SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/13/2019 1156755 Ducks’ stingy defense and opportunistic offense fueling 1156781 Robin Lehner and Calvin de Haan make their Blackhawks hot start debuts, but the Jets rally for a 3-2 overtime victory 1156782 Kirby Dach makes his pro debut after the Blackhawks send him to the Rockford IceHogs on a conditioning 1156756 Comeback falls short as Coyotes lose in overtime to assignm Avalanche 1156783 The puck from an NHL player’s first is priceless. 1156757 Coyotes recall Lyubushkin, assign Capobianco to AHL Except to one car thief. 1156758 Carl Söderberg overcame impaired vision to forge a 1156784 Scrambled Blackhawks remain winless after overtime loss productive NHL career to Jets 1156785 Blackhawks notebook: Kirby Dach assigned to Rockford for conditioning stint 1156759 Bruins delight in Brad Marchand’s -killing prowess 1156786 Excessively long shifts contributing to Hawks’ early- 1156760 Bruins’ Karson Kuhlman not lacking in effort, just results season struggles 1156761 Bruins stay on roll, blank Devils in home opener 1156787 Defenseman de Haan makes his Chicago Blackhawks 1156762 James Neal deal looking like a steal for Oilers debut 1156763 Brad Marchand brings every bit as much substance as 1156788 Scheifele scores in OT, Jets beat winless Blackhawks 3-2 style to Bruins’ 3-0 win over Devils in home opener 1156789 Jets get past Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime 1156764 Joakim Nordstrom leads Bruins’ gritty fourth line against 1156790 A recap of Kirby Dach’s AHL debut and Blackhawks Devils explanation for conditioning stint 1156765 Behind Tuukka Rask shutout, Bruins scorch Devils in 1156791 Instant reaction: Blackhawks pick up against Jets but home opener remain winless 1156766 Shafting of Bruins latest reminder of need to unplug replay 1156792 Four takeaways: Blackhawks squander two-goal lead in reviews overtime loss to Jets 1156767 Bruins notebook: Bruce Cassidy still looking for right mix in 1156793 What Blackhawks options are with Kirby Dach after forward lines assignment to Rockford for conditioning stint 1156768 Highlights from the Bruins' 3-0 win over the Devils 1156794 What Calvin de Haan brings to Blackhawks as he 1156769 Bruins third line still looking for chemistry, offense in the prepares to make season debut early going 1156795 Robin Lehner to make official Blackhawks debut vs. Jets 1156770 Zdeno Chara posts hype video that will get Bruins fans 1156796 Blackhawks prospect Kirby Dach hits the ice in Rockford, ready for the home opener begins his pro career 1156771 Former Bruins defenseman Ted Green dies at 79 1156797 How Brandon Saad, David Kampf and Dominik Kubalik 1156772 Rask set to start tonight vs. Devils after dehydration issues have formed a key line for the Blackhawks 1156773 Back where they belong, Bruins take care of business with an eye toward something more 1156798 Andre Burakovsky’s OT goal vs. Coyotes keeps Buffalo Sabres Avalanche perfect in four games 1156774 Oskar Steen's goal in final minute beats Amerks 1156799 Mark Barberio returned with something to prove for the 1156775 Joel Quenneville 'means business' and it's a new Avs approach for the 1156800 Chambers: NHL should ditch video review for offside 1156776 When it comes to Rasmus Dahlin, Ralph Krueger taking a 1156801 Patience pays off for Francouz in earning his first career measured approach NHL win 1156777 Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings 1156802 “It’s fun to have a lot of ice time”: Sam Girard evolving into “The Guy” on Avs defense 1156803 Avs Game 4 Grades: Perfect Homestand 1156778 Assist from Flames to fund YMCA memberships for Grade 6 students Columbus Blue Jackets 1156779 Flames losing skid continues in Sin City 1156804 Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2: Jackets take fun out of 'whiteout' game for Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes 1156806 Early deficits have limited Blue Jackets' forward rotations 1156780 Blue Jackets hand Canes first loss of season 1156807 Ducks 2, Blue Jackets 1 | A couple of mistakes prove costly in Blue Jackets' loss 1156808 Portzline: 10 observations from the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 win over Carolina, helped by a stout third period Dallas Stars 1156809 Playoff mode: Why the Stars are approaching each game 1156846 In the Habs' Room: Gallagher's clutch third-period goal with a postseason mentality gives crucial cushion 1156810 Stars’ power play struggles continue vs. Capitals; Jim 1156847 Canadiens soar over the Blues with six-goal outburst Montgomery loses first challenge of season 1156848 Canadiens' Victor Mete grew up as a big St. Louis Blues 1156811 Corey Perry made the most of his time off the ice while fan Stars debut nears 1156849 Canadiens Game Day: Jonathan Drouin earns some love 1156812 Despite Stars recent success on the rush this season, from fans Dallas struggles offensively in loss to Capitals 1156850 St. Louis Blues at Canadiens: Five things you should know 1156813 Stars 20/20: Boos rain down with Stars still struggling to 1156851 How the Canadiens’ engine identified what wasn’t working find answers after loss to Capitals and immediately fixed it 1156852 Video Review: The insertion of Brett Kulak in his old spot stabilized the Canadiens defence 1156814 Detroit Red Wings have two lines clicking, need far more from others Nashville Predators 1156815 Detroit Red Wings executive Jimmy Devellano to undergo 1156853 Living on edge likely to catch up with Predators brain surgery 1156854 Kings blow three-goal lead, hang on to beat Predators 7-4 1156816 Detroit Red Wings lose momentum in 5-2 loss to rival 1156855 Predators good to goal so far, but there could be a hole in Maple Leafs at lively LCA the defense 1156817 Game thread: Red Wings fall to Leafs, 5-2 1156818 Maple Leafs outwork Red Wings, win with big third period New Jersey Devils 1156819 Red Wings' Jimmy Devellano to have surgery for non- 1156856 Make it 5 straight: Devils lose again in road shutout vs. cancerous brain tumor Bruins 1156820 Red Wings' Dylan Larkin embracing challenge of facing 1156857 Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Bruins (10/12/19) | Cory opponents' best players Schneider back in goal 1156821 Secondary scoring not enough for Red Wings in loss to 1156858 Why there’s still reason to be optimistic about Devils Leafs despite slow start 1156822 Red Wings face skidding Leafs as Filip Hronek 1156859 Devils remain winless after getting blanked by Bruins questionable 1156860 Devils’ John Hynes is facing the heat amid sluggish start 1156823 Rose, Helm score for Red Wings in 5-2 loss to Maple Leafs New York Islanders 1156861 Brock Nelson’s shootout goal propels Islanders past Oilers Panthers 1156824 Ted Green was tough on ice but kind-hearted off it 1156862 Islanders beat Panthers in a shootout at Coliseum, but 1156825 First place make history with fifth straight Eberle exits with injury comeback win 1156863 'Smart' jerseys, virtual reality possible at new Islanders 1156826 Edmonton Oilers Game Day: Early schedule a roller- home coaster for 1156864 Barry Trotz shuffles Islanders' lines against Panthers 1156827 Mike Smith is charged up, and that’s a big reason behind the Oilers’ surprising 5-0 start New York Rangers 1156865 Rangers drop 4-1 decision to red-hot Oilers at the Garden Florida Panthers 1156866 Kaapo Kakko: I got ‘lucky’ on first Rangers goal 1156828 Panthers continuing to evaluate forward lines early in 1156867 Rangers fall apart late after Kaapo Kakko’s first goal season to find right pairings 1156868 Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko scores first NHL goal in style 1156829 Panthers get another third-period road rally, lose second 1156869 NY Rangers takeaways: Kaapo Kakko scores first NHL SO in 24 hours goal in loss to Edmonton Oilers 1156870 NY Rangers projected lineup: Red-hot Edmonton Oilers will be a test after week off 1156830 Alex Iafallo’s late goal lifts Kings to home-opening win 1156871 Rangers won't blame long layoff for loss to Edmonton over Predators 1156872 Kaapo Kakko scores first NHL goal, but Rangers fall to 1156831 The Kings are covering up Taylor Swift’s ‘eyesore’ of a Oilers banner 1156873 The Rangers have plenty of problems, but their weeklong 1156832 Kings rally back to hold off Predators in dramatic home break wasn’t one opener 1156833 FINAL – TUCSON 8, ONTARIO 2 1156834 OCTOBER 12 RAPID REACTION: KINGS 7, 1156874 GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators strike down PREDATORS 4 Lightning to give coach Smith his first NHL win 1156835 GAME 4: LOS ANGELES VS NASHVILLE 1156875 Senators' first win of season is all in the details 1156836 PREVIEW – ONTARIO VS. TUCSON, 10/12 1156876 ‘It’s taken 16 years to get here,’ and now D.J. Smith finally has his first NHL win 1156877 Samuels-Thomas: Who is Scott Sabourin? I know. I lived 1156837 Wild-Pittsburgh game recap with him 1156838 Defensive woes exposed in Wild's home-opening loss to Penguins 1156839 Wild off to its slowest start 1156840 Crosby, short-handed Penguins beat winless Wild 7-4 1156841 Wild drops to 0-4 after loss to Penguins in season opener 1156842 Wild faces Bill Guerin's old employer in home opener 1156843 Victor Rask in, Ryan Donato out for Wild vs. Penguins 1156844 Wild continue worst start in franchise history with 7-4 loss to Penguins 1156845 Wild GM Bill Guerin would have waited, but he knows moving on from Penguins was best Philadelphia Flyers 1156878 Flyers salvage a point but fall in shootout to Vancouver 1156930 Canucks Extra: Boeser busts out Canucks, 3-2 1156931 Canucks 3 Flyers 2: Saturday night's alright for grinding 1156879 Flyers’ Nolan Patrick skates with teammates for first time hockey this season, but still ‘week to week’ with migraine 1156932 Canucks Game Day: AV comes flying back into town 1156880 Justin Braun, Ivan Provorov building chemistry as Flyers’ 1156933 The Armies: Big Sexy shows up, Jacob Markstrom stacks top defensive pairing the pads and J.T. Miller proves his worth 1156881 Flyers’ prospect Joel Farabee scores first pro goal in 1156934 Achilles’ Heel: How the Canucks’ woeful but improved Phantoms’ victory bottom six stacks up against recent playoff teams Pittsburgh Penguins Vegas Golden Knights 1156882 Empty Thoughts: Penguins 7, Wild 4 1156913 Golden Knights find spot for Cody Glass after Cody 1156883 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton call-ups guide the Penguins past Eakin’s return the Wild 1156914 Golden Knights’ 4th line excels in 6-2 win over Calgary 1156884 Fight by Penguins’ Teddy Blueger no surprise to Mike 1156915 Golden Knights get early look at Pacific Division Sullivan opponents 1156885 Former Penguins forward Ryan Malone showed Pittsburgh 1156916 GAME DAY: Cody Eakin to make season debut for can produce NHLers Golden Knights 1156886 Penguins forward Joseph Blandisi expected to make his 1156917 Golden Knights recall Oscar Dansk to replace injured season debut goaltender 1156887 Penguins newcomers lead win over Wild 1156918 Golden Knights do ‘the right things all night’ in win over 1156888 Erik Gudbranson is frustrated by benching, but here's why Flames he won't take it out on John Marino 1156919 Golden Knights Ride Fourth Line Hat Trick To Defeat 1156889 Patric Hornqvist is back to his old ways before and during Calgary Before 18,192 Saturday games, and the Penguins love it 1156890 Wild GM Bill Guerin would have waited, but he knows moving on from Penguins was best 1156920 Caps finally get a third-period lead they can hold on to in 1156891 The Penguins like John Marino. Get used to it. 4-1 win over Stars 1156892 The Penguins have lost their identity. It is by design 1156921 Ilya Samsonov gets his turn in goal for Capitals; Nic Dowd back as fourth-line center San Jose Sharks 1156922 John Carlson reps the Nationals' batting helmet after 1156893 Unraveling the return of Mr. Shark: Can Marleau be a winning Capitals' 'hard hat' award solution to this mess? 1156923 Caps earn their first regulation win in Dallas in 24 years 1156894 How Aaron Dell's win could boost fellow goalie Martin 1156924 Caps get revenge on Stars, snap losing streak Jones, Sharks’ defense 1156925 3 things to know for Capitals-Stars: The rematch 1156895 Why Sharks' Patrick Marleau expects nerves before SAP Center return Websites 1156896 Expect to see Aaron Dell in net more this season for the 1156935 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' supporting cast steals the Sharks, if he can handle it spotlight against Red Wings 1156936 Sportsnet.ca / Strong start to season has Canadiens' St Louis Blues Drouin brimming with confidence 1156897 Blues notebook: Perron's wrist shot even quicker this year 1156937 Sportsnet.ca / Flames stage Vegas-worthy disappearing 1156898 Canadiens' strong third period sinks Blues act against Golden Knights 1156899 Blues suffer first regulation loss, fall to Canadiens 6-3 1156938 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' Jesse Puljujarvi open to staying all 1156900 Blais gets spot on power play against Montreal year in Europe 1156901 Gallagher leads Canadiens past Blues 6-3 1156939 Sportsnet.ca / Devils to be patient with Taylor Hall after team's slow start 1156940 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' patient play propelling Edmonton to 1156902 Ottawa Senators’ odd-man rushes sink Lightning unexpected, record-setting start 1156903 Team bonding is the upside to an early Lightning road trip 1156941 TSN.CA / Ottawa Senators tap into greatest basketball 1156904 Vladislav Namestnikov lands Ottawa Senators’ final blows coach in Canadian history by hiring Dave Smart against Lightning 1156942 TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs Frederik Andersen's confidence not shaken after uneven start Toronto Maple Leafs 1156905 Johnsson flourishes and Kapanen fumbles in the Leafs’ tale of two wingers 1156926 Dahlstrom enjoys last laugh 1156906 Lower lines lift the Maple Leafs past the Red Wings 1156927 Scheifele's slapshot gives Jets win over Blackhawks 3-2 in 1156907 The night Stu Grimson became the Grim Reaper, thanks OT to three left hands from his opponent 1156928 Jets shake off worst first to beat Hawks in OT 1156908 No stars, no problem as Leafs beat Wings to end losing 1156929 JETS GAME DAY: Jets shoot for fourth straight win as streak Pittsburgh comes to town 1156909 Leafs' Marner on personal slow start: 'It's going to come' 1156910 Ilya Mikheyev, Dmytro Timashov and the importance of the Maple Leafs’ newfound depth SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1156911 Leafs Report Cards: Bottom six dominates, top six struggles in victory over Detroit 1156912 Breaking down what’s really behind Morgan Rielly’s defensive struggles 1156755 Anaheim Ducks Last season, the Ducks had already allowed 40 or more shots on goal twice within their first five games. (One was that 51-SOG disaster in Dallas, another game had 39 against). So far, the “shot clock” has soared Ducks’ stingy defense and opportunistic offense fueling hot start as high as 36 permitted to San Jose. Columbus took 57 attempts, but only 27 actually got to Miller.

The Ducks talk about protecting the “home plate” area, the space in and By Eric Stephens around the goal crease and the low slot between the circles. They’re about getting as many bodies in there as possible. Oct 12, 2019 “I think what we’re trying to do is eliminate second chances,” defenseman

Josh Manson said. “The shots that we want to give up are the ones COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eleven goals in five games. For the Ducks, the outside the house at the point. Far out. Get our boxouts. Eliminate the prospect that they’re not lighting up the scoreboard after having the second chances on those rebounds. For the most part, our goalies, if fewest goals in the NHL last season could present an early concern. And they can see it, they’re going to stop it. Eliminate the chances in tight in the meager ability to put pucks in the net isn’t being ignored. the house as we call it. Carry the second pucks out.”

But is that really a concern when you’re giving up one each night? Well, It could be defenders so far doing an excellent job of using their sticks to Pittsburgh managed to scratch across two against them. The other four tie up their opponent’s before they can get a clean whack at a free puck. opponents have left the ice with just a single goal celebration. But Manson said it is more about winning positional battles in front of the net. “Well, if you’re only going to score two, you better give up one,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said underneath the stands at Nationwide Arena, his “You got to be in the right spots to make that play,” he added. work bag already resting on his left shoulder as he itched to get out to the “Otherwise, guys will have tap-ins. If you’re not in the right spot to start team bus. “If that’s the way it’s got to be, then that’s the way it’s got to off with, you’re going to lose the battle.” be.” When general manager Bob Murray went behind the bench after firing Whatever works, right? The Ducks have played nothing but tight contests Randy Carlyle, the first notable change he made was having the Ducks in their five games, but they’ve come out on the right side in four. Darryl defend in zones in their end. Eakins has kept it, while wisely re-teaming Sutter, the former Kings boss that’s now part of Anaheim’s coaching Manson and Hampus Lindholm as his primary shutdown duo. collaborative, famously called the NHL “a 3-2 league” but it’s not even “It’s a lot of layers there,” Eakins said. “We’re not a team that plays man- that for the Ducks thus far. The scores so far: 2-1 (win), 3-1 (win), 3-1 to-man. A lot of teams have gone to that. It’s very effective, too. But (win), 2-1 (loss), 2-1 (win). we’ve chosen to have lots of layers. So if you do beat one guy, there’s The last one came Friday night in Columbus where the Ducks took full another guy there waiting for you. advantage of a fortunate bounce and a game that suddenly opened up “If you go look to where all the goals are scored in the NHL, they’re right for a few minutes in the second period. Oh, and they got their usual there in front of that net. And we’re just trying to clog that up with as stellar goaltending. many sticks, feet, shin pads. Whatever we can get in there to clog it. The Except it wasn’t John Gibson this time. Ryan Miller stepped in to give one thing our D and our low forwards have done an excellent job of is Gibson a breather on the second game of a back-to-back situation and getting inside. So that when Gibby or Millsy make a save, they’re on the delivered 26 saves in his first start. Miller’s effort only strengthened the inside to clear those rebounds off to the side of the net.” narrative that, with apologies to the fans in Dallas, Boston and Long Where Korpisalo couldn’t make the save he needed to make on Fowler’s Island (last season now that Robin Lehner is in Chicago), the best shot that doubled a Ducks lead less than three minutes after Rakell’s goaltending tandem in the NHL may reside in Anaheim. At very least the goal, Miller made the defining stop that a goalie will usually have to make best goalie so far this season and the one with the third-most active wins in a decisive performance. surely does. Decisive is the word when it came to how Miller was going to play Seth It is an unbelievable luxury. Especially for a team still trying to find some Jones. The star Columbus defenseman got sent in with a pass from Nick consistency within its expected offensive lines. Players have been talking Foligno as the Jackets had an odd-man rush near the midpoint of the about their goaltending almost daily. Jakob Silfverberg knows how much third period. it means. To have one that’s arguably the very best and to have another who was once that over his long career. Coming down the right side, Jones went to his backhand as Miller made a push to his left. Losing his positioning as he was sliding, Miller stuck his “I think it’s good for those two guys, too,” Silfverberg said. “They keep paddle out with his right hand and knocked the puck away with an some competition between them too as well. The way we’re playing right excellent poke check. The save kept the Jackets from tying the game. now, obviously we’re not scoring a ton. So having that behind us is obviously a great confidence boost. Hopefully, they keep doing that, and “I rotated and saw his body direction,” Miller said. “And I was out of luck. we’ll get better along the way here scoring goals.” If I kept going, he’s just sliding it in. So as I went, I just … I mean, he could have probably put it anywhere. The only thing I had there was my All they needed Friday was one from Silfverberg and the other from Cam stick. It was just an all-or-nothing kind of play. Fowler. Silfverberg followed up Rickard Rakell’s initial shot after the two went in on a 2-on-1 shorthanded break after a successful zone clear “When I saw where his body was going, he’d have to lose control. I had struck a linesman and gave Rakell the bounce he needed. Fowler gave to adjust course. It worked out tonight. You can smile about it.” the Ducks a two-goal lead when he beat Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo with a wrist shot under his arm after he got a drop pass from As Miller saw it, he had only two options. He made the correct one and it Ondrej Kase on a 3-on-1 rush. became his 379th career win.

Silfverberg and Fowler share the team goal scoring lead with two. Heck, “It’s either I’m going to the post or I got to do that,” he said. “I had to get Edmonton’s James Neal already has seven and he has played in one really quickly back to my post or he’s going to cut. Where I put myself fewer game. Not that this matters. The six the Ducks have allowed is the was kind of setting up for that backside play. It just worked out. fewest over the first five games in franchise history. Only Arizona, “I didn’t think about it the whole time coming down the ice. It was just Philadelphia and the New York Rangers have given up fewer goals, but something (where) when you play enough hockey games, you just kind they’ve also played only twice (Flyers, Rangers) or three times (Coyotes). of like, ‘He’s not going that way. I’m going to be in trouble if I don’t do New Jersey, Columbus, Toronto and Los Angeles have already given up something.’ I got really lucky that he’s (right) handed and my stick is right seven or more within a single 60 minutes. there.”

No doubt, it’s been the goaltending for the Ducks. And there have been a Eakins went back and forth in his mind on how the club’s alternate few shots that have hit posts and crossbars, as the Jackets’ Oliver captains would be designated. Would there be two permanent Bjorkstrand did Friday. But they’re also playing some disciplined defense alternates? Three? Would there be more? And if so, would they rotate in their end. between players? Could two wear the “A” for home games and two others do it on the road? Ultimately, Silfverberg and Manson were selected as the two permanent “I think it’s just a product of me being around for a little bit. It is special. alternate captains to Ryan Getzlaf. Players who wear letters often talk I’m not trying to take anything away from it. Not trying to compare myself about how a player doesn’t need to wear one to be a leader on his team. to Scotty either.” Teams know which players in the dressing room are their compass. They talk of leadership being vocal and non-verbal, with a player’s work ethic Friday’s game was also noteworthy for Getzlaf. The career-long Ducks and demeanor setting the example. center suited up in his 989th contest of the regular season, which allowed him to pass his longtime teammate Corey Perry and sit at the top of the But those players that receive a letter don’t deny the meaning it carries to list for the most games played in franchise history. them. Silfverberg and Manson didn’t try to downplay the impact of that gesture. Perry, of course, never got to play in 1,000 with Anaheim after the team bought him out this summer. The winger would sign with Dallas, where “It means a lot,” Silfverberg said. “I’m definitely proud of it. I hope guys on he is recovering from a foot fracture as he prepares to make his debut the team stand behind me in this position, too. I feel like I have their with the Stars. Barring injury, Getzlaf will hit that milestone at home on support. Other than that, we have a great group of guys. Our leadership Nov. 3 against Chicago. group — you can almost pick any of those guys as a great leader. We kind of help each other out. But obviously having that confidence and that trust from Dallas, it’s obviously boosting my confidence as well. The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 “(I) try not to change too much. I try to be myself and hopefully guys like what they see.”

Leadership runs in the Manson family. As a junior, he was captain of his Northeastern team. And his father, Dave, was an alternate for Edmonton and Winnipeg among the teams he played for. The son called his ascension to an alternate “a huge honor.”

“For them to see me in that light that they’d want me to wear it, I’m honored,” said Manson, who’s now in his sixth season. “I don’t take it for granted at all. At the end the day, it’s a letter. I’m going to keep doing the same things that I’ve always been doing.

“But with this team, we’re very fortunate. We’re a leadership-by- committee group. We have a lot of guys that are good leaders. Great leaders. I think it’s pretty easy to be an assistant captain on this team. You’ve got four other guys, five other guys backing you up.”

Before the Ducks took on Pittsburgh, Kase expressed optimism that his first goal of the year was not far away. There was reason to feel that way. He had 11 shots on goal in the first two games to lead the team. And goal scorers tend to have that attitude anyway. Ask Teemu Selanne.

“The first two games, I had a couple good chances,” Kase said. “(At Detroit) wasn’t too much. But every game is different a little bit.”

After scoring just five times in 53 games over his rookie season, Kase had 31 goals over 96 games in the two following seasons. With a goal scored for virtually every three played, you figured he was due.

Sure enough, the ball of energy that is the Ducks’ winger took Nick Ritchie’s fine backhand pass from behind the net and quickly snuck a shot through Penguins goalie Matt Murray. It would be the only tally for Anaheim in their lone loss.

Prior to the game, Kase first emphasized that he was most happy with the six points his team gained over their three wins to start the year. But he is encouraged about the Ducks playing a system that could lead to more offensive opportunities. He has points in three of their five games.

“We try to play fast on the offensive side,” Kase said. “It’s the perfect style. I like it. You can make the plays. You want to play with the puck. It’s perfect.”

Bring up the name Scott Niedermayer around Fowler and he recalls warm memories of when he was an 18-year-old rookie living at Niedermayer’s home during that first season with Anaheim after Fowler came straight out of junior hockey.

It also comes with some trepidation. He is now in his 10th season and has moved up the franchise’s record books for a defenseman. His 625 games played is more than any other Ducks blueliner. And he is now on the verge of scoring the most goals by a team defenseman after his tally Friday against the Blue Jackets gave him 60, tying him with the Hall of Famer Niedermayer.

Now Niedermayer needed half as long and just 371 games to get his 60 in an Anaheim sweater. But it is still a mark that Fowler will top with his next goal.

“It’s pretty cool,” Fowler said. “Scotty’s one of the greatest to ever play. By no means is it a comparison to him. It’s nice to be mentioned in the same breath as him. I’m happy with that. Most of all, the team got the win. 1156756 Arizona Coyotes

Comeback falls short as Coyotes lose in overtime to Avalanche

Richard Morin, Arizona Republic

Published 9:06 p.m. MT Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 9:54 p.m. MT Oct. 12, 2019

The Arizona Coyotes fell in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche, 3-2, on Saturday in Denver.

Nick Schmaltz and Michael Grabner were the goal-scorers for the Coyotes, who are now 1-2-1 on the season. Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta, making his season debut, made 24 saves.

The Avalanche got regulation goals from Tyson Jost and Nazem Kadri, while Andre Burakovsky buried the winner at 3:29 of overtime.

Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz stopped 26 shots in his first career NHL start, a win.

Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson suffered a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return.

The Coyotes continue their road trip with a Tuesday tilt against the Winnipeg Jets before returning home to host the Nashville Predators and Ottawa Senators on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

The skinny

The score: Avalanche 3, Coyotes 2 (OT).

The streak: L1.

The record: 1-2-1, 3 points.

The 82-game pace: 21-41-10, 52 points.

The standings: 6th in Pacific.

The player: Pavel Francouz.

The moment: Nick Schmaltz's goal at 16:03 of the third period.

The number: 1,000 — Phil Kessel skated in his 1,000th NHL game on Saturday.

View from the press box: The Coyotes looked good again in this one but struggled to score in the first two periods. Once the Avalanche pinned them in a corner, however, the Arizona offense came alive. Schmaltz's equalizer came off an incredible shift from Clayton Keller, who tallied his third assist of the season. All things considered, the Coyotes should feel fortunate they rebounded in time to earn a point in Saturday's game.

Song of the night: “Me and the Moonlight” by City and Colour.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156757 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes recall Lyubushkin, assign Capobianco to AHL

BY KELLAN OLSON

OCTOBER 11, 2019 AT 4:51 PM

The Arizona Coyotes recalled defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin on Friday and assigned defenseman Kyle Capobianco to the Tucson Roadrunners of the .

Lyubushkin, 25, separated himself as the seventh defenseman last season, playing in 41 games and an average ice time of 13:44 while the Coyotes’ blue line went through a plethora of injuries.

Coyotes general manager John Chayka said Lyubushkin was originally in Tucson to get some game time at the start of the season.

Capobianco did not log any ice time in the first three games of the Coyotes’ season, with Arizona’s top six defensemen all healthy.

The 22-year-old has three total games of NHL experience to his name. He is a two-time AHL All-Star, where last year for the Roadrunners he had 32 points in 40 games. He was originally a third-round selection by the Coyotes in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156758 Arizona Coyotes he phoned Team Sweden teammates Niklas Hjalmarsson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson for some intel on the Valley and slipped quietly into his fourth NHL organization.

Carl Söderberg overcame impaired vision to forge a productive NHL “He’s done a nice job in that secondary role with both Boston and career Colorado,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “We thought he could fill a need for us.”

By Craig Morgan Tocchet said there were no concerns about Söderberg’s decreased vision. Söderberg said he adapted to his impairment long ago, and it’s Oct 12, 2019 hard to argue with his recent results. He had a career-high 23 goals and 49 points last season in Colorado, playing a simple style.

“We needed a bigger, heavier body so it was a good fit for us,” Tocchet Carl Söderberg has a history of quiet entrances. said. “We needed that guy that is hard to play against, goes to the net When he finally dipped his toe in the NHL waters with the Boston Bruins and gets loose pucks.” on April 20, 2013, at the age of 27, his arrival was overshadowed by the That doesn’t mean Söderberg’s success comes easily. He can’t see any frenetic conclusion of that lockout-shortened season in which he played form out of the left eye — “it’s just light,” he said — so playing requires just six games. more work to find the puck, find opponents and find his teammates. When he finally made his playoff debut in the 2013 Final “You want to play with guys that are talking to you,” he said. against the Chicago Blackhawks, he was overshadowed by back-to-back “Communication is important.” Blackhawk wins, including a two-goal rally in the final two minutes of Game 6 at TD Garden that gave Chicago a 3-2 win and its second Cup in Söderberg has not compared notes with Grabner, who suffered a right- four years. eye injury last season that still impairs his vision, but (builder category) inductee Willie O’Ree understands the When Söderberg arrived in Arizona this summer after a trade with the challenges. O’Ree took a slapshot to his unshielded right eye in a 1956 Colorado Avalanche, a team he will face at Pepsi Center in Denver on game and now wears a prosthesis in that socket after having the eye Saturday, his entrance was muted by Alex Meruelo’s purchase of the removed to alleviate severe migraines. team and a blockbuster trade to acquire forward Phil Kessel. “The doctor told me I was going to be blind in the eye and I’d never play The under-the-radar persona suits Söderberg. It mirrors his playing style hockey again,” said O’Ree, 83, who was part of an era when players and personality — “He’s a pretty quiet guy,’’ teammate Michael Grabner didn’t wear helmets. “I was a 19-year-old kid so he might as well have said — but the manner in which Söderberg has carved out an eight-year told me I was going to die. I slumped back in my hospital bed thinking all NHL career deserves notice. the goals and dreams I had set for myself were gone.” Söderberg, who turned 34 on Saturday, is legally blind in his left eye. He Instead, O’Ree concealed his injury from the Boston Bruins, earned an has been for 13 years, ever since an opponent tried to lift his stick and invitation to their training camp in 1958, and eventually realized his missed the mark, detaching the retina during a Swedish Elite League dream of playing in the NHL. game while Söderberg was playing for Malmö in the 2006-07 season. “When I played left wing, I had to turn my head all the way to the right to Söderberg estimates he had between eight and 10 surgeries on the eye see the puck because of my right eye,” he said. “But once I switched to after the injury. He didn’t play hockey for 11 months. He didn’t even work the right wing, that eye was facing the boards and I didn’t have to work out for 11 months. He didn’t know if he would ever return. so hard to see the ice. That’s the hardest part, just being able to see “The pressure was so high in the eye for several months,” he said. “It everything that is happening. It just takes a little more work, but you do wouldn’t go down so it was constant pain, constant headaches, constant get used to it.” worries. I lived at the hospital for a couple months. Söderberg said he has to turn his head more than he would if he had two “At one point, I wasn’t really into hockey anymore. It was more about fully functioning eyes, but, as a big center who makes his living in high- recovering my eye. You’re a young guy, you go blind in it and it’s hard.” traffic areas, he believes the changes in the game since his first NHL training camp have helped him. Söderberg had been planning a transition to the NHL after that season. After helping Malmö return to the top division with a point-per-game “I think my style fits well now,” said Söderberg who is also dealing with a performance in the 2005-06 season, he signed a three-year entry-level wrist issue that is hampering him on face-offs. “It’s more open. For big contract with the St. Louis Blues and attended his first NHL training guys that can skate, it’s a little bit easier to go to the net than it used to camp. While the Blues wanted to assign him to their AHL affiliate in be. Last year, I found that area in front of the net and scored a lot of Peoria, Ill., Söderberg wanted one more season in Sweden. goals there.”

“People around me wanted me to sign and go over right away, but I was Söderberg had two assists in the Coyotes’ 4-1 win against the Vegas too young and I wasn’t ready,” he said. “I just didn’t have my mind there Golden Knights on Thursday, playing on a line with Conor Garland (two and that’s never a good thing. You have to listen to yourself. goals) and Christian Fischer. It was the first tangible sign that he is adapting to his new surroundings. “It was a different time, too. Now you’ve got a lot of young guys that are getting a chance in the NHL. At that point, it wasn’t that way. It was an “It’s a lot of new things,” he said. “I have tried to pick it up as quickly as older league so you started off in the American League and the teams in possible, getting used to new linemates and teammates and systems, but the American League weren’t that young either so you were playing it is an adjustment. I try not to think too much and just play.” against men.”

While he believes the decision to return to Sweden ultimately helped his The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 game, the injury dramatically delayed his NHL debut.

“Even when I started playing again, I was still a little scared for a couple of years,” he said. “I got my edge back when I was 24, 25 and I wanted to take that next step. I switched leagues to the Swedish Elite League, played well there for a year or two, and then a couple guys came over (to the NHL) during the lockout year and I realized ‘Hey, I want to try the NHL,’ so I told my agent, ‘Let’s give it a shot,’ and I signed with the Bruins.”

Söderberg had 48 and 44 points respectively in his two full seasons in Boston, but the Bruins traded his rights to Colorado just before the 2015 NHL Draft. He was a cap casualty, and the same thing happened to him this summer in Colorado when the Avs retooled their forward depth. So 1156759 Boston Bruins The Devils, who dropped to 0 for 15 on their own power play, also had the worst penalty kill, having fished pucks out of the net on 7 of 13 times shorthanded. The Bruins were 1 for 3 on the power play Saturday.

Bruins delight in Brad Marchand’s penalty-killing prowess Cassidy remained in wait-and-see mode with McAvoy, who put two shots on net against the Devils.

By Matt Porter Globe Staff “Maybe the puck just hasn’t followed him either a little bit,” Cassidy said. “That’s part of it. Sometimes you get on those rolls where it follows you Updated October 13, 2019, 12:19 a.m. and you’re a little more confident to get in there. It’s early. We have encouraged him. Ask me again in a couple weeks, played 10-12 games

and he’s still at those numbers, we’ll have to dive into it a little more.” GLOBE STAFF With eight seconds elapsed on the second-period Ritchie in, Backes out penalty kill, Brad Marchand attacked the Devils’ zone. The Bruins weren’t going to let the Devils start their power play for another 45 seconds. He Right wing Brett Ritchie drew back in after taking a scratch in Colorado. was the main reason why. He was slated to ride the third line with left wing Danton Heinen and center Charlie Coyle. David Backes was scratched, as was center/left Marchand pulled up and reversed course along the wall, curled around wing Par Lindholm. one check, head-faked another, and made a lightning-quick stick lift to escape the next. With space, he looped toward his own blue line, hit his Cassidy said he did not see Backes and Ritchie as a platoon situation, defenseman safety valve. The Devils picked off a bank pass, but Patrice but it’s clear those playing Nos. 2 and 3 right wing, as with the fourth- Bergeron poked the puck away. liners, are not set in stone.

New Jersey, which hasn’t scored on the power play this season (0 for “That’s how it’s working tonight,” Cassidy said. “Monday [against 15), was on its way to an 0-for-4 night Saturday as the Bruins won, 3-0, Anaheim], we’ll see where it goes.” in their home opener at TD Garden. Karson Kuhlman, in his coach’s view, is still auditioning for the No. 2 right The Devils tried regrouping in their zone. Marchand stole the puck, wing job. “We’re still keeping an eye on Koolie up there,” Cassidy said. pushed it ahead, got it back, worked through a cluster of three Devils Ritchie, Backes, and Lindholm aren’t guaranteed lineup spots, defenders, then stripped a defenseman behind the net. particularly with a fourth line that skated together last season — Joakim Nordstrom, Sean Kuraly, and Wagner — reunited Saturday for a second The crowd roared its appreciation. For a moment, the Bruins’ 2-0 lead felt game in a row. A prospect, such as Anders Bjork, could make a push like 20-0. from Providence. “Our guys are used to it,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It deflates the other “It’s a little early to say who’s where,” Cassidy said. “I think we’re happy team. If that’s our power play and I see a team doing that, frustration sets with everyone, but clearly no one’s separated themselves.” in from the coaching staff, the players on the ice are frustrated, so I think it more demoralizes the opposition than lifts us up. We’ve seen them go Top heavy to work.” Entering Saturday, Marchand (three) and David Pastrnak (two) had more But Chris Wagner said he and his teammates enjoy it. than half of Boston’s nine goals. Marchand added his fourth in the first period. Ritchie was the only other forward to have scored at even “Marshy had the puck on a string,” Wagner said. “It’s pretty cool to watch strength . . . Cassidy confirmed Tuukka Rask, who got the shutout him do it.” Saturday in his third start of the year, had no muscle issue from his start The Bruins were looking for more offense as they returned home, and in Vegas, after which he was dehydrated. Rask has, Cassidy noted, Charlie McAvoy was an example of how that might come. cramped from dehydration in the past . . . Matt Grzelcyk said his left foot, which absorbed a hard wrister in Vegas, was fine. A few skaters, mostly Cassidy wanted McAvoy, a gifted playmaker and puck-mover, to shoot defensive-minded defensemen, wear composite guards on their boots to more. He entered Saturday’s home opener with two shots and seven protect from blocked shots. Grzelcyk, who has some of the quickest feet attempts in four games. The blossoming No. 1 defenseman has not on the Bruins, is among those that finds them too stiff and distracting . . . exactly lit it up. Outgoing Garden PA announcer Jim Martin worked his final game. Martin, 67, first took the mic in the 1993 playoffs. The Bruins have yet to But while the second pairing of Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo have name a replacement. fared well in their matchups — with those two on the ice, the Bruins have produced 62 shot attempts and allowed 30 at five-on-five, the third-best ratio of any pair with more than 40 minutes together — McAvoy and partner Zdeno Chara have had their hands full. Boston Globe LOADED: 10.13.2019

With the latter two, the Bruins have produced 49 attempts and allowed 66. Those numbers, courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, partly speak to their competition.

They took on the top lines of Dallas, Arizona, Vegas, and Colorado, who were trying to avoid Boston’s best defensive pair.

On the four-game road trip, Cassidy took pains to get McAvoy on the ice to handle the Nathan MacKinnons and Tyler Seguins of the league, which doesn’t make it easy to think “attack” — especially so early, with players finding their timing.

“On the road, we’re trying to get that matchup,” Cassidy said. “We’ll certainly get it at home. Maybe the flow of the game will help him, not D changing and him jumping on to get up the ice on time, coming off on a breakout knowing he’s got to get back out on the next line.

“Sometimes that happens on the road, you’re kind of yanking guys on and off, they don’t get a feel for the offensive side as a defenseman.”

On the power play, where McAvoy has attempted one shot, Cassidy said he saw more opportunities for McAvoy to fire. But his team, which was 2 for 10 on the man-advantage before going 1 for 3 Saturday night, hasn’t had much time to do so. Of teams who have played four games entering Saturday, only the Islanders saw fewer man-up opportunities. 1156760 Boston Bruins Grubauer. No goal. It was the first of two Boston goals to be erased from the board, pairing as a bitter shot-and-chaser in what ended as a 4-2 loss to the Avalanche.

Bruins’ Karson Kuhlman not lacking in effort, just results Volume. The only way out of a 0-0—0 line is to keep at it, creating chances off his skating, particularly his forechecking.

By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff “It is coming for him, you can see it,” said teammate Sean Kuraly, who anchors the fourth line, a job that doesn’t demand scoring. “You can see October 12, 2019, 11:41 p.m. it. It’s tough because, you know, he is getting so many chances and he’s working his butt off to get those chances. They’re just not falling right

now.” The Bruins’ Karson Kuhlman skates past the Devils’ Jack Hughes during On the bench, said Kuraly, he’s been telling to Kuhlman to stick with it. Saturday’s 3-1 win. He has seen this before, he said, and the puck will fall. It should happen. Any day now. Maybe, right? At least that’s how it looks “And if it doesn’t . . . it’s insignificant . . . just keep working hard,” added for Karson Kuhlman, who remains a man without a point next to his name Kuraly. “And get chances, that’s helping the team.” now with five games ticked off the calendar in the Bruins’ brand-new season. Never drafted, Kuhlman reported to UM-D in the fall of 2014 and went on to average 20 points across his four seasons there. He proved to be a Only some 18 months removed from his days at Minnesota-Duluth, dependable, though not prolific offensive performer. Kuhlman rides these days on the Black-and-Gold’s high-profile second line, centered by David Krejci. Jake DeBrusk is on the opposite wing. “I think my whole life, that’s the way it’s kind of been,” said Kuhlman, agreeing with Cassidy’s take that he’ll needs lots of shots and lots of Kuhlman’s production thus far is nil. But there are zeroes and then there digging to be an effective scorer. “Get pucks to the net and get in there. I are zeroes, helpless and hopeless. Though they surely wouldn’t read that focus on putting on shots throughout the game. I passed up on one in the way in an audit, the goose eggs look like they’re adding up to something. second period that I am still kind of kicking myself over, but, at the same “I do like what I’m seeing” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, following the time, I think our line is doing good things — when we put on shots, good Bruins’ 3-0 whitewashing of the Devils in Saturday’s home opener on things are going to happen.” Causeway Street. “He’s had a little tough luck, had some chances in tight Five games into the new season, the Bruins have a 4-1-0 record and . . . you know he’s not one of those guys that’s naturally going to score have scored but 12 times. Seven of those goals have come from the top like a guy like [David Pastrnak] who doesn’t need a bunch of chances. line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Pastrnak. It’s what they do He’s going to need volume, he’s getting it . . . so he’ll get rewarded if he on the Primo Trio. Of the rest of the forwards, only Ritchie, Danton keeps playing like that.” Heinen, and Nordstrom have goals. Kuhlman, 24, landed three shots on Cory Schneider, all of them stamped Ultimately, it will be the second line, still looking for its first goal, that will “return to sender.” DeBrusk placed a team-high four on the Devils’ have to lead the secondary scoring. veteran goaltender. Seven shots, seven nothing burgers, including one by Kuhlman in which he and Brandon Carlo swooped in on a 2-on-1 rush “Obviously, our whole line would like to see a puck go in the net right as Carlo dashed from the penalty box. The diagonal feed through the slot now,” said Kuhlman. “It would be a big weight off our backs. We have to by Carlo didn’t leave Kuhlman a great look, and the rookie’s best chance stick with what we are doing. We are getting our chances. Once one of the night didn’t convert. goes in a lot will follow.”

“I think I almost overpowered the puck a little bit,” recalled Kuhlman. “Just Any day now. have to have a little bit more touch and bear down on those opportunities.”

Kuhlman did not enter training camp as the favorite to land the No. 2 RW Boston Globe LOADED: 10.13.2019 spot. There was talk Charlie Coyle, the third-line center could move up there. David Backes was a possibility. A host of other kids, Anders Bjork among them, had a shot. The big-bodied Brett Ritchie had to get a look.

But Cassidy, who liked what he saw of Kuhlman when he came aboard late last season and then added some punch in the playoffs (1-2—3 in eight games), continued to like what he saw of the former Bulldog.

“He’s tenacious on the puck — he’ll take hits to get pucks out of the zone,” said Cassidy, ticking off the parts of Kuhlman’s game that continue to win him over. “Responsible . . . we are trying to build penalty- killing into his game so he can have a few extra minutes.”

Kuhlman logged 16:58 in ice time, 2:33 of which was on the PK unit, the Devils going 0 for 4 (and 0 for the season) on the man-advantage. He paired with veteran hand Joakim Nordstrom in helping to snuff out the Devils.

Otherwise, when the rookie is paired up with Krejci and DeBrusk, Cassidy values Kuhlman’s doggedness on the forecheck, complementing DeBrusk’s wheels from the other side.

“If he and Jake are skating,” mused Cassidy, “it allows Krech to be the smart guy on the line — kind of read off those two. And I think that’s when he plays the best. So Koolie adds that dimension. So hopefully we get production out of him. That will be the last part of it here, but the way he’s playing that should follow.”

It appeared Kulhman had his first strike of the season Thursday night in Denver with only 1:50 gone in the second period. He snapped in a sizzling shot from high in the left wing circle on a perfect cross-slot feed from DeBrusk. Bruins, 3-1.

Then came a coach’s challenge, a review of the videotape, and forensic evidence showed Krejci ever-so-slightly interfering with goalie Philipp 1156761 Boston Bruins and poke it to Wagner, who won his and touched it to Nordstrom at the right post.

“I think everyone’s playing OK,” Wagner said. “We can all be better. Bruins stay on roll, blank Devils in home opener We’re winning games. That’s all that counts.”

Marchand, his puck control and stickhandling at a 10-out-of-10 level, By Matt Porter Globe Staff scored his fourth of the year at 3:33 of the first. He gained the zone on the right wing and pulled up high, out of P.K. Subban’s reach. He then October 12, 2019, 9:32 p.m. cut to the middle, Subban flailing his stick at him, and zipped a shot that clanked off Damon Severson in front.

