Art Museum Steps – popularized as guy that’s excited to have it. So, at the end of seven days, those guys are the “Rocky Steps” – from his Calder Cup championship as a Phantoms done, right? They’re going hard. Like, they’re up long days, so they have player in 1998, as the Phantoms’ coach in 2005, and as the Kings’ four guys that rotate through it. They had two come with the Cup. They Associate Head Coach in 2014. (In 2012, he celebrated the Stanley Cup went to Toronto. Phil – the guy with the white guy with the gloves in Ontario.) In each photo, his children grow, inch-by-inch, towards everybody knows – Phil Pritchard dropped it off, and then two other guys adulthood. His younger son, Nolan, the captain of the Northeastern brought it down. So, we met them here, picked them up and came right Huskies hockey team, will be in attendance Monday night. to the art museum and had pictures on the way to the shore, and then we dropped it off for Willie, and Willie had it for two days. Willie, he’s from a On Sunday, Stevens spoke about what it meant to be a head coach in little town called Ventnor, where he lives down here, and he also flew it – perhaps the country’s most sports-mad city and the passion of Los he had a plane ready the next day – and he took it back to Cobourg, so Angeles sports fandom before sharing memories of his 2014 Stanley Cup he actually took it to both places. But he got a lot done, and they had a summer, which intertwined with the celebration held by Justin Williams, parade back there in his home town in Cobourg, and I’m trying to who lives in Ventnor, just a short trip up the New Jersey Intracoastal remember where it went after that, but I cant. Everyone thinks, ‘just put in Waterway from Sea Isle City, where he built a home. your date, and they’ll give you the Cup.’ But they tell you when you’re “It’s not so much coming back to Philadelphia, where I played and going to get it, because logistically it’s got to move its way around. It coached, it’s where I raised my family,” said Stevens, who moved to the actually worked out well. He had it middle of July. Willie attended [our area six weeks after Nolan was born and when John was two. “If you ask party], and then we dropped by his briefly, and we were on our way. them where they’re from, this is where they’re from.” On whether he ever transferred the Stanley Cup in his car: On what it meant to be the head coach in a city where sports are such an I had a truck, I had an F-150 that we picked it up, because it comes in a important part of daily life: big trunk. But we took it on a boat. We had to go early in the morning. I It’s a good analogy, and until you’ve lived here, people don’t quite shouldn’t be telling you this, because I wasn’t supposed to have it understand what it’s like here because I think people on the outside think overnight, but I did. If you’re familiar with the Intracoastal, there’s a huge fans here are tough, but I always thought the fans here, they come from intracoastal [waterway] up along the Jersey Shore. You have the Barrier the passion that they have for sports. Some cities, sports are something Islands and the ocean, and inside is the Intracoastal. The tides come in that you do. In Philadelphia, sports are the fabric of the community. and out anywhere from four-to-six feet, so at high tide, it’s easy, right? People don’t just go into an event. They plan their schedules around the Especially if you have a jet ski. But [my friend had] a good-sized boat. schedule, and it’s interesting. The pendulum can swing quickly one way That morning was dead low tide, so at dead low tide, you’ve got to stay in or the other, but it just comes from the deep passion that they have, and the channel, so it takes a little bit longer and you’ve got to know what for all sports. It’s hockey, it’s football, it’s baseball, it’s basketball. They you’re doing. … Every single day, you go out there, people are bottomed love sports in the city of Philadelphia, and it’s a huge part of the out. I bottomed out with jet skis, not knowing where you’re going. … But community, and the passion runs deep here – I think as deep as the channels and marsh, as long as you stay in the channel, and it’s not anywhere. easy to go from – I’m in Sea Isle. You have to go Sea Isle, Strathmere, Ocean City, Longport, Margate, Ventnor. You’ve got to go through all On passion for the Kings across Southern California: those towns and no-wake zones. This guy was unbelievable. He knew exactly where to go and he had the depth finders and the GPS and What I have found going to Los Angeles, I’ve been blown away by the everything. There are these bays that you have to go through, and support in L.A. The thing with L.A., there are so many other interests in there’s a big dredge there, because the channels will fill in, so they were L.A. that when you’re not at the rink, I don’t think the exposure is what it dredging the channel. So, these guys, it’s 6:00 in the morning, they’re is in some of the cities like Philadelphia, because if Jon Quick walked going into work on the dredger, right? So, they’re walking up, they look down the streets of Philadelphia, he couldn’t look very far because he’d over, and we’ve got the Stanley Cup sitting on the back of the boat, be so recognizable. I just think in L.A., with the weather, the because you had to go slow. So, it was kind of funny to see them and entertainment industry, the college presence out there, the different how quickly they got their phones out and took pictures. We went and dropped it off, and then when we dropped it off, and then when we came back, they were waiting for us and they recognized the boat. They all came running out because they wanted to get a picture of the Cup, but we had just dropped it off. So, it ended up being a really good day. It was a crisp morning. I have pictures of the Cup and the boat, and we obviously have hundreds of pictures from the day with the Cup. It was good. Ironically, that day – getting off topic here, but it’s kind of a fun day – but, if you’ve ever been to the Jersey Shore, you know those big rowboats they have on the shore the lifeguards have and are set there so they can do rescues, and it usually has the name of the town. So, Sea Isle City, Atlantic City, all those places. We had the Cup … and the Cup sat right in the middle of one of those boats, so people could get it on the side of the boat and have pictures with it. We weren’t sure how it’d be received, because it’s a South Jersey town. Friggin’, we couldn’t get through the line, there were so many people, right? But I looked over, and you know who was there with his family and who just happened to be there on vacation? Brad Watson, the referee who had reffed a game in the finals. He was there with his family, and he actually went in and had a picture with the Cup at the Jersey Shore, which I didn’t know, but I guess he vacations there every year for a week, and he happened to be there that day when we had the day with the Cup. It felt pretty good.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088883 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: DECEMBER 17

JON ROSEN DECEMBER 17, 20170 COMMENTS

GAME STORY In the standings, it’s worthwhile, without context, that Los Angeles salvaged a point from a game they trailed with under 15 seconds remaining. With context, that’s a lousy point. The Kings failed to protect a two-goal first period lead, and for the second time in 12 games this season, lost a game they led after two periods. In an important game that followed back-to-back regulation losses to kick off a four-game trip, that’s not a very positive loser point. The high-impact goal was scored by Josh Bailey on a nifty redirection of Calvin de Haan’s dish towards the net from distance at the 19:10 mark of the first period. Goals with under a minute remaining are troubling. When they turn a two-goal lead into a virtual swing game, that’s a major turning point in momentum. The Kings admirably killed off 3:36 of continuous power play time early in the second period, a wash in which the Islanders struggled to get pucks to high danger areas. Shots on goal were 1-1 during the stretch, which included 24 seconds of five-on-three time. Though they were effective in clearing the puck and confining the Isles to the perimeter, it did appear as though New York built up momentum from the unsuccessful man advantages, which they transferred into an all-out zone time blitz over the second half of the second period and into the third. On one hand, fortune was on the Islanders’ side, because a sequence of continued strong third period coverage led to the equalizer. Christian Folin, Derek Forbort and Anze Kopitar all stepped in front of pucks, with a combination of Lee’s whiff and Kopitar’s stick depositing the puck directly into John Tavares’ wheelhouse for a power play blast that Darcy Kuemper essentially had no chance on. On the other hand, given the zone time advantage New York had built up in the second half of the game, the more time Los Angeles spent in its own zone, the more likely it would be that bounces, deflections, and even proper coverage and hard defensive plays were going to come back to bite them. After Saturday night, the Kings dropped into the red possession-wise. Even though their scoring is up considerably, and they’ve generated higher-quality chances, they’re playing in their defensive zone to a greater degree than they previously had. While their forecheck was on point at Madison Square Garden, it wasn’t at its best at Barclays Center. Jake Muzzin has been a warrior the previous two games. Pay absolutely zero attention to the minus-five mark over the weekend; he was Los Angeles’ best defenseman on Friday and followed that up with a hard, engaged performance in which he again continued to show – based on my own eye test and conversations with the coaching staff – that he’s rounded the corner and continuing to play firm, committed minutes after an early November lull. That the Kings are in first place one week out from the Christmas break is based in large part to Muzzin once again adhering to the role of a true number two defenseman. He was on the ice for Lee’s late go-ahead goal, but in that sequence, which began with Alex Iafallo’s turnover, Muzzin, after hammering Lee along the boards, came out to challenge Ryan Pulock, the dangerous offensive defensemen that had moved around Iafallo, leaving space behind him that Lee, one of the best net-front players in the NHL, took advantage of in scoring his 20th goal of the season on a roofed backhand. Perhaps the Hockey Gods will repay Muzzin, who was whistled for a phantom non-elbow on Cal Clutterbuck that led to Tavares’ game-tying goal.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088884 Los Angeles Kings

GOOD MORNING, PHILADELPHIA

JON ROSEN DECEMBER 17, 20170 COMMENTS

Good morning, Philadelphia, and good morning, Insiders. It’s too bad that the Tri-State leg of this road trip ended in Brooklyn, because unlike Madison Square Garden or Prudential Center, there’s no convenient means to take the train down to Philadelphia. Barclays Center sits atop the Long Island Railroad’s Atlantic Terminal, which does not have Amtrak access, so instead of taking a bus to Penn Station and hopping on the train, we simply rode the bus all the way down to Philly. The trip across Staten Island – Wu Tang, forever – and down the New Jersey Turnpike clocked in at roughly one hour and 45 minutes. I don’t want to get into too deep a dive here, but if you’d like to know more about the New Jersey Turnpike, I’d recommend watching Being John Malkovich. See it for a second, or third, or 10th time, if you haven’t seen it in a while. The educational video explaining why the 7 1/2 floor exists is among my favorite scenes in any film or TV comedy. It’s right up there with the educational video Meat and You: Partners in Freedom from Lisa the Vegetarian. Well, we’ve hit the Good Morning trifecta: transit updates, obscure movie references and a Simpsons clip. That’ll do it for now. Waking up with the Kings should come out around the 10:00 hour L.A. time, possibly sooner. It’s a day in the weight room but off the ice for a team that just completed a back-to-back and will face the red-hot Flyers tomorrow at the Wells Fargo Center. I’m starting to work on a Dustin Brown feature to commemorate his approaching 1,000 game milestone, so there won’t be much else in terms of player or staff interviews today, barring any breaking news. Enjoy your Sunday, Insiders. Thank you, as always, for reading. Let’s talk soon.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088885 Minnesota Wild

Jared Spurgeon to return to Wild lineup vs. Blackhawks

By Sarah McLellan DECEMBER 17, 2017 — 12:34PM

The Wild didn’t spiral down the standings when it lost defensive pillar Jared Spurgeon to a groin strain late in November, going a respectable 6-3 while he was out. But Spurgeon is no doubt poised to bolster the back end when he returns to the lineup Sunday against the Blackhawks. “I think mentally for the players, it will be a big boost,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We’ll see. He hasn’t played for a while. I’m not expecting 30 minutes and be God out there, but he’s always been a leader and inspirational guy for our team. So I hope he comes and he’s that again today.” Sidelined since Nov.27, Spurgeon had three goals and 15 points in 23 games. To make room for him on the roster after activating him from injured reserve, the team assigned defenseman Ryan Murphy to Iowa of the Saturday. Spurgeon won’t be reunited with former partner Ryan Suter; instead, he’ll take Murphy’s spot next to Jonas Brodin, as Boudreau wanted to keep the Suter-Matt Dumba duo together. “It’s made Dumba a much better player,” Boudreau said. After a 26-save showing Saturday in a 3-2 loss to the Oilers, goalie Alex Stalock will be back between the pipes – backstopping the Wild as it begins a four-game road trip before the holiday break in a game against the Blackhawks that always seems to provide a measuring stick of sorts. “Those guys know (for an) important game how to get up,” Boudreau said of the Blackhawks. “We’re still learning that I think.” Projected lineup: Nino Niederreiter-Mikko Koivu- Mikael Granlund Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Charlie Coyle Tyler Ennis-Daniel Winnik-Chris Stewart Joel Eriksson Ek-Matt Cullen-Zack Mitchell Ryan Suter- Matt Dumba Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon Mike Reilly-Nate Prosser Alex Stalock Key numbers: 9-3-1: The Wild’s record against the Blackhawks in the teams’ last 13 matchups. 2-1: How the Wild has performed in the second game of a back-to-back so far this season. 13: Penalty kills by the Wild the last 13 times it’s been shorthanded. 4: Straight wins for Chicago. 39: Points in 38 career games against the Wild for Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. About the Blackhawks: The Blackhawks occupy the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 37 points – which is tied with the Wild. This has been an uneven season to date for Chicago; until its current four-game win streak, the team hadn’t won more than two games in a row. It also dropped five straight before going on this run. Still, this is a potent lineup, with winger Patrick Kane at 32 points and center Artem Anisimov pacing the pack in goals (13). Goalie Corey Crawford has also been solid, posting an impressive .934 save percentage with a 2.15 goals-against average amid a 15-7-2 record. Star Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088886 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017

Penalties drain Wild, fuel Blackhawks in 4-1 loss

By Sarah McLellan DECEMBER 17, 2017 — 10:10PM

The performance of the penalty kill wasn’t a problem in either of the Wild’s last two losses. It’s the amount of times the unit has been ushered into duty, however, that’s been a concern, with a parade to the box headlining the 4-1 setback to the Blackhawks Sunday at United Center. “You can’t take six penalties and win,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “It’s an impossibility. We’re trying to use guys, the third and fourth line basically, to kill penalties to save our other guys. But sometimes it’s still hard when you’re killing all those penalties, and you’re trying to get into the rhythm of a game.” For the second straight game, the Wild put the opposition on the power play six times. And although the Blackhawks were as unsuccessful as the Oilers were in a 3-2 win over the Wild Saturday at Xcel Energy Center, both teams capitalized on other upsides – chiefly momentum and zone time. The latter wasn’t wasted by the Blackhawks, as 14 of their 46 shots (roughly 30 percent) came with the man advantage. Spotless play by the penalty killers is the silver lining, but putting the unit on the ice this much is risky – especially with the NHL’s No.1 power play in the Lightning at the conclusion of this road trip. “We can't be doing that to ourselves, kind of shooting ourselves in the foot,” defenseman Matt Dumba said. “It takes away a lot of rhythm out of the game, so that sucks. We know we have to be more disciplined.” Here’s what else to watch for after the Wild’s loss to the Blackhawks. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon is back in the mix after returning to the lineup Sunday following a nine-game absence due to a groin strain. Spurgeon played 23 minutes, 20 seconds, finished a minus-1 and blocked three shots. “It was his first game,” Boudreau said. “You can see the excitement; his first couple shifts were great. He was probably a little bit rusty, but overall Jared Spurgeon’s a great player.” With this his first game since the end of November, the pace of play was quick for Spurgeon so he tried to simplify his approach and avoid fancy plays. He was the one who made the ill-timed line change that helped spring Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane for a breakaway on the game- winning goal, but getting Spurgeon back is still a major lift for the blue line. “It felt good to be back out there,” Spurgeon said. “Obviously you'd like to make a difference and [have] the team come out with a win. But I was happy to be back." Dumba continued his offensive tear of late, scoring his third goal in his last two games. All three of those goals have been the Wild’s lone production in those contests and while more help is certainly needed, having Dumba on a roll is encouraging. “It just seems like they're going in right now for me,” said Dumba, who has six goals on the season. “I'm lucky to have that.” The loss to the Blackhawks was the Wild’s second straight loss, a short slide but one that has the potential to snowball and sabotage the momentum the team built with a recent four-game run. Being on the road, however, could help correct that, as the Wild rebounded from a loss at the outset of its California road trip earlier this month to win the remaining games. “We were playing great at home obviously, but situations like this I think the road’s great,” goalie Alex Stalock said. “We’re away. It’s just the guys. We can meet or whatever it’s going to take, a skate, a meeting or just something fun to do. That whole streak, we went out to Pelican Hill and we had fun out there in Anaheim. We played great. So I think it’s just something like that, get together as guys and figure it out.” 1088887 Minnesota Wild • The Wild scratched Foligno for the second time in three games. Foligno has gone 20 games without registering a goal — managing just three assists in that span. “Maybe he’s overthinking things,” Boudreau said. “I Wild gets Jared Spurgeon back; Matt Dumba remains paired with Ryan don’t know. So we’ll have to re-evaluate and go from there.” Suter • Goalie Alex Stalock remained in net after playing Saturday against the Oilers. It was the first time in his NHL career he’s started back-to-back games. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017 Star Tribune DECEMBER 17, 2017 — 11:14PM

CHICAGO – The loss of defenseman Jared Spurgeon to a groin strain last month put the spotlight squarely on the team’s blue line and whether it could withstand the absence of a top-pairing minute muncher. But instead of exposing a weakness, the adversity uncovered better depth — an asset that was on display when Spurgeon made his return to the lineup Sunday against the Blackhawks after the team went 6-3 while he was sidelined. “I wouldn’t have thought us going that route without him,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. After missing nine games, Spurgeon didn’t resume his post on the No. 1 unit next to Ryan Suter. Matt Dumba held onto that spot, with Spurgeon filling out the second pairing alongside Jonas Brodin. “There was a lot of thought, but I didn’t want to break up Dumba and Suts right now,” Boudreau explained. “I think it’s made Dumba a much better player.” Keeping Suter and Spurgeon apart also enables Boudreau to employ two units in defensive situations, but Dumba has earned the promotion. During Spurgeon’s absence, Dumba scored four goals — two of which were overtime game-winners — and handled heavy minutes. Some of Dumba’s offensive eagerness has come at the expense, though, of odd-man rushes the other way, a risk the Wild hopes to minimize without sacrificing Dumba’s creativity. “He’s getting a little too excitable,” Boudreau said. “So we’ll have to rein in a little bit, but he’s the one guy on our defense that can do that thing. So we don’t want to stifle him from doing that.” To make room for Spurgeon on the 23-man roster, as he was on injured reserve, the Wild assigned defenseman Ryan Murphy to Iowa of the American Hockey League Saturday. Murphy played each game Spurgeon was out, giving the Wild steady minutes while chipping in a goal and assist. Boudreau acknowledged Murphy’s status — he would have required to pass through waivers to be sent to the minors if he played one more game — as a reason why he was the odd man out. But with Mike Reilly facing the exact same scenario, Boudreau pointed out that Murphy is a right shot like Spurgeon, while Reilly is a lefty. “Obviously, we like what we saw in Murph and we didn’t want to lose him,” Boudreau said. “So we think there’s a good chance at some point he’ll be back.” Resilient reminder Sunday was the Wild’s first trip back to United Center since its lineup was decimated by injury Oct. 12, with forwards Charlie Coyle (right fibula fracture), Nino Niederreiter (left ankle sprain) and Marcus Foligno (left facial fracture) all leaving the game. Even so, the Wild persevered to pull out a 5-2 win. “We only had to go the last 10 minutes with eight forwards,” Boudreau recalled. “It wasn’t like we were going all night. I think we went 11 [forwards] and seven [defensemen] that night, and then you start getting injuries — it adds more to it. But it was one of those games where the players just banded together, and they refused to go down.” That resiliency has popped up throughout the Wild’s season, and to Boudreau, it’s necessary to have success in today’s NHL. “The parity is crazy,” he explained. “I told the players I think the hardest thing is not to win the Stanley Cup in this league. The hardest thing is to get in the playoffs because to get in the playoffs in our conference we have to beat basically 14 other teams. To win the Stanley Cup, you only have to beat four.” Etc. 1088888 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Blackhawks game recap

SARAH MCLELLAN DECEMBER 17, 2017 — 10:08PM

Star Tribune’s Three Stars 1. Patrick Kane, Blackhawks: The winger scored twice, including the game-winner. 2. Corey Crawford, Blackhawks: The Chicago goalie posted 27 saves. 3. Matt Dumba, Wild: The defenseman scored his third goal in his last two games. By the numbers 6 Power plays for Chicago. 22 Second-period shots by the Blackhawks compared to six for the Wild. 23:20 Ice time for defenseman Jared Spurgeon in his return to the lineup after missing nine games with a groin strain. Star Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088889 Minnesota Wild and D Cody Franson missed his fourth, both with upper-body injuries. ... Slumping Chicago LW Richard Panik was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. ... Struggling Minnesota LW Marcus Foligno was Kane, Crawford lead Blackhawks past Wild for 5th straight scratched for the second time in three games. ... Wild C Mikko Koivu played Sunday, but now has gone 24 games without a goal and 11 without a point. By MATT CARLSON UP NEXT Associated Press Wild: At Ottawa on Tuesday night in the second game of four-game trip. DECEMBER 17, 2017 — 11:00PM Blackhawks: At Dallas on Thursday night to open a stretch of six straight road games.

Star Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017 CHICAGO — Patrick Kane is finally on a roll, and so are the Chicago Blackhawks. Kane scored two slick goals, Corey Crawford made 27 saves and the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 Sunday night for their season- high fifth straight win. Kane, who has seven points in his last four games, connected on a one- timer and a breakaway to give him 14 goals this season and four in the last three games. The flashy Chicago forward's 298th and 299th career goals moved him into fifth place in team history, ahead of Dennis Hull. "That's obviously my job, so that's what I have to do," Kane said, "but more than that, you want to improve on your game, on your craft, every day." That craft is creating offense, and the 29-year-old Chicago star seems like he's back in form. "I know his game's been getting better lately," coach Joel Quenneville said. "He's getting hot. He's getting the puck a lot. ... With his game with the puck, he's just so hard to defend." Ryan Hartman also scored for Chicago, snapping a 17-game drought dating to Oct. 28. Tommy Wingels added a short-handed empty-netter as the Blackhawks followed up on a 5-1 win at Winnipeg on Thursday with another strong effort against a Central Division rival. "I think everyone in here knows we can do it," Crawford said. "We've got a dangerous offense and our D are playing great. It's been fun hockey." Matt Dumba scored at 5:56 of the third, spoiling Crawford's shutout bid on a screened shot from the right point. The Wild dropped their second straight after a four-game winning streak. Alex Stalock made 42 saves his third straight start in place of Minnesota No. 1 goalie Devan Dubnyk, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury. He helped keep the Wild, who snuffed all six Chicago power-plays, close in this one. "There's a big difference between two goals and three goals," Stalock said. "One more big save it's a whole different game." Dumba, a defenseman, has scored Minnesota's last three goals to increase his total to six. He scored twice in the Wild's 3-2 loss at home to Edmonton on Saturday. The Wild have scored just seven goals in their last four games. "The guys are getting great chances and not getting results," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I think they're getting frustrated." The Wild outshot the Blackhawks 13-9 in the first and had the better chances, but Kane connected at 10:56 for the only goal of the period. Completing a rush and give-and-go with Nick Schmaltz, Kane ripped in a one-timer from the right circle as Stalock slid across the crease. Crawford came up with several sharp saves to preserve the lead, including a close-in stop on Charlie Coyle with 10 seconds left in the first. The Blackhawks dominated in the second, outshooting Minnesota 22-6. After Stalock stopped several prime chances, Chicago took 2-0 lead on Kane's second goal, capping a breakaway with 4:24 left. Hartman made it 3-0 at 1:41 of third as he picked up the puck along the left boards, plowed to the net and beat Stalock with a high shot on the stick side. Dumba cut it to 3-1 just over 4 minutes later when his drive from the blue line sailed through traffic and over Crawford's right shoulder. Wingels backhanded in an long empty-netter to complete the scoring with 4 minutes left — and Stalock pulled for an extra attacker during a Minnesota power play. NOTES: Minnesota D Jared Spurgeon returned after missing nine games with a groin injury. ... Blackhawks D Jan Rutta missed his second game 1088890 Minnesota Wild “We’ve got to get away from the frustration and feeling bad for ourselves,” Boudreau said, “and start getting back to the way we can play.” Wild drops second game in a row, 4-1 at Chicago Star Tribune LOADED: 12.18.2017

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune DECEMBER 17, 2017 — 11:12PM

CHICAGO – It looked like a formation out of a video game, with the puck carrier hustling up ice as two Wild players skated behind — their setup in the shape of a triangle. But the trailers weren’t supporting the rush. They were chasing it. And defensemen Jonas Brodin and Ryan Suter never did catch Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane, as he unleashed a wrist shot by goalie Alex Stalock before pressure arrived to seal the eventual clinching goal in a 4-1 triumph over the Wild on Sunday in front of 21,813 at United Center — a game that felt as lopsided as that goal and gave the Blackhawks a two-point cushion over the Wild in the standings. “He’s a great player, and you can’t give a great player too much opportunity or they’re going to put it in the net,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. Coach Bruce Boudreau discusses the 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks. That slim margin for error should have been fresh in the minds of the Wild’s players, as they were tripped up 3-2 by the Oilers on Saturday at home. But mistakes piled up, and the Wild was unable to slow down the Blackhawks and Kane — who was responsible for two goals. His first tally came 10 minutes, 56 seconds into the first period; the Blackhawks broke into the Wild’s end for a 4-on-3 rush with center Nick Schmaltz setting Kane up for a one-timer from inside the right faceoff circle. The Blackhawks only increased their pressure in the second, but three penalties by the Wild helped fuel Chicago; although the Blackhawks went scoreless in all six of their power plays, they registered 14 shots with the man advantage — this after the Oilers used a similar formula a day earlier to drain the Wild on six power plays. The Wild, meanwhile, went 0- for-2. “Not only are they keeping it in our zone on the penalty kill, but then we got guys killing playing five-on-four and five-on-five and it’s hard,” said Stalock, who made a season-high 42 saves. “It wears guys out.” Stalock was busy at even strength, too, as the Blackhawks tested him 22 times in the period compared to only six shots on goal for the Wild. One of those attempts by the Blackhawks was Kane’s breakaway finish at 15:36 off a slick feed by defenseman Jordan Oesterle, who found a seam after a poor line change by defenseman Jared Spurgeon. “You don’t expect that from Jared,” Boudreau said. “They were going off the ice, and he thought we had a chance to get off. Sometimes you forget that it’s the second period, and they’ve got the advantage in the line change.” Just 1:41 into the third period, the Blackhawks converted their third after winger Ryan Hartman cut to the net and roofed a shot over Stalock. The only offense the Wild managed once again came from the defense — more precisely, Matt Dumba, as his point shot wove through traffic and by Crawford, who had 27 saves, at 5:56 of the third. Dumba has now scored the Wild’s past three goals. “He’s probably the only one with offensive confidence right now,” Boudreau said. “What he’s doing, he’s starting to shoot the puck and he’s got a great shot. If he shoots the puck a lot, he’s going to get a lot more of those.” While those contributions from the blue line are key to the Wild’s success, a lack of scoring punch from the forwards is glaring — especially on the power play, as the unit surrendered an empty-net goal to winger Tommy Wingels with four minutes to go. And for the second straight game, those struggles were at the forefront of a loss. 1088891 Minnesota Wild

Wild’s Jared Spurgeon to return against rival Blackhawks

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: December 17, 2017 at 1:59 pm | UPDATED: December 17, 2017 at 4:54 PM

CHICAGO — Jared Spurgeon is expected to return to the Wild lineup for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. He has missed the past nine games with a groin strain. “I think mentally for the players it’ll be a big boost,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “I’m not expecting him to play 30 minutes and be god out there. He’s always been a leader and an inspirational guy for our team, so I hope he’s that again tonight.” Spurgeon is one of the more underrated players in the NHL. He has steadily improved since making his league debut during the 2010-11 season, and despite his lack of size — he is 5 feet 9, 170 pounds — he has become one of the Wild’s most consistent players. Spurgeon played exclusively with Ryan Suter on the first defensive pairing before his injury last month. Since then, Suter has been paired with Matt Dumba, who has recorded four goals and two assists since being elevated to the first defensive pairing. Rocket to Russia: Former Wild defenseman Jon Blum reignites career — and Olympic dream Boudreau said he plans to keep Suter and Dumba together, at least for now, meaning Jonas Brodin and Spurgeon will make up the second defensive pairing. “There was a lot of thought (that went into it),” Boudreau said. “I didn’t want to break up Sutes and Dumba right now. I think it’s made Dumba a much better player. … And I think we can use Brods and (Spurgeon) in more defensive situations instead of having to put Sutes and Dumba out.” Perhaps the biggest criticism of Dumba while filling in for Spurgeon has been his propensity to jump up into the play a little too much. That sometimes leads to him being out of position, which was evident a couple times in Saturday’s 3-2 home loss to the Edmonton Oilers. “Well, I don’t mind it, quite frankly, as long as he doesn’t get caught too often,” Boudreau said. “He is leaving Sutes back there a little bit. He’s getting a little too excitable, so we’ll have to rein in a little bit. Still, he’s the one guy on our defense that can do that, so we don’t want to stifle him.” STALOCK STILL IN GOAL Alex Stalock was slated to make his second consecutive start during Sunday’s game against the Blackhawks, marking the first time in his NHL career he’s played in a back-to-back. Stalock made 26 saves in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Oilers. He is 5-4-1 this season with a 2.66 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. Stalock is expected to start every game of this four-game road trip before the holiday break. After Sunday’s game, the Wild play at Ottawa on Tuesday, at Florida on Friday and at Tampa Bay on Saturday. MURPHY SENT DOWN Ryan Murphy proved himself as a valuable member of the Wild blue line over the past few weeks while Spurgeon recovered from his groin strain. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep Murphy from being sent back to the minors following Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Oilers. “If Murph plays one more game, he’s got to go through waivers,” Boudreau said. “Obviously we liked what we saw in Murph and we didn’t want to lose him. So, we think there’s a good chance that at some point he’ll be back.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088892 Minnesota Wild Suddenly the Wild have lost back-to-back games following what looked to be a turning point in the season.

Stalock suggested that the current road trip comes at a good time as the Wild have no answer for Patrick Kane in loss to rival Blackhawks Wild try to keep this thing from spiraling out of control. “In situations like this I think it’s great,” Stalock said. “It’s just the guys By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] and we can meet or whatever it’s going to take, a skate, a meeting, or something fun to do. (Before) that (four-game winning) streak, we went Pioneer Press out to Pelican Hills and we had fun out there in Anaheim and we played great. I think it’s something like that, get together as guys, and get it PUBLISHED: December 17, 2017 at 8:34 pm | UPDATED: December 17, figured out.” 2017 at 9:53 PM Pioneer Press LOADED: 12.18.2017

CHICAGO — As far as Wild coach Bruce Boudreau is concerned, the Chicago Blackhawks are as dangerous as ever. To him, it doesn’t matter that there have been some conspicuous cracks in the foundation of late with the cornerstone pieces of the roster getting up there in age. To him, the three Stanley Cups speak for themselves. “You know, whether they’ve had the (Stanley Cup) team, or this team, they play the same way, they draft the same way, they go for the same kind of guys,” Boudreau said. “So beating them is (about) being able to do what we can do. You know, whether some of their players are not as gifted, (Patrick) Sharp was five years younger back then and things like that, I don’t think we change the way (we play) to be successful.” And while Sharp might be declining, another Patrick on the team, Patrick Kane, has only gotten better with age. He proved that Sunday night at the United Center with a solid two-goal effort to pace the Blackhawks to a 4-1 win over the Wild. “He’s a special player for a reason,” Jared Spurgeon said. “You give him chances and he’s going to score. We have to do a better job next time of limiting those.” Alex Stalock was tagged with his second straight loss in the game. He lamented the two goals he allowed to Kane despite the fact he was left one-on-one with him in both situations. “He had two Grade-A chances and scored on both of them,” Stalock said. “Make a save on one of them if not both of them and it’s obviously a completely different game.” Kane is now one goal away from 300 for his career. He can thank the Wild for 18 goals over the course of his career, the fifth most he’s scored against any team. Meanwhile, it was a disastrous effort from the Wild for most of the night, as they let the Blackhawks control the pace before fighting back late. Kane gave his team the lead midway through the first period, burying a cross-ice feed from fellow winger Nick Schmaltz. Kane had all the time in the world to pick his spot after the Wild left him completely unmarked near the right faceoff circle. “It was a 4 on 2 and we did a bad job of spreading ourselves out,” Boudreau said. “He’s a great player. You cant get give a great player too much opportunity or they’re going to put it in the net.” Kane was back at in again midway through the second period, this time on a breakaway, after a tape-to-tape through pass from defenseman Jordan Oesterle. “That’s a bad change by me and they get a breakaway off of it,” Spurgeon said. “You can’t leave a guy like that all alone.” That second goal seemed to suck the life out of the Wild, at least momentarily. “At 1-0, I thought there was no way we weren’t going to come back,” Boudreau said. “At 2-0, it became difficult.” That said, Boudreau still believed his team had a good chance despite the two-goal deficit heading into the final frame. Blackhawks winger Ryan Hartman quickly put any thoughts of a comeback to rest extending the lead early in the third period with a masterful individual effort. He collected the puck along the boards, beat Nate Prosser to the point of attack, and roofed a puck over Stalock. Matt Dumba scored his third consecutive team goal — he had two goals in a 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center — with a top-shelf score a few minutes later before Blackhawks center Tommy Wingels scored an empty-netter late in the third period to finalize the score. 1088893 Montreal Canadiens

What will Canadiens fans find under the Christmas tree this year?

François Lauzon Montreal Gazette Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 4:28 PM EST

It’s time to send Santa the list of perfect gifts for the Habs fan in your family. The Canadiens eked out a 2-1 OT win over the New Jersey Devils with a solid performance by Carey Price on Thursday, but stumbled again Saturday night in the NHL 100 Classic at Lansdowne Park. Price did not get much help from his offence in a 3-0 Senators’ win. Last week’s post from your long-suffering Habs fan — asking if the team should either stay the course or do something drastic — generated many comments and emails. In the mind of many fans, the Marc Bergevin era has run its course. Bergevin, who is now in his sixth year as the GM, had a bad summer with the loss of defenceman Andrei Markov and forward Alexander Radulov. Bergevin’s nearly $8-million cap space is still in the bank awaiting takers. In the old Soviet Union, life revolved around five-year plans. Some plans ran shorter and were successful, others failed and were abandoned. The Montreal Canadiens’ hierarchy does have that politburo vibe to it. Secretive (lower-body injury anyone?), conservative (let’s recycle those old coaches) and also seemingly unable to get the most out of their apparatchiks, I mean young players. Whatever five-year blueprint Bergevin had for a Stanley Cup run, it has become apparent this present Habs team is very unlikely to deliver, and even more unlikely to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back to the roaring crowds of old on Ste-Catherine St. in the near future. Among all the comments received last week, one from Ed Capobianco stood out: “This team is years away from being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. So Carey Price being in goal for the next 4-5 years means nothing.” A strong point that hammers home where the Canadiens are, a week before Christmas. Price’s best years have been, and will continue to be, wasted because of a lack of supporting characters. Last week’s unscientific poll had 55 per cent of the fans voting for a complete rebuild of the team. Standing pat or going for the blockbuster trade splitting the rest of the voting. If Habs nation is willing to live out in the wilderness of the bottom rungs of the NHL for the sake of a rebuild, will they still flock to the Bell Centre? Highly unlikely, and that may be the deciding factor. In the end, money trumps (sorry for the T word) everything. A rebuild may chase the fans away and CEO and co-owner Geoff Molson and company might balk at that. So while we suffer through our Waiting for Godot hockey moment lets celebrate Yuletide. In the spirit of Christmas, this long-suffering Habs fan went out hunting for the perfect gift to warm the bleu-blanc-rouge fanatic’s heart: Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088894 Montreal Canadiens enough to hear, reported that Julien was all over his players for being too “passive” on that play.

· Jonathan Drouin: Forget the giveaway to Bobby Ryan, as brutal as it Melnick: The good, the bad and the ugly game 33, Montreal 0, Ottawa 3 was. (Does Alex Galchenyuk get back on the ice the next shift for a similar turnover?) He’s been a complete non-factor since returning from his injury. It’s no stretch to say that at this point he is regressing. But who By Mitch Melnick was it who thought he could be a No 1 centre? And by the way, when you cough up the puck like he did, and it results in a goal, the right thing 17 hours ago to do is skate back to your goalie to apologize. Maybe tap him on the pads. If he did it, I missed it.