“The first couple [games] were a little sloppy,” Marchand said. “We’re GLOBE STAFF Four months to the day they saw the Stanley Cup skated starting to figure it out now.” off their ice sheet, there was no recognition of a climb that fell 60 minutes short of the mountaintop. GLOBE STAFF The Bruins rode the 2-0 lead, and Rask’s stellar work, until 46 seconds left in the second. Bergeron made it 3-0 on the power Just introductions, the last round of which from retiring public address play, jumping on a rebound with DeBrusk jamming in front. The Devils man Jim Martin, the requisite cheers, and hockey. didn’t pick him up. The kind of hockey that had the Bruins a step shy of said summit last By the time it was over, the crowd was standing and hollering, and they June 12. turned up the volume at the buzzer. Start to finish, they liked what they This version of that team, a season older and wiser, at times toyed with saw. the Devils on Saturday, winning their home opener, 3-0, in front of an appreciative sellout crowd at refurnished TD Garden, still under construction. Boston Globe LOADED: 10.13.2019 The Bruins (4-1-0) themselves are not yet a finished product, not this early in the season. But they look like one of the best teams in the league, and they were overpowering in this one.

It helped that Tuukka Rask (31 saves) put his signature on his team’s second shutout in five games.

“I thought our start was excellent,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I thought we finished really well. We had some moments we could have been better. We’re working on our game, like every other team. That’s when Tuukka really stepped up. . . . He earned his paycheck tonight.”

Rask said he was “just tagging along” on a team that’s still rolling from June.

“You expect teams to make a push, and they did,” Rask said. “They got some power plays, we kept them off the scoreboard, which was big. We felt comfortable going into the third with a lead.”

GLOBE STAFF They killed all four penalties they took, dropping the Devils to 0 for 15 on the power play this season. On one third-period power play, they didn’t allow a shot attempt. In the second period, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron killed about 45 seconds of one penalty nearly all by themselves.

Those two also combined for two of Boston’s three goals, the other coming from Joakim Nordstrom. The Bruins,who face Anaheim on Monday, didn’t let the Devils set up for much extended offensive zone time.

Aside from a bit of a sag in the second period, when the visitors outshot Boston, 15-9, the Bruins made the Devils look like lightweights on the puck. Their poor decision-making and execution could be summed up in one play in the third period: Kevin Rooney, the winger from Canton, missed a hit on Jake DeBrusk and went sailing into the Bruins’ bench.

In Cassidy’s view of the season so far, the Bruins were decent in the opener in Dallas, leaned on Jaroslav Halak in Arizona, and were the better team in Vegas. Colorado was a toss-up.

Saturday night’s win, against a seemingly lesser opponent, was convincing. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 12 minutes, still fighting the effects of a four-game road trip, west to east travel, and a plane that landed after 6 a.m. Friday.

“I don’t think we’ve stolen a lot of points here,” Cassidy said, pointing to solid goaltending, defensive chemistry, and an offense that’s come around in the last week. “I think we’re full-value for our record.”

The Bruins may be looking for secondary scoring — one of the main bugaboos from the last few seasons — and they got it from Nordstrom, who made it 2-0 at 11:22 of the first on a set play that had Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner outflank the Devils to free up a clean look.

Each of the bottom three lines had zone time and chances, and the fourth line was first to cash in. Zdeno Chara shot into the slot off a faceoff win. Netminder Cory Schneider watched Kuraly curl high, win his battle, 1156762 Boston Bruins Neal and McDavid are longtime pals, and both work out each summer with Gary Roberts. It looks like a great fit even if they aren’t riding together on the first line. Tippett has been rolling Neal out on the first James Neal deal looking like a steal for Oilers power-play unit, parking him at the top of the crease, and it’s a good bet he’ll keep seeing cupcakes delivered his way from the silken-handed McDavid.

By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff The NHL’s Central Scouting Department this past week released its preliminary “Players to Watch” list some eight months prior to the June October 12, 2019, 12:12 p.m. entry draft — with players assigned ratings of A, B or C. Only 26 players were ranked in the A group, projecting them as potential first-round picks.

We’re a long way from the vote tallying, but Ken Holland is the early A lot can change over the next 6-7 months, folks, because that’s what leader for NHL executive of the year on the strength of his July 19 deal happens when trying to predict the career arcs of kids, the majority of that brought James Neal to Edmonton — a swap for Milan Lucic that whom are 17 years old, some yet to lock in dates for their senior prom. looks like it may have triggered a turnaround for the moribund Oilers Exhibit A in the reality check department: No. 1 pick Joe Thornton franchise. arriving on Causeway Street in October 1997, with Bruins fans expecting Holland was named Oilers general manager in May, successor to the him to plug in immediately as the face and force of the franchise. When fired Peter Chiarelli, after the Red Wings finalized the coronation of Steve Thornton went 3-4—7 as a freshman under Pat Burns, Black and Gold Yzerman as the new mayor of Hockeytown. Two months later, Holland fans had to recalibrate their dreams of a Jumbo Dynasty. swapped ex-Bruin Lucic for Neal, whose hands inexplicably turned to The US National Team Development Program, which last June saw a stone during his one-season stay in Calgary after signing there following record eight of its kids get selected in Round 1 (including No. 1 Jack his year in Vegas (acquired there in the expansion draft). Hughes to New Jersey), landed only a pair of A’s — center Ty Smilanic Not an easy deal to make, for either side. Both veteran forwards carried and defenseman Jake Sanderson — on Central Scouting’s watch list. pricey, long-term tickets. Worse was the accompanying stigma that their The Yanks were well represented in the B and C categories, and a half- careers were somewhere between a standstill and a dead end. With dozen of them already have made at least verbal commitments to play in Lucic appearing to be the greater liability of the two 30-somethings, Hockey East next season, including Norwell-raised goalie Drew Holland was forced to retain $3 million of the big winger’s deal (a Commesso (ex- of St. Sebastian’s), who’ll be headed to Boston $750,000 charge for each of the remaining four years on his $6 million-a- University. Joining Commesso at Agganis Arena: 6-foot-4-inch center year contract). Dylan Peterson and 6-2 winger Luke Tuch, brother of Golden Knights Neal on Tuesday potted four goals in a 5-2 win over the Islanders, winger Alex Tuch (former resident of a school elsewhere on Comm. leaving him with six goals through three games, and more important, Ave.). leaving the Oilers at 3-0-0 (all without someone named Wayne Gretzky USNTDP center Chase Yoder and left wing Brett Berard, each with C on the roster). Word of caution here: Dave Semenko opened the 1980-81 ratings, will head to Providence College next fall. Fellow Yank Eamon season with seven goals in October for the Oilers, then scored only four Powell, a defenseman, will join Jerry York’s crew at Boston College. more the rest of the season. A much different world then, of course, including the fact that teams no longer hire the likes of Semenko to ride Berard, from East Greenwich, R.I., is the son of Dave Berard, now in his shotgun for their best player. sixth season as the bench boss at Holy Cross. Father and son will square off Sunday (4 p.m.) when the national team visits Worcester for Dave Tippett, Holland’s hire as the Oilers’ new coach, has the luxury of an exhibition tuneup against the Crusaders. centering his No. 1 line with Connor McDavid, the world’s best player at the moment (and perhaps the next 5-8 years). With McDavid slotted The 2020 NHL entry draft will be June 26-27 in Montreal. The No. 1 pick? between Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian, Neal has shifted to his off Quite possibly Alexis Lafreniere, a 6-1, 205-pound left winger from wing (right) on a trio usually with Tomas Jurco and center Ryan Nugent- Rimouski in the Quebec League. Rimouski has produced two No. 1 Hopkins. picks, both of whom proved to be franchise centers: Vincent Lecavalier (1998, Tampa Bay) and Sidney Crosby (2005, Pittsburgh). With the opposition’s best checkers routinely assigned to shut down McDavid’s line, Neal has been given more room to roam, and he’s made Perhaps missing the joy inherent in taking shots to the head, Hall of the most of it. He didn’t connect for his sixth goal last season with Fame goalie Dominik Hasek continues to drop hints that he’ll consider Calgary until March 29. He also went a dumbfounding 0-0—0 in four running for president of the Czech Republic. postseason games. Chain-smoking Milos Zeman is the current president, now in the thick of Lucic, who hired Adam Oates to help build some stick skill and game a second and final five-year term that ends in 2023. Hasek, 54, is 21 sense into his toolkit, has not responded with any offensive pop of his years younger than Zeman, and keeps busy these days as own. Same ol’ Looch (0-0—0 in three games) in many ways, but the big owner/managing director of “Smarty,” a Czech-based energy drink man has shown some of his trademark spirit in his new surroundings. As company. of Thursday morning, he led the league with 26 penalty minutes, thanks to career fight Nos. 71 (Nikita Zadorov) and 72 (Kurtis MacDermid). Still “One can imagine. Why not?” Hasek was quoted by the Czech website among the league’s most feared sluggers, Lucic logged only 12 bouts in iDNES late in the summer, when asked about a presidential bid. “Now I his three full seasons with the Oilers. have my job, which I really love and want to do it to the [fullest]. But what will be in two or three years? Then I’ll decide. Everything is possible.” Doubtful that Lucic summons any substantial scoring touch at this age (31). But if he can maintain his physical presence, he can be a much- Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame Canadiens goaltender, was a member of needed turf warrior for the Flames, ideally as the guy who helps limit the Canadian Parliament from 2004-11. Viacheslav Fetisov, ex- of the Devils forearm hacks on top forward Johnny Gaudreau. and Red Wings, spent some six years as Russia’s Minister of Sport.

No telling, of course, if Neal maintains the hot hand. The Oilers’ offense Hasek, who won the Stanley Cup twice with the Red Wings, became a remains driven by the Draisaitl-McDavid pairing up top. McDavid has national hero back home when he backed the Czechs to the 1998 strung together three seasons of 100 points or more. Draisaitl last Olympic gold medal in Nagano — the first Olympiad that included the season posted a career high 50-55—105, and as of last week was NHL’s best players. The ’98 Czech squad was captained by ex-Bruin averaging the most ice time of all NHL forwards. McDavid also is a Vladimir Ruzicka. “I like to do things that are responsible,” the Dominator minutes monster. Factoring in their time spent on special teams, they’re told iDNES. “I have no doubt that the office of the president is very out there just about every other shift. responsible, so if I were to take it from this side, I would [have to] be excellent.” But Neal’s production is not an anomaly. The anomaly was last season (7-12—19 in 63 games). He has reached the 25-goal plateau five times, The solid start for his top line of Artemi Panarin-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel and prior to last year’s blip his annual yield on an 82-game season was Buchnevich, though encouraging, wasn’t really what prompted Rangers right around 30. Not many of those guys around, and few other than Phil GM Jeff Gorton to move Vladislav Namestnikov to the Senators this past Kessel ever get traded. week for a draft pick and defense prospect Nick Ebert. Truth is, Namestnikov no longer factored in coach David Quinn’s top six, during the last three winters Bowman spent in Florida. “You know Kenny, and his $4 million price tag was far too much for low-minute duty in the so detailed, eh?” said Bowman. Published by McClelland & Stewart, the bottom of the order. With a cap system that now typically rewards top 400-page tome is available on line at barnesandnoble.com for $29.95 forwards $6 million-$10 million a year, the pressure is increasingly on hard cover and $15.99 via NOOK . . . Regular readers of the GMs to budget bottom-six contributors in the $750,000-$2 million range @GlobeKPD Twitter account have grown accustomed in recent years to — the NHL version of sale on Aisle 5! #fridgealerts during games — notifications apprising TV viewers, radio listeners, and arena goers of precisely when play will resume once an To get the deal done, Gorton was forced to keep a prorated $750,000 of intermission ends. It’s not science, folks, intermissions across the league Namestnikov’s dough on the books, and in turn fill up the fourth line with last 18 minutes. Well, the NHL app this season has included a similar cheap labor — such as Greg McKegg’s $750,000. function, displaying the countdown of each intermission on its End result: Gorton now has roughly $4.5 million in cap space (per scoreboard. Clearly, blatant, shameless case of intellectual property puckpedia.com), which will be plenty of wiggle room if he cares to go infridgement? quiet now and make more moves at the February trade deadline. It also allows him the luxury to shop in the meantime, and perhaps really get creative if he decides to act on the long-rumored trade of Boston Globe LOADED: 10.13.2019 (cap hit: $4.625 million) and make a deal with what amounts to a bankroll of better than $9 million. Namestnikov never executed for the Bluehsirts as advertised, acquired from the Lightning as part of the package that delivered Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller (now in Vancouver) to the Bolts. Namestnikov benefited by often riding with Steven Stamkos in his Tampa Bay days, then never got it going on Broadway. He’ll likely be even more challenged now on a talent-strapped Ottawa squad, which won’t help him gin up the market ahead of reaching unrestricted free agency on July 1.

Loose pucks

Slow start to 2019-20 for ex-Bruin Ryan Donato (two games: 0-0—0 entering Thursday night) with the Wild. The former Harvard standout also produced only a couple of assists in five exhibition games, leading coach Bruce Boudreau to open the season with Donato at left wing on a fourth line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Ryan Hartman. Donato will get a long look, in part because he signed a one-way deal (average $1.9 million) for the next two years in mid-July, prior to Bill Guerin replacing Paul Fenton as GM. Donato went 4-12—16 in 22 games after being flipped to St. Paul in the Charlie Coyle swap with the Bruins last February . . . OK, we’ve said it before, with risible results, but it looks like the Flyers finally have a legit goaltender in Carter Hart, who posted his first career shutout Wednesday night with 25 stops against the Devils (including three on ex-Flyer Wayne Simmonds). Three years after being among 18 goalies selected in the 2016 draft, Hart, 21, remains the only one of the bunch to play thus far in the NHL (the Bruins were among the 13 clubs not to select a goalie that June) . . . Only five players not based in North America made the Central Scouting A list, including the lone goalie in the group, Yaroslav Askarov, who remains in Russia this season with Neva St. Petersburg . . . Towering blue liner Jeremie Bucheler, a Northeastern freshman, made the Central Scouting C list, projecting in Rounds 4-6. Bucheler will be 20 in March but went unclaimed last June after collecting 45 points with BCHL Victoria . . . Bogus rumor of the week, which went wild on social media briefly last Saturday, was that Kathryn Kraft, claiming to be a granddaughter of Patriots owner Robert Kraft, had agreed to purchase the Ottawa Senators. No sale. No relation. And for the Senators, still no new arena in downtown Ottawa . . . Had Milan Lucic remained in Edmonton, his no-move clause would have forced the Oilers to protect him for the Seattle expansion draft. Sounds like a small detail, but player asset management relating to the expansion yard sale keeps GMs up at night. Ken Holland likely factored that into agreeing to keep $3 million of Lucic’s deal on the Oilers’ books . . . The last Bruin to score four goals in a game: Patrice Bergeron, Jan. 6, 2018, in a 7-1 blowout vs. the Hurricanes. Prior to that: Dave Andreychuk vs. the Lightning in October 1999 . . . Bruins defense prospect Axel Andersson was assigned this past week to Moncton in the Quebec League, where he’ll be coached by John Torchetti — once a Boston schoolboy scoring phenom in his days playing for Jamaica Plain. Torchetti, 55, recently spent two seasons on Jeff Blashill’s staff in Detroit, then in January signed on as Moncton’s coach and director of hockey operations. Andersson, the No. 57 pick in the 2018 draft, will get a load of playing time in junior, similar to Jakub Lauko last year with Rouyn-Noranda. Lauko has started this season at AHL Providence . . . Bobo Carpenter, son of “Can’t Miss Kid” Bob Carpenter, is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and will be assigned to AHL Bridgeport when he is ready to go. The ex-Boston University winger signed a two-year deal with the Islanders following the end of his Terrier tour in the spring. He’ll join ex-Terrier short-timer Kieffer Bellows, son of Brian Bellows, in Bridgeport, along with Ryan Bourque, son of Hall of Famer . . . Oct. 29 is the formal publication date of “Scotty: A Hockey Life Like No Other” — the life story of Scotty Bowman penned by Ken Dryden. According to Bowman, who attended the rookie camp in Buffalo that included the Bruins, Sabres, Devils, and Penguins, Dryden interviewed him over the phone, 2-3 hours at a time, 1156763 Boston Bruins “The first couple were a little sloppy, we’re starting to figure it out a bit now,” Marchand said of the Bruins’ quick start. “We’re starting to get back in sync.”

Brad Marchand brings every bit as much substance as style to Bruins’ 3- The Bruins certainly aren’t playing like a team that assumes that because 0 win over Devils in home opener everybody is back from a club that made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final everything will fall into place.

By TOM KEEGAN | [email protected] | Boston Herald “I don’t think that we were concerned about that,” he said of complacency. “We have a pretty mature group and we have enough PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 10:57 pm | UPDATED: October 12, leadership and experience in the room where we’re all proud in this room 2019 at 11:08 PM and we want to be good for each other. that’s never been a concern in our room and it’s not something we’ve ever thought about. Every player

that’s on this team wants to be here, wants to play every night and give The seconds ticked off another penalty kill and the crowd roared louder us your all. And that’s expected from this group, from each other, from and louder as Brad Marchand, beckoning a superstar Bruin from another management and the coaches.” era, Derek Sanderson, played a game of cat and rat with the puck in the offensive zone. Naturally, Marchand played the part of the rat. Boston Herald LOADED: 10.13.2019 A Harlem Globetrotter on ice, Marchand used his strong, fancy stickhandling and sharp-cutting skates to his advantage Saturday night and the Devils just couldn’t keep up with the little devil in the Bruins’ offensive zone during the penalty kill.

It was as entertaining to watch as it was productive, a fitting display for a well-rounded hockey player in his prime.

Coach Bruce Cassidy enjoyed the substance of the show Marchand put on during the penalty kill as much as the crowd fed off the style of it.

“It deflates the other team,” Cassidy said after the Bruins’ 3-0 victory in their home openerf. “If that’s our power play and I see a team doing that frustration sets in from the coaching staff. The players on the ice are frustrated. So I think it does more to demoralize the opposition than it does to lift us.”

Marchand said he’s always looking to score when shorthanded and in the offensive zone, but killing time is the next best thing.

“It doesn’t always go your way, but you can take advantage of teams offensively on the PK,” Marchand said of killing much of the penalty in the offensive zone. “Most guys are looking to swing up ice and cheat defensively and normally only have only one (defenseman) back there. You can take advantage of teams, but you get in trouble doing that sometimes too.”

The Bruins are off to some start and so is Marchand, coming off the first 100-point (exactly) season of his career and seemingly determined to improve upon that total.

In support of Tuukka Rask’s crazy-good night in the net, the feisty left winger sparked so much of what went right for the Bruins at the Garden.

Marchand opened the night’s scoring from straightaway deep, beating Cory Schneider top shelf 3:33 into the first period.

Yet, Marchand’s niftiest work came later in the period, when he slipped through a hole that looked too small for a rat to negotiate its way through and fired a point-blank shot that Schneider stopped. The moves Marchand made to get in front of the net wowed a crowd that included no shortage of grown men and women wearing No. 63 on their Saturday night out.

Marchand also picked up an assist on Patrice Bergeron’s power-play goal in the final minute of the second period, after getting a shot to the net to create a rebound opportunity.

That ran Marchand’s team-best points total to seven. It’s way too early to project numbers over an 82-game season, but what the heck. Marchand’s on a pace to score 114.8 points.

That projection would be higher had he cashed in on a breakaway in the second period, but he held onto the puck a touch too long and Schneider didn’t have any trouble stopping the shot. Goals and assists will come as aggressively as Marchand plays. He said his focus lies elsewhere.

“Not really concerned about my offensive game,” he said. “It’s more trying to be a better detail player. I think that’s something I can improve on from last year so that’s really more what I’m thinking about.”

He took care of the details at both ends and on both special teams and so did his teammates. 1156764 Boston Bruins

Joakim Nordstrom leads Bruins’ gritty fourth line against Devils

By RICH THOMPSON | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 10:47 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 10:54 PM

Joakim Nordstrom matches the unglamorous requirements of a fourth- line left wing in the Bruins system.

Nordstrom added a rare measure of glory to his nightly grind by scoring the Bruins’ second goal of the game in Saturday night’s 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the home opener at the Garden.

Nordstrom added two hits and a blocked shot to his tally and was awarded the game’s third star for his overall performance.

“It is always nice first one early on and get that out of the way,” Nordstrom said. “I thought we played well as a line and as a team because it was a tough game.

“The Devils played well to so we are happy with the two points.”

Nordstrom missed most of training camp recovering from offseason foot surgery that kept him off the fourth line in Bruins’ three road wins at the Stars, Coyotes and Golden Knights.

He played 11:05 minutes and finished with three shots and two hits in the Bruins’ 4-2 loss Thursday night at Colorado. Nordstrom felt better about himself and the way he complemented his line mates, center Sean Kuraly and right wing Chris Wagner, against the Devils.

“We know we have each other and we are still finding each other too,” Nordstrom said. “Offensively today was better than (Colorado) and we build on that.”

The Bruins were commanding the puck in the Devils’ end when Nordstrom finished a designed sequence set in motion by his mates. Kuraly did his part by winning a faceoff, controlling a rebound and directed the puck to Wagner below the left circle. Wagner attracted the attention of New Jersey goalie Cory Schneider, who played collegiately at Boston College.

Wagner feinted toward the net before slipping the puck through the low slot to Nordstrom, who found the exposed half of the Devils’ goal with a routine flick of the wrist.

“What went right is we went to good spots and we won the puck battle twice if I’m not mistaken,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The shot gets by their first layer and that’s the first thing and in today’s game its tough to get it all the way to the goal off a set play.

“We still had a high forward and a net presence and a guy off the net and their spacing was good, they weren’t tripping over on another. Wags ends up getting the last touch to Nordy and they lose coverage and we take advantage of it.”

Nordstrom logged 13:15 of ice time that included 2:07 on the Bruins’ dominant penalty kill that successfully dismantled four Devils’ power plays.

“They did what they typically do which is to play against good players, manage the puck, check well to get it back and block shots and kill penalties,” Cassidy said.

“They were able to chip in offensively and I think that picks up everybody on the team when they get rewarded. They do a lot of the grunt work and rarely see the power play. So, when they get opportunities to finish it picks up our team.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156765 Boston Bruins

Behind Tuukka Rask shutout, Bruins scorch Devils in home opener

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 9:31 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 11:07 PM

Four months to the day since they last played meaningful hockey at the Garden, the Bruins opened their 2019-20 home schedule Saturday night. One could be forgiven if they didn’t notice.

Without much of any pomp and circumstance to celebrate an Eastern Conference championship season, the Bruins returned home from their successful four-game road trip to an equally successful home opener.

Against a Devils team they saw twice in the preseason, the Bruins took an early lead and never looked back, securing a 3-0 shutout for their fourth victory of the season. With 31 saves, Tuukka Rask earned his first shutout and third win of the season.

“I thought the start was excellent,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “I thought we finished really well. In between, we had some moments we could be better, we’re still working on our game…. Tuukka really stepped up, that’s where he earned his paycheck tonight.”

Any concerns about the top line could have been put to rest in Las Vegas, but the B’s top scorers showed up again, with Brad Marchand opening the scoring and Patrice Bergeron nabbing his first goal on the power play.

“It’s a lot easier than trying to play from behind,” said Marchand. “It’s great to get a couple goals there early, you can protect yourself a bit and we learned from last game where we let the team crawl back. It was great we were able to sustain that.”

Like in three of their first four games, the Bruins (4-1-0) jumped on the scoreboard first.

Marchand tallied the first home goal of the season 3:33 into the game, on the B’s second shot. A shot from the point deflected off the Devils’ Damon Severson and past Corey Schneider for the 1-0 lead.

“He’s on right now,” Cassidy said of Marchand. “After the Dallas game, there was nowhere to go but up after that one. He’ll be the first to admit it.”

With 8:38 left in the first, Joakim Nordstrom chipped home his first tally of the year to go ahead 2-0. Sean Kuraly won the draw, and on a broken play Nordstrom ended up at the doorstep, where he put in a goal in his second game back from injury.

The Bruins controlled possession for most of the second period, but didn’t score again until 45 seconds remaining.

On the power play, Bergeron slid the puck in from the doorstep off Jake DeBrusk’s attempt in front to put the Bruins ahead 3-0 with his first goal of the season. DeBrusk earned an assist, his first point of the season.

The Bruins killed off a third period Devils power play — their fourth kill of the game — to keep New Jersey from scoring its first man-advantage goal of the season.

In the trip finale in Denver Thursday night, the Bruins also jumped ahead 2-0, but didn’t score again in the final two periods. They did have two goals wiped off the board, but this time they stuck another in that counted, expanding their lead while not allowing the Devils space to come backt.

“We were excited to be here, be home, have a game in front of all the fans,” Marchand said. “We were excited.”

The Bruins continue their opening homestand on Monday against the surprisingly upstart Ducks.

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156766 Boston Bruins Boston Herald LOADED: 10.13.2019

Shafting of Bruins latest reminder of need to unplug replay reviews

By TOM KEEGAN | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 5:48 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 6:00 PM

If only we could freeze time long enough to look at a replay of every call challenged with technology this century. That way we could put an end to the debate about whether instant replay is a good or bad thing for sports.

It’s a bad thing. Get rid of it in every sport and return to the days when not only players and coaches made mistakes, but game officials did as well.

Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal was punched and not headed into the net to help Argentina defeat England in the 1986 World Cup, but it didn’t alter the universe. They still drive on the left side of the road in England.

If not for Don Denkinger’s blown call at first base, the Royals, not the Cardinals, very well could have won the 1985 World Series. Had reviews been in place then the call would have been overturned, which would have been a good thing. But that’s not enough to justify a system that has turned sports duller, less human and still rife with subjective calls.

Three instances of instant replay involving two Boston teams occurred Thursday night and all three calls confirmed the need to get rid of replay, which was supposed to remove subjectivity from the game, but instead has just served to delay the action.

In the Patriots’ 35-14 rout of the Giants at Gillette Stadium, Pats defensive back Jonathan Jones wrapped up Golden Tate’s right arm, keeping him from extending it well before the ball arrived, and the pass clanked off of Tate’s left hand. Giants coach Pat Shurmer challenged the no-call, but like almost every such challenge, the non-call stood, in keeping with the NFL’s policy that only “obvious” interference non-calls are overturned. It was “obvious” by most people’s definition, but not overturned.

“Obvious” is a subjective word. So is “egregious,” the standard for goalie interference in the NHL.

A replay ruling during the Bruins’ 4-2 loss to Colorado snatched a goal from Karson Kuhlman because David Krejci was deemed guilty of goalie interference. It did not rise to the standard of “egregious” by most people’s definition of the word, but here we go again with a subjective interpretation. Had the goal stood, the Bruins would have taken a 3-1 lead that could have grown to 4-2 if Jake DeBrusk’s goal had not been rescinded based on a review that determined that some 50 seconds before the goal the Bruins were guilty of being offside. Never mind that it had nothing to do with the scoring play, the record shows the goal never happened and DeBrusk remains without a goal or an assist (which he would have had on Kuhlman’s disqualified goal).

Reviews lead to unnecessary breaks in the action and result in more discussions about calls, instead of fewer.

Instant replay to reduce officiating mistakes looked good on paper, but not on ice, grass, artificial turf, dirt or hardwood.

The disconnect between live action and instant replay makes perfect sense. Professional athletes travel at high speeds and referees calls are judged in frame-by-frame, super-slo-mo.

Nobody ever had a problem with humans making the call at second on stolen bases. If the throw beat the runner and the tag was put down in time it was called an out. Now the runner’s finger slips off the bag and the replay calls him out. It happens so often that the stolen base, once an exciting play that enhanced strategy, has faded into the background because it too often is not worth the risk.

Yet again, we surrender to technology, driven by the unrealistic goal of perfection and by the lack of confidence in our human nature, which thankfully is imperfect or we would all look the same, talk the same, think the same. We would all be perfect, perfectly boring.

1156767 Boston Bruins over it in a hurry. I know that sounds juvenile but sometimes that’s just the way it is in a new workplace. It’s not new but refurbished.”

With a quick turnaround after the long road trip, Cassidy admitted his Bruins notebook: Bruce Cassidy still looking for right mix in forward lines team’s morning skate was a tad low energy.

“I think guys are still adjusting to the time change, getting back at 7 in the By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald morning (Friday) and getting their feet under them today. It’ll be a challenge for us to get an on time start,” Cassidy said after the skate. PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 5:33 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 5:48 PM Ted Green, a rugged stalwart of the Bruins’ blue line during some of the lean years of the 1960s and ultimately a Stanley Cup champion, died at the age of 79.

The Bruins went into Saturday’s home opener with a 3-1 record coming Green missed all of the Cup season of 1969-70 after suffering a fractured off a very tough road trip they easily could have swept. No one is skull in preseason when he was clubbed over the head by the St. Louis disputing they have a good team. Blues’ . He returned to the lineup for the 1970-71 season and was able to lift the Cup when the B’s won it in 1972. The St. That being said, the B’s lines still are pretty unsettled once you get past Boniface, native then moved to the WHA and played seven the top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. more seasons in the upstart league with the New England Whalers and With Joakim Nordstrom returning to the lineup Thursday in Colorado, the then the Winnipeg Jets. Green played 620 NHL games, all with the B’s now have two extra forwards. Brett Ritchie and Par Lindholm were Bruins, and 452 games in the WHA. were the odd men out Thursday. For the home opener at the Garden against New Jersey, it was David Backes and Lindholm. After his playing career, Green became part of the Edmonton Oilers coaching staff that went on to win five Stanley Cups. Working from the bottom up, it looks like Nordstrom, Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner would be their best fourth line, though Lindholm has shown he can play there, too. Two-thirds of the third line has been constant with left wing Danton Heinen and center Charlie Coyle while Ritchie, Backes Boston Herald LOADED: 10.13.2019 and sometimes Karson Kuhlman — who has seen the bulk of his action as the second-line right wing — all have seen time there. Ritchie also has gotten a taste of being David Krejci‘s right wing as well.

“(Saturday) Ritchie is in and Backes is out. On Monday, we’ll see how it goes,” coach Bruce Cassidy said after the morning skate. “We have good depth. Ritchie, Backes, Wagner bring some of the same characteristics. We’re still keeping an eye on (Kuhlman) up there. There’s some competition on the right side. Lindholm is more of a Kuraly-Nordstrom type of guy. When Nordie was out, he was in. It’s a little bit of what they bring when you lose a player. At some point, it may be, ‘Hey, if some guys aren’t going, you just fit ’em in.’ Wagner can play left wing if we find another player that’s not going. But that’s where we’re at with it right now. It’s a little early to say who’s where. I’m happy with everyone, but clearly no one’s separated themselves. Until they do, we’ll kind of mix and match.”

Coyle’s third line arguably has seen the most fluidity on the right side. Coyle had an excellent camp and has had some dominant shifts in terms of puck possession, though Cassidy said there have been instances where he would have liked to have seen the big center take the puck to the net instead of pulling up.

Coyle believes things will get better for his line overall with time.

“Whoever we’re playing with, we just have to make the most of it, get some practices in and get some reps in there and try and create some chemistry that way. That always helps,” said Coyle, who could see some time on Krejci’s right side at some point, too. “But sometimes it’s not always the case traveling and getting days off. Sometimes all you have is a pregame skate and you get right to it. So you have to really turn your brain on, talk a lot off the ice whoever your with and just do those little things. I think that’s the best way to go about it. But I think the more games we get under our belt and all that, we’ll get more familiar with our tendencies and I think we’ll jell a little bit better then.”

Much like the B’s forward lines, the Garden remains a work in progress, with construction workers still hammering and drilling throughout the building Saturday morning.

The B’s decided to come into the renovated Garden for morning skate to get used to their new digs. Aside from the seat changes to the bowl and added seats to the ninth floor, the B’s have a new oval-shaped dressing room as well as some added bells and whistles behind the scenes.

Normally the B’s hold their morning skate at their practice facility at Warrior Ice Arena.

“We decided to we wanted to come down early so we can get the looking around out of the way,” Cassidy said. “Hockey players to me are creatures of habit, so if something’s out of place it can affect them. Other guys can brush it off but for the most part I think a lot of guys like things a certain way. They want to focus on the game and not worry about any little detail. That’s part of the newness and we’re going to have to get 1156768 Boston Bruins

Highlights from the Bruins' 3-0 win over the Devils

By NBC Sports Boston Staff

October 12, 2019 7:41 PM

FINAL SCORE: Bruins 3, Devils 0

IN BRIEF: The Bruins continued their strong start to the 2019-20 season by taking care of the Devils with ease in their home opener. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand chipped in with goals as Tuukka Rask earned the shutout.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156769 Boston Bruins build on last spring’s impressive playoff performance, and this fall’s training camp when he was Boston’s best player beginning to end.

It all starts with the home opener on Thursday night for the third line with Bruins third line still looking for chemistry, offense in the early going the Coyle, Heinen and Ritchie trio that looked so good on opening night in Dallas.

By Joe Haggerty

October 12, 2019 5:48 PM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019

BOSTON – It’s only four games into the regular season for the Bruins, and the year is so fresh that they’re only now playing their first game on home ice Saturday night at TD Garden against the New Jersey Devils.

But it’s not too early for the Bruins to start looking at some of the troubling trends of the young 2019-20 regular season, and address them while they’re also winning hockey games. It was an unmitigated success on the road to start the season with a 3-1-0 record after swinging through Dallas, Arizona, Vegas and Colorado on the West Coast, but some of that success is not going to be sustainable if they don’t improve.

Take, for instance, the third line.

To this point the Bruins have tried Danton Heinen and Charlie Coyle together as a constant third line “pair”, and they’ve installed Brett Ritchie and David Backes among others as the right wing in an admittedly small sample size. The results have been inconsistent, particularly when considering the kind of advantageous matchups that their third line should get against other team’s bottom D-pairings and bottom-6 lines.

That’s something Bruce Cassidy would like to see improvement on as the Black and Gold get into the season.

“[Heinen] has got to develop some chemistry with Charlie, for one thing. It’s a pair we’re really trying to work on while moving around the right wingers,” said Cassidy. “[Heinen] hasn’t a lot of production, but he’s not alone on that line. In the Dallas game they generated the most, but there hasn’t been as much since then.

“I’m encouraging them to play their game. We do need balanced scoring if we’re going to be successful. Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak have obviously taken over the last few games and we need them to lead the way. But we want others to pitch in. [David] Krejci’s line has been pitching in and they obviously had the goals called back against Colorado. But that’s where Danton and Charlie can pitch in 5-on-5. They’re probably going to get a lot of favorable match-ups now that we’re here at home, so let’s make sure we get them going.”

Coyle has just one assist in the first four games, and has managed just one shot on net in three of the four games with a much better six-shot effort against Vegas mixed in as well. Since scoring a power play goal on opening night against Dallas Heinen has just two shots on net, and zero points, in his last three games. As a line during 5-on-5 play, the third line really hasn’t done much aside from the Brett Ritchie goal scored right out of the starting gate in the first game against the Stars.

Perhaps with that in mind, Ritchie will be back in the lineup bringing his power forward game to the third line on Saturday night against the Devils. Certainly, the B’s third line guys realize they need to step up a little more offensively and provide some secondary offense behind a team that’s once again relying too much on their top line players in the early going.

“Whoever I’m playing with we need to make the most of it. When you get a practice or two in then you need to get some reps in that way so you can build some chemistry,” said Coyle. “That always helps, but that isn’t always the case when you’re on the road. You just need to talk a lot on and off the ice whoever you’re with just do the little things. I think that’s the best way to go about it.

“I think the more we get more games under our belt together we’ll get down tendencies, and we’ll gel a little bit more together. It starts with getting those chances, getting to the right spots and doing the right things. When you create those chances that’s when they start going in. But you’ve got to keep at it. When you’re not getting those chances it means you’re going away from your game. You just want to make sure you’re doing the right things, playing the right way and just working.”

For a guy like Coyle that looked so strong, and so locked in, during training camp, the slow start has to be considered disappointing. But there’s still plenty of time just four games in to turn things around and 1156770 Boston Bruins

Zdeno Chara posts hype video that will get Bruins fans ready for the home opener

By Michael DePrisco

October 12, 2019 4:06 PM

As the Boston Bruins get set for their 2019-20 home opener against the New Jersey Devils Saturday night, Zdeno Chara posted a hype video on Instagram that should get every B's fan amped for the game.

Boston had to open the season on a four-game road trip, traveling to Dallas, Arizona, Las Vegas and Colorado over the first week of the new year. They started 3-0 and just missed the perfect road trip thanks to a loss to the Avalanche on Thursday night, but as they host the Devils on Saturday, Bruins fans can feel good about how their team has looked following a Stanley Cup Final loss.

Rask back in net for the B's home opener

Many were worried about a Stanley Cup Hangover negatively impacting at least the first half of this season for the Bruins, so it has to be a good sign moving forward that they're seemingly refusing a sluggish start out of the gate.

The puck drops for Bruins vs Devils at 7 p.m. EST at TD Garden, kicking off a three-game homestand for Boston that will feature the Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning after New Jersey comes to town.

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Former Bruins defenseman Ted Green dies at 79

By Patrick Dunne

October 12, 2019 2:33 PM

Ted Green, who won the Stanley Cup as a defenseman with the Bruins in the early 1970s with Bobby Orr and was a multiple Cup winner as an assistant with the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers, has died. He was 79.

The Oilers announced Green's death on Saturday. The native of St. Boniface, Manitoba, nicknamed "Terrible Ted" for his physical style, began his Bruins career in 1960 and suffered a fractured skull and brain damage in 1969 in one of the NHL's ugliest brawls when he was hit in the head by a stick swung by the St. Louis Blues' Wayne Maki in a preseason game.

Green missed all of the Bruins' 1969-70 Cup-winning season but was on the ice for the postgame celebration, had his name engraved on the Cup and was part of Boston's Cup winners in 1972 before jumping to the WHA's New England Whalers.

He was part of five Cup winners an Edmonton assistant to in the '80s and an assistant with the Rangers from 2000-04.

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Rask set to start tonight vs. Devils after dehydration issues

By Joe Haggerty

October 12, 2019 1:54 PM

BOSTON – Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask will make his third start of the season on Saturday night in the B’s home opener at TD Garden after showing no aftereffects from his dehydration episode at the end of the victory in Las Vegas earlier this week.

Rask stopped 31 of 34 shots in that Tuesday night win, but had to be helped off the ice after a third-period flurry closed out the game with what he attributed afterward to cramping and dehydration in the desert.

"We'll make this right," Garden president says of new seat fiasco

Rask practiced with the team on the road, but served as the backup for the Thursday night loss to the Colorado Avalanche that closed out the season-opening, four-game swing through the Western Conference in which the B's won the first three. Now, the Bruins No. 1 goalie will make his third start and his coach confirmed there were no issues other than muscle cramping at the end of the game.

“It was a scheduled start [for Halak vs. Colorado]. [Rask] was dehydrated,” Bruce Cassidy said. Rask won both his starts and has a .937 save percentage thus far. “He had a cramp and that was it. It was a result of dehydration. It’s happened to him in the past, but there was no injury as a result of the dehydration.”

With Rask in between the pipes for the Bruins, they will also make one other change to the lineup with bruising power forward Brett Ritchie back in the lineup against the New Jersey Devils.

Ritchie has a goal and three shots on net in his three appearances this season, but he’s coming off a season-low 8:55 of ice time in the Vegas win followed by serving as a healthy scratch in the loss to Colorado.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156773 Boston Bruins The arena bowl is also new, and TD Garden is no longer furnished with black, gold and green seats. The seats are all black. There are also improvements to the ice surface to keep it colder and better for hockey. Back where they belong, Bruins take care of business with an eye toward Even recently retired public address announcer Jim Martin returned for something more one last game behind the mic.

Since there are so many new features, Cassidy decided it would be best to hold the morning skate, which is usually held at Warrior Ice Arena, at By Joe McDonald TD Garden on Saturday.

Oct 12, 2019 “It’s a new year. We’ve got a new room. We’ve got new digs, and (2019) is behind us. Everyone has a clean slate this year, and we’re just trying

to play good hockey. Last year is all gone, and we’re looking forward,” The Boston Bruins want to write a new chapter in the organization’s Kuraly said. history. The Bruins are once again a serious Stanley Cup playoff contender. It began Saturday at home. They’ve gotten off to a good start, but there’s plenty of hockey remaining and the Bruins aren’t about to put the cart before the horse. It’s been exactly four months since the Bruins watched the St. Louis Blues hoist the Stanley Cup on TD Garden ice, and it’s something Boston “It’s impossible to comprehend there are 77 games remaining,” Kuraly wants to put in the rearview mirror. The team entered the home opener said. with a 3-1-0 record after starting the 2019-20 season on the road with a There’s one thing missing inside the newly renovated TD Garden, but successful trip through Dallas, Arizona, Las Vegas and Colorado. make no mistake: The Bruins will do everything in their power to add a TD Garden beckoned, offering a welcome respite after all that time away. seventh Stanley Cup banner to the rafters of a building that has seen so Sure, the Bruins played three preseason games at home, but when it’s much triumph and heartbreak. for real, it’s still a challenge to erase last June’s memories in front of a charged-up, sold-out crowd of hungry fans. Even with a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils and a 4-1-0 record, Boston is not content with its The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 start. This club is hungry for much more, and the first month of the season is critical for the Bruins given how long they played in 2018-19.

“We know we’ve got more,” Sean Kuraly said after Saturday’s win. “After the first five games, we have another level. There’s another level we need to get to. We had success, but we want to build off last year and take it to a new level, and if you’re not doing that, you’re cheating your team and you’re cheating yourself.”

Starting the season on the road was exactly what the Bruins needed, and the players acknowledged as much. The team had success, but coach Bruce Cassidy was a bit concerned due to a 5 a.m. arrival time home on Friday from Colorado. Along with the time change, he fretted that the team wouldn’t be ready to “start on time,” which was the winning mantra from a season ago.

Despite the winning record, Cassidy wasn’t completely satisfied with certain areas of the team’s game. So, he wanted to give the players “something to think about,” and his pregame message prior to Saturday’s game took the players a bit by surprise.

“I went in and got their attention on an area of our game that wasn’t good,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy’s message was specific. He didn’t like the team’s execution, or lack thereof, in the neutral zone. The rush as a five-man unit wasn’t good enough in the first four games. Cassidy wanted to see more urgency. The Bruins responded with a solid start and a strong finish.

What makes the Bruins successful as a team is the way the players hold themselves accountable. It’s not often Cassidy needs to send a message, but he felt it was an important time to speak his mind.

“He doesn’t nitpick a lot, but when he gets on something, we know it’s ‘let’s do this tonight,’ and it usually pays off,” Kuraly said. “He has a good eye for the opponents and what works against them and what’s not working for us, so when we go out there and execute, it pays off.”

In between the start and the finish against the Devils, the Bruins weren’t at their best. That’s when Tuukka Rask came up with the kind of timely saves he offered so frequently during the playoffs last spring. Boston’s goaltending has been excellent in the first five games this season between the starter, Rask, and backup Jaroslav Halak.

“Tuukka really stepped up, and that’s when you should get the credit. He earned his paycheck,” Cassidy said.

Off the ice, Bruins ownership has helped the team turn the page. Construction and upgrades at TD Garden have been ongoing, but the biggest renovation project took place this summer. The Bruins have a brand-new dressing room, a haven that looks completely different than the place that sheltered them as they sat and pondered two Stanley Cup losses over the past seven seasons. 1156774 Buffalo Sabres

Oskar Steen's goal in final minute beats Amerks

By Staff

Published Sat, Oct 12, 2019

Oskar Steen scored with 57 seconds left in regulation to give the Providence Bruins a 3-2 triumph over the Rochester Americans in their American Hockey League home opener Saturday night before 9,722 at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Rhode Island.

It was the first loss in three games for the Amerks (2-1-0). Providence is 3-0.

Steen scored the only goal in the third period after C.J. Smith had tied the game for the Amerks at 7:40 of the second.

Jean-Sebastien Dea gave Rochester a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 17:55 of the opening period. The score came while Paul Carey of the Bruins was serving a holding penalty.

Providence took the lead in the second.

First, Jakub Lauko tied it at 4:36 before Anders Bjork put his team ahead at 6:36 with a power-play goal just seven seconds before a high-sticking penalty against Scott Wilson of the Amerks was to expire.

Jonas Johansson stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced in goal for Rochester. Max Lagace made 30 saves for the Bruins.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Amerks, who will play the Wolfpack in Hartford, Conn. at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The Amerks’ next home game will be Friday night against the Cleveland Monsters before playing at Utica on Saturday night.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156775 Buffalo Sabres of things bring a team together and (show) team spirit and more trust in each other and stuff like that. So it’s a big point for us."

Quenneville didn't get the first-period goal he wanted Friday and was Joel Quenneville 'means business' and it's a new approach for the teetering on the brink late in the second and at the start of the third Florida Panthers periods. But the final 20 minutes, when Florida had a 19-4 advantage in shots on goal, are the kind of showings the Panthers are hoping to see on a regular basis. By Mike Harrington "It raises the excitement for sure in the locker room. Knowing what he's Published Sat, Oct 12, 2019|Updated Sat, Oct 12, 2019 done in his career is special," Trocheck said. "To have him come in and want to be the coach of the Panthers lifts the excitement for the guys and

got us thinking about what we could possibly be." The Florida Panthers played a super third period here Friday night, Alex Nylander scored the Blackhawks' first goal of the season in their salvaging a point in what became a shootout loss to the Sabres. They game last week in Prague while playing on a line with Patrick Kane and were pedestrian before that and are clearly a work in progress under new Jonathan Toews. His lofty place in the rotation didn't last. Nylander was coach Joel Quenneville. dropped to the third line for the Hawks' home opener against San Jose Fired 11 months ago in Chicago after a spectacular run that included and was a healthy scratch for Saturday's game against Winnipeg three Stanley Cups, Quenneville brings instant credibility to a Florida "I just think our game was too loose, so that’s the message," said coach franchise that has appeared in just two playoff series over the last 18 Jeremy Colliton, who also broke up Kane and Toews among numerous years, and hasn't won one since its run to the 1996 Stanley Cup final. changes. "It’s not so much about the combos, it’s how we play shift to "It's just preparation, hard work, tough practices. He wants everybody to shift." play the right way," Panthers center Vincent Trocheck, a Team North While Nylander continues to be Nylander and makes everyone who America teammate of Jack Eichel at the 2016 World Cup, said here watches him wonder what in the world Tim Murray saw to draft him at Friday. "He means business when he comes to the rink and wants No. 8 overall in 2016, Henri Jokiharju has been an upgrade on the everybody to mean business. It's a good way to be, a good way to build a Sabres' defense and has a bright future at age 20. team. We need to come to the rink ready to play every day, ready to work every practice." Repeating what I said when this trade was made in July: Do the Blackhawks have scouts, or did GM Stan Bowman simply refuse to listen Quenneville is a clear upgrade behind the Florida bench from the NHL to them? inexperience of former Sabres defenseman Bob Boughner. It's not far- fetched to think Quenneville alone might be worth 8-10 points for the Sidney Crosby played a season-high 24:02 on 26 shifts in the Penguins' Panthers this season. 2-1 win Thursday over the Ducks. With so many injuries up front, coach Mike Sullivan went to his captain in all situations to push his desperate The Panthers split a season-opening home-and-home set with Tampa team to a win. It's going to be a continued temptation with the lineup Bay but fell into a 4-0 first-period hole Tuesday and were drubbed at missing Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad, Bryan Rust and Alex Galchenyuk, home by Carolina, 6-3. Quenneville had a quick reaction: He punished but Crosby is 32 this month. his team with hard skates Wednesday in the aftermath. There's no way the Penguins can push the envelope with No. 87 that “You learn about your team as you go along, learn about one another,” much, even as Crosby's all-around game is as better than it's ever been Quenneville told South Florida reporters before the trip to Buffalo. “We and he's now regularly among the names in Selke Trophy chatter. just want to make sure we’re all in this together and we work hard. Every day is a new day and a new challenge. Doing things right is what we "He’s such an inspiration when he plays the game as hard as he does, as want to get accustomed to doing. Little details add up throughout the he does most nights,” Sullivan said. “I thought he was a force on both course of a game.” ends of the rink. His commitment to defending is just as hard as it is (in) creating offense for us. His line scores both goals and his line is on the The Panthers are one of those teams that should be better than they are. ice when we’re defending the lead when our opponent pulls the goalie. They have a Selke-level center in captain Aleksander Barkov and a He’s the best 200-foot player in the game right now.” dynamic winger in Jonathan Huberdeau but neither has scored in the first five games. Mike Hoffman has five goals, including the tying goal with 10 Around the boards seconds left Friday, and Evgenii Dadonov (2) is the only other player with more than one. • When Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said he was planning on a lot of close games this season, he wasn't kidding. The Sabres have played On defense, they have a former No. 1 overall pick in Aaron Ekblad and three straight overtime contests and tight hockey has been the norm thus NHL veterans Keith Yandle and Anton Stralman. Goalie Sergei far around the league. Almost half of the games through Friday -- 29 out Bobrovsky looked the part of a $70 million signee against the Sabres, of 60 -- have been decided by one goal. especially in overtime. In the three games prior? A 4.78 goals against average and .859 save percentage doesn't remotely cut it. • Edmonton's 4-1 win Saturday in New York improved the Oilers to 5-0 -- and made them the first team in NHL history to win their first five games Quenneville said Friday he needs to see better starts out of his club. The after trailing at some point in each one. No. 2 overall draft pick Kaapo Buffalo game was the fifth straight the Panthers did not score in the first Kakko scored his first NHL goal to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. period and they had to roar back from a 2-0 hole to even get a point. • Connor McDavid through five games: Four goals, eight assists, 12 "We obviously weren't happy with the game (against Carolina)," points. Leon Draisaitl through five games: 4-7-11. That's how you push a Quenneville said. "The last 40 minutes were OK, basically how we have team to a fast start. to play from start to finish. But starts are definitely where you put yourself in position to control the game and we were on the receiving end too • Ryan Miller's win in his season debut Friday in Columbus was the 379th much. of his NHL career. The Ducks' backup, now 39, is six shy of tying Mike Vernon (385) for 15th on the all-time list. Miller is the Sabres' all-time "We want to make the opposition earn their goals and possession as victory leader, with 284 wins from 2002-2014. well. I think offensively, we can have the puck more." • Former Sabre Jordan Nolan has been named captain of the San After the game against the Sabres, Quenneville was encouraged by his Antonio Rampage, St. Louis' AHL team. The son of former Sabres coach team's resilience. Ted Nolan won his third Stanley Cup in June as part of St. Louis' "Black Aces" after playing for Los Angeles' Cup teams in 2012 and 2014. "I thought it was a good battling back effort," he said. "I thought some key saves, an interesting end to that game in overtime, but 'Bob' made some Nolan served as an assistant captain in 2018-19 during his first season huge saves for us, we had some good looks ourselves. There was a lot with the Rampage and tied for the team lead with 17 goals. He did not more quality in that game than the score indicated." score in 14 games with St. Louis and did not appear in the playoffs. Nolan had four goals and four assists for the Sabres in 69 games during "Guys were great. They stepped up at the right time," Bobrovsky said. the 2017-18 season. "With 10 seconds left, we tied up that game. Huge character. Those kind Nolan takes over the San Antonio captaincy from former Sabres defenseman Chris Butler, who retired from hockey after winning the Cup with the Blues, his hometown team.

• Former Sabres and Rochester Amerks forward Denis Hamel is a part of the 2020 class to the AHL Hall of Fame that will be inducted in January. Hamel ranks 11th all time in AHL history with 338 goals, including 10 seasons of 20 or more.

Hamel played 130 of his 192 NHL games with the Sabres from 2000- 2003, scoring 13 goals. He finished his NHL career in 2007 with Philadelphia. Hamel played four years in Rochester, topped by a 34-goal, 58-point season in 1999-2000.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156776 Buffalo Sabres (An aside here: Who was Heiskanen going to supplant in that vote? Vancouver's Elias Petterson was the winner and St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington lifted the Blues from oblivion into the playoffs. Dahlin had a When it comes to Rasmus Dahlin, Ralph Krueger taking a measured 44-point season that was one of the greatest ever for an 18-year-old approach defenseman. Those were three slam-dunk finalists.)

Dahlin said he's come to understand that not every shift can end in big scoring chances or goals. He's learning the same lesson that Jack Eichel By Mike Harrington did: Some shifts are 50-50 plays and you need to move to the next one.

Published Sat, Oct 12, 2019|Updated Sat, Oct 12, 2019 "I really found that out last year and started to learn from it," Dahlin said. "It's not fun when nothing happens, but you've just got to play your best,

play easy at times. It's important to know that." Rasmus Dahlin is 19. Krueger loves how coachable Dahlin is and how he has excellent Let's repeat that sentence so it's clear to everyone: Rasmus Dahlin is 19. listening skills. As a No. 1 overall pick, Dahlin has lived through a lot of hype. Now it's about developing his skills. He's played 87 NHL games. Not 387. Not 587. Not 787. Just 87. Sometimes, that's easy to forget. Sure, he was a Calder Trophy finalist in "Any player who is drafted first overall comes from a world where he had June, and there's hope he will be a Norris Trophy candidate and a the puck all the time. You'll see that with any pick in the first two or three superstar probably sooner rather than later. in the ," Krueger said. "We coaches have to come in and be hard on them on the game without the puck and what the Stats are glossy: He entered Saturday's play second in the NHL among responsibility is. defensemen in both assists (6) and points (7). The seven points came in the first four games of the season — the most ever recorded by a "As a defenseman to play 25 minutes, if the coaches do not trust you, teenage defenseman through his team's opening quartet of games. you won't get those minutes. Doing that without taking away their genius is the challenge for us coaches." But he's 19. Which means he will struggle at times, no matter how many points he's piling up. Krueger has some experience in this area. Edmonton took Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, respectively, at No. 1 overall in 2010 and When that happened Friday, Ralph Krueger sat Dahlin for the last 9 1/2 2011. Krueger said Hall was the first Oiler he met when he joined the minutes of regulation in the Sabres' 3-2 shootout win over Florida. club as an associate coach in the summer of '10. Buffalo's new coach has his demands. Nothing wrong with Dahlin's offensive skills. We all know that. But like any young defenseman, he can "Taylor did not know there was a game without the puck really because be better with his puck management. he had the puck all the time in junior," Krueger said. "He was the very first player I worked with closely. ... I remember the conversations with "We've gone 11 days in a row without a day off to start the season," him. To see him become the player he is today, he's like one of your kids Krueger said after his team improved to 4-0-1 for the first time since in the history of your coaching. For sure, there's a lot of parallels there." 2009. "There's been a lot of effort invested in getting the results that we've had. You could see a few guys tapering off, and we just thought we "It's different to know what to do without the puck," Dahlin said. "Playing were protecting them in that little stretch down there. the first year all 82 games, you get used to it. It's very important to learn what to do when you don't have it. You don't want to get scored on and "We knew Florida was going to push hard so we went with a little more you have to be in the right spots at the right time." experience. But Rasmus has played outstanding with his learning and growing every day, and there's going to be moments like that where we Dahlin was the first No. 1 overall pick on defense since Florida took going to reduce the lineup to go with the guys we think have the best Aaron Ekblad in 2014 one spot before the Sabres' selection of Sam chance of closing. He will definitely be in that mix eventually." Reinhart.

Initially, the decision seemed curious. Dahlin didn't contribute to a goal "Good player, no doubt. He's really skilled, really good on all sides of the against the Sabres. He played 17:56 and had six shot attempts. puck," Ekblad said of Dahlin before Friday's game against the Panthers. Sometimes Krueger seems to go on feel, and he clearly felt Dahlin was a "He's got a lot of confidence with the puck as well, which is huge. From little worn down. being in that situation, I know you can lose that confidence at times pretty quick. To really have a good head on your shoulders is huge, and I'm Dahlin's last shift of the third period seemed to indicate that. In one 65- sure he does." second span, he missed the puck behind the net, then missed a check behind the net and had a turnover below the goal line. All on the same Smith said he was impressed how Dahlin analyzed last season, from 65-second shift. Krueger and defensive assistant Steve Smith decided both a team and individual standpoint. that was enough for regulation (Dahlin took one shift in overtime). "He talked about how difficult it was to go through the second half of the Dahlin's season to date includes a highlight-reel goal on opening night season and not winning many games, which tells you the against Pittsburgh and five assists on the lethal Buffalo power play. He competitiveness in the young man," Smith said. "He did run out of steam has a plus-2 rating and a Corsi of just more than 55 percent. But there at about midseason last year and we did have to back off from him. We have been some uneven moments at 5-on-5, too. He has been unusually had to leave him alone and keep him out of the gym. sloppy with the puck, especially in the neutral zone. "We talked a little bit about if he’s eating right and sleeping right. Whether "I know there will be times that don't go as well. I understand that," Dahlin that 82-game schedule versus the 30- or 40-game schedule overseas said. "When it doesn't feel right, just put the puck in down low, get our was starting to get to him. He was smart enough to know when to push it guys to work it." hard and when to back off."

"I want to give his parents a hug every day because he’s such a nice kid Krueger and Smith gave Dahlin a push late Friday night. All part of his and he really, truly, for a young guy, he’s wise beyond his years," Smith development. said during training camp. "He wants to get better. He likes to listen. He doesn’t have a problem with criticism. He wants to know if he’s done right or wrong. He truly tries to please every day. Add that component to all Buffalo News LOADED: 10.13.2019 the ability he has, that’s why we all feel he has an opportunity to become a star in the league."

It will be interesting to see what kind of response the Sabres get from Dahlin. They were off Saturday and the next game is an interesting one: Monday's matinee visit from the Dallas Stars. Their lineup includes fellow sophomore defenseman Miro Heiskanen, whom many observers feel was a snub among the Calder finalists last season. 1156777 Buffalo Sabres 27. Columbus Blue Jackets. Three cannon blasts vs. Sabres were three too many. (25)

Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings Buffalo News LOADED: 10.13.2019

By Mike Harrington

Published Sat, Oct 12, 2019|Updated Sat, Oct 12, 2019

Through Friday's games. Preseason rankings in parentheses.

1. Carolina Hurricanes. First 5-0 start in club history, including Hartford days. (16)

2. St. Louis Blues. Raised Cup with OT loss to Caps, then won three straight. (2).

3. Edmonton Oilers. McDavid is McDavid, but James Neal looks like Rocket Richard thus far. (24)

4. Colorado Avalanche. No post-contract slump for Rantanen, with five points in three games. (11)

5. Boston Bruins. Thrilled to go 3-1 on season-opening trip out West. (6)

6. Buffalo Sabres. Motto for best start since 2009: In Krueger They Trust. (27)

7. Tampa Bay Lightning. Big bounceback with drubbing of Leafs. (1).

8. Anaheim Ducks. Gibson, Miller combine to allow just six goals in four games. (30)

9. Nashville Predators. Duchene quickly finding a home with eight points in 3-1 start. (8)

10. Detroit Red Wings. Mantha is first with four goals in a Detroit home opener since 1933. (28)

11. Vegas Golden Knights. Heavy Hockey coming Tuesday night with Preds in town. (3).

12. Washington Capitals. Frittered away 4-2 lead in Nashville by allowing four goals in third. (5)

13. Winnipeg Jets. Morrissey rolls up plus-5 rating in rout of Wild. (17)

14. Toronto Maple Leafs. Early crisis brewing with 0-2-1 rut capped by 7- 3 drubbing by Bolts. (4)

15. Calgary Flames. Gaudreau's deft deke is winner in Dallas and ends team's 0-9 run in shootouts over last 23 months. (7)

16. New York Rangers. Zibanejad is first NHLer to open with eight points in two games since Jagr in 1995. (19)

17. Philadelphia Flyers. Gritty's Lindsey Vonn taunt of Subban goes viral. (15)

18. Pittsburgh Penguins. Disastrous early run of injuries. (12)

19. Montreal Canadiens. Dropped home opener to Wings after OT loss to Sabres. (13)

20. Florida Panthers. Bobrovsky stole a point here Friday night. (14)

21. Dallas Stars. Similar to Sabres: Hit town Monday having already blown a pair of two-goal leads. (10)

22. Arizona Coyotes. Kessel skated in 1,000th game Saturday at Colorado.(21)

23. San Jose Sharks. 0-4 run ends as Marleau gets two goals at Chicago in his return. (9)

24. Vancouver Canucks. Opened 50th anniversary season at home with blowout win over Kings. (26)

25. Los Angeles Kings. Quick's first two games: 7.17 GAA, .750 save percentage. Yikes. (29)

26. New York Islanders. Trotz passes Long Island legend Al Arbour by coaching 1,608th game, third on all-time list. (22) 1156778 Calgary Flames

Assist from Flames to fund YMCA memberships for Grade 6 students

SAMMY HUDES

Updated: October 11, 2019

The Calgary Flames Foundation announced Friday it will donate $1 million over four years to YMCA Calgary in support of the Flames YMCA Grade 6 program, which provides free memberships to students to help get them involved in sports and recreation.

Joined by Harvey the Hound and Flames alumni Craig Conroy, Mike Commodore and Jamie Macoun, dozens of kids helped kick off the announcement with a street hockey game outside the YMCA in Eau Claire.

“The more kids we get, the better,” said Flames Foundation chairman Jeff McCaig.

“We think we’re having an impact at introducing kids to an active lifestyle at a key point in their lives.”

The commitment builds on $1.25 million the foundation has provided for the program since it launched five years ago.

It supplies free memberships to the YMCA for every Grade 6 student across Calgary. Once registered, kids receive access to a wide array of sports programs like floor hockey.

More than 20,000 participants have taken part since the program began, including about 3,200 this past year.

Thanks to the additional funds, YMCA Calgary said it hopes to reach 6,000 Grade 6 students this year.

“This is a huge announcement for the kids of Calgary,” said Shannon Doram, YMCA Calgary president and CEO.

“We endeavour to give them every opportunity we can to be a part of something that helps them stay active and build lifelong skills and this gift allows us to do that.

“The funding from the Flames Foundation allows us to serve more kids, run more programs and provide lots of fun experiences to them.”

McCaig said it was a no-brainer for the Flames to get involved.

“We want to give back to the community in a way that’s consistent with those values: an active lifestyle, health and wellness and amateur sport.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156779 Calgary Flames The locals pulled ahead on Carrier’s top-shelf backhander, then started to pull away when Stastny found the five-hole for a marker that could cost Rittich a few winks of sleep.

Flames losing skid continues in Sin City Reaves’ third-period strike, which completed a hat-trick for the Golden Knights’ fourth line, wasn’t any better. The late goal by Glass glanced off Calgary’s captain Mark Giordano. Wes Gilbertson “I think we started playing the right way for a couple of minutes, and we got rewarded for it, and then we went kind of back to cheating for offence,” said Flames off-season addition Milan Lucic. “And once we LAS VEGAS — If you make at least two trips each year to Sin City, started turning the puck over and not covering up, we gave up some odd- you’ve gotta win eventually. man rushes and it ends up in the back of our net. You know, it’s one of Right? those games early on that you can learn a lot from, and that’s what we need to do with a quick turnaround.” That’s certainly what the Calgary Flames are hoping. Backup netminder Cam Talbot will be between the pipes as the Flames After Saturday’s 6-2 thumping from the Vegas Golden Knights, the cap this three-game roadie with Sunday’s clash against the Sharks in Flames are now winless in five all-time visits to T-Mobile Arena, home to San Jose (8 p.m. MT, Sportsnet One/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). a skilled and speedy team that always seems to get a boost from a boisterous and boozy crowd.

There are other NHL squads that have never picked up two points on Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.13.2019 The Strip, but not with so many cracks at it.

The Flames are the only Pacific Division posse that has never left Vegas a winner.

They have scored a grand total of six goals in this raucous rink. They have allowed 21.

This could be their new Anaheim.

“We didn’t play hard enough,” seethed Flames head coach Bill Peters after Saturday’s shellacking. “Until we start to play hard, and play hard for 60 minutes, it’s going to be up in the air all night long or you’re going to get blown out. We’ve got to develop a little bit of a work ethic here.

“We’re disappointed the way we’ve played. We haven’t played hard enough. We’re well aware we haven’t played hard enough and we haven’t played hard enough on a consistent basis.”

The Golden Knights’ fifth goal Saturday really summed up this evening.

A pair of Flames forwards, Sam Bennett and Mark Jankowski, crashed into each other in the defensive zone and both tumbled to the ice.

Amidst that chaos, Rasmus Andersson’s breakout pass missed the target.

Moments later, fourth-line thumper Ryan Reaves squeaked a shot through the five-hole on what should have been a routine stop for David Rittich.

This 24-save showing was Rittich’s worst performance of the fall. He had company.

“If you make mistakes against a team like that, they’re going to punish you. And that’s what they did,” Andersson said, taking the blame for Reaves’ goal. “We have moments where we’re really good, but we haven’t really found our game for 60 minutes yet.”

Tomas Nosek, Mark Stone, William Carrier, Paul Stastny and Cody Glass also rippled twine for the Golden Knights, while Andersson and Johnny Gaudreau were the only guys who could solve Marc-Andre Fleury at the other end.

The Flames insisted that a solid start would be key to snapping out of their Sin City skid, but the hosts managed to crank the volume just 3:24 in, with a crease-crashing Nosek cleaning up the leftovers as Rittich searched for the puck after a save on Carrier’s initial effort.

Andersson evened it up early in the middle stanza, jumping into the attack and ripping a short-side shot past Marc-Andre Fleury on a two-on- one rush.

Only 33 seconds later, Gaudreau tried to thread a pass to linemate Elias Lindholm, but a back-checking William Karlsson instead deflected the puck into the back of his net.

That lead lasted barely two minutes before Stone — his older brother, Michael, patrols the blue-line for the Flames — swatted home his own rebound for the equalizer.

It was all Golden Knights from then on. 1156780 Carolina Hurricanes The Canes’ passing was at its best in a quick-strike sequence, the puck going from Hamilton to Martin Necas to Ryan Dzingel and finally to Haula, who was unchecked in the slot. Haula’s goal was his fifth in six games and it was tied 1-1. Blue Jackets hand Canes first loss of season In the second, it was the Canes’ turn to take the lead and lose it. In 17 seconds.

BY CHIP ALEXANDER After Korpisalo lost his paddle, Hamilton unloaded a shot off a Jaccob Slavin pass that Korpisalo had no chance of stopping. It was Hamilton’s OCTOBER 12, 2019 09:41 PM fourth of the season.

But Bkorkstrand had the answer for the Blue Jackets, carrying the puck RALEIGH around the net and wheeling into the slot, turning and whipping a shot that Reimer couldn’t track or stop. For the first five games of the season, the Carolina Hurricanes knew nothing but winning and good times. “We were just lazy a little bit on our guy and you can’t do that and we got burned,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s kind how the game went for me. We Now, the Canes must deal with their first loss. just were flat.”

The Columbus Blue Jackets, looking to jumpstart their season, rolled into There was scary moment involving the Canes’ Haydn Fleury in the first PNC Arena, put in 60 minutes of hustle and hard work Saturday and left period. The defenseman fell head-first into the boards after being hooked with a 3-2 victory over the Canes. by the Blue Jackets’ Alexandre Texier in the Carolina zone. Fleury was helped off the ice and to the locker room but soon returned. The Hurricanes’ 5-0 start was the best in franchise history while the Blue Jackets had lost three of their first four games. But Columbus was the The Canes announced before the game that defenseman Trevor van better team Saturday. Riemsdyk had been activated off non-roster injured reserve. Van Riemsdyk underwent shoulder surgery after being injured in the Stanley “We weren’t ready,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We didn’t Cup playoffs last spring. mentally prepare properly, I think, as a group for that kind of game and we got what we deserved, in my opinion. After the game, the Canes reassigned forward Julien Gauthier to the of the AHL. The Canes leave Monday on a West “They played a great road game. They grinded us down and we didn’t Coast road trip and will play the next four games away from home. want to get to our game enough.”

Pierre-Luc Dubois gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead at 1:15 of the third period. After a turnover by the Canes’ Brock McGinn near the Carolina News Observer LOADED: 10.13.2019 blue line, Dubois first beat McGinn down the ice and then goalie James Reimer for the score.

Erik Haula and Dougie Hamilton had goals for the Canes, continuing their early season scoring tears. It was 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 after two as defenseman Markus Nutivaara and forward Oliver Bjorkstrand scored for Columbus.

Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo, starting in back-to-back games, got the job done in the third for a team that has gone through a makeover since last season. Korisalo had 30 saves, 11 in the final period.

The Canes rallied for comeback victories in their first three games, tying the score in the third period each time and then winning in a shootout (Montreal) or overtime (Washington, Tampa Bay). But the Blue Jackets stymied the Canes by aggressively forechecking and cycling, winning chases to the puck and being stingy in the neutral zone.

“They were playing our game essentially, giving us no room and frustrating us,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said. “Partly it was our own doing. We made it harder on ourselves than we needed to with our decisions with the puck, and made it easier for them.

“When you’re a little bit tired you start making mental mistakes more than anything. I think our decisions with the puck and trying to be cute with the puck ... it just wasn’t a game like that and made it harder for us to get some momentum and get the fans in it.”

Brind’Amour said the only real positive from the game might have been the play of Reimer, who had 32 stops.

“They worked hard and they earned it,” Reimer said.. “They were a little better than us. We played hard and we battled but sometimes it does not go your way.”

Brind’Amour was hoping for a repeat of Friday’s game, a decisive 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. The Canes were the faster, more aggressive team, completely shutting down the Islanders in the third period.

But the Blue Jackets, coming off a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, were active, disruptive, preventing the Canes from getting a transition game going.

For the first two periods, it was punch, counter-punch.

In the first, Nutivaara’s first goal of the season -- the defenseman all alone on the backdoor for a tap-in-- gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead. That lasted 27 seconds. 1156781 Chicago Blackhawks Haan left Andrew Copp open in front of the net to take a pass from Kyle Connor and push it past Lehner into a wide open net.

“The first goal is unfortunate,” Lehner said. “It squeaks through. But I Robin Lehner and Calvin de Haan make their Blackhawks debuts, but the was where I wanted to be in position, and somehow it goes in. Got to try Jets rally for a 3-2 overtime victory to clean that up.”

Lehner’s best save came late in the second, when Mark Scheifele was all alone near the front of the left faceoff circle. Lehner didn’t commit to By JIMMY GREENFIELD either side of the net, then closed up the five-hole and used his body to block Scheifele’s shot. CHICAGO TRIBUNE For the first time this season, the defense looked as general manager OCT 12, 2019 | 9:46 PM Stan Bowman intended with de Haan, Keith, Seabrook, Erik Gustafsson, Connor Murphy and Olli Maatta on the back end. They didn’t give up many high-danger chances and used excellent stick play to frustrate one Robin Lehner and Calvin de Haan waited patiently to make their of the top offenses in the league. Blackhawks debuts, albeit for different reasons. De Haan was paired with Gustafsson, who can create offense but often De Haan is the top-four defenseman acquired in the offseason from the struggles defensively. Despite a breakdown in the third period on the Hurricanes whose nagging groin injury forced him to miss the entire Jets’ tying goal when neither covered Copp, Colliton was pleased with de preseason as well as the first two games of the season. Haan’s impact.

Lehner is the 2018-19 Vezina Trophy finalist who nonetheless found “I liked him,” the coach said. “He’s steady presence back there. Makes a himself without a team after the start of free agency when the Islanders lot of simple plays. He’s calm, he’s under control and we need more of went in another direction. The Hawks quickly snagged him with a one- that.” year, $5 million contract to create a goaltending tandem with Corey Crawford.

Crawford started the Hawks’ Oct. 4 season opener in Prague as well as Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 the home opener Thursday, both of which ended in losses.

Which is at least partly why coach Jeremy Colliton went with Lehner on Saturday against the Jets at the United Center. Any nerves for Lehner before his first game in a Hawks uniform?

“I don’t think nervous is the right word for it,” Lehner said. “You just get excited to get out there and get going.”

Lehner and de Haan brought veteran leadership and stability to the lineup Saturday but couldn’t bring the Hawks their first win. Lehner made 30 saves, but Mark Scheifele’s one-timer 47 seconds into overtime gave the Jets a 3-2 victory, dropping the Hawks to 0-2-1.

“We need to find a way to play with the style, the energy, the pace of the first 20 minutes,” Colliton said. “We need to extend that into 60, and then I think we’ll be in good shape. Disappointed obviously with the result. We wanted the two points and it’s a divisional game. It’s a mini step forward but certainly sour.”

Colliton’s decision to make Lehner wait for his first start was understandable. Crawford has been the Hawks’ starting goaltender since midway through the 2010-11 season and, despite suffering concussions each of the last two seasons that cost him considerable playing time, he is healthy.

During the preseason, Colliton said both goalies would play a lot. Even if Crawford had been exceptional against the Flyers and Jets, it’s possible Lehner still would have started. But Crawford allowed nine goals in the first two games, not all of which were his fault, allowing Colliton to make a change without facing criticism.

The styles of Crawford and Lehner are strikingly different. While Crawford is smooth and technically superb, Lehner is in beast mode in the net. He moves across the goal mouth with a quickness that belies his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame. But it’s his size that helps keep the puck out of the net.

And his mouth.

Lehner is loud and proud patrolling the net, constantly shouting orders to his defenders. He’s also not quiet in the locker room, as was evident after Saturday’s loss when he gave an honest opinion of what he saw in front of him.

“I liked a lot of the game,” he said. “We’ve just got to, when we’re in some pressure and things are not going our way, we’ve just got to fall back, play simple, help each other out. We’ve got to support each other a little better. I thought it was two really good periods, the second, not so good. Clean up some details and we’ll be fine.”

Lehner played a solid first period, after which the Hawks led 2-0 on goals from Brandon Saad and . But the Jets put a power-play goal past him early in the second after Duncan Keith went off for slashing, then tied it with 8 minutes, 16 seconds left in the third after de 1156782 Chicago Blackhawks

Kirby Dach makes his pro debut after the Blackhawks send him to the Rockford IceHogs on a conditioning assignment

By JIMMY GREENFIELD

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

OCT 12, 2019 | 8:39 PM

The Blackhawks on Saturday sent Kirby Dach to Rockford on a conditioning assignment, the latest sign the No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft is getting closer to making his NHL debut.

Dach, 18, made his professional debut with the IceHogs on Saturday night in a 4-2 loss against visiting Grand Rapids. He didn’t figure in either goal.

Dach suffered a concussion Sept. 10 at the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Mich., and missed the first two weeks of Hawks training camp. He began practicing with the Hawks on their European trip but didn’t appear in any preseason games.

Dach is not age-eligible to be sent outright to Rockford but can play there on a conditioning assignment for no more than 14 consecutive days because he’s on the Hawks roster.

If Dach is in Rockford for the maximum term, he would be eligible to play in five games for the IceHogs, including Oct. 19, when they face the at Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

The Hawks were not expecting to add a player of Dach’s caliber in the June draft but jumped from No. 12 to No. 3 in the draft lottery.

They chose Dach over defenseman Bowen Byram and local product Alex Turcotte, neither of whom is currently in the NHL. The Avalanche selected Byram fourth but returned him to his junior team before the season. Turcotte, taken fifth by the Kings, is a freshman at Wisconsin.

Dach was by far the top forward prospect at the Hawks development camp in July, which led to expectations he would have a shot at making the opening-day roster. The concussion prevented that, but if Dach’s stint in Rockford goes well, he should make his NHL debut later this month.

Once Dach is back with the Hawks, they’ll either have to keep him on the roster or return him to the ’s Saskatoon Blades, his junior team for the last three seasons.

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The puck from an NHL player’s first goal is priceless. Except to one car thief.

By JIMMY GREENFIELD

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

OCT 12, 2019 | 12:48 PM

The moment an NHL player scores his first goal, somebody from the organization immediately springs into action.

The puck is retrieved and marked with tape or another identifying marker before it eventually is given to the player, who presumably cherishes it from that moment until eternity.

After Dominik Kubalik scored the first goal of his NHL career Thursday night against the Sharks, it seemed like a nice idea to ask around the locker room and find out what players do with those first-goal pucks.

Turns out the answer for many Hawks was the same: They drop it off at their parents’ house.

The puck from Connor Murphy’s first goal? At his parents’ house. Same for Alex Nylander, Erik Gustafsson and Jeremy Colliton, who scored the first of his three career goals on April 15, 2006, against the Penguins.

“It’s at my parents’ house, just like everything else,” Colliton said. “I just give it to them. I don’t want it, you know? I’ll look at it sometimes, but they keep all the stuff for me.”

One first-goal-puck story is worth retelling.

After Slater Koekkoek scored his first on Oct. 12, 2017, while playing for the Lightning, he was handed the puck shortly afterward.

Koekkoek threw it into a console in his truck, and there it stayed — untouched — for a year. Why?

"I don't know," Koekkoek said. "I just forgot about it."

Then one day, someone broke into his truck. As Koekkoek did inventory, he discovered the thief took cash and coins and pretty much anything of value.

One priceless item was left undisturbed.

“My first-goal puck (was) sitting right there with the tape on it,” Koekkoek said. “Left it for me. They were nice that way.”

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Scrambled Blackhawks remain winless after overtime loss to Jets

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Oct 12, 2019, 9:53pm CDT

The Blackhawks changed everything they could Saturday: forward lines, defensive pairings, the goalie.

But they still squandered an energetic start, still spent too long on the ice each shift, still had a brutal defensive breakdown at a crucial time and still finished winless on the season after a 3-2 overtime loss to the Jets.

“As a group, we have to have that character to close out games and step on their throat when they’re down,” winger Brandon Saad said.

Clearly, through three games — each a painful defeat in its own way — the Hawks don’t have that down yet.

Leading 2-0 after the first period and 2-1 midway through the third, the Hawks were in position to overcome another poor second period.

Then defenseman Calvin de Haan and Jonathan Toews vacated the front of the net and left Andrew Copp open at the back post for the tying goal.

The Hawks, clearly losing steam as the game wore on, survived a late Jets power play and earned the overtime point but couldn’t last even a minute of the three-on-three session.

“We’ve got to clean up the details — that’s what it comes down to in close games,” said goaltender Robin Lehner, who made 30 saves in his Hawks debut. “We’ve just got to tighten it up, pull [out] a 2-1 win.”

The new, strange lines and pairs coach Jeremy Colliton debuted at practice Friday did little to jump-start the team’s stars. At five-on-five, the Hawks had fewer chances (21-17) and did not score — their goals came only when short-handed (Saad) and on the power play (Brent Seabrook).

Toews, who admitted after the morning skate that “there’s a lot I can do better,” remains mired in a season-opening slump.

Patrick Kane never quite jelled with Dylan Strome and Andrew Shaw, either. Even the Dominik Kubalik-David Kampf-Saad line lost its luster, hammered to the tune of a sub-30 percent Corsi rating.

“The minute we turn it over, [the Jets] have a ton of skill, and they’re going to make plays,” Saad said. “They had a lot more zone time, and it’s a lot harder to play defensive zone coverage than try to get on the offense. It’s just making simple plays.”

Many of the breakdowns that marred the Hawks’ first two losses were back at the United Center just as quickly as Carl Dahlstrom (the former Hawks defenseman, claimed off waivers less than two weeks ago, had an assist and a 56 percent Corsi rating in 16:36 for the Jets).

The Hawks averaged 51.2 seconds per shift, two seconds longer than their already-high average from the first two games, despite claiming that shorter shifts would be a priority.

They were charged with 18 giveaways, more than in either of the first two games, even though turnovers killed them in those games, too.

And the second period was simply abysmal. The Jets generated eight scoring chances to the Hawks’ two.

The Hawks have had way fewer scoring chances (35-10) and been outscored 5-3 in their three second periods.

“The best teams, they dominate the second period, and so it’s a point of emphasis for us,” Colliton said.

“We’d like to control the tempo of the game and control the territory. . . . That’s where you show how good you are, so we’re not close to where we want to be in that area.”

Or really in any area.

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Blackhawks notebook: Kirby Dach assigned to Rockford for conditioning stint

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Oct 12, 2019, 8:46pm CDT

Center Kirby Dach played a pro hockey game in a red-and-black sweater Saturday.

There was one caveat, however: It was for the IceHogs.

Earlier in the day, the Hawks assigned Dach — whom they drafted with the third overall pick in June — to Rockford of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint. Hours later, he made his pro debut in the IceHogs’ 4-2 loss to Grand Rapids.

Dach’s individual performance was uneventful — two shots on goal while skating on the fourth line — but the fact he played only can be seen as a step forward. He had been sidelined since suffering a minor shoulder injury and a concussion in the final game of a prospects tournament Sept. 10 in Traverse City, Michigan.

He resumed skating with the Hawks during their trip to Europe and even took part in the morning skate Saturday at the United Center. But the news of his return to competitive hockey came about quickly and unexpectedly.

‘‘We’re trying to set him up, give him the best opportunity, so when he does get the chance here, he’ll be as ready as he can be,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said. ‘‘It’s a good league down there and a chance for him to get his feet wet against men.’’

By NHL rules, Dach can spend up to 14 days in the AHL. That means he can appear in four more games, including the IceHogs’ matchup Saturday against the Wolves at Allstate Arena.

Young prospects from Canadian juniors typically are barred from playing in AHL games — they must stay in the NHL or be sent back to their junior club — but the conditioning-stint designation enabled the Hawks to sidestep that rule. Still, this marks the first time a No. 3 overall pick has played a minor-league game before making his NHL debut since Jonathan Drouin in 2014-15.

Dach’s AHL appearances won’t count against his limit of nine NHL games before the first year of his three-year entry-level contract goes into effect this season.

Top defensive prospect Adam Boqvist also made his pro debut in the IceHogs’ loss and earned top-pairing minutes alongside Dennis Gilbert.

The Hawks’ list of injured players, which had become rather lengthy at one point late in the preseason, now stands at zero.

Defenseman Calvin de Haan made his Hawks debut after missing the first two regular-season games and the entire preseason while recovering from shoulder surgery and a groin issue.

Cheery as always, de Haan implied after the morning skate that he didn’t feel 100 percent healthy but was close enough to that level to play.

‘‘I’m going to have to try it at some point anyway, so . . . I’d rather get in the lineup sooner than later and help this team win,’’ he said. ‘‘I might look slow at the beginning, but I’ll just try and keep it simple and just play my game.’’

De Haan seemed to be having a solid first game before he and captain Jonathan Toews miscommunicated disastrously on the Jets’ tying goal in the third period. Still, de Haan finished with 18:03 in ice time, and Colliton said he thought he provided an overall ‘‘steady presence.’’

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156786 Chicago Blackhawks

Excessively long shifts contributing to Hawks’ early-season struggles

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Oct 12, 2019, 6:55am CDT

Defenseman Olli Maatta was 46 seconds into a shift Thursday when he attempted to dump the puck in from the offensive blue line.

Thirty-one seconds later — a whopping 1:17 after he and partner Brent Seabrook came on the ice — Maatta was skating ruefully behind his own net after losing a box-out battle to Patrick Marleau and conceding a tying goal.

The ridiculously long shift with a squarely negative outcome has been a common problem for the Hawks through their first two games of the 2019-20 season (both losses, for the record). They aren’t getting off the ice fast enough.

‘‘Well, it’s not a winning formula,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said after practice Friday. ‘‘It’s a continuation of things we know we’ve got to fix. [It was] last year, too.’’

The Hawks are averaging 49.5 seconds per shift so far this season, up from 47.3 seconds last season and well above the league median of 46.8.

That 49.5-second figure is the fourth-highest in the league — and the Hawks aren’t in good company. The three teams with even longer shifts (the Golden Knights, Devils and Wild) have a combined 2-9 record.

The problem likely stems from two underlying reasons. The first is players being insufficiently aware of how long they’ve been on the ice. The second is players not creating enough opportunities — by dumping the puck in, for example — to conduct line changes in a timely way.

‘‘It’s hard to defend when you’ve been out there for that long, so I think we need everyone to buy in to play 40 seconds instead of 50, leave the next line in a better spot — and they’ll do the same for you — and we can create positive shifts out of that,’’ Colliton said.

Instances of long shifts backfiring on the Hawks abounded in their loss Thursday to the Sharks.

Maatta’s aforementioned dump-in was broken up by the Sharks’ Logan Couture, and Maatta never found another chance to hit the pine.

Duncan Keith and Erik Gustafsson, meanwhile, took an absurd 1:41 shift shortly before Ryan Carpenter’s penalty and the Sharks’ opening goal.

Gustafsson has been a prime perpetrator of lengthy shifts in general: His 60-second average through two games leads the Hawks and ranks second in the NHL to the Wild’s Matt Dumba. Gustafsson admitted Friday it’s a bad habit the coaching staff has made clear must be fixed.

‘‘We were talking about that, too; we have to keep it shorter,’’ Gustafsson said. ‘‘I think I have to keep it shorter, as well. Even if I want to be out there for as long as I can, I can’t be out there for more than 45 or 50 seconds. It’s just too long. I have to be better at that. It’s on me.’’

The Hawks’ well-documented propensity for turnovers is making it difficult to tighten the shifts, though. Without reliable puck possession, it’s often too dangerous to go to the bench — especially with the long change in the second period, a frame during which the Hawks particularly have struggled.

In other words, the Hawks’ many problems through the first week of the season are snowballing into each other.

‘‘It’s just a whole team thing,’’ Gustafsson said. ‘‘It’s just tough when we get tired out there and we just want to get the puck out. That time is when small mistakes happen.’’

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Defenseman de Haan makes his Chicago Blackhawks debut

John Dietz

Follow @johndietzdh

Updated

10/12/2019 10:13 PM

Defenseman Calvin de Haan, who missed the season's first two games with a groin injury, made his season debut during the Chicago Blackhawks' 3-2 overtime loss to Winnipeg on Saturday night at the United Center.

The seven-year veteran admitted beforehand that his game isn't "the sexiest thing out there" but he expected to help stabilize a defense and penalty kill that surrendered 9 goals in losses to Philadelphia and San Jose.

"I'm just going to try and be myself," said de Haan, who was acquired for goalie Anton Forsberg and D-man Gustav Forsling in the off-season. "Just try and get the puck out of our end and just defend hard and move the puck up to our forwards."

De Haan, who was paired with Erik Gustafsson, saw 18 minutes of ice time.

He had his moments, deflecting a Nikolaj Ehlers shot with 10 seconds remaining in the first period, and helping kill a Winnipeg power play during the second period.

The Jets' game-tying goal in the third period, however, came when a pass slid behind de Haan and right to Andrew Copp in front of the net. Copp tapped it home to make it 2-2 with 8:16 remaining.

"I was trying to lean out to the slot," de Haan said. "Didn't see him. I don't know. It is what it is. Sometimes it just takes a little communication from everybody. … You don't want to give that up obviously. It's a learning point."

Dach to Rockford:

The Hawks activated Kirby Dach (concussion) and assigned the forward to Rockford. Dach, the third overall pick in the June draft, made his pro debut during the IceHogs' 4-2 loss to Grand Rapids in Rockford.

Dach's conditioning stint can last two weeks.

"We think he can help us," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "So we're trying to set him up and give him the best opportunity so that when he does get the chance here, he'll be as ready as he can be. It's a good league down there and a chance for him to get his feet wet against men. …

"I'm excited. Hopefully he can gain confidence down there and be ready to help us."

Nylander sits:

Alexander Nylander, whom the Hawks acquired from Buffalo for Henri Jokiharju in July, was a healthy scratch against Winnipeg on Saturday. Nylander had started the Hawks' first two games, skating on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

"He's a young player. He's going to keep getting better," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "It's up to us to give him the feedback he needs, but we expect him to help us win."

Brendan Perlini, who slotted in for Nylander, skated on the fourth line with Zack Smith and Ryan Carpenter.

Jokiharju has played in all five games for 4-0-1 Buffalo, averaging just more than 17 minutes.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156788 Chicago Blackhawks NOTES: Chicago LW Brendan Perlini played after sitting out the first two games as coach Jeremy Colliton shook up his lineup and line combinations after two losses. ... Blackhawks LW Alexander Nylander and D Slater Koekkoek didn't dress. ... Winnipeg has opened wthe Scheifele scores in OT, Jets beat winless Blackhawks 3-2 season with five road games in its first six games.

By MATT CARLSON Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.13.2019 Associated Press

Updated

10/12/2019 10:20 PM

CHICAGO -- After being kept off the scoresheet in regulation, Mark Scheifele finally broke through when it really counted.

Scheifele scored 47 seconds into overtime and the Winnipeg Jets rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the winless Chicago Blackhawks 3- 2 on Saturday night for their third straight victory.

Scheifele beat Robin Lehner from high in the slot with a shot that sailed past the goalie's outstretched glove after taking a pass from Blake Wheeler. Scheifele has a goal and five assists in his last three games.

"A nice pass by Wheels and I put her home." Scheifele said. "We were able to battle back and we just played solid. A lot of room to grow and that's what we did."

Wheeler joked that Scheifele's shot on the game-winner was "his offspeed." Lehner thought it looked more like a funky breaking pitch.

"It just dove on me," Lehner said. "He missed his shot. It's unfortunate."

Andrew Copp and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for Winnipeg, which trailed 2-0 in the first period. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots.

"The first period, you've got to credit them," Wheeler said. "They were obviously quicker than us and made it difficult for us to play our game."

Brandon Saad scored short-handed and Brent Seabrook had a power- play for Chicago. Lehner, a Vezina Trophy finalist with the New York Islanders last season and signed to a one-year contract during the summer, finished with 30 saves in his Blackhawks debut as they fell to 0- 3-0.

"I thought I made some good saves and felt comfortable," Lehner said. "We got a point, which is something, but should've got a win today."