· Alex Galchenyuk: A complete zero. Well, that was almost as embarrassing as getting skated out of your own rink. · Power Play: Only one opportunity but it didn’t look any better than it was against New Jersey. The No 1 unit featured Schlemko, Charles Hudon Last month the Toronto Maple Leafs made the Canadiens look like a and Andrew Shaw. team stuck in the mid-90s. Or perhaps 2011. The Edmonton Oilers did much the same thing a week ago. Last night, the badly slumping Ottawa · Faceoffs: Of course they were chasing the game. Difficult to believe that Senators played keep away like the Soviet Red Army team of the mid- only Drouin, who is normally awful, was able to hit the 50 percent mark (3 70s, while most of the Habs looked like they were out for a leisurely skate for 6). Danault (38 percent), Shaw (33 percent), Tomas Plekanec (26 on the Rideau Canal. As I suggested following their razor thin win over percent) and Froese (17 percent) had the kind of night that brought to the Devils, there were plenty of warning signs for an offensively mind my many dogs through the years and their futile attempts to catch challenged Canadiens team to think they would get any kind of bounce that elusive squirrel. away from Montreal. · Claude Julien: His team had an easy week schedule wise. They don’t If you’re counting, that’s three consecutive poorly played games on play again until Tuesday night in Vancouver. Was it really necessary to against three fellow Canadian franchises. In roll all four lines while chasing the game over the final two periods plus? those losses to Toronto, Edmonton and Ottawa, the Habs were How in the world does Byron Froese, who is strictly an AHL calibre outscored 15-2. The whole country can see what’s happening. Except for player, get 12:36 of ice time while the Habs best forward this season – a blacked out area between Rue de la Montagne, St. Antoine and Peel. Brendan Gallagher – ends up with just 12:46? How do you defend this? How does Nicolas Deslauriers play 13:24 to Danault’s 13:22? It couldn’t I remember when I used to play Pee Wee hockey outside at Campeau have been Froese’s face off work since he was eaten alive (0-for-6) by Park in Chomedey and occasionally it would get as cold as it was last Nate Thompson. Maybe it was Deslauriers’ body check on Karlsson into night in Ottawa. So we slapped Vaseline on our faces and went to it, lost the boards? Yeah, that really slowed Karlsson down. After the game in the sheer excitement of battling the elements while moving at what we Julien pointed out that he was looking for a “blue collar” effort. He sure thought was high speed, often into a brisk wind, and hearing the crunch did his best to give his plumbers as much ice time as his talent. So that’s of the ice under our skates. We’d actually manage to work up a sweat their identity. since we were on the ice every second shift. There was nothing to worry about, no matter how low the temperature dipped. · Gaston Therrien: That was quite the rant post-game on RDS when he said that Carey Price invites criticism because of his “arrogance” towards Until the game ended. the media. All because Price had the audacity to say he had “fun” playing Then the dread would set in. Because we knew that once we sat down in in the outdoor classic; that the entire two-day experience was “fun”. How the room and removed our skates, most of us would be in agony, literally awful, that in the immediate aftermath of a loss, during which most of his crying as our frozen toes slowly tingled back to life. It was excruciating. teammates seemed to shrink under the glare, Price rose to the occasion My dad, who was one of our coaches, would move from player to player, because, just like Karlsson, he fully embraced it. Unless you were on site bend down and rub our feet to try to speed up the process. in Ottawa, it was difficult to miss – via HNIC – Karlsson bobbing and weaving to the between-whistles music while he was on the bench and I think of that scene and I think of the Canadiens fan base right now. playing to the crowd as he made his way to and from the ice and generally reacting to the moment just like, oh, say P.K. Subban might THE GOOD have. And just before puck drop there was a man virtually all Quebecers · Carey Price: One of the very few Montreal players who was not back on and Canadians can agree with telling the HNIC panel, “You have to have his heels when the game started. Price was vintage Price, keeping the fun when you play this game.” That man was Guy Lafleur. Therrien Habs in a game they had no business remaining in for as long as they seemed to take Price’s post-game session personally. Memo to Therrien: did. Carey Price’s warmth is saved for people he cares about, not for those who might have helped spread rumors about he and his family. · Jeff Petry: The only defenceman who seemed up to the challenge of playing both sides of the puck. THE UGLY · Mario Lemieux: He doesn’t need to win a sponsor-driven popularity · Eugene Melnyk: Takes a league wide showcase and turns it into a contest to prove his greatness. But it was good to see him. personal bitch and moan fest while not-so-vaguely threatening to move the team. Hockey wise Geoff Molson appears to be in over his head. But · Guy Lafleur: If I had been on site I would have bought The Flower a at least he has one. Melnick out. couple of strong Irish coffees and then asked him what he thought of his former team. The Athletic LOADED: 12.18.2017 · Erik Karlsson: That’s what your best player is supposed to look like on a big stage. Maybe he’s been saving it up for this very moment. There was no Montreal skater even remotely close to him. THE BAD · Max Pacioretty: Not exactly a tale of two captains. · Shea Weber: Nor was it a tale of each team’s top defencemen. Weber was almost invisible. That’s something you want to say about Karl Alzner. · Phillip Danault: It was his man, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who scored the winning goal following a faceoff to the left of Price. Pageau was left alone in the slot to perfectly redirect a Karlsson shot into the net. It must be frustrating for Claude Julien to have moved from a team that features Patrice Bergeron down the middle – followed by David Krejci – to what he has now. · David Schlemko: It wasn’t an easy night for anybody to handle the puck. So why did a normally good puck mover like Schlemko have more issues than anybody else? Schlemko – and Pacioretty – had a chance to jump on a loose puck after Danault actually won the faceoff ahead of the Pageau goal. HNIC’s Gary Galley, who was at ice level and close 1088895 Nashville Predators To help, 23rd District Judicial Advocates applied for a grant from the Predators Foundation to fund a Christmas party for the kids — the Predators took it one step further. Instead of just giving money, they Nashville Predators embark on a special Christmas mission for kids of wanted to host the bash and provide the gifts. recovering addicts That's how Sissons, Bitetto and Watson found themselves on a secret shopping mission in Walmart two weeks before Christmas. Jessica Bliss Some fatherly experience a soon-to-be dad USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee Each was given a list of children's names and requests. Published 10:00 p.m. CT Dec. 17, 2017 There were very basic needs, like underwear and jackets. And there were special items like Nerf spy gear and bicycles. Some asked for nothing more than a signed Predators puck. But that wouldn't be all they would receive. It was an unusual sight, three Nashville Predators players in the bike aisle at Walmart sitting on two-wheelers much too small for them and Carts at the ready, the players took off through the store starting a discussing the pros and cons of buying blue versus green. friendly competition of who could fill his basket the fastest. That's when two little boys — fittingly dressed in Preds T-shirts with P.K. None of the guys, who are in their 20s, has a child just yet — though Subban's name on the back — appeared. Watson is expecting his first, a little girl, on April 15. "Hey, what's up guys?," Anthony Bitetto said, as the young brothers But without previous fatherly experience, there were some hilarious approached the players. shopping moments. "Would you guys like a bike like this? Would you get it?" Trying to determine what size shoe a 2-year-old would wear, for example, gave Bitetto a little bit of trouble. "It's got a flat tire," 8-year-old Brandon Powell, replied, his eyes wide in awe as he sized up the athletes and the bikes. "Shopping for kids is tough," he said, holding up a cute pair of kicks just big enough for a 6-month old. "Anyone know where the sizes are?" The players chuckled as a small crowd of shoppers gathered around them, all equally surprised to see the Predators trio of Bitetto, Colton His buddies were little help. Sissons and Austin Watson, in the store with carts full of clothing and toys. "I've already lost my cart," Sissons laughed, spinning in circles near the socks. Rovena Daniels, who bartends at the concession stands in the arena and happened to be shopping, got out her phone and snapped a photo from a By the time the trio made it to the girls clothing area, Sissons was all distance. business. With a determined look on his face, he sized up tiny red dresses and unicorn-covered t-shirts. "They just made my day," she said. "This a great little outfit," he said, looking at the black leggings and shirt And they are about to make many others. dotted in gold hearts that he paired together. On Monday, Dec. 18, the Predators will host a Christmas party for 70 Like kids in a candy store kids whose families are served by the 23rd District Judicial Advocates, an organization that works with addicts and their families. Vickie Howard didn't expect to see anyone special as she embarked on a late-afternoon shopping trip at Walmart last week, but there the hockey It's part of an outpouring of holiday cheer and community support from a players were, like kids in a candy store, bouncing up and down the toy host of athletes, mascots and sports organizations who entertain on the aisles for race tracks and princess houses and more. ice or the field. Nashville's other pro sports teams have gotten in on the good feelings, too. By the time the Predators made it to the boys clothing section, browsing the hoodies and picking out khakis, Howard's boyfriend of eight years, The Sounds staff served as bell ringers for the Salvation Army's "Rock Junior Randall, made sure she took a photo with them. the Red Kettle" campaign and acting as Santa's Helpers at Buena Vista Elementary helping wrap presents for students to take home and "I passed by three times before I got the courage to ask," Howard said, a organize and sort food for their annual winter food drive. smile on her face. Eight Titans players are set to visit the Nashville's Veteran’s Affairs "I think it's awesome," Randall said of the Predators giving back in this hospital to hand out holiday cards and gifts to patients and their families way. A big-time Preds fan hoping for a Stanley Cup, he didn't realize and to give tickets to the Christmas Eve game to doctors, nurses and waiting for an oil change would become such a cool experience. staff. 'Hopefully, it makes a lot of kids smile this Christmas' And, tomorrow, Tennessee Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard and a Plenty of Nashville kids will think it's awesome, too, when they are few teammates will host their own holiday shopping trip with 30 middle surprised today with a special Christmas party at Bridgestone Arena and high school students from Youth Encouragement Services, an after- hosted by the three guys. school program for inner-city youth. Tonight, the children will receive presents, visit with Santa and eat a "It's special for us," the Preds' Bitetto said. "Christmas is kind of my holiday meal with their families at Bridgestone Arena. favorite time of the year. Nothing is better than getting a gift." Part of the mission of the 23rd Judicial District Drug Court Program, Unless, of course, you are giving it. which was established 18 years ago to aid addicted offenders, is to help Children of addicts often forgotten during the holidays parents rebuild healthy relationships with their children. For the children whose parents are in the drug court system, this time of "This holiday party will give them a boost toward building their self- year can be difficult. esteem as they celebrate the holidays with their children," Batts said. "This will make a huge difference in their recovery." The Drug Court program works to reintegrate recovering addicts into the community. It is an alternative to incarceration and combines treatment The shopping trip totaled more $5,500, not including the gifts Predators and community resources with the criminal justice system. staff purchased personally for families. Just looking at the list and being able to say, "Yup, I'll get this and this and this," was the most fun for Participants are on house arrest as they rebuild their lives. Often, they Watson. "It's incredible." have few financial resources to provide Christmas festivities and presents to their children. "We got lots and lots of gifts," Sissons added. "Hopefully, it will make a lot of kids smile this Christmas." "Addiction affects the entire family," said Kevin Batts, an attorney and director for the 23rd District drug court. "And many times, the children of Tennessean LOADED: 12.18.2017 addicts are the forgotten victims of the drug epidemic, especially during the holiday season." 1088896 New Jersey Devils

Devils' Sami Vatanen on facing Ducks for 1st time since trade

By Chris Ryan [email protected], NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Devils defenseman Sami Vatanen knows there will be plenty of familiar faces on the other side when he plays the Anaheim Ducks on Monday at the Prudential Center in Newark. He just hopes he doesn't pass the puck to them Vatanen will face the Ducks for the first time since the blockbuster Nov. 30 trade that sent him to New Jersey in exchange for forwards Adam Henrique and Joseph Blandisi. The 26-year-old defenseman spent his entire NHL career in Anaheim after the Ducks drafted him in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft. "It's going to be very exciting in the morning," Vatanen said. "Something new for me, I've never done that before, so you know you see so many faces you know and played hockey with. We had some good times there, so it's going to be a little different game. But when you jump on the ice, it's going to calm down and everything's going to be normal." Hall, Palmieri, Mojo back? Since the trade, Vatanen has been the Devils' most used defenseman. He has logged at least 20 minutes of ice time in each of his eight games with the Devils while playing on both the power play and penalty kill. Despite his heavy usage, Vatanen doesn't have a point with the Devils yet, and there have been a couple rough defensive games while getting acclimated to his new team. While Vatanen has been happy with how the team has played, he's looking for a stronger game from himself. "The boys have been unbelievably good. They took me here very well, so it's been all good," he said. "I'm not happy with how I've played. Some nights, it's been a roller coaster, up and down like that. It will take a little time, and I just have to do my best to help us win games." While Vatanen may personally want more from himself, the Devils know they got a boost to their defense, even in giving up a valuable forward in Henrique. "Each team got a player they wanted, needed, and each player's going to help the team," center Travis Zajac said. "Rico's a great player, Sami's been unreal for us." Star Ledger LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088897 New Jersey Devils

Will Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri or Marcus Johansson play with Devils on Monday?

By Chris Ryan [email protected], NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Injured forwards Taylor Hall, Marcus Johansson and Kyle Palmieri all practiced with the Devils on Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark. Coach John Hynes said Palmieri and Hall will both play on Monday against the Anaheim Ducks. Johansson's status is still up in the air and will be determined on Monday morning. If Johansson cannot play Monday, Hynes expects him to play Thursday against the Rangers. For Hall and Johansson, it marked their first practices since suffering their respective injuries. Johansson suffered an ankle bruise blocking a shot on Saturday, Dec. 9, against the Rangers, while Hall went down with a right knee contusion on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. Hall, who dealt with a torn meniscus last season, was thankful his injury wasn't anything more serious. He said he could have played Friday, but decided not to push it, giving him a few extra days to recover. "My immediate reaction was hope you didn't tear anything or blow my knee out," Hall said. "So just to miss a couple games and have the guys play so well, it's a pretty good feeling to try and come back and play when the guys are playing so well." Hall needed to let some of the swelling subside after the injury, and he felt good playing and skating after Sunday's practice. Johnasson missed the team's last three games, and he missed most of November with a concussion. He played in five games in between the separate injuries, and he hopes he can find some traction and stay on the ice. It's getting old sitting on the sidelines," Johansson said. "It's been a tough start for me that way this year. I'm normally not hurt that often. Guess I got all of it right now. So hopefully we can be done with it after this and move on." If Palmieri and Johnasson return to the lineup, the Devils will need to open one more roster spots. The team optioned forward Nick Lappin to AHL Binghamton on Saturday, clearing one roster spot. Hall never went on injured reserve, so the Devils don't need to make any moves to get him into the lineup. But Johansson and Palmieri are both on IR, so the Devils would still need to make one more move to clear a spot for both of them to return. Here's how the Devils lined up during drills at Sunday's practice, where Johansson lined up as an extra skater. FORWARDS Taylor Hall-Nico Hischier-Kyle Palmieri Blake Coleman-Travis Zajac-Brian Gibbons Miles Wood-Pavel Zacha-Drew Stafford Jesper Bratt-Brian Boyle-Stefan Noesen Marcus Johansson, Jimmy Hayes extra DEFENSEMEN John Moore-Sami Vatanen Andy Greene-Steven Santini Will Butcher-Damon Severson Dalton Prout-Ben Lovejoy GOALIES Cory Schneider Keith Kinkaid Chris Ryan Star Ledger LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088898 New Jersey Devils

Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri appear ready to return to Devils' lineup

Andrew Gross Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 11:56 a.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017 | Updated 11:57 a.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017

OK, so it looks like the Devils won’t be getting their MoJo back just yet. But all indications are Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri will be available when the Devils face the Ducks on Monday night at Prudential Center (Faceoff: 7 p.m.; Television: MSG Plus; Radio: WFAN-101.9FM/660AM, digital One Jersey Network). Both re-took their spots on No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier’s wings as the top line All three participated in the Devils’ practice on Sunday at The Rock but only Hall (right knee contusion) and Kyle Palmieri (broken right foot) participated in line drills while Marcus Johansson (ankle bruise) and Jimmy Hayes were the spare forwards. The Devils do not have to make a roster move if only Palmieri is ready to be activated off injured reserve after Nick Lappin was re-assigned to Binghamton (AHL) on Saturday. If both Palmieri and Johansson are ready, then the Devils will have to create a roster spot. One logical move would be to re-assign defenseman Dalton Prout, a healthy scratch in 20 straight games, to Binghamton if two roster spots were needed. But Prout would need to clear waivers by noon on Monday and there were no indications the Devils were putting Prout on waivers by today’s noon deadline to make that happen. Hall, the Devils’ leading scorer with 11 goals and 20 assists, has missed two games, Johansson has missed three and Palmieri has been sidelined for a 12-game stretch. Hall and Johansson skated on Saturday while the team was off, their second straight day on the ice and today marks their first full team practice since getting hurt. Palmieri resumed skating with teammates on Tuesday and had been through one previous full team practice, on Wednesday. Today’s lines and D-pairs Taylor Hall-Nico Hischier-Kyle Palmieri Blake Coleman-Travis Zajac-Brian Gibbons Jesper Bratt-Brian Boyle-Stefan Noesen Miles Wood-Pavel Zacha-Drew Stafford Extra forwards: Marcus Johansson, Jimmy Hayes John Moore-Sami Vatanen Andy Greene-Steven Santini Will Butcher-Damon Severson Extra D-pair: Dalton Prout-Ben Lovejoy Cory Schneider Keith Kinkaid The power play units: Butcher-Palmieri, Hall-Boyle-Zajac Vatanen-Bratt, Hischier-Stafford-Wood Based on that, very good bet both Palmieri and Hall return on Monday. Bergen Record LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088899 New Jersey Devils

Devils Daily Faceoff: Three storylines for Dec. 17

Andrew Gross Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 10:06 a.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017 | Updated 10:06 a.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017

NEWARK – The Devils might be getting their MoJo back. Not to mention Taylor Hall and/or Kyle Palmieri. The Devils practice at 11 a.m. today at Barnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center and the biggest point of interest is the health of the Devils’ trio of injured top-six forwards: Taylor Hall (right knee contusion), Kyle Palmieri (broken right foot) and Marcus Johansson (ankle bruise). All are expected to practice and then a determination will be made on their available for Monday night’s game against the visiting Ducks (Faceoff: 7 p.m.; Television: MSG Plus; Radio: WFAN-101.9FM/660AM, digital One Jersey Network) Hall and Johansson skated on Saturday while the team was off, their second straight day on the ice and are expected to participate in their first full team practice since getting hurt. Palmieri resumed skating with teammates on Tuesday and has been through one full team practice, on Wednesday. Hall, the Devils’ leading scorer with 11 goals and 20 assists, has missed two games, Johansson has missed three and Palmieri has been sidelined for a 12-game stretch. Here are three storylines for today: First period – Who goes where? The Devils opened one roster spot for the expected return of three players – Palmieri and Johansson remain on injured reserve but are eligible to be activated for Monday’s game – by re-assigning Nick Lappin to Binghamton (AHL) after he was recalled for Thursday night’s 2-1 overtime loss at Montreal and scored a goal in Friday night’s 5-2 win over the visiting Stars. Hall should go right back with No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier and though fellow rookie Jesper Bratt has proven capable of top-line minutes, it’s likely coach John Hynes will also reunite Palmieri with Hall and Hischier. Johansson is likely to be reunited with Travis Zajac, likely with Bratt on right wing. Ultimately, Hynes will need two forwards to come out of the lineup, a tough call since there’s not an obvious weak link. Veteran Drew Stafford has gone 14 games without a point but generated a team-high six shots on Friday skating with Hischier and Bratt. Pavel Zacha, 20 has two assists in four games since a three-game stretch as a healthy scratch and seems to have gotten the coaching staff’s message to be more consistent. Blake Coleman scored a goal on Friday and is a valuable penalty killer. Stefan Noesen had a career-high five-game point streak (two goals, four assists) snapped on Friday but not being a key special teams contributor may put him at risk of exiting the lineup. So, yes, something to keep a close eye on. Second period – The day before: The Devils acquired defenseman Sami Vatanen from the Ducks on Nov. 30 in a deal that saw forward Adam Henrique, one of three players remaining from the 2012 Devils’ Stanley Cup Finalists, head to Anaheim. This will be the teams’ first matchup since the trade (the Devils are at Anaheim on March 18). Third period – Dental protection: Between Hischier having four bottom front teeth sheared down and requiring root canal work and temporary crowns on Dec. 8 and replays showing teeth falling out of Miles Woods’ mouth after a high stick from Stephen Johns on Friday, it’s been a tough week for the players’ mouths. Bergen Record LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088900 New Jersey Devils

Devils send down Nick Lappin to free a roster spot

Andrew Gross Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 3:52 p.m. ET Dec. 16, 2017

Either Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri or Marcus Johansson, possibly all three, will be back in the Devils’ lineup on Monday night. The clearest sign that the Devils will get back all or a portion of their injured trio of top-six forwards against the Ducks (Faceoff: 7 p.m.; Television: MSG Plus; Radio: WFAN-101.9FM/660AM, digital One Jersey Network) came on Saturday when right wing Nick Lappin was re- assigned to Binghamton (AHL) after two strong games with the Devils, including a third-period goal in Friday night’s 5-2 win over the visiting Stars. The Devils did not practice on Saturday, but Hall (right knee contusion) and Johansson (ankle bruise) skated in Newark. Palmieri (broken right foot) took the day off after traveling with the team to Montreal for Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss and skating every day since Tuesday. All three are expected to participate in Sunday’s full team practice. Both Palmieri and Johansson remain on injured reserve, but are eligible to be activated in time for Monday’s faceoff. Palmieri, who has four goals and five assists in 13 games, has missed 12 games since blocking a shot on Nov. 20. Johansson, with four goals and three assists in 15 games in his first season with the Devils after being acquired from the Capitals, has been out three games since blocking a shot this past Saturday. Hall, the Devils’ leading scorer with 11 goals and 20 assists in 30 games, has missed two games after taking a knee to knee hit late in the Devils’ 5-1 win over the visiting Kings on Tuesday. Hall and Johansson both resumed skating on Friday while Palmieri participated in the Devils' full team practice on Wednesday. Lappin, 25, an undrafted free agent out of Brown, had four goals and three assists in 43 games for the Devils last season as a rookie and followed with a strong training camp. But he’s been caught in the Devils’ glut of forwards, especially with rookies Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt making such a huge impact. Lappin has 12 goals and six assists in 23 games for Binghamton, leading the Devils’ AHL affiliate in goals. “That one felt good,” Lappin said after scoring on Friday night. “It felt good to get the win, most importantly, but I scored a goal, too. It’s been a while since I had one in this league.” Bergen Record LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088901 New Jersey Devils

Adam Henrique faces range of emotions in first game against Devils

Andrew Gross Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 4:50 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017

NEWARK – Adam Henrique worked with his Anaheim Ducks’ teammates on the practice rink at Prudential Center on Sunday afternoon while the Devils’ family Christmas party was being held at various spots around the building, including the main rink. Until Nov. 30, Henrique had planned to attend the party. Even had his ugly sweater ready. But that morning Devils general manager Ray Shero called with the unexpected news he had been traded to the Ducks as part of a package in exchange for defenseman Sami Vatanen. It was a trade in which each team filled a need. The injury-plagued Ducks got a a top-six center while the Devils, with a glut of forwards, easily slid Vatanen in as a top-four defenseman and power-play quarterback. And each player will face their former team on Monday night when the Devils host the Ducks (Faceoff: 7 p.m.; Television: MSG Plus; Radio: WFAN-101.9FM/660AM, digital One Jersey Network). “After the initial shock, everything has settled down here,” said Henrique, a Devils’ third-round pick in 2008 and an integral member of the team since 2011-12, when he helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final as a rookie by scoring the overtime winner against the Rangers in the decisive Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final. “I’m looking forward to it,” Henrique added. “Nervous, anxious, excited. A little bit of everything. People have been awesome since that day. I’ve gotten very nice messages from fans. Lots of people have reached out. It’s a great feeling. That kind of helps the initial shock. You feel good about what you left behind and what I did in my time, not only at the rink but away from the rink as well.” Henrique, 27, started his Ducks tenure with a five-game point streak and has three goals and three assists since the trade. Vatanen, 26, a fourth-round pick of the Ducks in 2009, has yet to record a point with the Devils but coach John Hynes has used him extensively both at even strength and on special teams, starting with a time-high 23:13 of ice time in his Devils’ debut on Dec. 1 at Colorado. “It’s going to be very exciting,” Vatanen said of Monday’s game. “It’s something new for me. It’s going to be a little different game but when you jump on the ice, everything is going to calm down. “I’m not very happy about how I’ve played some nights,” added Vatanen, whose giveaway led to the winning goal in the Devils’ 2-1 loss at Montreal on Thursday night. “It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster up and down but it’ll take a little bit of time. I’ll just try to do my best and win some games.” While Henrique has put up more points since the trade, Devils coach John Hynes said it is too early to access the long-term implications of the deal. “I think so,” Hynes said. “I still stand by what happened. I think Anaheim got a very good player and a high-character guy. We got a very good player and a high-character guy. I think both teams filled some voids that they felt needed to be a little bit stronger in both lineups. I think it’s not fair either way to make a judgement. I think both teams made out well.” Hynes met with a still-shocked Henrique the day of the trade. One of the first things that was discussed was how quickly Henrique would be back in New Jersey with his new team. “I’ve been thinking about it since,” Henrique said. “There’s no way to prepare for it. As players, we have routines and you want to stick with that. I’m sure tomorrow will be thrown off a little bit.” No doubt, the Devils will present a video tribute to Henrique during the first period. And the fan reaction should be strong for the former fan favorite. “I’m sure it’ll be emotional and not just for me, either,” Henrique said. “I think getting through the day and the game will be good for me moving forward with the Ducks.” Bergen Record LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088902 New Jersey Devils

Devils getting close to being at full strength

Andrew Gross Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 3:12 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017

NEWARK – One thing the Devils have not been able to do during their surprisingly strong start to the season is to have a completely healthy squad. They’ll come mighty close Monday night against the Ducks at Prudential Center. Leading scorer Taylor Hall will be back in the lineup after missing two games with a knee contusion and Kyle Palmieri will be activated off injured reserve after missing 12 games with a broken right foot. It’s possible, though not likely, Marcus Johansson will be activated off injured reserve after missing three games with an ankle bruise. All three practiced on Sunday after Hall and Johansson resumed skating on Friday. Palmieri has been skating with teammates since Tuesday. The Devils have yet to play a game this season with Palmieri, Johansson and Travis Zajac, the presumed No. 1 center coming into this season, all in the lineup. “Yeah, it’s big,” said Hall, injured in a knee-to-knee collision with Kings defenseman Kurtis MacDermid late in the third period of Tuesday’s 5-1 win. “You always want to be as healthy as possible. Now it’s about getting our guys to play well. Just because guys are healthy doesn’t mean points are automatically going to come.” The Devils lost 2-1 in overtime at Montreal on Thursday and beat the visiting Stars 5-2 on Friday in Hall’s absence. Hall experienced swelling in his knee but was relieved the injury wasn’t more serious. “You get hit like that my immediate reaction was I hope I didn’t tear anything or blow my knee out,” Hall said. “To miss just a couple of games and have the guys play so well, it’s a good feeling to come back and play when the other guys are playing so well.” Palmieri was injured blocking a shot on Nov. 20 and also missed six games Oct. 27-Nov. 5 with an ankle injury. “It’s just about getting back up to game speed for me,” Palmieri said. “It feels good. It will feel a lot better if we keep playing the way the guys have been.” New Jersey Devils left wing Marcus Johansson, front, The Devils opened a roster spot on Saturday by re-assigning Nick Lappin to Binghamton (AHL). They’ll have to open one more if Johansson is also ready to return. Devils coach John Hynes said a final decision would be made on Monday morning but whereas Hall and Palmieri participated in line drills and in power-play practice on Sunday, Johansson was a spare forward. Hynes said Johansson would likely play on Thursday against the visiting Rangers if he doesn’t play Monday. “It’s getting old sitting on the sidelines,” said Johansson, who also missed 13 games in November because of a concussion after being acquired from the Capitals in the offseason. “It’s been a tough start for me that way this year. Normally, I’m not hurt that often.” Defenseman Mirco Mueller remains out with a fractured clavicle suffered on Nov. 12. He was expected to miss 10-12 weeks. Bergen Record LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088903 New York Rangers

Inconsistent Rangers still have a legitimate chance at a playoff run

JUSTIN TASCH NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Sunday, December 17, 2017, 9:27 PM

You look around the NHL's Eastern Conference and see a huge pack of unspectacular teams behind the league-best Lightning, you look at an insanely tight Metropolitan Division where the Rangers are four points from both the top and bottom, you look at Henrik Lundqvist's resurgence and you wonder this: Why shouldn't the Rangers think they have a chance at a playoff run this spring? Okay, okay, plenty of hands surely are raised right now. We get it. The Blueshirts, 18-12-3 and eight games away from the halfway point, have their share of flaws. They never seem to go long without some head-scratching coverage issues and turnovers. None of their right-side blue-liners can earnestly be considered a shutdown defenseman at the moment. Entering Sunday, Lundqvist had faced more "high danger" shots (140) than any goaltender in the league, according to Corsica.hockey. He faced the fourth-most last season (296) and the most in 2015-16 (332.) The Rangers through Saturday had the fourth-worst Corsi-for percentage (shot-attempts percentage) in the NHL at 46.64, per Corsica. And questions remain about the Rangers' forward depth. Despite all of that, the Rangers were 13th in the NHL in fewest goals allowed per game at 2.85. Both of their special-teams units were in the top 10, their sixth-best power play helping their standing among the top- five in goals scored per game at 3.24. The Rangers have managed a 5-3-1 record without top center Mika Zibanejad, who is scheduled to practice Monday and could return this week from his concussion, which would provide a significant boost to Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich at five-on-five and on the team's power-play, where Zibanejad has half of his 22 points. Now, becoming overly reliant on power-play scoring isn't a formula for success, and they're not always going to be able to outscore their mistakes. Perhaps their flaws get exposed over a seven-game series. But aside from Tampa Bay, which team in the East is that much better than the Rangers? Maybe Toronto with its high-end young talent. In-division, maybe Columbus with Sergei Bobrovsky; maybe Pittsburgh if it starts clicking more during the second half; maybe Washington, though remember the Caps have never been to a conference final in the Alex Ovechkin era. No other team in the Metro, including the Islanders and Devils, is head- and-shoulders above the Rangers, who won't get many more chances before the Feb. 26 trade deadline to see how they stack up head-to-head against division foes. Only seven of their 30 games remaining before the deadline are division matchups. The biggest reason GM Jeff Gorton has to not be a seller ahead of the deadline is Lundqvist, whose adjustment to a more aggressive style has buoyed the Blueshirts. He's been on a stellar run over the last 12 games with a 2.12 goals against average and .936 save percentage. Really, if you throw out the first two games of the season over which Lundqvist allowed eight goals on 42 shots, he's been having a really good campaign. Over his last 26 starts, Lundqvist has a 2.47 GAA and .923 save percentage. Ondrej Pavelec's 85 saves on 89 shots in his last two starts is also a crucial development For all their imperfections, the Rangers have enough reason to believe when sizing up the East that they can win a playoff round. And once you win one, who knows what can happen. New York Daily News LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088904 New York Rangers

Rangers have new task now that they have righted the ship

By Brett Cyrgalis December 18, 2017 | 12:54am

On Halloween morning, the Rangers had three wins. That’s almost hard to fathom, and maybe it’s because these months leading up to the New Year go so fast, both inside and outside the NHL. So maybe it happened without too much fanfare that these Rangers beat the Golden Knights that evening at the Garden in their first matchup ever, and starting with that win, have gone 15-5-1. “We’re playing some pretty good hockey,” coach Alain Vigneault said after his team’s latest triumph, the completion of a back-to-back sweep with Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Bruins in Boston. “Like I mentioned before, our body of work here for the last 20-something games has been pretty good.” Now some of those losses were real duds, and they have pulled off the scabs to reveal the memories of that historically bad 3-7-2 getaway. The prime example was the 2-1 shootout loss to the Stars on Monday, a performance that lacked energy and execution — and yet was still one that produced a point on the terrific 44-save performance by backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec. It’s hard to think that those bad times are ever going to be too far from the surface this year. But they are slowly being buried, the Rangers piling on bounce-back performances that show nothing if not resiliency and fortitude. “Since Dallas, I think we’ve responded really well,” forward J.T. Miller said Saturday night. “Getting four points in the last two nights is awesome for us.” The team was off Sunday, and Monday it’s very likely that top-line center Mika Zibanejad will join his mates for a real practice at center as he nears a return from a delayed onset of concussion symptoms. If it’s David Desharnais who comes out of the lineup for Tuesday’s Garden match against the Ducks, then Zibanejad can slot right back into his spot between Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich — a line that has been volatile (both good and bad) in his absence since Nov. 28. Yet maybe the most encouraging sign was the play of captain Ryan McDonagh against the skilled and heavy Bruins. McDonagh has had a few of these good games along the way during the first three months of a season that has been subpar, in part because of an abdominal strain that eventually kept him out of four straight games in late November. But Vigneault went out of his way to single out McDonagh, as he continues to do most (if not all) of the heavy lifting alongside partner Nick Holden. “I thought Ryan McDonagh had one of his best games,” Vigneault said, unprompted. “Had a lot of energy.” From there, Vigneault went immediately to his most important player, goalie Henrik Lundqvist, whose revival has not coincidentally coincided with his increased workload. For the second time in a week, Lundqvist played both games of a back-to-back and was outstanding. “Again, Hank made some big saves,” Vigneault said. “It was a team win. When we win, it’s about the team.” Now the question for the Rangers is how to keep it going. Despite this run since Halloween, they might still be more of the team that is 3-2-1 in its past six. It might still remain a bubble playoff team in a Metropolitan Division that is so competitive, the six teams in action Saturday took 12- of-13 points, with Carolina beating Columbus in overtime. But Sunday morning had the Rangers in the first wild-card position, tied in points (33) with the Islanders, but one game ahead in wins in regulation or overtime. Halloween might not seem that long ago, but since then, the entire Rangers season had done an about-face. “I think we righted the ship a while ago,” Miller said, and he was right. Now it’s to be seen how far this ship can sail. New York Post LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088905 NHL “You convert to those settings through seating variations and bringing in the pieces of the pie that surround the court that are not there for an NHL setting,” he said. “That’s an important part. The activity at the new arena Inside Sports Business: Timely assist from NHL helps Oak View Group, will be robust, and you have to be designed for both NHL and NBA so Seattle officials in terms of KeyArena perception that the production of one event to the next — and potentially two in a day — can be efficient.’’

On getting the NBA team here, there’s nothing Mattson, Leiweke or Geoff Baker anybody can do for now. Originally published December 17, 2017 at 6:36 pm Updated December NBA commissioner Adam Silver has suggested expansion is not 17, 2017 at 6:46 PM imminent, and there’s talk it might not happen until after the league’s collective-bargaining agreement expires in 2024.

There has been chatter about the New Orleans or Memphis teams being Those close to the situation knew the NHL badly needed to throw Seattle relocated, but that’s guesswork for now. and Tim Leiweke’s Oak View Group a bone. Some of the public discourse surrounding a KeyArena renovation proposal had gotten out of And it’s a big reason the city went with the KeyArena plan over a whack. proposal for a new arena in the Sodo District that required an NBA team before construction would begin. The NHL’s recent announcement it would accept an expansion application for a future Seattle franchise might have surprised those who The council wondered why it should approve the sale of part of hadn’t closely followed this city’s arena drama. Occidental Ave. South to the Sodo project — even provisionally — when an arena might not get built for another decade, if at all. Silver didn’t help But those close to the situation knew the league badly needed to throw the Sodo group before a May 2016 council vote when he stated even a the city and Tim Leiweke’s Oak View Group a bone. Some of the public “shovel-ready” project wouldn’t hasten NBA expansion. discourse surrounding a KeyArena renovation proposal had gotten out of whack, and speculation had affected perceptions of the venue and The Sodo group needed Silver to throw it a bone. Like what the NHL just Leiweke’s plans for it. threw to KeyArena and OVG, without formally committing to anything. Because the city of Kansas City, Mo., had built an arena with Leiweke a That message spoke volumes. And the council heard it loud and clear. decade ago and did not attract teams, some believed KeyArena would suffer the same fate. Seattle Times LOADED: 12.18.2017 But this situation is different: • Seattle is a bigger market than Kansas City and is growing faster. • Kansas City’s Sprint Center was built with mainly public funds. Leiweke’s group is footing the $600 million renovation bill and would take a huge financial hit if teams don’t come. • Leiweke already had the NHL ownership group of David Bonderman and Jerry Bruckheimer as equity partners, after lacking such a group in K.C. OVG and Seattle officials let the NHL know they needed help. And the league assured both before the city-council vote ratifying a Memorandum of Understanding that help was coming. So it wasn’t a coincidence the NHL’s announcement came just one day after Mayor Jenny Durkan had signed off on the council’s 7-1 MOU approval vote. The league’s authorization of a Seattle season-ticket drive — expected to begin in January — might as well have been a full-page newspaper advertisement announcing a team was approved. The only reason the NHL didn’t outright hand Seattle an expansion team is in case something delays an environmental-impact statement being prepared on KeyArena. But if, as expected, that gets done by October and shovels hit the ground, the league is expected to award our city a team. As for the NBA, Leiweke’s group last week took steps to debunk other speculation — that the NBA would not approve of KeyArena and that basketball is an afterthought to hockey and music for OVG. To emphasize the NBA is in its plans, OVG last week hired Steve Mattson from Minneapolis to oversee all KeyArena operations. Mattson just finished handling an upgrade of Target Center in Minneapolis for — you guessed it — a primary NBA tenant. He had run Target Center since its 1990 inception as new home of the NBA Timberwolves and its executive team that included Leiweke. Mattson told me Friday that equipping KeyArena for NBA, NHL, concerts and other events is paramount so revenue isn’t left on the table. “In a major market, in 2020, you have to be capable of easily hosting and delivering all of those events,” Mattson said. For now, he added, this is the best time to discuss design questions with architect Populous before anything is set in place “to make sure they’ve thought through various things.” That means something as innocuous as the home and visiting locker rooms must be carefully planned if the goal is to lure both sports equally. Mattson said KeyArena will have different home and visiting locker rooms for the NBA and NHL teams. Mattson said he’ll also focus specifically on NBA and NHL fan experiences, which are similar but differ slightly because an NHL surface takes up more floor space than an NBA court. 1088906 Ottawa Senators “We’ve played games like this, we just didn’t win them. We lost 2-1 and we’ve had quite a few of those where that tip-in doesn’t go in or the breakaway we got didn’t go in or the goalie made the save or we missed The Senators made their point in enjoyable trip outdoors the open net. We had a lot of those games they just didn’t turn our way,” Boucher added.