Copp's easy tap-in goal tied it at 2 with 8:16 left in the third. He was alone at the left edge of the crease and redirected Kyle Connor's feed from the right side of the net before Lehner could react.

Ehlers pulled Winnipeg to 2-1 with a one-timer on a power play at 7:05 of the second period.

Defenseman Calvin de Haan also made his debut with Chicago after being sidelined with a groin injury and was on the ice when Copp got open to tie it. The 28-year-old also had offseason shoulder surgery and was acquired from Carolina in a multiplayer trade in June.

The Blackhawks eventually couldn't stop Scheifele and Wheeler, but they did keep their linemate, Patrik Laine, off the board. The 21-year-old Laine entered with 10 points - tied for the league lead - in his first five games after signing a two-year, $13.5 million deal as a restricted free agent less than a week before the start of the season.

Saad opened the scoring with a short-handed goal 4:02 in as he redirected Ryan Carpenter's pass between Hellebuyck's pads to complete a 2-on-1 break.

Seabrook's power-play goal with 7:23 left in the opening period made it 2-0. After Hellebuyck stopped Duncan Keith's shot from the left point, Seabrook cut to the slot and fired in a loose luck from a scramble in the crease.

Lehner robbed Scheifele with a sprawling point-blank left pad save with 1:44 left in the second to keep Chicago ahead as the Jets pushed back. Scheifele was alone at the low edge of the left circle when he took a pinpoint cross-ice pass from Wheeler.

"We had a number of Grade-As that we're used to finding net on," Wheeler said. "Their goalie was outstanding." 1156789 Chicago Blackhawks Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.13.2019

Jets get past Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime

John Dietz

Follow @johndietzdh

Updated 10/12/2019 10:17 PM

Robin Lehner looked fantastic in net.

Brandon Saad scored short-handed and continues to prove he deserves more ice time.

Calvin de Haan made his season debut, giving the Chicago Blackhawks their full complement of defensemen for the first time.

And yet the Hawks lost.

Again.

Winnipeg managed to walk out of the United Center on Saturday night with a 3-2 OT victory after getting a game-tying goal by Andrew Copp with 8:16 remaining and the game-winner from Mark Scheifele 47 seconds into overtime.

The Jets have fallen behind in all six of their games yet are 4-2-0. The Hawks, meanwhile, have taken the lead in all three of their contests and are 0-2-1.

"It's a mini step forward," Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. "But certainly sour."

Lehner, making his Chicago debut after signing a one-year contract in the off-season, made 30 saves. Two impressive ones came in a four- minute span of the second period as the 6-foot-4, 240-pound veteran lunged to his right to deny a Jack Roslovic one-timer and then stood his ground on a Scheifele wrister from 10 feet away.

"He was good," Colliton said. "Made some big saves for us. He's a big presence back there -- covers a lot of the net."

The Hawks jumped on Winnipeg with Saad's first goal of the season at 4:02 of the first period, then made it 2-0 by converting on a power play when Seabrook slapped home a shot at 12:37.

Just like last season, though, a Hawks opponent controlled the second period and turned the tide.

And in Colliton's mind, it's a situation that absolutely must be remedied.

"The best teams, they dominate the second period," Colliton said. "We'd like to control the tempo of the game … and outchange the other team. That's where you show how good you are. So we're not close to where we want to be in that area."

The Hawks allowed the eighth-most goals (90) in the second period last season. None of the bottom nine teams made the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the top five -- Tampa Bay (61), the Islanders (61), Dallas (66), Carolina (70) and Boston (71) -- all qualified.

"We have to find a way to control the momentum and play in the offensive zone -- hold it down there for 20, 30 seconds at a time," said Colliton, whose team has been outshot 38-20 in the middle period. "We're going to get a lot of success out of that, and we've just got to do it more."

It would help if the Hawks got Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane going as well. Toews has yet to record a point in three games, while Kane has just 6 shots on goal.

Their next chance for a victory comes against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Monday at the UC.

"We've got to make sure that our low is a little bit higher," Lehner said. "When we go into those low modes, we've got to make sure it's not as good of chances. But … we're going to get there.

"I really liked what I saw from a lot of today's game. So, progress." 1156790 Chicago Blackhawks

A recap of Kirby Dach’s AHL debut and Blackhawks explanation for conditioning stint

By Charlie Roumeliotis

October 12, 2019 10:30 PM

Kirby Dach made his pro debut on Saturday, but it wasn't with the Blackhawks.

The No. 3 overall pick from this past June was activated from his injured/non-roster designation and assigned to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League for conditioning purposes and jumped right into the lineup. He didn't appear in any NHL preseason games because he was under the league's concussion protocol during training camp.

In his season debut, Dach recorded two shots on goal and had a minus-1 rating in a 4-2 loss to the . He centered the fourth line with Brandon Hagel and Nick Moutrey.

Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton discussed the decision to send Dach to Rockford after Saturday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, and it sounds like the organization remains committed to giving him a look at the NHL level whenever his conditioning stint is over.

"He hasn't played in a long time," Colliton said. "Missed training camp, missed the exhibition season. We think he can help us so we're trying to set him up, give him the best opportunity so when he does get the chance here he'll be as ready as he can be. It's a good league down there and a chance for him to get his feet wet against men. And I think he's been getting better and better in his practice time here with us. So I'm excited. Hopefully, he can gain confidence down there and then be ready to help us."

Because he's not eligible to play in the AHL full-time this season due to Canadian Hockey League rules, Dach's conditioning stint in Rockford can last up to 14 days, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, before the Blackhawks are forced to either recall him or send him back to the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League.

Rockford has four more games over that span, with its next one on Monday against the Laval Rocket at BMO Harris Bank Center.

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Instant reaction: Blackhawks pick up point against Jets but remain winless

By Charlie Roumeliotis

October 12, 2019 8:45 PM

FINAL SCORE:

Jets 3, Blackhawks 2 (OT)

Snap judgments:

— For the second straight game the Blackhawks scored the first goal and were the better team in the first period. And for the second straight game they couldn't hold down the fort and remain winless through three games (0-2-1).

— The Blackhawks won the first and third periods. It was the second period again where things went a little sideways, which has been an early theme this season. The Jets generated eight scoring chances at 5-on-5 compared to the Blackhawks' two in the middle frame, according to Natural Stat Trick.

— The Blackhawks have allowed at least one power-play goal in each of their first three games, but this was easily the best penalty kill performance of the season. They were 3-for-4 on the night and scored a shorthanded goal on the very first opportunity, generating several scoring chances on it.

Three stars:

1. BJets C Mark Scheifele — Overtime winner, three shots on goal and two takeaways in 22:16 of ice time

2. Jets RW Nikolaj Ehlers — One goal, one assist and five shot attempts (two on goal) in 16:46 of ice time

3. Blackhawks LW Brandon Saad — Shorthanded goal, one shot on goal, one hit and three takeaways in 16:06 of ice time

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156792 Chicago Blackhawks mini hole. The Blackhawks responded with a big kill and had one late in the third period also. No complaints.

Four takeaways: Blackhawks squander two-goal lead in overtime loss to Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 Jets

By Charlie Roumeliotis

October 12, 2019 10:00 PM

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets at the United Center on Saturday:

1. Squandering a two-goal lead

For the second straight home game, the Blackhawks jumped out in front and even built an early cushion by scoring the first two goals in the opening frame. But they allowed the Jets to score three unanswered, including the overtime winner by Mark Scheifele, to remain winless on the season (0-2-1).

"We did a good job in the first and they took it to us in the second," said Brandon Saad, who scored a shorthanded goal. "Lehnny made some big saves and the third was kind of even. But we definitely had chances to close it out and we didn’t. At least we got a point and we have to move on from it."

2. Another lackluster second period

If there's one thing you can point to that's been a trend in all three games so far, it's that the Blackhawks have been lackluster in the second period. And it's difficult to pinpoint why.

In the middle frame, the Blackhawks have 10 scoring chances for and 35 against at 5-on-5, two high-danger chances for and 10 against at 5-on-5 and a minus-19 shot differential, according to Natural Stat Trick. That's an area of the game they're trying to clean up and has been the downfall to their attempts of putting together a full 60-minute effort.

"Obviously it's been three in a row where we haven't been very good in the second period and to me that's where you show how good you are," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "The best teams, they dominate the second period, so it's a point of emphasis for us. We'd like to control the tempo of the game and control the territory, out-chance the other team. That's where you show how good you are, so we're not close to where we want to be in that area."

3. Robin Lehner's debut

After going two weeks without game action, the Blackhawks gave the nod to Lehner, who went into Saturday with a 4-0-0 record, 2.76 goals- against average and .922 save percentage in five career games against the Jets. He took the loss, but certainly did his part to deserve a win.

In regulation, Lehner stopped 30 of 32 shots for a save percentage of .938. The first goal was on the power play, the second came at 5-on-5 when Andrew Copp found himself all alone in front and the third was in overtime during 3-on-3 action. His 5-on-5 save percentage was .962, which will definitely work.

"I felt good," Lehner said. "I felt like I saw the puck well. I thought rebound control was good. Again, the first one is unfortunate, it squeaks through. But I was where I wanted to be in position and somehow it goes in. Gotta try to clean that up. And the third goal, it just dove on me. He missed his shot. It’s unfortunate. But I thought I made some good saves and felt comfortable. We got a point, which is something, but should’ve got a win today."

4. Penalty kill shows improvement

The Blackhawks gave up a power-play goal for the third consecutive contest, but this was close to being a perfect night for the penalty kill. They went 3-for-4 and gave up only four shots on goal in the 7:38 of shorthanded time.

On the first Jets power play of the night, Saad scored a shorthanded goal for his first of the season and the Blackhawks later generated two more scoring chances before the two minutes expired.

The power-play goal against should've been stopped by Lehner but he did everything right and had the shortside sealed, the puck just found a 1156793 Chicago Blackhawks

What Blackhawks options are with Kirby Dach after assignment to Rockford for conditioning stint

By Charlie Roumeliotis

October 12, 2019 3:00 PM

The Blackhawks announced Saturday that they have activated Kirby Dach from his injured/non-roster designation and assigned him to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint.

Dach is not eligible to play in the AHL full-time this season, but the Collective Bargaining Agreement says he can spend up to 14 days with the minor league club for conditioning purposes. The IceHogs have five games over that span, so that's maximum amount of games he can play in. He made his debut on Saturday against Grand Rapids and was held off the scoresheet.

Dach, who was drafted No. 3 overall in June, was in concussion protocol for the majority of training camp after suffering the injury in the 2019 Traverse City Prospect Tournament finale on Sept. 10. He's been practicing with the team for several weeks now, but the Blackhawks have indicated the final hurdle is getting him up to game speed as he prepares to make his NHL debut, although it's still unclear what the plan is for him this season.

The Blackhawks can give Dach a tryout of up to nine NHL games before deciding whether they want to keep him on the roster beyond that, which would result in burning the first year of his entry-level contract, or send him back to the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League. Playing in AHL games does not count towards his potential tryout.

It's possible the Blackhawks come to a decision after his 14 days in Rockford, if he stays the full length and plays in all five games. Time will tell, and Dach's performance may dictate his immediate future. But unless they feel like he's really behind the eight ball, it seems like the Blackhawks are committed to at least giving Dach a taste at the NHL level.

"He hasn't played in a long time," coach Jeremy Colliton said after Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets. "Missed training camp, missed the exhibition season. We think he can help us so we're trying to set him up, give him the best opportunity so when he does get the chance here he'll be as ready as he can be. It's a good league down there and a chance for him to get his feet wet against men. And I think he's been getting better and better in his practice time here with us. So I'm excited. Hopefully, he can gain confidence down there and then be ready to help us."

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What Calvin de Haan brings to Blackhawks as he prepares to make season debut

By Charlie Roumeliotis

October 12, 2019 11:15 AM

Calvin de Haan will make his Blackhawks debut on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. And he feels "150 percent" ready to go.

"I feel like it's time to play, it's time to get in the lineup," de Haan said. "I want to try and help this team win and I'm just going to do my best to play Calvin de Haan hockey and help the Blackhawks get some wins here."

The 28-year-old defenseman had offseason shoulder surgery that put him on a four-to-six-month timeline, but a nagging groin injury kept him out of action for the first two games. He skated on the third pairing with Erik Gustafsson at practice on Friday and will replace Slater Koekkoek's spot in the lineup.

De Haan's return will give the Blackhawks their first look at a healthy blue line group and they're expecting him to provide stability on the back end.

"He plays a very under control game," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "He makes clean plays. He came up as more of an offensive D-man. He still has that in him to make plays, but he’s efficient with it. He doesn’t try to do too much. That’s part of why he’s good. He defends hard, he’s physical when he needs to be, very under control player, and I think that will help with our D group."

De Haan, who the Blackhawks acquired in June — along with prospect Aleksi Saarela — for restricted free-agent defenseman Gustav Forsling and goaltender Anton Forsberg, was brought in to be a defensive-minded presence. He expects to do that, even though it may take him a bit to get acclimated after getting no preseason reps.

"It's not the sexiest thing out there but just try to keep it simple and defend hard and just try to be tough on the skilled guys on their team and try and take time and space away," de Haan said. "Be physical, it's not about crushing guys anymore and fighting, all that kind of stuff, but being tough in the corners and in front of the net, that's still fair game so just try and do that.

"Things are going to be moving quick out there. I might look slow at the beginning but I'll just try and keep it simple and just play my game."

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Robin Lehner to make official Blackhawks debut vs. Jets

By Charlie Roumeliotis

October 12, 2019 10:25 AM

After Corey Crawford started the first two games, goaltender Robin Lehner will make his official Blackhawks debut on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets.

Lehner is coming off a season in which he was named a Vezina Trophy finalist after going 25-13-5 with a 2.13 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and six shutouts in 46 appearances with the New York Islanders.

Lehner has appeared in five career games (four starts) against the Jets and has a 4-0-0 record with a 2.76 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

In his season-opening start last season, Lehner recorded a 35-save shutout against the Sharks.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156796 Chicago Blackhawks shift, he held on to the puck behind the net, moved right to left, skated to the front of the net and put a shot on goal. He got knocked down and got up again. He absorbed contact and held on to the puck.

Blackhawks prospect Kirby Dach hits the ice in Rockford, begins his pro “He’s going to be a special player,” Bernard said. “I thought he got better career as the game went along. The first period he was finding his legs, and then I thought the second period his game really escalated and he started to really take off. He does some really good things with the puck. He protects the puck extremely well down low. His strength and his size By Scott Powers allow him to get the key areas in front of the net.” Oct 12, 2019 IceHogs coach Derek King found out Dach would officially be on his team on Saturday and shook up the lines to find a spot for him. Dach had played with Hagel in Traverse City, so King thought that would be a good ROCKFORD, Ill. — Kirby Dach sat back and enjoyed the ride up I-90 fit. from Chicago to Rockford on Saturday. “I was excited,” King said of his reaction to Dach’s assignment. It was one of the few chances he had to take a breath on a long but “Obviously, get a caliber of player like that, you want to take advantage of memorable day. it. It was nice of them to give us him a little bit here. I thought he played well. For somebody who hasn’t played in a while since Traverse, he Dach had been informed Friday night the Blackhawks were going to looked really good out there. assign him to the Rockford IceHogs on an AHL conditioning stint, so he had an idea how the day would go. He first had to be cleared medically to “He controls it. He’s a big body. He’s got great hands. He’s a smart be assigned — he had been on injured reserve due to a concussion — hockey player. When he gets the puck, he seems to control the play. So and he was cleared in Chicago on Saturday morning. He then took the if you’re playing with him, give him the open or find a lane or something ice with the Blackhawks for their morning skate. After that, he got because he’ll find you.” dressed and was picked up by a car service at the United Center. About 90 miles later, he was dropped off at the BMO Harris Bank Center in the That line didn’t cash in on any goals, but it had some chances. Dach was early afternoon. He took the ice with the IceHogs for their warmups also on the ice for a goal against, and that will serve as a learning around 5:45 p.m. and was back on the ice shortly after for his first pro experience, too. debut. In the second period, the puck had been knocked down to the But back to that car ride. Blackhawks’ end. Defenseman Dennis Gilbert went back for it, and the Griffins had a forechecker skating toward him. Dach was on the other “I don’t have a car here, so the Blackhawks got me up here,” the 18-year- side of the net, and Gilbert backhanded a pass to him. The puck went old said. “It was nice to just relax on an hour-and-a-bit drive. Kind of along boards and flew past Dach. The Griffins gained control near the reminded me of going back to junior, where you practice in the morning blue line. Dach mostly watched as the Griffins countered and scored at your own rink, then go home and have a nap, eat some food and then quickly. go on the bus and play somewhere else. So it wasn’t too much out of the usual for me. It was a long day, but it was fun.” Dach took full responsibility for the goal.

The fun part was Dach playing in a real hockey game again. His last one “That’s not on Gilbert at all,” Dach said. “That’s kind of my fault. I came on Sept. 10, when he suffered a concussion while playing for the expected a softer chip, but it ended up being a harder pass. Even after Blackhawks in a rookie tournament game in Traverse City, Mich. Since that, I got caught puck-watching. I think I just have to be a little better then, the Blackhawks have slowly eased Dach back into hockey. He’s there to negate that goal.” been practicing with the Blackhawks for the past few weeks. Kirby Dach had two shots on goal on Saturday. (Todd Reicher / Rockford Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has stated he’d like for IceHogs) Dach, the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, to get the chance to That goal and Dach’s faceoffs were the most notable areas where he play in the NHL this season and allow them to weigh whether to keep him struggled in the game. He lost nearly every faceoff he took Saturday. or return him to his junior team. Dach can’t remain in the AHL this season because of the CHL transfer agreement, but it is permitted to send him to “For me, it’s just strength,” Dach said. “They’re a little bigger and stronger Rockford for a conditioning assignment due to his injury. than they are in junior, but I knew that coming in, and it’s something that I kind of worked on this summer: getting bigger and stronger and working “It was more of the thought process to give him the opportunity to have on technique around the dot. I know if I want to be a centerman in this the most success when he goes back up,” said Blackhawks vice league, I can’t be losing faceoffs all the time.” president of hockey operations and team affiliates Mark Bernard, who attended the IceHogs’ home opener Saturday. “To jump into an NHL Bernard thought that would come in time. game when you haven’t played in four or five weeks, that’s a tall order. To be able to come down here and get a couple games in on a “I think as you move up every level, you’re playing against more conditioning assignment is an opportunity for us to give Kirby the best experienced centermen,” Bernard said. “That’s why we have a guy like chance at success when he gets a chance in Chicago.” Yanic Perreault teaching these guys from the day we draft them all the way up to the National Hockey League, because he was good at it. Dach’s goal is to play in the NHL this season, and he has recognized he Kirby’s no different. He’s going to learn and get better. I think he’ll catch has to take his time for that. Neither he nor the Blackhawks want to rush on pretty quick. I’m not too worried about it.” him. Aside that from, Dach did more than just fit in. The way he carried the The first step was playing with the IceHogs on Saturday. That officially puck through the neutral zone, held on to it in the offensive zone and began 32 seconds into the IceHogs’ game against the Grand Rapids created for himself and others and backchecked and forechecked Griffins. After a whistle due to a held puck, Dach came over the boards defensively, many people could tell he isn’t going to be spending too with his linemates Brandon Hagel and Nick Moutrey. Dach took the much time in Rockford throughout his pro career. faceoff, which he lost, and his pro career had begun. “He’s a gifted player,” King said. “He’s going to be an NHL hockey player Dach played 20 shifts and around 18 minutes of ice time. He got to taste at one point. It’s when.” a little bit of everything over that space. He started in every zone and on the fly. He was on a power-play unit. He was on the ice late in the game What’s next isn’t completely clear. Bernard said Dach will play again for in a six-on-five situation as the IceHogs tried to make up a deficit. He the IceHogs in their next game on Monday and possibly again on Friday. centered his line and took faceoffs. He played with some different He can remain on the assignment for as long as 14 days, and the games linemates, too. don’t count against his pro total. If he plays fewer than 10 NHL games this season, his entry-level contract will slide a season. Overall, his debut went about as well as the Blackhawks could have expected. There were moments in which you saw his high-end skill. On Dach wasn’t sure of the exact plan. He was just happy to be playing his first shift, he forced a turnover with his long reach. On his second again. “For me personally, it was just about getting back out there and feeling good and getting back to my game,” Dach said. “There’s a long road ahead of me still, and I got to take this journey one step at a time. It’s been a blast so far, spending time in Chicago and then coming out here and seeing a bunch of the younger guys I got to know at prospect camp. I’m just looking forward to the future.

“Felt pretty good. First shift, shift and a half, I felt nervous for my first pro game. So just tried to step back and see what it’s about. I was able to feel comfortable and make plays, but there’s things in my game I need to clean up to be better and play at the next level.”

The Blackhawks aren’t expecting the world from Dach just yet. They know it’s a process. Saturday began that process.

“It’s important,” Bernard said. “He’s coming out of playing junior hockey. Even at this level, he’s playing against men. It’s not easy when you’re off four or five weeks and then all of a sudden you’re thrown right into the game again. Everything’s happening fast, a lot faster than it was at Traverse City; the skill level is up from Traverse City, where you were playing against kids your own age.

“Now you’re playing against guys like Kris Versteeg, who has two Stanley Cups and 700-plus games in the National Hockey League. It’s a different game, and every level gets harder. Again, we’re looking to give him the best opportunity to have success when he gets that chance in Chicago. We have to take every advantage we can, and that was to play here.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156797 Chicago Blackhawks 7th shift: The line had its best possession shift of the period. Nylander attempts to redirect a shot from the point. The shift ended when Kane retaliated from a hit put on him by Brenden Dillon and Kane was sent to the box. How Brandon Saad, David Kampf and Dominik Kubalik have formed a key line for the Blackhawks The line wasn’t on the ice for a single shot on goal in the period. It was on the ice for one shot attempt for and six against in 5:52 of ice time. It had a 14.29 Corsi percentage.

By Scott Powers So when it came to the second period, Colliton made a switch. He moved Kubalik to the first line and Nylander to the third line. The goal was to Oct 12, 2019 boost his best players and get them going. Because as Kane and Toews go, usually go the Blackhawks.

Jeremy Colliton would probably do things differently if he had a chance to “We’re trying to get that other line going, Toews and Kane,” Colliton said repeat Thursday’s home opener. after the 5-4 loss. “And so we thought (Kubalik) was the one who was really … he was dynamic. I thought he was great, especially early on. We After the first period it was apparent that Brandon Saad, David Kampf had a lot of momentum with the other line, too. I thought they were and Dominik Kubalik comprised the Blackhawks’ best line against the excellent, both Kampf and Saad. They were playing well.” San Jose Sharks. They were dangerous for the entire first 20 minutes. The result of the change was both lines were affected in undesired ways. The line set the tone with its first shift of the game. Kampf helped win the The top line wasn’t much better with Kubalik, and the third line puck in the defensive zone. Saad and Kubalik exited the defensive zone disappeared with Nylander. In 7:30 of ice time together, the Kubalik- with speed and Kubalik dumped it in. The emphasis is usually on carrying Toews-Kane line was on the ice for two shot attempts for and 12 against. the puck in, but this line can get away with chasing it too. It has a In 4:09 of ice time, the Saad-Kampf-Nylander line was on the ice for two combination of speed, strength and forechecking ability. After Kubalik shot attempts for and nine against. chipped it in, Saad got on the forecheck and forced the Sharks to send the puck along the boards and Kubalik was there waiting for it. A day later, it was not surprising Colliton reassembled the Saad-Kampf- Kubalik line in practice and will likely keep it together for Saturday’s game From there, the line kept possession, won pucks and created scoring against the Winnipeg Jets. chances for 32 consecutive seconds. It wasn’t until Connor Murphy couldn’t connect on a bouncing puck that the puck exited the zone. What “I like what they bring,” Colliton said after Friday’s practice. “Three guys was especially impressive about the shift was Saad, Kampf and Kubalik with excellent work ethic, effective on the forecheck and big bodies who each won 50/50 pucks and kept the possession alive. There were a total can skate. I think they’re really good when they take the puck to the net, of five opportunities where the puck could have been won by either team cause some chaos in there. Obviously, Kubi and Saader can shoot the and the Blackhawks came out with it. puck and I think they gave us some really good shifts. We ended up breaking it up to try and get the rest of the guys going. We think they’ve “I think that’s something we talked about as a line,” Saad said. “We can been pretty consistent for us, so they’ll probably stay together.” make plays, we know that. Just playing fast and simple and going north. We have three horses on the line. We get on the forecheck and get Did Colliton regret breaking them up Friday? It’s not exactly how he pucks back, we can protect and play low all night. That’s when we have phrased it. success. That’s what makes us dangerous, we’re dynamic and we can “Well, it didn’t work,” he said. “We didn’t win the game. You can always attack off the rush or down the low.” go down and open a different door.” Their second shift was just as good. Saad and Kubalik had an odd-man What Colliton alluded to was needing to find Saad more ice time. Kubalik rush opportunity. That didn’t go as they hoped, but they stayed on the may have headlined that line early on Thursday, but Saad wasn’t too far puck, won it back and then kept on creating. Before scoring the goal, off. they had multiple chances in front of the net. In the end, Saad won another puck and connected with Kubalik for a one-timer in the lower As one NHL scout said Friday, “I thought that was one of Saad’s best right circle. games.”

The line was just as good later in the period. It was later in the period Saad and Kubalik were a 1-2 punch in the first period. Saad set up Kampf freed Saad for a breakaway attempt. Even later, there were more Kubalik for the first goal and delivered a behind-the-back pass for chances like the following. another good look in the period. Saad had a few scoring chances himself too. He had the breakaway and a quality wraparound chance in the In 4:30 of ice time together, the Saad-Kampf-Kubalik line was on the ice period. for 14 shot attempts for and two against. It had an 87.50 Corsi percentage. No other Blackhawks line finished with a percentage greater Saad certainly doesn’t mind passing the puck to Kubalik. than 50 on the night. “He has a great shot,” Saad said. “I know I can shoot the puck too. While that line was rolling, the Blackhawks’ top line of Alex Nylander, Sometimes drawing guys to me too and trying to find open ice. It’s using Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane noticeably struggled. Here are notes each other. Having those threats is what makes us a threat all-around on all seven of that line’s shifts in the first period: without having one powerhouse on the line. I think we’re evenly distributed.” 1st shift: Defended for nearly all of its 21-second shift. When Kubalik went up the lineup, the ice time distribution changed and 2nd shift: The line never entered the offensive zone. Duncan Keith Saad’s playing time was cut. He played 4:58 in the first period, 3:41 in attempted to connect with Kane on a stretch pass, but it was off the the second period and 4:14 in the third period. His 11:46 of 5-on-5 ice mark. time was ninth among the Blackhawks forwards. He played three more 3rd shift: Another shift where it failed to get in the offensive zone. Finally seconds than Ryan Carpenter and behind them were Nylander and with possession of the puck in the neutral zone, Toews attempted to hit Drake Caggiula. Nylander across the ice to get in the offensive zone, but the pass was One talking point entering the season was Saad’s ice time. With him off broken up. the power play and on the third line, it seemed obvious his ice time would 4th shift. The line finally moves the puck in the offensive zone. Nylander drop off. That’s proven true so far. He averaged 17:41 last season. He held onto the puck too long and lost possession. played 12:45 in the season opener and 12:53 in the home opener.

5th shift: The line got the puck in the offensive zone again. Nylander Colliton felt Saad should have gotten more at least the last game. found himself with the puck all alone around the slot, but he was unable “Yeah, he should probably have played more last game,” Colliton said. “I to connect. thought that last line was really good. Again, it goes back to breaking that 6th shift: No consistent offensive zone time again. The line and line up. Ultimately, he can help us in different ways. He can help us on defensemen were just not clicking with passes. the penalty kill. He can help us on a checking line. He can play on a scoring line. Got no issues with how he’s played.”

Saad isn’t making a big issue out of his ice time.

“I think just stick with what I’m doing,” said Saad, who is tied with Kubalik with a team-high seven scoring chances in 5-on-5 play. “I’d like to play more minutes and I’m more comfortable with it. To add that depth and hopefully contribute to our team winning is what you want do and the ultimate goal. Wherever they see me fit, I know I can play in all zones and really have success on all lines. For me, it’s preparing the way I prepare and get out there as much as possible.”

Colliton doesn’t appear as if he’s going to mess with that line for now. He is potentially going to shake up the rest of the lineup. Alex DeBrincat, Toews and Caggiula made up the first line in practice on Friday and the second line was Andrew Shaw, Dylan Strome and Kane. Nylander and Brendan Perlini rotated on the fourth line with Ryan Carpenter and Zack Smith.

The Blackhawks will definitely look to get Toews on track. Thursday marked his second worst Corsi game in the last 10 seasons. He had a 16.0 Corsi percentage and was on the ice for four shot attempts for and 21 shots against on Thursday. He had a 28.95 Corsi percentage in the season opener, and that was his 16th worst game in that span.

Toews did have success with DeBrincat last season. In 355:04 of 5-on-5 ice time together, Toews and DeBrincat had a 53.86 Corsi percentage and a 50.19 expected-goals percentage.

Colliton said he’d set his lineup definitively prior to Saturday’s game.

“We’ll set the lineup tomorrow, but we experimented a little bit,” Colliton said. “We got to play better, that’s the bottom line. Short practice today, I think it was good energy. Going hard and we got to bring that response into tomorrow.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156798 Colorado Avalanche Denver Post: LOADED: 10.13.2019

Andre Burakovsky’s OT goal vs. Coyotes keeps Avalanche perfect in four games

By JAKE SHAPIRO | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 10:23 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 11:58 PM

Andre Burakovsky took matters into his own hands. Going palms up, and lifting the puck top-shelf lighting the lamp with 91 seconds left in overtime. He kept his Avalanche undefeated.

“That was a beautiful goal. He has a great skill set and can skate,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “He sees the ice and he was making plays”

It was Burakovsky second-straight game-winning goal. Pushing Colorado to their first overtime win of the year, staying undefeated with a 3-2 victory against the Arizona Coyotes.

The newcomer with a knack for the clutch gifted Avs goalie Pavel Francouz his first NHL win, in the 29-year-old’s first career NHL start.

“It’ was great,” Francouz said. “I’ve been dreaming about a moment like this my whole life. I was glad it worked out and that we won the game.”

Nazem Kadri notched his first point, scoring on the power play early in the third period. Colorado got its insurance less than two minutes later when Tyson Jost slammed home a loose puck for his first point of the year

But the Coyotes quickly answered back with a slick shot by Michael Grabner and another from Nick Schmaltz to force overtime.

Francouz shined, making 34 saves.

“The backup is one of the toughest jobs in hockey,” Bednar said. “You’re always working and committed to what your team needs. That’s the most selfless guy in the room so when that guy goes in that guys really want to play hard for him. He’s still an unknown to this group so for the team to gain confidence in him is great.”

Arizona outskated Colorado most of Saturday night and outshot the home team 36-32. The Avs’ man advantage to score their fifth power- play goal of the year, the first Arizona has allowed, started a goal-scoring flurry. For 46½ minutes, Antti Rannta and Francouz traded saves, and then in 2½ minutes, three goals were netted.

The Coyotes were not done. Schmaltz capitalized a sound rush with several strong passes to tie the game at two with less than four minutes to go. He took a pretty cross-ice serve from Clayton Keller and beat Francouz short-side.

Less than a minute later, Jakob Chychrun had a poor clear that put him in the box, but the Avalanche did nothing with the late power play. And relied on Francouz to make one more big late stop.

“I was always trying to do whatever I could to make tonight happen,” Francouz told. “I’m a believer, a big believer, I believed that this would happen one day.”

The game went to overtime, where Burakovsky again scored the winner.

“I wouldn’t consider myself a hero,” Burakovsky said. “This was a team effort. It wasn’t my prettiest game but it was nice to get on the board and get the team a win. We stuck with it. The last two games haven’t been the prettiest but this team has the character to stick with it and get wins anyway.”

Cale Makar helped on two of the Avs goals and now has five assists this season. Nathan MacKinnon also picked up an assist, keeping his name atop Colorado’s points list at six.

The Avs finished their four-game homestand at 4-0-0 to begin the season with the maximum possible eight points. They leave town for a season- long, six-game road trip that starts Monday in Washington D.C., against the Capitals.

1156799 Colorado Avalanche

Mark Barberio returned with something to prove for the Avs

By JAKE SHAPIRO | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 1:31 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 10:13 PM

Mark Barberio had not played in an NHL game since January. He missed the entire Colorado Avalanche playoff run with injuries and as a scratch.

“I was our No. 1 fan last year and I was really happy to see the guys come together,” the fourth-year Avalanche defenseman said. “It was really fun to watch but it did hurt because I wanted to be a part of it and contribute to it. But I have to remember that sickening feeling so it doesn’t happen again.”

On Thursday night Barberio played for the first time in nine months, and he played the third-most among the Colorado defensemen.

“I honestly expected a bit of rust but he shook that off pretty quickly,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “He made an impact for us.”

The 29-year-old defenseman has bounced around between three NHL teams and the minors a few times. Once named the AHL’s top defenseman, the Avs second-round playoff exit was not his first time watching a series from the sidelines.

As a member the of the 2014-15 Tampa Bay Lightning, Barberio played in 52 NHL games for one team –the most in his career. Come playoff time, he only made one appearance as the team won the Eastern Conference.

“It felt really good to be back on the ice and back with the guys, battling with everyone,” Barberio said of his 2019-20 debut. “Those are the things you miss the most. The emotions of the games the highs and the lows that’s why you play, you love the competition, you love the feeling of victory. “

Given that the Avs only have two right-handed defensemen, Barberio’s versatility with his stick has been a plus. Playing with a left-handed shot, the head coach is still impressed.

“It’s a skill to play on the off-side. It takes a bit more ability and skill. He can play on his backhand better than most,” Bednar said. “He was really good on Thursday. He’s a jack of all trades. He’s a smart defender, he’s quick, he works hard and competes hard on pucks but he has a good skating ability and a good sense of the game. He moves the puck well. He can break you in and out of the zone.”

Barberio will try to stay in the lineup, more likely as part of the third defensive pairing with everyone healthy. He doesn’t mind too much where he fits in or if the Avalanche defense flies under the radar, all his efforts are solely focused on positivity and winning.

“I’ve put whatever happened last year behind me,” Barberio said. “I trained really hard this summer, I came back with something to prove this year. I was happy with my training camp and I didn’t let being on the bench the first two games affect my confidence. I just kept doing my work, when you get a chance to play you want to stick in the lineup. But it was just one game and it’s important that I keep trying to improve.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156800 Colorado Avalanche

Chambers: NHL should ditch video review for offside

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

October 12, 2019 at 8:00 am

The Boston Bruins got a raw deal Thursday — similar to the injustice absorbed by the Avalanche in Game 7 of its playoff series last spring at San Jose.

The NHL’s offside video review stinks. It was introduced to correct gross negligence but has become a grossly unneeded part of the game.

In the third period of a 2-2 game Thursday at the Pepsi Center, the Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk should not have been denied a goal 51 seconds after teammate David Pastrnak fully entered the attacking zone a half- inch before the puck. And with the Sharks leading 2-1 in Game 7 last spring, the Avs should not have been denied a game-tying goal because Gabe Landeskog was slow to enter the bench with one skate a centimeter or two inside the blue line while the teammate he changed for, Colin Wilson, legally scored the goal.

Both the Bruins’ and Avs’ goals were erased because of a coach’s challenge for offside. But why are we worrying about what happens an inch on both sides of the blue line when it has nothing to do with what happens 70-feet away at the net?

In a game that has never been so fast, linesmen should be forgiven for missing a close call and the game should go on. The coach’s challenge for offside is a waste of time because, again, it’s not a direct result of what ultimately happens. In basketball, sure, take away a 3-point shot if the shooter’s foot is on the line. And take away that touchdown if an NFL receiver doesn’t have both feet inbounds.

Those are questionable plays that immediately change the score, so video replay should be involved. But, please, give those hard-working NHL linesmen a break when they blink, because that blink has nothing to do with the score.

“Obviously, it’s really tight,” Avs center Nathan MacKinnon told me after practice Friday. “It would be interesting to see how many goals got called back 20 years, 10 years ago, whatever. It’s just the way it is with technology. It’s a good and bad thing. Technically, it should have been called offside (immediately Thursday). You could also say when the Stars won the (1999 Stanley) Cup (Brett) Hull’s foot was in the crease, but it didn’t matter.

“The NHL is in a tough position when they know they can call it back or just let it go. I see it both ways. I see it being too ticky-tacky and I also — it is what it is.”

It’s a waste of time.

Video review for goalie interference makes sense. Goalies must maintain the ability to make the save, which is why Boston didn’t go ahead 3-1 Thursday. Replays showed the Bruins’ David Krejci interfered with goalie Philipp Grubauer before Karson Kuhlman’s shot entered the net.

“It’s tough, but it’s the rules right now. It’s part of the game. It’s going to happen against us at some point, too. We know that,” Avs defenseman Mark Barberio said. “Obviously, we had two calls go in our favor (Thursday) night. It’s within our rights to check it right away, and if it is offside, it’s offside. Things are happening fast and the linesmen missed it and our video coach caught it.”

But, I still don’t get it.

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156801 Colorado Avalanche The Avalanche’s power play has scored in every game. Colorado’s power play is 5-for-18 on the season after going 1-for-4 tonight. The goal from Kadri means the Avs have scored with the man-advantage in each of their four games. Patience pays off for Francouz in earning his first career NHL win Cale Makar is quietly breaking records. Makar’s two assists gives him five points on the season. He is the first rookie defenseman in franchise history to begin his career on a four-game point streak. By Aarif Deen Stat of the night October 12, 2019 The Avalanche’s 4-0 start is the best since they started 6-0 in 2013-14. It

is also just the fifth time they have began a season by winning four The road traveled by Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz to achieve straight games. Heading into Monday’s matchup with the Washington his first career NHL victory was unorthodox. But somewhere along this Capitals, the Avalanche remain one of two undefeated teams in the NHL route to Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes at (Edmonton Oilers, 5-0). the Pepsi Center, Francouz believed all his hard work would eventually pay off. milehighsports.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 “I was thinking about it since the morning,” Francouz said, after his first career NHL victory. “You have it somewhere in the back of your head. I was expecting to be more nervous actually. Once the puck dropped I was trying to be as focused as possible and trying to flow with the game.”

Francouz, 29, made 34 saves against the Coyotes, the very same team he battled in his first career appearance a season ago. Thus, he has seen action in the NHL before tonight. He was used on two occasions last season, coming in relief of the Avalanche’s starter and stopping 33- of-35 shots in the process. He was credited with the loss both times, as the lone goal surrendered in each game was the eventual game-winner.

Aside from his stint with the Avalanche, Francouz played a majority of the season with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League. He finished the season with a record of 27-17-3, a .918 save percentage and three shutouts.

But before signing with the Avalanche in 2018, the native of Czech Republic, was a Continental Hockey League all-star in Russia. Francouz appeared in 83 KHL games over three seasons, recording 32 wins and a sparkling .945 save percentage.

His road to earning a victory required a lot of patience, but for the Avalanche netminder, it’s just the beginning of what’s to come for the rest of the season.

“The backup is the most selfless guy in the room so when he gets a chance to go in our guys want to see him succeed,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s still an unknown to our group a little bit so for our team to gain confidence in his ability to win us hockey games is great and that’s the type of family atmosphere we want.”

The Avalanche and Coyotes were scoreless through 40 minutes, both teams going 0-for-2 on the power play. The netminders, Francouz and Coyotes starter Antti Raanta, combined for 39 saves.

But on their third power-play opportunity, the Avs struck first. Center Nazem Kadri scored his first of the season before center Tyson Jost added his first nearly two minutes later. Up 2-0, Colorado found itself protecting a multi-goal third period lead, where it had yet to surrender a goal this season.

But the Coyotes came back, scoring the game-tying goal with just under four minutes remaining to send the game to overtime. In its first overtime of the season, the hero for Colorado was Andre Burakovsky, who scored the game-winning goal for the second consecutive game. His second of the season gave the Avs their 10th straight regular-season victory at the Pepsi Center dating to last season.

“I think we played a pretty good game, still we are giving up a lot of chances and when we went up 2-0 we should close the game there,” Burakovsky said. “It’s always good to find a way to win the game and be 4-0.”

Three takeaways

Colorado’s depth is its biggest strong suit this season. Center Nathan MacKinnon and Kadri have scored one goal each and the only goal from the blueline came from Ryan Graves on an empty net. However, the Avalanche’s depth has picked up the slack. Fourth-liner Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has tallied two goals, matching that of Burakovsky and fellow newcomer Joonas Donskoi. The three additions have provided the Avs with much-needed depth from all four lines. 1156802 Colorado Avalanche You can certainly argue the validity of some of the penalties he’s taken, but four minor penalties in four games from Nikita Zadorov isn’t good. They need him to stay out of the box. You can live with the physical penalties, but the hooking and holding stuff needs to be limited. “It’s fun to have a lot of ice time”: Sam Girard evolving into “The Guy” on Avs defense

BSN DENVER LOADED: 10.13.2019

BY EVAN RAWAL

OCTOBER 12, 2019

Drenched in sweat, Samuel Girard looked exhausted after the Avs 3-2 overtime victory against the Arizona Coyotes. Having just played a team- high 23:52 in the win, would you blame him for being tired?

Watching him on the ice, it sure doesn’t look like he wears down at all.

“I think they have a lot of confidence in me and for all the defensemen,” Girard told DNVR after the game. “It’s fun to have a lot of ice time.”

Fun is one way to put it.

Since being acquired back in 2017 as a 19-year-old, Girard has seemingly been on a nonstop upward trajectory with his development. Now, in his third year in the NHL, he’s become a mainstay on the Avs’ top defensive pairing and looks like the guy the coaching staff wants out there more than anyone else, leading the team with 20:05 a game of even-strength ice time so far. That would put him almost a full minute ahead of the next closest player Erik Johnson.

With more experience comes more confidence.

“I think the confidence is always higher a little bit after two years,” Girard said on Saturday night following Colorado’s 3-2 overtime win over Arizona. “[Erik Johnson] helps me a lot on the ice. He’s been in the league a long time and helps me a lot.”

After giving up two goals late in the third period, the Avs needed to lock it down to get the game into overtime. The staff wasn’t going to let Sam Girard get off the ice.

Despite several whistles and chances to get him off the ice for a fresh player, defensive coach Nolan Pratt kept Girard on the ice for the final 2:09 of regulation. Then, as the Avs started overtime, an area they struggled last year, the first defenseman on the ice for the team was Girard.

That tells you all you need to know about how the staff feels about his game right now, and head coach Jared Bednar said as much after the game.

“Good puck-mover,” Bednar said. “Generally consistent skating, puck- moving guy, defends the right way, always in the right position, limited mistakes on a nightly basis. He’s developed into a top pair guy, so that’s how we’re using him.”

And he’s still only 21.

GAME TAKEAWAYS

After a tough start to the season on the penalty kill, the Avs have now gone two games without giving up a power play goal against (Thank you, offsides challenge).

As the media entered the locker room, Gabriel Landeskog made it clear who he wanted to get the attention, pointing at Pavel Francouz and yelling “First NHL win right there”. That’s the Captain for you.

Faceoffs still have not been good so far for the Avs, with newcomer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare struggling at only 40% through four games, but the other new guy, Nazem Kadri, has been a monster. He’s won 45 of the 70 face-offs he’s taken, putting him at 64.3%. The staff is now starting to use him in every situation, including penalty kill, just to take advantage of his skill there. They probably aren’t used to having someone so good at them.

After the game, Jared Bednar said it’s clear Tyson Jost is better at center than wing and that he struggled the first two games. That would certainly lead you to believe that when J.T. Compher returns to the lineup, that Jost will stay at center. The second and third lines have been in a constant state of flux through the first four games, so Compher may be the next guy to get a chance on Kadri’s wing. 1156803 Colorado Avalanche Bellemare was not on the ice for a single shot attempt at even strength towards the Coyotes net. Brought in partly because he’s great in the face-off circle, he struggled again tonight, winning only 38% of his draws.

Avs Game 4 Grades: Perfect Homestand Mark Barberio – D

Barberio had the shift from hell in the second period, where he tripped over the blueline and then had to deal with a skate issue for the rest of BY EVAN RAWAL the shift, limiting his mobility. I think he was stuck out there for almost four minutes and a lot of attempts against. Nothing went in, but that shift OCTOBER 12, 2019 was a good chunk of his night.

Samuel Girard – B A relatively tame game through two periods took off in the third, with the It’s clear he’s become the “go to” guy on the blueline for the staff, as they Avs and Coyotes combining for four goals in the final 20, forcing the are sending him out there a lot to calm things down. He had a tough first, game to overtime, where Andre Burakovsky would end it with a beautiful with a few rough giveaways in his own end and passing up shots in the shot. With the 3-2 victory, the Avs start the season 4-0 as they head onto offensive end. After that, he was terrific and played keep away just long a season-long road trip. enough for the Avs to create the game-winning goal. Best CF on the How did each player perform? Let’s find out… defense tonight at 57%.

Erik Johnson – B Joonas Donskoi – C+

The other half of the best pairing for the Avs tonight, EJ was steady Donskoi is a master at generating offense, but again, he needs to shoot a tonight, not doing anything spectacular but being the perfect partner for lot more. He was credited with zero shot attempts on the evening, Girard, for the most part. Took a penalty early but settled down after that. despite having the puck a lot on his stick. He did have the best Led the defense with four shot attempts at even strength. possession numbers on the team, even without putting anything towards the net himself. Cale Makar – B+ Matt Nieto – B+ Is everyone ready for some fun? Makar had his best game with the puck but also a bit of a wild man defensively. His skill level is off the charts. Big If there’s an unsung hero on this team right now, it’s him. Just quietly fan of him shooting the puck a lot more, as it keeps teams honest, and goes about his business. Made a great play on the penalty kill in the third created a goal tonight. The physical play may surprise some, but not period to stop a good chance and clear it, and then tied up the Coyotes anyone who watched him play in the NCAA. player to give Makar time to walk in and create a good chance on the Jost goal. Matt Calvert – D Nazem Kadri – B- The fourth line was basically non-existent tonight, which happens to most fourth lines. But the good news is the penalty kill came up big tonight, You could kind of see the weight of the world come off his shoulders after something the team needed. The Avs were +2/-8 in shot attempts with his goal (which I called, somehow). He was an absolute monster in the Calvert out there, so a lot of time in their own end. face-off circle yet again, winning 15 of his 22 face-offs on the evening. At some point, they will have to find him some consistent linemates. Valeri Nichushkin – D Gabriel Landeskog – C Another tough outing for the Big Russian. He has a combined one shot attempt in the last two games, and saw his ice time drop dramatically The top line, after opening night, has looked a little tame. They were on tonight. He looked to be in some pain on the bench a few times, the ice for both of the Coyotes goals in the third period. Landy still does a something to keep an eye on. lot defensively to carry that line and you could see it tonight.

Nikita Zadorov – D Andre Burakovsky – B+

Really didn’t like Z’s game for the most part tonight. Thought he showed Four shots on goal, which led the team with #96, and a beautiful game- some jump in the third but also got caught running around on the winner in overtime. He wanted a chance to play in the top six and he’s Coyotes first goal. His physical play jumped up tonight, however. getting it. Through four games, the trade looks pretty good for the Avs.

Tyson Jost – B+ Mikko Rantanen – B-

Outside of his face-off struggles, it’s clear he’s a center and Bednar With Burakovsky, he tied the team lead with four shots on goal, and I’m indicated as much after the game. Led the team with four shot attempts not sure that includes his miss in front in the second period, where he at even strength, and did it in only 9:32. Big first goal of the year for him. whiffed on a pass from MacKinnon and appeared to hit the side of the net. Rantanen has not been good, historically, in OT, so him picking up Colin Wilson – D an assist on the game-winner means only good things.

Got bumped up to the second line late in the game, but took a clear step Pavel Francouz – B+ back from the other night. Had a rush in the second where he led a four on two, and some slow decision making put the play offsides. No shot He said it after the game that, in hindsight, the early PK helped him get attempts for him tonight. into the game. I wouldn’t say he faced a ton of “Grade A” scoring chances, but he played very well and has to give the coaching staff a lot Ryan Graves – B- of confidence moving forward when they need to give Grubauer a rest.

He is a tough cookie to figure out. Made some great plays at the offensive blue line to keep the puck alive in the offensive zone, but also some giveaways in his own end. Played his best game on the PK this BSN DENVER LOADED: 10.13.2019 year.

Nathan MacKinnon – C-

He still looks off, and the Coyotes defended him well tonight. Attempted only two shots at even strength on the evening, which is very low for him. Looked visibly frustrated at times, and yet, he still has 6 points on the year. Guys that handle the puck a lot tend to be credited with more giveaways than others, but he was given four by the scorekeeper tonight.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – D 1156804 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2: Jackets take fun out of 'whiteout' game for Hurricanes

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger

Oct 12, 2019 at 10:12 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — It happened 35 seconds into the second period, after the Blue Jackets won a faceoff in the offensive zone.

Gustav Nyquist got to the puck as Cam Atkinson cut toward the net for a cross-ice feed that set him up, unchecked, right in front of Hurricanes goalie James Reimer — a backup goalie whose career numbers against Columbus (2-7-2, 3.81 goals-against average, .885 save percentage) would give most goalies a case of the shivers.

Atkinson deked, tried to slide the puck through the five hole and was rebuffed with a stick save. He got to the rebound, but missed the net, coming up empty-handed on a golden scoring chance that could’ve snapped a 1-1 tie. It was a feeling Atkinson and the Blue Jackets — who pulled off a much-needed 3-2 win against the Hurricanes at PNC Arena — have experienced far too much in a season that is just five games old.

“We feel like we’re playing the right way, we’re just not getting the result,” Atkinson said prior to the game, still smarting from the Jackets’ 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday at Nationwide Arena. “We just have to stick to our game plan and sure enough, the pucks are going to go in for us.”

Well, more of them did go into the net against the Hurricanes — which is a good thing considering Carolina’s start. The Hurricanes set a franchise record here Friday by downing the New York Islanders for their fifth straight win to start a season and then turned this game into a “whiteout” by wearing their road white uniforms and giving out free white T-shirts.

It was the perfect scenario for the Blue Jackets to test their patience yet again — and they passed it thanks to Joonas Korpisalo (30 saves) plus goals by Markus Nutivaara, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Pierre-Luc Dubois, who scored the winner just 1:15 into the third period.

Knowing they couldn’t panic over a 1-3-0 start, the Jackets’ most experienced players took charge.

“If the older guys or guys who have been around for a while don’t show any panic and just keep going, it’s going to show everybody how to react to these situations,” veteran defenseman David Savard said. “It’s not fun to start the season with the results we’ve had, but we’ve just got to stick with it and play our game. We know it’s got to change at some point.”

It did against the Hurricanes, but not without some turbulence.

Nutivaara scored a tap-in goal off a feed from Ryan Murray to get the scoring started at 10:17 of the first, putting the Jackets up 1-0, but the Hurricanes countered just 27 seconds later on Erik Haula’s fifth goal of the season — tying it 1-1 after a set-up feed by former Blue Jackets forward Ryan Dzingel.

Bjorkstrand also scored a big one in the second for the Jackets, turning the tables on the Hurricanes with a clutch goal that tied it 2-2 just 17 seconds after Dougie Hamilton scored at 2:15 to give the Hurricanes a 2- 1 lead.

It was Dubois’ turn early in the third, capping off a solo rush with a forehand-backhand shot that beat Reimer for his second goal in as many games and, more importantly, the lead.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156805 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2: Jackets take fun out of 'whiteout' game for Hurricanes

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger

Oct 12, 2019 at 10:12 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — It happened 35 seconds into the second period, after the Blue Jackets won a faceoff in the offensive zone.

Gustav Nyquist got to the puck as Cam Atkinson cut toward the net for a cross-ice feed that set him up, unchecked, right in front of Hurricanes goalie James Reimer — a backup goalie whose career numbers against Columbus (2-7-2, 3.81 goals-against average, .885 save percentage) would give most goalies a case of the shivers.

Atkinson deked, tried to slide the puck through the five hole and was rebuffed with a stick save. He got to the rebound, but missed the net, coming up empty-handed on a golden scoring chance that could’ve snapped a 1-1 tie. It was a feeling Atkinson and the Blue Jackets — who pulled off a much-needed 3-2 win against the Hurricanes at PNC Arena — have experienced far too much in a season that is just five games old.

“We feel like we’re playing the right way, we’re just not getting the result,” Atkinson said prior to the game, still smarting from the Jackets’ 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday at Nationwide Arena. “We just have to stick to our game plan and sure enough, the pucks are going to go in for us.”

Well, more of them did go into the net against the Hurricanes — which is a good thing considering Carolina’s start. The Hurricanes set a franchise record here Friday by downing the New York Islanders for their fifth straight win to start a season and then turned this game into a “whiteout” by wearing their road white uniforms and giving out free white T-shirts.

It was the perfect scenario for the Blue Jackets to test their patience yet again — and they passed it thanks to Joonas Korpisalo (30 saves) plus goals by Markus Nutivaara, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Pierre-Luc Dubois, who scored the winner just 1:15 into the third period.

Knowing they couldn’t panic over a 1-3-0 start, the Jackets’ most experienced players took charge.

“If the older guys or guys who have been around for a while don’t show any panic and just keep going, it’s going to show everybody how to react to these situations,” veteran defenseman David Savard said. “It’s not fun to start the season with the results we’ve had, but we’ve just got to stick with it and play our game. We know it’s got to change at some point.”

It did against the Hurricanes, but not without some turbulence.

Nutivaara scored a tap-in goal off a feed from Ryan Murray to get the scoring started at 10:17 of the first, putting the Jackets up 1-0, but the Hurricanes countered just 27 seconds later on Erik Haula’s fifth goal of the season — tying it 1-1 after a set-up feed by former Blue Jackets forward Ryan Dzingel.

Bjorkstrand also scored a big one in the second for the Jackets, turning the tables on the Hurricanes with a clutch goal that tied it 2-2 just 17 seconds after Dougie Hamilton scored at 2:15 to give the Hurricanes a 2- 1 lead.

It was Dubois’ turn early in the third, capping off a solo rush with a forehand-backhand shot that beat Reimer for his second goal in as many games and, more importantly, the lead.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156806 Columbus Blue Jackets “He’s more of a defensive guy than when I played with (Zach Werenski) earlier or with (Ryan Murray),” Savard said of the Russian rookie. “His game is closer to what Colesy’s was. I find him a little bit like that and he’s aggressive in the same way that Colesy played.” Early deficits have limited Blue Jackets' forward rotations Gavrikov also has a nice starting point for a “Lumberjackets” beard.

“It’s coming,” Savard said, smiling. “It’s a long season, so he’s got time.” Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger Markus Hannikainen has had more enjoyable starts to a season. Oct 12, 2019 at 9:25 PM This one wasn’t a lot of fun, beginning right from the start with an unexplained issue that delayed the approval of his U.S. work visa and his arrival from Finland. He was also cut from the training camp roster, RALEIGH, N.C. — The goal remains to have a balanced rotation of placed on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the Cleveland forwards going throughout games, but it has been a challenge for the Monsters and assigned to Cleveland after clearing waivers the following Blue Jackets this season. day. They allowed the first goal in three of their first four games, leading to The 26-year-old forward, who was recalled Friday to take Anderson’s losses in all three, and those deficits led coach John Tortorella to lean spot on the roster, then started the season a week ago in the American more heavily on his top scoring options. Hockey League, helping the Monsters sweep two road games. He is “We’ve chased some games here,” Tortorella said, prior to a tough back- keeping a positive approach amid the personal adversity. to-back finale Saturday night at the Carolina Hurricanes. “We haven’t had “It’s all about having the right mindset and having the right attitude,” said the lead in a lot of these games, so when you’re chasing the game, come Hannikainen, who signed a one-year contract extension in the summer that third period we have to make a decision on who I think is best for us as a restricted free agent. “That hasn’t changed for me. I’m still the same to try and crawl back into it. So, those things all come into play as you go guy. It’s not gonna change. I’m not gonna change that. The only thing from game to game.” you can affect is what you do every single day and that is the only thing I Prior to the season, Tortorella said his hope was to find a fourth line can affect right now. That’s all I can do.” similar to the one he used with the Blue Jackets in the 2016-17 season, Like Sedlak, who signed this summer with a team in Russia’s Kontinental when veterans Sam Gagner and Scott Hartnell combined with then- Hockey League, Hannikainen could’ve found a different team in a rookie center Lukas Sedlak to form one of the NHL’s top two-way different league to get more ice time. He didn’t for two main reasons. checking units. Gagner was also key on the power-play units for that team. “They wanted me to come back,” said Hannikainen, who didn’t get into either game against Anaheim or Carolina. “I would not have come back if “I want to try to play my fourth line more,” Tortorella said during the they had not wanted me to come back. I wouldn’t have gotten a new preseason. “I think the days of having a fourth line, of just having bangers contract if they had not wanted me here. I wanted to come back because and guys that are going to keep the other team in check, retribution-wise, I wanted to play in the NHL.” it’s over. You’d like to have a penalty-killer on that fourth line, but you’d also like to get some goals from them, too. It’s just changed.”

Heading into the game against Carolina, the Jackets were searching for Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 what they need from their fourth-line forwards — a group of skilled forwards that includes veteran center Riley Nash, Sonny Milano and rookies Emil Bemstrom and Jakob Lilja.

Bemstrom has started out the past two games on the third line, skating in place of injured forward Josh Anderson — who was placed on injured reserve Friday with an upper-body injury — but it hasn’t really mattered which three have comprised the fourth line. They have logged between seven and nine minutes a game, which Tortorella would ideally like to be a couple of minutes longer.

The biggest drop-off, as Tortorella pointed out, has been in the third periods of games the Blue Jackets are trailing — including the loss Friday to the Ducks.

Milano, Bemstrom and Lilja played just three shifts each in the third period of that game, with Bemstrom and Lilja logging their final shifts before the midway point. Milano stayed on the bench for roughly eight minutes between his second and third shifts.

Lumberjackets, Part II?

It’s too early to make any definitive statements about the Jackets’ defensive pairings, but one in particular already has stood out for two large reasons.

One of those large reasons is rookie Vladislav Gavrikov, who is listed at 6 feet 3, 213 pounds. The other is David Savard, who is 6-2, 229. After playing their first full game together Friday against Anaheim, playing a solid game as the third defensive pairing, they were back at it in the same role against the Hurricanes.

Two seasons ago, Savard was paired with a similarly built defenseman following the trade deadline and it was an instant success. His pairing with Ian Cole, who signed the following offseason with the Colorado Avalanche, also sparked an instant nickname of “The Lumberjackets.”

Could this be the early stages of a new pair of “Lumberjackets?”

That would be jumping the starter’s gun, with eight NHL caliber defensemen on the roster still vying for six active spots, but Savard has seen some similarities. 1156807 Columbus Blue Jackets

Ducks 2, Blue Jackets 1 | A couple of mistakes prove costly in Blue Jackets' loss

Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch @AdamJardy

Oct 12, 2019 at 12:01 AM

Seth Jones wasn’t about to quibble with semantics.

Friday night at Nationwide Arena, Anaheim scored two goals in less than two minutes to take a 2-1 victory against the Blue Jackets. The first came on a short-handed chance, albeit one aided by a bounce off the linesman, and the second on an odd-man rush.

Against a team that’s scored two goals or fewer in three of its first four games, it was enough.

“I think it’s the big mistakes that cost you,” Jones said. “You’re going to make mistakes every night. It’s the ones you saw, the odd-man rushes from the offensive blue line all the way down the ice. It doesn’t matter what your margin of error is: If you give up those chances in a game, skilled players are going to put the puck in.”

They did, and the Jackets could muster just a Pierre-Luc Dubois goal in falling to 1-3-0 to open the season with a game at Carolina looming Saturday night. Coach John Tortorella pointed to the fact that the Jackets allowed only seven scoring chances and had Jones and Oliver Bjorkstrand ring iron without finding the back of the net as reasons why the sky isn’t falling.

Most troubling to him was the Jackets’ response to the first goal, which came at 12:59 of the second period when Jakob Silfverberg buried a juicy rebound allowed by Joonas Korpisalo on a Rickard Rakell blast from the left point with the Jackets on the power play.

Two shifts later, the Ducks took advantage of a 3-on-2 break as Ondrej Kase cut in on the right wing and dropped the puck to trailing teammate Cam Fowler, who beat Korpisalo under his right arm at 14:56.

“We give up an odd-man rush two shifts later and they score their second goal,” Tortorella said. “That team checks. They’ve got a couple of lines that just grind away. For the most part, I don’t think we opened up. We only gave them seven scoring chances, but to open up at that time after it’s 1-0 … those are the mistakes that we have to try to rectify.”

Dubois finally solved Ryan Miller at 16:16 of the second to make it a one- goal deficit. His first goal of the season came after a pass from Jones led him into the left corner of the attacking zone, where he snapped off a shot from a tight angle that somehow deflected off Miller’s arm and into the back of the net.

“Three minutes later, I had the same play and I tried to pass it to (Markus Nutivaara),” Bjorkstrand said. “You’ve just got to read what you have. We talk about scoring goals, greasy goals like that, but whenever you have a play you’ve got to make that play.”

Before the game, the Jackets observed a moment of silence at their first home game since the passing of local business leader John Christie, who died Sunday at the age of 69. He played a crucial role in bringing the Blue Jackets to Columbus.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156808 Columbus Blue Jackets When he reached the slot, Bjorkstrand fired through traffic and scored at 3:08 of the second period to tie the game 2-2. The goal came just 17 seconds after Carolina took a 2-1 lead.

Portzline: 10 observations from the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 win over Carolina, It’s a big “answer” goal. But how Bjorkstrand carried the puck was helped by a stout third period noteworthy, too.

“I was just trying to hold on to that puck,” Bjorkstrand said. “I saw a little bit of open ice. That was a little bit of confidence. By Aaron Portzline “It’s something I have to do more, just hold on to it when I see open ice and believe I can get to the open area and shoot it. It’s something I’d like to keep working on.” Ten observations from the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 win over previously undefeated Carolina on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.: Bjorkstrand has talked for years about needing to get off to a strong start for once in his career. He has two goals now in the first five games of the 1. Strong, authoritative finish with one-goal lead season. He had two goals last season on Dec. 8. The best play of the night for the Blue Jackets was Pierre-Luc Dubois’ “It’s nice to see him get rewarded because I think he’s been one of the powerful drive to the net to shed a Carolina defender and score the 3-2 stronger players on the puck,” Tortorella said. goal only 1:15 into the third. 4. Korpisalo finding his footing But it was the Blue Jackets’ response to taking the lead that really resonated. After a not-so-great start to the season against Toronto, Korpisalo has settled into a groove. The Blue Jackets and Korpisalo have said that his They knew the previously undefeated Hurricanes were going to make a inconsistent playing time is what’s to blame for his inconsistent play massive push at home, but the Blue Jackets were stout in protecting that throughout the years. lead the rest of the way. Ultimately, it didn’t really feel like much of a push. Well, here comes the workload.

The Hurricanes had 11 shots on goal in the third period from an average Saturday marked only the fifth time in Korpisalo’s career that he’s started distance of 61 feet. Joonas Korpisalo can live with that. both sides of a back-to-back on the schedule. The last time it happened was Jan. 13-14, 2017. “The whole third period, that was amazing,” Korpisalo told reporters after the game. “I didn’t have to do any big saves or anything. I saw the pucks. He stopped 30 of 32 shots Saturday, improving to 3-2 in the second Clearing rebounds, all of that stuff … I thought they played really, really game of back-to-backs. well.” “(Korpisalo) looked confident,” Tortorella said. “He made a couple of key Well, there was one big save. saves at key times. I thought our guys did a pretty good job in front of him as far as not allowing rebounds. We had some pretty good sticks to keep With 7:26 remaining, Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin fired a slap shot from the things away.” top of the key, with the puck appearing to glance off Alexander Wennberg in the slot and change direction. Korpisalo kicked out his right Other than the late-game stop on the deflection, Korpisalo’s best save pad with a flash, sending it out of harm’s way. was a first-period glove save off a Staal deflection.

“They kind of came at us there at the end of the third period, but the boys 5. Tortorella keeps climbing held strong,” Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray said. “Korpi did, too.” According to Hockey Reference, Tortorella is now tied with Jacques Lemaire for 15th on the all-time list of games coached in the NHL. 2. Dubois versus Jordan Staal They’ve both been behind the bench for 1,262 games.

The one matchup that drew a lot of attention was between the two Tortorella will move into sole possession of 15th when the Jackets host powerful centers. Dallas on Wednesday.

Carolina had the last change as the home team, so it was clearly a This is the kind of statistic Tortorella would just absolutely abhor, so we’ll matchup coach Rod Brind’Amour wanted. Blue Jackets coach John keep going here. Tortorella let him have it. He’s coached 326 games in Columbus (178-121-27, .587). That’s the “That’s as strong as I’ve seen him play in quite a while, consistently most games, most wins and highest winning percentage in franchise through the game,” Tortorella said of Dubois. “I thought his whole history. demeanor … he was concentrating. 6. Nutivaara’s layup “That’s a tough matchup. It’s a good matchup for us. I think (Brind’Amour) wanted that matchup, so we just stayed right with it. They Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara scored the easiest goal of played against each other most of the night. That’s a tough one, but I his career to open the scoring at 10:17 of the first period. thought (Dubois) handled himself well.” Blue Jackets center Alexander Wennberg went low to high with the puck, Dubois had seven shot attempts (three on goal) and four hits in 17:27 of finding Ryan Murray with speed as he crossed the blue line and entered ice time. His early third-period goal was the 10th game-winner of his the zone. career. Murray was in the top of the left circle when he spotted the parting of Gustav Nyqvist took possession of the puck just inside the Blue Jackets’ seas and fired the puck to Nutivaara, who was all alone in front of the blue line, just as Dubois headed up the ice with gathering speed. Dubois net. Reimer was guarding the right post as Murray’s pass zipped across, took possession in the neutral zone, then kept pushing the puck ahead of so all Nutivaara had to do was take the slam dunk. him with his right hand and fought off Carolina’s Brock McGinn with his “Anyone can do that goal,” Nutivaara told Fox Sports Ohio’s Dave left. Maetzold. Dubois had both hands on the stick when he lifted the puck off the left 7. Gavrikov has won the No. 6 job, for now pad of Carolina goaltender James Reimer. It certainly appears that defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov has won the No. 3. Bjorkstrand’s skating circles 6 spot on the blue line. With more games like Saturday’s, he won’t be Oliver Bjorkstrand started with the goal below the right circle, carried it letting it go. below and across the goal line, skated wide around the net and cut back Gavrikov has formed a shutdown pair with David Savard during the past through the circles. two games. Depending on how a game plays out, Gavrikov-Savard could be seen as the No. 2 pair when the Blue Jackets are defending a lead, or Murray and Nutivaara could be the No. 2 pair when they’re trailing and needing offense. The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 Seth Jones and Zach Werenski were back together on the top pairing as of Monday’s win over Buffalo.

“Savvy’s just a really good player. He understands how we have to play,” Tortorella said. “Gavi’s made tremendous improvement in the last couple of games in making the decision and going with it, being more aggressive in his thinking and not playing in between.”

8. Foligno’s heavy minutes

Captain Nick Foligno led all Blue Jackets skaters — yes, defensemen and forwards — in ice time, generating a whopping 22:13 over 27 shifts. It’s the seventh-highest figure for a regulation game in his career.

Tortorella (mildly) called out Foligno and others (but especially Foligno) during camp, saying he needed more from the Blue Jackets captain.

“More offense?” Tortorella was asked.

“More everything,” he responded.

Foligno was +2 and had three shot attempts, three hits, three takeaways and one blocked shot. He was in front of Reimer all night, too.

9. Quiet night for Ryan Dzingel

It’s not the marquee matchup the Blue Jackets will face later this season against the New York Rangers, Florida or Nashville. But Ryan Dzingel faced the Blue Jackets for the first time since leaving for Carolina as a free agent this summer.

He assisted on the Hurricanes’ first goal, but that was pretty much it for the highlights. He played 14:42, had one shot on goal, one hit and won one faceoff.

10. When, Elvis?

It was not a surprise to see Korpisalo get the start on Saturday because it had the feel of a No. 1 goaltender’s game. It was on the road against a red-hot opponent, and it was against a Metropolitan Division rival.

Can’t imagine the Jackets would sit Korpisalo for Wednesday’s home game against Dallas, so when does backup Elvis Merzlikins get back into game action after his rough debut last weekend in Pittsburgh?

There’s another back-to-back on the schedule next weekend: at Chicago on Friday and vs. the New York Islanders on Saturday in Nationwide Arena.

The best guess here is on Friday in Chicago. But we’ll see. Thoughts?

The Athletic’s hockey data dynamo Alison Lukan provided these insights into the Blue Jackets’ win:

The Blue Jackets went into Carolina facing a tough task. Even in this young season, Carolina had yet to lose a game and was second in the league in controlling scoring chances and shot quality. But Columbus found a way to build an edge in both. The visiting team had a 58.77 percent advantage in shot quality (holding the Hurricanes to their second- lowest expected-goal total of the season), a 55.68 percent edge in scoring chances and added on a 57.5 percent edge in five-on-five shot attempts.

The most effective players in limiting Carolina’s attack? The defensive pairing of Murray and Nutivaara. When they were on the ice, the Blue Jackets had the biggest shot quality advantage (84.86 percent expected goals). Bjorkstrand was third at 70 percent.

Bjorkstrand was also part of the most effective forward line. In 12:52 of play, Bjorkstrand, Alexander Wennberg and Nick Foligno helped drive the Jackets to earn 66.67 percent of all scoring chances and 64.29 percent of all shot attempts.

This might have been the best game Korpisalo has played this season. He allowed two goals — one after losing his stick — but still narrowly exceeded his expected save percentage by 0.5 percent.

Team leaders in terms of game score: Murray (2.5), Wennberg (1.8), Nutivaara (1.7).

— Data via MoneyPuck, Evolving-Hockey and Natural Stat Trick and reflects score and venue adjusted five-on-five play unless otherwise stated. 1156809 Dallas Stars

Playoff mode: Why the Stars are approaching each game with a postseason mentality

By Matthew DeFranks

1:02 AM on Oct 13, 2019

The Stars — battered by another loss, humbled with a fruitless power play and sputtering to the worst start since the team moved to Dallas — may be treating game seven like a Game 7.

Following the Stars’ 4-1 loss to Washington on Saturday night that dropped Dallas to 1-4-1, players discussed the upcoming four-game road trip with importance and the faux finality of an October playoff series for a team that entered the season with Stanley Cup aspirations.

“This is a big road trip for us,” Tyler Seguin said. “I know it’s going into game seven, you don’t want to say it’s a playoff game, but everyone in here, including myself, needs to have a playoff mentality going on this road trip. If you’re chasing behind in this league, like everyone knows, that St. Louis season doesn’t happen every year. It just doesn’t happen. It was more of a, I don’t want to say a fluke, but it just doesn’t happen every year. So if we think that we can get into those shoes, we’re too good of a team to be playing this bad so far to start the year.”

“It’s playoff mode for us,” Radek Faksa said. “We need to step up because teams are winning and it’s so hard to catch those teams later on. We have to have a really good road trip, get at least three wins and doesn’t matter if we win 2-1 or 1-0, we have to just win games, play simple and I think we will be fine.”

“It’s definitely turning our awareness,” Joe Pavelski said of the team’s 1- 4-1 start. “It’s raising it a little bit. But that’s not a bad thing. We should be there already, and our urgency’s got to go up. We can’t continue this, obviously. We’ve been in positions to win enough games and have a better record, but we haven’t got it done, so it hasn’t been good enough. Bottom line.”

The Stars are desperate for any traction in the standings during a trip that goes through Buffalo, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. In the Central Division, winless Chicago and Minnesota are keeping the Stars from the cellar, but that does little to inspire hope in Dallas.

The starts are poor. The power play is lackluster. The prized offseason signing is goalless. Roope Hintz is a disproportionate amount of the offense. The goaltending has buoyed waves of ineffectiveness.

The last team in franchise history to start a season worse than the current 1-4-1 version of the Stars was the 1977-78 North Stars, who began the season 0-6-0 and were outscored by 18 goals.

“No question there’s concern, but we can’t worry about what’s happened,” Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. “We’ve got to worry about what’s ahead, and we’ve got to rally around each other. Everyone has to look in the mirror. Everyone has to be better. Everybody’s got to take ownership for the ice time they’re getting and lack of production, maybe, they’re giving. And also the lack of energy and emotion they’re giving to the team.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156810 Dallas Stars Jakub Vrana’s right skate, glanced Wilson’s stick before Vrana passed it to the blue line.

“They said that that’s a deflection, it’s not a possession play, so that’s Stars’ power play struggles continue vs. Capitals; Jim Montgomery loses why it wasn’t a hand pass,” Montgomery said. first challenge of season After the video review, the call stood and the Stars were assessed a two- minute minor for delay of game, putting Washington back on the power play thanks to a new rule enacted this season. Dallas killed the penalty. By Matthew DeFranks “Got in penalty trouble, didn’t see the penalty, not sure if it was a true 1:01 AM on Oct 13, 2019 high-stick or not,” Seguin said. “And then the next one, we get caught with that new rule, which I don’t think can happen either. Shot ourselves

in the foot, and with six minutes of penalty kill to start the game, nobody’s The Stars’ power play is now 1 for 20 on the season, a rancid number going to be feeling good.” reached with an 0 for 6 effort on Saturday night. Dallas’ only power play -- The Stars will not practice Sunday before traveling to Buffalo. From the goal came Thursday against Calgary off the opening faceoff of the third beginning of the season on Oct. 3 through the game against Ottawa on period. Oct. 21, the Stars are scheduled to practice just twice. On Saturday night, in 12 minutes with the extra man, the Stars generated just five shots on goal. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.13.2019 “I think there were times we were doing good things, and then there were times where the puck wasn’t moving quick enough,” Tyler Seguin said. “Then we flipped sides there at the end and had a couple good looks, but you get that many penalties, I think we’re maybe one for, I don’t know, probably 20 so far this year.

“That’s got to change. With the amount of power plays we usually get in a season like year, you’ve got to bury at least one a game. That’s on us, that’s on the big dogs and the leaders in here. We’ve got to find a way to get something going.”

Last season, the Stars power play finished 11th in the league, but was streaky throughout the season. They went through a 1 for 24 stretch across an eight-game span. They went through a 5 for 37 stretch across a 14-game span. Through six games, Jamie Benn’s goal is the only one with the man-advantage.

“We weren’t a threat,” Montgomery said. “Didn’t win faceoffs. Didn’t win any battles. Didn’t win any loose puck battles. The puck was never inside the dots. If you never threaten inside the dots, not going to have success. It all starts with compete. We just didn’t compete hard enough, power play, 5-on-5.”

Joe Pavelski, Seguin, Roope Hintz, Benn and John Klingberg were on the first unit. Pavelski stayed on the ice with the second unit in the first period, but Joel L’Esperance later joined Faksa, Esa Lindell, Alexander Radulov and Miro Heiskanen.

“There’s a certain structure that we want on it, and there’s been multiple times where [there’s] a shot, rebounds laying there but it’s been to the wrong side,” Pavelski said. “So if we can stay on that, keep retrieving pucks, we’re going to get a few bounces, a few of those are going to start going in. But it’s time for production, at the end of the day. If we could have gotten one there a little bit earlier, it’s a completely different night.”

Starting slow: The Stars fell behind in the first period again when scored a power play goal just 3:17 into the game after Joel Hanley was whistled for a high-sticking double-minor.

It was the fourth time in six games that opponents have scored the first goal against Dallas. The Stars have now been outshot 63-44 in the first period.

Montgomery said the coaching staff has tried a number of different things to help the Stars start quicker — more video, less video, writing keys to the game on the board, telling them the keys to the game — but to no avail.

“It seems like when we score one or two, everyone relaxes a little bit and plays,” Pavelski said. “We’ve been skating, we’re trying to do it, almost trying to do too much at times, I think. Now, it’s about getting the job done. We got a lot better, we can be a lot better, for sure.”

Montgomery said Saturday’s keys were “faceoff intensity, wear them down on the forecheck and putting pucks behind the net, win special teams.” The Stars won 46% of faceoffs, allowed two power-play goals and went 0 for 6 themselves.

Failed challenge: The Stars lost their first challenge of the season Saturday night, when Montgomery challenged Wilson’s goal for a hand pass. Before the goal, Wilson palmed a puck to the ice, it bounced off 1156811 Dallas Stars

Corey Perry made the most of his time off the ice while Stars debut nears

By Matthew DeFranks

8:55 PM on Oct 12, 2019

Corey Perry could make his Stars debut in the next week.

Perry, who signed a one-year contract with the Stars after spending his entire 14-year career in Anaheim, fractured his foot two days before training camp started and the team hopes he can play Friday night in Pittsburgh, Stars coach Jim Montgomery said.

It’ll be the second time in as many years that Perry missed the start of a season with an injury, as knee surgery forced him to miss the first four months of the season last year. He played only 31 games and scored a career-low six goals with four assists. The Ducks bought him out over the summer.

Perry said he can draw upon last year’s experience with a season- opening injury to ease his transition to the Stars lineup.

“The game’s quick now, and the more time you miss, that quick step, you start losing,” Perry said. “Guys are starting to play and getting up to speed. You got to catch up quick. You got to do everything you can off the ice before you get back in the lineup on the ice.

“Coming back from knee surgery after four months away, not ideal. Missing 50 games, I don’t wish that upon anybody. It’s tough. Everybody’s playing at top speed, they’re pushing for a playoff spot, and you’re playing game one. It’s not easy.”

Perry was on the ice for the Stars’ optional skate Saturday morning, marking the fourth time he’s been on the ice in the last week. He was also on the team’s most recent road trip, and has been able to absorb off-ice systems coaching.

“That’s the biggest thing coming to a new team, new systems, new faces,” Perry said. “Everything’s an adjustment. I’m just trying to soak in as much as I can before I get back in and play. Hopefully, I’ve got the hang of things once I step out there.”

Off the ice, Perry has had time to adjust to living in a new city after spending more than a decade in Southern California. His wife and two- year-old son have to adjust, and Perry said he’s leaned on former Duck and current Star Andrew Cogliano for help with places to live, things to do and restaurants to eat at.

Prior to his injury, Perry’s 1,000th career game was going to be the team’s 12th game of the season, which would have come against Anaheim. But Perry’s meeting with his former team won’t have the pomp of a milestone game.

“Things don’t work out always in life,” Perry said. “You move forward. I just got to try and get ready for my first game and go from there.”

Comeau and Polak updates: Montgomery said both forward Blake Comeau (lower-body) and defenseman Roman Polak (fractured sternum) would be out for two to four more weeks after they each suffered injuries on opening night Oct. 3.

“Probably at least three weeks, two to four to be safe, but probably three,” Montgomery said.

Comeau left during the first period against the Bruins when he was hit by a puck and fell awkwardly to the ice. He was wearing a brace on his right leg leaving the arena Thursday night. Polak crashed into the corner boards and was stretchered off the ice and later diagnosed with a fractured sternum.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156812 Dallas Stars at 5-on-5 to be 40 seconds or less to allow players to empty the tanks and then get off the ice after max effort skating.

Figuring out the exact average shift length at 5-on-5 can be difficult (the Despite Stars recent success on the rush this season, Dallas struggles Stars analytics team does it for the coaching staff), but a rough offensively in loss to Capitals estimation using Natural Stat Trick reveals that Hintz’s average shift at 5- on-5 is 34.5 seconds. That is the lowest on the team.

“There’s not an easy stride that he takes,” Montgomery said. “We would By Matthew DeFranks like everybody to be at that level, so that’s why that 40 seconds is important for our process. But it also means that he can’t take those 10:16 PM on Oct 12, 2019 same minutes that maybe other players can.”

Over the summer, Montgomery tasked assistant coach John Stevens Give the Stars space, they’re off to the races. with tweaking the Stars’ play within the offensive zone. The result was an added emphasis on placing two players between the dots and asking for Entering Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Washington, Dallas was dangerous on more movement. the rush through the season’s first week, generating a staggering 11 of their 12 goals in transition. That’s great for the Stars that they’ve been Has Montgomery seen that early on? able to strike quickly, but discouraging that their in-zone offense has “We’re seeing it consistently that we have two players,” Montgomery lagged behind. said. “But now what has to happen is our forwards and D-men being on “I think the one feeds the other,” Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. “You the same page. And what I mean by that is D-men expecting to get the have a good rush attack, you put the other team on their heels, it leads to puck from the forwards at the time they expect to get it and then forwards recoveries, which should lead to o-zone time.” also using the top, using the defensemen is synchronicity. The shape is there; it’s just the puck movement isn’t there.” On Saturday, the Stars couldn’t generate much offense, and were nearly shut out for the first time this season by Capitals rookie goaltender Ilya Samsonov in his second career game. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.13.2019 Their power play went 0-for-6, running their season total to 1-for-20 with the man advantage. Washington, meanwhile, went 2-for-5 on the power play, twice scoring on Joel Hanley penalties.

Radek Faksa scored his first goal for Dallas — his wraparound stuff seven minutes into the third period cut Washington’s lead to 3-1 but the Stars couldn’t get closer.

It was Washington’s first regulation victory in Dallas since Oct. 17, 1995, at Reunion Arena. The regulation loss snapped a 17-game home point streak for the Stars against the Capitals.

The Stars are 1-4-1 and play their next four games on the road.

“Everyone has to look in the mirror,” Montgomery said. “Everyone has to be better. Everybody’s got to take ownership for the ice time they’re getting and lack of production, maybe, they’re giving. And also the lack of energy and emotion they’re giving to the team.

“As a coaching staff, we got to look in the mirror and ‘What are we doing wrong that we don’t get off to better starts?’ We’ve been trying to look at it, and it’s just too reminiscent of last year, probably more late October and early November.”

Before Saturday, speed gave Dallas leads or kept them in games.

Roope Hintz has been the key.

Hintz has been the team’s best player early, entering Saturday with four goals in five games, all of which came on the rush. Of the Stars’ 12 goals, Hintz has been on the ice for six of them. His bursts of speed have become commonplace in Stars games, from taking defensemen wide to chasing down loose pucks.

“He has speed and power,” Montgomery said. “I think you see it anytime he touches the puck, it’s like ‘Woah,’ from the crowd. That speaks to his talents.”

Hintz is arguably the fastest player in the organization, with Miro Heiskanen and Denis Gurianov also in the conversation, and his pace has allowed him to change games, especially when placed on a line with speedy Swedish forward Mattias Janmark.

“Every time you see us have a good rush attack, Roope Hintz is out there,” Montgomery said. “Janmark and him are good together because of that. Janmark is great at gaining the blue line himself.”

Janmark has a short-handed goal this season that came on the rush in St. Louis, and he’s helped set up two of Hintz’s goals.

Heiskanen has also been instrumental in the transition game, skating the puck out of the defensive zone, and through center ice. Hintz, Heiskanen or Janmark have been on the ice for eight of the Stars’ 11 rush goals.

While Hintz’s speed is hard to duplicate, his shift length is something Montgomery would like other Stars to emulate. Montgomery wants shifts 1156813 Dallas Stars “That’s on us,” Seguin said. “That’s on us, the big dogs, the leaders in here. We’ve got to find a way to get something going.”

The lack of power-play success also helped drag down Dallas at five-on- Stars 20/20: Boos rain down with Stars still struggling to find answers five. after loss to Capitals “When you don’t create as much as you should during the two minutes (power play) and you don’t score, it hurts,” Pavelski said. “And if you’re on it and the building can feel it and guys on the bench can feel it, you By Sean Shapiro want your power play to create momentum … it hasn’t done that enough.”

4. Penalties defined the start for Dallas. DALLAS — The Dallas Stars’ early-season struggles continued Saturday with a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. Fifty-two seconds into the contest, Joel Hanley was called for high- sticking Jonas Siegenthaler and was given four minutes after cutting the After playing close, one-goal games in their first five contests, this one Capitals defenseman and drawing blood. was never close, as Washington breezed to a somewhat historic win. Dallas killed off the first minor but couldn’t complete the four-minute 1. Jim Montgomery said it was time for the Stars to look in the mirror. challenge when Tom Wilson scored on a rebound to make it 1-0. Tyler Seguin said the Stars have reached a point where the upcoming The Stars challenged the play for what they perceived to be a hand pass road trip feels like a playoff situation. earlier in the shift by Wilson and lost the challenge, giving the Capitals Whichever way you want to put it, the Dallas Stars have reached a dire another power play. situation just six games into the season. It was the first time Dallas has been dinged by the new NHL rule that Poor starts in games have compounded into losses and a poor overall penalizes teams for losing challenges. Before the season, Montgomery start to the season. Dallas was never going to make the playoffs in the said the new rule would force Dallas to be smart about challenges, using first two weeks — no team is — but the Stars have dug themselves a them only if the team was rather certain a call would be overturned. rather big hole, and their play hasn’t encouraged much hope they truly The video showed the refs got the call right; this is the moment when are headed in the right direction with a four-game road trip on the Wilson touched the puck after gloving it down, thus negating the play as horizon. a hand pass. The power play was pitiful, again. The penalty kill was bad for the first For the Stars, it appears there was some confusion about whether the time this season. puck nicking off Jakub Vrana’s skate should have been considered a And in the end, the Stars were booed out of the building. pass from Wilson.

2. You can hear the frustration in Montgomery’s voice when he talks “I thought, and we all thought, players on the ice thought, that when the about the slow starts that have plagued Dallas this season and last. hand pass hit the skate that would be a hand pass,” Montgomery said. “But they said that’s a deflection, that’s not a possession play. So that’s No matter where you want to pin the blame, it’s a fact this team rarely why it wasn’t a hand pass.” shows up to play for the opening 20 minutes. Either way, it was a deflating sequence. “Everyone has to look in the mirror; everyone has to be better,” Montgomery said. “Everyone has got to take ownership for the ice time “We haven’t had good starts, and tonight was the same kind of thing,” they’re getting and lack of production maybe they’re giving. And the lack Seguin said. “We shot ourselves in the foot, and with six minutes of of energy and emotion they are giving to the team. And as a coaching penalty kill to start the game, no one is going to be feeling good.” staff, we’ve got to look in the mirror and (ask), ‘What are we doing wrong 5. Washington doubled its lead in the second period on a blown that we don’t get off to better starts?’ We’ve been trying to look at it, and clearance and great play by Capitals defenseman John Carlson. it’s just too reminiscent of last year in late October and early November. This year it’s happening earlier.” Anton Khudobin stopped a rim-around and passed to Joel Hanley, who under pressure tried to clear the zone but couldn’t get the puck past How many things have the Stars tried to fix the issue? Carlson at the blue line. “We’ve tried multiple things,” Montgomery said. “We’ve asked the players That led directly to a four-on-one break for Washington in the zone, and for input. We’ve exhausted a lot of things.” Khudobin didn’t have a chance. What are those things? That goal felt like a backbreaker for Dallas. While 2-0 shouldn’t feel like a “We’ve tried putting more video. Doing less video. We’ve tried putting the stranglehold — especially for a team that has blown leads lately in keys to the game on the board. Just telling them what the keys to the Washington — after that goal, the Stars went from lost on the ice to game are,” Montgomery said. “You know what the keys to the game were absent-minded for the rest of the evening. tonight? Faceoff intensity. Wear them down on the forecheck and putting 6. The Capitals found a weakness in the Stars’ penalty kill and converted pucks behind the net. Win special teams.” on two of their five opportunities. The Stars didn’t do anything to achieve those keys on Saturday. While the Stars have typically limited opposing transition while short- 3. The toothless power play was crucial in this loss. handed and forced teams to constantly regroup, the Capitals sliced through Dallas in the neutral zone and created rush chances before The Stars went 0-for-6 with the man advantage. They had five total setting up in their traditional offensive zone setup. shots, and that number seems high with how disjointed the Stars looked on the power play. It was most evident on the 3-0 goal in which Evgeny Kuznetsov strolled through and scored his second goal of the week. It continued a horrendous trend for Dallas. The Stars are now 1-for-20 on the power play this season, and that lone goal came on a rush play off a 7. Khudobin made his second start of the season and made 21 saves on center-ice faceoff — they’ve yet to do much of anything with a traditional 24 shots. power-play setup. It was the type of night when save percentage wasn’t going to be kind to “At times, we felt we had it,” Joe Pavelski said. “I think recently, last the goalie. But when you look at the quality of chances, you can’t fault couple games, it’s felt better. But I’d be kidding myself to say it was good Khudobin, who dealt with multiple rushes by the Capitals and kept the enough. We’ve got to stay with it. There is a certain structure we want on game closer than it should have been in the second period. it. There’s been multiple times a shot (or) rebound is laying there and 8. Jason Dickinson was back in the lineup for Dallas after missing four gone to the wrong side. We stay on that and keep shooting pucks, we’re games with a lower-body injury. gonna get a few bounces and a few of those are gonna start going in. But it’s time for production at the end of the day.” After the morning skate, Montgomery said he hoped Dickinson’s return Montgomery tested this and used it as an example for players at a recent would help the Stars in their possession game and help the team in practice, during which the Stars did skating drills in eight intervals at 40 moving the puck. seconds per interval.