“I kept saying, ‘Those games will turn our way if we stick to what we are Bruce Garrioch and what we do’ and that’s what’s happening. It’s harder to get that on the road against teams that were basically all hot when we caught them. Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 It’s a mix of things. What I like right now is the chemistry that we’re 7:42 PM EST building. We were basically in transition for a little while.” They now have to hope they can translate this victory into more success down the road to try to get back into the playoff picture. A big win for the Ottawa Senators, on a big stage and they can only hope this is a big step in the right direction. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 12.18.2017 The Senators made a trip to the great outdoors and it was wildly successful. Not only did a sellout crowd of 33,929 pack Lansdowne Park to bring an outstanding atmosphere to the NHL100 Classic Saturday night, it helped that the Senators scored a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens to give the club a two-game winning streak for the first time since returning from Sweden last month. While Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bobby Ryan and Nate Thompson did the scoring, the club also got a sparkling 28-save shutout effort from goaltender Craig Anderson. Yes, the temperatures may have been frigid with a windchill of minus-21 C but Ottawa players are hopeful they’re getting hot at the right time of year. The Senators didn’t only have to battle the Habs, they also had to fight through the elements because this was the second-coldest outdoor game in NHL history. “As much as we enjoyed (the weekend) we knew we had to have a good game,” said captain Erik Karlsson, who had an assist on Pageau’s winning goal at 14:55 of the second period. “We didn’t really know what to expect, what time of game it was going to be. “We came out strong and we finished strong and I don’t think we strayed from the game that we needed to play in an atmosphere like this. At the end of the day, I think we could have scored a few more and I thought that Carey played great and they had some good chances as well. Andy was huge for us. That’s what it took.” The conditions weren’t easy Saturday. The players had to find ways to keep warm and for players like Ryan, who were getting their first taste of playing outdoors, they did everything they could not to freeze. The bench had heaters on it, however, that really didn’t seem to make much of a difference. The players bundled up underneath their equipment to try to stay warm. “Every period it got colder but it was worth every second. It was a blast,” Ryan said. The coldest you’ve ever been? “By far, not even close,” Ryan said. It’s about time the Senators had some fun. Yes, they have only three wins in their past 15 games, but as they prepare to face the Minnesota Wild Tuesday night at the Canadian Tire Centre, they’re hopeful that the win at the outdoor game will help to get them rolling through the rest of the season. Sure, there was plenty of focus on the fact the people of Ottawa went to the stadium and pretty much stayed for all of the game despite the weather, but on the ice the Senators looked a lot more like the team that went to the East final last spring and that’s good news because the club has been looking for these efforts all season. When the Senators look back on this year, they can view this game and the back-to-back wins over the Colorado Avalanche in Sweden as highlights because they were able to have success. “We saw how big (this atmosphere) is, but at the same time I thought the players made it small enough on the ice in terms of the focus. We played our game,” coach Guy Boucher said. “We came and played a very hard game just like we did (against the Rangers), but there was a lot of enthusiasm being home. “This was so well organized, this was really, really enjoyable. I’ve never lived it before. I’ve watched it on TV a few times, but at the ice level it was special. The NHL and everybody from our team did an unbelievable job making this a real success at all levels.” Boucher said he had seen signs of recovery during the club’s seven- game road trip when the Senators came home with a 1-5-1 record. 1088907 Ottawa Senators

Karlsson getting to the top of his game

Bruce Garrioch Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 4:27 PM EST

Erik Karlsson looked like he was having fun in the great outdoors. Recovering from off-season foot surgery, this may have been the best Karlsson has looked since the Senators returned from Sweden on Nov. 12th when they beat the Colorado Avalanche in back-to-back games in the Global Series. Not only did the Ottawa Senators’ captain finish the game plus-three, he set an outdoor game record with 32:15 of ice time, eight blocked shots and seven shots on net as the club scored its second straight victory. The cameras caught him dancing on the bench plus he saluted the fans at the end of the game. Nobody wants to talk about last season and you can’t turn back the clock either, but the Senators advanced to the Eastern final against the Pittsburgh Penguins last spring based on the strength of Karlsson’s play and strong goaltending. “This was 100 per cent (Saturday),” said coach Guy Boucher. “When Erik defends that hard and that well, the rest of his game follows. He was outstanding. “We definitely rely on our captain, we rely on our goalies and rely on all of our players, but when those leaders are going like Erik was going, like (Anderson) was going and (Matt) Duchene had a terrific game. It’s really something where I feel like we’re moving in the right direction. “Mainly, it’s shape for Erik, it’s timing but it’s also chemistry with the rest of the players.” Boucher said the surgery was always going to slow Karlsson down and felt it would take until Christmas to get his play back. “He wasn’t able to do any exercise, he didn’t have training camp. He had to wait,” Boucher said. “After a week of training, he started playing games again. People thought that because he is Erik Karlsson, he is Superman. I’m sorry. It was to me, and our staff, that the real Erik Karlsson wouldn’t come to the surface before Christmas. “That’s exactly what happened. Any athlete in his position would need time to catch up. Erik Karlsson can catch up with the group faster than the others, but there is still a normal process to respect. When he understood that he had to take his time, he was less frustrated. He is calmer. It’s been changing for a few games. When Erik Karlsson is at his best and our goalkeepers look what they should look like, our club is moving forward.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088908 Ottawa Senators When we do those things well, we are a good hockey club.” … Coupled with their 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 Heritage Classic at B.C. Place, the Senators are now 2-0 in outdoor games. Now, Garrioch: Senators proud of fans for sitting through cold it should be noted the roof was closed in Vancouver because of rain that fell before puck drop.

THE LAST WORDS Bruce Garrioch Legendary great Mario Lemieux, now a part owner of the Pittsburgh Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 Penguins, had some advice for Senators owner Eugene Melnyk on 4:21 PM EST dealing with politicians for a deal to build a new rink at LeBreton Flats. “Just to be patient. Any time you are dealing with local officials and government,” said Lemieux Saturday night. “It took us seven or eight years in Pittsburgh to make a deal for a new arena. We had to be patient. As the Ottawa Senators looked up in the stands at Lansdowne Park I think that eventually, he will get it here as well. He just needs to be Saturday night, they didn’t think there was any chance these fans would patient.” There is talk in local business circles that the National Capital last. Commission will have a “positive” announcement regarding LeBreton in And, as the final buzzer sounded in a 3-0 victory over the Montreal the next couple of weeks. No, it won’t be to confirm a deal has been done Canadiens, many of the faithful in the crowd of 33,929 at the NHL 100 with RendezVous LeBreton, but there’s speculation it could be about the Classic were still in the stands having a good time and celebrating the cleanup which will be one of the most expensive elements of the project. win with the Senators. We’ve heard this stuff before, so we’ll see if that’s actually the case. “I was like, ‘This building is going to empty out’ when I figured out how Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 12.18.2017 cold it was in the first 10 minutes,” said winger Bobby Ryan. “Canadians are nuts, I guess. “But it was incredible and it was incredible to see them on the way off (the ice). It was nice to not only reward them with a win, but for (Craig Anderson) to get a shutout, for guys to score, for the team to be what the prototypical (Senators) are adds to it.” You have to give the people of Ottawa credit for braving the cold because nobody would have blamed them if they headed for the exits early and took in the third period of the game from the comfort of their living rooms. “I played at Yankee Stadium in two games a couple of years ago and it was the same thing, it was a great event,” said centre Derick Brassard. “The players were talking before the game and we really appreciate the support from the fans from Ottawa and Montreal for coming here to celebrate this event with us. “It means a lot for us to play in front of (33,000) people. We have a lot of guys from the region as well and these events are really special. Maybe it’s only going to happen one time in your career that you can play at home and outside. It was just a great, great night in general.” Brassard said the fans deserve a pat on the back. “A couple of guys went outside before the game and they were saying there’s no way people are going to stay outside for three-and-a-half hours,” he added. “They did and that shows a lot of passion and they really enjoyed this. “For us players, we appreciate that.” BIG NIGHT FOR ANDY Anderson recorded his 40th career shutout with 28 stops in the victory over the Habs. He wore two layers and didn’t mind the frigid weather. “There was a lot different from a regular game, but the cold wasn’t too bad,” Anderson said. “The head sock worked out great. I just tried to keep as much bare skin to the elements as minimal as possible. I was just trying to stay moving. I threw the blocker on the heater during TV (timeouts). It was pretty warm, so I put (my hand) back into a nice warm glove.” He said the biggest challenge was the fact the puck was bouncing. “The lights were very strong so it was fairly easy to pick up the puck, even when it was above the boards and glass,” Anderson said. “It was still quite easy to pick it up. The biggest challenge was the bouncing pucks from anywhere. “The guys were throwing pucks at the net and you weren’t able to control some stuff because you didn’t know what kind of bounce they were going to take. It worked to our advantage at times. For the most part, that was the biggest challenge.” OFF THE GLASS The Senators will make their annual Christmas visit to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontaro Monday. Always a highlight of the holiday season for the players to see the reaction from the youngsters and the smiles. …. The Habs weren’t thrilled with their effort. “We need more. We need to create more and we need to create more from the inside. Some nights we have that and tonight we didn’t,” coach Claude Julien said. “Until we figure that out and become more consistent, that’s what you are going to see. That’s the part of our game right now we have to find. 1088909 Ottawa Senators uncertainly created by an owner who is threatening to extend his next round of cuts to player salaries and relocate?

Would it make more sense for Karlsson to tell the Senators they better Brennan: As a co-host, Melynk sure knows how to spoil a party trade him, because he’s out of here via free agency 19 months if they don’t? Don Brennan If you were in his shoes, wouldn’t you want a more settled option than Ottawa, at least in its present form? Published on: December 17, 2017 | Last Updated: December 17, 2017 4:08 PM EST If you were in his shoes, wouldn’t you ask your best friend for some advice? In Karlsson’s case, it’s the highly respected Daniel Alfredsson, a guy who has walked away from the organization under its current regime not once, but twice? Admit it, sorely missing from Saturday’s extravaganza at TD Place was a Eugene Melnyk sighting. Yeah, it’s too bad there was no spotlight put on the Senators’ owner Saturday night. Just one. STARTS AND STOPS: You know the shot Erik Karlsson took off the At centre ice. ankle with a little over seven minutes left in the first period stung more in the cold than it would in an indoor game. You could tell by the look on his On the video board. face. … From as far back as I sat, in the jerseys they wore, it looked like In the stands. a game between the Ottawa 67’s and the Toronto Maple Leafs. … Speaking of which, here’s a reminder that the 67’s and Gatineau Wherever. Olympiques will be playing on the same ice surface Sunday at 3 p.m. At $15 and $20, tickets are about a few hundred cheaper than they were The Senators owner was in attendance but, as far as we could tell, not Saturday. Word is 11,000 have already been sold … Overheard: Habs spotlighted in any way. GM Marc Bergevin went to Gary Bettman’s box in the first period, but the It’s really too bad. NHL commissioner wasn’t there because he was sitting with the prime minister. It would’ve been nice for the 35,000 fans to have their turn to speak. BETWEEN PERIODS: The CF 18s that zoomed over TD Place after the They could have expressed to Melnyk just how Ottawa feels about the national anthem were piloted by Lt-Col Tim “Donner” Woods and Captain pre-mediated stunt he pulled on Friday night, when he took the Ben “Pimp” Hamilton, who’s from Stittsville. Word is they were travelling opportunity of an alumni game in front of the Parliament buildings to at a speed of 300 knots (unless they were late arriving, in which case perform an old Beatles song. they were pushed to 420 knots, and they had to be 500 feet higher than the tallest building in the area. The west end zone condo is 465 feet. …. The Fool on the Hill. The mini zambonis were made for the occasion, because the ice couldn’t The National Hockey League’s top brass was in full damage control on handle the weight of regular size. … Yes, I have a friend that is a fountain Saturday, suggesting to Postmedia that perhaps the message was of information. misheard or misinterpreted. But everybody knows what Melnyk said. POINT BLANK: Many players made sure they were covered against the They read it and watched the replays leading Sports Centre the next conditions. “I’ll wear the neck warmer for sure, with the balaclava on it, morning. because I find your neck gets real cold when you’re skating,” Dion Threatening to move the Senators if attendance doesn’t improve is not Phaneuf said before the game. … I expected to see him with a piece of only a bully tactic, but really poor form. greek dessert. … The prime ministers prepping for their between periods race wore stoic looks when they were greeted by . … The And, doing it when he did, terrible timing. save Price made off Matt Duchene late in the second period was without doubt the best of the season at TD Place. It ranks right up there with the Booming big businesses like the NFL and NHL are, as one wise man put top stops at all venues this season. … Guy Boucher was using all four it on Saturday, “PR driven and PR wise.” And Melnyk’s rant was a PR lines, as he is wont to do, but he was also instructing players to take nightmare. shorter shifts than usual. “So you stay activated, and the next guy stays activated,” he said before the game. “It is cold air you’re breathing. That’s He couldn’t have at least waited until Monday to issue his soft ultimatum? different. I would say of all the things that are different, in that type of Instead, the league threw a big beautiful party, making Melnyk its co- game, from what I hear that’s the hardest thing to get accustomed to. host, and he took a plop in the middle of the dance floor. Play hard and having to breathe the cold air, and keep going with stamina. That’s certainly one of the things we have to focus on.” Speaking volumes was the wildly popular hashtag on social media: #Melnykout. THINGS I THINK I THUNK: When someone says “I don’t bluff”, is that not a waste of breath? Because if he was bluffing, he wouldn’t say so, or Even famous ESPN’s sports commentator Keith Olbermann chimed in on the whole bluffing thing would lose its effect, right? … Now that it is over, Twitter. can we say good riddance to outdoor hockey? Everybody prefers the game indoors, from players, to fans, to the media. OK, maybe not all “Just before the outdoor game. Celebrating the league’s 100th fans. What it really is — a good drinking game. Anniversary. That he’s hosting. He threatens to move the team. That is not a bright man, even for an owner.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 12.18.2017 The NHL will not lose the capital of Canada, especially when it has a toehold on a magnificently spectacular piece of property for a new area in the city, because of an owner it’s widely believed the league does not want in its fraternity anymore. More likely, it will find a way to lose him. The Senators are not moving anywhere — except LaBreton. The deal will get done with or without Melnyk. And most of the betting is on the latter. His last play was an error. It also reeked of desperation, sounding a lot like it was coming from a man who doesn’t have the capital to fund the development of a new arena on prime real estate, can’t get the financing and can’t find a partner. Again we ask, what is Erik Karlsson thinking of all this? Very soon the Senators’ captain will have to make a decision on his future. Does Karlsson stay in Ottawa, a city he loves and with a team with which he would like to spend his entire career? Why would he choose to remain with a franchise that’s under a heavy cloud of 1088910 Ottawa Senators Coach Guy Boucher said the team's leaders, Karlsson first among them, finally appear to be rounding into form, and that bodes well for the future.

“That's the way it has to be,” Boucher told reporters in French following Senators finally give fans something to cheer about the game. “When you look at what Erik's overcome, he went the whole summer without training, did no exercise in order to let his injury heal, then no training camp, he had to wait about a week, had two practices By James Gordon and a game, and everyone said, 'ah, it's Erik Karlsson, it's Superman.' Dec 17, 2017 “Well, excuse me, it was clear to me and to our staff that it wouldn't be until Christmas that we'd see the real Erik Karlsson start to play, and that's exactly what's happened. Of course it was Jean-Gabriel Pageau. It had to be. “Slowly, he's getting his timing back. You know, it doesn't matter what human being, what athlete and at what level, who doesn't have a Pageau, whose playoff hat trick heroics against the Montreal Canadiens summer and doesn't have training camp … it's hard to recapture that,” he in 2013 first spurred the now-famous “Pageaauuu, Pageau Pageau added. “Erik Karlsson is Erik Karlsson, he can get it back faster than Pageaauuu” chants in Ottawa, heard his signature song again after anyone I know, but there's still a process that has to play out, and I think scoring the Ottawa Senators' first goal in a 3-0 win at the NHL 100 Erik, it's only recently that he's started to accept that process.” Classic game at TD Place Saturday night. Boucher said that Karlsson was frustrated that things weren't feeling the Pageau, whose scoring clip against the Habs far outpaces his career way that they should right away, but that he's calmed himself down and is norms, didn't disappoint in the latest marquee moment for the franchise. finally getting back to the elite level of play he expects of himself. “Obviously, like I said earlier, it was awesome,” he said after the game. If Karlsson can't maintain his newfound pace or if the goaltenders' recent “The atmosphere was crazy from the warm-up to the last second of the improved play turns out to be a mirage, well, all is still lost. third. Obviously, to score that goal, it was pretty special and, like I said, when I scored that goal, if (our) goalie doesn't give one up, it makes it But, at the very least, fans will wake up Sunday with something they easier.” didn't have a week ago: hope. Bobby Ryan, with a nice breakaway deke, put the Senators up 2-0 with The Athletic LOADED: 12.18.2017 less than three minutes left in the third, and Nate Thompson rounded out the scoring with his fourth of the season into an empty net. The Habs were listless for much of the game, firing just 28 shots at the Ottawa net, while the Senators peppered Canadiens goalie Carey Price with 37. Craig Anderson moved his save percentage back over .900 with his second shutout of the season. It was a dominant performance for Ottawa in a season that has featured far too few of them, and it came at the perfect moment for a fan base that was desperate for something, anything, to go right. Had the Senators put up another stinker 24 hours after owner Eugene Melnyk had mused about the possibility of moving the team, it would have been pandemonium in the capital. As the players fought through frigid temperatures (-10.8 C at puck drop and falling fast) and punishing winds, the hashtag #MelnykOut was heating up across Canada on Twitter. Instead, they rose to the occasion and gave the pro-Ottawa contingent among the 33,959 frozen fans in attendance a warm, fuzzy feeling to take home with them. Senators captain Erik Karlsson, who'd drawn the ire of team management recently for having the audacity to suggest he be paid fair market value for his services, showed why he's worth every penny to this squad. After hitting a bit of a wall following a hot start upon his return from off-season foot surgery, he looked like his old, dominant self on Saturday. He played a total of 32:55, took seven shots, blocked eight, drew the primary assist on Pageau's game-winner, and provided the kind of off-ice leadership fans needed to see from an organization in crisis. “I think that we've been on the road a lot here, not winning a lot of games … coming home here, showing everybody that we still care a lot, we want to do well for ourselves (and) do everything we can to get out of the hole we dug ourselves in,” he said. “They've been supporting us through all this, and they always have for as long as I've been here. They've been great, and they're still great. “We want to give them something back,” Karlsson added. “I think that it's important for us to show that we have character, and we don't want to lose as much as they don't want us to lose.” It wasn't just about optics. Amid all the outdoor ambience, the pop stars, the fireworks and fighter jets, the Senators, suffering through a 2-12 run prior to their contest against the Habs, absolutely needed a victory to keep their already slim playoff hopes alive. If they're to pull off another Hamburglar-style miracle and qualify, they'll need to win most of their remaining games – in regulation, ideally – against the two teams they're in direct competition with for the third and final Atlantic Division playoff spot: The Habs and the Boston Bruins. Is it possible they might be getting back on the right track? 1088911 Philadelphia Flyers

Surging Flyers could tie bizarre NHL record by Sam Carchidi STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | [email protected]

The Flyers have a chance to tie one of the more bizarre records in NHL history Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center: most consecutive victories immediately after a winless streak of at least 10 games. A win over the Los Angeles Kings would give them seven straight victories after a 10-game losing streak. That would equal the greatest in-season turnaround in league history. Toronto followed an 11-game winless streak (one tie) with a seven-game winning streak in 1967 and won the Stanley Cup a few months later. “It’s a combination of things,” coach Dave Hakstol said when asked if confidence was the biggest factor in the team’s stunning turnaround. “I think confidence, swagger, whatever you want to attach to it, is a big part of this game.” When you’re going good, “you have the mentality you’re not going to take less than finding a way to win,” he added. “I can tell you, when you’re on the other end of close losses, tight losses, it starts to wear on you.” The Flyers were a league-worst 2-4-7 in one-goal decisions before their six-game winning streak, which has included a pair of one-goal victories. During their streak, they have been 6 for 22 on the power play while their opponents have been 1 for 9. The Flyers were outscored by a 14-2 margin after the second period during the 10-game skid. Conversely, they have outscored their opponents, 8-1, after the second period in the last six games. After facing the Kings (20-10-4), the Flyers (14-11-7) conclude their five- game homestand Wednesday against Detroit. Los Angeles, which is directed by former Flyers coach John Stevens, blew a two-goal lead Saturday and dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the host Islanders. That same night, the Flyers rallied past Dallas, 2-1, for their first overtime win since Oct. 7. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scored the overtime winner as he was reunited with Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek, a trio that hadn’t been together for a while. The Flyers had been just 1-5 in overtime games and had lost their last five in those situations. “The three of us have had success in the past …but earlier in the season we didn’t get the job done,” Giroux said. “Going back together, we kind of got a little excited again.” Brian Elliott has been the goalie for all six wins during the streak; he had a career-high 11 straight victories last season with Calgary. “Brian does such a good job on a daily basis of approaching his day of work,” Hakstol said. “I think that’s something guys can feed off of. They know he does the work. He is prepared. I think that gives everyone a level of confidence.” Elliott will make his eighth straight start Monday. Michal Neuvirth was the goalie when the Flyers dropped a 2-0 decision in Los Angeles on Oct. 5. Jonathan Quick made 35 saves to key the win. Breakaways The unflappable Stevens spent part of four seasons as the Flyers’ head coach; he hasn’t been the head coach at a game played at the Wells Fargo Center since 2009. … The Kings have allowed a power-play goal in five straight games. … Voracek had a league-high 33 assists entering Sunday. … Giroux needs four games to pass Simon Gagne for 10th on the Flyers’ all-time list. … The Flyers have allowed a league-low 46 five- on-five goals this season. … Anze Kopitar paces the Kings with 17 goals and 39 points. … Former Flyer Jeff Carter hasn’t played for the Kings since Oct. 18; he had surgery to repair a skate cut on his left leg. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088912 Philadelphia Flyers against the Stars is just what the doctor ordered for the Flyers. And it shows just why.

• Good for Travis Sanheim getting the monkey off his back and potting Like it or not, boring is working for Flyers the first goal of his NHL career during Thursday’s victory over Buffalo. During the first period, Sanheim took a feed from Dale Weise and By Greg Paone deposited home a one-timer from the circle to knot the game at 1-1. Sure, he got a little help from Buffalo goalie Robin Lehner, who lounged NBC Sports Philadelphia wildly at the shot. But still, Sanheim made no mistake as he went top shelf with it. And he got the puck and the Ric Flair robe after the game to December 17, 2017 6:05 PM boot. It’s just a slight taste of what the 21-year-old offensive-minded blueliner can do. In three junior seasons with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, We are deep into the season of giving and the Flyers just keep giving Sanheim scored 35 goals. He potted 10 in 76 games with the Phantoms fans exactly what they want: wins. last season. OK, sorry for that seasonal yet corny intro, but the fact remains the Flyers He can score, and as he gets more and more comfortable at the NHL are on a tear right now, and it continued this past week with three more level, don’t be surprised to see him light the lamp more often. sound wins to push their winning streak past a handful to six games. • Here’s your obvious observation of the week: What a difference two This week got off to the right skate with a come-from-behind 4-2 victory weeks makes. Tuesday over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. The good vibes kept coming Thursday with a grind-it-out 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. And When the Flyers were shut out by the Bruins 15 days ago, morale was as the week ended on the highest of notes Saturday night with a 2-1 OT win low as it had been in a long time. Nothing was going right. No breaks at home over the Dallas Stars. went their way. No bounces even came close. The list of misfortunes could go on and on and on. On the morning of Dec. 3, the Flyers had just Well, well, well … they’re back, aren’t they? 22 points, fifth-fewest in the league. They were nine points behind the And before the Flyers push for seven straight Monday night against the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild-card spot Los Angeles Kings, let’s look back at the successful week that was, shall in the Eastern Conference. we? Here we are two weeks and change (and six wins in a row) later and the • The Flyers' three wins this week were good, solid wins over the Leafs, Flyers have 35 points and are just four points behind the New York Sabres, and Stars. When you’re still trying to claw out of the hole a 10- Islanders for the final wild-card spot in the East. game losing streak put you in, all wins are good, solid wins right now. But Hope you guys like roller coasters. these three Flyers wins this past week weren’t of the most exciting variety. Let’s be blunt, all three wins were mostly boring. Coming up this week: Monday vs. Los Angeles (7 p.m. on NBCSP), Wednesday vs. Detroit (8 p.m. on NBCSN), Friday at. Buffalo (7 p.m. on Tuesday’s triumph over the Leafs was sleepy until Travis Konecny’s tying NBCSP), Saturday at Columbus (7 p.m. on NBCSP). seeing-eye shot in the third and then Claude Giroux’s fantastic through- the-legs pass that led to Sean Couturier’s wicked wrister of a winner. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.18.2017 Thursday’s win over Buffalo was a snoozer for the better part of 50 minutes. And Saturday’s victory over Dallas, while chippy, didn’t have much action to it outside of Shayne Gostisbehere’s heroics. But the Flyers aren’t caring about being exciting and neither should you right now because it’s working for them. Jake Voracek’s quote after the Buffalo game says it all. “I thought this was a boring game,” Voracek said. “Honestly, I don’t think we played good today, but we got the win, which is really important. You’re not going to play great every night. We played well when we needed to, but we can play a lot better, which is positive.” Yes, they can play better. But two points are two points right now, no matter how boring. Simply put, boring is working. • So why the sudden turnaround for the Flyers? There’s a multitude of reasons — timely scoring, better defensive efforts and Brian Elliott playing like a rock in net, just to name a few. But one major reason: discipline. In the three games this past week, the Flyers took three penalties total, on in each game. Dating back to Dec. 4 when this six-game win streak began in Calgary, the Flyers have faced just nine power plays against. Compare that to the 22 power plays the Flyers have had in the same span. That’s a gigantic boost for a team that, as of Sunday morning, is still 29th in the league with a 76.7 percent success rate on the PK. How do you cure something that ails you? Don’t put yourself in the situation. • When Gostisbehere is at his very best, he can just dominate a game with his elusiveness, booming shot and dynamic offensive ability. And that’s just what we saw Saturday night against the Stars as Gostisbehere was a dangerous entity all over the ice and controlled the game when the puck was on his stick. He brought the Wells Fargo Center to life with his second-period power- play goal that saw him dive a lift a rebound past Dallas goalie Ben Bishop. And then he unglued the place with his game-winner in OT on the 4-on-3 man advantage. “Ghost” is such a key piece for the Flyers as so much of the offense tends to be filtered through him when he’s on the ice, and especially so on the power play. We saw what happened when he wasn’t playing up to his abilities during the 10-game skid. But the Gostisbehere we saw 1088913 Philadelphia Flyers Up next: vs. Los Angeles Kings Flyers’ confidence breeding creativity in their play When: 7 p.m., Monday TV/Radio: NBCSP/93.3 FM Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Courier-Post LOADED: 12.18.2017 Published 12:49 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2017

PHILADELPHIA — Back in preseason the Flyers showed signs of being the Harlem Globetrotters of hockey. They were making slick passes through opponents, taking risks and having them pay off. It looked like they were in midseason form while everyone else was still figuring out how to get there. In the midst of their 10-game losing streak, at times they had trouble completing a simple 10-foot pass. Now that they’re back in the win column with six straight, they are starting to make those plays that wowed hockey analysts in September. “Our mindset is a lot better right now,” Claude Giroux said. “We take care of pucks. We make the simple play, the right play. It’s working for us so we’ve got to keep building on that.” “When we lost 10 in a row a few things didn’t go our way. We didn’t play the way we wanted to, but we stuck with it and now we’re playing the right way,” Ivan Provorov added. “The things are going good for us and I think we have to continue playing the same way and keep getting the wins.” The ability to do that has to do with confidence, though. When the wins pile up — if the Flyers win on Monday they will tie a record for longest win streak after a losing drought of 10 games or more — the sureness is there. Saturday the Flyers found themselves down against the Dallas Stars and they had five power plays in regulation. Despite being down in the game the Flyers got creative. They started creating plays from behind the goal line, a designed play that seemed like a solid game plan after their video scouting session before the game. “Right from our first power play, guys were sharp and we had some pretty good opportunities, some pretty good looks,” coach Dave Hakstol said after the 2-1 overtime win over the Stars. “(Shayne Gostisbehere) obviously gets the big one, a big goal in the second period. That was probably our third or fourth pretty good scoring chance on the power play. You just have to stay with it. Those guys have worked, both units, have worked pretty hard at finding and building the chemistry. A few different looks from G’s unit today that they have added in so those are all good things.” The most impressive thing is that the Flyers have found balance with that. Creativity is great when the risky plays pay off. Knowing when they won’t and being able to play responsible helps get two points for a win also. It may not be as pretty, but just as effective. When Hakstol changed the Flyers’ forecheck in the offensive and neutral zones during the three-game Western Canadian road trip that helped turn the tides, the results within the game went in their favor. Coming at opponents with one lead forechecker, then two waves of two players has worked better than two waves of two and one last resort on the back end. “Just keep playing the right way, making the right decisions,” Provorov said. “If you have to put the puck deep, you have to do that. If you have room, you can make plays. It’s just making smart decisions and not force the game.” That had the Flyers playing a little safer, but the results were there to justify it. That’s no easy feat. Even when playing with little risk is part of the game plan, there’s still the wiring of a hockey player to audible when things don’t go according to plan. The Flyers have shown they can stick with it. “That’s just a mindset coming from our players,” Hakstol said. “There’s a lot of different things that go into it. Maybe it’s oversimplified to say there’s times in this game where you’ve just got to take what the game gives you and that takes a lot of discipline to do that because you’re kind of living for the next play. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s a 60-minute game and as tight and close as things are you really have to use 60, or in (Saturday’s) case, 60-plus to build a win. I think the mindset of our players has been exactly that.” 1088914 Philadelphia Flyers assistant in Philadelphia in 1990 under Paul Holmgren. From 2002 to 2006 he was a head coach in Philly and had 254 wins.

“He’s been around forever. We had really good success in St. Louis Flyers 5 takeaways: OT win over Dallas a show of confidence together,” said Elliott, who played under Hitchcock with the Blues for five seasons. “I think I was only there for seven games without him. I liked him. He’s a very prepared coach. You don’t get that many wins or that Dave Isaac, @davegisaac many chances to get wins if you’re not a prepared, great hockey mind. He’s definitely gonna be in the Hall of Fame someday if he ever stops Published 11:19 p.m. ET Dec. 16, 2017 coaching.” Hitchcock’s reputation is that he can wear thin on his players, even if they ultimately learn a lesson from him. PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers haven’t had it happen in quite some time, maybe not even this season. It probably wasn’t a great plane ride back to Texas for Alexander Radulov after taking two penalties in the game and hearing his coach talk A trio of Shayne Gostisbehere, Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek climbed about it. over the boards to start overtime and the entire team felt like it was just a matter of time before another tally went up in the victory column. “It was two really poor penalties by a good player. It’s not team discipline, it’s individual,” Hitchcock said. “It’s disappointing to fight like we fought “I thought everybody thought we were going to go out there for overtime and battle. Come off, playing hard like this off a back to back it’s really and win,” goalie Brian Elliott said. “I don’t think anybody had any doubts disappointing to take those two penalties at the end of the game.” or anything. That’s all you can ask for going into those situations.” Little risk It took 3:50 into overtime and a sixth power play in the game, but it happened. Gostisbehere scored his second of the game and the Flyers Even during some of the Flyers’ wins this season they’ve been, at times, won their sixth straight, topping the Dallas Stars 2-1. a wild west shootout with risky plays. That wasn’t the case Saturday. Coming into the game the Flyers were riding an 0-for-5 drought on the Aside from Dallas’ one goal, where Gemel Smith had a perfectly placed power play going back three games. They got a couple opportunities shot after the Flyers got caught in a defensive lapse for a second, they early Saturday and didn’t connect. Typically that means impatience sets did well to balance being responsible with taking risk. in and they go back to basics, but this was different. “That’s just a mindset coming from our players,” coach Dave Hakstol When the second power-play unit got some time, which has been said. “There’s a lot of different things that go into it. Maybe it’s particularly ineffective recently, they tried to do something they hadn’t in oversimplified to say there’s times in this game where you’ve just got to a while. Jordan Weal and Nolan Patrick took turns trying to facilitate take what the game gives you and that takes a lot of discipline to do that plays from behind the goal line. because you’re kind of living for the next play. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s a 60-minute game and as tight and close as things are you really “We did some pre-scout before the game,” said Ivan Provorov, who runs have to use 60, or in tonight’s case, 60-plus to build a win. I think the the point on that unit. “We figured a few plays and tried to use them mindset of our players has been exactly that.” during the game.” Fun with numbers In the second period the Flyers finally got on the board when Gostisbehere potted a rebound after Voracek made a nice move. It came • The Flyers are only the third team in NHL history to immediately follow on the play after Wayne Simmondsgot denied by the skate blade of a losing streak of 10 games or more with a win streak of six games or goalie Ben Bishop. more. The record is held by the 1966-67 Toronto Maple Leafs who lost 11 straight, then won seven in a row. Watch Ghost fly in to put the rebound in the back of the net! pic.twitter.com/QvqvcG2Jgi • Dallas completed a four-game road trip with Saturday night’s game in Philadelphia. All four games were against teams in the Metropolitan — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) December 17, 2017 Division. The Flyers are in that division and have only faced Metro teams The Flyers really needed to use the power play too, because at even four times in their first 32 games. strength they had three fewer shot attempts than the Stars. Ultimately, • Saturday marked Gostisbehere’s second career two-goal game. The it’s what helped the confident bunch win in the extra session. other came in a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 7, 2016. “The last overtime game, we sat down as a team. We looked at it and

said to get our skates up ice, don’t take any chances, be honest and we’ll get our chances,” Gostisbehere said. “That’s what happened. I know we FLYERS 2, STARS 1 (OT) had a power play there, but I think we played a pretty good overtime to that point.” Up next: vs. Los Angeles Kings Here are four more takeaways from Saturday night’s game… When: 7 p.m., Monday Physical play TV/Radio: NBCSP/93.3 FM Saturday was the Flyers’ 22nd game against a Western Conference Courier-Post LOADED: 12.18.2017 team, but their first time meeting the Dallas Stars. You wouldn’t have known it early on with all the physicality. In the first minute of the game the two captains got tied up along the boards. The puck was in the Flyers’ end, but Jamie Benn and Giroux were wrestling in the neutral zone and it only ramped up from there. There was a scrum after almost every whistle. “That’s hockey,” Giroux said. “We don’t see that a lot anymore but it’s old time hockey. “I was going to change. He was going to change. We were just pushing each other and then I don’t know. That kind of stuff’s going to happen.” One of the biggest keys in all that was that the Flyers kept their discipline for the most part. They allowed Dallas only one power play. It’s the seventh straight game they’ve allowed fewer than three power-play opportunities to the opposition. Stealing 800 from Hitchcock Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock was sitting on 799 career wins and still is after the Flyers turned him down. Hitchcock’s NHL career began as an 1088915 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins lacking in quality wins

Jonathan Bombulie

The Penguins ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over Arizona on Saturday night. The Coyotes have the worst record in the league, winning only seven of their first 35 games. If anyone is waiting for the Penguins to apologize for getting well at the expense of a downtrodden bunch, they're going to be waiting a while. The way coach Mike Sullivan sees it, this isn't college football. The Penguins didn't intentionally schedule a cupcake. “My experience of being in this league is regardless of who your opponent is, every night is a hard-fought battle,” Sullivan said. “We've had nights where, regardless of where teams end up in the standings, if you don't bring your ‘A' game and you're not at your best, you run the risk of getting beat.” Sullivan, of course, has a point. Parity is a fact of life in the modern NHL. The talent gap between the teams near the top and bottom of the standings is probably as narrow as it has ever been. Now more than ever, a win is a win. Still, when trying to assess how close the Penguins are to being a championship-caliber team this season, it's impossible to ignore their strength of schedule. And lately, anyway, the Penguins have been getting their wins more often than not against bad teams. The Penguins are 4-4 in their last eight games. During that stretch, they've beaten Arizona once and Buffalo twice, and the Coyotes and Sabres are the bottom teams in their respective conferences. For the season, the picture isn't all that different. The Penguins are 6-10- 2 against the 16 teams that held down playoff positions coming into Sunday's games and 11-4-1 against teams on the outside looking in. That's not entirely unexpected. Any team, even the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, will have a better record against bad teams than good ones. But for the Penguins, it's a bigger disparity than they're used to. Last year, for example, they went 21-15-5 against playoff teams and 29-6-6 against the rest of the league. As the season reaches its midway point, it's an area of mild concern in the locker room. “I think we'd like to see our numbers against the teams higher up be a little bit better,” winger Bryan Rust said. “With the personnel in here, we have the skill in here to know that we can maybe be a little bit better against those top teams.” There's a good reason why the Penguins' record against good teams is a minor concern rather than a major one, however. A lot of it depends on the definition of “good teams.” For example, the Rangers and Islanders are tied for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference coming into Sunday with 18-12-3 records. Should they be lumped into the same category as 24-6-2 Tampa Bay or 21-7-4 Nashville? Probably not. When broken down by those terms, the Penguins aren't bottom feeding as much as it appears. So far this year, the Penguins are 3-3-1 against first-place teams and 6- 1-0 against last-place teams. That's pretty similar to last year, when they went 6-5-0 against first-place teams and 10-0-2 against last-place teams. In that light, the Penguins look like an inconsistent team that occasionally overcomes its problems long enough to secure a few signature wins. “We don't really care what position the team is in, if they're in first or last, how they've been in their last five games or whatever. For us, every game is important,” winger Tom Kuhnhackl said. “We want to get the two points. Like Sully always says, you can't win the race into the playoffs early in the season, but you can lose it.” Tribune Review LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088916 Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby spent time with everybody Saturday. Dominik Simon. Jake Guentzel. Conor Sheary. Phil Kessel. Bryan Rust. It’s surprising Sullivan didn’t try him on defense just for kicks. Analysis: Kris Letang and Ryan Reaves top the list of five questions for It’s clear that Sullivan has been tinkering — he tried Patric Hornqvist on the Penguins the left Thursday, Riley Sheahan with Kessel and Carl Hagelin with Evgeni Malkin and Hornqvist Saturday — but not much has stuck. JASON MACKEY True the Penguins haven’t converted a lot of their chances into goals, but it has to be tough when you don’t know who you’re playing with game-to- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette game, let alone shift-to-shift. [email protected] Verdict: Something, anything needs to stick here soon. This can’t continue. 1:15 PM DEC 17, 2017 4. What can you really take out of Saturday?