Dickinson had a night that was about equal to his teammates’. “The players couldn’t go for the whole 40 seconds,” Montgomery said. “So if you can’t do it without getting hit, without trying to think, you can’t 9. With Dickinson back in the lineup, Justin Dowling was a healthy do it regularly. And sometimes the game dictates you aren’t going all-out, scratch for the first time this season. and we understand that. But the way we want to play, we should (be 10. Corey Perry took part in Saturday’s optional morning skate and is going all-out more often).” eyeing a return to the Stars lineup next Friday against the Pittsburgh You know how we track that part of the process each game using math? Penguins. The Stars simply check their analytics package that comes in from the Perry met with media members after morning skate for the first time since company Tom Gaglardi owns part of in Montreal. training camp and said he’s “slowly getting back into the swing of things.” No matter how you equate it, the Stars didn’t work hard enough “The game is quick now,” Perry said. “More time you miss, that quick Saturday. step you start losing it, and guys are getting up to speed. So you’ve got 15. Denis Gurianov went to the AHL and scored three goals for the to catch up quickly, you’ve got to do everything you can off the ice before Texas Stars on Friday night in a shootout loss. Gurianov also scored in you can do anything on it.” the shootout and was effectively the best player on the ice, single- Perry has been kept in the loop during his recovery. He traveled on the handedly taking over the game throughout the evening. first road trip for this purpose and has been involved in all of the power- Gurianov was also used in all situations and killed penalties, something play meetings so he won’t feel alien when he does re-enter the lineup. he wasn’t doing in Dallas, and didn’t look out of place using his speed “That’s the biggest thing, coming to a new team, new faces,” Perry said. when Texas was down a man to apply pressure on the forecheck. “Everything is an adjustment, so I’m trying to soak up everything I can The key for Gurianov is finding consistency and confidence while he’s in before I get back in and play. Hopefully got the hang of things once I step the AHL, something Montgomery mentioned after practice on Friday and out there.” compared to the prior season when Hintz used the AHL to find those Those meetings are even more crucial with how little the Stars practice things. this time of year. Dallas has only one full practice before the game in He’s right about the consistency element for Gurianov. Throughout his Pittsburgh and two morning skates, so while he can skate on a line with career, the forward has had strong games or periods, only to follow them teammates, instant connectivity doesn’t seem realistic. with a disappearing act. So I was very interested to see how Gurianov There is going to be a learning curve — look at what’s happening with fared Saturday after a standout game on Friday. Pavelski to start the season — so it’s important to keep that in mind when I haven’t watched the Texas game yet, but based on reviews from people setting early expectations for Perry. who were in attendance in Iowa, Gurianov was solid, particularly in the 11. Stephen Johns took part in the optional morning skate on Saturday, defensive zone, but was far from dominant in the offensive zone. He did the first time he’s skated with teammates in some capacity in weeks. score in the shootout to help Texas get the win.

As the Stars stated on the first day of training camp, they will not be 16. In other AHL news, I was told Jason Robertson and Landon Bow answering any questions on Johns’ status until they have an update, so really stood out for Texas in Iowa. at this point, this is the only update. 17. Radek Faksa scored in the third period on a wraparound; it’s the only From a media perspective, it’s probably going to be fair to start asking reason Dallas wasn’t shutout by Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov. questions and expecting a realistic answer once he actually takes in a That goal provided brief life for the Stars, but it was soon extinguished formal practice or morning skate that isn’t optional. when L’Esperance took an offensive-zone penalty with 7:54 remaining.

12. There was a minor update on Blake Comeau and Roman Polak from When Alex Ovechkin scored into the empty net, it was a ceremonious Montgomery on Saturday morning, and both are now listed with a two-to- crowning for the Capitals fans, who outnumbered Stars patrons by the four-week timeline. midway point of the third period.

Montgomery did mention that having Polak back around the rink has 18. What the St. Louis Blues did last season is going to be brought up been a nice boost for the Stars after the scary moment when he was multiple times this season, and it’s going to be a rallying cry for some laying motionless in the corner against the Boston Bruins. downtrodden fan bases in January.

13. Because of a scheduling quirk, the Stars and Capitals completed But as Seguin put it, that’s a terrible thing to bank on. their two-game season series less than two weeks into the season. “Everyone knows that St. Louis season doesn’t happen every year,” It’s a quirk that both coaches said they could take advantage of when it Seguin said. “It just doesn’t happen. It is more of — I don’t want to say a came to game prep. fluke, but it just doesn’t happen every year. If we think we can get into Capitals coach Todd Reirden said it was a teaching opportunity and that those shoes? We are too good of a team to be playing this bad so far to for the first time this season, he was able to use his own team’s clips start the year.” when preparing for an opponent. 19. Oct. 17, 1995.

The Stars will have a similar home-and-home set with an Eastern That’s the last time the Dallas Stars lost a regulation game at home Conference team later this month when they play the Penguins on Oct. against the Washington Capitals. That was also in a building, Reunion 18 in Pennsylvania and then host them on Oct. 26 in Dallas. Arena, that doesn’t exist anymore and two years before Samsonov was 14. Montgomery mentioned shift length on Saturday and how Hintz was even born. averaging 36-second shifts heading into Saturday. In total, it was a 17-game point streak that started on Oct. 8, 1996, “He goes so hard,” Montgomery said. “There is not an easy stride that he against the Capitals and came to an end on Saturday. takes. We would like everybody to be at that level. So that’s why the 40 Washington’s old house of horrors felt friendly for the visitors on seconds is an important part of the process.” Saturday.

Overall, Montgomery said the goal of 40-second average shifts at even 20. Here is how the Stars did when it came to Montgomery’s process. strength has improved over the course of the season. Average five-on-five shift length of 40 seconds or fewer: Failed. The “I just think when you work hard, you can’t stay out there (that long),” average even-strength shift was 41.6 seconds. Montgomery said. Zero undisciplined penalties: Failed.

Three or fewer odd-man rushes: Failed. Win net-front battle: Failed.

Win special teams: Failed.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156814 Detroit Red Wings Blashill sees the line as one that has potential to be successful each game because they play a simple game: Get pucks behind opponents, forecheck, get to the net.

Detroit Red Wings have two lines clicking, need far more from others “It’s repeatable,” Blashill said. “They’ve had three games in a row where they’ve been big, strong, heavy, have created scoring chances. I think they’ve been a real good line for us and I think they can continue to be. Now you’ve got a line with Larkin that’s really clicking and you’ve got a Helene St. James, Detroit Free PressPublished 11:56 p.m. ET Oct. 12, line with de la Rose and Helmer and Abby that’s clicking. We need to 2019 | Updated 11:57 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 keep finding chemistry on the other lines.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.13.2019 Big hits, timely goals and a dose of energy. The Detroit Red Wings have a fourth line that is doing damage.

The Wings head off to Western coming off a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but they should be buoyed by the play of Jacob de la Rose, Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm. The trio has combined for three goals and four assists through five games, providing a spark with timely scoring and physical play.

“I think everybody is buying into who we are,” de la Rose said Saturday. “We know what we need to do to be successful as a line. I mean, we’re not the most skilled guys on the team but if we play the right way, we’re going to get chances. I think we’ve been playing good here the last couple games.”

De la Rose scored his first goal of the season in the 5-2 loss to the Leafs at Little Caesars Arena. Dylan Larkin was frank in his assessment, saying the Leafs forwards “just outworked us,” except for the de la Rose group.

“They played hard, scored big goals,” Larkin said. “They kept it simple. Speaking for our line, we didn’t keep it simple. We were forcing plays. They kept it simple, they got pucks to the net, and used each other as support. They were our best line by far.”

Larkin’s line with Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi has, on the whole, been strong. But Andreas Athanasiou’s line with Taro Hirose and Luke Glendening wasn’t very good against the Leafs, and neither was Valtteri Filppula’s combination with Adam Erne and Christoffer Ehn. Wings coach Jeff Blashill might tweak those groups.

The de la Rose line is earning its keep.

“I think we’re keeping things pretty simple, getting pucks in deep, hard on the forecheck, getting pucks to the net and just being there,” Helm said. “We’re just kind of clicking right now. We’re having fun out there.”

Helm has two goals this season. His first set the momentum in Montreal on Thursday, and his second stemmed the Leafs 24 seconds after they had taken a 3-1 lead. The line had an especially strong third period, with Abdelkader smashing Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin into the glass.

“It was a great hit,” Larkin said. “We need more of that and we need it from everyone.”

Abdelkader and Helm both date to the 2005 draft. They’ve played a variety of roles on the team, from grinders to puck-getters for Pavel Datsyuk. Around 2010, former teammates Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper, now part of the front office, dubbed them Lloyd Christmas (Helm) and Harry Dunne, the irrepressible lead characters from the movie "Dumb and Dumber.”

Now they’re both 32 years old veterans counted on to provide support for the rebuild.

“We’ve kind of grown up in the Red Wings system together and played a bunch of games together,” Helm said. “We’re fairly familiar. It took us a few games to really get going, and hopefully we just continue to grow as a line, as teammates, and help the team be successful.”

De la Rose was a waiver-wire pickup in the fall of 2018. He’s 6 feet 3, 215 pounds and plays a style that complements Helm and Abdelkader.

“The one thing we’ve talked about is trying to be, not careless but reckless on the forecheck,” Blashill said. “De la Rose is naturally a really safe player and we’re trying to get him to get up the ice a liter bit more and be right in there on the forecheck, again not careless but somewhat reckless. I think he’s done a good job of that. They’ve got enough brains to be able to cover up for each other when guys are going in hard and certainly they know they can make an impact physically.” 1156815 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings executive Jimmy Devellano to undergo brain surgery

Helene St. James, Detroit Free PressPublished 10:33 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 10:59 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019

The Detroit Red Wings are keeping longtime member Jimmy Devellano in their thoughts.

Devellano, 76, is to undergo surgery for a non-cancerous brain tumor Monday.

“I just want to pass along my thoughts, certainly my prayers, with Jimmy Devellano for successful surgery,” coach Jeff Blashill said in his postgame news conference Saturday at Little Caesars Arena, following a 5-2 loss to Toronto. “I hope in a month from now it’s not a big deal at all, but obviously any time anybody goes under surgery, there are certain risks.

“I’ve certainly been thinking about Jimmy the last few days here. He’s a great man, a great Red Wing, and he’s been a great mentor to me. So, thinking about him.”

Devellano was the first hire made by owner Mike Ilitch after he bought the Wings in June of 1982. Devellano started as the team’s general manager, and now serves as a senior vice president and alternate governor. He has won four Stanley Cups as an executive with the Wings, and won three consecutive Cups with the New York Islanders in 1980-82. Devellano got his start in the NHL in 1967 scouting for the St. Louis Blues.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156816 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings lose momentum in 5-2 loss to rival Maple Leafs at lively LCA

Helene St. James, Detroit Free PressPublished 10:01 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 10:33 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019

A loud, bipartisan crowd set a lively atmosphere as the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs renewed their rivalry.

Saturday’s event at Little Caesars Arena featured a thrilling third period as the Wings’ fourth line injected energy just when it seemed the Leafs had grabbed momentum. The Wings pushed, but the Leafs used their depth to come away with a 5-2 victory.

The Leafs are considered a Stanley Cup contender while the Wings are projected to miss the playoffs. But the Wings came into the game having just beaten divisional rival Montreal, while the Leafs were on a three- game losing streak.

Jacob de la Rose scored in the first period, but Leafs fans were loud enough to make Nicholas Shore’s answer sound like a home goal. The Leafs took a 3-1 lead midway through the third period but de la Rose’s line with Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader answered with a goal 24 seconds later. The Leafs’ fourth line countered, with Dmytro Timashov threading a pass that defenseman Jake Muzzin redirected to put the Leafs up by two. It grew to three when Trevor Moore scored an empty- net goal with 2:13 to go in regulation on Toronto’s 40th shot.

Tiger by the tail

The Leafs were smarting after losing 7-3 at home to division rival Tampa Bay. When he was with Detroit, Toronto coach Mike Babcock used to describe facing a team coming off such a lopsided loss as “having a tiger by the tail.”

The Wings played a good first period, creating chances and holding off the Leafs through back-to-back power plays, the latter thanks to the hard work of Luke Glendening, Christoffer Ehn and Abdelkader, who did a great job disrupting. The Leafs carried play in the second period, even when the Wings went on a power play.

Bad read

Jimmy Howard was 29.5 seconds from being the hero of the second period when he gambled and lost. Howard skated out of his crease toward the left circle in an effort to get to a puck that Timashov had fired into the zone. Howard threw himself toward the puck as he realized Ilya Mikheyev was closing in, to no avail. Mikheyev got there first, and fired into an open net for a 2-1 lead. It was too bad, because Howard had a great period otherwise, holding off 10 Leafs shot.

Fourth line delivers

The Wings went up 1-0 less than four minutes into the first period. Abdelkader worked the puck behind Toronto’s net. Patrik Nemeth got a piece of it, with de la Rose was staked out in from of Frederik Andersen. The puck came to de la Rose, who fought off defenders and managed to whack the puck even as he fell forward, scoring his first goal of the season. The Leafs’ fourth line made it 1-1 midway through the first period when Timashov fed Shore for a backhand. Helm scored off a rush at 9:35 of the third period for his second of the season.

The Wings now head west for three games at Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156817 Detroit Red Wings

Game thread: Red Wings fall to Leafs, 5-2

Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free PressPublished 2:45 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 9:39 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019

Detroit Red Wings (3-1-0, 6 points) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (2-2-1, 5 points)

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Little Caesars Arena.

TV: Fox Sports Detroit, CBC.

Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; other radio affiliates).

Game notes: The Wings have impressed to start the season, beating three likely playoff squads. But now, the rival Maple Leafs, a Stanley Cup contender, come to town. Another chance to catch up with former coach Mike Babcock.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156818 Detroit Red Wings “They weren’t very good tonight,” Blashill said. Detroit News LOADED: 10.13.2019

Maple Leafs outwork Red Wings, win with big third period

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 9:50 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 11:34 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019

Toronto Maple Leafs center Nicholas Shore, right, celebrates with center Frederik Gauthier (33) and left wing Dmytro Timashov, center, after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period on Saturday.

Detroit — The numerous Toronto Maple Leafs fans had more fun Saturday than the numerous Red Wings fans.

The Leafs used a three-goal third period to defeat the Wings, 5-2, and send the Toronto faithful at Little Caesars Arena home happy.

But it was more than simply the goals, said Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, who felt the Leafs did something the Wings need to do consistently to have a chance of being successful.

“They were really competitive tonight, they outworked us,” Blashill said. “We have to make sure we outcompete and outwork teams. We didn’t outcompete and outwork them tonight.”

The Wings fell to 3-2 for the season, while Toronto rose to 3-2-1.

Jake Muzzin's goal at 13 minutes, 34 seconds in the third period — Muzzin converted a great feed near the hash marks from Dmytro Timashov — gave the Leafs a 4-2 lead.

Trevor Moore added an empty-net goal at 17:47 to cap the scoring.

The Wings' fourth line contributed all the offense, with Jacob de la Rose and Darren Helm scoring goals, Justin Abdelkader assisting on both goals, and de la Rose adding one assist.

“They were our best line,” Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin said. “They played hard, scored big goals, they kept it simple. Speaking for our line, we were forcing plays and there were a lot of turnovers. They got the puck on the net, supported each other, and they were our best line by far.”

That’s two consecutive games the de la Rose line has made an impact offensively and defensively.

“Everybody is buying into who we are and we know what we need to do to be successful as a line,” de la Rose said. “We’re not the most skilled guys on the team, but if we play the right way, we’re going to get chances.”

Alex Kerfoot put Toronto ahead 3-1 at 9:11 of the third period, tapping in a loose puck past goaltender Jimmy Howard (36 saves) at the crease.

But the Wings responded 24 seconds later, with the fourth line producing their second goal of the night.

Abdelkader, from behind the net, found Helm alone in the slot and Helm snapped a shot past goalie Frederik Andersen for Helm's second goal in two games.

Nick Shore opened the Toronto scoring, Timashov knocking Dennis Cholowski off the puck and feeding Shore near the hashmarks.

Mikheyev’s goal was the turning point in some ways.

Toronto forward Kasperi Kapanen flipped a long pass that Mikheyev wheeled past Madison Bowey, and reached the puck near the low circle before Howard got to it.

Mikheyev had a vacant net to shoot into, his second goal this season, with 29.5 seconds left in the second period.

“The goal late, it can hurt, but it doesn’t have to hurt,” Blashill said. “We scored a late goal the other night and we lost.”

It was a rough night for the Taro Hirose-Andreas Athanasiou-Luke Glendening line. Hirose was on the ice for four Toronto goals, Athanasiou and Glendening for three each, and the trio combined for only two shots on net (Athanasiou had none), and no takeaways. 1156819 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Jimmy Devellano to have surgery for non-cancerous brain tumor

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 8:28 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 11:32 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019

Detroit — Jimmy Devellano, the Red Wings’ longtime front office executive, will have surgery Monday for a non-cancerous brain tumor.

Devellano, 76, is currently a senior vice-president and alternate governor, after being hired as the team’s general manager in 1982.

Devellano was the Wings’ GM from 1982-1990, and again from 1994-97 — he was the Wings’ vice-president from 1990-94 as Bryan Murray was the team’s GM.

It was during Devellano’s time in GM that the Wings’ had some franchise- altering drafts, forming the nucleus of a powerhouse lineup.

During Devellano’s time in the front office, the Red Wings won Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008.

The news was first reported by Red Wings' broadcaster Mickey Redmond on Saturday's telecast.

Detroit News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156820 Detroit Red Wings …Goaltender Jimmy Howard will get the start against Toronto, as Blashill continues alternating Howard and Jonathan Bernier in the early weeks of the regular season.

Red Wings' Dylan Larkin embracing challenge of facing opponents' best Detroit News LOADED: 10.13.2019 players

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 3:27 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 3:37 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019

Detroit — Dylan Larkin’s line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha has been among the best — if not, the best — in the early going of this NHL season.

With that comes added pressure and attention.

Opposing teams are gradually paying more attention on Larkin’s line, putting their best players and defenders on them.

Larkin understands that challenge, and the responsibility of continually putting up points on a Wings’ team that deeply needs the line to be a big- time, consistent threat.

“You have to bring it every night,” Larkin said. “You have to. We’re in a position now where we’re all three together and our second line is looking very dangerous and (Darren) Helm and Rosie (Jacob de la Rose) and Abby (Justin Abdelkader) are playing real well and when we get four lines rolling, any team is dangerous.

“But for us to carry the play we want to carry, you have to bring it. It has to be there mentally every night.”

Larkin is seeing opponents attempting to key on his line.

“You do get tough matchups,” Larkin said. “You look at the first two games we had, you could tell the guys in Anaheim they wanted it, they took pride in shutting us down. Especially when you’re hot, that’s when you find they’re keying on you, they know the plays you run. They key in.

“But you have to battle, you have to play your game every night, because if you don’t, it’s going to go the other way and you’re going to be minus-3, fishing the puck out of your net all night.”

Steps forward

Coach Jeff Blashill is enjoying the Wings’ quick start, especially the numerous positive signs Thursday in Montreal.

But Blashill doesn’t believe the Wings are completely turned around by just one victory.

“I don’t believe in one-game deals, at all,” Blashill said. “I believe in taking 10,000 steps forward and as few steps back as possible. You’re going to have some steps backwards and that’s how you wake up at the end of the year and you’re a way better team than you were at the beginning — by those little steps, not by any big, giant leap.

“We’re just going to try to take tons of little steps.”

Blashill liked many facets of the victory in Montreal, but the Wings can’t rest on their laurels.

“We played a real complete game, we didn’t give them many chances,” Blashill said. “That team (Montreal) has dominated our net front in the past. (Thursday) we were better in front of their net, so that’s a step in the right direction.

“(But) the thing about this league is, it’s relentless, so you better be great every night. The other thing about this league is confidence matters. Everybody is so close that when you get confident, you get on a roll, you have a chance to be a real good team. But it can go away fast. You have to keep making sure you’re on top of your game so you can keep your confidence going.”

Ice chips

Filip Hronek (head) will be a game-time decision Saturday. If Hronek can’t play, Alex Biega will make his Red Wings’ debut.

Trevor Daley (undisclosed), Frans Nielsen (upper body) and Jonathan Ericsson (lower body) are eligible to return during the upcoming western Canada road trip. Nielsen could return Tuesday in Vancouver. 1156821 Detroit Red Wings

Secondary scoring not enough for Red Wings in loss to Leafs

Updated 10:40 PM; Today 9:38 PM

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings sought secondary scoring and got it Saturday when their fourth line produced a pair of goals.

That was the Red Wings’ only offense, however, in a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena.

Jacob de la Rose and Darren Helm scored for Detroit. Justin Abdelkader assisted on both goals.

The Red Wings (3-2-0) start a three-game Western Canada trip Tuesday in Vancouver.

The Leafs (3-2-1) ended a three-game slide (0-2-1).

Alexander Kerfoot scored what proved to be the winning goal at 9:11 of the third period, with an easy tap-in of a rebound at the net front to make it 3-1.

Helm fired in a shot from the slot for his second goal in as many games at 9:35, but Jake Muzzin converted a pass through the high slot from Dmytro Timashov with 6:26 remaining to take much of the steam out of the Red Wings’ comeback attempt.

Trevor Moore’s empty-net goal with 2:13 to play sealed the outcome.

Jimmy Howard made 36 saves. Toronto’s Frederik Andersen stopped 25 shots.

Toronto took a 2-1 lead with 29.5 seconds remaining in the second period when Howard gambled that he could win a race for a loose puck, rushing out of his crease, only to see Ilya Mikheyev get to it and fire it into the open net. Mikheyev raced past Madison Bowey and would have had a breakaway.

De la Rose opened the scoring at 3:44, capping a strong shift of grinding in the offensive zone by his line (with Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm).

De la Rose, at the net front, tipped a point shot by Patrik Nemeth and then backhanded the rebound past Andersen for his first goal of the season.

Nicholas Shore tied it at 9:57, making a move in the slot and firing in a backhander. Timashov made it possible by shoving Dennis Cholowski to the ice in the corner and taking the puck from him.

Anthony Mantha didn’t score but made his presence felt. He was denied on a breakaway, particularly in the second period. He was denied on a breakaway and later made a nice bank pass off the boards to himself and set up Tyler Bertuzzi for a prime scoring chance.

Mantha rattled a shot off the goal post in the third period.

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156822 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings face skidding Leafs as Filip Hronek questionable

Posted Oct 12, 2019

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings will try to continue their strong start this season while extending the Toronto Maple Leafs’ skid tonight when they meet at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

The Red Wings might be without defenseman Filip Hronek, who had his head slammed into the glass in Thursday’s 4-2 victory at Montreal. Coach Jeff Blashill said Hronek, who didn’t practice Friday or skate this morning, is undergoing tests and will be a game-time decision.

If Hronek can’t play, Alex Biega will make his Red Wings debut. He was acquired from Vancouver last Sunday for forward prospect David Pope.

Biega (5-10, 199) feels more comfortable after practicing a few times with the team.

“It’s like the first day of school again, just coming in, getting accustomed to the culture and the guys and the systems,” Biega said. “Every game since I’ve been here, I watched them talk and tried to get a good understanding of the systems defensively, which I think I have now. At the end of the day, when I do get an opportunity, it’s just a matter of going in there and playing your game and not thinking too much about the systems. That will come over time.”

He described himself as a puck-moving, skating defenseman.

“I like to use my skating to join the rush, get up in the fourth wave and break pucks out using my skating ability and playing a physical brand of hockey,” Biega said. “Compete is probably the strongest asset of my game. I try to make it hard on guys on the opposing team every time I can.”

The Leafs (2-2-1) are winless in three (0-2-1) and coming off a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Injury updates

Center Frans Nielsen and defensemen Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson all skated this morning. Nielsen (upper-body injury) could return as early as Tuesday in Vancouver. Daley (undisclosed injury) might be ready later in the week. Ericsson (undisclosed injury) isn’t sure when he’ll be back but said Saturday was his “best day so far.”

“Now I’ve got to be able to keep skating and not making it worse,” Ericsson said. “The previous times I’ve been going on, it’s been kind of making it worse. I think I feel pretty good and then a couple of steps back again. Hopefully now I’m turning the corner.

“It’s been frustrating. It’s been a lot of injuries. I just want to get back as soon as possible.”

He added: “It’s a new injury but it’s also involving older injuries. It kind of goes hand in hand.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156823 Detroit Red Wings

Rose, Helm score for Red Wings in 5-2 loss to Maple Leafs

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer Oct 12, 2019 Updated 6 hrs ago Comments

DETROIT (AP) — Ilya Mikheyev scored in the final minute of the second period when goalie Jimmy Howard's gamble backfired, and the Toronto Maple Leafs went on to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Saturday night, snapping a three-game losing streak.

With the game tied at 1, Toronto's Kasperi Kapanen flipped the puck up the ice, and Mikheyev appeared to have a step on Detroit defenseman Madison Bowey as the two chased it. Howard came well out of his net, hoping to beat Mikheyev to the puck, but the rookie forward got there first, stickhandled to his left and shot into the empty net with 29.5 seconds left in the period.

Nicholas Shore, Alexander Kerfoot, Jake Muzzin and Trevor Moore also scored for the Maple Leafs. Jacob de la Rose and Darren Helm scored for Detroit.

Toronto's Auston Matthews and Detroit's Anthony Mantha, who entered the night with six goals apiece, were both held without a point, although Mantha had a partial breakaway stopped by goalie Frederik Andersen in the second.

Fresh off a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay two days earlier, the Maple Leafs fell behind 1-0 when de la Rose capped a busy shift in the Toronto zone by knocking in a rebound while falling to the ice in front of the net. The Maple Leafs tied it when Dmytro Timashov won a battle for the puck behind the net and found Shore, who had plenty of time to beat Howard from in front.

Kerfoot put Toronto up 3-1 in the third, collecting a rebound that Howard left in his crease. Helm answered 24 seconds later, beating Andersen with a wrist shot from the slot. Muzzin put Toronto back up by two when he converted a nice cross-ice pass from Timashov with 6:26 remaining.

Moore's empty-net goal closed out the scoring.

NOTES

Detroit's Justin Abdelkader had two assists, the first of which was his 250th career point.

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Red Wings: Visit Vancouver on Tuesday night.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156824 Edmonton Oilers When Van Allen came to, he didn’t know who he was. “Tell him he’s Wayne Gretzky,” joked Green.

“That was a Teddy classic,” chortled Low. Ted Green was tough on ice but kind-hearted off it He was also the butt of jokes, like getting his shoes “shined” under the

table with ketchup or some other goop. He could almost never catch Esa Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Tikkanen doing it, sneaking on his knees. He would stick a napkin over his shoes, but Tikkanen was a master. Published:October 12, 2019 “Ah, I think he got a kick to Tikky’s jaw once,” said Low. Updated:October 12, 2019 9:43 PM MDT Away from the rink, Green had lots of other interests. He was an entrepreneur, into different endeavours, starting a coin-operated skate sharpening machine. Teddy Green might have been the toughest S.O.B in NHL history, a guy who not only fought for his life 50 years ago after that awful stick- “Some people made quite a bit of money with the skate machine until swinging incident with Wayne Maki sent him to hospital with a fractured they found out the guys who built it couldn’t supply parts and it broke skull and later a plate in his head, but later coached an Edmonton Oilers’ down,” said Low. game hours after having kidney stones removed. “It was a helluva machine. We had a couple of them in the dressing The five-time Oilers Stanley Cup winner — four as Glen Sather’s room. Teddy would have made a fortune.” assistant and once as ’s right-hand man before he became the head coach for two plus seasons in the early ’90s — leaves a rich, Green was also very interested in politics. One day in Vancouver, he was multi-faceted legacy after he passed away here Oct. 8 after a long debating Don Mazankowski on the cost of bilingual signs in the country. illness. The Oilers will honour the 79-year-old Wednesday at their home Green, brought up in St. Boniface, Man., thought the expense was far too game with Philadelphia. much. Green played with the best defenceman of all-time, Bobby Orr in Boston, “Don got up and poked Teddy in the chest,” said Sather. and was in on the ground floor as a coach here with the wondrous Wayne Gretzky. As Postmedia’s Steve Simmons eloquently said “he had “Teddy got all red in the face and embarrassed.” the best seat in hockey … witness to the two greatest players ever.” But it was all in fun. Not that Green would ever say it. “Next day Don sent Teddy an autographed copy of his book. Teddy Or did anybody know he also quietly washed dishes and helped serve devoured it,” said Sather. meals at the Mustard Seed about 20 years ago, and one day a homeless man thought he looked familiar as former Oiler scribe Robin Brownlee “He was 110 percent interested in hockey but he wanted people to know brought the story to life. that as a hockey player you were more than just a hockey player … there was a world outside of that” said Lowe. “He was one of those people you “Are you Ted Green,” said the homeless fellow. had the utmost respect for, every minute of the day.”

“No, I’m Theodore,” said Green. Off the ice, Green was playful, in a good way.

As a player, Green was both feared and loved for his furnace-like fire. He once saw a kid in grade one or two reading a book outside the Oilers dressing room. After faking like he was going to dump the boy into “Who’s the toughest guy I ever faced? Teddy Green (in practice),” said nearby garbage can, Green got serious. Orr, who rushed to Green’s defence to pound Maki in the Boston-St. Louis exhibition game in 1969 after Green had hit Maki with his stick “You’ll go a lot farther doing that than chasing for pucks in the seats,” below the shoulder area, and Maki swung back, catching the bare- said Green. headed Green. That boy, my son Scott, is now a lawyer in town. He fought for his life in 2 1/2 hours of surgery for the brain injury, had lasting paralysis, missed a season but returned to help Boston win the “One thing about Teddy … he never tooted his own horn. Look at his 1972 Stanley Cup. work with the Mustard Seed, he was doing that for years before anybody knew. Nothing he wouldn’t do for people,” said Low. He played from the start to the finish of the , retired to coach intermediate hockey in Carman, Man., then was brought He stayed in shape long after he finished playing. to the Oilers by Sather in 1982. “When Teddy’s sons were getting older and stronger, Greenie challenged “He wrote me a letter asking if we could talk about coaching and he them to who could do the most pushups in two or three months. The showed up with a binder about two inches thick on all the teams he had minute they would leave the house, Greenie would be down doing scouted. He wrote it all out, left-handed … you remember he had to learn pushups and as soon as they walked back in the door, he’d go back to to write with his other hand after the injury? Soon as I saw what he had whatever he was doing.” done, I said ‘you’re hired.’’’ said Sather, his teammate in Boston. One day, a Finnish reporter asked Jari Kurri who the best conditioned Former Oilers defenceman Kevin Lowe remembers Green’s commanding athlete on the Oilers team was. presence, “That guy over there,” said Kurri, pointing at the assistant coach Green.

“When he spoke, which wasn’t often (assistant coach) … everybody was Green is survived by wife Pat and three children. riveted on every word,” said Lowe. “He would get emotional and his jaw and lip would start quivering. You knew that ‘holy crap, this is as Funeral arrangements will come at a later date. emotional as it gets.’ I remember that vividly.” Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.13.2019 “When he was (head) coach, he wanted his players to play a certain way and if they didn’t, he would give you that look and once he gave you that look, you pretty much had an idea what was going on. Just ask Petr Klima. I think he might have had Petr up against the wall one day,” laughed Ron Low, who assisted Green, then became head coach.

He was like Clint Eastwood riding into town. Quiet until he wasn’t. Tough until he didn’t have to be.

“Who will ever forget the line from Teddy after Shaun Van Allen got knocked out?” said Low. 1156825 Edmonton Oilers “Early on in the season that’s huge for the belief of his team, this organization and guys in this locker room to know that we can play in close games for one, and come back. Tonight was another prime example.” First place Edmonton Oilers make history with fifth straight comeback win It’s early, but pretty soon it won’t be. And, in the meantime, in addition to going a long way toward changing a losing culture, they have 10 points in the bank that nobody can take away from them. Robert Tychkowski “It’s highs and lows,” said Kassian, adding they are all doing a very good Published:October 12, 2019 job of keeping their heads in the right place. “You get a wave and you Updated:October 12, 2019 3:52 PM MDT want to ride it as long as you can because you know things can turn quick on you here. We’re approaching every day as a new day and that’s really helped us out.

NEW YORK — The season is only five games old — the Edmonton “Every time we come to the rink we’re working hard and on game days Oilers will remind you of that almost every single time you ask about their our mind is reset and we want to go out and repeat what we did the last stunning and historic start. game. It’s fun.

Undefeated? “We’re all getting a taste of winning hockey and we’re enjoying it.”

It’s early. THANKS, CALGARY

First place overall? The Oilers got another strong night from Smith, who was making his third start of the season. With two Rangers power plays and heavy pressure It’s early. early on, he kept the Oilers close until they could get their feet under First team in NHL history to go 5-0 when trailing in every game? them.

It’s early. “He made a couple of really good saves, especially early in the game,” said Tippett. “If you give up a five-on-three and let the other team get a So, yes, it’s early. But, man, is this fun. bunch of momentum, that can work against you. Smitty and the penalty “It’s too early to say if it’s special or not, but the belief in here is high,” killers did a heck of a job.” said winger Zack Kassian, after the Oilers came back to beat the New TRIBUTE TO TEDDY York Rangers 4-1 Saturday afternoon in Madison Square Garden. The game began with a moment of silence for the late Ted Green, who “It’s not only that we’re winning games, it’s how we’re winning games. passed away at the age of 79. He coached both the Oilers and Rangers There are some minutes in the games that we’d like to have back, but and played 10 NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, where he earned a we’re showing our true colours by fighting through those things. reputation as one of the toughest men to ever play the game, and seven “Our team dynamic is coming together, we’re playing for each other and more in the WHA. Off the ice he was a true gentleman and one of the there is a good atmosphere in the room. We’re 5-0, we’re feeling good nicest people in hockey. He was an assistant coach in Edmonton for all about ourselves now.” five Stanley Cups.

And well they should. This is some very heady stuff happening here. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.13.2019 When they stepped off the ice Saturday, the Oilers were tied for the league lead in points, tied for the league lead in goals, had the NHL’s third best power play and third best penalty kill.

“Definitely fun,” said Connor McDavid, who scored the winning goal 9:44 into the third period. “I said it (Friday): Everyone was always kind of waiting for bad stuff to happen for our group. It’s nice to be able to put a couple of wins together.

“It’s nice to be 5-0, but there is so much work to be done. The hockey’s got to keep getting better.”

Because it’s early. We know. But the Oilers are looking very much like the playoff team from three years ago that rolled into every game with a well-earned swagger and finished the year with 103 points.

They were on the ropes early in Madison Square, trailing 1-0 after taking a couple of penalties, but they steadied themselves, tied it on Oscar Klefbom’s point shot early in the second and then, when all the money was on the table between two undefeated teams, pulled away for good in the second half of the third period.

McDavid at 9:44. Leon Draisaitl at 13:12 and Draisaitl into an empty net at 19:45.

Routine.

“We did a lot of things well,” shrugged head coach Dave Tippett. “Our power play came through for us in the third, kind of a fortunate bounce there, and our penalty killing was good all game. Nothing special about the game, just kind of went about our business and found a way to win.

“There were some things we needed to clean up, but as the game went on we found a way to get better and we won.”

You know, like the Oilers always do.

“It just shows the kind of guys we have in here,” said goaltender Mike Smith, who had a stellar performance in net. “We’re not getting rattled. We’re sticking with games. We’re finding different ways to win. Everyone’s playing different parts in winning. 1156826 Edmonton Oilers PROJECTED OILERS LINEUP Forward

Leon Draisaitl • Connor McDavid • Zack Kassian Edmonton Oilers Game Day: Early schedule a roller-coaster for New York Rangers Tomas Jurco • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • James Neal

Joakim Nygard • Gaetan Haas • Markus Granlund

Robert Tychkowski Jujhar Khaira • Riley Sheahan • Patrick Russell

Published:October 12, 2019 Defensive pairings

Updated:October 12, 2019 3:00 AM MDT Darnell Nurse • Ethan Bear

Oscar Klefbom • Joel Persson

While the rest of the National Hockey League is up and running, the Kris Russell • Matt Benning Rangers are being iced by the schedule-maker for some reason. Goal They’ve played only two games so far, and are coming off a six-day break between starts. Then they get four days off after the Oilers. Mike Smith • Mikko Koskinen

That’s one game in 11 days. Then they play five in eight. Wow. Injuries: D Adam Larsson

NET WORTH PROJECTED RANGERS LINEUP

Goaltending was thought to be a concern heading into this season, but Forward so far Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen, both 2-0, have been holding up Artemi Panarin • Mike Zibanejad • Pavel Buchnevich their end of the bargain. Chris Kreider • Ryan Strome • Kappo Kakko It might be a while before the team settles on a No. 1 guy, but in the meantime, they are both making a strong case. Brendan Lemieux • Brett Howden •

CRACKING THE LINEUP Greg McKegg • Lias Andersson • Brendan Smith

When a team is winning, coaches are reluctant to make changes, so Alex Defensive pairings Chiasson, who scored 22 goals last year, and Josh Archibald, were both on the outside looking in on Thursday as the team extended its streak to Libor Hajek • Jacob Trouba four games. Brady Skjei • Adam Fox

This is the kind of inner competition the Oilers have been searching for, Marc Staal • Anthony Deangelo for a long time. Goal THERE’S NO ‘I’ IN QUIT Henrik Lundqvist • Alexander Georgiev The Oilers came back from three one-goal deficits in the 4-3 win over New Jersey and fought back from four one-goal deficits in the 6-5 win Injuries: None. over Los Angeles. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.13.2019 They trailed with less than 10 minutes to go in the third period in two of their four wins this season. That’s a good sign.

LETHAL ADVANTAGE

Edmonton’s penalty kill has been quite effective out of the gate, allowing only one goal on 13 shorthanded situations (fifth in the league at 92.3 per cent), but it will be put to the test by a Rangers power play that has connected on three of its first five opportunities.

OIL SPILLS PODCAST: WHATEVER % MCDAVID IS AT LOOKS MIGHTY FINE

We’ll take Connor McDavid at less than 100 per cent if **that’s** what it looks like given his performance in the Edmonton Oilers’ first two games of the NHL regular season.

McDavid and linemates Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian were in fine scoring form against the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings as the Oilers start the 2019-20 campaign with a pair of home wins.

Hockey beat writers Jim Matheson and Derek Van Diest join host Craig Ellingson to talk about McDavid and the Oilers’ start, goalie Mike Smith’s wandering ways and the impact of Adam Larsson’s long-term injury to the team’s defensive corps.

JAMES NEAL VS. MIKA ZIBANEJAD

James Neal is lighting it up out of the gate with seven goals in the first four games of the season, five of them on the power play.

That gave him the league lead ahead of Anthony Mantha and Auston (1C) Matthews.

Across the ice, Rangers centre Mika Zibanejad also has a hot hand, scoring four goals in the first two games.

He had a goal and three assists in the season opener and followed it up with three goals and one assist against Ottawa. 1156827 Edmonton Oilers It was a pretty quiet night for Draisaitl and Connor McDavid through the first 40 minutes. Yes, they had their chances. But they were pointless heading into the second intermission, with the score tied 1-1.

Mike Smith is charged up, and that’s a big reason behind the Oilers’ As Smith noted, they found a way to make a difference in the third. surprising 5-0 start McDavid’s winning goal was a bit fluky. He was looking to centre a pass with Neal and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in front of the net, but the puck bounced off Rangers blueliner Jacob Trouba and in. By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Oct 12, 2019 Draisaitl netted an insurance marker, which wasn’t a beauty, either. His shot eked ever so slowly through goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s legs and over the goal line. Draisaitl then added an empty netter with 15 seconds NEW YORK – Shirtless with his curly hair dangling beyond his straight- remaining. brimmed navy-blue Oilers cap, goaltender Mike Smith couldn’t contain his excitement. McDavid’s two points and Draisaitl’s three — which put them atop the NHL leaderboard at 12 and 11, respectively — secured the win after the He’d just backstopped his team to another victory, its fifth to start the Oilers trailed early. season. (Just like everyone predicted, right?) There was a reason for joy, but it was the way the feat was accomplished that had Smith giddy. “One goal is nothing,” Smith said. “Guys are starting to figure that out. We can’t get down on ourselves. We can’t start hanging our heads in The Oilers set an NHL record by starting a season 5-0 while trailing at here. We have to get better and figure out a way to get one. Once we get some point in every game. one, we figure out how to build on that.” “Cool,” Smith exclaimed when told about the mark the Oilers set with a 4- 3. Penalty, new rule bring caution 1 win over the Rangers. The Oilers appeared to tie the score 34 seconds into the second period “It just shows the kind of guys we have in here. We’re not getting rattled. when a shot ricocheted off Zack Kassian’s shin pad while he was causing … We’re finding ways to win different ways.” havoc in front. Too much havoc, evidently. Some comebacks have been more noteworthy than others. Referee Francois St. Laurent immediately waved off the goal and The Oilers trailed in the third period against Vancouver, Los Angeles and penalized Kassian for interfering with Lundqvist. New Jersey. Victories over the Islanders and Rangers came after a first- Tippett didn’t agree with the penalty call. If anything, he felt like the goal period goal against was quickly rectified. could have been disallowed due to incidental contact. Issuing a minor “We got scored on early and there was a lot of time left in the game to was severe, he felt. And to challenge the goal call was too risky. come back,” coach Dave Tippett said of Saturday’s game. Under new rules implemented this season, an unsuccessful challenge on It’s probably not a method the Oilers are going to want to continue trying goaltender interference results in a minor penalty. With Kassian already to replicate. Playing from behind game after game eventually won’t yield called, there was a possibility the Oilers could have faced another five- positive results. on-three disadvantage — this time for the full two minutes — while already trailing 1-0. Even if the start wasn’t ideal, the Oilers got better as the game went on and extended their perfect record. “There’s some merit to challenging it, but not when they’ve called a penalty on us already,” Tippett said. “You can say what you want, but the points are in the bank,” Smith said. “You can’t take them back from us. We’re just finding ways to get it done 4. Managing the game in different ways. It’s good for our confidence. It’s good for the belief of The Oilers trailed 1-0 after one. They didn’t let that deficit snowball out of this team.” control, nor did they get discouraged when Kassian’s goal was wiped off Starting with Smith, here are five things that helped the Oilers get to 5-0: the board.

1. Smith stays steady under an early siege Sure, Klefbom tied the score with a seeing-eye wrister from the point off a Nugent-Hopkins faceoff win, but the Oilers weren’t exactly pressing for The first period featured the Oilers dominating the shot attempts at five- the equalizer. They held the Rangers in check defensively and waited on-five, holding a 21-6 advantage. But penalty troubles put them in major until things swung in their favour. hot water. That wouldn’t have been the case last season. The Oilers had to ward off a 39-second two-man disadvantage after a James Neal hooking call and a Kris Russell high-sticking infraction. The “We were talking about that Jersey game, especially. We usually found a Rangers whipped the puck around the zone with Leon Draisaitl, Oscar way to lose that game by two or there, just because we open it up,” Klefbom and Darnell Nurse left to defend. McDavid said.

But it was Smith who kept the Oilers in the game in the first period. He The narrative this season, at least within the dressing room, is much made three saves on those two Rangers power plays and was saved more pleasant. twice by the goalpost. Seven of New York’s 21 shots on net came in the “Everyone was always kind of waiting for the bad stuff to happen for our first period, and not many were of the garden variety. group. It’s nice to be able to put a couple of wins together,” McDavid “He made a couple of really good saves, especially early in the game,” said. Tippett said. “If you give up a five-on-three and let the other team get a Better still, the Oilers did an excellent job of blunting the New York attack bunch of momentum, that can work against you. Smitty and the penalty late in the game. killers did a heck of a job.” “Once we got the third goal, we didn’t give them much at all,” Tippett Only Kaapo Kakko’s first NHL goal beat Smith in tight. The Rangers led said. “Guys are recognizing what we have to do to win. 1-0 after one, but the score could have been much more lopsided. “Just because you’re up 3-1 doesn’t mean you have to make it 5-1. You “One thing I’ve figured out quickly with this team — especially with some make sure the 3-1 stays in place. It’s about winning games. The two of the talented players that we have — is that there’s more incentive to points are more important than how many goals you score.” keep the game close,” Smith said. “You have guys on this team that can change the game in the blink of an eye. I think we all know who those 5. Lineup changes lead to new centre guys are.” Markus Granlund wasn’t a major factor in the outcome, but he might 2. Stars shine in the third have played his best game for the Oilers – and he did so while playing a new position. Tippett tinkered with his lineup before the game, inserting Josh Archibald and Alex Chiasson off sick bay and into depth right-wing roles. Archibald had to be activated off injured reserve, which forced the Oilers to waive centre Colby Cave. He’ll head to Bakersfield if he’s not claimed.

To make room for Archibald and Chiasson, out came winger Patrick Russell and centre Gaetan Haas. Taking out Haas meant Tippett had to find another centre to fill the spot.

He turned to Granlund on the advice of assistant Glen Gulutzan, who used the Finnish forward a bit at centre when he coached the Canucks.

“I’m trying to find ways to get him more and more engaged in the game,” Tippett said. “He’s a smart player, he reads situations really well. It worked out well.”

Granlund worked with Draisaitl to help the Oilers kill off the last two penalties — the Kassian call and a McDavid trip in the third. The Oilers also out-attempted the Rangers 6-5 at five-on-five when he was on the ice. Not a single Oiler had a negative Corsi For percentage in the game.

“We have lots of depth, and the third and fourth lines did a great job to change momentum for us,” McDavid said. “Lots of grinding down there.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156828 Florida Panthers “Bob made some huge saves for us,” Quenneville said, “and we had some good looks ourselves. There was a lot more quality in that game than the score indicated.”

Panthers continuing to evaluate forward lines early in season to find right Miami Herald LOADED: 10.13.2019 pairings

BY JORDAN MCPHERSON

OCTOBER 12, 2019 11:18 AM

The Florida Panthers’ forward lines were spinning Friday night in Buffalo.

After going down two goals early in the third period against the unbeaten Sabres, coach Joel Quenneville opted to play three lines down the stretch instead of four — and he mixed and matched with his top nine forwards in the process.

It worked, as the Panthers overcame that deficit with goals from Evgenii Dadonov with 13:45 left in regulation and Mike Hoffman with about 10 second left to force overtime in their eventual 3-2 shootout loss to begin a three-game road trip.

Quenneville has been playing with his four forward lines early this season, trying to find ways to maximize his 12 players each night.

Changes very well could come up again on Saturday when the Panthers play the New York Islanders for the second game of this three-game road trip.

Take Dadonov as the prime example. Last year, Dadonov was a mainstay at right wing in the Panthers’ ever-dominant top line that also included Jonathan Huberdeau at left wing and Aleksander Barkov at center. The trio combined for 103 of the Panthers’ 274 goals last year (37.6 percent) and had noted chemistry coming into this year.

But after Dadonov struggled early in the season, Quenneville inserted red-hot Mike Hoffman to the top line midway through Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes and moved Dadonov down to the second line.

Dadonov then started Friday’s game as the third line’s left wing, working with Denis Malgin and Jayce Hawryluk. Hoffman held onto that top-line spot while Frank Vatrano moved up to the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Brett Connolly.

And then, late in the third period with Quenneville mixing things up once more, Dadonov was paired up with Huberdeau and Malgin when he scored his goal at the midway point of the third period.

He took a pass from Huberdeau near center ice raced toward the net and flicked a shot past goaltender Linus Ullmark with defenseman Marco Scandella right behind him.

Dadonov has now scored twice since being taken off the top line. He had a power-play goal late in Tuesday’s loss to the Hurricanes.

Quenneville kept that grouping together for a few more shifts after the goal.

“Sometimes, that’s how you discover things,” Quenneville said.

By game’s end, though, the top two lines were back to their original forms: Huberdeau-Barkov-Dadonov on the top line, Hoffman-Trocheck- Connolly on the second line

Barkov and Dadonov were the first forwards on the ice in the five-minute three-on-three overtime period.

The Sabres came crashing in against Panthers goaltender Sergei during the final minute of overtime, trying desperately to end the game before the winner-take-all shootout.

But even without his stick in hand at one point, Bobrovsky kept the Sabres off the board over that final stretch.

Bobrovsky, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner, saved two shots in the final 50 seconds and saw two more attempts hit the goal post and the crossbar.

Overall, the 31-year-old goaltender finished with 30 saves on 32 shots- on-goal, including four in overtime and all 13 shots he faced in the opening period. 1156829 Florida Panthers

Panthers get another third-period road rally, lose second SO in 24 hours

By SCOTT CHARLES

ASSOCIATED PRESS |

OCT 12, 2019 | 10:17 PM

Brock Nelson scored in the shootout and the New York Islanders beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 Saturday night to snap a two-game skid.

Anders Lee and Josh Bailey scored in regulation for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov, signed to a four-year, $20 million deal in the offseason, stopped 35 shots through overtime and all three Florida attempts in the tiebreaker to pick up his first win with New York.

Evgenii Dadonov had a goal and an assist, Denis Malgin also scored, and Sam Montembeault stopped 26 shots through overtime in his firs start of the season for Florida. The Panthers lost in a shootout for the second straight game to fall to 1-2-2 through five games.

Dadonov tied the score at 2-2 when his wrist shot beat Varlamov with 6:02 left in the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau entered the offensive zone with possession of the puck and crisscrossed with Dadonov to throw off the Islanders' defense.

Florida opened the scoring at 5:34 of the first period when Malgin hammered a one-timer off a pass from Dadonov for his first of the season.

Lee tied it when he recorded his second goal of the season at 5:40 of the second. Lee sent a slap shot from the high slot after Mathew Barzal masterfully manipulated the Panthers' defense behind the net and found an opening to deliver a pass to the Islanders' captain.

Bailey gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead with 2:29 left in the middle period when he finished a cross-ice pass from Jordan Eberle, firing a wrist shot past Montembeault's glove.

The Panthers outshot the Islanders 12-9 in the first 20 minutes but failed to capitalize on the power play, squandering three opportunities.

NOTES: The Islanders celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1979-80 championship season and welcomed back alumni from throughout the franchise’s history. Clark Gillies, Bobby Nystrom, Denis Potvin, John Tonelli, Bryan Trottier were all in attendance along with several others. ... F Ross Johnston made his season debut for New York, and dropped gloves with Panthers D Josh Brown in the third period. ... Florida’s Keith Yandle, the NHL’s current “Iron Man” streak holder, played in his 802nd consecutive game. ... Panthers scratched F Henrik Borgrstrom and D Mark Pysyk. ... Montembeault, a third-round pick from the 2015 NHL draft, is expected to contribute despite the team signing Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70 million contract this summer to solve the team’s goaltending woes.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156830 Los Angeles Kings The Kings responded by collecting six of the final seven shots. In the closing minutes, Iafallo hit the post, a redirection from Brown at the top of the crease was denied, and Kopitar had a shot saved. Finally, Iafallo delivered the dagger. Alex Iafallo’s late goal lifts Kings to home-opening win over Predators “We had a tough stretch the first 10 minutes of the third, but then we had a lot of grade-A scoring chances before we got the goal that put us ahead,” Brown said. “I think it’s encouraging we’re not down in the dumps By JACK HARRISSTAFF WRITER after blowing a three-goal lead at home.” OCT. 12, 2019 8 PM Asked whether the wins over the Flames and Predators, both division winners a season ago, is a sign the Kings could become a surprise competitor in the league, Brown smirked. After all the Kings’ losses last Todd McLellan called a timeout and tried to calm his team. For the year, he didn’t want to get ahead of himself. So far this season, both their second time in a week, the Kings let a three-goal lead slip away. A once- wins have come the hard way. celebratory Staples Center crowd had been silenced, leaving only a nervous murmur to sweep through the stands. From behind the bench, “We’re going to compete either way,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to be McLellan posed his players a question. done in learning how to win again.”

“We talked about the identity,” McLellan said after the game. “What do LA Times: LOADED: 10.13.2019 we want to be?”

With 59 seconds left in regulation, they answered.

After several minutes of sustained pressure, the Kings finally broke the tie in the final minute. Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros saved a wide-angle shot from Kings winger Dustin Brown but let the rebound roll off his pad. Crashing the net near the back post, fellow winger Alex Iafallo buried the loose puck for the game-winning goal.

After winning only 17 times on home ice last year, the Kings added two empty-netters to claim their home opener this season 7-4. By the final horn, the party inside their cavernous venue was back on.

“The guys played well enough to win, we just gave it back,” McLellan said. “My satisfaction is to see them happy, playing the music [in the locker room postgame], and understanding who we can become.”

During the first 40 minutes, the chorus of Kings cheers hardly halted.

Before puck drop, fans hollered for faces old (including Brown, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Jonathan Quick) and new (namely, McLellan) as they were introduced on the video board. They joyously responded again and again thereafter, coming to life as the Kings rallied after an early Predators goal by scoring four of their own.

“We played on our toes, we played well within our system, we won faceoffs, we had good possession,” McLellan said of the Kings’ start. “Then, we were able to roll four lines.”

Following a six-goal loss Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks, McLellan mixed up his bottom three lines Saturday. It paid immediate dividends. Less than four minutes after Mikael Granlund opened the scoring for the Predators, Kings center Michael Amadio — who was bumped up from the fourth to third line — collected a shot in front of the Nashville net and stickhandled around Saros to even the score.

Later in the first, Brown weaved through the neutral zone before sliding a backhand pass to Kopitar, who snapped a one-timer from the right-wing faceoff dot that beat Saros upstairs.

Early in the second period, Kyle Clifford deflected a point shot from defenseman Joakim Ryan to make it 3-1. Minutes before the second intermission, Amadio gobbled up a Predators turnover in the offensive zone and sent a saucer pass toward the back post for linemate Ilya Kovalchuk to bury.

But just like on Tuesday night in Calgary, when the Kings squandered a three-goal lead before finally defeating the Flames in overtime, they sat back in the third period again Saturday. Barely a minute into the frame, Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson trimmed the Kings’ lead to two. Matt Duchene banked a puck off Doughty and into the net for a power-play tally just past the period’s halfway point. Colton Sissons tipped a shot past Kings goalie Jack Campbell — who made 28 saves — 34 seconds later that tied the score.

That’s when McLellan, in his first home game with the Kings, called a timeout and issued his challenge.

“We talked about reestablishing a forecheck, getting aggressive,” McLellan said. “If we make mistakes, we’ll live with them. But let’s get going again, the way we can play, the way we want to play.” 1156831 Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are covering up Taylor Swift’s ‘eyesore’ of a banner

By ARASH MARKAZICOLUMNIST

OCT. 12, 2019 5:27 PM

Taylor Swift’s banner at Staples Center isn’t coming down but it will no longer be seen during Kings home games.

Before their home opener against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, the Kings covered Swift’s “most sold out performances” banner and will continue to do so.

Staples Center president Lee Zeidman said there are no plans to remove the banner and the decision to cover it during Kings games was made solely by the team.

The banner, which was raised Aug. 21, 2015, after her record 16th sold- out concert at Staples Center, has been an eyesore for many Kings fans. They don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Kings have failed to win a playoff series since the banner went up. The Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 as well as advanced to the conference finals in 2013. They finished with the worst record in the Western Conference and second worst in the league last season.

“The connection to our fans is our highest priority and through our engagement they have made it clear that the banner shouldn’t be part of their Kings game experience,” said Michael Altieri, senior vice president of marketing, communications and content for the Kings and AEG Sports. “We didn’t see an issue in covering it for our games and in fact see it as an opportunity to show our fans that we hear them.”

The Clippers already cover Swift’s banner, along with the Lakers’ and Sparks’ championship banners and retired jerseys, during their home games. They have hung oversized portraits of their players in that area of the arena since 2013. The Lakers currently have no plans to cover the banner, which was presented to Swift by Kobe Bryant, but they would have just as much reason as the Kings in trying to reverse the banner’s possible curse. The Lakers haven’t won a playoff series in seven years and have the worst winning percentage in the league over the past six seasons.

Swift has not performed a concert at Staples Center since her banner was raised but will be opening SoFi Stadium, the new $5-billion home of the Rams and Chargers in Inglewood, on July 25-26, 2020.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156832 Los Angeles Kings the Predators off-guard, kept Nashville’s defensemen from jumping into the offense, allowed the Kings to control line changes and also limited the ability of Saros to handle the puck with well-placed dump-ins to the offensive zone. Kings rally back to hold off Predators in dramatic home opener McLellan also praised his club’s resilience, rebounding from a blown lead.

By ANDREW KNOLL | “The guys played well enough to win, they just gave it back,” McLellan said. “My satisfaction is to see them happy, playing the music and PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 6:06 pm | UPDATED: October 12, beginning to understand who we can become.” 2019 at 8:56 PM Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.13.2019

LOS ANGELES >> The Kings have made a habit of squandering leads, but Saturday afternoon at Staples Center that instability only added to the excitement of their dramatic 7-4 triumph over the Nashville Predators.

They built a 4-1 advantage and out-shot the Predators 29-12 through 40 minutes, only to fall into a tie during a 10-minute stretch of the third period.Three of their first four games had seen the Kings ahead late. They led Edmonton 5-4 in the third period only to fall 6-5, and held a 3-0 lead over Calgary, who drew even in the final minute before the Kings finished the job in overtime.

“You definitely don’t want to keep testing yourself, but the team played great with a little adversity in the third,” Goalie Jack Campbell said. “To get to that next level, you’ve got to make sure you shut the door.”

Forwards Michael Amadio, Kyle Clifford, Anze Kopitar, Ilya Kovalchuk and Alex Iafallo scored goals for the Kings. Winger Dustin Brown, who dished out two assists, and defenseman Drew Doughty added empty-net goals. Kevin Walker added two assists; the young defenseman has four points in as many games. Between the pipes, it was a battle of backups with Jack Campbell stymieing 28 of 32 shots he faced while Nashville’s Jusse Saros made 31 of 37 saves.

Iafallo popped in the winner as a long shot from the left boards by Brown flummoxed Saros, leading to a rebound that Iafallo found at the front of the net.

The Predators tied the game at four with 8:30 remaining when left wing Colton Sissons tapped home a rebound, forcing the Kings to use their timeout in the midst of a 3-0 run by the visiting Preds.

“We talked about identity, ‘what do we want to be?’” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “I think that when you’re in the batter’s box, you should be swinging … we weren’t even thinking of that in the first 10 or 15 minutes of that period.”

Center Matt Duchene reduced the Kings’ advantage to one with a power play goal when he banked defenseman Ryan Ellis’s rebound off of Doughty’s skate and into the net.

Right wing Viktor Arvidsson tallied for Nashville 77 seconds into the third period off a broken play where his shot from the side of the net crossed the goalline as he fell to the ice, cutting the L.A. lead to 4-2.

Amadio forced a turnover and slid the puck across the goal crease to Kovalchuk for a one-timer that cushioned the Kings lead at 4-1.

“We didn’t really have the energy to fight back when they were in our zone,” Saros said.

Defenseman Joakim Ryan, playing in his first game as a King, fired a shot on net that was deflected in by left winger Kyle Clifford to extend the Kings’ edge to 3-1.

The Kings played an aggressive first period, controlling possession and pace to the tune of a 13-4 advantage in shots on goal. A failed poke check by Roman Josi allowed Brown to flick the puck to Kopitar. Kopitar’s one-timer gave the Kings a 2-1 edge and extended his point streak to four games. Amadio had scored off a rebound to draw the Kings even at 1-1.

Mikael Granlund opened the scoring for Nashville on its first shot, a short-side, sharp-angle laser that got behind an off-angle Campbell and darted into the top corner of the net.

“The first period was like our first period in Calgary. That’s given us a lot of opportunity to work on playing with the lead, which we need more work on,” Brown said.

McLellan was among many who lauded the Kings’ forecheck and said it had a domino effect. It created possession time, turnovers that caught 1156833 Los Angeles Kings

FINAL – TUCSON 8, ONTARIO 2

ZACH DOOLEYOCTOBER 12, 2019

ONTARIO REIGNPOSTGAME NOTESPOSTGAME QUOTES

The Ontario Reign suffered their first regulation defeat of the season, in lopsided fashion, as they fell 8-2 against the Tucson Roadrunners on Saturday evening, to close out the weekend on home ice.

Defensemen Mikey Anderson and Kale Clague scored for Ontario, while forward Sheldon Rempal collected a pair of assists in defeat. For Anderson, the first-year defenseman extended his scoring streak to four games with the power-play goal in the third period. Anderson leads all rookie defensemen with four points through the first two weekends of the season, and earned praise from his head coach, despite the lopsided result.

There’s no sugar-coating it – It wasn’t pretty for the Reign tonight, who were second best in all aspects of the game against the visiting Roadrunners. Ontario racked up 79 minutes in penalties, 71 of which in the third period, as things got chippy and then ugly down the stretch, with five Ontario players finishing the evening in double figures for PIM’s.

The Reign have a long week of practice to regroup in advance of their only game of the week, a Saturday afternoon matinee against the San Jose Barracuda, on the road. There’s a lot of high-character guys in that Reign locker room, and there’s plenty of time to right the ship.

Mike Stothers on generating more energy and chances on the second half of a back-to-back

Well, I placed a call to Dave Andrews and Mike Murray with the league and told them it’s not fair that they scheduled a back-to-back game for the Reign. I mean, after all, we are playing 68 grueling games a year, the rest of the teams are playing 76, the rest of the teams play three-in-three. But it’s not fair to the Reign to play back-to-back. Especially with the travel we had. Oh that’s right, they were both home games.

On what he can take away from that kind of game

We’ve got a lot of work to do. A lot. You need more than just skill. You need a pair, play with some grit. It still is a contract sport. When did we score our goals? After we started picking up the physicality.

On what he was looking for after last night’s game

It certainly wasn’t that.

On Mikey Anderson’s play

It would be pretty easy to single him out tonight, because he was probably the only guy that was any good, but he’s consistently up there every game and he hates to lose. You’ve got a pretty competitive athlete there, and he doesn’t shy away from anything. He’s a skill guy, but he plays hard, blocks shots, does what he can. Does whatever he can to help the team win, he’s a winner.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156834 Los Angeles Kings All of those. More importantly, they get a lot of offense from the blue line – jumping into the rush, leading the rush, creating off the shot as we saw in the third period. When you’re forechecking the way you are, they don’t have the energy or the will to get up-ice all the time and it keeps them OCTOBER 12 RAPID REACTION: KINGS 7, PREDATORS 4 from being effective. We needed to do that, and we did for 45 minutes of the night. It’s the other 15 that got away on us.

McLellan, on what Sean Walker has done to take advantage of his JON ROSENOCTOBER 12, 2019 opportunity:

He can skate. Today’s game, it’s one thing to be able to do the job, but Postgame Quotes you’ve got to get there to do it, and Walks can get there. And then when he gets there, he’s been getting the job done. There are other D-men on Todd McLellan, on the team’s heavy push through the first 40 minutes: our team or in the league that have a little bit of trouble getting there sometimes, so the job’s that much harder. But Walks gets there. He’s Well, it’s cliché time, but we played on our toes and we played well within getting rewarded offensively and defensively. our system. We won faceoffs, we had pretty good possession right there, and then we were able roll four lines. A lot of the times we stayed ahead McLellan, on earning a win in his first home opener as Kings coach: of them in line changes and we were fresh. So, we played towards the identity we’re trying to develop. I thought in the third we reverted back to Personally, I’m happy for the group. I thought it we had left tonight something we don’t want to be, and that’s being really passive and without a point or even losing that game, it would’ve been a maintenance standoffish. There were a number of times where we were in a standoff day as far as digging in again tomorrow and massaging minds and the type of forecheck, and that’s not the type of team we want to be. mental part of it because the guys played well enough to win. We just gave it back. My satisfaction is to see them happy, playing the music and McLellan, on using Predators video clips to teach the Kings and instill beginning to understand who we can become. You see it in flashes, so systems during training camp: that’s what we’re working towards.

Nashville’s been an aggressive team for a long time. They’ve been very McLellan, on the top line off putting the game away and the importance successful with the type of game they play. ‘R and D’ is ‘rob and do’ for of getting off to good starts: us, and we’re looking at what successful teams do, how we can implement it. We use some of their clips for some teaching, but we’re It’s your top line. I think you kind of answered the question with the trying to develop our own style, and right now we’re six, seven exhibition question. It’s your top line. They’ve got to give you nights like that and games, four or five into the regular season, we have enough video now they’ve got to score big goals. They played important minutes against big where we can concentrate on our group. They can see themselves doing players, and that’s what your top line does. There are going to be other it right, and sometimes they can see themselves not having success nights where they need somebody pulling the rope for them, and that’s because they’re wandering off doing things they shouldn’t be doing, and where everybody else comes in to play. I thought today we had a four- it’s a great contrast, a great teaching tool. line game. I really did.

McLellan, on the message when Nashville had tied the game at four: Dustin Brown, on whether the team can consistently “compete” over an 82-game season: We were calm. We wanted them to breathe a little bit. We talked about the identity. What do we want to be? I think when you’re in the batter’s I think – it’s not just ‘I think.’ We’re going to compete away. I think there’s box you should be swinging. If there’s a pitch that’s close, swing at it, and a lot of work to be done in learning how to win again, and what I mean by we weren’t even thinking about that in the first 10 or 15 minutes of that that is for whatever reason we’ve kind of sat back on our leads, even in period. We talked about reestablishing a forecheck, getting aggressive, if preseason. Maybe it’s just a quirk of our team that we have to figure out we make mistakes, we’ll live with them, but let’s get going again the way and address, but I think if we can start the way we did tonight, which is we can play and the way we want to play. [Reporter: When you say maybe something that you guys aren’t used to us starting that way – ‘standoff’ and ‘passive,’ where do you see that? Is it just in them getting we’ve kind of been a slower starting team. It puts the team on their heels rid of the puck too quickly getting through the neutral zone?] Let me and can build a pad, and we’ve got to learn how to protect a lead – it’s explain it this way: I don’t think once we ever stood off and let them actually not even about ‘protect a lead.’ It’s about going after it when we manage their breakout from behind their net in the first two periods. In have the lead still. I think we maybe took our foot off the gas, and then the third, there were probably five or six times in a row where we’re our forecheck doesn’t work and our neutral zone doesn’t work and then standing off, they’re getting what they want, they get fresh players on the we’re playing D-zone. ice, they get to play long, we didn’t make it difficult on them. That is not Brown, on whether the time out was used as a strategic tool or to calm what we want to be. We want to be what we saw for the first two periods. players down: We’re accomplishing things as a team. We’re starting to develop our identity. We slipped back a little bit every now and then. That’s why Probably to calm the guys down. They scored two quick ones to tie the there’s so much inconsistency in our game. Once we get it and game. Settled the guys and realized we still have five minutes to win a everybody buys in for a full 60, we’ll be fine. game. Now we have to get another one. Regroup after a couple breakdowns. McLellan, on the impetus to move the lines around: Joakim Ryan, on setting up Kyle Clifford’s goal: We thought that Kopi’s line gave us a pretty good rate of offense and defense for the first three games. In fact, Cliffy, Lewis and [Amadio], they We kind of worked the puck from low-to-high there, and once I got it, I were playing really well too, but we needed to distribute players from the saw I kind of had some time and space, so just try to drag it to the middle Kempe line. I didn’t think they were really effective and they were getting and get it towards the net, and Cliffy had a great tip on it and obviously it scored on a lot. So, we had to dismantle lines. I liked what we saw went in. tonight. Can they maintain it? Can they keep it going? I sure hope so. Ryan, on the team’s immediate response to surrendering the lead: McLellan, on whether Michael Amadio can step into a second-line center role: Todd kind of just said ‘settle down.’ He wanted us to keep playing our game, not stray for it. They got a goal on the power play there, kind of a Depends what night and who we’re playing. I think Michael’s a tough bounce. Obviously like you said, they’re a good team so they’re tremendous player. I didn’t realize how talented and how bright a player going to push back, too. But he just said not to get away from our game he is. He’s got a very good hockey mind, he’s got a little bit of – don’t and keep doing what had made us successful for the first two periods. I take this and don’t put the pressure on Mods – but a little bit like think after that it kind of settled us down a little bit and we got back to it. Pavelski. He’s not the quickest guy, but he’s pretty smart and he moves around the rink well. For him, I’d like to see how he responds tomorrow Ryan, on the consistent push for the first 40 minutes: because sometimes in the back-to-back games it slows him down a little Yeah, obviously the first two periods I thought we played very solid bit. But I think we ca get him there. hockey. We were executing our systems the way we wanted to, and I McLellan, on the forecheck as a “domino effect” generating possession think, what did they have after two periods, like, 12, 13 shots? So, when and line change advantages: you’re holding a team to 13 shots, you’re going to be successful most nights. It was just about sticking about the way we’ve played the whole game, and obviously it maybe got away a little bit there when they had that push back, but for the most part I thought we executed our game plan.

Sean Walker, on his quick-up to set the game-winning goal in motion:

They were changing, and I know Marty was going back to the blue line, so I got a quick up to him and he made a great play at the blue line to Brownie, and he put it to the net and obviously finished it.

Walker, on the team’s early offensive success:

I think when we get hemmed in, everybody’s kind of buzzing right now. Everybody’s putting pucks to the net, and on top of that, we’re getting the puck back and we’re getting secondary chances and stuff. I think if we can keep going that way, we’re going to keep scoring a lot of goals.

Walker, on what to apply structurally for the remainder of the home stand:

I think you saw they weren’t really getting many chances. I think it was kind of the same thing with the Calgary game. We kind of had our lapse in judgement there with a couple plays and the ended up putting it to us a bit there, but I think if we stick to our structure like we did the first two periods, then they’re not going to have too many chances and if we carry that onto the rest of the games, we should be OK.

Walker, on his wide on-ice shots-for and shots-against discrepancy:

I think I’ve been fortunate to be out there for some really good shifts we put together. I know I had the mindset we’re putting pucks to the net – that’s what Todd’s preaching – so everybody’s buying in on that and getting pucks to the net and I think it’s working pretty well.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156835 Los Angeles Kings

GAME 4: LOS ANGELES VS NASHVILLE

JON ROSENOCTOBER 12, 2019

GAME THREADS

Los Angeles Kings 7, Nashville Predators 4

Final

Preview

Box Score

Ice Tracker

Fox Sports Live Stream (requires subscription)

SOG: LAK – 38; NSH – 32

PP: LAK – 0/2; NSH – 1/4

First Period

1) NSH – Mikael Granlund (2) (Ryan Ellis, Filip Forsberg), 4:55

2) LAK – Michael Amadio (2) (Sean Walker, Trevor Lewis), 8:47

3) LAK – Anze Kopitar (2) (Dustin Brown, Sean Walker), 11:14

Second Period

4) LAK – Kyle Clifford (1) (Joakim Ryan), 6:53

5) LAK – Ilya Kovalchuk (2) (Michael Amadio), 18:12

Third Period

6) NSH – Viktor Arvidsson (3) (Ryan Johansen), 1:17

7) NSH PPG – Matt Duchene (2) (Roman Josi), 1 0:56

8) NSH – Colton Sissons (1) (Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm), 11:30

9) LAK – Alex Iafallo (1) (Dustin Brown, Alec Martinez), 19:01

10) LAK ENG – Dustin Brown (2) (unassisted), 19:24

11) LAK ENG – Drew Doughty (3) (unassisted), 19:31

Los Angeles Kings (1-2-0) at Nashville Predators (3-1-0)

Saturday, October 5, 2019, 3:00 p.m. PT

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Referees: #36 Dean Morton, #14 Trevor Hanson

Linesmen: #84 Tony Sericolo, #63 Trent Knorr

Fox Sports West, FOX Sports GO, LA Kings Audio Network

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

LAK scratches: D Tobias Bjornfot, F Carl Grundstrom, D Kurtis MacDermid

NSH starters: G Juuse Saros, D Roman Josi, D Ryan Ellis, LW Filip Forsberg, C Matt Duchene, RW Mikael Granlund,

NSH scratches: F Rocco Grimaldi, D Matt Irwin

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156836 Los Angeles Kings two games, but the team added a key piece in defenseman Kyle Capobianco, who was assigned by the Coyotes in advance of tonight’s game.

PREVIEW – ONTARIO VS. TUCSON, 10/12 LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.13.2019

ZACH DOOLEYOCTOBER 12, 2019

WHO: Ontario Reign (2-0-1-0) vs. Tucson Roadrunners (1-1-0-0)

WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME

WHEN: Saturday, October 12, 2019 – 6:00 PM

WHERE: Toyota Arena – Ontario, CA

HOW TO FOLLOW: Video: AHLTV – AUDIO – Ontario Reign Radio Network – TWITTER: @ontarioreign & @reigninsider

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign conclude their back-to-back set this weekend as they host the Tucson Roadrunners for the first time this season. The Reign enter tonight’s action off of last night’s 4-3 overtime defeat against Colorado, their first loss of the season.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: A small group skated this morning for Ontario. Forwards Drake Rymsha, Jacob Doty and Brad Morrison were on late for extra work, which still leaves one roster spot up for grabs tonight. Markups Phillips was on the ice, as were Johan Sodergran and Boko Imama, but none stayed on late. Expect Cal Petersen to go again tonight for Ontario, with Villalta on the ice this morning and Petersen not skating.

LIKE MIKEY: Ontario forward Mikey Eyssimont collected his first points of the season last night with a multi-point effort (1-1-2). Eyssimont scored his first of the season in the third period, whacking home his own rebound after a wraparound attempt. The multi-point game was the fifth of Eyssimont’s professional career, after he scored two points four times during the 2018-19 season.

ALSO LIKE MIKEY: Reign defenseman Mikey Anderson scored the first goal of his professional career last night, with his second period tally putting Ontario on top for the first time. Anderson has collected a point in each of the Reign’s first three games this season and leads all Ontario buleliners with three points (1-2-3). The Minnesota Duluth product leads all rookie defensemen in the AHL in points through three games, and is tied for second overall among first-year skaters.

THREE LETTERS, THREE GOALS: Ontario forward Martin Frk continued his hot start to the season, as he found the back of the net for the third time in three games. Frk joins Anderson as the only Ontario player with a point in all three games and is now tied with Mario Kempe for the team lead with three tallies. Across the AHL, the Reign pair are tied for second in goals scored, two of seven players with three-or-more goals.

FIVE FOR FIGHTING: Reign forward Rasmus Kupari found his way onto the scoresheet for the third straight game, but not in the way you might think. Kupari received his first AHL fighting major in the third period, standing up for himself after a few unnecessary whacks, following his own skill play. Kupari now has the season-long “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” with a goal in Game 1, an assist in Game 2 and now a fight in Game 3.

FAMILIAR WITH THE FOE: Ontario forward Mario Kempe spent a chunk of the previous two seasons as a member of tonight’s opponent, the Tucson Roadrunners. Kempe appeared in 57 games with the Roadrunners from 2017 – 2019 and amassed 48 points (23-25-48) in his time there. Kempe also appeared in 70 games with Tucson’s NHL affiliate, the Arizona Coyotes, and tallied a total of 13 points (6-7-13).

INJURY UPDATES: The Reign will again be without defenseman Sean Durzi, who misses this weekend’s action with an upper-body injury, suffered on Opening Night against San Jose. The Reign will also miss defenseman Daniel Brickley, who is out tonight with an upper-body injury. Forward Drake Rymsha also remains sidelined with an injury suffered in preseason, though he has resumed skating.

SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS: Tucson earned a split during its opening weekend, with a 2-0 win in Texas on Opening Night, followed by a 5-2 loss to San Antonio two days later. The Roadrunners got a shutout from rehabbing goaltender Antti Raanta, who made 19-saves in the win. No Tucson played has collected multiple points on the season through 1156837 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Pittsburgh game recap

SARAH MCLELLAN

OCTOBER 13, 2019 — 12:51AM

GAME RECAP

Three stars

1. Sidney Crosby, Penguins: The captain scored a goal and set up another.

2. Adam Johnson, Penguins: The Hibbing native tallied his first NHL goal and had an assist.

3. Patric Hornqvist, Penguins: The winger finished with two points, including a goal.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 Power-play goals by the Penguins in four tries.

3 Points for defenseman Jared Spurgeon.

5 Goals against Devan Dubnyk before he was pulled.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156838 Minnesota Wild

Defensive woes exposed in Wild's home-opening loss to Penguins

By Sarah McLellan OCTOBER 13, 2019 — 12:11AM

Amid a franchise-worst start for the Wild, a significant portion of the blame has been placed on a familiar problem: its lack of scoring prowess.

In its first three losses, the team was averaging just two goals a game – a tepid push that helps explain why it has yet to corral a win.

But after its latest slip, another trouble spot came into focus and it’s one that’s been lingering all along.

And that’s the miscues in its own end, a disconnect with the defense that was exposed in a 7-4 drubbing by the Penguins Saturday to spoil the Wild’s home opener at Xcel Energy Center.

“We work on defensive zone coverage every day,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s what I just finished saying in there. I said, ‘Look it, we’ve given up 21 goals in four games – for a team that takes a lot of pride since I’ve been here on being one of the better defensive teams for the most part.’ Today we finally got more than two goals, but goal scoring is not going to be our forte.”

What could help explain why the Wild has veered from this identity is the aforementioned goal shortage.

Because the team is struggling to produce, it’s getting caught looking for what Boudreau called “breaks” instead of working intelligently to create those opportunities.

Down 1-0, the Wild’s defensive posture was blown open by Penguins captain Sidney Crosby when he cruised in for a breakaway finish.

“This team, since I’ve been here, we’ve always [had] solid defensive- zone coverage,” defenseman Ryan Suter said. “... I think we need to fix that, obviously. I think we need to win games right now 1-0, 2-0. That’s got to be our mindset, our mentality going into the game. The goals will come if we bear down defensively and play the way we’re supposed to play in our zone. Everything else usually takes care of itself.”

Tightening up in its own end won’t be the only priority as the Wild embarks on a three-game road trip next week through Eastern Canada.

Goals against have come in succession in each of the team’s four losses, a costly trend.

Pittsburgh reclaimed control of the game Saturday when it scored three in 2 minutes, 28 seconds. Two of those came off what Boudreau described as bad rebounds from goalie Devan Dubnyk.

“It's just tough right now because one goal goes in then it seems like when a team gets two goals ahead of us, we get a little bit more negative and get down and that's something that we need to stop,” winger Marcus Foligno said.

Also, more worker-bee goals are needed.

The first Wild tally was a deflection, and defenseman Jared Spurgeon had the second by pinching in deep.

“You see the guys that are getting chances are just working,” Spurgeon said. “That's all you have to do is work and be simple and things will come. I think we hope it's going to be easier than it is, and that's not the way it works.”

The best examples of this style are Foligno and winger Ryan Hartman.

Boudreau said both were the best Wild players Saturday, and they were recognized for their efforts by being on the ice late in the game as the Wild vied to pull closer with its net empty.

“They deserved to be out there,” Boudreau said. “That’s what it’s gotta be. It’s gotta be a reward system. This theme of all in only works if everybody’s all in for the right reason. That’s what it’s gotta be or we won’t be successful.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156839 Minnesota Wild

Wild off to its slowest start

OCTOBER 12, 2019 — 11:44PM

STAFF

SLOW STARTERS

After four games, the Wild is off to its worst start in franchise history.

NHL teams without a win this season

Wild 0-4-0

Chicago 0-2-1

New Jersey 0-3-2

Goal differential

New Jersey -14

San Jose -11

Wild -11

Columbus -7

Florida -7

To open season ...

Past three Wild starts:

2019-20: No points in first four games.

2018-19: Two points in first five games.

2017-18: Two points in first five games.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156840 Minnesota Wild openers. ... The Wild honored the National Anthem singer for the Minnesota North Stars, Jim Bowers, before the game. Bowers died in the offseason and the team used a video rendition of Bowers signing the anthem on Saturday. Minnesota's new executive advisor, Mike Modano, Crosby, short-handed Penguins beat winless Wild 7-4 did the customary "Let's play hockey" call before the game. ... Murray won his 100th career regular season game, becoming the fourth

goaltender in franchise history to reach the mark. Murray is the quickest By BRIAN HALL Associated Press OCTOBER 12, 2019 — 11:45PM of the four, hitting the milestone in just his 166th career appearance. Only six goaltenders have reached the mark quicker in the post-expansion era. ... The Wild play six of their first seven and 17 of 26 games on the road this season. The nine home games in October and November are ST. PAUL, Minn. — Just four games into the season, injuries have the fewest in franchise history. decimated the top lines for the Pittsburgh Penguins as Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Galchenyuk and Bryan Rust have all missed time. UP NEXT

The Penguins still have Sidney Crosby, and a trio of callups helped pick Penguins: At Winnipeg on Sunday. up the load on Saturday. Wild: At Ottawa on Monday. Crosby had a goal and assist, Adam Johnson and Sam Lafferty each scored his first career goal, and the short-handed Penguins held on to Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 beat the winless Minnesota Wild 7-4 on Saturday night.

Patric Hornqvist, Kris Letang, Joseph Blandisi and Jake Guentzel also scored in Pittsburgh's first road game of the season. Matt Murray stopped 29 shots for the Penguins, who scored four times in the second period.

"That's the only way you win is with everyone contributing," Crosby said. "I think with those guys, just the way they skate and with how fast they are on the forecheck, and what they're able to do that way, they're going to create chances just by that. I think with every game they'll get more and more comfortable and you could see tonight, they got some huge goals for us."

Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk gave up five goals on 23 shots and was pulled midway through the second period. Alex Stalock made seven saves in relief.

Jason Zucker, Jared Spurgeon, Brad Hunt and Luke Kunin scored for the Wild, who lost their home opener and fell to 0-4-0.

"Yeah, it is frustrating right now, especially start of the season," Minnesota captain Mikko Koivu said. "I think you always want that first one, obviously, as soon as you can. Things are not going our way right now. We can be here and whine about it, but you got to go forward."

Crosby continued his success against Minnesota — increasing his total to 23 points in 18 career games against the Wild — but Pittsburgh got support throughout the lineup while playing without four key forwards.

Malkin and Bjugstad each missed his third straight game with a lower- body injury. Malkin was placed on long-term injured reserve. Rust hasn't played this season with upper-body injury and Galchenyuk missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

The four combined for 72 goals and 102 assists last season.

After breaking out for seven goals in the last game played by Malkin and Bjugstad, the Penguins had scored three goals in the previous two games. The injuries forced the callups of Johnson, Lafferty and Blandisi.

The three combined for three goals on Saturday while skating on the fourth line.

"I think these guys, they've shown that they can come in and have an impact on the game," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said, noting the fourth line defended well and sustained momentum on the forecheck. "When you can have the trust in those guys that you can put them in those situations, it can give us an opportunity to use Crosby's line for example, in an advantageous situation offensively."

Johnson started a Penguins surge later in the period as they scored three times in 2:28.

Guentzel scored on the power-play for a 6-2 lead midway through the third before Minnesota scored twice in 21 seconds on goals from Hunt and Kunin.

"I think the formula has been the same every game," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "They score three goals in 2 1/2 minutes ... It's like we get a woe is me attitude. We're down instead of picking up our shoes like we did the last five minutes and saying let's go get them. Until we learn how to quit feeling sorry for ourselves, it's not going to work."

NOTES: Minnesota fell to 14-1-4 in home openers in franchise history. They entered the game first in league history in point percentage in home 1156841 Minnesota Wild Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk couldn’t stop a top-shelf shot by defenseman Kris Letang during the Penguins’ four-goal second period. Dubnyk did not last the night at Xcel Energy Center. He was replaced by Alex Stalock in the second period. Wild drops to 0-4 after loss to Penguins in season opener Pittsburgh finished 2-for-4 with the man advantage; Hornqvist directed in a feed from Justin Schultz at 14:54 of the first period. That lead doubled 3:26 into the second when Crosby turned in the highlight of the night: a By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune OCTOBER 13, 2019 — 12:51AM rising backhander over Dubnyk on a breakaway.

Overall, the Wild has given up 21 goals — tied for the most in the NHL. In getting blitzed during its first three games on the road, each Wild loss “Every year you got to build that confidence, individually and as a team,” happened the same: the hard way. captain Mikko Koivu said. “You don’t get anything in this league. I don’t Mistakes were self-inflicted and progress was sabotaged, a hodgepodge care if it’s Game 1 or Game 82. You got to earn every single point in this compilation that came up short every time. league, and we’re not doing that right now.”

Returning home didn’t change this. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019

It only added the latest installment to the trend.

The Wild was overrun 7-4 by the Penguins on Saturday in front of an announced sellout of 19,157 at Xcel Energy Center, sinking deeper into an 0-4 funk that continues the worst start in franchise history.

This was also the first home opener the Wild dropped in regulation in franchise history after going 14-0-4.

Penguins center Zach Aston-Reese (46) celebrated a second-period goal by teammate Adam Johnson (not pictured) in a 7-4 victory over the Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday.

“We have to figure it out quick or it’s going to be a long year,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said.

Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby was dynamic, scoring a goal and assisting on another, while goaltender Matt Murray pocketed 29 saves — a familiar script for the Wild, which has been stymied by the opposition’s stars at each stage of this young season.

What was also similar was how the Wild came undone: by taking multiple steps back after finally lunging forward.

Take the second period.

Only 28 seconds after falling into a two-goal hole, the Wild cut that deficit in half on the power play when Jason Zucker deflected in a Brad Hunt shot through traffic at 3:54.

That unleased a wave of momentum for the Wild, but it was curtailed by a Jordan Greenway hooking penalty.

On the kill, Patric Hornqvist grabbed goalie Devan Dubnyk after a Dubnyk save, and that started a melee. Dubnyk punched Hornqvist repeatedly, and both players were dinged for roughing.

“I wasn’t overly upset,” Dubnyk said. “I was completely calm. He kept grabbing my mask, so that’s the way it is.”

Hornqvist received an extra two, with Adam Johnson serving the minor.

And after an abbreviated Wild power play, Johnson — who’s from Hibbing and played at Minnesota Duluth — exited the box and buried the rebound off Dubnyk’s blocker at 11:11 to reinstate Pittsburgh’s two-goal cushion and secure his first career tally.

A quick 1:47 later, Kris Letang lifted a puck top shelf to make it 4-1 before the Penguins tacked on a fifth at 13:39 when Joseph Blandisi one-timed in a pass from Johnson to cap off three Pittsburgh goals in 2:28.

Alex Stalock came on in relief after that, totaling 10 saves. Dubnyk exited with 18.

“Defending’s got to be our forte if we’re going to win,” coach Bruce Boudreau said.

The Wild retaliated on a shot by Spurgeon that trickled by Murray at 16:46, and the team finally scored more than two goals in a game when it punched in a pair in the third.

Hunt converted on a one-timer at 15:23 before winger Luke Kunin capitalized only 21 seconds later.

But the gap was still too wide, with Jake Guentzel having already scored on the power play at 10:48 and a Sam Lafferty empty-netter sliding in with 1:11 to go. 1156842 Minnesota Wild "It's not necessarily going to be him all the time," Boudreau said. "We need other guys to perform and if not, he'll be right back in."

The 23-year-old recognizes that racking up goals and being strong up Wild faces Bill Guerin's old employer in home opener and down the ice are among his expectations.

"Victor's been doing a great job, working hard and deserves a chance," Donato said. "Obviously, it's disappointing, but also I'm not going to moan By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune OCTOBER 13, 2019 — 1:14AM about it. I gotta get ready for my next opportunity because I know I want to be a guy that heavily contributes to this team and I know I can and I

think the coaches know I can, too." Bill Guerin experienced another first in his new post as Wild general Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 manager Saturday, taking in the team's inaugural home game of the regular season at Xcel Energy Center.

And it was Guerin's former employer the Pittsburgh Penguins who skated as the visitors, a matchup that once again highlighted Guerin's past as he guides the Wild into the future.

"He's a hard worker," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "He's a fun guy to be around, but he's not afraid to make decisions, and he has strong convictions on how he thinks the game should be played. So I've always admired and valued the conversations that he's been a part of [with] our coaching staff. I've got a lot of respect for his knowledge of the game."

While only a few players remain from the 2009 championship squad that Guerin was on with the Penguins — captain Sidney Crosby, center Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Kris Letang — Guerin most recently interacted with players and Sullivan as a development coach and assistant GM.

"He was huge for me," said former Hill-Murray standout Jake Guentzel. "Coming out of college, I was talking to him a lot."

And despite his impressive string of accolades — which include four Stanley Cups and induction into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame — Guerin was approachable, an asset he brings with him to the Wild.

"Billy's also been cut and bought out and had difficult times in hockey as well," said Guerin's wife, Kara. "So I feel like he can relate to everyone. He knows the pressure of being the guy that's expected to put it in the net, and he knows the disappointment of being the guy cut or bought out. There's probably not a whole lot of people that have experienced both sides of it to that degree. I absolutely think it helps you relate and have empathy and understand what players are going through."

Rask makes debut

Center Victor Rask made his season debut Saturday after being a healthy scratch for the Wild's first three games.

Winger Ryan Donato was the odd man out.

"I hope to see that he's been pretty angry sitting out three games in a row for a veteran that you traded a good player for," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We want to see him compete and for him to sort of say, 'Coach, you're never taking me out of the game ever again.' "

Rask, acquired last season from Carolina for winger Nino Niederreiter, emerged as the extra 13th forward during training camp. His time with the Wild last season was marred by injury and minimal production (two goals in 23 games).

With Rask centering the fourth line, the Wild shifted Luke Kunin to right wing — a move that gave the team another natural shot on that side of the ice.

"It's not fun sitting in the stands, but I worked hard just waiting for my opportunity," Rask said. "I just gotta take it."

Donato sits

For the first time since he was acquired from the Boston Bruins in February, Donato was a healthy scratch with the Wild.

Nick Seeler was also idle for a third consecutive game, with Carson Soucy remaining in action.

Donato's omission was a reflection of his slip down the depth chart amid a slow start to the season (no points and just five shots through three games), but Boudreau acknowledged other forwards are in the same position. 1156843 Minnesota Wild Pittsburgh is off to a 2-2 start, which has been riddled with injuries. Forwards Evgeni Malkin (lower body), Alex Galchenyuk (lower body) and Nick Bjugstad (lower body) are currently sidelined. Captain Sidney Crosby has a team-high six points, four of which are assists. The Victor Rask in, Ryan Donato out for Wild vs. Penguins Penguins are coming off a 2-1 win at home over Anaheim Thursday. Last season, they went 2-0 vs. the Wild.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.13.2019 By Sarah McLellan OCTOBER 12, 2019 — 11:44AM

The backdrop won’t be the only change for the Wild Saturday.