The Penguins clobbered the Coyotes by every quantifiable measure. DENVER, Colo. — Which one is it? Shots on goal: 33-17 Seems like an appropriate thing to ponder after Kris Letang’s Jekyll-and- Hyde performance Saturday in a 4-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Shot attempts in all situations: 74-37 Gila River Arena. Five-on-five scoring chances: 18-12 For the first 20 minutes, Letang looked tentative and almost lost. It started with an early turnover that Justin Martinook grabbed like a free Yeah, so? The Coyotes have seven wins. They’re a bit of a mess right sandwich and didn’t really get much better, three giveaways in all. now, having lost six in a row. Then, it was like someone flipped a switch. Letang righted himself and The Penguins kept their composure and stuck with it and battled and did displayed the brilliance that, when he’s going like this, makes him one of a lot of good things, but what was the quality of competition here? the best defensemen in the entire NHL. Verdict: It was against an inferior opponent, to be sure, but if that amount So, you have that first period mixed with a plus-2 rating in 27:12, 12 total of want-to is there on, say, Thursday against Columbus, the Penguins shot attempts and a couple terrific plays — his pass to set up Jake have more than enough talent to compete. Guentzel’s one-time attempt that hit the crossbar and coming out of 5. Similarly, how legitimate is the penalty kill’s current roll? nowhere to thwart an Arizona shorthanded chance stand out. No power-play goals allowed in eight straight, going 23 for 23 in that Which one is it? span. Saturday’s game was as much of a conundrum as Letang’s 2017-18 The PK has killed off 33 of 35 over its past 11. season: a minus-12 mixed with 22 assists — second among NHL defensemen — and 13 power-play points, which also rank second Those are terrific numbers, really an unsustainable pace, but has this among blueliners. simply come against a bunch of bad power plays and is indicative of the fickle nature of penalty killing? In 71 games in 2015-16, Letang was charged with 69 giveaways. He already has 50 in 34 games this season. Verdict: The process has been there. They’re more this recent group than what they showed the first 23 games. Letang’s possession numbers are very good when you focus on what he’s helped the Penguins generate, but there’s been plenty he’s allowed, Post Gazette LOADED: 12.18.2017 too. “I didn’t think he had the best start, but he settled into the game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Saturday, speaking on Letang. “He simplified his game, and I think that’s when he’s at his best, when he takes what the game gives him and doesn’t force anything that isn’t there.” Verdict: Leave Letang alone. Even good hitters in baseball go through slumps. Often times it helps to swing your way out of them. Letang attempting a mammoth number of shots is one way — can’t turn it over if you’re shooting it — but the more he plays, the quicker he’s theoretically going to find consistency. Just have to endure some rough patches. With that in mind, here are four more questions to ponder: 2. Is this Ryan Reaves thing really working? Reaves played just 3:51 Saturday, logging just one shift each in the second and third periods. His ice time for the past seven games: 3:51, 5:10, 4:56, 6:45, 5:36, 6:00 and 6:21. In that span, Reaves has two shots on goal and five attempts, while the Penguins have struggled to score goals. Their fourth line specifically has been a black hole when it comes to generating offense, a huge departure from what it has been the past two seasons. Does this really warrant a roster spot? Couldn’t Josh Archibald add something, at least against faster teams? Verdict: Archibald deserves a chance to show what he can do. Against teams without any tough guys, he should get a chance to offer more than what somebody — this isn’t a mark against Reaves — playing 3:51 a night might bring. Meanwhile, maybe double-check on the comfort level of the Penguins’ stars and see if maybe they could get by with a little less. 3. What’s up with all the line shuffling? 1088917 Pittsburgh Penguins “He has the ability if he blocks a shot or he gets into some open ice, he has the ability to create separation,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Rust adding offense on the penalty kill. “A lot of teams in this league Penguins penalty kill has been getting its fill use four forwards on the power play like we do. If you do end up with a decent block or you get some separation, you get in a footrace, he’s a guy who can win that footrace. He’s dangerous on the penalty kill.” JASON MACKEY Getting the message Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Whatever message Sullivan has been trying to send to Rust by playing him on the fourth line has apparently gotten through. [email protected] Rust began Saturday’s game with Rowney and Ryan Reaves but played 10:40 AM DEC 17, 2017 so well that he worked his way back onto the second power play and spent the third period on a line with Sidney Crosby.

Did Rust sense that Sullivan was unhappy with his play of late? DENVER, Colo. — Perhaps it was the cold, hard reality of allowing a power-play goal to Derrick Pouliot, the former Penguins prospect who “I think I kind of realized that myself,” Rust said. “It doesn’t matter where I frustrated the fanbase because he never contributed much offensively in am in the lineup. I think I do a fairly good job of self-assessing my game. Pittsburgh. I knew I had to be a little better.” Or maybe all the Penguins penalty kill needed was some turkey and To Rust’s credit, he was. stuffing. Rust blocked two shots, tallied a pair of hits and delivered a key play by Whatever the exact reason, since Thanksgiving, that unit has been taking setting up Rowney’s goal. More than anything quantifiable, though, a serious bite out of opposing power plays, transforming itself from a Sullivan was pleased to have taken notice of Rust. liability into a strength. The Penguins penalty kill followed a run where it allowed two power-play goals in five of six to one where, over the past 11 “I thought he had a lot of urgency to his game [Saturday],” Sullivan said. games, it has gone 33 for 35 (94.3 percent). “That was one of the reasons why we moved him up with Sid in the third period. I thought he had some real strong penalty killing. He was on the “We’re sticking together,” Carter Rowney said. “Everyone’s on the same puck. His speed was noticeable. I think that’s when ‘Rusty’ is at his best, page.” when you notice him. I thought that was the case [Saturday].” And what a page it’s been. Post Gazette LOADED: 12.18.2017 Tactically, it’s not like the Penguins are doing something 180 degrees different. To put it in football terms, they didn’t switch from a running offense to one that operates out of the shotgun and chucks it 50 times a game. The same as it often is with this sort of stuff, they’re simply executing better. Clears have been a culprit when the Penguins have struggled killing penalties. Lately, they’ve been getting them when the opportunity has been there. They’ve also been better at picking the appropriate times to pressure and communicating properly to cover necessary holes when that happens. Then there are aspects like blocking shots and getting solid goaltending. Check and check. After scuffling through a large chunk of the season, the Penguins have finally gained some significant traction while shorthanded. “I think we’re playing hard, playing together as a group,” Bryan Rust said. “I think we’re doing those little things. We’re working hard in battles. We’re supporting each other, and we’re blocking shots.” They’re also working less, which is never a bad thing when you’re talking about the penalty kill. Thirty-five kills over 11 games works out to an average of 3.2 per contest. That compares with 88 over the first 23, an average of 3.8. As you might expect, how much the Penguins penalty kill has afforded the opposing team has also dropped, from 9.6 shot attempts-against through the first 23 games of the season to 8.0 over the past 11. Scoring chances have dropped from 5.1 to 3.5. That’s all a very numerical way of saying the Penguins are having to kill penalties less often and have been stingier when they do have to do it. “Just working hard. Playing fast,” Matt Murray said when asked to explain what’s been working for the PK. “Being on top of the puck all the time, not giving the opposing team’s power play any time or space. “I don’t even remember a good scoring chance they had on the PK [Saturday]. We did an unbelievable job. We have to stick with that. Special teams can be a huge deciding factor for us. We have to be sharp there.” Here’s the kicker about what the Penguins penalty kill has done lately: Not only is it preventing goals, but it’s starting to score them, too. Rust, whose speed, tenacity and offensive instincts make him a perfect penalty killer, set up the Penguins’ fifth shorthanded goal of the season Saturday by stripping Max Domi, using his wheels to motor the other way and zipping a perfect pass to Rowney. Consider that, during this recent run, the Penguins penalty kill has scored as many goals (2) as it has allowed. That’s nuts. 1088918 Pittsburgh Penguins

Mario Lemieux reacts to NHL’s ‘Greatest Moment’

JASON MACKEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [email protected] 1:12 AM DEC 17, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — It ranks up there with the ridiculous, nobody-will- ever-match-this feats in all of professional sports. Now, Penguins co-owner Mario Lemieux scoring five goals five different ways — which he did on Dec. 31, 1988 — is officially the greatest moment in NHL history. It was announced Saturday night, as part of the 2017 NHL 100 Classic in Ottawa, that Lemieux’s big night edged out Bobby Orr’s goal that won the 1970 Stanley Cup for the Boston Bruins. “It wasn't something you thought about — five goals, five ways," Lemieux said, according to the team’s website. "I was very proud of the five-goal game, but we were just trying to win a hockey game and get ourselves into playoff position. I didn't realize what had happened until after the game." The Penguins won that game, 8-6, over the New Jersey Devils at Civic Arena. Lemieux scored an empty-netter, off a pass from Jay Caufield, late in the game to go with his even-strength, power play, shorthanded and penalty- shot goals. That season, Lemieux led the league with career-highs of 85 goals and 199 points, winning the Art Ross Trophy and lifting the Penguins to their first playoff berth since 1982. “There have been a lot of great plays in 100 years," Lemieux said. ”This is something very special from the fans. I feel very honored.” Voting began in mid-October, with 64 moments nominated by a group of national broadcasters. No surprise this one made its way through the tournament. "I want to thank the fans for this tremendous honor,” Lemieux said. “There have been so many great plays in 100 years of NHL hockey. So many great players. To be chosen as having the greatest moment is something I'll always remember." Post Gazette LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088919 Pittsburgh Penguins Instead, they fought harder. “I really liked our stick-to-it-ivness,” Sullivan said. “We just went back to work.” Penguins show patience, resilience in 4-2 win over Coyotes This one saw the Penguins hold a 31-17 edge in shots on goal and a 72- 37 advantage in attempts. It goes without saying that the Penguins JASON MACKEY controlled play for long stretches. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette A really important takeaway could be to remember where that mentality came from. [email protected] Sullivan hit hard the idea that he wanted his entire group to simplify its 11:15 PM DEC 16, 2017 approach, to get more pucks on Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta, to see what might happen.

The Penguins didn’t tune out their coach. They listened. And it worked. GLENDALE, Ariz. — Frustration would’ve been understandable, if not likely, for the Penguins during significant portions of a 4-2 win Saturday “We wanted to put pucks on net and try to create some offense with against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena. those sprays, try and chase down those rebounds,” Rowney said. “We did a good job of getting some pucks to the net and having some traffic.” Only it never materialized. Murray stopped 15 of 17 shots. The degree of difficulty wasn’t terribly Not when the Penguins consistently generated about three times as high. It might’ve been harder for Murray to keep from dozing off or his much offense as lowly Arizona, only to wind up with two goals through 59 feet from falling asleep. minutes. Nevertheless, the Penguins No. 1 goaltender appears to be in perfectly Or when the Coyotes tied the score at 2-2 midway through the third fine form after a six-game absence. That also should be seen as period off an Olli Maatta turnover in front of his net. encouraging. Matt Hunwick missed 15 games earlier this season with a concussion. “I wouldn’t say tougher, just different,” Murray said of the lack of action. “You just have to keep yourself engaged and be ready for a Grade A Jason Mackey chance.” Hunwick pleased with post-concussion performance for Penguins A final takeaway was Kris Letang. His first period was a bit of a struggle, But on the eve of Steelers-Patriots, the Penguins took a page out of Mike with three charged giveaways. Tomlin’s playbook. They didn’t blink. Patience, resilience, whatever you Big change after that. Letang wound up with 11 shot attempts in 27:12 want to call it. The two-time defending champs flashed it. and appeared back to his old self after the first 20 minutes. “We hung in there,” said Maatta, who wound up scoring the game-winner “I didn’t think he had the best start, but he settled into the game,” Sullivan on a drive from the left point at 19:45 of the third period. “We kept going.” said. “He simplified his game, and I think that’s when he’s at his best, “Resilient game,” Matt Murray added. “It could have gone either way. We when he takes what the game gives him and doesn’t force anything that didn’t get frustrated. We stuck with it.” isn’t there.” Certainly did. Post Gazette LOADED: 12.18.2017 Maatta specifically. To atone for his mistake, Maatta pulled a puck off the goal line, a smart play by a defenseman who might be having his best season as a pro, now with three goals and 14 points in 34 games. Evgeni Malkin, Carter Rowney and Sidney Crosby (empty-netter) scored the other goals for the Penguins, who improved to 17-14-3 overall and 7- 9-2 on the road. After an off day Sunday, the Penguins wrap up this three-game road trip Monday against the Avalanche in Denver. The win Saturday showed there’s plenty of fight left in these Penguins. They entered this one having lost four of five and three in a row. The qualifier there was that they were all by one goal. Saturday was tense at times, too, but coach Mike Sullivan was encouraged by the demeanor on the Penguins bench. “It was a different feel behind the bench,” Sullivan said. “It was a good feeling to sense the urgency that our guys had.” The penalty kill turned in another stellar effort. It killed off both Arizona power plays to improve to 33 for 35 in the past 10 games. That unit now has gone eight games without allowing a power-play goal. Rowney got things going with the first short-handed goal of his career at 14:38 of the first period. Bryan Rust started the sequence by stripping the puck from Max Domi and using his speed to transition the other way, sending a nifty feed Rowney’s way. “Rusty made a good play to break that up,” said Rowney, who didn’t have a shot on goal in his previous five games. “He got some good speed and made a nice play to me.” Malkin knocked in a rebound to make it 2-0 at 18:58 of the second before Nick Cousins beat Murray from the inner-edge of the left circle at 19:51 of the period. Domi’s goal came at 9:43 of the third. It could’ve invited a sense of here- we-go-again, but that’s not how the Penguins reacted at all. 1088920 San Jose Sharks “I know the consequences down the line,” Couture said on Sept. 29. “It’s up to the player, as well, to realize that you’ve only got one brain and that injury is very, very serious.” Sharks’ Logan Couture out with head injury DeBoer insisted that Couture won’t be returning to the ice until he’s cleared of symptoms. By PAUL GACKLE | [email protected] | Bay Area News “We’re going to take the proper protocol,” he said. “These guys are well Group educated on these types of things. Everyone will make the right decision.” PUBLISHED: December 17, 2017 at 12:58 pm | UPDATED: December 17, 2017 at 3:35 PM In the meantime, the Sharks will try to make due without their top scorer against the Oilers in Edmonton.

“Anytime you lose a top player like Logan, you hope it’s for a short EDMONTON, Alberta — Logan Couture will miss the Sharks game period of time,” the Sharks captain said. “If it is a short period of time, it against the Edmonton Oilers Monday, the result of a head injury suffered can be beneficial at times. Guys get bigger roles, different situations. But against the Vancouver Canucks Friday night. definitely, we’d like to have him in there.” Head coach Pete DeBoer confirmed Sunday that Couture suffered a concussion when he took a shoulder to the jaw area from Canucks forward Alexander Burmistrov at 5:12 of the third period Friday. DeBoer San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 12.18.2017 labeled Couture’s concussion as a “day-to-day” injury. The Sharks coach said that his team’s leading goal scorer hasn’t attempted any form of physical exertion since he suffered the head injury in Vancouver. “We’ll see how he feels every day and go through that (concussion) protocol, and see where that takes us,” the Sharks coach said. Burmistrov isn’t receiving any supplementary discipline from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for the hit. With Couture on the sidelines, Tomas Hertl moved back to the center position at practice in Edmonton Sunday, skating in the middle of the Sharks second line with Kevin Labanc and Mikkel Boedker, who’s missed seven-consecutive games with a lower-body injury. DeBoer said that it “looks like” Boedker will be able to rejoin the Sharks lineup Monday. After skating Hertl as his third line center throughout most of the second half last year, DeBoer moved the 24-year-old Czech back to the wing for the third game of the season on Oct. 12, giving Couture’s line more scoring punch in the wake of Patrick Marleau’s departure to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Couture was putting together a career year with Hertl on his left wing, leading the Sharks in goals (15) and points (26). Monday’s potential second line combination of Labanc, Hertl and Boedker have combined to score just 13 goals this season, two fewer than Couture total. When Couture missed 30 games with a pair of leg injuries in 2015-16, Marleau took his place in the middle of the Sharks second line. But with Marleau in Toronto, DeBoer will be forced to give Hertl another look at center, a move he’s “really comfortable” with. The bigger challenge, according to DeBoer, is finding a way to replace Hertl’s contributions on the wing. “He’s played center for a long time,” the Sharks coach said. “That’s the nice luxury we have. We have a guy that’s capable of jumping in there and now we need to get some people around our centerman there to step up and fill some of those voids.” Hertl said that moving over to center won’t require a major adjustment. He already takes a large chunk of his line’s faceoffs and the Sharks forwards play interchangeable roles on the ice in DeBoer’s system. “I’m ready,” Hertl said. “If (Couture) is missing for a little bit, I’ll be ready for his spot.” Although Couture’s injury is being labeled as day-to-day, head injuries are inherently unpredictable, so he could be out for one game or several months. Couture suffered a pair of head injuries during his junior hockey career with the Ottawa 67’s last decade, which could impact the symptoms of his current concussion. Although Couture became a poster child for hockey toughness during the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, playing six games with wiring and plastic holding his mouth together, he understands the long-term health risks of playing with a concussion. Over the summer, Couture hosted a charity event in his hometown of London, Ontario to raise funds for concussion research and awareness. In training camp, he told the Mercury News that concussions are an injury that he wouldn’t attempt to play through. 1088921 St Louis Blues

Pietrangelo returns from injured reserve

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 6 hrs ago (…)

WINNIPEG, • The injury-plagued Blues are getting a body back Sunday night in Winnipeg _ and an important body at that. Team captain Alex Pietrangelo has been activated from injured reserve after missing the past four games with a foot injury. He took a puck off the foot in the first period of the team's Dec. 9 game in Detroit, and although he was able to finish out the game was hobbled enough that the Blues put him on IR for a week. Pietrangelo's seven goals still ranks third among all NHL defensemen; his 23 points is ninth-best among league defensemen. His return probably means that Jordan Schmaltz, recalled Dec. 12 from San Antonio, will be a healthy scratch against the Jets. With both Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester sidelined in the past week, Schmaltz has appeared in three games for the Blues, averaging 14 minutes 16 seconds of ice time including some power-play duty Thursday against Anaheim and Saturday against Winnipeg.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088922 St Louis Blues St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.18.2017 Blues notes: A homecoming weekend for Thorburn

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 5 hrs ago (…)

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA • Back-to-back games against the Winnipeg Jets made it a homecoming weekend for Blues forward Chris Thorburn. On Saturday night in St. Louis, Thorburn visited with his old Jets teammates, even bumping into a few on the ice at Scottrade Center. “I got a bump on Benny Chiarot early, which it’s always nice to bump Benny,” a smiling Thorburn said of the Jets’ defenseman. “It was strange. Even hearing their voices calling for pucks and stuff like that. But it was fun. It really was.” Especially since his new team, the Blues, pulled out a 2-0 victory at Scottrade. On Sunday, he got the reunion experience at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg. “Not many people get to experience this, as far as playing in an organization a long time, then leaving and coming back,” Thorburn said. Thorburn’s time with the Jets goes all the way back to their time as the . After brief stints with Buffalo and Pittsburgh, Thorburn spent 10 seasons with the Jets/Thrashers — a period encompassing 709 regular-season games, a high for anyone in the organization. Starting in 2007-08, the first four of those 10 seasons came in Atlanta. Thorburn then joined the franchise in relocating to Winnipeg in 2011-12 as the Jets. He never scored more than nine goals or had more than 19 points in any of those seasons, but his calling card has always been his role as an enforcer — a role that now continues with St. Louis after signing as a free agent July 1 with the Blues. “Playing in a hockey market like Winnipeg, it’s different, but at the same time if you’re able to embrace it, it’s something special,” Thorburn said. During the playing of the U.S. national anthem Sunday, Thorburn’s face was shown on the video board, drawing huge applause. Coach Mike Yeo joined the spirit of the occasion by putting Thorburn on the ice first Sunday. And during a timeout midway through the first period, Thorburn highlights with the Jets were shown on the video board, resulting in a brief standing ovation. Thorburn likened the end of his time with the Jets to a breakup with a girlfriend. But “a good breakup” he said. Winnipeg looks like an up-and- coming team with a young, skilled roster, and Thorburn said he could see it coming before he left. “Obviously only one playoff appearance in the six years that I was there,” he said. “But at the same time, they were on the cusp of doing something special. Yeah, they’re doing a good job this year. Obviously, the season’s long but at the same time they started off really well.” The injury-plagued Blues got a couple of bodies back in Winnipeg. Team captain Alex Pietrangelo was activated from injured reserve after missing the past four games with a foot injury. He took a puck off the foot in the first period of the team’s Dec. 9 game in Detroit, and although he was able to finish out that game was hobbled enough that the Blues put him on IR for a week. Despite that time missed, Pietrangelo’s seven goals still ranked third among all NHL defensemen; his 23 points was ninth-best among league defensemen entering Sunday’s game. He was paired with Carl Gunnarsson on Sunday. Veteran Kyle Brodziak also returned to action, centering the fourth line after missing Saturday’s Winnipeg game at Scottrade with an unspecified injury. The return of Pietrangelo and Brodziak resulted in Jordan Schmaltz, Ivan Barbashev, and the injured Sammy Blais being pregame scratches. Injured defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who is on injured reserve, did not accompany the team to Winnipeg, missing his fourth consecutive game with an undisclosed injury. Yeo said he could rejoin the team later on their weeklong swing through western Canada. For the most part, Yeo stuck with the numerous line changes made for Saturday’s victory over Winnipeg, including using Vladimir Tarasenko with Brayden Schenn and Magnus Paajarvi. 1088923 St Louis Blues chances. I think the second period, they pushed us back a little bit and grabbed a hold of the momentum. Sharpness wasn’t there.”

By midway through the second, the Jets had outshot the Blues 11-1 in Blues have no goals, and no answers for Jets the period. The momentum carried into a Winnipeg power play and a second goal when Patrik Laine squeezed a shot past Allen on the stick side at the 15:13 mark. By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 5 hrs ago (…) The Blues had been stellar on the penalty kill lately, successfully killing off 28 of their previous 29 penalties dating back to their Nov. 29 game with Anaheim before Laine’s 16th goal of the season. WINNIPEG, MANITOBA • The Winnipeg Jets picked up where they left off. The Blues did not. Winnipeg (19-10-5) continued its domination in the third period, seeming a step quicker than the Blues and increasing their checking along the On Saturday in St. Louis, the Jets peppered the Blues with 48 shots on way. Any hope of a Blues comeback vanished when Mark Scheifele goal, but a career game by backup goalie Carter Hutton resulted in a 2-0 deflected a pass from Josh Morrisey past Allen for his 15th goal and a 3- Blues victory. 0 Jets lead at the 11:54 mark of the third. On Sunday in Winnipeg, the Jets peppered the Blues with 46 shots, but It became 4-0 less than two minutes later when Morrisey blasted in his this time the shutouts were reversed in a 4-0 victory by the Jets before fifth goal of the season — wide open from the slot. Morrisey was open 15,321 at cozy but loud Bell MTS Place. because Tarasenko had dashed to the bench to get a new stick after his had broken. That’s 94 shots in less than 26 hours fired at St. Louis netminders. The Blues, falling to 22-11-2, have been among the league leaders much of “I thought Jake played really well,” Yeo said. “Probably the second (goal) the season in terms of fewest shots allowed. They hadn’t allowed 40 or was probably one that he may want back, but again you look at the more shots for nearly two months — Oct. 19 at Colorado, being the last quality of chances. He was there. He gave us a chance to grab the lead time — before the Jets made the Blues their personal shooting gallery and to keep us in it for a long period of time.” over the weekend. But on this night, the Blues had no answers. “Too many shots against,” coach Mike Yeo said. “That’s not us. We’re typically one of the top teams in the league for shot suppression and chance suppression. A little bit too easy to play against the last couple games.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.18.2017 So are the young, fast Jets just that skilled? Or is it something else? “I think they’re a skilled team, there’s no question on that,” Yeo said. “But we’re not hard enough, we’re not firm enough in our game. We’re not tight in our game. When we are, then we’re a dangerous team. We create offense off that, and so we have to get that back.” Team captain Alex Pietrangelo, who returned to action after missing four games with a foot injury, agreed. “They’re good offensively, we know that,” Pietrangelo said. “We gotta control the pace of the game a little more. I don’t think we really had much control. I don’t think we played in the offensive zone enough tonight to kind of tire them out. “It seemed like we were running around in our end more than they were in their end, which is what our game is, so it’s something we gotta take a look at.” The Blues also have to take a look at their goal scoring, or lack thereof. Shut out for the fourth time this season and the second time in four games, they have scored only six goals in the five games since Jaden Schwartz and Pietrangelo were injured in Detroit on Dec. 9. “Obviously you want to have healthy bodies back, but again, I don’t want any focus on who’s in, who’s out of the lineup,” Yeo said. “We have guys in the lineup. We have a job to do. So certainly we were capable tonight, and we didn’t get it done.” The Blues didn’t have as many chances as they did Saturday in St. Louis, but they did have a few in the opening period Sunday, including a breakaway opportunity by Colton Parayko and close-in shots by Vladimir Tarasenko and Dmitrij Jaskin. “There’s definitely no easy answer to scoring goals,” Parayko said. “That’s why they’re so hard to come by. You just don’t score goals by going out there and throwing your stick on the ice. It’s tough to get goals and obviously it’s showing.” For just the second time since early November, the Blues and their opponent played a scoreless first period. But that changed just 4 1/2 minutes into the second period, when Adam Lowry beat Jake Allen for his fifth goal of the season on what amounted to a tap-in. The trouble began on the play when both Joel Edmundson and Parayko checked Brandon Tanev behind the net. That left Andrew Copp open in the corner, which is where Tanev sent the puck. Copp then sent a pass across the goal-mouth to Lowry for an easy goal and a 1-0 Jets lead. As was the case with the Saturday matchup, the Jets stepped up the pressure throughout the second period, and this time, the Blues didn’t respond. “They had a push last game; we had a couple pushes as well,” Alexander Steen said. “It kind of went back and forth, and we were able to win the special teams battle (Saturday). And tonight was the same. I thought we came out with some good jump early in the first and got some really good 1088924 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning has goalie Peter Budaj’s back after near-collapse

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer Published: December 17, 2017 Updated: December 17, 2017 at 09:32 PM

LAS VEGAS — After the Avalanche made a seemingly insurmountable Lightning lead shaky Saturday night, defenseman Victor Hedman was the first to skate toward backup goalie Peter Budaj and give an encouraging pat on the pads with his stick. Budaj’s stat line in the 6-5 victory over Colorado wasn’t pretty. But the Lightning believed it didn’t give him much of a chance on a couple of power play goals in the third period, and the 35-year-old veteran bounced back with some big game-sealing saves in the final minutes. "At the end of the day, he really saved us," defenseman Anton Stralman said. "There wasn’t much he could do on those goals." Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog had spectacular tips on two of his three goals. He cruised in all alone on the other after a bad line change by the Lightning. Budaj, making just his sixth start of the season, said he would like to have at least one of the goals back, likely Nathan MacKinnon’s wrist shot in the third. "I just look at it, it’s a win, we’re in the business of winning," Budaj said. And Budaj played his role, including a huge stop on Blake Comeau with two minutes left to preserve the one-goal lead. "You just feel for (Budaj)," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "We just didn’t play responsible in front of him. And we leave it to our goalie to save the game for us, which we did. But it shouldn’t have to come to that." CLOSE CALL: Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was suspended for two games Sunday by the NHL Department of Player Safety over his boarding hit on Lightning center Vladislav Namestnikov near the end of Saturday’s second period. Namestnikov had taken a shot off the rush and Johnson delivered a huge slash then a shove after the shot, with Namestnikov flying face-first into the boards. Namestnikov temporarily left the game but returned for the ensuing power play. Johnson received a five-minute major and game misconduct. It was a scare for the Lightning, which lost right wing Ryan Callahan for at least 3- 4 weeks after his nasty spill into the boards Thursday. "Dangerous play," Cooper said of Johnson’s hit. "You just hold your breath on those. Got a little fortunate with Vladdy. Obviously didn’t get as fortunate with Callahan." GETTING OFFENSIVE: The Lightning’s four goals from defensemen Saturday made them No. 2 in the NHL in goals from the blue line (23), behind St. Louis (24). Stralman had two, with Hedman scoring one and Mikhail Sergachev scoring the game- winner, his fifth this season. That made Sergachev just the fourth rookie in NHL history to score five game-winning goals in a season. MINOR MATTERS: Four Lightning prospects made Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Championships. Forwards Taylor Raddysh, Brett Howden and Boris Katchouk and defenseman Cal Foote will compete in the tournament later this month in Buffalo. … The AFL Syracuse Crunch’s 10-game winning streak came to an end Saturday with a 4-2 loss to Lehigh Valley.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088925 Toronto Maple Leafs same thing to Brown, who hasn’t scuffled, at the start of the season to accommodate Patrick Marleau. The coach’s philosophy is simple: “Sometimes the players and the fans think that the coach decides. The Ice-cold Leaf Nylander keeping up appearances coach watches. If you play good, you get out there more. If you don’t, you get out there less.”

It’s a fine line to negotiate, however, correcting what’s wrong without By ROSIE DIMANNOStar Columnist crushing a kid’s self-confidence. Sun., Dec. 17, 2017 “How do you catch him doing it right instead of catch him doing it wrong?” Babcock asks, rhetorically. “How do you build him up as much as you can? Every guy in this room wants to feel good about himself and have swagger. And we want to catch ’em doing it good. That’s our focus all the If his sophomore slouch is eating away at William Nylander, it’s not a time. subject discussed over breakfast at the Toronto pad he shares with now- and-again teammate Kasperi Kapanen. “In saying all that, when you don’t, we talk to you about it. We also believe in doing it right. So we don’t just get tricked because you’re “We don’t talk about hockey,” says the Finnish winger about his slick skilled. We want you to become a high-end skilled player with Swedish-Canadian roomie. “It’s not a rule or anything, but I think it’s just unbelievable work ethic. That’s how you get to be a star. You’ve got to common sense that we don’t want to talk about it because we’re at the dig in and you’ve got to put the team first and you’ve got to learn to play rink every day and surrounded by hockey.’’ without the puck.” Still, Kapanen is well aware of his friend’s scuffling and sees hints of how It is Babcock’s mantra and he’s clearly not going to be dissuaded. He it’s troubling Nylander. keeps the faith in the process and the structure, even if the results aren’t “It’s always tough when you’re in a slump. A lot of people expect great there, even if it seems counterintuitive with Nylander. “Our job here, the things from him because he’s an amazing player. But every player goes whole crew, we’ve got to make him a star. Whether you think we’re through slumps, even Crosby and Ovechkin. It’s just a matter of time. handling it right or not, we obviously think we are.” You can see that he’s frustrated, but I know that he’s going to get out of Playing without the puck. Except Nylander loves the puck. Last season it.” he did wonderful things with the puck. His hands are soft, his creativity When? How? Because this has become a protracted droop for a 21-year- exceptional. Although he can’t buy a goal at the moment, and that old who glittered in his first full season with the Maple Leafs — rewriting tension is being exhibited in timing just a tick off and chances the record book for most power-play goals and points by any rookie in squandered. Some rotten luck, too, although that tends to even out franchise history. Nylander trailed only Auston Matthews in team goal eventually. production with 22, fourth-most among the league’s 2016-17 freshmen Babcock claims his coaching relationship with Nylander, and Marner, class. hasn’t changed from last season. It’s the players who are in a brand new He’s scored twice in the last 26 games, has only two assists in the last world as second-year NHLers. The bloom is off and some of the easy eight. knack has gone with it. Nylander has not really known fizzle before. This isn’t a dip, it’s a plummet. “Last year was one of those years in your career where, you get on the ice, whether you play good or bad, for 16 minutes,” says Babcock. “You want to score, yeah, but you’ve got to stay positive and look at the “You’re a first-year guy, there’s no expectations for the team, we’re just fact that you’re creating chances,” Nylander said on Sunday, corralling kind of cruising along. The first time, you’re pumped up, everything’s the same questions he’s been asked day after day after day. “I’d be good. It’s fun. frustrated if I wasn’t creating chances or anything. That’s what you think about and what you try to evaluate your game on.” “Now it’s a grind. And if you’re fortunate, you get to be in the same grind for 20 years.” After a day off upon returning from their futile road swing, the Leafs were put through a high-tempo practice. Coach Mike Babcock had Nylander For Nylander, year three will be under a new contract. And he’s not playing centre on a line with Zach Hyman and Connor Brown, a unit that putting up the numbers to command $7 million to $8 million a year, as debuted at the Air Canada Centre in last Sunday’s 1-0 win over had been speculated. Edmonton. Babcock discarded the line, returning Nylander to the wing in Farthest thing from his mind right now, he says. the three road losses. With last line change, it’s expected he’ll deploy Nylander to the pivot position again for Tuesday afternoon’s encounter “If you think about it, you’re going to have headaches.” against Carolina and Matthews unlikely to be reactivated quite yet from his injury absenteeism — although the young stud skated by himself for He’s got enough of those already. about 20 minutes Sunday.

Many observers believe Nylander should be permanently slotted into centre for his playmaking abilities. But the defensive deficiencies that Toronto Star LOADED: 12.18.2017 drive Babcock batty in Nylander would be more starkly silhouetted. Nylander can’t hang around the blue line, as is his proclivity, looking for that breakout swing in the action. “It was pretty good,” counters Nylander, referring to that centring assignment against the Oilers. “Playing down low is a little different. But because I’ve played centre before, it’s already there.” Comprehension of the role, he means. “You know what you’re going to do. Just takes a little time to get used to it.” Defensive vigilance and puck protection is clearly not a favourite part, or strength, of his game. “You just try to be in the right position. If you’re in the right position, then you can go out and be more aggressive. If you’re aggressive in the wrong position, it’s going to end up bad.” The struggles being experienced by both Nylander and co-soph Mitch Marner (one goal since the season opener) go a long way towards explaining Toronto’s offensive constipation over the past fortnight or so, with nobody on the roster stepping up to fill the blank left by Matthews, who’s missed four games. The Leafs could muster a mere four goals in last week’s three-set away from home. Perhaps trying to turn Nylander into a complete two-way forward is a doomed project. Worked with Nazem Kadri, but that took years coming to fruition. Babcock has occasionally dropped Nylander and Marner to the fourth line, which can be viewed as a tough-love approach. Heck, he did the 1088926 Toronto Maple Leafs

Zaitsev joins Matthews on Leafs' injury shelf

By ROSIE DIMANNO Star Columnist

“You can ask me how he’s doing in two weeks and then we’ll go from there.” Leafs coach Mike Babcock had pre-empted the question: Where’s Nikita Zaitsev? Out. Lower-body injury, perhaps incurred by a blocking a shot in Detroit on Friday. At least he wasn’t referring to Auston Matthews, who appears on the cusp of returning to the lineup from what was possibly a concussion, though probably not on Tuesday against Carolina. Although if the coach had his way, the young stud would have participated in Sunday’s practice, rather than skating solo for 20 minutes beforehand. “That’s why they don’t let me make any decisions around here (instead of) the medical department.” But Zaitsev to the injury reserve list begged another question: Who’s going to eat up those miles he’s been skating, averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time per game and a crucial cog on the penalty kill? Come on down Connor Carrick. And come on up Martin Marincin. The Leafs recalled Marincin from the Marlies Sunday to fill the blue-line void, with three games in four days looming. But it was Carrick, who hasn’t dressed since Nov. 24, who was paired with Jake Gardiner at practice and they’re the likely five-on-five D- coupling. “The way I look at it, it creates an opportunity for Carrick, right?” said Babcock. “He’s been waiting all year. You wait for your opportunity. When you get your opportunity you’ve got to make good on it. And then you stay in the lineup. So the ball’s in his court and we get to watch him.” Bad news for Zaitsev, good news for Carrick. “It’s pretty exciting to get back,” said Carrick, who has partnered with Gardiner in the past. “Z’s a big part of this club. It’s my job to step in and add what I can. “We’re playing a tough Carolina team, a team that played us really good the last time we were there. After a couple of practice days, we should be energetic. Two teams trying to accomplish a lot of the same things. So it should be a hard-fought, bothersome game on both sides.” Unclear, probably undecided, if Kasperi Kapanen, also summoned from the Marlies last week, will get the shoulder-tap against the Hurricanes. He did inject a jolt into the loss in Detroit on Friday. “I’m sure that’s why they wanted me to play last time, get a little speed and energy. That’s what I want to provide.’’

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Babcock's tough love lessons for Leafs

Lance Hornby December 18, 2017 5:58 AM EST

Mike Babcock senses he’s being portrayed as the heavy in his constant prodding of players such as William Nylander and Mitch Marner. That might be true, but he insists the end game is not to break down the kids, but give them a boost to NHL longevity. “How do you catch them doing it right instead of catching them doing it wrong?,” the coach said of his daily challenge and that of his staff. “How do you build them up? Every guy in this room wants to build themselves up and have swagger. That’s our focus all the time. In saying that, when you don’t (perform well), we talk to you about it. “We believe in doing it right, so we don’t get tricked just because you are skilled (as Nylander and Marner obviously are). If you don’t work, it won’t work. We want you to become a high-end skill player with unbelievable work ethic. That’s how you get a star. Otherwise, you’re just a talented guy who goes from team to team to team. If you want to be a star, you have to dig in, put the team first and learn how to play without the puck.” Babcock was spoiled with so many big names in his last job in Detroit, a veteran team that needed no carrot on a stick. “The NHL is hard. It’s a privilege that it’s this hard, a privilege that you go into every game, look at the other team’s lineup and go ‘wow’. That’s what you do every night. I think that’s what makes the league so special. If you don’t have enough will and elite drive train, you won’t be a star. “Being around a winning environment, being around expectation is a great thing for young people. Our job here, Lou’s and mine, we have to make (Nylander) a star, whether you think we are handling him right or not. We think we are.” Babcock said the relationship with Nylander, Marner and some others on the Leafs is largely unchanged from when they arrived in camp and had a feel-good season in 2016-17. “I just didn’t coach them. Last year was one one of those years in your career where you get out on the ice and whether you good or not, you played 16 minutes. You’re a first-year guy, there’s no expectations on the team, you just cruise along. (But) when you get on a good team, someone’s trying to take your job every night. They don’t just get your job, they have to earn it. The first year, you’re pumped up, everything is good; now it’s a grind and if you are fortunate, you get to compete in the same grind for 20 years.”

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Back to the future for Maple Leafs

Lance Hornby December 18, 2017 12:27 AM EST

Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was not impressed that the schedule-makers had his team play on back-to-back nights Thursday and Friday. (JACK BOLAND/Toronto Sun files) When the franchise turn 100 on Tuesday, the team actually will be attempting to turn the clock. Not back to 1917, though it would be neat to see Mike Babcock behind the bench in a Peaky Blinders cap, but to the next century, as the club is branding the special afternoon game against Carolina. Falling on the exact Dec. 19 date of the Toronto Arenas’ first NHL game in Montreal, the Leafs are asking ticket holders to bring the a youth with them to represent the next generation of fans as it culminates a year of marking the past. The Leafs intend to make the whole day kid-friendly (thus the 2 p.m. faceoff against Carolina), including 15 team-themed school assemblies across the GTA and viewing events for hundreds of patients at The Hospital for Sick Children. The Leafs will be wearing Arenas sweaters for the game. Knowing this was going to be one of the hairiest parts of the schedule has not made it any easier for Babcock’s team to get any points the past three games. By the time they finish their game against the Rangers on Saturday in New York, they will have played eight in 15 games, six on the road. “Before the year started and you looked at the schedule, it was pretty obvious where the tough stretches are,” Babcock said, unable to resist a poke at the folks who put the matrix together. “You look at it and Detroit was off yesterday, we were off yesterday. Detroit’s off today, we’re off today. Why did we play them (Friday on a back-to-back for the Leafs)? “My point is, it’s just part of the schedule. I don’t talk about that stuff ever. You ask and I say: ‘No, we have a game tonight and we have to win it’. That is how you should approach the schedule. Now we’ll have three days to re-charge and make sure your significant other has a nice Christmas gift. Those things have to get looked after because that can cost you.” William Nylander is ready for whatever challenge awaits him at centre on Tuesday, as the Leafs line-juggling continues in Auston Matthews’ absence. “Playing down low is a little different,” Nylander said of switching from wing. “It’s something you think about, you know what you have to do, it’s just a little more time to get into it. If you are in the right position you can go out and be more aggressive; in the wrong position, you’re not that valuable.” Nylander says he’s not caught up in the guesswork around town about who he’s playing with and what’s a more suitable position for him. “Wherever I play, just try to play my best,” said Nylander. Babcock says it should be fairly obvious what the team needs to do to get back on track offensively. “All the things I’ve talked about, I can go through again. The reality is, if you want to spend time in the offensive zone, you have to hang on to the puck, protect it, you have to shoot it and get it back. The better you are playing, the more in sync you are, the more time you are spending in the offensive zone and you look better all over: Forechecks, breakouts, line changes, the whole thing.”

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Auston Matthews sighted, but not slated to play yet

Lance Hornby December 18, 2017 12:05 AM EST

Mike Babcock has the scoop on Auston Matthews’ injury. He’s just not ready to publish. Curiosity was certainly piqued Sunday when the Leafs leading scorer made his first appearance in eight days, a 20-minute solo skate at the MasterCard Centre ahead of the rest of the team. A trainer accompanied Matthews, who did some light shooting and stickhandling. A concussion, or back issue, or both have been the talk of the town since Matthews and teamate Morgan Rielly accidentally collided heavily in a game against the Penguins. “I’ve been on the inside, so I know what’s bothering him,” said Babcock of the rampant speculation. “He feels better. When he plays, I don’t know 100 per cent yet. I thought he should be at practice today, but that’s why they don’t let me make any (medical) decisions.” There is a growing belief the Leafs will keep Matthews away from game action until after Christmas. As was the case with his first injury of the season, also of the upper body variety, the Leafs kept stringing out his projected return until reaching a four-day break in the schedule that enhanced his recovery. By not playing him through the coming week — he’d need at least one full practice to play in any game before the last pre-break match Dec. 23 in New York — Matthews would pick up another four days of time off. “We’re not going about it that way,” Babcock insisted. “We’re going about it that when he’s ready, he’s going to play.” The difference between Matthews’ two absences is the team won all four games the first time in early November, while this latest mishap is coincidental with three straight losses. Babcock had a retort ready for that comparison, citing the Leafs weren’t on a taxing run of five games in seven days when Matthews was initially scratched. The coach calculated that the record without Matthews (5-3) would still look pretty good as part of 20-13-1 when extrapolated through 82 games, not that it will come to that. More line changes are in the forecast, as Nylander was back in Matthews’ spot on Sunday between Zach Hyman and Connor Brown, with Nylander and Marner moved around frequently of late to find a spark. Offence has dried up in the losing streak and would have been four straight had Curtis McElhinney not made 41 saves in a 1-0 win over Edmonton. “I would say to you how many players in the league are like Auston?,” Babcock said of no Leaf yet seizing the day. “I’m not surprised. I think it’s part of the process (for young players).”

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Marlies mauled by Moose

Lance Hornby December 17, 2017 11:59 PM EST

The Marlies were on the wrong end of a weekend double header against a rival division leader. Losers of just five games this season, the Leafs farm team was spanked 5-1 by the Manitoba Moose on Sunday at Ricoh Coliseum after dropping a 2-1 decision to the Jets’ affiliate the day before. Ben Smith had the only goal for the Marlies, with Calvin Pickard in net. The Marlies did start the 3-in-3 weekend with a 3-2 win in Rochester. “There are other good teams in the league,” reminded head coach Sheldon Keefe. “We knew that coming in, all season long (Manitoba) have been right there with us. All season we hadn’t seen them, we knew coming in that it was going to be a challenging weekend. That first game in Rochester took a lot out of us. I think that showed here in the second and third games, but you know it’s early in the season and when you’re trying to find your way as a team it’s good to face a little adversity.” Manitoba now leads Toronto by three points in overall AHL standings.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088931 Toronto Maple Leafs “I watched as much as I could to try and pick things up and understand areas of the ice that might have been more open than I realized. That’s the way the league is. (Through observation) the rich can get richer and Leafs have to plug a blueline hole with Nikita Zaitsev gone the poor can get poorer. “Mentally, you have to stay out of your (own) way, so that physically the tools can remain at a level above where you’re at in the stands. At the Lance Hornby same time, there’s no substitute for doing it, going out and playing the game.” December 17, 2017 11:33 PM EST

Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.18.2017 Nikita Zaitsev of the Maple Leafs will be out for a couple of weeks with a lower body inbjury. Dave Abel/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network0 A Maple Leaf team labouring under three straight losses, the absence of their leading scorer, a dry spell of others that includes two young stars, surely didn’t need the extra burden of injury to a workhorse defenceman. Nikita Zaitsev, who leads Toronto with 22:51 minutes of ice per game and splits the majority of blueline penalty killing time with Ron Hainsey, is gone for at least two weeks with a lower body injury, possibly from a shot block Friday night in Detroit. “You can ask me how he’s doing in two weeks and we’ll go from there,” head coach Mike Babcock said at Sunday’s practice, skipping any of his “day-to-day” vagueness applied to top gun Auston Matthews. “The way I look at it, it creates an opportunity for (Connor) Carrick, who has been waiting all year. The ball’s in his court and we get to watch him.” Carrick, whose last of 17 games was back on Nov. 24, will likely take Zaitsev’s spot with Jake Gardiner. Zaitsev was credited with 94 blocks in 34 games, ranking him second in the National Hockey League to Kris Russell of Edmonton, but it’s his all-around game that’s made him so valuable to the Leafs the past couple of years, right from when he stepped from the KHL into big minutes in the starting lineup. The Leafs will also have to find a new PK partner for Hainsey. The Leafs have called up Martin Marincin from the AHL Marlies, but it will be Carrick as Zaitsev’s 5-on-5 replacement and likey Roman Polak seeing more special teams work. Marincin would be insurance in case of other injuries on defence during a stretch off three games in four nights that precedes the Christmas break. Babcock said he would let assistant coach D.J. Smith have a say in who will get Zaitsev’s minutes. “The good thing when you’re running the back end like D.J. does, he watches the game, he gets a feel, he puts in people accordingly. Now obviously Polak is going to get more of that, but one of those guys he feels comfortable with at the start of the game (Polak, Gardiner Morgan Rielly and Carrick) who are playing good will get a chance. And if he’s good, he gets to go again. Then when Zee gets back, he gets to keep doing it. “Sometimes the players and the fans think the coach decides. The coach watches. You play well, you get out there.” That chance might or might not come to Marincin, who made it easy for Babcock and general manager Lou Lamoriello to decide on their last training camp cuts. But where the Marlies have inherited some disgruntled veteran Leafs, whose anti-AHL attitudes made it uncomfortable for them to be kept, Marincin played 18 games and tried to make himself a useful part of the powerful affiliate club, such as being one its most reliable penalty killers. “I’m excited to be back on the big club,”Marincin said. “It’s a great team, a pretty good group of younger and older guys. “I just feel more relaxed and played like i did before (175 NHL games with Toronto and Edmonton). I think that’s helped me. (Sheldon Keefe) is a great coach who has a helped a lot, so has (assistant) Rob Davison. That’s why we’re winning.” Babcock went as far as to call Marincin “a star down there”, however … “Does he get an opportunity here? That depends on everything; it depends on injuries, it depends on Zaitsev (recovering).” It also depends on Carrick, one of the most studious Leafs you’ll meet and one determined to make the most of his press box note taking on game night these past few weeks. The Leafs play Carolina on Tuesday afternoon which the Leafs are promoting heavily as the “Next Century” game, then it’s off to Columbus for a Wednesday night tilt, a day off then the Rangers in New York. “Zee is a big part of this club, it’s my job to step in,” Carrick said. “After a couple of practices at home, we should be gunned up and energetic. 1088932 Toronto Maple Leafs injuries, that depends on (Carrick). We’re just going to watch the game and go from there,” Babcock said.

Carrick, if he draws in against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday In Nikita Zaitsev's absence, the Leafs will be forced to try new things afternoon, will play in his first game in nearly a month since the Leafs last played Carolina on November 24.

By Scott Wheeler 14 hours ago “The way I look at it it creates an opportunity for Carrick who’s been waiting all year. That’s always the challenge when you’re on an NHL roster every single day: When you get in, do you do enough to stay in? The ball’s in his court and we get to watch it,” Babcock said of Zaitsev’s It was 11:33 a.m., a little under a half an hour before the Leafs’ practice injury. started, when Auston Matthews finished taping his stick and took to the ice for the first time in more than a week – since that December 9 game There’s no guaranteeing the shakeup on defence will have hugely- against the Pittsburgh Penguins when, inadvertently, he bumped into negative consequences on the team. Morgan Rielly and looked shaken. It’s no secret that Zaitsev, and his team-worst 46 CF% and minus-5.41 At one end, there was Curtis McElhinney and Frederik Andersen with a relative CF%, has struggled in an increased role this season at 5-on-5. mannequin. At the other, there was Matthews, skating in light figure His injury should allow for Ron Hainsey and Morgan Rielly, a pairing that eights and making simple passes. Eventually, the figure eights has thrived, to take on a greater role. progressed to shooting from the top of the circle. In theory, that would allow for Jake Gardiner, who too has struggled It lasted 19 minutes, before he left. And that was it. alongside Zaitsev, to settle into a more sheltered role in his absence. That could come with a partner he’s played some of his best hockey with In his absence, the sans-Matthews changes continued up front. William too. For much of last season, Carrick and Gardiner played extremely well Nylander moved back to centre, between Connor Brown and Zach together. Hyman, while Kasperi Kapanen drew in once more with Matt Martin and Dominic Moore, in place of Josh Leivo – who played well against “(Gardiner) is a guy that I respect his game, I respect him as a player, he Minnesota on Thursday. has been a great teammate to me. I think it’s just the modern day game (that allows us to complement each other well). I think he excels at it. It For Kapanen and Nylander the switches represent a major chance. has been a strength of mine throughout my career – skating, passing, Kapanen has played in just four scoreless games with the Leafs this shooting the puck, seeing the ice and then you’ve got to defend well. season after his standout performances in last year’s playoffs. On Friday, Gardiner was a really, really solid player for us last year. He’s a really against Detroit, he played 12:26 (his second highest ice-time of the high quality defenceman in this league,” Carrick said season) and registered three shots. Like Marincin with the Marlies, Carrick leads the Leafs’ defence in goals But it wasn’t the forward group that took on the most significant changes for percentage this year at 67 per cent (14 goals for to seven against at on Sunday. even strength), while playing at an even 50 CF%. Carrick, a student of It was the defence. the game, said he used his time off to pick up on things he’d miss while playing. Two days after Nikita Zaitsev took a shot to the inside of his foot against the Red Wings, he too was missing from practice, placed on injured- “I watched as much as I could to try to understand areas of the ice that reserve and replaced by Martin Marincin. He won’t be back anytime might have been more open than I realized,” Carrick said. “That’s the soon, either. way this league is. The rich get richer, the poor can get poorer sometimes and mentally you have to stay out of your way.” “You can ask me how he’s doing in two weeks and we’ll go from there,” Babcock opened his scrum with on Sunday. It’s the penalty kill that could suffer. Zaitsev has played an astounding 3:37 per game on the penalty kill, the sixth most in the NHL (Hainsey’s And so, the Leafs, who’ve lost three in a row in regulation for the first 4:17 leads the league). In the immediate future, Roman Polak will fill that time this season, begin life without their most-played defencemen void. But Mike Babcock doesn’t know who will play with Morgan Rielly on (Zaitsev leads all Leafs in ice-time with an average of 22:51 per game) the second penalty kill unit. and their most-played forward (Matthews logs a team-high 18:35 up front). The simple answer, is that the Leafs don’t have one – at least not yet.

Marincin, beyond his seven points in 18 games, had changed the “When you’re coaching the backend like D.J. (Smith) does, he watches dynamic on a team full of gifted offensive defencemen with the Marlies. the game, he gets a feel and he puts them in accordingly. Polak’s going He pushed the Marlies’ penalty kill, struggling when he wasn’t in the to get more and one of those guys when he feels he’s playing good is lineup, to a league-best 90.9 per cent. At 5-on-5, the Marlies have going to get a chance and then if he does good, he goes again. And then outscored the opposition 15-4 with Marincin on the ice this season, an even when (Zaitsev) gets back he gets to keep doing it,” Babcock said of astonishing 78.95 goals for percentage (first in the AHL among the chance to insert a new option on the penalty kill. defencemen with more than 15 games played). For better or worse, in a season when Mike Babcock has been hesitant But he may not draw in just yet. His left-handedness makes it so. Still, he to make any changes to his defence, circumstances now dictate that he knows he can translate a more confident game to the NHL than he could must. in the past.

“I’m excited to be back with big club. I think I played great. I’m just more The Athletic LOADED: 12.18.2017 relaxed and started playing like I played before and I think that has helped me. I played good so I feel good,” Marincin said.

“You can really see that he has played in the NHL for a long time. He’s a good defenceman and he makes plays as well. I think it was good for him to go down there, get a little confidence, get some more ice time, and come back up here,” echoed Kasperi Kapanen of his once-Marlies teammate.

In Zaitsev’s place, the Leafs’ new-look defence practiced with Connor Carrick alongside Jake Gardiner. Marincin rotated in as the seventh defencemen.

“(Marincin) is a good player. He has done real well with the Marlies, he has been a star down there, he has done a great job. Does he get an opportunity here? That’s depends on everything. That depends on 1088933 Vegas Golden Knights shouldn’t have. But he got stronger as the game went on and he needed to get some work having sat since Dec. 8. More important, he wasn’t yanked after surrendering the two early goals in the first 5: 13 which Erik Haula redirects Golden Knights to 5-2 victory over Florida shows the coaches have confidence in him. 2. D providing O. For the fourth straight game, a Golden Knights defenseman has scored. Sunday, it was Nate Schmidt and Colin Miller By Steve Carp who got the Knights on the board; Schmidt with a one-timer from below the right circle, Miller with a rising slap shot from just inside the blue line. December 17, 2017 - 7:50 PM Gerard Gallant wants his defensemen involved in the attack and they’re doing just that. Updated December 17, 2017 - 10:38 PM 3. Marchessault’s revenge. Never mind Gerard Gallant getting revenge

on his former team. Jonathan Marchessault really got back at the For Jonathan Marchessault, it was never about revenge. Panthers, scoring a goal and getting two assists. He was left unprotected by Florida in the NHL Expansion Draft and he made the Panthers pay Same for Reilly Smith. And especially for Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly. dearly Sunday. The one-time Florida Panthers were fixated on getting two points Sunday at T-Mobile Arena. They all may have an ax to grind for one reason or another, but the players and coaches are looking at the big picture, which LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.18.2017 is getting the Golden Knights in position to secure a spot in the playoffs in their inaugural season. The got the desired result when Erik Haula broke a 2-2 tie with 8:20 to play, and the Knights went on to defeat Florida 5-2 in front of 17,593 fans. With the win, the Knights (21-9-2) pulled into a first-place tie with idle Los Angeles in the Pacific Division. Both teams have 44 points and the Knights have two games in hand on the Kings. “I wasn’t thinking much about it,” Gallant said about trying to stick it to his former team which fired him and Kelly, his assistant coach, back in November 2016. “I prepared for this game the same way I do for every game. “It wasn’t much fun early when they went up 2-0. But I thought the second half of the game we played real well.” Haula redirected Marchessault’s shot/pass from the top of the right faceoff circle past Florida goaltender James Reimer for his 12th goal of the season. Marchessault spun away from a defender and threw the puck toward the goal and Haula was in the right spot. “It was a weird play,” Haula said. “(Marchessault) was just throwing it at the net and I was in the right place.” For Marchessault, who was left unprotected by Florida in the expansion draft last June, it was a big night, and not just because it was against his former team. Marchessault scored as well, finding the empty net with 2:10 to play after the Panthers pulled Reimer. He had three points against his former team with two assists to go with his 11th goal. He now leads the Knights in scoring with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists). James Neal also had an empty-net goal with 28 seconds remaining, his team-leading 16th. “Once we got our forecheck going and we started skating, we were able to get control,” Marchessault said. “We started a little slow but we picked it up and it was a big win for all of us.” The Panthers managed just two shots on goal in the third period and the 2-0 lead they had built against starting goaltender Malcolm Subban eventually evaporated as the Knights ratcheted up the pressure. First it was defenseman Nate Schmidt from below the right circle as he one-timed Reilly Smith’s pass to cut it to 2-1 at 6:39. It was the fourth straight game a Knights defenseman has tallied a goal. Collin Miller then tied it with 2:40 to play in the first period as he blasted a slap shot past Reimer after taking a feed from Marchessault. Miller, who scored his fifth of the season, leads all Knights defensemen in scoring with 18 points. “I probably could have handled the two goals better,” said Subban, who had 16 saves. “But I was able to get my focus where it needed to be and the guys did a good job in front of me.” Marchessault said he never really got emotional about facing his former team. And while it was clearly not just another game for him, he handled his business professionally and wound up getting a free meal for the weekend after he and former teammate went out for dinner Saturday night and Huberdeau picked up the check. “Like I said before, it’s in the past,” Marchessault said. “I cut the cord last summer and I’m happy to be with the Golden Knights.” Three takeaways 1. Smart starting Subban. At first, it didn’t seem such a hot idea to start Malcolm Subban Sunday as he let in a couple of goals he probably 1088934 Vegas Golden Knights

Facing Florida ‘another game’ for Golden Knights coach Gallant

By David Schoen December 17, 2017 - 6:25 PM Updated December 17, 2017 - 6:28 PM

Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant did his best to minimize Sunday’s reunion with the Florida Panthers, the team that fired him last November. But he admitted it would be unusual seeing his former players on the ice at T-Mobile Arena. “It’s probably going to be different, for sure,” Gallant said during his pregame news conference. “Like I said, I’m going to look out there and I’m going to see (Jonathan) Huberdeau and (Aleksander) Barkov and (Vincent) Trocheck, (Aaron) Ekblad and those kids. “There will definitely be something, but again, I’m there to coach my team the best I can and try and get two big points tonight. I had 2½ years in Florida and I loved every minute of it. You move on and get ready for your next challenge.” Gallant went 96-65-25 with the Panthers and was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL Coach of the Year in 2015-16 when he led Florida to a franchise-record 47 wins and 103 points. Gallant was fired Nov. 27, 2016, after opening the season 11-10-1. “Tonight for me is another game, it’s another two big points,” Gallant said. “The only thing, I’ll be looking out there and seeing a lot of players I’m real familiar with.” Panther pays the tab The Panthers flew to Las Vegas following Thursday’s 2-1 loss at Colorado, giving them extra time to catch up with an old face. Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault, who played with Florida last season before being selected in the expansion draft, said he had dinner Saturday night with Panthers’ left wing Jonathan Huberdeau. “Always good memories and he’s one of my good friends,” Marchessault said. “But on the ice, it’s business as usual, too.” Marchessault, who is in line for a hefty raise when he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, was asked who paid for the meal. “He did,” Marchessault said with a grin. “He makes more money.” Odds and ends Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland played in his 500th career NHL game. … The Knights entered Sunday’s game 12-2-1 at home, tied with St. Louis for the most home wins among Western Conference teams. … Florida forward Connor Brickley, who was selected by the Knights in the expansion draft from Carolina, was scratched.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088935 Vegas Golden Knights “It’s a great feeling,” Marchessault said. “You always want to beat your old team, especially for me, (Reilly) Smith and Turk. That’s our old team and we wanted to get that win.” Golden Knights exact revenge for Gerard Gallant in victory over Panthers The Panthers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead over Vegas in the opening six minutes, but were held scoreless for the remainder of the game while the Golden Knights scored five unanswered goals. By Jesse Granger It’s just one game removed from the Golden Knights’ 2-1 win over Marc- Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 | 9:23 p.m. Andre Fleury’s former team -- the Penguins. “It’s like last game for (Fleury),” Marchessault said. “We wanted that win so much for him and I think tonight was the same thing. We wanted that It was 385 days ago in Raleigh, North Carolina, when the Florida win for Turk.” Panthers unloaded Gerard Gallant’s blue equipment bags from the bottom of the team bus. Gallant carried the bags to the curb, where he Next up for the Golden Knights is a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning, hailed a cab. who bring the NHL’s best record to Las Vegas on Tuesday. In his second year with the club, Gallant led the Panthers to an Atlantic “To be honest with you I haven’t thought about Tampa,” Gallant said. “I Division title and the best regular season in franchise history. Florida’s want to enjoy this one for a little bit.” front office disagreed with him philosophically, and thanked Gallant by firing him only 22 games into his third season without as much as a bus As he should. Gallant is far too professional to come out and say it, but it ride to the airport. had to be gratifying to beat the team that wronged him. The photos of Gallant loading his bags into the taxi went viral and the vast majority of the hockey community backed Gallant, or as his coaches LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 12.18.2017 and players affectionately call him — "Turk." That’s partially due to Gallant’s undeniable success in his short time in Florida. He had a record of 96-64-25 with a team that was 44-72-14 in the two seasons before he got there. But it has more to do with the fact that he’s known as one of the most honest, hard-working people in the sport and the overwhelming perception was that the Panthers handled the situation poorly. “Our guys respect the hell out of him,” Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “He gets on guys but he’s fair, he’s firm and he holds people accountable. As a professional athlete that’s what you want.” That’s why the Golden Knights' 5-2 win Sunday night over the Florida Panthers was extra sweet. “He’s there to back our guys at every turn, at every point in the season, even when we haven’t played well,” Schmidt said. “It just makes it that much better of a win for us.” Heading into the first game against the team that fired him, Gallant refused to make it about himself. “It’s another game for me,” Gallant said. “I was fortunate enough to be with that team for two and a half years as a head coach and enjoyed every minute of it. I got ready for this game the way I get ready for every game. It doesn’t make any difference to me.” “He’s definitely a professional, and didn’t say anything to our guys,” Schmidt said. “But you want to battle for your guys.” As a former player, Gallant is “one of the guys” as much as any coach in the NHL. “They know what they’re going to get from me,” Gallant said. “If we’re not playing well I’m not going to be happy. If we’re playing well, working hard and doing the right things, but we lose hockey games there’s no issue. Do the best you can do, work hard every day, make yourself better and that’s our philosophy.” Gallant played 10 years in the NHL, racking up 211 goals, 269 assists and 1,674 penalty minutes. General manager George McPhee described Gallant as, “a tough, honest player,” upon hiring him and added, “I think those guys are the ones that relate to players the best.” Schmidt and other Golden Knights players agree. “That’s the best of the best,” Schmidt said. “That’s the way you want it to be and that’s the reason why I think our guys play so hard for him. That’s our M.O. We work hard because our coaches put in the work before the game and lay out a plan for us to be able to successful.” Gallant’s philosophy has the Golden Knights back in first place of the Pacific Division with an impressive record of 21-9-2. “I hope nothing changes,” Gallant said. “I hope they keep the same attitude and play the same way every night and I think that’s what is making us so successful. We know we got some good hockey players over there.” Jonathan Marchessault, who was left exposed by the Panthers during June’s expansion draft despite scoring 30 goals with them the season prior, had a goal and two assists in the win over his former club. 1088936 Vegas Golden Knights Gallant spoke glowingly of many Panthers in the pregame press conference, including Vincent Trocheck who leads Florida with 13 goals and 19 assists. Golden Knights score 5 unanswered goals to beat Panthers It’s also a reunion game for Golden Knights’ forwards Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. Smith was traded to the Golden Knights for a fourth round pick during the summer and Marchessault was left exposed By Jesse Granger by Florida during June’s expansion draft despite scoring 30 goals a season ago. Published Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 | 4:47 p.m. In net for the Golden Knights will be Malcolm Subban after sitting out the Updated Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 | 7:40 p.m. last two with the return of Fleury. Florida has struggled this season to a dismal record of 12-15-5 and the Golden Knights will want to win this game for Gallant. The Golden Knights overcame an early two-goal deficit to beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena. Prediction : Golden Knights 6, Panthers 1 Midway through the third period, Golden Knights forward Jonathan Season record for predictions: 17-12 Marchessault, who was taken from Florida during June’s expansion draft, threw a wrist shot at the goal during a power play. Puck drops: 5:00 p.m. Erik Haula was parked in front of Panthers’ goalie James Reimer, and Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas tipped it past him into the net to give Vegas its 13th home win in 16 tries. Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM In the closing minutes Marchessault and James Neal scored an empty net goals to ice the game. TV: AT&T SportsNet (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink Prism 1760) Florida raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game, but Betting line: Golden Knights minus-175, Total 6 minus-115 to the under were held scoreless by goaltender Malcolm Subban from that point. Golden Knights (20-9-2) (12-2-1 home) Subban saved 16-of-18 shots to record his fourth-straight win. Coach: Gerard Gallant Vegas got first-period goals from defenders Nate Schmidt and Colin Miller, and outshot Florida 40-18. Goal leader: William Karlsson (15) Next up for the Golden Knights is a date with the best team in the NHL. Assist leader: David Perron (17) Vegas hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday night. Expected goalie: Malcolm Subban (7-2-0, 2.33 goals against average) Golden Knights, Panthers tied 2-2 after two periods Florida Panthers (12-15-5) (6-9-2 away) After a fast-paced second period, things slowed down over the next 20 minutes for the Golden Knights and Panthers. Coach: Bob Boughner The teams will head to the final period tied 2-2 after a scoreless second Goal leader: Vincent Trocheck (13) period Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena. Assist leader: Jonathan Huberdeau (23) Vegas had two power play opportunities but weren’t able to muster much Expected goalie: James Reimer (6-8-4, 3.48 goals against average) offense during either against the Panthers’ 25th-ranked penalty kill. Golden Knights game day roster The Golden Knights have outshot Florida 20-16 through 40 minutes, and are 4-2-1 when entering the third period tied this season. Forwards (12): Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Cody Eakin, Erik Haula, William Karlsson, Brendan Leipsic, Oscar Lindberg, Jonathan Golden Knights, Panthers tied 2-2 after one period Marchessault, James Neal, Tomas Nosek, David Perron, Reilly Smith The Golden Knights are tied 2-2 after a first period that resembled a track and Alex Tuch. meet more than a hockey game. Defensemen (6): Deryk Engelland, Brayden McNabb, Jon Merrill, Colin Early on, the Panthers did something opposing teams have struggled to Miller, Nate Schmidt and Shea Theodore. do this season -- quiet T-Mobile Arena. Goalies (2): Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban Florida scored back-to-back goals in less than three minutes to jump out to a 2-0 lead over the Golden Knights. LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 12.18.2017 Radim Vrbata scored first on the power play. He received a cross-ice pass from Denis Malgin and slapped a one-timer past Golden Knights’ goalie Malcolm Subban. Minutes later, the Panthers added another when Mike Matheson was allowed to walk in and rip a slap shot past Subban to make it 2-0. Vegas would get the crowd back into it though, scoring consecutive goals of its own to tie the game late in the period. Nate Schmidt scored on a one timer for his second goal of the season to cut the deficit to one. Colin Miller then tied the game with a hard shot from the blue line that found its way past Florida goalie James Reimer. Pre game The Golden Knights host the Florida Panthers tonight, for the third game of a five-game homestand at T-Mobile Arena. It’s one game removed from an emotional win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, where Marc-Andre Fleury faced his former team for the first time. Tonight is a similar situation for head coach Gerard Gallant, who was surprisingly fired from Florida on Nov. 27, 2016. Gallant said the game holds no significant meaning to him, other than he knows a lot of the players on the other side of the ice. 1088937 Washington Capitals “Obviously, V has a ton of speed and skill, and he’s using it offensively, which is a good thing,” goaltender Braden Holtby said. “I think Kuzy can control the puck, and with V still young and inexperienced, Kuzy’s helping First came Ovechkin and Backstrom, now Capitals have Vrana and him with just coming back, slowing things down, getting it out of the Kuznetsov [defensive] zone, making sure he’s a pass option at times. Kuzy’s speed can get back if we do end up making a mistake or whatever. I think he’s taking it as a big challenge for him and he’s doing a fantastic job with more of a leadership role with V and letting him use his skill when he By Isabelle Khurshudyan can.” December 17 at 3:47 PM Said Kuznetsov: “If you’re not going to try to do something on the ice, it’s tough to learn. That’s how he got confidence, you know? It’s easy to put

pressure on him, but it’s tough to help him. I mean, mentally you’ve got to Jakub Vrana rubbed his hands over his face and sighed, struggling to find a way how to talk with him, and you see the results.” come up with a definitive answer to the question. You see, Vrana’s

surprising offensive tear means everyone wants to know the correct way to say his name, and Vrana insists he doesn’t have a preference Washington Post LOADED: 12.18.2017 between the Czech “Ya-kub,” or the Americanized “Jacob.” He’s also added “Ya-koob” and “Jake” as acceptable variations. “Whatever,” Vrana finally said with a smile and a shrug. As a rookie with the Capitals, Vrana is still reserved, even around his teammates, who affectionately call him “V.” Enter center Evgeny Kuznetsov, who’s made it his personal mission to help Vrana relax and get comfortable. Their connection is also the reason Vrana’s name has been coming up so often lately. Washington’s long had the dynamic duo of center Nicklas Backstrom and superstar winger Alex Ovechkin, but perhaps a new, younger version has started to bond. Kuznetsov and Vrana have been on the ice together for nine Capitals goals dating back to when Coach Barry Trotz paired them on a line 12 games ago. With his goal against the Boston Bruins Thursday, Vrana has reached the 10-goal plateau, the first Washington rookie to do that since — you guessed it — Kuznetsov in the 2014-15 season. “I just think if you have some relationships and you have a little bit of a friendship and you’re on the same line, you want to do well,” Trotz said. “So you try to help each other and you grow a little bit of a bond.” Kuznetsov is considered the Capitals’ most creative player with his unique vision and awareness on the ice, so when Trotz has noticed Kuznetsov often chatting with Vrana on the bench, Trotz figured Kuznetsov is just “coaching him along.” In reality, hockey is the last thing Kuznetsov wants to talk about with Vrana. Though Kuznetsov is in his fourth full NHL season, he’s just four years older than Vrana, not quite comfortable with the “mentor” title in their relationship. “My part is probably just trying to be me,” Kuznetsov said, and that means maintaining his reputation as the team’s resident joker. Vrana said he tries to stay focused on the game when Kuznetsov begins his comedy routine on the bench, “but he’s funny. I like that.” “They’ll have a couple chuckles, too, there’s no question,” Trotz said. “I never talk about hockey with him,” Kuznetsov said. “He don’t need it. We have coaches, we have everyone else. Sometimes when the game’s not going well, he’s going so deep and he’s thinking about that, that’s when my part of the job comes in. Just have to give him joke or whatever. … He’s worrying that he made a mistake or whatever. I always tell him, ‘Hey, that’s OK.'” When Vrana went through a scoring slump earlier in the season, Trotz made him a healthy scratch and criticized the 21-year-old for being in “participation mode.” Vrana played in 21 games with the Capitals last season, but when he started to struggle, the team sent him back to the American Hockey League, where he was then scratched in two playoff games. Because Vrana is still waivers-exempt, Washington doesn’t risk another team swiping him if the organization chooses to re-assign him to the minors, so he doesn’t have the same security as some other rookies. But rather than let the November scratch and the stress of his standing on the team derail his season like it might have a year ago, Vrana responded well. He’s scored six goals and recorded two assists in the 14 games since, and the 24-goal pace he’s on has been a welcome surprise after Washington parted with top-six forwards Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams in the offseason. “I’m not putting my head in the trash there,” Vrana said. “I tried to keep going and build my confidence up.” Vrana and Kuznetsov are two of the Capitals’ fastest players, so their speed naturally complements each other. But there’s more to their successful partnership. Once considered a defensive liability, Kuznetsov has improved his two-way play to the point that he’s encouraged Vrana to take chances on the ice because if there’s a turnover, Kuznetsov can cover for him. “Just dangle guys, I’ve got backcheck,” he told him. 1088938 Washington Capitals

Was Evgeny Kuznetsov even trying to shoot on his game-tying goal?

By J.J. Regan December 17, 2017 10:44 AM

What is the one knock on Evgeny Kuznetsov’s game? You know what it is. Everybody say it with me now: He needs to shoot the puck more. It’s no secret what fans want the talented Russian forward to do. They yell it from the stands of Capital One Arena or when they watching the TV braodcast at home. Heck, Barry Trotz has talked about it to the media before. That’s what made Saturday’s win over the Anaheim Ducks so refreshing. With Washington down 2-1 in the third, Jakub Vrana found Kuznetsov in the slot and he buried it into the net behind Ducks goalie John Gibson. He even had Tom Wilson on the back door to pass to, but he chose instead to shoot the puck. That shows that he…wait, what’s that? “I think Kuzy was, on his goal, I think he was trying to make one more pass,” Trotz said after the game. No way. This is just the head coach being tongue-in-cheek, right? Watch the replay and see for yourself: Oh. Yeah, that was definitely a pass. Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano reaches in to try and get his stick in the way of the shot and the puck deflects off his stick and into the net. If you watch, however, the puck was never intended to go on net. Instead, Kuznetsov was trying to get it to Wilson on the back door. At this moment, Kuznetsov still has the puck on his stick, but the blade of the stick is not facing the goal. It is facing Wilson. The fact that he has not yet released the puck at this point means he’s not aiming for the goal. While aiming at Wilson, Cogliano’s stick gets in the way and deflects it on net. Could Kuznetsov have gotten that puck to Wilson? Defenseman Kevin Bieksa is in the passing lane, but if anyone could thread that needle, it’s Kuznetsov. The point , however, is that passing here is the wrong decision. Kuznetsov has the opportunity to shoot from a high-danger area. Wilson would have had a layup if Kuznetsov had gotten him the puck, but trying to pass through Bieksa is a much more difficult play. If you already have the puck in a high-danger area with an opportunity to shoot, you need to take that opportunity. The bad news is Kuznetsov was trying to pass up a scoring chance for a more difficult play to set up a teammate. The good news is that it didn't matter. Cogliano’s effort to try to defend the shot ended up putting the puck into the back of the net thus saving Kuznetsov from making the wrong decision. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, but there’s still a lesson here for Kuznetsov on why shooting the puck is the better option.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088939 Winnipeg Jets year, but in the opposite way where we’d get down and then we’d try and open up the game."

Allen was beaten cleanly on Laine's bullet, his league-leading 10th Jets get their revenge by shutting out Blues 4-0 power-play marker, at 15:13 of the middle frame after a nifty pass from Mathieu Perreault. Jason Bell Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves to earn his second shutout of the season. Posted: 12/17/2017 7:45 PM Josh Morrissey closed out the scoring with his fifth of the year less than Last Modified: 12/17/2017 9:55 PM two minutes after setting up Scheifele. The Scheifele-Wheeler-Kyle Connor line was extremely effective, generating a number of terrific scoring chances while digging deep in Similarly impressive performances by the Winnipeg Jets within a 24-hour their own end to shut down Blues' stars such as Brayden Schenn and span produced very different results, but such is life in the NHL's ultra- Vladimir Tarasenko. competitive Central Division. There was no quit by the unit, despite the irritation of misfiring on many The Jets outplayed the St. Louis Blues for the second time in as many good opportunities Saturday and then botching some early opportunities days and were justly rewarded Sunday with a convincing 4-0 home-ice in the rematch, said head coach Paul Maurice. victory. "They put up 17 shots last night and came away without anything, and it’s Adam Lowry and Patrik Laine broke open a scoreless game with second- frustration, but they didn’t change their game. That’s the fear that you period goals, while Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey added third- have when you have an offensive group that isn't getting results, final period tallies for the hosts. results — goals and assists — that they will start playing perimeter games or look for a different kind of offence," Maurice said. "They didn’t Coming off a 2-0 shutout to the Blues despite doing plenty of good things do that and they were rewarded. Saturday in St. Louis, the Jets (19-10-5) rebounded with a dominant effort, outshooting the visitors by another wide margin, this time 46-24. "From a coaching point, more in terms of quality of play, if the puck doesn’t go in the net for them, it’s not the end of the world because their Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck registered his second shutout of the play is right." season as his club snapped a two-game losing streak and is 4-4-1 in the month of December. The Jets have scrapped a scheduled practice Monday and will head out later in the day for a three-game road trip prior to Christmas, with Joel Armia crashes into St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen in the matchups against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, the Boston Bruins second period. on Thursday and the New York Islanders in Brooklyn, N.Y., Saturday. "We kind of deserved this one because (of the loss the day before). I

thought we were the better team," said Hellebuyck. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.18.2017 "It's very satisfying and I think it's better for the guys in this room because now they know that they did play the right way (Saturday) and they continued to play the right way." Blake Wheeler, who sounded like he’s still battling the cold he’s had for more than a week, said the Jets shook off the frustration of firing four- dozen pucks at Blues goalie Carter Hutton the night before and coming up empty, remained focused and played the same dogged style of hockey to grab two well-earned points. "Credit goes to every guy for just staying in the fight and saying the right things and staying engaged, and we finally broke through there and were able to take control of the game in the second period," he said, noting it showed tremendous character to maintain that level of consistency against the powerful Blues (22-11-2) in the second half of the back-to- back, home-and-home series. "You leave that game (Saturday) and you don't really know what happened. You play half as well sometimes and you score five, and then you play as hard and as well as you can expect a team to play and you come out with nothing," he added. "It's frustrating for a team that's used to scoring goals and likes scoring goals. That's why it was great to have guys say the right things before the game, not down on the fact that we didn't results last night, but motivated and a little bit p——- off." Winnipeg is three points behind St. Louis and Nashville (21-7-4) in the division, and five up on fourth-place Dallas (18-14-2). Call it the 63rd time lucky for the Jets, who finally scored on their 15th shot on goalie Jake Allen after taking 48 the night before at Scottrade Center. Allen had no chance on the Lowry's fifth goal of the year, the game opener. Jets winger Brandon Tanev didn't just take a hit to make a play, he got squished by a pair of Blues after winning a foot race deep and then leaving the puck for Andrew Copp, who found Lowry alone in front at 4:32. "That’s what (Tanev) does, he takes hits, he blocks shots, he’s great on the forecheck, so (it was a) great play by him and then (Lowry) is in the right spot and I was able to get it through a hole and he buries it. It was nice for our line to be rewarded," said Copp, who also drew an assist on Mark Scheifele's 15th goal in the third period. Copp said finally getting that first goal allowed the team to breathe a little easier. "We’ve been really good with the lead, too, so I think getting the lead was important because it seems like other teams try to open the game against us," he said. "It's that snowball effect, kind of what happened last 1088940 Winnipeg Jets Ultimately, the Blues were the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Sault St. Marie, Ont., product's third team in about 10 days. He was targetted by St. Louis after the club traded rugged Winnipegger Ryan Reaves to the Pittsburgh Welcome back, Thorbs Penguins. "I was just honoured to have other teams interested... to realize there are still teams that need my services," he said. Jason Bell Blues head coach Mike Yeo said Thorburn's work ethic and veteran Posted: 12/17/2017 6:21 PM presence have been appreciated in the dressing room and on the ice. | Last Modified: 12/17/2017 7:00 PM "First off, he’s a fantastic teammate. He’s a great pro. He’s a guy that comes to the rink and brings a great energy," said Yeo. "His play on the ice, he brings momentum, he brings energy and he’s a guy that’s tough to play against." Ex-Jet Chris Thorburn didn't get any special treatment from players on his former team Sunday. Thorburn, who skated for four seasons with the Thrashers and six more with the Jets, said the thought of finishing his career with Winnipeg had Same double-twos on his back, same long, black hair jutting out of his lid, crossed his mind. same grit and tenacity. "There was that thought, but we knew there's kids pushing. They've got a Same Chris Thorburn, just a different jersey. good farm system, they drafted well. The organization's strong right The ex-Jets right-winger made his return to Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, now," said the father of a seven-year-old son and 13-month-old daughter. admitting he needed some help from new St. Louis teammate Brayden "For me, I felt I still had some hockey left in me, it just wasn't going to be Schenn finding his way to the opponents' dressing room while visiting here. But at the same time this place holds a big part in my heart and my town with the rest of the Blues. family. But he was pretty excited to be back at the downtown rink in the city his "They're a first-class organization. It was almost mutual... it was a good family called home for six NHL seasons. breakup. Winnipeg's doing great this year, as well as St. Louis, so it's "I was telling my trainer it's a cool experience. Not many people get to working out for both sides." experience this, as far as playing for an organization for a long period of He's well aware his time as the franchise leader in games played is time and then leaving and then coming back," said Thorburn, who nearly done. chatted with reporters prior to the game. "Bryan Little's right behind me (706) so I have to hurry up and get him "I'm just going to try and embrace it and have fun with it." traded or he's going to pass me quick here," joked Thorburn, who played Hockey fans at Bell MTS Place gave him a warm Winnipeg welcome on a line with centre Kyle Brodziak and winger Scottie Upshall. back. Thorburn, a fan favourite for his dogged play and willingness to "It's something I'll probably think about more when I'm done, but at the drop the mitts, received a nice cheer when he was shown on the big same time, to be able to play in one organization for that long... I'm very screen during the anthems and then got a standing ovation when he was honoured." officially greeted during a stoppage of play midway through the opening period. The Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise leader for regular-season games played Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.18.2017 (709) from 2007 to 2017 was signed by the Blues on July 1, the opening day of the NHL's free-agency period. The two sides agreed on a two- year, US$1.8 million contract, meaning he stayed in the Central Division. The battle with his former Winnipeg teammates — the teams' second in as many days — was the 34-year-old forward's 21st contest of the 2017- 18 campaign. Coming into Sunday's contest, he had three assists in a familiar fourth-line role. Thorburn said the butterflies were flapping prior to Saturday's battle in St. Louis — a 2-0 triumph for the Western Conference powerhouse Blues. "It was strange. Even hearing their voices calling for pucks and stuff like that. It was fun, it really was," he said. "I got a bump on (Jets blue-liner) Benny Chiarot early, and it's always nice to bump Benny. It was an exciting game, Obviously, the biggest concern for us was we were coming off two games with losses, so rebounding was huge." Thorburn's route to employment with St. Louis was intriguing, to say the least. A pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), he was a surprise selection of the Vegas Golden Knights during the June expansion draft; his name was called as the result of a trade in which Vegas steered clear of several unprotected Jets, including defenceman Toby Enstrom. Instead, the Golden Knights took Thorburn and acquired Winnipeg's first- round (13th overall) pick in the NHL Draft just days later and a third- round choice in the 2019 draft. The Knights shipped their 24th overall pick in the 2017 draft to Winnipeg. Thorburn, who scored 24 goals and chipped in 32 assists as a Jet, said those were some wild summer days. "It was cool, just to be drafted twice in my career. Not many people can say that, especially me," he said, laughing. "It was a weird day because we were headed to Michigan Adventure, which is an amusement park in Michigan, and I kind of got tipped off. I didn't even know I qualified (for being taken by the Golden Knights) because I was a UFA, so I didn't even know I was in the mix. "I was told that I'd be getting drafted, so panic immediately set in. But once I got to understand the whole process I was a UFA no matter what, we had fun with it." 1088941 Winnipeg Jets Morrissey’s enhanced role isn’t a big surprise to a fellow Calgary product on the Jets roster.

“I played against Josh for a long time in the and Morrissey moving forward: Smooth blue-liner keeps getting better I remember when he came in, he had a lot of talent and a lot of offensive skill,” said Jets centre Adam Lowry. “He’s really worked hard defensively and now he’s become one of our better defensive defencemen and that’s Ken Wiebe a really big compliment to him. He’s worked at his game. December 17, 2017 “He’s a tremendous skater and as he’s become comfortable in this league, we’re going to see more offence in his game. You’re going to see December 17, 2017 10:57 PM CST him jumping up in the rush. He’s able to become that fourth forward up in the play, create odd-man rushes and still get back (defensively). He and

(Trouba) have done a tremendous job of matching up against the other Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice discusses the emergence of teams top lines. That’s a D pair we’re hopeful will be together for a long defenceman Josh Morrissey. time.” The evolution Josh Morrissey has undergone is nothing short of Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff couldn’t agree more and it will impressive. be up to him to supply contract extensions for both pending restricted free agents before next season. Chosen 13th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2013 NHL Draft, Morrissey came out of junior hockey as an offensive defenceman who was working hard to round out his all-around game. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.18.2017 But following his first pro season as a member of the Manitoba Moose, Morrissey not only earned a job with the Jets, he started the season on the top pairing with Dustin Byfuglien. “I’ve never seen a player take what we would have said were his challenges to make it to the NHL and make it his strengths, seemingly over the summer,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said in a recent interview. “He came to the first training camp as a real smooth, puck- moving defenceman. An offensive guy. “He’s so good with that stick and he’s got some good inside physicality. He hasn’t cheated for the offence at any point, but his numbers now are starting to creep up a little bit. It’s all been very quiet.” Now in just his second NHL season, Morrissey has spent the bulk of the 2017-18 season on the shutdown pairing with Jacob Trouba, playing against the top offensive players almost every time he’s out on the ice. “You know what, it’s just your evolution as a player,” said Morrissey, who had a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 4-0 win over the St. Louis Blues. “You get drafted at 18, you’re pretty young and you go back and play a couple of more years of junior. As I’ve grown into being a pro and the pro style of game, my game has evolved to be better defensively. That’s something I really take pride in. Through the coaching staff and through experience, they’ve really helped me improve in those areas. “For me, the biggest thing is stick position and body position and having that compete level up. If I have those things going, then you use your mind to try and read the play and to try and get ahead of the play.” There wasn’t a watershed moment for Morrissey when the light bulb went on and things started to come easier when it came to his work in the defensive zone. “It just sort of gradually got better throughout my year in the minors,” said Morrissey. “Then last year, as the year went on, it got better as well. It’s something you have to work on every day.” Morrissey’s emergence from a complementary player to one of the most consistent players on the back end, has been interesting storyline to monitor through the first 34 games. “He’s grooming himself into becoming one of those No.1 type of defencemen,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “How well he plays defensively is just tremendous. When you draft a guy like that, I don’t think that’s what they expected necessarily. I remember when he came into camp early on, when he was in junior, a power-play guy, a little guy, a quick guy, makes nice plays. I certainly never saw that coming, the level of defence he can play. He’s gone against the best players in the world and taken them out of games sometimes, so what a player.” What does Morrissey think of his personal growth? “I’m pretty happy with how it’s been going,” said Morrissey. “More importantly, our team has been going well. Individually, throughout our lineup, we’ve had lots of guys starting to evolve in their games. Everyone gets a little bit older and you start to mature as a player. You’re starting to see that throughout our entire lineup. “I’ve been happy with how I’ve been playing. I do have a very high expectation and goals for where I want to be as a player. So, you’re always working towards how you can get better and how you can improve. I guess if you’re looking on a track of where I want to get to as a player, I’m happy with the track that I’ve been on.” 1088942 Winnipeg Jets Maurice was asked about the injury story line going into the first match- up of the season between the two Central Division rivals.

“We’re fine about that. (The Blues) had some big injuries right at the start Thorburn excited to see old teammates…Hellebuyck gets an extra day to and the question was how were they going to get out of the gate and they regroup…Pietrangelo set to return…Injuries a factor (for both answered that,” said Maurice. “They’ve done a marvellous job of teams)…Moose on fire surviving some important people out of their lineup because they’ve got some real good depth here. We feel we’ve developed some depth on our group so …we miss (Byfuglien) and (Enstrom) for sure. The minutes and Ken Wiebe the situations they play in. Everybody has to go through it and to do well you have to flourish in those times as well.” December 17, 2017 Still rolling December 17, 2017 3:53 PM CST The Manitoba Moose continued to roll on Saturday, earning a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum. ST. LOUIS – Chris Thorburn was doing his best to treat it as just another Moose goalie Michael Hutchinson made 39 saves as he improved to 10- game, but playing a first game against his old mates after 10 seasons in 1-2 with one shutout, a 1.76 goals-against average and .949 save % in the organization was going to be an emotional experience. 13 AHL games this season. “A little nervous, a little anxious, excited. All of those emotions (after) 10 Offensively, the Moose were led by rookie winger Mason Appleton, who years with one organization or whatever it was. The first shift will be chipped in a pair of assists and is up to 10 goals and 26 points in 28 tough, but once I get that over with it will just be another hockey game American Hockey League games this season. hopefully,” Thorburn said after the morning skate and being facing off against the Winnipeg Jets. “It will be a little different. It’s one I marked on The decision for Appleton to leave the Michigan State Spartans program my calendar when I first signed with St. Louis.” after his sophomore season is looking like a wise one so far. Thorburn, who played 713 games for the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers The Moose, who improved to 20-5-1-2, face the Marlies on Sunday to franchise between 2007 and 2017, was chosen by the Vegas Golden close out a stretch of three games in three days. Knights in the expansion draft but was never signed, making him an unrestricted free agent. Prior to the game, the Moose recalled goalie Jamie Phillips from the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL, since Eric Comrie was injured in The rugged winger then signed a two-year deal worth $1.8 million Friday’s win over the Belleville Senators. ($900,000) with the Blues to remain in the Central Division.

He’s enjoying his new surroundings, but has kept an eye on what his former team is up to. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.18.2017 “(The Jets) are doing a good job, they’re right with us,” said Thorburn. “The standings are close and there’s no question this team, this (Jets) organization was ready to burst out. Hopefully, we can slow them down a bit. We understand the task.” Prior to the game, Thorburn had an opportunity to catch up with a few of his former teammates. “He stopped by to say hello to everybody,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “He’s such a big personality…the guy walks down the hallway and everybody walks out, all the trainers and coaches and players that are there to say hello to him. He’s had a real positive impact on our team and the culture of our group and we’re really glad he’s found a place he can play in and have an impact.” Thorburn had no points on Saturday and took 11 shifts for 6:06 of ice time, recording one hit. He has three assists and 17 penalty minutes in 20 games this season. Time for some extra work After starting nine of the past 11 games and appearing in 26 of the first 33 games, Saturday was a good time for Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck to get an extra day of work in as Steve Mason got the call between the pipes. “Sure. We haven’t had enough practice time and certainly when he’s running the number of games that he has you’re really watching that workload,” said Maurice. “So it gives him a chance to get out for a little bit of time and working on some things.” Hellebuyck, who is 16-4-4 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .917 save % in 26 games this season, is expected to get the call in goal on Sunday in the rematch with the Blues. On the mend After missing the past three games with a lower-body injury, Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo is expected to be activated off injured reserve and return to the lineup against the Jets. Pietrangelo, who was on the ice on Saturday morning for the Blues optional skate, is having a tremendous season, recording seven goals and 23 points in 30 games while averaging 25:45 of ice time per game. Working through it There were several key cogs missing from both lineups on Saturday – defencemen Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom for the Jets and blue- liners Jay Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo and forwards Jaden Schwartz and Robby Fabbri for the Blues. 1088943 Winnipeg Jets Running into a hot goalie is going to happen on occasion over the course of an 82-game season and this was just the second time in 33 games the Jets have been blanked. Jets can’t solve Hutton: Mason shines in return but Jets fall 2-0 to Blues “What more can you do?” asked Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “That was a hell of a road game, wouldn’t you say? We played pretty good. Sometimes that’s the way it works. I wouldn’t call them woes; I would just Ken Wiebe say we’ve been really, really damn good at home. Certainly you’d think that you’d throw that again and you’d be on the right side of it. But December 17, 2017 nothing is guaranteed.” December 17, 2017 8:45 AM CST Wheeler is right, nothing is guaranteed. But with efforts similar to the one put forth on Saturday, the Jets shouldn’t be left looking for answers much longer. ST. LOUIS – It was billed as a battle of the backups and ended up being a spectacular goaltender’s duel. “That’s a game you can be happy playing,” said Trouba. “We lost, but we stay consistent with that game and play that every night, we’ll have a As Steve Mason returned to game action for the first time since suffering good shot in a lot of games. a concussion on Nov. 25, the Winnipeg Jets netminder did his part but didn’t get any offensive support as the St. Louis Blues earned a 2-0 “That’s just how it goes sometimes. We have those games for us. It’s part victory on Saturday at Scottrade Center. of hockey. Stay confident in that game and know that’s how we need to play. Everybody has a little sour taste after losing, but we know we’re “Sometimes the way hockey works is you can put as good an effort as happy with how we played and need to replicate it (Sunday).” possible and still come up on the short end of the stick,” said Mason, who finished with 28 saves. “That’s the frustrating part about the game, but the nice thing is you can get right back up on the horse and we have a great opportunity to continue the strong effort and get two points Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.18.2017 tomorrow.” The two teams meet again on Sunday at Bell MTS Place, with puck drop scheduled for just after 5 p.m. Mason’s best save of the night came in the third period as he sprawled to rob Blues forward Alex Steen with his stick on what appeared to be a sure wraparound goal. “That wraparound save was one of the better saves that I’ve seen,” said Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba. “He was great. He stopped every puck we expect him to stop and a couple he probably shouldn’t have.” As good as Mason was, Blues netminder Carter Hutton was just that much better, finishing with 48 saves as he improved to 5-2 and pitched his first shutout of the season. Frustration was in full supply regarding the inability to beat Hutton despite 77 shot attempts (12 were blocked and another 17 missed the net). “I don’t know what the manifestation of your team pressing is,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “I think we put pucks to the net, we opened our game up a little bit at times, but we didn’t cheat any part of the game. We didn’t do anything too outlandish or high-risk for very little return. In our minds, we felt pretty good about our offensive game for the most part. “We liked the territorial play that we had, certainly through the first two (periods). We liked big chunks of our game. There are always places you can improve in your game. I don’t think you necessarily need to be more determined around the net, but we needed to come up with a few of those pucks that we laying there.” The Jets have every right to feel good about the way they played on Saturday, it’s futile to argue they didn’t come out with a solid effort. On the flip side, the Blues were opportunistic, scoring a pair of power play goals – Vladimir Tarasenko’s long rebound goal and Vince Dunn’s point shot made it through a pile of bodies on the way to the net. The Jets, who slipped to 18-10-5 on the season, have dropped six consecutive road games (0-4-2) and have picked up a point in just two of the past six games (1-4-1) overall. For a team that’s lost three straight just once this season, this stretch certainly qualifies as a stretch of adversity. “There’s a change in gears here that happens in December,” said Maurice. “Pressure starts to weigh pretty heavy on some teams. That’s all part of that learning process with the grind. This is the real NHL now. You got through the easy part and you’re into that heavier area where teams are fighting and you’ve got to learn how to do it.” Learning how to play winning hockey on a consistent basis is extremely difficult and the Jets aren’t able to sneak up on teams these days. That’s a testament to their hot start. It also means they need to raise their level, just like the competition is doing against them. 1088944 Winnipeg Jets Kulikov – Myers

Chiarot – Poolman

Winnipeg is struggling. Are Dimitry Kulikov and Tyler Myers to blame? To me, this setup is exactly the most sensible play.

Jacob Trouba and Morrissey were already seeing heavy usage – second- and third-most even-strength minutes per game among Jets By Murat Ates defence, respectively. And, in the 16 games they’ve played together since Mathieu Perreault returned to the lineup Nov. 16, they sit at 52.3 per cent on-ice Corsi and 52.6 per cent on-ice goals for. Despite their Last week on TSN 1290, Andrew “Hustler” Paterson asked me a early November struggles, Winnipeg’s de facto number one pairing has dangerous question: if there is anyone on this edition of the Winnipeg been very good since Perreault’s return from injury. Jets who they could not afford to lose, who would that be? Let’s put a button on Kulikov and Myers for the time being and come I decided that Connor Hellebuyck, far and away this season’s MVP, was back to them with a magnifying glass later. As the Jets’ new second too easy and opted instead to name Blake Wheeler. To me, Wheeler is pairing, their matchups and role have changed the most since Byfuglien’s the guy who I rank at or near the top of two lists: injury and the bulk of this article will be about them.

Who do I trust the most to go into a battle and come out with the puck? On the third pairing, Chiarot and Tucker Poolman have seen limited action so far this season and Winnipeg’s coaching staff has been very Who do I trust the most to do something good once the battle is won and good at sheltering them. the puck is on his stick? Chiarot, for example, had been stapled to either Byfuglien or the bench I have to admit: At the time, I felt really good about my answer. prior to Byfuglien’s injury while Poolman was sheltered in a different way: Historically, Blake Wheeler is a dynamite possession player and this he has started more of his shifts in the offensive zone than any other Jets season he’s comfortably inside the NHL’s top 10 in points. But then, just player. At 66.7 per cent, or exactly two shifts starting in the offensive 48 hours later in Florida, things changed. zone for every one beginning in Winnipeg’s end, Poolman leads Jets With 14:12 left in the third period, Chris Kunitz played the puck with a defencemen in offensive zone start percentage by a country mile. high stick at the Jets blue line, resulting in a faceoff at centre ice. After (Chiarot is next highest, at 50.4 per cent.) the whistle blew, Winnipeg’s third pair for most of this season, Tyler Even in Winnipeg’s resounding loss to Chicago, Poolman and Chiarot Myers and Dimitry Kulikov, went off the ice and were replaced by Dustin ran a 62 per cent zone start – Trouba, at just 40 per cent, was next Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey. (Ben Chiarot, Byfgulien’s most common highest among Jets defencemen. In St. Louis, it was more of the same – partner since Enstrom’s knee injury, played just one shift in the third a 67 per cent zone start in third pairing minutes. period of this game.) Let me be clear in saying this isn’t a criticism – Chiarot and Poolman Tyler Johnson won the draw, Victor Hedman found Brayden Point have played very well in their lesser roles. My point is that, with Trouba streaking through neutral ice and into the Jets zone. and Morrissey as an obvious first pairing and Kulikov-Myers next on the Byfuglien established his gap: depth chart, a third pairing of Chiarot-Poolman is exactly the best play.

Point’s speed backs up Byfuglien, Morrissey turns his focus to Palat and But wait! Chiarot played mostly with Byfuglien – how was that the same Point is forced to the outside while Wheeler readies himself for Tyler thing as sheltering him? Let me introduce a series of Hockey Viz charts Johnson: with one that describes Chiarot’s usage so far this season:

Everything is just fine until Point slams on the brakes. Chiarot’s teammates are shown on the left; his opposition is shown on the right. The forward designations one through 12 and defence Byfuglien tries to do the same but one of his knees can’t be convinced to designations one through six are an indication of “quality”, defined in cooperate. He doubles over, winces, and Tampa Bay gets a scoring terms of all-situations ice time. The longer the bar, the more minutes chance as Point, suddenly uncovered, crosses into the slot. (Morrissey Chiarot played with that tier of teammate or against that tier of opposition. tracks Palat through the circle and to the net.) Chiarot’s own quality is shown by the red bars. Finally, the league average deployment for each forward/defence slot is shown by the Amazingly, after staggering into the corner, Byfuglien regained his jagged red line. composure and got back into the play to help break up Point’s scoring chance. From here, the puck was redirected to the blue line where Victor What does this mean for Chiarot? Chiarot plays less time than average Hedman tried to shoot; mercifully, Blake Wheeler got in the way and his both with and against top forwards. He plays much more time than block cleared the zone, giving Byfuglien a window to get off the ice with average with Winnipeg’s top defenceman – Byfuglien, by these metrics – the puck in a safe place. He took it, crisis was averted, and a week later I and his total ice time per game is most in line with a 6D. (Any time the am writing an article in reconsideration of my answer to Hustler’s teammate or opposition bar extends past the jagged red line, Chiarot question. plays more than average with or against that tier of player. Any time the bar is shorter, he plays less than average.) Winnipeg has played three games since Byfuglien went down: Put another way: Chiarot doesn’t normally see much ice, and when he A convincing win over Vancouver in which the recently promoted Kulikov does, he is almost definitely paired with Byfuglien. They play roughly the opened the scoring same amount of time against good players as they do against end-of-the- An equally convincing loss to Chicago in which Kulikov and Myers roster players. Given that, by the definition we’re using, good players play struggled with defensive zone giveaways and were responsible for more, Chiarot actually plays disproportionately less than average against multiple goals against the best players and more than average against the worst ones.

A dominant performance in St. Louis where Carter Hutton and the Blues’ For contrast, here are Morrissey and Trouba: special teams stole a win that, in my opinion, Winnipeg deserved. In this As you might expect, the Morrissey-Trouba pairing plays one, Myers and Kulikov cleaned up their in-zone play but were caught disproportionately more minutes against the very best forwards. They watching several stretch passes, adding quite a bit of chaos to games in also play much more often with Winnipeg’s top two forwards – Mark which both men played well. Scheifele and Blake Wheeler – than with the Jets second to fourth lines. Heading into Sunday night’s rematch vs. the Blues, Byfuglien and In short, they do most of the heavy lifting among Jets defencemen but Enstrom are still week to week and the Jets are fresh off two straight they tend to get a lot of support while doing so. Given this usage, their losses to divisional rivals. How concerned should Winnipeg be about its 52.3 per cent Corsi and 52.6 per cent goals-for percentage in the past 30 defence? days look even more impressive.

In the three games since Byfuglien’s injury, Winnipeg has rolled out its Here are Byfuglien and Enstrom, for one more comparison: defence like this:

Morrissey – Trouba Byfuglien and Enstrom were a common pairing for Winnipeg while You’ve seen several of these charts now so I’ll let you come to your own healthy, but Byfuglien played much more in all-situations than Enstrom conclusions. To me, the one thing that stands out is how little Kulikov and did – hence two very different deployment charts. Myers played against top lines. Winnipeg’s coaching staff had the luxury of Morrissey, Trouba and Byfuglien from which to build its top four and Byfuglien is the Jets most used defenceman, leading all Jets players in used it to give its third pairing minutes they could manage. even-strength and power-play ice time per game while also killing penalties for about 30 seconds each game. He generally plays with good All of that changed, of course, when Byfuglien got hurt. How well can we forwards and bottom-end defencemen while facing top-six opposition. expect Winnipeg’s newest second pair to do against the very best forwards? When he was healthy, Toby Enstrom was consistently paired with Byfuglien but played much fewer total minutes – fourth most among Jets For this, we turn to history. defencemen at even strength, fifth most on the penalty, and not very much at all on the power play. Kulikov and Myers have each much higher up their respective lineups before this season. Matchup wise, Enstrom played fewer than average minutes against top lines but still played most of his minutes against top-six forwards. There’s In evaluating their likelihood to succeed in their latest top-four role, we a vocal group of Jets fans on Twitter right now who are adamant that thus have hundreds of games worth of information to look at. For the Winnipeg is missing two top-four defencemen – not just one – and, given purposes of this piece, we’ll focus primarily on each player’s most recent the priority I give to even-strength minutes, I have to say I agree with three seasons. them. Tyler Myers:

Hopefully these charts convey data that resembles what your eyes have Via HockeyViz.com, it’s clear that Myers is not new to big minutes in the been telling you this season. To me, the biggest takeaways are: NHL – in fact, he played almost exclusively top pairing minutes as a Trouba and Morrissey play the most difficult minutes Sabre before coming to Winnipeg in a trade that also netted the Brendan Lemieux, Joel Armia and the draft pick which became Jack Roslovic. Byfuglien tends to shelter lesser defencemen on the second pairing Some of Myers’ early usage is obviously based on his sensational, 48- Byfuglien plays a ton of minutes in all situations point, Calder-winning rookie season – more points in a single NHL season than he has scored in any year since or had scored in any WHL Toby Enstrom is a top-four defenceman at even strength season prior. With that in mind, Myers’ sheltering is a relatively new But your mileage may vary. If I’ve missed something you feel is phenomenon. important, let me know in the comments. Here is a snapshot of Myers’ work over the past three seasons. Note that 12.18.2017= he only played 11 games in 2016-17:

Suffice to say, Byfuglien is a critical cog in Winnipeg’s defence corps. Over the past three seasons, Myers has been the ice for just over 50 per cent of the shot attempts and fewer than 50 per cent of the high danger How will Winnipeg fare without him? scoring chances, somehow resulting in nearly 55 per cent of the goals for. How can that be? To answer this question, let’s turn our attention to Kulikov and Myers – the two Jets defencemen who will see their role change the most in It probably isn’t how well he defends shots from dangerous areas: Byfuglien’s absence. Without Myers, Winnipeg has defended the front of its net exceptionally Like most Winnipeg Jets, Kulikov and Myers’ seasons can be divided in well. With him, it’s a firing range from a few feet out. This isn’t the kind of two. heat map that leads to disproportionately positive goals for percentages.

Before Perreault’s return from injury, Kulikov and Myers’ on-ice shot For a more positive outlook, here’s Winnipeg’s offensive zone heat map attempts, high-danger scoring chances, and expected goals were all – once again, with and without Myers: below 40 per cent. With thanks to terrific shooting, this pairing was on the ice for eight actual goals for and five against – giving Winnipeg 61.5 per Winnipeg takes more shots from the high and centre slot with Myers on cent of the goals for with Kulikov and Myers were on the ice. the ice than without. The concentration of shots coming from the right point also moves closer to the net – it’s toward the top of the circle with Since Perreault’s return (and the rise of Lowry/Copp/Tanev as Myers on the ice as opposed to just inside the blue line without him. By Winnipeg's third line), Kulikov and Myers have seen their share of shot eye, he’s one of the most aggressive Jets defenders on the opposing attempts and scoring chances skyrocket. Over the past 16 games, their blue line – to me, these diagrams are an accurate depiction of his shot share has been almost 60 per cent while their share of the high propensity to pinch. danger scoring chances has climbed just over 50 per cent. With a comparable on-ice save percentage but a suddenly minuscule on-ice A curious note: Myers’ 5-on-5 on-ice shooting percentage has tended to shooting percentage, Kulikov and Myers have been on the ice for five float around 10 per cent in his career as compared to a league average goals for and five against since November 16th. of roughly 8.5 per cent.

Which pairing would you prefer:; the one with a 15 per cent on-ice Could it be that there is something about Myers’ in-zone contributions shooting percentage, 39 per cent of the shot attempts, and 46 per cent of that lead to better shot quality? Recall that he has played the scoring chances from in close or the one whose on-ice shooting disproportionately fewer minutes with Winnipeg’s top players this season percentage is just 5.81 per cent but which gets 60 per cent of the shot – it’s not simply a function of being on the ice at the same time as Mark attempts and 52 per cent of the high danger scoring chances? Scheifele.

I know my answer. Since Perreault’s return cemented the improvement I’d want to watch a lot of video before making sweeping statements but of Winnipeg’s third and fourth line, Myers and Kulikov have been Myers’ willingness to attack the zone from the point may be contributing successful by the metrics I value. to his sustained offensive success.

This isn’t to say they haven’t made mistakes. Their giveaways against Either way, the fact that Winnipeg shoots more from the top of the circle Chicago were costly and those stretch passes given up to St. Louis I than from the point on Myers’ side is a good thing. At the very least, it’s mentioned landed on the stick of none other than Vladimir Tarasenko. something to watch out for as we watch him play more and more minutes Kulikov and Myers certainly have a bit of chaos to their game. in Byfuglien’s absence.

To steal a line from Lowetide – one of my absolute favourite writers both Dimitry Kulikov: here on The Athletic and on his blog: “It’s possible to have good numbers Kulikov’s path to this point in his NHL career is a lot more traditional than and get noticed for negative things—single moments and events can that of his partner. As you can see in his career usage, Kulikov’s minutes have super importance while being exactly single moments and events.” have progressively increased season over season from his debut to now. Also, context matters. What did Kulikov and Myers’ usage like before Prior to Byfgulien’s injury, Kulikov had actually played less on a per game Byfuglien’s injury? basis this year than any season since his second in the NHL. Ideally, a team with the depth to force a veteran down a pairing would get Given that he was thrown to the wolves in 2015-16 and then to a bigger, terrific results out of the situation. Here’s a snapshot of his last three more violent pack of wolves in 2016-17, Winnipeg made an interesting seasons – one for Florida, one for Buffalo, and this one as a Winnipeg bet when they signed Kulikov. On the surface, adding a useful looking Jet: player with bad on-ice results in bad situations to play on your third pairing strikes me as a smart bet. If he can wheel in a sheltered role, he The boost you see in 2017-18 certainly does look like a player who has rounds out Winnipeg’s defence corps. had some responsibilities removed from his plate. By all three of shot attempts, high-danger scoring chances, and goals for, Kulikov’s results Was he worth the $4.3 million gamble? Let’s have a look at this season. have been better this season than in his recent history. This comes as something of a relief, especially when looking at 2016-17, a season in 2017/18: Tyler Myers and Dimitry Kulikov which Kulikov played a major role for a bad Buffalo Sabres squad. Myers’ on-ice Corsi per cent is the lowest that it’s been in three years and Where do the shots come from when Kulikov is on the ice? Kulikov’s is the highest that it’s been in those same three years. On one hand, that’s a testament to each player’s change in context. On the other, It’s very interesting to see that, while Winnipeg allows more shots against you’d be forgiven if you expected better results from a pairing with their from the high slot with Kulikov on the ice than without him, his side of the price tag. Given how little Myers and Kulikov have played against top net is quite well defended while Myers’ side appears to be vulnerable. lines, they should be near the top of this list.

Once again, I’d want to look at a lot of video before concluding that The caveat here is what it has been since November 16th – since Myers is 100 per cent at fault for it but this pairing’s in-zone coverage is Perreault’s return — Kulikov and Myers’ on-ice Corsi as a pair has been something to keep our eyes on. just under 60 per cent. That is a phenomenal number and a great reason for optimism when Winnipeg is back at full health. Here are the shots that Winnipeg takes: What about at this critical moment in Winnipeg’s season? Should I go on Like Myers, Kulikov appears to be taking his point shots from slightly record and change my answer to Byfuglien? closer in than the other defencemen on his side. Are both members of this pairing exceptionally aggressive compared to other Jets defencemen For this, I go back to the Lowetide quote: “It’s possible to have good re: attacking from their point? By eye, my impression says yes but I’d numbers and get noticed for negative things—single moments and love to have the community’s thoughts on this as well. events can have super importance while being exactly single moments and events.” There is yet one more lens I’d like to look through in evaluating Myers and Kulikov. Myers and Kulikov are a capable if visually chaotic pairing. Both players have played big minutes in tough situations before with Myers having Over these same past three seasons, let’s look at their 5-on-5 ice time, some success in Winnipeg and Kulikov faring poorly on lesser teams. Corsi per cent, and relative Corsi per cent. Each chart is sorted by relative Corsi so as to give us an insight into how Myers and Kulikov’s The problems for them seem to come in sudden, easily identifiable teams have fared with and without them on the ice. Please note: while moments – giveaways against Chicago and stretch passes conceded in relative Corsi accurately describes a player’s results when compared to St. Louis. If there were enough of these gaffes, you’d see it in their goals that of his teammates, it does nothing to account for contextual against, but even with the Jets suddenly struggling to score goals, Myers differences like zone starts, matchups, etc. and Kulikov are 50 per cent in goals for and better than that by shot attempts. 2015/16: Tyler Myers This year’s edition of the Winnipeg Jets is better prepared to absorb In his first full season as a Jet, Myers played the third-most minutes injuries to key players than it has been at any time in recent history. If the among Winnipeg defenders at 5-on-5 and edged out Enstrom to earn the team’s recent slump continues, Myers and Kulikov will certainly have second best CF% among regularly used defenders. Myers’ 0.05 relative played a role, but they shouldn’t bear the blame. Corsi per cent shows that Winnipeg got almost the exact same percentage of 5-on-5 shots with him on the ice as off it. All in all, Myers’ results were quite respectable in the role of second-pairing defenceman. The Athletic LOADED: 12.18.2017 2015/16: Dimitry Kulikov

As a Florida Panther, Kulikov played second-pairing minutes at even strength and put up a 47 per cent on-ice Corsi while doing so. This is a poor result in absolute terms and was also a disproportionately poor result relative to his teammates. One item in Kulikov’s defence? A middling zone start on a team where offensive stalwart and prized rookie Aaron Ekblad received the bulk of the offensive minutes. Kulikov’s results were not impressive but at least we can say he had a difficult job to do.

2016/17: Tyler Myers

Last season was a win for Myers, but one marked with a giant asterisk. It’s not entirely fair to look at his 11 games last season and draw major conclusions from them.

Myers’ Corsi percentage was nearly identical in his injury-shortened 2016-17 as they were in the season prior. The big difference was that the rest of his team struggled and, as a result, Myers’ relative Corsi led the team. Strictly in terms of shot attempts, Winnipeg was markedly better with Myers on the ice than it was with him on the bench.

Once again, 11 games is a very small sample, more than enough for randomness to skew things – recall his 70 per cent goals for percentage from the bar graph above, for example – so take these results with a grain of salt.

2016/17: Dimitry Kulikov

As a Buffalo Sabre, Kulikov’s results were even worse than they had been for the Panthers. While playing top 5-on-5 minutes, Kulikov’s on-ice Corsi was just 45 per cent and his relative Corsi was second worst on the team. In fairness, Buffalo’s roster was less impressive than Florida’s the year prior and that was before Jack Eichel missed 21 games to injury. 1088945 Vancouver Canucks Sven Baertschi (jaw) Brandon Sutter (upper body) Canucks Gameday: Sputtering Flames pay a visit to the Rog Chris Tanev (groin) *Erik Gudbranson (upper body) J.J. Adams Flames lines December 17, 2017 Johnny Gaudreau — Sean Monahan — Micheal Ferland December 17, 2017 5:00 AM PST Matthew Tkachuk — Michael Backlund — Michael Frolik Sam Bennett — Mark Jankowski — Garnet Hathaway Brock Boeser vs. Flames PK Troy Brouwer — Matt Stajan — Curtis Lazar The Flow has two goals and an assist in three games against the Flames Defence pairings this season, and remains — still — the lone bright spot on a team rapidly descending into despair as the injuries and losses mount. It could be a Mark Giordano — Dougie Hamilton good time for him to pull out one of those out-of-nowhere one-timers T.J. Brodie — Travis Hamonic against Calgary’s 28th-ranked penalty kill. Brett Kulak — Michael Stone FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Starting goalie 1. IF YOU COULD TURN BACK TIME Expected: Mike Smith You’d be seeing the same thing now you did four years ago — the Sedins dominating possession and controlling the puck. The twins’ corsi Sick bay is the highest it’s been since the 2013-14 season, and they’re putting points on the board, to boot. They combined for six assists last night, and it could have easily been higher. They’ve found their groove lately, with Jaromir Jagr Daniel getting 13 points in his last 11 games, and Hank 13 in 15 games. Power play 2. THE ANEMIC BOO-LINE Canucks: 21.9% (5th) Blue-line scoring? What’s that? The Canucks defence has six goals between them. Six. Two from Derrick Pouliot, two from Chris Tanev, and Flames: 18.3% (18th) one each from Alex Edler and Michael Del Zotto, though MDZ’s last goal came 18 games ago in November. The other four defencemen have put Penalty kill up bagels. Canucks: 79.5 (23rd) 3. LET’S GET PHYSICAL Flames: 76.7% (29th) Ahh, the familiar refrain. You’re going to keep hearing about it until NHL rankings Vancouver does something about it. The Canucks are easy to play against, on both ends. When Jake Virtanen is your top forward in hits Canucks: 21st (40) with the third-lowest amount of ice time (10:25), your forecheck is not going to be formidable. On defence, Michael Del Zotto is by far and Flames: 17th away the leader (80), and while Alex Biega made the most of his first playing time in 10 games with five hits (48), fellow defenceman Alex Edler had one (43). Not good. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.18.2017 4. POWER-PLAY FLAMEOUT Not only are the Flames struggling on the penalty kill, their power play hasn’t exactly been lighting it up. Calgary is having trouble gaining the blueline, winning faceoffs and then setting up in the offensive zone. Against the Sharks on Thursday, they could only muster three shots in just over four minutes of power-play time. They’re definitely missing the influence of winger Kris Versteeg. 5. SOMEWHERE, UNDER THE RADAR Sean Monahan is fifth in NHL goal-scoring, and on pace for 44 goals. But he’s doing it under the radar, thanks to teammate Johnny Gaudreau. “Johnny takes a lot of the press,” said Flames assistant GM Craig Conroy. “They’re kind of Batman and Robin.” Canucks lines Daniel Sedin — Henrik Sedin — Thomas Vanek Loui Eriksson — Sam Gagner — Brock Boeser Nikolay Goldobin — Alexander Burmistrov — Jake Virtanen Markus Granlund — Nic Dowd — Brendan Gaunce Defence pairings Alex Edler — Derrick Pouliot Michael Del Zotto — Alex Biega Ben Hutton — Troy Stecher Starting goalie Expected: Jacob Markstrom Sick bay Bo Horvat (foot) 1088946 Vancouver Canucks You may ask yourself where was this in October? But to the Sedins, it’s felt like it was there all along, just beneath the surface.

Like a plant needs water, they just needed some confidence and playing Sedins turn back the clock, put the Canucks on their backs time. “I felt from Day 1 that it’s been a while since I had this kind of jump in my Jason Botchford skating,” Henrik said. “It felt good from Day 1. December 16, 2017 “If we felt like we did last year or the year before, maybe more ice time wouldn’t have made a difference. December 16, 2017 5:12 PM PST “But we worked hard all summer and felt really good in camp. I felt like from Day 1, if we got more ice time, we would produce more.” Wright feared his season was over So far, he’s been right. The Vancouver Canucks, including Daniel Sedin, left, and and Henrik Just imagine, then, being Henrik and knowing that this is the best he’s Sedin, right, celebrate Markus Granlund's second goal against the San felt in a few seasons but also being unable to show anyone because the Jose Sharks during Friday's game at Rogers Arena. ice time wasn’t there. The Vancouver Canucks, including Daniel Sedin, left, and and Henrik And then think about Henrik answering all of those questions on all of Sedin, right, celebrate Markus Granlund's second goal against the San those days about what’s it like to be marginalized, playing 10-12 minutes Jose Sharks during Friday's game at Rogers Arena. Gerry Kahrmann / a night? PNG “There was no frustration,” Henrik said. “We just felt we needed to be For the Sedins, things are different. ready when we got our chances. They’re 37 years old. How can they not be? “It was never hard to answer questions. But the media and fans had asked for this (the Sedins stepping back in their roles) for a long time. When they play a lot, there’s pain to manage which wasn’t there five years ago. “And when it happened, they were still asking questions about it. For me, it wasn’t a big deal. But there’s something else. There have been games where they’ve hardly played at all. “But there were a lot of people outside the room talking about it. The low point was a 4-2 win against Pittsburgh on Nov. 4. Henrik Sedin “We knew there may be injuries and our time might come.” didn’t even see nine minutes of ice. It’s definitely the Sedins time right now. They played nearly half of “When you don’t play as much, you have to do other things,” Henrik said. Friday’s overtime and they looked spectacular doing it. “It’s been the first time in 15 years we had to have bike rides after games just to get something out of the night. For as long as Horvat as out, this is their team again. The Canucks will go as far as the Sedins take them. “It happened a few nights this year.” The first post-Horvat injury step in the right direction was Friday’s win. On that particular night, during that particular bike ride, Henrik had three The Sedins carried the Canucks like it was six years ago. points. For the season. They desperately needed hope after a string of losses, which What did you think about the Sedins then? accompanied a string of injuries. It wasn’t exactly how the brothers had visualized the final year of their It’s still not a lot, but right now these Canucks do have some hope. contracts, maybe the last year of their careers.

This season was to be about redemption. It was about avenging last season’s letdown, and proving they could still play on the same ice as the Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.18.2017 top players in the world. The Canucks, however, had other plans. The budding Next One, Bo Horvat, was taking over as the top centre. A coach’s favourite, Brandon Sutter, was taking over as the shutdown centre. And there just wasn’t much room in his mix for the Sedins to show they could still be the Sedins. “I really liked the way they handled it and handled themselves,” Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green said. “I wasn’t surprised. They had nights where they were playing 13 or 14 minutes. They also had nights where they played nine and 11. “I talked to them after those games and (told them) those weren’t enough minutes for them to be productive. “It is funny how a few extra minutes can help certain players.” Yes, those extra minutes helped Henrik to three assists Friday, matching his entire haul for the first month of the season. For several weeks now, the Sedins have been point-a-game players, near the top in the NHL in production. Part of this revitalization story has been a power play which has blown minds since Brock Boeser joined the Sedins, and was positioned in what is now referred to in Vancouver as “The Spot.” Since the move on Nov. 14, the Canucks have the best power play in the NHL. Henrik had no power-play points before it. He’s had seven since. But it isn’t just power-play success. In the sixteen games since mid- November, Henrik has 17 points. He’s been great, and on nights like Friday, a 4-3 win, he’s been beyond great. 1088947 Vancouver Canucks “And he’s great guy. He’s a leader on this team already and has done so many great things on and off the ice. Everybody loves him and that’s good.” Brock Boeser's character, commitment to winning saluted by his Travis Green was asked pre-game about the advancement of Boeser teammates that has the league and endorsement companies salivating about another blossoming young star. The irony of the injury is that Boeser did exactly what the coach has been preaching. Ben Kuzma “We’ve seen things from Brock throughout the season and even in his December 17, 2017 first game he responded,” said Green. “For me, it’s a mark of a kid who gets it — the work part, the humble part and parts away from the puck. December 17, 2017 9:38 PM PST “It’s not just about scoring when you’re a scorer, you have to do other things. And to win, you have to do other things.” Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser is seen with crutches as he Some of those other things that plagued the Canucks was coughing up speaks to Vancouver Canucks center Nic Dowd following a loss to the three goals in four minutes, not getting pucks to the net and over-passing Calgary Flames in Vancouver, Sunday. Boeser took a shot of his left foot at times. And when the Canucks got down, they were cheating on the early in the second period of Sunday's game against the Calgary Flames back check and blowing the zone early. That spells lopsided loss. and did not return. If the Canucks recall a winger, Reid Boucher should warrant a look. He’s Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser is seen with crutches as he leading the Utica Comets in scoring with 25 points (13-12) and ranks speaks to Vancouver Canucks center Nic Dowd following a loss to the eighth in American Hockey League goals and 16th in points. Calgary Flames in Vancouver, Sunday. Boeser took a shot of his left foot early in the second period of Sunday's game against the Calgary Flames The 24-year-old is putting up the offence, but his defensive game is and did not return. Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS improving and he’s also on the penalty kill and power play. Boucher has also been more physical and avoiding taking penalties. He has taken just Michael Del Zotto knows shot blocking comes with the job description. three minors. Whether a veteran or rookie — whether a defenceman or forward — OVERTIME — Jacob Markstrom was pulled after allowing five goals on sacrificing yourself for the good of the team shows up in a statistical 19 shots — he was beaten stick side four times — and he cut to the column that often goes overlooked. chase post game. “We can’t have games like this,” he said. “I take a lot of fault, especially in the second period. I’ve got to be better, but we can’t However, the Vancouver Canucks defenceman knows what it means in be one (chance) and done. We’ve got to be more consistent as a team.” the room when a hotshot rookie like Brock Boeser drops in front of a shot instead of bailing out. On pace to be a Calder Trophy favourite with 17 goals and 13 assists in Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.18.2017 31 games, Boeser took the brunt of a Mark Giordano shot to the top of his left foot early in the second period Sunday during a 6-1 loss to the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. Boeser was spotted post game on crutches and wearing a walking boot. The Canucks didn’t announce the severity of the injury because as the swelling will need to subside before making an accurate assessment. Del Zotto knows what Boeser’s effort means to the team. “I saw him after the game and the first thing I said to him was: ‘Don’t change anything’,” said Del Zotto, whose 51 blocked shots are second on the club to Alex Edler’s 62. “He has obviously done a great job for us in scoring and putting up points, but his play away from the puck has really grown since day one. “His commitment to blocking shots and seeing that as a teammate goes a long way. It speaks volumes to his character and commitment to trying to win.” Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks winces after blocking a shot during their NHL game against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena Sunday. Jeff Vinnick / PNG Still, seeing Boeser in agony and trying to crawl to the bench was hard to stomach. “I was hoping they would blow the whistle there,” added Del Zotto. “He’s crawling off and you kind of kept your fingers crossed and hope for the best. We haven’t got an update yet. “Tonight is tough. I’m not going to make excuses with the injuries we’ve had. We gifted them a few goals, but any time that happens, you have to stick with it and you have to stay together. “The effort has to be there every day. It’s learning how to be a pro and not just give in and let the other team take over. That comes with a winning culture and teaching the young kids. Some the veterans in the third period were still giving everything they had regardless of the score (and being outshot 19-4).” Jake Virtanen is constantly learning and Boeser’s dedication has rubbed off on the winger. Virtanen took three penalties Sunday, but also showed bursts of speed and is learning to head straight to the net and not go around it. “He’s a big part of the team and that (shot block) just shows the character he has,” Virtanen said of Boeser. “He really proved to the coaching staff and the players that he belongs. He’s the purest scorer that I’ve ever been on a team with. He has a nose for the net and can score from anywhere. 1088948 Vancouver Canucks He went one better Sunday. “I’m biased,” said the former Canucks assistant coach. “When I saw him at development camp, it was like this kid is heads and tails ahead. This is Flames 6, Canucks 1: Injury a brutal blow for hotshot rookie Brock like a 10-year pro in with a bunch of rookies because of his polish and Boeser puck poise. I was amazed he did it so early. This is a special player. “He’s powerful when he needs to be. He’s skilled when he needs to be Ben Kuzma and passes the puck like a laser. And he finds areas and he can shoot. December 17, 2017 “Sometimes you just see it in some kids. I saw it in Jamie Benn and I see it in this kid.” December 17, 2017 9:43 PM PST It’s why the loss will be brutal if it’s for any significant length of time. Boeser has captured the imagination of the hockey populace with his game, grace and willingness to get better every day.

Here’s what else we learned Sunday: Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks crawls across the ice to the bench after blocking a shot during their NHL game against the Calgary Vancouver Canucks right wing Jake Virtanen (18) crashes on top of Flames at Rogers Arena on Sunday. Calgary Flames goalie David Rittich (33) during the second period NHL action in Vancouver, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Jonathan Hayward / THE This is how the day started for Brock Boeser. CANADIAN PRESS Calgary Flames coach Glen Gulutzan was spitting superlatives about the On paper, there for the taking Vancouver Canucks humble hotshot rookie before the puck dropped Sunday at Rogers Arena. Big business was doing the same. The Flames gave quirky recalled backup David Rittich his fourth start of the season in the second half of back-to-back games. They also brought It was no surprise that the pre-game buzz surrounding the standout the 27th-ranked penalty kill and a power play that was in an 0-for-19 National Hockey League rookie was that major endorsement companies funk. were eager to board the Boeser train. For the Canucks, the solution should have been simple. Fire pucks at will And why not? and get to the net with purpose. Draw penalties. Get the league’s fifth- ranked power play in gear and send the Flames home packing. He’s got the multi-dimensional game. He’s got the multi-layered hair. He’s got the Hollywood looks. He could win the Calder Trophy. Henrik Rittich was doing his part. Sedin called him the most natural goal scorer he has ever played with. The Czech Republic stopper has a wacky ritual in the morning skate If that isn’t enough, he’s got a calm and respectful demeanour that drips when he’s getting the cage. He likes a couple of shots to the head. Think of a marketing bonanza for those willing to invest in the too-good-to-be about that. true 20-year-old. In the first period, he had the giving spirit. He tried to throw a long pass This is how the day ended for Boeser. up the ice, had it knocked down by Nic Dowd and was forced to make a pad save. He also threw his stick going post-to-post when Thomas Doing what good players do, he took a Mark Giordano shot off the top of Vanek couldn’t deposit a bouncing puck. this left foot early in the second period and dropped like a rock. Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) skates past as Calgary The club’s leading scorer with 17 goals and 13 assists through 30 games Flames defenceman Mark Giordano (5) celebrates his goal with his was in excruciating pain and crawled toward the bench. He couldn’t put teammates during the second period NHL action in Vancouver, Sunday, any weight on his left leg. He had to be helped to the bench and then Dec. 17, 2017. Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS hobbled to the locker-room. Who should start Tuesday? The raucous atmosphere of a holiday hockey crowd suddenly became subdued. You could hear a pin drop. Travis Green and goalie coach Dan Cloutier don’t map out a plan in how to deploy Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson. They go by And when Boeser didn’t return, the Canucks — already minus the injured performances and gut feel. Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, Brandon Sutter and Chris Tanev — sagged in a sobering 6-1 loss. If that wasn’t bad enough, Boeser was spotted Interesting. post-game on crutches and in a walking boot. They could ride Markstrom to get him in a rhythm. But after being beaten Shot-blocker Del Zotto salutes Brock Boeser’s character, commitment to four times stick side and pulled after allowing five goals on 19 shots, you winning either get him back in to square his game or defer to Nilsson against the Montreal Canadiens. The club didn’t announce the severity of the injury — it could take time for swelling to subside and take a proper image of the damage — but “We haven’t even thought about it past tonight (Sunday),” Green said Troy Stecher knows the irony of losing his former North Dakota before Sunday’s game. “That’s the way we always do it and lately, we’ve teammate. The winger did what good young players have to do. They been on the same page. Cloots and I meet and it’s: “Who do you got and work on all parts of their game all the time, including blocking shots. who do I got?” If it’s the same goalie, we don’t have to talk about it long. “It’s not the first shot he has blocked this year — he has blocked a lot,” “If there’s a debate, we talk and come to an agreement.” Stecher said of the rookie’s 16 blocks. “It’s just who he is. He’s a good player and understands you have to play both sides of the puck. It’s definitely tough and we’ve got to find a way to stay positive. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.18.2017 “We have to lean on the veterans and they’re going to look to us to step up our game. The answers are within this room and that’s important to know.” But losing your best player? That’s crushing. After all, the stats don’t lie. After 28 games, Boeser’s 16 rookie goals ranked only behind Teemu Selanne (23) and Eric Lindros (21) in 1992-93 and Alex Ovechkin (16) in 2005-06. After 30 games, Boeser’s 17 goals were better than any other Canucks rookie had accomplished: Jere Gillis (15) in 1977-78, Trevor Linden (13) in 1988-89, and a dozen for (1975-76), Patrik Sundstrom (1982-83) and Dixon Ward (1992-93). When Boeser wired a third-period laser wrister here in a 5-2 Flames win on Oct. 14 here in just his second game of the season, Gulutzan was sold. “He’s going to be a hell of a player,” Gulutzan gushed that night. 1088949 Vancouver Canucks “I think it helps to keep my gap (in the defensive zone). (In the offensive zone) if the puck gets up (to the blueline) and it gets past that forward, if you can get it to the middle quick, you can either shoot it or pass or make Travis Green says Derrick Pouliot does one thing 'as good as anyone I’ve a move. I think it’s good for confidence, knowing you can stay in there seen in a while.' What is it? and make plays with it,” said Pouliot. There are a few examples this season of Pouliot’s confidence shining through, with attention-grabbing plays, as well as some that require a By Israel Fehr little more nuance to be appreciated. In a game against the Flyers, Pouliot snapped a pass from inside the Canucks’ blueline to a wide open Boeser, who waltzed into the offensive The goal Derrick Pouliot scored last week against the Hurricanes was a zone and wired one of his lethal wrist shots for a goal — and a primary perfect example of why talent evaluators have been tantalized by his assist for Pouliot. Even through his struggles, his passing ability has potential since his days in junior. never been called into question, and this one was pure class. Pouliot picked up the puck in the neutral zone, left for him by Daniel “It's a big strength of his to pass on the fly with his head up and snap it,” Sedin, skated into the offensive zone, glided toward the front of the net said Green. “That's an art. He has been really good at it his whole life. and made a slick move before firing a wrist shot past Scott Darling. Some guys pass in stride cleaner than others. But to be an elite defenceman you have to pass it hard and flat so it hits the blade and sits There simply aren’t many defencemen, even in the NHL, capable of there.” pulling that off. This play he made later in the game against Carolina was much less “I think that was probably more of a Boeser goal,” said Pouliot, laughing. awe-inspiring than a tape-to-tape pass through the neutral zone, but also “He’s good at dragging it like that, it happened to work out like that with led to a goal. The Hurricanes wrestled control of the puck from the the move that I made.” Canucks in the offensive zone, but their clearing attempt couldn’t get past Now Pouliot isn’t about to challenge Brock Boeser for the Canucks’ goal- Pouliot at the right point. Pouliot stopped the puck on his backhand, scoring title — he has four goals in 97 career games — but the goal does quickly switched it to his forehand, and sent a pass off the glass toward speak to the growing confidence in his game since he stepped into Bo Horvat behind the net. Horvat did the rest, twisting and turning as he Vancouver's lineup on Oct. 14. shielded the puck from two defenders before feeding Nikolay Goldobin in front of the net, who had his first shot saved before burying the rebound. What stood out about it, beyond the obvious skill, is that Pouliot, a left- hand shot, rushed into the offensive zone on the right side. That he was It wasn’t a sexy play by any means, but it went down as a secondary on that side of the ice was not by accident, or the result of a broken play, assist for Pouliot, and more importantly, a goal for the Canucks. as it’s where he’s been lining up of late, mostly alongside fellow left-hand “He’s done a good job with the puck. Good breakouts, I think that’s been shots Alex Edler and Michael Del Zotto. a huge key, not playing in your own end too much. Good breakouts allow Playing on the off side is not easy, but Pouliot possesses a specific, yet us to play in transition with our speed, play the offensive side of the puck, subtle skill that Canucks head coach Travis Green believes allows the which is obviously a strength of his game as well,” said Del Zotto. “The 23-year-old defenceman to do it better than most. plays he’s made with the puck, it doesn’t matter where he gets it — in his skates, backhand, forehand — he’s able to make a play with it. Now with “He takes it from his backhand to his forehand as good as anyone I’ve how well teams skate and check, you’ve got to be able to make a play seen in a while,” Green said, when asked why Pouliot has had success pretty quickly and know where you’re going with the puck. on the right side. “In practice you can take pucks on your backhand and move it to your It’s not a skill that’s going to land on many highlight reels, unless it’s the forehand, but like any skill you’re working on you have to translate it into finishing move on a nifty deke in tight, but it’s one that Pouliot is finding a game. So getting reps in practice and in games is the only way you’re especially useful at the moment. going to be able to become familiar with it and do it at this highest level.” “First of all, that’s a very nice compliment. It’s something I’ve worked on Right now, there’s no disputing Pouliot is flying high, and being put in a and playing the right side it’s something that you have to be able to do,” position that would be difficult for many of his peers has expedited that said Pouliot. “I worked on it this summer. I think if you can be good on process. your forehand and your backhand, it adds a lot to your game.” In a season full of pleasant surprises in Vancouver, Pouliot’s emergence A study conducted last year by the website Hockey Graphs indicated that is near the top of the list. He arrived on the eve of the season in a trade defencemen playing on their off side in the NHL has declined recently, as from Pittsburgh, where in five years he failed to become a regular after coaching staffs have begun to emphasize systems that have being the No. 8 pick in the 2012 draft. The prevailing thought was that a defencemen play a more active role in offensive breakouts. Whether it’s fresh start would do him some good, as well as a reunion with Green, by forcing turnovers at their own blueline or being aggressive on the who coached him in the WHL with the . boards, a defenceman is increasingly expected to wrangle control of the puck and get it out of the zone by carrying it out or making a direct pass, Pouliot was a healthy scratch for the first three games of the season, and rather than dumping or chipping it out. the plan was to bring him along slowly as he acclimated himself to a new team, but he was thrust into action when Edler went down with an injury. And in Green's first season behind the Canucks bench, he’s been vocal He handled himself well in relatively limited minutes, and it was when about wanting to see his team’s defencemen play that way. Chris Tanev hurt his hand and missed two weeks that Pouliot shifted over to the right side. Subsequent injuries to Troy Stecher and Erik “We’ve asked a lot of our D. We want them to be good on their Gudbranson, two right-hand shots, has kept him there, where he has breakouts, we want them to be active in the neutral zone, and getting continued to raise his game and see his ice time increase despite the their shots through is a big thing,” said Green. difficulty of the assignment. Executing on those instructions is difficult enough without impediments. “Most of the time a guy is playing their off side, it’s usually not for very Naturally, it’s easier for a player to keep opposing players to the long so when you get an extended shot at it you have to work on it and perimeter and engage in battles on the boards when their stick is pointed get better at it if you want to keep playing,” said Pouliot. “So you’re in that direction. Del Zotto is a veteran of over 500 NHL games, but has working on it, playing that side the whole time. You can practise your only played on his off side consistently in one of his 10 seasons in the shots coming in on that side of the blueline, but there’s not too much league. that’s different.” “It was one year in New York and it wasn’t easy because I’d never done it Practice made perfect in the case of his beauty goal, making the most before,” said Del Zotto. “Like anything, there’s pros and cons. In the one of the advantages of playing on the off side that Del Zotto alluded to, offensive zone it’s great because you’re walking onto the blueline on your and the same can be said about Pouliot’s game on the whole. forehand. The neutral zone is a little bit tougher because you basically have a stick length and a half less (of space) to make a play because The rub against Pouliot during his time with the Penguins was that he your stick is on the inside.” struggled in his own zone. Too often he would wander, figuratively and literally, and those mistakes could pile up, sometimes within the same Pouliot has found his ability to maneuver from backhand to forehand shift. And when he unravelled, even the strengths in his game helps mitigate that disadvantage and it allows him to play his off side disappeared. without worry. With the Canucks, Pouliot has benefited from starting 58.3 per cent of his non on-the-fly shifts at 5-on-5 in the offensive zone, which undoubtedly has a positive influence on his possession metrics, but his overall improvement has been markedly steady. Since Nov. 9, Pouliot leads Vancouver defencemen in 5-on-5 ice time and has earned a spot on the second power-play unit. Green has preached for Pouliot to play a simple game and the on-ice results would indicate the message has been well received. “He’s a young D-man that’s slowly feeling good about himself and finding his game,” said Green. “The one thing we’ve tried to tell him is that ‘you don’t have to live and die on points.’ He doesn’t have to be a No. 1 power-play guy. He just needs to play and play well: move the puck fast, get it up the ice, compete hard in his own zone. And like a lot of young players — pretty well anyone, young or old — you need to have confidence in yourself and in your game and I think we’re seeing that out of him.” It still doesn’t completely explain why it never clicked for Pouliot in Pittsburgh, but he appears to have put it behind him and he's thriving so far with the Canucks. And as he heads into restricted free agency this off- season, he’s giving the organization reason to believe he can be a big part of their future.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088950 Websites Everything after Sunday’s injury seemed anti-climatic for the Canucks, which was good because the Flames pumped in four second-period goals after Boeser was injured. Calgary outshot Vancouver 38-17, Sportsnet.ca / Canucks’ loss to Flames eclipsed by Boeser injury including 19-4 in the third period. Fittingly, it was Mark Giordano who did the most damage. It was his shot about 15 seconds after the first intermission that injured Boeser, and Iain MacIntyre Giordano then led the offensive attack by scoring twice for the Flames, who got a goal and three assists from Sam Bennett. December 17, 2017, 10:58 PM The dreadful loss came two home games after the Canucks were beaten 7-1 on Wednesday by the Nashville Predators. So, we have little choice but to treat Vancouver’s 4-3 overtime win Friday against the San Jose VANCOUVER – Oh, Vancouver Canucks, how the hockey gods hate Sharks as an anomaly – a dead-cat bounce. thee. Let us count the ways. The Flames haven’t been much better, except when facing the Canucks Actually, even on a website, we haven’t room for that full list because the twice in the last eight nights. They are 1-4-2 in their last seven games Canucks have gone 47 years without winning a Stanley Cup and even against other teams. before playing their first National Hockey League game lost a roulette wheel spin that sent Dale Tallon to Vancouver and to The Montreal Canadiens visit Vancouver on Tuesday. And after that, the Buffalo. Canucks get the Sharks again, the St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. The Canucks are 0-3 in Stanley Cup finals and twice have lost Game 7s. And even when they are awful, like the last two seasons, the hockey Happy holidays. gods still snicker and connive and bounce Vancouver down the draft order so the team gets Olli Juolevi instead of, say, Patrik Laine. “I think guys believe in themselves,” Green said of the overwhelming adversity. “No one wants a teammate to get hurt. Guys are aware of But even by the gods’ malevolent standards, the last three weeks have where we’re at with injuries, but they also know it’s opportunity as well. seemed extraordinarily cruel to an organization that was finally moving in And they look forward to those challenges. Each individual, they want the right direction for the first time since blowing the 2011 Stanley Cup opportunity.” against the Boston Bruins. The Canucks, then, are a land of opportunity. Just don’t expect many First, heart-and-soul winger Derek Dorsett was abruptly forced into wins or any help from the gods. retirement by back injuries. First-line forwards Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi soon followed key centre Brandon Sutter out of the lineup with long-term injuries. Then vital defenceman Chris Tanev went down. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.18.2017 And none of that seemed as dispiriting as the sight Sunday of Calder Trophy candidate Brock Boeser, the Canucks’ leading scorer and their best rookie since Pavel Bure rocketed to stardom a generation ago, crawling to the bench after being felled by a shot. Boeser hobbled down the tunnel and was not seen again until after the Canucks disintegrated and lost 6-1 Sunday to the Calgary Flames. Boeser emerged from the dressing room with crutches and a walking boot on his injured foot. Vancouver coach Travis Green had no immediate timeline for Boeser’s absence. But his exit from the ice – and failure to return – were excruciating and ominous to a fanbase that through a bleak December was able to rally itself with only one hopeful cry: “At least we still have Brock Boeser.” And now he’s gone, too. “You’re obviously worried,” Canuck defenceman Troy Stecher, Boeser’s teammate and friend from the University of North Dakota, said of the 20- year-old winger who leads Vancouver with 17 goals and 30 points in 31 games. “He’s a heckuva hockey player, having a helluva season. To see him down and struggling to get to the bench, it’s kind of like: ‘Another one? Holy smokes, when is this going to end?’ Baertschi, Bo, Sutter, Tanny, Dorsett. It’s piling up. Deep down it might be good for the team – show our character, show who we are. But it’s tough.” We can only suppose referees Kevin Pollock and T.J. Luxmore figured Boeser must have been faking it as the rookie used his good leg like a gondolier’s pole to propel himself on one knee 100 feet across the ice while the Flames attacked. “I wish they would have blown the whistle,” coach Green said. “I just hoped he wasn’t hurt. Obviously, he is. It’s another (challenge); that’s for sure.” “If you look at the forwards who are out, they’re the guys who eat up the most ice time,” veteran Canuck Daniel Sedin said. “That makes it tough. But like I’ve said before, we have to accept the challenge. We’ve got to try to enjoy the challenge. “It’s important that each and every guy just worry about themselves. I’m going to do my job. You can’t try to do other guys’ jobs. Worry about yourself and do your job and, as a group, we’ll be OK.” But so far, they haven’t been. Since top centre Horvat suffered a broken foot on an innocuous-looking brush with the boards late in a 3-0 home win against Carolina on Dec. 5, the Canucks are 1-5 and have been outscored 26-6 in the losses. Vancouver has won just six of 17 games (6-8-3) at Rogers Arena this season. 1088951 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Brock Boeser will not return vs. Flames due to foot injury

Sportsnet Staff December 17, 2017, 9:40 PM

Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser will not return to Sunday’s game against the Calgary Flames after suffering a foot injury, the team announced. Update: @BBoeser16 suffered a foot injury and will not return tonight. — Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 18, 2017 Boeser left the game early in the second period after blocking a shot by Flames defenceman Mark Giordano. He crawled off the ice and headed straight to the dressing room. #Canucks Travis Green asked if his skill players should be giving up the body: "I'm not going to look into him blocking a shot or not. It's just unfortunate that it happened." — Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) December 18, 2017 Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy tweeted that Boeser was seen on crutches after the game. Boeser on crutches. #canucks — Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) December 18, 2017 The 20-year-old has enjoyed an incredible start to the 2017-18 season, scoring a team-high 17 goals and 30 points in 30 games. Vancouver already have a number of injured players already, including Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi and Chris Tanev.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088952 Websites Henrik Lundqvist is a guaranteed Hockey Hall of Famer, a possible candidate for first-ballot election. On publication, he has 421 career wins and you have to think he’s just about a lock to make it into the top five in Sportsnet.ca / HE AIN'T HEAVY all-time victories. It goes beyond longevity, of course. He won a Vezina Trophy, a First All-Star Team berth and another on the Second All-Star Team. In the post-season, he had a string of five consecutive Game 7 wins. He was a rock for the Swedish team that won gold at the 2006 BY GARE JOYCE IN GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN Olympics. And beyond that, there’s persona: Lundqvist has been the rare NHL player with an outsized prominence beyond the arena. “King Henrik” is Not many people could handle playing, and living, in the shadow of a an overstatement to be sure, but the handle fits on more than a few brother known as 'King Henrik'. But Joel Lundqvist has shouldered that counts. For a generation, he has been the biggest star in the NHL’s weight and thrived while suiting up for his hometown team. largest market. He’s a businessman in Manhattan. He lands on best- It’s easy to lose track of the world championships in the spring. The dressed lists. He even made People’s “Most Beautiful” list. He has Stanley Cup Playoffs are always front of mind, at least in North America. earned recognition for philanthropic and humanitarian causes. Thus, many missed a great feel-good story that played out back in May You have to go well down his bio until you hit the footnote that Henrik when the Swedes knocked off Canada 2-1 in a shootout in the final, the Lundqvist has a twin brother. 10th time the Tre Kronor took gold in the IIHF’s showcase event. “Really, until we were teenagers, maybe even 20, Henrik and I were one William Nylander, coming off his rookie season with the Leafs, was person,” Joel says. “We did all the same things. We moved around named the tournament’s most valuable player, yet you could have built a together. We had the same friends.” strong case for Henrik Lundqvist. The goalie joined the team mid- tournament after the elimination of his Rangers from the NHL playoffs, And yet, the Lundqvist twins now stand in sharp contrast. We’re not and he went undefeated and practically untouched the rest of the way. In talking about Henrik and Daniel Sedin, who seem to have moved through the last two games of the preliminary stage and the three games in the their lives symmetrically and probably should share a plaque in the knockout round, Lundqvist posted a 1.31 goals against average and .946 Hockey Hall of Fame someday — or at least neighbouring places on the save percentage. Commentators in the Swedish media made a case for wall. Until they had gold medals draped upon them at the world putting the goalie’s likeness on a postage stamp, just as the government championships, the Lundqvists had gone very separate ways as adults. had for Peter Forsberg after the 1994 Olympic victory. “He is a goalie,” Joel says. “They’re different.” But neither the 20-year-old forward nor the 35-year-old goaltender skated It sounds like a one-liner, and not an original one, and yet there’s more out to accept the tournament’s trophy on behalf of the team. Instead, it truth in it than you’d suspect. Growing up in Are, a village of 800, the was role player who, if you were piecing the puzzle together, might have Lundqvists were one person, as Joel says, but when they started to had a case of his own for MVP honors: the Swedish captain, Joel diverge, hockey was the catalyst. Lundqvist, Henrik’s twin brother. At first it was positional. Back when they were in grade school, the two OK, the younger Lundqvist (by 40 minutes) picked up only four more were at a practice when a coach asked for a volunteer to play goal. points than did his brother back in the cage, but that didn’t matter: Joel’s Henrik didn’t raise his hand, at least not voluntarily. Instead, as a prank, presence was an added draw for his twin. “I know how Henrik felt,” Joel Joel raised Henrik’s hand for him. “I didn’t want to play goal — that’s for says after practice with his Swedish Hockey League team, Frolunda HC, sure,” Joel says. “But I think the position makes you different. There is all in November. “He was very disappointed by the Rangers’ loss to Ottawa that pressure. It doesn’t stop. That was something that Henrik liked — or [in the Eastern Conference semi-final]. I was on the phone to him the he got to like. He enjoyed that pressure. He was different in that way. I next day. I told him, ‘Just so you know, we have a great group of guys was the brother who would do that [prank] on the other guy.” here in Germany. We have a good chance.’ I didn’t want to put any pressure on him. I hoped he’d come. I knew that if he thought he had the As teenagers, Joel seemed like the more serious NHL prospect. In their energy in his body he’d come. And I know for him — like me, like other draft year, Joel was a third-round pick of the Dallas Stars while the players here — it’s an honour to play for your country.” Rangers didn’t call Henrik’s name for another four rounds. And yet Joel’s stint in the NHL was relatively brief. “NHL careers have a lot to do with BY LUKE FOX circumstances, situations and always some luck,” Joel says. “I was really happy when I went to Dallas. I had some good times and there were 31 Thoughts: Karlsson and Senators face big-picture questions good people. But in my third year I was playing for a contract and I had BY ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN my first really bad injury, a crack in my shoulder blade. I hoped to make the world championship team but I got injured again. It was a really bad The draw for Henrik Lundqvist was more than that, though — the season to have in a contract year. Playing in the NHL was the main goal tournament was a chance to play with Joel for the first time in 12 years. at first but I didn’t really get any good offers. Teams wanted me to sign a “We had always played together growing up, but a few years ago I two-way.” thought, ‘You know, we will probably never play together again,’” Joel says. “And then this came along, very fast. I mean, just the week before A lot, if not most, of the players in Joel Lundqvist’s shoes would have bet the tournament, I didn’t even know that I was on the team — they hadn’t on themselves and doubled down, trying to play their way back up in their set the roster. When they called, I thought it was just to say that I made organizations, trying to attract attention from other organizations. Maybe the team, and they told me I was captain. I went from here…” Henrik would have done that. Joel chose not to. “I didn’t really want to go to the AHL,” he says. “I had my wife and I was starting a family. And I Joel holds a hand at waist level. had an offer from Frolunda. There’s something special about playing in the NHL but there’s also something special about playing for the team “…to here.” that you grew up with, the team that helped you grow and develop as a He moves his hand up to eye level. player. That’s something very few players get to do. I loved the Frolunda organization, Gothenburg, the place where I live.” “And then when Henrik told me that he was coming, I went like this.” 'A TOUGH LEAGUE' Joel raises his hand as high as it will go. Joel doesn't see his choice to play in Sweden as a sign he's any less “It was incredible — a great experience, something you cannot plan on.” driven than his brother. "It’s a lot of work to be able to compete,” he says. “I have to work harder and spend more time on my game than ever Unexpected twists have been a recurring theme in the career of Joel before." Lundqvist. Like many who play only briefly in the NHL, he had a couple of bad breaks at the worst possible times. Like many, the curtain fell fast for Joel was also tugged emotionally back to his family. His father Peter had him. Other men who’ve lived that experience don’t conceal their undergone brain surgery in 2007 and it changed his life utterly. “My father bitterness about the unfairness of it all; some try unconvincingly to cover has paralysis in the face and he has bad balance,” Joel says. “A lot of it up. But Joel Lundqvist’s story is the farthest thing from hard-luck — not things changed after that surgery, so I think it was important to be close as he tells it and not as you read it sitting across from him. In fact, if he to my mother and father. His brother lives in Stockholm, 500 kilometres had become a star in the NHL, it would be hard to imagine him any more away. Henrik is in New York most of the year. My older sister lives in content. Sacramento. So, to be able to see my parents, to let them have a chance to see our kids grow up, that’s not something you can buy with money. HOME SWEET HOME There have been times that maybe I could have made more money going Every young player dreams of the NHL, "but," Joel notes, "there’s also to the KHL or another league. Maybe that would be good for me but not something special about playing for the team that you grew up with." for my wife, my kids and my parents. It’s not only about you.” Joel Lundqvist and his family live on the island of Hono in the Ockero Municipality, a community of 10,000 by his estimate on a chain of islands just west of Gothenburg connected by bridges and ferries. “It’s not like Henrik living in Manhattan, that’s for sure,” Joel says. “It’s everything we want. School for my older daughter and son who are nine and six. Sports for them. She is in athletics, a good high jumper and sprinter. He’s playing hockey — I don’t know if I want him to play goal or not. We’ll see. We have an infant. There’s lots of support and friends. We’re not on the water but we’re just a walk from it. It’s a great quality of life. I actually like taking the ferry for 15 or 20 minutes each way every day. Before a game I can catch up on things, read, send my emails, just look after things. After a game, it gives me a chance to come down a bit.” It’s tempting to presume that Joel Lundqvist blinked, that he pulled the chute, that he took an easy way out, that he lacked the fire his brother possesses. It’s enough to make him bristle. He says they possess “the same level of competitiveness.” It’s hard enough to be a professional hockey player, but imagine being the twin of the guy they want to put on a stamp. In one breath, Joel will say that there was another path he could have followed; in the next, that it’s not a thought he can revisit. He makes it plain that questioning his career decisions in that way effectively disparages the game in the Swedish league — he drives home the point that he didn’t take an easy way out. “It’s a tough league and it’s a lot of work to be able to compete,” Joel says. “I have to work harder and spend more time on my game than ever before. I have two years left on my contract and even after that I want to keep playing. I get asked about managing or coaching but to play in this league you have to focus on the next game, not seasons ahead.” MY BROTHER'S A KEEPER Lured at least in part by the prospect of playing with Joel, Henrik was outstanding at the IIHF World Championship posting a 1.31 GAA and .946 SV%. Beyond the next game, but not beyond the winter, is another Swedish national team, the one heading to South Korea for the Olympics in February. Henrik Lundqvist would have been a lock to be in goal for Sweden if the NHL had not passed up the opportunity to showcase its talent in the tournament. Now Joel is in much the same position as he was prior to the world championships last spring. The roster is weeks away from being set and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be on it — a rib injury that kept him on the sidelines in November didn’t help his cause. He’d be looking at a third- or fourth-line role once again and it’s hard to know if the team staff will side with experience like his over fresh legs, like , a 19-year-old Frolunda teammate who’ll be playing at the world under-20s. “I’ve never had a chance to play in the Olympics and it was a goal for me before the season to make this team,” Joel says. “Still it’s a little strange if it happens this way. You just expect the best to be there in the Olympics — a little different than the worlds — and the best are playing in the NHL. Henrik, of course he would be there if the NHL is going. But whoever makes it has to play for their country and forget about all the other stuff. They can’t think about playing in the shadow of those who aren’t there.” Compared to the others, Joel Lundqvist would only have to make the subtlest shift in mindset, given that his entire career has been eclipsed from afar by Henrik, who, in fairness, would cast a shadow on all but a very few players in the game.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088953 Websites Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game. Sportsnet.ca / Five potential trade partners for the struggling Penguins Dealing within the same conference likely isn’t something the Maple Leafs brass are too keen on doing, but there’s no denying that the framework for a potential Toronto-Pittsburgh deal is there. Sonny Sachdeva The Leafs were another of the teams that inquired about Cole, according December 17, 2017, 1:34 PM to Mackey, and there’s one name on their roster that could fill a number of Pittsburgh’s needs: Tyler Bozak.

The veteran pivot has been brought up by Pittsburgh media on more than The Pittsburgh Penguins are out of sorts. one occasion as a player the Penguins brass hold in high regard. He would undoubtedly be an upgrade for the bottom six, and history would With a third of the 2017-18 season in the books, the back-to-back be a key factor here as well. Bozak has some well-established chemistry champs find themselves treading water, their uninspired play leading with Kessel from the duo’s time leading the Leafs offence, and bringing in general manager Jim Rutherford to float the potential of a “major trade” the centre to man the third line could give Sullivan enough reason to before things go too far off the rails. move Kessel back to that unit, thereby balancing out the top nine once Some might argue Pittsburgh is already there, currently sitting outside again. the playoff picture after reigning as one of the East’s most dominant The biggest hang-up here is how willing Leafs general manager Lou clubs for the past two seasons. Lamoriello is to potentially beef up one of the top teams in his own Pinpointing the Penguins’ issues so far isn’t too tough a task. After conference. However, Pittsburgh does have a few other names besides running through the league on the back of their indomitable forward Cole to dangle in a potential package, perhaps sweetening the deal, depth, the black and gold find themselves far more limited in that regard including quick-footed winger Carl Hagelin. this time around, having lost centres Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen to free The speedy Swede should appeal to plenty of clubs given the league’s agency over the summer. continued trend towards top-end speed and skill. While he’s thrived in Though the two pivots rarely stole the spotlight from their top-six black and gold in the past, his recent cold streak could force Rutherford’s counterparts, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, they were crucial to hand. Pittsburgh’s cause, allowing the club to roll out four lines that could all put Perhaps there’s potential for a need-for-need swap here. Pittsburgh has points on the board. Bonino’s chemistry with Phil Kessel, specifically, defencemen and top-end offensive talent, but crave a depth centre. The was a game-changer for Pittsburgh, while Cullen quietly chipped in with Leafs have some marquee names in the middle, but might want to round two solid, 30-point seasons despite a very limited role. out their defensive group. Now without a third-line pivot able to bring that signature scoring depth, Ottawa Senators the team’s forward corps is once again too top-heavy, allowing the opposition to key in on Crosby and Malkin while the third and fourth trios Given everything that’s transpired in Ottawa over the past few weeks, a fail to make much of an offensive dent. potential trade targets list that didn’t include the Senators would be no trade targets list at all. Make no mistake—Rutherford is well aware of the issue, and inching ever closer to pulling the trigger on another mid-season change-up. The The Penguins aren’t about to wade into the Erik Karlsson fray, but the manager has been discussing the need to upgrade his centre depth recent flurry of controversy surrounding the Senators opens the door for since before the 2017-18 season began. One mild attempt came in the other potential deals. First came mention of the Senators asking some of form of a trade for Riley Sheahan—who hasn’t yet filled Bonino’s skates their veterans with relevant clauses to submit their trade lists to the team. on the third unit—while Rutherford also tried a much more ambitious As the situation in Ottawa has continued to spiral, reports now indicate swing for Matt Duchene before he landed in Ottawa. that all options are on the table, including potentially “drastic changes” should the Senators slip further out of the playoff picture. With the clock ticking and the Penguins still lacking the lustre they’ve shown in recent years, let’s look at a few potential trading partners that That said, one name that may be up for grabs is Derick Brassard, who might help them find a spark. carries a modified no-trade clause on his five-year, $25-million deal, per CapFriendly. It’s unclear where exactly Brassard stands with the Vegas Golden Knights Senators head office, as is the case with many of the team’s veterans, The Golden Knights find themselves in a precarious position heading but with talk of significant changes potentially coming, the right offer towards the season’s halfway point: weighing the pros and cons of going might shake him loose. for it all in year one or selling high after their historic start in order to For Pittsburgh, that would be a no-brainer. Brassard is a clear upgrade continue building up their foundation of assets. over anyone else in Pittsburgh’s bottom six at the moment, boasting a Where they land on that decision might impact the Penguins’ future, as a 60-point effort and a more recent 27-goal campaign on his resumé. decision to sell might mean a few more available names for Pittsburgh. Fitting his hefty contract into the mix would be an issue, but don’t forget The two clubs have reportedly already had conversations regarding a the Penguins were fully prepared to swing a deal for Duchene and his potential deal. The Golden Knights were among three teams to reach out $6-million cap hit. The Penguins would likely prefer a cheaper option, but to the Penguins about veteran defenceman Ian Cole, according to beat it appears they’re willing to make room if the right name is there. writer Jason Mackey. That said, if Brassard isn’t available, Ottawa has another decent (and Cole remains the name most likely to get moved out of town, with both much cheaper) option in third-line pivot Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Though Mackey and fellow beat writer Josh Yohe suggesting the clash of not as proven a commodity, Pageau has enough foot-speed and personalities between Cole and head coach Mike Sullivan may have offensive awareness to hang with the Penguins top nine. already gone past the point of no return. With the Senators currently allowing the seventh-most goals-against per The 28-year-old Cole might not be a numbers darling, but he proved his game in the league, the club may be interested in bringing aboard some worth as a shutdown force during his club’s back-to-back Cup runs and defensive help to make up for the loss of former top-pairing mainstay could provide a boost for a team underperforming in its own end. Marc Methot. Cole, or perhaps young Olli Maatta, may be able to fill that However, given what he adds to Pittsburgh’s blue line, and his need. established chemistry with Justin Schultz, Rutherford won’t give Cole up NHL on Sportsnet NOW easy. Live stream over 300 marquee regular season games, regional matchups If Vegas is still keen on the blueliner, Pittsburgh could look at Erik Haula for the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and or Cody Eakin, currently the Golden Knights’ second- and third-line Toronto Maple Leafs, and the entire 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. pivots, to start a serious conversation. Either centre would be a slight upgrade over Sheahan for the third-line spot, and a slight upgrade might LEARN MORE be all the Penguins need. Colorado Avalanche Tape II Tape The other team mentioned by Mackey among the three interested in Cole was the Colorado Avalanche. There’s no clear option for a potential returning piece from Colorado, as the Avalanche surely aren’t parting with any of their talented, young pivots. But there is one interesting option in Carl Soderberg. The 32-year-old Swede certainly has some miles on him, but he’s in the midst of a decent comeback effort in Denver, with 13 points through 29 games this season. Last year was an abysmal one for Soderberg, but then again, there wasn’t much about the 2016-17 Avalanche that wasn’t abysmal. One year prior, Soderberg looked like a home run for Colorado, debuting with a 51-point effort. He has two more years left on a pretty hefty contract (paying him $4.75 million annually), so fitting in his salary might not be an easy feat (or worth it). However, as in the case of Brassard, if Rutherford feels Soderberg could help his third line, it seems he’ll be willing to make it work. Contract aside, the former Boston Bruin has all the makings of a Rutherford acquisition. The Penguins tend to gravitate towards players with high-end offensive skill, even when it’s mired in a questionable all- around skill set (as was the case with Schultz when he first joined the club). Soderberg fits that bill, as he’s flashed some playmaking wizardry on more than one occasion during his four NHL seasons. He’s been inconsistent, but that tends not to be as significant an issue when you have elite linemates to work with on a nightly basis. There’s a bit of Bonino in Soderberg’s game, and if the Avalanche decide to offload the veteran and bring in some Stanley Cup pedigree in Cole, there might be something here. Minnesota Wild It might be the most unlikely of any of these scenarios, but there’s a chance Pittsburgh tries for a do-over and brings back veteran Matt Cullen. After signing with his hometown team in the off-season, presumably to finish his career back in Minnesota, the 41-year-old has had a fairly tumultuous return to his old stomping grounds. A few consecutive healthy scratches with the Wild sparked questions of whether Cullen and Rutherford would ever consider a Steel City reunion. Those around the team feel there’s a real chance Pittsburgh looks into bringing the veteran back if the Wild’s struggles continue. For his part, he’s not making that possibility look more likely, as the longtime NHLer has clawed his way back into the lineup and managed to put a couple points on the board as of late. That said, the discrepancy in how each of these two teams values Cullen could make this interesting. Cullen has been the odd man out in Minnesota at times this season, suggesting he isn’t too high up on his coaching staff’s list of favourites. On the other hand, there’s no questions regarding how Pittsburgh feels about him. Rutherford made a point to bring Cullen to Pennsylvania in 2015, hoping to add a reliable veteran voice in the Penguins locker room and touting the pivot’s impact during a run to the 2006 Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. The centreman quietly became a crucially important cog in the Penguins’ machine, adding two more Cups to his collection while helping mentor the club’s emerging young stars. The Penguins were ready to bring him back for a chance at the three- peat, and it seems that interest hasn’t faded. Given that it would likely take very little to re-acquire Cullen—and to fit his $1-million contract into the salary cap picture—there’s a good chance the Penguins take a long look at this one.

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Sportsnet.ca / After Hours: Subban on Turris, Montreal and being himself in Nashville

Sonny Sachdeva December 17, 2017, 4:27 PM

Few among the NHL’s masses can inspire as much debate as Nashville Predators defenceman P.K. Subban. From his Norris Trophy win to the blockbuster trade that ushered him out of Montreal, and all the discussion in between regarding where he fits in the grand scheme of the sport, Subban has quickly become one of the most polarizing names in hockey, on and off the ice. But despite all the doubters and the critics who question whether his personality is too grand for the usually timid NHL, it appears Subban has no qualms about letting that personality shine through in his new city. The Toronto, Ont. native shed some light on his comfort level with his second NHL team on Saturday, joining Scott Oake for Hockey Night in Canada’s After Hours segment. Discussing the high-profile 2016 deal that saw Subban and Shea Weber swap jerseys, Oake asked the former Montreal Canadien one simple question: “Do you feel more comfortable being yourself in Nashville?” “Yeah,” Subban said. “You know what, I think when I came in, the first call that I had was with (head coach) Peter Laviolette. He told me ‘Listen, we want you to be yourself. We want you to come in and work hard, be a good teammate like you’ve always been, and just be yourself. Bring that energy you bring every day.’ I think it’s contagious. “I think as long as you continue to embrace your teammates the right way, there’s nothing wrong with coming to the rink every day and having energy.” Though the 28-year-old rearguard is thriving in Nashville, Subban made clear he remains thankful to the club that got him started in the big leagues. “Montreal, regardless of what everybody says, they gave me the opportunity to play in the NHL, and believed in me,” Subban said. “Geoff Molson and all the ownership group were great to me while I was there and great to my family. Players, training staff, everybody.” Subban’s first go-round in a Predators jersey was undoubtedly a memorable one. While the smooth-skating defender was limited to 66 games during the regular season, he helped Nashville claw their way to their first ever Stanley Cup Final, posting 12 points from the back end during that run while skating over 25 minutes a night. Currently leading the Western Conference, Nashville hasn’t slowed down since. And according to Subban, that’s due in large part to some key acquisitions that haven’t garnered quite as much discussion as his own. “I think that there was so much talk last year about the trade with me and Shea, and I think that a lot of that has to do with the Montreal market,” Subban said. “But not enough is said about the trades (for) Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg and now Kyle Turris.” In 17 games since he first donned a Predators jersey, Turris has amassed a sterling 17 points—an undeniably strong start to his Nashville tenure. “Kyle Turris has been a huge acquisition to our team,” Subban said. “And really it’s changed our identity a little bit. We do have that depth at centre now and it’s not just him. “Collectively as a group we’re confident.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088955 Websites Most impressively, Eberle is lightning the lamp without the assistance of the power play. Only two of his goals this season have come with the extra man, while 10 of his markers six years ago came on the PP. Sportsnet.ca / 5 things we learned: Ovechkin extends NHL OT record NHL on Sportsnet NOW Live stream over 300 marquee regular season games, regional matchups Andrew Bottomley for the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs, and the entire 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. December 17, 2017, 8:47 AM LEARN MORE

Blue Jackets power play continues to be pathetic Twenty-two teams were in action on Saturday night, five of them were Canadian, and four games needed overtime. The Columbus Blue Jackets entered Saturday’s tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes with the worst power play in the entire league, scoring just Here are five things we learned in the NHL: nine times – or 10.11 per cent of the time. Ovechkin extends NHL OT record The John Tortorella-led team had four opportunities against a Hurricanes team that started the night with the league’s 26th-ranked penalty kill, but, With 3:06 remaining in the overtime period of the game between the again, the Blue Jackets failed to convert with the man advantage. Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, all-time NHL overtime goals leader Alex Ovechkin picked up some speed and took the For comparison, the Colorado Avalanche boasted the worst PP in the puck past centre ice. NHL last season, finishing the year with a 12.55 per cent conversion rate, a full two points behind the next worse team. The Blue Jackets are on Like a rocket, Ovechkin skated straight to the top of the right circle and pace to finish two per cent behind them. fired a blast over the blocker of Ducks goalie John Gibson. Only nine Columbus players have managed to notch a point on the Ovechkin’s game winner was the 21st overtime goal in his career, giving power play this season, and only three have more than a pair. First-year him some breathing room at the top of his NHL record. Blue Jacket Artemi Panarin seems to be the lone bright spot on an abysmal unit with seven points – two of which are goals. Most OT goals NHL history Carter Hutt-Out 1. Ovechkin 21 The St. Louis Blues hosted the Winnipeg Jets in a battle of two of the top 2. Jagr 19 teams the Western Conference has to offer. 3. Elias 16 The Blues had the advantage in the standings heading into the matchup 4. Fedorov, D. Sedin, Sundin, Hossa 15. with 44 points, sharing them top spot in the west with the Nashville Predators. The Jets were just three points back with 41. — Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) December 17, 2017 But recently, Winnipeg seemed to have the number of the Blues inside The goal also moved the Russian past Guy Lafleur and Bobby Hull for the Scottrade Center, taking four straight against them while on the road. ninth all time with 99 career game-winning goals. And with No. 1 goaltender Jake Allen on the bench, the Jets must have been licking their lips at the matchup with backup Carter Hutton who last Flyers counter streak with streak played on Dec. 5. The Philadelphia Flyers are in the midst of a streak that they can be In just his ninth game of the season, Hutton came in and shut down one proud of: a six-game winning streak. of the league’s best offences. The 31-year-old turned away a career-best Prior to that? The team suffered through 10 long games, each without 48 shots (previous best was 39) and picked up his first shutout of the picking up two points for a win. season and ninth of his career. After the Boston Bruins shut out the Flyers on Dec. 2 – the game that Hutton’s 48 saves are the most in a St. Louis Blues shutout (passing pushed their losing streak to double digits – the Flyers headed out to Chris Mason who had 47) and it is just the fifth time a Blues goalie Western Canada and has looked like the team that started the season 8- stopped more than 40 while keeping the other team off the board. 6-2. They cruised through their first three wins, beating the Calgary Flames, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.18.2017 Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks. They scored at least four goals in each game and allowed no more than two. Then they started a five-game homestand by beating both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres. Saturday, they won their sixth straight game thanks to a 2-1 overtime decision over the Dallas Stars. In the wake of Philadelphia’s recent turnaround, the Flyers made history by becoming just the second team to ever go on a six-game winning streak following a 10-game losing streak. #Flyers become the 2nd team in NHL history to win 6 in a row immediately following a 10-game winless skid pic.twitter.com/yR1pRkPFih — Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 17, 2017 Eberle on pace for most goals since ’11-12 Jordan Eberle took a nifty saucer pass from Matthew Barzal and absolutely tattooed the puck off the bar and in to lead the New York Islanders past the Los Angeles Kings in overtime. The goal marked Eberle’s 13th of the season through 33 games, putting him on pace to score 32 goals this year. Eberle has eclipsed 30 goals in a single season just once, his sophomore year in 2011-12 when he potted 34. During this year’s resurgence, Eberle’s shooting percentage is over 17 per cent – the only other time that mark’s been over 14.5 was 2011-12 (18.9) – and he now has five game-winning goals, which is tied for the most in his career since his first year when he record five in 69 games. 1088956 Websites injuries surface and how well Carrick plays. With the Marlies, Marincin has posted two goals and seven assists in 18 games. Meanwhile, Carrick has one goal and three assists with a plus-six rating over 17 games with TSN.CA / Leafs out to make Nylander 'a star' the Leafs this season. He played his last game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 24 and was replaced in the lineup the following night by Roman Polak. Babcock hasn't taken Polak out since. By Kristen Shilton The players Babcock alluded to as still trying to grow into their potential most assuredly includes William Nylander. With just five goals and 16 assists in 34 games, Nylander is three goals shy of where he was at the same point as a rookie. He had also taken 90 shots on goal at this time TSN Toronto reporter Kristen Shilton checks in daily with news and notes last season, compared to 78 this year. from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Maple Leafs held a noon practice at MasterCard Centre With only one goal and six assists in his last 14 games, Nylander is determined to stay positive about his game and the prospect of a For the first time since he was injured on Dec. 9, Auston Matthews turnaround being possible at any time. returned to the ice in front of reporters as he continues working his way back from an upper-body injury. “You look at whether you’re creating chances or not, that’s a big factor,” he said. “If you’re not creating chances, you’d be worried and frustrated Matthews spent about 25 minutes on the ice, working mostly by himself and I mean, that’s what it all comes down to. Eventually those chances with a trainer. The 20-year-old went through a series of stick-handling will go in. I would be frustrated if I wasn’t creating chances or anything so and shooting drills with an empty net, and then joined a few of his that’s what you think about and evaluate your game on.” teammates to shoot on Frederik Andersen and Curtis McElhinney. After reiterating he still has confidence in himself and where he’s at, By the time Mike Babcock called practice to order, Matthews had already Nylander was asked point-blank if his believes his coach still has faith in retreated to the dressing room. him – to which Nylander responded “yeah.” “He’s been getting better the whole time, and feels better,” said Babcock. “We believe in doing it right so we don’t get tricked just because you’re “When he plays, I don’t know 100 per cent. I thought he should be at skilled,” said Babcock. “We want you to become a high-end skill player practice today, but that’s why they don’t let me make any decisions for with unbelievable work ethic. That’s how you get a star. Otherwise you’re the medical department. We’re going about it that when he’s ready, he’s a guy that goes from team to team to team. If you want to be a star, dig in going to play.” and put the team first and you’ve got to learn how to play without the Matthews skates ahead of Maple Leafs' practice puck.” Injured Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews skated for about 20 That’s become even more important for Nylander since he’s starting minutes ahead of Toronto's practice Sunday morning. making appearances at centre. Following his debut at the position this season last Sunday, Nylander skated between Zach Hyman and Connor Matthews has missed the Leafs last four games, and sat out eight games Brown at practice ahead of Tuesday’s home game, where he projects to total on the season. Toronto didn’t miss a beat without him the first time start in the middle again. he was injured in November, but they're on a three-game losing streak now that coincides with his second extended absence. “You just try to be in the right position,” he said of the adjustments. “If you’re in the right position you can go out and be more aggressive. So While no one player has stepped up to fill Matthews’ shoes, Babcock first you try and get in the right position and then be aggressive in the d- said he’s not exactly surprised by that. zone. If you’re aggressive in the wrong position it’s going to end up bad.” “How many players in the league are like Auston?” Babcock asked. “I Before Matthews went down with injury, Babcock had been playing think some of our [other] young players are going to be high-end players, Nylander primarily on the fourth line to try and encourage a more well- but are in the process of working that out.” rounded, 200-foot game out of him. The shuffling has drawn plenty of ire from fans and questions from the media, but Babcock stands firm that the In an unexpected roster move on Sunday, the Leafs placed Nikita Zaitsev Leafs are doing what is in Nylander’s best interest. on Injured Reserve and recalled Martin Marincin from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. “Our job here, and that’s Lou [Lamoriello]’s and mine and our whole crew here, we have to make him a star,” said Babcock. “That’s our job. So Zaitsev’s injury appears to be tied to Friday’s game against the Detroit whether you think we’re handling it right or not, we obviously think we Red Wings, and most likely to a singular play that occurred in the second are.” period. While in the defensive zone, Zaitsev blocked a Niklas Kronwall shot with his foot. He didn’t take another shift after that for nearly seven And Nylander can only hope the lessons pay off – literally – down the minutes, but stayed in the game until the end. road. With just months to go before he’s due to negotiate a new contract extension, Nylander’s not dwelling on what a season with more valleys Babcock said he’d have an update on Zaitsev’s condition and how long than peaks so far could be costing him in a new deal. he’ll be out for in about two weeks. Regardless, it will be a challenge for the Leafs to solider on without him. Zaitsev leads Toronto in ice time per “It’ll pop up [in my head] sometimes but it’s something you don’t really game (22:50) and plays the second-most shorthanded minutes waste energy on thinking about,” he said. “If you think about it like that, (3:37/game). you’re going to have headaches.” The injury does open the door for Connor Carrick to return to the lineup. Seventeen days and seven games into December, the Leafs are tied with He's been a healthy scratch since Nov. 25, and hopes to lessen the the Arizona Coyotes for fewest goals scored (10) this month. That's a far burden of Zaitsev’s absence as much as possible. cry from where they were only a few weeks ago, sitting pretty at the top of the NHL in offence. “The way I look at it is it creates an opportunity for Carrick,” Babcock said of getting by without Zaitsev. “You wait for your opportunity and then On their most recent three-game road trip, the Leafs amassed just three when you get your opportunity you have to make good on your goals-for, while giving up nine. Whatever the root cause of their scoring opportunity and then you stay in the lineup. That’s always the challenge. funk, Toronto can’t afford to have it go on for much longer. When you’re on an NHL roster and you want to play every single day, on the day when you get in, do you do enough to stay in? Ball is in his court; “It’s just puck not going in the net,” surmised Nazem Kadri. “Essentially I we get to watch him.” think we had a lot of good looks, a lot of good opportunities, especially in Minnesota, we just didn’t get the puck luck we wanted to be. But we just Where Carrick won’t be able to assist the Leafs is on the penalty kill. But have to continue to get offensive zone play. Getting through the neutral the same general principle applies – whichever player wants the extra zone has been a bit of a problem, teams are jamming us up. That’s minutes most is going to get them. resulting in less offence.” “Obviously [Roman] Polak is going to be more [minutes] in that area,” Babcock has previously listed off several reasons he thought his team said Babcock. “And then one of those guys [assistant coach D.J. Smith] hadn’t been able to establish zone time, but on Sunday gave a bigger feels is comfortable at the start of the game and is playing good, they’re picture answer that included the unfortunate schedule quirk that had the going to get a chance. And then if the guy does good, what does he get Leafs playing five games in seven nights. to do? Go again. And then even when [Zaitsev] gets back, he gets to keep doing it.” “The reality is, if you want to spend time in the offensive zone, you’ve got to hold on to the puck, go to protect it, got to shoot it, you’ve got it get it Babcock was unsure whether or not Marincin would actually get the back, you’ve got to shoot the puck and get it back,” he said. “The better chance to play while he’s back with the Leafs, saying it depends on what you’re playing and the more in synch you are, the more time you spend playing in the offensive zone. Before the year started, it was pretty obvious where the tough stretches are. Any way you look at it…Detroit was off yesterday, we were off yesterday. Detroit is off today, we’re off today. Why did we play [on Friday]? … I don’t talk about that stuff ever. When you guys say [something about it] I say, ‘no, we have a game today and we have to win it.’ That to me is how you approach the NHL schedule.” In the long road through an 82-game season, offensive lulls like this one are inevitable – even with a roster as stacked with talent as Toronto’s. Keeping the stretch in perspective is what will help the Leafs prevent it from spiraling out of control. “It’s a mind game. It’s pretty much all mental,” said Kadri. “You look at the stat sheet and you can see, we’re getting possession, we’re getting scoring chances, we’re getting a couple power plays. Maybe not as many as we were getting at the beginning of the season, but we’re getting looks. It’s just important for us to stay with it. Offence is going to come for us, that’s not the issue.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 12.18.2017 1088957 Websites And now he’s the first NCAA goalie to make Canada's World Junior team since Cornell's David LeNeveau in 2003.

“I think it’s a testament to my potential,” Point said. “I’ve been underrated TSN.CA / Point, Batherson work their way onto Team Canada for a long time in my life and I’m just glad I’m finally getting an opportunity to show what I’m capable of.” By Mark Masters Canada will play two sets of back-to-back games in the preliminary round in Buffalo this year, which means Point is likely to see some action even though Carter Hart, a returning player with a sparkling .961 save percentage with Everett in the WHL, is viewed as the clear No. 1. It was a nervous few hours for Canada’s World Junior hopefuls on Friday night as they waited for the final cuts to be made. “I’ve thought about stepping on the ice for the first time wearing the jersey and all the gear and the helmet and looking around and seeing all “We were just sitting in the hotel room waiting for the call and it’s a good the fans going crazy for Team Canada,” Point said. “It’s almost, like, thing that it never came, because that’s how you know you made the chilling just realizing they’re all cheering for you or the team in general so team,” said goalie Colton Point. “Me and (roommate Brett) Howden were it’s still kind of surreal.” just sitting there and were both just stressing out about whether the phone would ring at any second. Every once in a while I’d hear a door Making his Point: "Underrated" goalie finally gets his chance open and shut and you’d know another guy got cut so it’s a stressful two hours just sitting there waiting.” Colton Point is the first NCAA goalie to make Canada's World Junior team since Cornell's David LeNeveau in 2003. He was considered a “It was a pretty dramatic day,” said forward Drake Batherson. “Pretty longshot to make the squad a few months ago when he wasn't invited to nerve-wracking leading up to the final cuts. When I got the final word that the Summer Showcase. But the pride of North Bay, Ont. has been I’ll be representing Team Canada at the World Juniors, you know, the outstanding at Colgate and has now earned the biggest chance of his emotions kind of ran through me and I never really felt like that before young career. besides the draft. It was like the draft all over again … To finally hear that final call last night was definitely overwhelming and I really couldn’t Batherson shared a similar sentiment on Saturday as he and his believe it.” teammates went through a series of promotional shoots with the TSN and RDS broadcast teams. Point and Batherson did not receive an invite to Canada’s summer camp for World Junior hopefuls. Both were late-round picks with Batherson “It’s pretty cool,” the Cape Breton forward said with a grin. “I've never getting scooped up by Ottawa last June in the fourth round (121st really done a photo shoot or anything like that before so I was trying to overall) while Point went to the Stars in the fifth round (128th overall) a put my actor personality on I guess you could say.” couple years ago. Both earned invites to the final selection camp with Standing only five-foot-five in his first year of eligibility for the QMJHL impressive starts to the season and then edged out the competition in St. draft in 2014, Batherson went unpicked. Despite a growth spurt, he was Catharines, Ont. also passed over in his first year of eligibility for the NHL draft. “First my dad called me and then my mom tried to call me at the same “When I finally made major junior at Cape Breton at 18-years-old and time so that was interesting trying to deal with both of those,” Point said after kind of a slow start, I finally started to get hot so I thought maybe I with a laugh. “My mom was just yelling. She was at some staff party and can make a run at something here,” he said. “Then I started getting a few saying, ‘Oh my goodness, you made it! I’m so excited!’ My dad was like, calls from NHL teams last year and that was kind of an eye opener so I ‘Congrats son. I’m so proud of you.’ And hearing them so excited about just kept working and to hear my name called in June at the draft was my hockey is an unbelievable feeling.” pretty cool and after that this was my goal, to make this team this year.” Batherson and Point are two of five players to make the final roster Batherson edged out Brandon's Tanner Kaspick and Owen Sound's Nick without having been invited to the summer camp. The others are Suzuki for a final spot up front. After his place was confirmed he received forwards Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville), Tyler Steenbergen (Swift a flurry of messages. Current) and Alex Formenton (London). “Some of my buddies were like, ‘I can’t believe it,’ so it’s pretty cool Fresh faces excited to represent Canada at World Juniors hearing that from them and I’m just looking forward to representing Nova For Drake Batherson and Colton Point getting selected to represent Scotia and the Maritimes at the World Juniors.” Canada at the World Juniors seemed like a long-shot, especially after not Batherson, who hails from New Minas, N.S., is the only player from being invited to the summer camp for Canadian hopefuls, but after being Atlantic Canada on the roster and one of only two QMJHL players, named to the final roster Batherson and Point can barley contain their joining Comtois who also earned a spot thanks to a standout camp. excitement. Mark Masters has more Niagara-on-the-Lake. Batherson stormed out of the gate in Cape Breton this season with 17 Point beat out Canucks prospect Michael DiPietro, who backstopped goals and 22 assists in 24 games. He was also excellent in the CIBC Windsor to a Memorial Cup last spring, for the final goalie job. Point’s Series against Russia scoring the winning goal in the game on Nov. 14. numbers with Colgate University this season show he’s more than deserving of a spot. The sophomore is 8-4-4 with a .938 save “The past couple summers have been huge for me training-wise,” he percentage. Last season, he was 2-5-2 with a .918 save percentage. said. “Working as hard as I did and on my skills and stuff like that and getting better every day and just having that drive to make that next step. “I came in with a different attitude,” the North Bay, Ont. native explained. Then to get drafted last year was obviously huge. That led to the rookie “Last year, I struggled a lot. I missed eight weeks with mono and that was tournament and main camp and bringing a lot of confidence back to a whole process. I came back this year stronger and ready to play every junior from that and having a good start to the year. Then getting the game. I came in with the mentality I wanted to dominate. I approached invite here was cool and now I’ve made the team. It’s been a crazy last every game like it was my last and just played my heart out.” couple of months.” He had never been involved with before this week and Sens prospect Batherson on making Team Canada: "I really couldn’t only realized he was on the radar a few months ago. believe it" “I started hearing rumours midway through October when I was picking Drake Batherson wasn't picked in his first year of eligibility for the QMJHL up some steam and we were beating some real good teams and my or the NHL draft. He wasn't invited to Canada's camp for World Junior goalie coach would drop something like, ‘Hey, if you keep this up you hopefuls last Summer. But Ottawa's fourth-round pick did enough this might get some World Junior looks.’ And that stuck with me. And then season in Cape Breton to earn an unlikely trip to Buffalo. (TSN's) Craig Button put something out there about me and then last Wednesday I got the invite and it seems like it all happened really Cal Foote claimed the last spot on a strong Canadian blue line earning quickly.” the nod over Regina's Josh Mahura and Mario Ferraro from UMass (Amherst). After watching his father, Adam Foote, represent Canada on At times this past week Point couldn’t help but be a bit star struck. multiple occasions, this will be Cal’s first time wearing the Maple Leaf in “It’s a learning process,” he said after Thursday’s game against a team of international competition. USports all-stars. “I’ve never been here before. A lot of these guys are “It means a whole lot,” he said. “It means a lot to my family to put on this either returning or been through the whole development process. It’s jersey. It’s going to be a great feeling. Growing up, always being a overwhelming, almost, sometimes, but I’m trying to stay laid-back and Canadian fan, it’s been in my blood.” have some fun and show them what I can do.” The elder Foote was at Canada’s Selection Camp and talked his son through a stressful process. “He’s given me advice throughout my whole career and for this he just said to give it my all and try my best and good things will happen.” At six-foot-four, Foote is the tallest Canadian defenceman. No one else on the blue line stands higher than six-foot-one. Head coach Dominque Ducharme said Foote’s size played a role in him getting picked, but it wasn't the only factor. “It’s going also by what kind of role they can play,” Ducharme noted. “We need guys moving the puck, playing on the power play and killing. And Cal, he’s doing a good job on the PK for sure. He’s well-positioned, he’s a good defender, he’s moving the puck well and he’s a bigger body so it’s all those kinds of things and he’s playing well.” Foote has 30 points in 30 games this season in Kelowna, but knows he’ll be leaned on for harder defensive minutes with Team Canada. “I have to play hard,” said Foote. “I have to be hard to play against and fill more of a defensive penalty kill role. It’s going to be fun.”

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