In its home opener against the Penguins at Xcel Energy Center after going 0-3 on the road to start the season, the Wild will insert center Victor Rask into the lineup and scratch winger Ryan Donato.

“I hope to see that [Rask’s] been pretty angry sitting out three games in a row for a veteran that you traded a good player [Nino Niederreiter] for,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We want to see him compete and for him to sort of say, ‘Coach, you’re never taking me out of the game ever again.’”

Donato’s timeout is reflective of his fall to the fourth line and a lack of production thus far. Through three games, Donato is pointless and has five shots.

“There’s gotta be a change,” Donato said. “A lot of those other guys are guys that can be moving pieces or are guys that have been playing well. I don’t think I’ve necessarily been playing my best either. That’s my personal opinion not anything they’ve said to me either.

“I know I can play a lot better and I think if there was any moving piece, I’d be the moving piece right now at this stage and I think Victor deserves a chance. At that point, it makes sense. It’s unfortunate that it comes at the home opener. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the win and I’ll be ready for my next opportunity.”

While these moves mix up the forward group, the defense will remain the same.

Carson Soucy continues to fill out the third pairing, with Nick Seeler scratched for a third consecutive game.

Last season, the Wild struggled on home ice – going 16-18-7. Better output in St. Paul will be key for the team to try to climb up the standings.

“Last year, it wasn’t good enough at home for us,” goalie Devan Dubnyk said. “This has been a place for us we’ve had lots of success, sand it’s been a big part of us making the playoffs. We’ve talked about that throughout camp, how we want to get back to this being a place we dominate. This is a good opportunity to get things started right against a tough team.”

Projected lineup:

Jordan Greenway-Eric Staal-Kevin Fiala

Jason Zucker-Mikko Koivu-Mats Zuccarello

Zach Parise-Joel Eriksson Ek-Luke Kunin

Marcus Foligno-Victor Rask-Ryan Hartman

Ryan Suter-Matt Dumba

Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon

Carson Soucy-Brad Hunt

Devan Dubnyk

Key numbers:

14-0-4: The Wild’s record in home openers.

9: Home games in October and November are the fewest in franchise history.

720: Career points for center Eric Staal vs. Eastern Conference opponents.

6: Shots for defenseman Brad Hunt Thursday vs. Winnipeg, a game- high.

5-7: Dubnyk’s career record against the Penguins.

About the Penguins: 1156844 Minnesota Wild

Wild continue worst start in franchise history with 7-4 loss to Penguins

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 10:30 pm | UPDATED: October 12, 2019 at 11:21 PM

Wild general manager Bill Guerin watched from his perch in the press box Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center, pacing back and forth between goals as his former team poured it on. He leaned up against the wall as goaltender Devan Dubnyk imploded midway through the game and finally sat back down for much of the final period.

You have to wonder if at any point Guerin started to regret his decision to leave the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer to take over a dumpster fire in the Twin Cities.

That’s what the Wild most closely resemble, now more than ever, after falling 7-4 to the Penguins to continue their worst start in franchise history.

As much as the Wild held on to the fact that they played well for prolonged stretches during the opening week of the regular season, there were no moral victories to be found on this night.

“We have to figure it out quick or it’s going to be a long season,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. “I think we hope it’s going to be easier than it is, and that’s not the way it works.”

It actually looked like the Wild might hang around after a back-and-forth first period. They competed hard and trailed the Penguins only because of a skillful deflection from winger Patric Hornqvist in front.

Heck, even when superstar Sidney Crosby increased the lead with a beautiful backhander early in the second period, the Wild battled back less than 30 seconds later with a goal from speedy winger Jason Zucker.

Then the wheels fell off during a 2 1/2-minute stretch midway through frame.

It started when winger Adam Johnson buried a cake rebound for the Penguins to restore the two-goal lead for the Penguins. It continued when defenseman Kris Letang flung a harmless, fluttering puck from the slot that had no business ending up in the back of the net. It ended when center Joseph Blandisi buried a bouncing puck near the crease to continue the rout and chase Dubnyk from the crease.

“I think the formula has been the same every game,” coach Bruce Boudreau said, referencing the brutal 2 1/2-minute stretch. “It’s like we get a woe-is-me attitude. We get down instead of picking up our shoes … and saying, ‘Let’s go get them.’ Until we learn how to quit feeling sorry for ourselves, it’s not going to work.”

It’s worth noting that the implosion from Dubnyk came a few minutes after a minor tussle with Hornqvist, and while he likely won’t admit that it rattled him, it certainly looked like it did.

With the game pretty much decided in the third period, hometown kid Jake Guentzel of Woodbury netted a goal for good measure to finalize the score and sink the Wild even deeper into oblivion.

That put the game out of reach, and while the Wild got goals from defenseman Brad Hunt and winger Luke Kunin amid a big push down the stretch, it was too little, too late.

It looks like things could get a lot worse before they get better for the Wild.

“You got to build that confidence, individually and as a team,” captain Mikko Koivu said. “You don’t get anything in this league. I don’t care if it’s Game 1 or Game 82. You got to earn every single point in this league, and we’re not doing that right now.”

You’re not in the Steel City anymore, Bill Guerin.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156845 Minnesota Wild But now, he realizes waiting probably would have been a mistake — and not just because there are only 32 jobs like the one he holds with Minnesota. As much as he, his wife, Kara, and their kids love Pittsburgh, Guerin was going to be better off running a team in another NHL city. Wild GM Bill Guerin would have waited, but he knows moving on from Penguins was best “It’s kind of like leaving home for the first time, spreading your wings a bit,” Guerin said.

He had spent more than a decade in Pittsburgh after being traded to the By Rob Rossi Oct 12, 2019 Penguins in March 2009. He was handed the Cup by Crosby three months later. He played one more season, retired, and joined the

Penguins’ hockey operations department to oversee player development. SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Bill Guerin racked up quite a few victories while At the time, Shero told Guerin he “was afraid of a former player who waiting on his first win as general manager of the Minnesota Wild. wants a business card, a paycheck and a title.”

A few weeks ago, he met famous TV chef Andrew Zimmern. On “It was the best thing he ever told me,” Guerin said. “It was, like, ‘OK, Tuesday, he attended son Liam’s speech to 300 people about ADHD, Billy, you gotta work.’” anxiety and depression. And late Thursday night, thanks to a couple of Guerin also had to disappear. giant heaters provided by the airport crew, he was on a charter plane that actually made it out of Winnipeg, just as a blizzard was beginning to He did that by immersing himself in player development with the pummel the city. Penguins, driving to and from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton — one season he spent 40 of 45 days there (though, don’t ask his wife about that stretch) Still, the Wild had lost in Winnipeg and were winless in their opening — and immersing himself with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, even after he three games of the NHL season. If Guerin was frustrated, he hid the was promoted to assistant GM when Rutherford was hired in May 2014. feeling from players, coaches and team staffers inside the Wild’s offices and practice facility Friday afternoon. GM Bill Guerin kept things loose at Minnesota’s practice facility a day before the winless Wild’s home opener. (Rob Rossi/The Athletic) As he left TRIA Rink for the cold, windy walk across a couple of streets to XCel Energy Center, Guerin nearly bumped into a long haired and If Pittsburgh is where Guerin came to finish his playing career, Wilkes- bearded man who goes by “Wolfie,” a friend of Wild owner Craig Leipold. Barre is where he started a new one, beginning on a path that eventually would make him an NHL GM. But Guerin knew he couldn’t rely on his “Gettin’ better,” Wolfie said. popularity as a player to get him there; the “Billy G” persona, which Guerin offered a polite smile. Wolfie pulled his right hand from the pocket Guerin admitted had, at times, won over and worn out teammates, of a puffy jacket and held up five fingers. He told Guerin he recently had coaches and management in a lot of his stops, wasn’t going to carry him dinner with Leopold at “Herbie’s On The Park,” a restaurant named after in this new role. the Miracle on Ice coach (and Penguins coach) Herb Brooks, and Not that “Billy G” was ever a bad guy. Far from it. watched the Wild’s loss to Winnipeg. But that guy was larger than life. That was especially true in Pittsburgh, “Oh yeah?” Guerin said, still smiling. where Guerin’s grinding work in hockey operations likely was not “Yup,” Wolfie said. “I told the boss, ‘It’s five years. We’re only three recognized as it should have been because his popularity as a player games in.’” followed him into hockey ops life.

Guerin chuckled at the reference to his contract, nodded, then thanked a “I had Fitzy around and saw how hard he worked, how hard Bottsy man you would have presumed he has known. Wolfie, though, was not worked, and was able to just get around our scouts and do a lot of the finished. And for once in his life, Guerin had met his match when it came amateur stuff, and just, you know, work,” Guerin said. to the gift for gab. “I wanted to earn respect. I felt like I needed to. I knew I had respect from “Listen, you can see the improvement every game,” Wolfie said. “It’s my playing career. But it was really important to me that the people I there. They’re getting there. It’s getting better.” worked with — the scouts, the other hockey ops guys — knew I didn’t take anything for granted, that I didn’t try to short-cut anybody.” “Thanks, Wolfie,” Guerin said before resuming his walk into a stiff breeze. After crossing one of the streets, he looked back toward Wolfie. It was Guerin’s tireless work, not the brashness and likability of “Billy G,” that positioned the Penguins to benefit from a developing nucleus of “The people here,” Guerin said, “they remind me a lot of the folks back prospects during the 2015-16 season. The games of Conor Sheary, home.” Bryan Rust, Brian Dumoulin, Matt Murray and Jake Guentzel had been fortified in the AHL under his oversight to help spark the Penguins’ recent Pittsburgh was a much as a home as Guerin had ever had for his family. back-to-back Cup runs. It’s where he transitioned from being captain Sidney Crosby’s winger to finding future wingers, such as Jake Guentzel, to play with Crosby. For whatever reason, other NHL clubs were slow to notice Guerin’s game Candidly, it’s where Guerin said he would have loved becoming the last as a rising executive. GM to build a Penguins squad around Crosby. Like most people, Guerin was surprised the Wild made a change at the “Yeah, of course,” Guerin said, learning across a desk in a corner office top in late July. that is quaint by modern NHL standards. “Especially with my situation in Pittsburgh, I think people would think that. And I was certainly no Unlike most people, Guerin sensed that decision might end up changing different. his life.

“But I didn’t push it. I was big on … staying in my lane.” He asked Kara not if he should apply, but rather if she would be willing to move their empty-nesting life to the Twin Cities. His thinking was that if Guerin had been the last assistant standing for Jim Rutherford from Ray he landed an interview and it went well, everything might happen fast. Shero’s staff. Tom Fitzgerald departed after one year to rejoin Shero with New Jersey. Jason Botterill left to take over in Buffalo midway through Sort of like all those times he had been traded. the Penguins’ Cup defense a couple years ago. The difference though is now Guerin would be the one doing the trading. It had never been a battle between those three to become Rutherford’s And budgeting. And reporting to ownership. And everything. successor. However, Guerin had become the seeming heir apparent, Including firing. Well, maybe. especially considering the support he had always received from Penguins CEO/president David Morehouse. It’s not that Guerin has resisted “blowing everything up” with the Wild, who have never won the Cup in its two decades. It’s just that he learned Actually, Guerin said he would have been willing to wait on Rutherford, from Rutherford that a new GM can learn a lot about what needs to who agreed to a three-year extension about a year ago, potentially change by studying employees instead of firing them. Guerin also retiring. remembered Shero saying one of his best decisions upon taking over for Craig Patrick was keeping Michel Therrien as the Penguins coach. Shero and Rutherford built the three Cup clubs of the Crosby era. Guerin could do worse than to borrow liberally from their playbooks to deliver the Stanley Cup to “The State Of Hockey” for the first time.

But borrowing and following are not the same thing, and Guerin is comfortable with his own style in Minnesota.

“Those are going to be big shoes to fill,” Guerin said of whoever becomes the next Penguins’ GM. “There’s going to be a lot of pressure on that next guy.”

After meeting with Leipold for an interview in early August, Guerin told Kara he “felt real good about how it went.” A few weeks later, Guerin had agreed to join the Wild as GM, achieving his goal of transitioning from player to GM and doing it within a decade, but not without “a tough feeling” that accompanied a necessary quick exit from Pittsburgh.

“Emotionally, it’s definitely tough because I’ve only know one thing post- playing — and my kids have only known Pittsburgh for the last 10 years, which are the formative years of their lives,” Guerin said. “You don’t just … I guess the one good thing is it’s been so busy that you don’t have time to think about it, and that’s probably been a good thing.”

Guerin became Minnesota’s fourth GM on Aug. 21. There were only a few weeks until training camp. No time to sell the house where the kids had grown up. No time to throw a goodbye party.

No time to take one last stroll through PPG Paints Arena, where Guerin was viewed as a working class hero, even though he had made millions playing in the NHL before ascending to second-in-command among Penguins hockey executives. From his Wild office, Guerin roll-called PPG Paints Arena workers by their first names: “Tom by the elevator, Linda running the elevator, Pat by the wives room — you know, everybody in that building, we knew them.”

Six weeks into his new job, Guerin has learned the names of his employee’s parents. One day before his first home opener, it’s clear he has brought a refined version of “Billy G” to Minnesota.

At the practice facility Friday afternoon, Guerin kept everyone with the Wild in good spirits as classic rock blasted from speakers in the workout room. He asked about one player’s new car, urged another to try the sauna, inquired about the Raiders with the video coach who loves that NFL team, tried to coax a smile out of a veteran assistant coach and joked about cream corn with a woman serving lunch.

Before returning to the Wild’s offices, Guerin walked into Herbie’s On The Park, where he saw a young man from the Wild’s business side. He teased him, asking “if the bar is your desk now” and drew laughs from other employees taking a break from pre-home opener meetings. Earlier, he jabbed Leopold about ordering breakfast food (eggs, bacon and toast) for lunch. The owner laughed and playfully punched Guerin’s arm.

How did Wolfie put it? Oh, yeah: it’s getting better.

First, it’s going to get weird.

“I can’t believe it’s Pittsburgh in the home opener,” Guerin said. “But to be honest, and this might be kind of corny, but it’s a special night for me. And I’m glad the team that means so much to me is here for it. I am.”

As for the Penguins being down four top-nine forwards for their game in Minnesota on Saturday night?

“I wasn’t hoping for that,” he said. “But I hope we win.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156846 Montreal Canadiens

In the Habs' Room: Gallagher's clutch third-period goal gives crucial cushion

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: October 12, 2019

Brendan Gallagher was hard-pressed to describe his third-period goal that provided the Canadiens with a two-goal cushion in their 6-3 win over the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues on Saturday at the Bell Centre.

“I didn’t really see it,” admitted Gallagher, who had his back to the net when Max Domi threw a puck in front from behind the goal line. “I think it hit my skate and then my elbow. But I’m going to say it was good goal. That’s what I say for all my goals.”

Six different Canadiens scored goals, but it was the top line of Tomas Tatar, Phil Danault and Gallagher that led the way. They each scored a goal and Gallagher added two assists and was named the No. 1 star.

“I thought that was our best game this season and it was a big one for our line,” Gallagher said. “We knew we had to play better. We’ve had one good game this season and the rest have been so-so.”

Gallagher said the seeds for this victory were sown Friday when coach Claude Julien decided to focus efforts on a video session after a disappointing loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the home opener Thursday.

It allowed the Canadiens to see where there were breakdowns and gave them an idea of what to expect from the Blues. It was just as important the players didn’t go on the ice and had a chance to rest their bodies.

“That paid off in the third period,” said Gallagher, referring to a three-goal outburst after the teams went into the third period tied 3-3. “I thought we had our legs out there.”

“We’re looking to play 60-minute games and we had one tonight,” Danault said.

“We didn’t have to say anything after the second period,” said Jonathan Drouin. “We knew we were playing the Stanley Cup champions and if we didn’t bring it to them, they were going to bring it to us.”

“I think when you look at the fact that you have to play three games in four nights and one of them was a travel game and we’re fortunate enough that the other two were home,” Julien said. “But it’s important (to get some rest). These guys use a lot of energy night after night. They get on the plane, they get back home at 1 in the morning, they got to play the next night. It’s not easy.

“But you have to manage it and I think they have to manage it and we have to manage it the best we can,” Julien said. “The best thing for us yesterday was to give them an opportunity to stay off the ice. But at the same time, it wasn’t a day off. We came to work and instead of being on the ice we did it through video and thank goodness it paid off tonight. We were a lot more in synch and you hope that helped.”

A new tradition was started when captain Shea Weber presented a sword to Drouin for his contribution to the win.The sword replaces the mangy faux rodent fur Game of Thrones cape that was presented after home wins last season.

Drouin had a goal and an assist and he shares the team scoring lead with Gallagher. They each have two goals and four assists.

Drouin, who had four shots on goal, said he’s trying to keep things simple.

“I don’t want to complicate things,” Drouin said. “He said he likes to make plays like the one in Buffalo where he set up Joel Armia for a goal, but he said he’s also looking to shoot when he finds a lane.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156847 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens soar over the Blues with six-goal outburst

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: October 12, 2019

The Canadiens turned on the jets in the third period to defeat the St. Louis Blues 6-3 Saturday at the Bell Centre.

The Canadiens outshot the defending Stanley Cup champions 15-10 in the third period and got goals from Artturi Lehkonen, Brendan Gallagher and Max Domi as they improved their record to 2-1-2.

Lehkonen put the Canadiens ahead for good when he scored on a wraparound at 7:30, jamming the puck past Jordan Binnington on the short side for his first goal of the season.

Gallagher gave the Canadiens a two-goal lead at 11:56 and this was one of those occasions when the new NHL rule on challenges benefitted Montreal. Gallagher appeared to interfere with Binnington as he backed into the crease and the puck somehow went in after Domi’s pass from behind the net. Under the new rule, a team is penalized if the challenge fails and became the latest coach to pass on the gamble.

Domi completed the scoring with an empty-net goal. Carey Price made 25 saves for the win.

This was not a good night for the Canadiens’ special teams.

The power play, which has shown signs of competency in the early going, failed to score on four opportunities. It produced four shots on goal, but none created any problems for Binnington.

The Blues had two power plays and took their only lead of the game when defenceman Vince Dunn scored to put St. Louis ahead 3-2 midway through the second period. That goal was matched later in the period by Phil Danault.

Tomas Tatar, who leads the Canadiens in penalty minutes, was spared another two minutes when Montmagny native Samuel Blais scored his third goal of the season to tie the game at 2-2 early in the second period. Tatar took an unnecessary penalty in the offensive zone, but it didn’t matter because Blais scored on the delayed penalty. Blais’ shot off the rush was blocked, but he picked up the rebound and beat Price with a backhander from a difficult angle.

Tatar opened the scoring when he went to the net and chipped a backhander over Binnington’s glove hand. The play started with Oskar Sundqvist winning a faceoff against Danault, but the Blues couldn’t control the puck and Gallagher pushed the puck to Tatar in front.

The Canadiens used the quick strike to come out of the first period with a 2-1 lead. Ben Chiarot found Jonathan Drouin with a pass up the middle and the Canadiens’ forward made the right decision as he found room between two St. Louis defenders and beat Binnington with a quick shot on the blocker side.

Drouin’s goal came 50 seconds after Brayden Schenn tied the score with his fourth goal of the season. Coach Claude Julien has preached the importance of protecting the puck through the neutral zone, but an errant cross-ice pass by Domi opened the door for the Blues.

The Canadiens are back at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night to play the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156848 Montreal Canadiens “I grew up liking them, but I also have a couple of friends on the team,” he said. “I was good friends with (forward) Robert Thomas, who was able to win in his first year, which is pretty cool.”

Canadiens' Victor Mete grew up as a big St. Louis Blues fan Heading into Saturday night’s game, Mete was still looking for his first NHL goal in his 125th game, the longest current slump in the league.

How about scoring his first against the Blues? STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: October 12, 2019 “Yeah, that would be really cool,” Mete said with a big smile.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 As a kid growing up in Woodbridge, Ont., the Canadiens’ Victor Mete went to bed every night looking at a St. Louis Blues logo and dreaming about one day playing in the NHL.

Mete’s bedroom was painted yellow and blue and behind his bed was a big Blues logo with blue and yellow stripes behind it. The room still looks the same today.

Saturday night, the 21-year-old Canadiens defenceman got to play against the team he cheered for as a kid for the first time since the Blues won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history last season.

The head-scratching question is how does a kid from Ontario — in the middle of Leafs Nation — grow up cheering for the Blues, who entered the NHL as an expansion team for the 1967-68 season?

Mete said he became a Blues fan when he was about 10.

“I just loved watching them, the way they played,” he explained after the Canadiens’ morning skate Saturday in Brossard. “At the time, they were just kind of a hard-working team, really just fun to watch, I thought. So I just became a huge Blues fan and used them in the (NHL) video games all the time. That made me a fan.”

Suprisingly, Mete’s favourite Blues players wasn’t a defenceman. It was goalie Brian Elliott.

Did Mete’s friends think it was weird he was a Blues fan?

“A little bit,” he said with a smile. “But it’s kind of weird, too, that they were all Minnesota (Wild) fans when (Niklas) Backstrom was the goalie there. I used to love Backstrom, too. It’s kind of different, I guess. We used to love playing street hockey and everyone wanted to go in net.”

Mete never played goalie on the ice, instead following in his father’s skate strides as a defenceman when he started playing organized hockey at age 6. Mete said the highest his father, Joseph, played was at the minor-midget level with the Don Mills Flyers in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. Joseph is now general manager of The Venetian, a family owned banquet hall in Vaughan, Ont., that specializes in corporate and social events. The Mete family has been in the hospitality business for more than 45 years.

“He always encouraged me to play,” Victor said about his father during his first season with the Canadiens. “He said because he wasn’t able to live his dream of making it (in the NHL), he wanted to give me every opportunity to do it. He had a big impact … he would pick me up from school and bring me to some (hockey) camps that I didn’t even know there was.”

Mete’s father would also build a backyard rink in the winter for him and his sister, Julia, who is three years older and was a competitive figure skater.

“I used to go watch her compete a lot also,” recalled Mete, who is a fantastic skater. “I used to do a lot of power skating as a kid, but I never figure skated myself.”

Mete never got a chance to watch the Blues play live as a kid, but did play in a tournament in St. Louis and got to visit their home rink. There weren’t many opportunities to watch the Blues on TV, either.

“In Toronto, they only play Leafs games,” he said.

But Mete remained a Blues fan and got to play against them for the first time on Dec. 5, 2017, losing 4-3 at the Bell Centre during his rookie season.

“It was pretty cool, actually,” Mete recalled. “For me, it was obviously a big game because they were my favourite team growing up.”

It was also pretty cool for Mete to watch the Blues win the Stanley Cup last season. 1156849 Montreal Canadiens “We watched (video) and we knew what we had to do,” Tatar said. “It’s not about our line, the whole team we did what we wanted to do throughout the whole game. We played fast, we broke out fast and we were playing good hockey. Canadiens Game Day: Jonathan Drouin earns some love from fans “I have a hard time to feel like we should skate after back-to-back (games),” Tatar added. “We watched videos, we were getting ready for this game and we were playing good. The whole team played really STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: October 13, 2019 great. We skated, we just did our plan and when we do it we become a really fast team and tough to play against.”

This is the Jonathan Drouin Canadiens fans have been wanting to see. The Canadiens also showed yet again that they won’t give up after blowing a 2-1 lead and falling behind 3-2 to the Blues at 12:50 of the Drouin had a goal and an assist Saturday night as the Canadiens beat second period. the Stanley Cup-champion St. Louis Blues 6-3 at the Bell Centre. Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault, Artturi Lehkonen, Brendan Gallagher and Max No. 1 line clicks Domi (empty net) also scored for the Canadiens, while Carey Price made The line of Phillip Danault between Tatar and Gallagher rebounded from 26 saves as Montreal outshot St. Louis 38-29. a poor performance against the Red Wings and combined for three goals The two points gave Drouin 200 in his NHL career with 62 goals and 138 and six points against the Blues. assists in 327 games. “It’s something we talked about this morning,” Gallagher said. “As a line After the game, there was an emotional scene as Drouin was interviewed we knew we had to have more of an impact. We watched a little bit of the on the ice by Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. The interview was last few games, why we weren’t creating as much and it kind of just interrupted by a 40-second ovation from the Bell Centre fans who seemed to be that we weren’t on them as quick as we’d like to be. chanted Drouin’s name. Lavoie told Drouin it was a message of love and Tonight I thought we did a pretty good job of that. Our F1 was always it really was. going, it was our second forechecker that was a little bit slow and tonight our second guy was in there and we created a lot of havoc and it led to Canadiens fans want to fall in love with Drouin. all three of us having more fun playing the game.

When Drouin got in the locker room, he was given a large replica of the “It’s big for our group,” Gallagher added about the win. “The one thing I sword from the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Conan the Barbarian with will say in the last couple of years we’ve never lacked confidence as a the engraved words: “Suffer no guilt. Ye who wield this in the name of team no matter who we’re playing. We feel like, especially in this Crom”. Captain Shea Weber purchased the sword to be awarded to the building, we can beat anyone. It’s just a matter of making sure that we player of the game after Canadiens victories this season, replacing the are playing our game and it’s a fine line when we’re on top of our game. I Game of Thrones cape from last season. This was the first game the think you saw tonight we were really in their face, we don’t give much sword was presented. time, we’re aggressive on the puck. Tonight we had that forechecking Drouin now has 2-4-6 totals this season and has at least one point in all game and it led to a lot of success. five games as the Canadiens improved their record to 2-1-2. Coach “That was probably our most complete game of the year. We were Claude Julien said this is the best hockey Drouin has played in his three seasons with the Canadiens, noting the 24-year-old is playing with skating, we had our legs, we were in their face. We were creating a lot of confidence and energy. turnovers and we got the crowd involved. Obviously, that was big.

“For me, it’s cool,” Drouin said about getting the sword. “Last year we Juggling the defence had the cape and this year it’s the sword and it’s the new tradition. Julien juggled his defence pairings against the Blues. Victor Mete “It’s going to be nice to hand it to somebody else and it’s cool to win it,” remained with Weber on the top defence pairing, but Brett Kulak moved he added. “I’m playing well and I got to keep it going.” into Ben Chiarot’s spot on the second pairing with Jeff Petry, while Chiarot joined Christian Folin on the third pairing. Mike Reilly and Cale What was he going to do with the sword after the game? Fleury were healthy scratches.

“I’m not bringing it home, that’s for sure,” Drouin said with a big smile. Chiarot finished plus-3 and made a beautiful pass to set up Drouin for his goal and Folin was plus-2 and also had an assist on Drouin’s goal. Drouin had a tough pre-season and admitted he heard the criticism from fans and media members. “It had nothing to do with the six guys (on defence), I don’t think,” Julien said about the team’s improved performance. “I think more than anything “I don’t read or go on that stuff (social media) but it’s easy to have one else we made some adjustments. Obviously, teams are forechecking a friend tell you what’s going on or you just feel the city,” he said. “For me, I lot more aggressive now with the 2-1-2 forecheck and certainly we just try to push that away and make sure I’m just ready for my season. wanted to make some adjustments so that we could move the puck a Pre-season is just pre-season and you’re trying to get your feet wet. I’m little bit better. That’s not to say that all six guys I thought were good happy with my start. I got to keep that going.” tonight. Drouin tied his career high last season with 53 points, including 18 goals, “This is a big team that likes to play along the walls and we had to try but was held pointless in 16 of the last 18 games as the Canadiens and avoid that as much as possible and I think our guys did a pretty good missed the playoffs by two points. job between the Ds and the forwards coming in or centremen coming in Asked if there’s a feeling he has something to prove this season, Drouin with low support no matter where the puck went,” the coach added. “I said: “Yeah, a little bit. I’m not satisfied or I’m not happy with the way I’ve thought our guys did a pretty good job along the walls when we didn’t played in the past years since I’ve been in Montreal and I wanted to have a choice and had to rim it. So I think it was more of a five-man unit change that this summer. Mentally I’m more into the games, I’m more that was better. But at the same time, I think the Ds were a lot more focused and it’s been a big change in my game, I think.” poised tonight than they have been in previous games.”

It definitely shows. Kulak had been a healthy scratch for the two previous games.

Day off ice pays off “He was good tonight,” Julien said. “I thought he looked more like the guy that we knew. Maybe playing with Petry, he’s the young guy on that The Canadiens didn’t practise on Friday, instead taking a day off the ice group. Playing with Cale I think might have been a lot of pressure on him and doing video work to focus on tightening up their defensive structure. to kind of carry that pair. But no matter what I think, tonight was more like It worked. the Kuly that we know.”

The Canadiens found their legs after Thursday night’s 4-2 loss to the This marked the third straight game that rookie Fleury was a healthy Detroit Red Wings and when Tatar opened the scoring at 12:59 of the scratch. Julien said before Thursday’s loss to the Red Wings that Fleury first period, the Canadiens were outshooting the Blues 6-1. would either play with the Canadiens or be sent down to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. “We’re not there yet,” Julien said after Saturday’s morning skate about skate. “So he’s good. I think it’s just a matter of time before we see him in the possibility of Fleury being sent to Laval. the lineup.”

Some stats Rocket falls to 0-3

As has become the norm this season, Petry led the Canadiens in ice time The Laval Rocket lost 4-2 to the Milwaukee Admirals Saturday night in with 24:23, followed by Weber with 21:24. AHL action as their record fell to 0-3.

Gallagher had a game-high seven shots, while Folin led the Canadiens Josh Brook and Nikita Jevpalovs scored for the Rocket in Milwaukee, with five hits. while goalie Charlie Lindgren took the loss. The Rocket outshot the Admirals 30-23. Domi had a strong night in the faceoff circle, going 7-3 (70 per cent), while Danault struggled, going 8-16 (33 per cent). The Canadiens won Hot start for Caufield only 43 per cent of the 69 faceoffs in the game. Tyler Bozak went 9-2 in For the second straight game, Cole Caufield — the Canadiens’ first- the faceoff circle for the Blues (82 per cent), while Ryan O’Reilly was 12- round pick (15th overall) at this year’s NHL Draft — scored two goals in a 10 (55 per cent). game for the University of Wisconsin as the Badgers beat Merrimack 11- The Canadiens went 0-for-4 on the power play, while the Blues went 1- 3 Saturday night. for-2. Caufield scored twice in his Wisconsin debut Friday night as the Badgers C’tait l’fun. lost 5-3 to Boston College.

Cool-hand Luke Caufield, a right-winger, scored 72 goals in 64 games last season with the USA Hockey National Development Team Program’s U-18 squad, Kulak found out he was going to play against the Blues shortly after he breaking the team’s single-season record of 55 set by Auston Matthews. arrived at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard for Saturday’s morning Caufield’s 126 goals in 123 career games with the U-18 team broke the skate when assistant coach Luke Richardson pulled him aside. previous record of 104 set by Phil Kessel.

“Luke talked to me earlier today and he just said: ‘Yeah, you’re going to What’s next? be back in tonight. So get your mind wrapped around it and get focused on the game and just go about your daily business,’” Kulak said after the The Canadiens will enjoy a day off Sunday and then practise Monday at morning skate. noon at the Bell Centre, which will also be team photo day. The Canadiens will play home games on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Kulak logged 16:14 of ice time against the Blues, picked up an assist and Lightning (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) and Thursday against was plus-2. the Minnesota Wild (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) before hitting the road for back-to-back weekend matinee games next Saturday in St. The job Richardson has done since taking over from J.J. Daigneault to Louis (3 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) and Sunday in Minnesota (5 handle the Canadiens defence before the start of last season can’t be p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). underestimated. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 “He’s smart in what he tells you,” Kulak said about Richardson. “Everything you do out there, it’s not: ‘Great job. Bad job,’ whatever,” Kulak said. “He picks his spots really well and he gets on key points in your game and something that he thinks will help you as a player that he sees maybe trending in your game. He’s pretty even keel, but because of that it’s not like everything is coming at you here and there. And so you really listen and soak in what he has to say.”

Said Julien about Richardson: “Luke’s good. He’s calm, he works with players. The players feel like he’s with them in the trenches. He’s not a guy that jumps all over guys for no reason at all and that’s what assistant coaches have to be. If there’s a hammer that comes down, most of the time that belongs to the (head) coach. So he’s done a real good job in his role of developing, of adjusting, of helping guys out and all that stuff. So I’m sure if you ask the guys they really respect him and also appreciate him.”

Kulak wasn’t rattled after being a healthy scratch.

“I think things change really quick in this league,” he said after the morning skate. “Sometimes you have a couple of bad days and you have a couple of good days. You just got to keep focused on what you want and the game you want to bring to the table. That’s what I’ve been doing. You know you’re going to have some adversity and that’s going to come for sure. You got to work through it and I think you got to earn your confidence in your game and it starts with preparation in practice and off- ice in the gym. Just working hard and bringing the same attitude and work ethic every day and I think eventually you get some momentum going and you you get going in your game.

“It’s a good challenge,” Kulak added about having eight healthy defencemen on the roster. “Yeah, there’s pressure with it, but that’s what I’ve faced lots in my career, for sure. I’ve been in and out of the lineup lots and came in in all sorts of different situations. For me it again is just about focusing on my game and trying to be my best as a player and I think things will go good from there.”

Cousins close to playing

Forward Nick Cousins, signed during the summer as a free agent, has yet to play a game with the Canadiens because of a back injury.

“Basically, right now it’s just about bringing him back up to speed because he’s been off for a while,” Julien said after Saturday’s morning 1156850 Montreal Canadiens

St. Louis Blues at Canadiens: Five things you should know

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: October 12, 2019

Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Blues game at the Bell Centre on Saturday (7 p.m., CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 600 Radio).

The matchup: This is the first of two meetings between these teams, which will meet again next Saturday in St. Louis. After picking up at least one point in three road games to start the season, the Canadiens stumbled in their home opener Thursday, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Red Wings. The Blues, who are the defending Stanley Cup champions, lead the Central Division with a 3-0-1 record. They are looking to sweep their three-game Eastern Canada tour after edging the Maple Leafs 3-2 Monday and the Senators 6-4 Thursday.

Must-win game: The key to a successful season is to avoid losing streaks and that’s why a win Saturday is imperative for the Canadiens, who slipped out of a playoff spot after losing in overtime in Buffalo on Wednesday and then losing the home opener. While it might seem too early in the season to worry about playoff positions, the Canadiens don’t want to dig themselves into a hole, particularly when Tampa Bay visits the Bell Centre on Tuesday.

The goalies: Carey Price stole a game in Toronto despite giving up five goals, but we haven’t seen him at his best this season and that hurts because the defence in front of him hasn’t been very good. Price’s 3.51 goals-against average won’t win him any consideration for the Vézina Trophy. Jordan Binnington hasn’t shown any signs of a sophomore slump. The St. Louis netminder has a 2.31 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

Armia on a hot streak: Finnish forward Joel Armia has found his scoring touch with three goals in the last two games. One of his goals came on a man-advantage and he has contributed to the turnaround of the Canadiens’ power play. Montreal ranked 30th on the power play last season, with a 13.3 per cent success rate. They are tied for sixth this season (33.3 per cent).

The other guys: The Blues pose a physical challenge for the Canadiens because they have only two players under six feet and outweigh the Canadiens by an average of six pounds. Ryan O’Reilly is the Blues’ leading scorer (one goal, six assists) while Sherbrooke native and Brayden Schenn each have three goals. Statistically, the Blues are in the middle of the pack in most categories, but they are third in the overall standings because they don’t have any glaring weaknesses.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156851 Montreal Canadiens “That’s very accurate,” Gallagher said. “It’s something that we talked about this morning. As a line, we knew we had to have more of an impact, and we watched a little about the last few games and why we weren’t creating as much. It just seemed to be that we weren’t on them How the Canadiens’ engine identified what wasn’t working and as quick as we wanted to be. Tonight, I thought we did a pretty good job immediately fixed it of that. Our F1 was always going, it was our second forechecker that was a little bit slow. Tonight, our second guy was in there and we created a bit of havoc and it led to all three of us having more fun playing the game.” By Arpon Basu Oct 12, 2019 The Danault line started every period for the Canadiens. They set that tone early, and the other forwards followed.

Brendan Gallagher is usually standing at his stall in the Canadiens’ Controlling the neutral zone dressing room after games, win or lose, waiting to answer for what had just happened on the ice. This is where the Danault line makes the biggest impact, with and without the puck. Watch an example of how they transitioned through the neutral He wasn’t there Thursday after a loss to the Detroit Red Wings. zone against the Red Wings. It’s simply a matter of being a little off and of finding their rhythm, as Julien said. “I was in a bad mood last game,” Gallagher said after a big 6-3 win against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. “Better feeling around the team Now watch them transition through there against the Blues. It’s not yet today.” perfect, but it’s quick and efficient and gets the puck to where the line needs it to be. The result is a Gallagher shot off the post. Gallagher’s line with Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar is central to any success the Canadiens might have this season. It was almost taken for “We made some adjustments to our transition game,” Julien said. “That granted the three of them would pick up where they left off last season, really helped us tonight.” when they were one of the best five-on-five forward lines in the NHL. It had not been the case of late, and Claude Julien was forced to break Winning puck battles them up during games as a result. Here is a sequence against the Red Wings where Gallagher and Danault It was not something that Julien anticipated having to do, but a few bad are engaged in a puck battle along the wall in the neutral zone. This is an games weren’t going to make him resort to the drastic move of breaking area of the game where these two are particularly proficient. Let’s see them up permanently. what happens. Luckily for them, Anthony Mantha hit the post. But what’s key here is “Listen, there are always challenges at the beginning of the season and Tatar and his decision to go off for a line change. He makes that decision you make adjustments during the game, which I will continue to do if I right here, with Tatar circled in red and Mantha circled in yellow. have to,” Julien said Saturday morning before facing the Blues. “But you also recognize the fact that they were good when they played well Tatar made that decision because of how confident he was that together last season. I know they spend a lot of time talking, they want to Gallagher and Danault would be able to win their battle and get the puck find their rhythm, so I want to give them the chance to do that. Last year, deep in the offensive zone to complete the change. But that didn’t I had a lot of confidence in that line, not only to produce but also to play happen, and by the time the Red Wings got the puck, Mantha was against the other team’s top line. So we need that from them, and that’s skating free to the area Tatar just vacated while the player replacing why we’re showing some patience.” Tatar, circled in white, is just jumping onto the ice.

As Julien was saying that to reporters, Gallagher, Tatar and Danault Now compare that with the work Gallagher does here to secure the puck were doing exactly what he said they do. They talked. They watched before the Blues even get to it, avoiding a battle to begin with and video. They looked for areas where their game was deficient. resulting in a goal for Danault.

They found it. “Phil’s goal was something we talked about specifically,” Gallagher The Danault line was dominant against the Blues, producing three goals said. “Other than that, it was about little mistakes, finding ways to support and controlling the flow of play the way they know how. The ripple effect each other. It’s finding the fine line of when a guy needs support and of that is the other Canadiens lines can follow their lead and have some when you need to spread it out as well. The three of us are pretty good at momentum working in their favour when they jump on the ice. The battles and protecting the puck. When we have control, one of the things Danault line sets the tone for the Canadiens, helping establish how the we want to do is spread out a little bit and get them running around and rest of the forward group plays. They hadn’t been doing that of late, but trust that the other guy is going to hold on to the puck and not turn it over. that’s exactly what they did Saturday against the Blues while playing Instead of coming close and drawing another defender, just spreading primarily against the line centered by Ryan O’Reilly, a line that provides them out a little bit. When guys were racing for pucks, that was when we much the same thing for the Blues that the Danault line provides for the needed to a better job of supporting each other.” Canadiens. Playing well defensively

Since they looked at video, we decided we should look at some video as The line creates a lot of its offence by creating turnovers and well. This is a look at the adjustments the Danault line made and how transitioning, which means the primary source of that offence is in fact they were applied. defence. It is something Danault said was his line’s priority against the Taking off out of the gate Blues.

Here is the Danault line off the opening faceoff against the Blues. Watch “We want to produce so badly and that’s fine, we want to help the as Gallagher skates into the offensive zone to pressure the Blues team,” he said. “But we weren’t doing the little things right, and as a defence, how Tatar is there to support him and how Danault hustles to result, we weren’t being efficient defensively. For us, it’s always been beat his man to a loose puck. The relentless pressure resulted in the playing well defensively to create offence and get into our transition Blues icing the puck. game.”

“I think right from the first shift we felt good,” Gallagher said. “We never For an example of how the line wasn’t doing the little things in its own lacked confidence. We knew what we had to do.” end, let’s take another look at the goal scored by Darren Helm on Thursday, and more specifically, let’s look at Danault. Off the ensuing faceoff against a tired group, the Canadiens created their first scoring chance of the game. The problem on this play started when Carey Price didn’t stop the Red Wings’ dump in behind the net. Anticipating that, Gallagher started fading Now compare that with this from the first period of the game against toward the corner to take the pass from Price, but instead it was the Red Detroit on Thursday. In particular, watch the total lack of pressure applied Wings who had the puck behind the net. This created a bit of chaos for on the Red Wings as they try to break out of their zone. the Canadiens defensively and ultimately led to Helm scoring because Danault never picked him up. It is night and day. Gallagher, Danault and Tatar knew it, and they made sure they corrected it immediately. The Blues were credited with one high-danger scoring chance with the Danault line on the ice Saturday by Natural Stat Trick.

“I think a lot of things we talked about this morning paid off right away,” Gallagher said, “so that was nice.”

There was little doubt the Canadiens’ top line would figure out things at some point. But with one win in the Canadiens’ first four games, it suddenly became urgent that it happened Saturday night.

The line delivered, and things fell into place behind the unit. As usual.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156852 Montreal Canadiens They’ll have to string together a few solid games before we declare the reunited pairing to be back in full force, but so far they’ve picked up exactly where they left off last season thanks to Kulak’s ability to anticipate the play and match Petry’s offensive instincts. Video Review: The insertion of Brett Kulak in his old spot stabilized the Canadiens defence Speaking of underrated

Something strange was happening in the first few Canadiens games. It’s not that the line of Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher By Marc Dumont Oct 12, 2019 was bad, per se, but the unit wasn’t providing the kind of excellent play we became accustomed to last season. Passes were a few inches off,

shots were a few inches wide, shifts were a few seconds too long and the Going into the game against the Stanley Cup-champion St. Louis Blues, frustration level was way too high. the Canadiens were giving up 12 high-danger chances per game. That Against the Blues, they kicked it into high gear, scoring three goals while was just their five-on-five numbers. The penalty kill was even worse. essentially controlling the puck all game. A lot of it had to do with their Though the Blues did not represent the easiest challenge – they can be attention to detail, but a lot of it also had to do with Gallagher’s tireless suffocating, especially when facing a team that is struggling defensively – work ethic. it was a necessary hurdle for the Canadiens to clear, however high it The first angle doesn’t do Gallagher justice. He outskated and outworked might have been. two defencemen who probably outweigh him by a combined 100 pounds, They cleared it with ease by going back to basics. Forwards supported or more. It’s not a groundbreaking moment for Gallagher by any means – defencemen, which gave them more time to create clean-zone exits, he’s the human equivalent to a honey badger and he’s done this before – which led to a lot less defending and a lot more scoring chances for the but we’ve almost become numb to his insanely high work rate, so it’s Canadiens. always nice to remember just how valuable he is to the Canadiens.

They controlled over 60 percent of the shots on their way to a morale- Hot wheels boosting 6-3 win, but more importantly they cut down the high-danger I briefly mentioned Drouin’s goal, but his overall play is definitely worth chances they allowed by roughly a gajillion percent. pointing out. He’s been actively involved in several scoring plays, he’s The Blues managed only four high-danger chances at five-on-five, playing smart defensive hockey and he seems to be enjoying himself out according to Natural Stat Trick. The Canadiens had an impressive 15 of there, which isn’t exactly something you can measure, though it certainly their own, their high mark of the season. plays a part in how often someone hits the score sheet.

Breaking good In addition to leading the Canadiens in scoring with six points, Drouin is making a significant impact on how many shots, goals and scoring It’s funny how one little change can affect an entire roster. chances his team controls. That’s a nice change of pace for Drouin, who has generally been a drag on five-on-five possession throughout his One of the biggest issues facing the Canadiens in their first four games career. was their lack of clean-zone exits from all three defence pairings. Defencemen spent most of their time chasing the puck rather than It’s also worth noting that while he’s been on the ice the Canadiens have controlling it, which led to a bevy of high-danger chances for their had an expected-goals-for percentage of 83.3. That’s the kind of number opponents. you see after one preseason game, not five regular season matchups.

Claude Julien surely noticed the trend, which was probably part of the ‘So far, so good’ would be an understatement when it comes to reason he reunited Brett Kulak and Jeff Petry. That also led to Ben Drouin’s play. Chiarot being dropped to the third pairing with Christian Folin, where Chiarot enjoyed his best game in a Canadiens uniform by a wide margin. Jonathan Drouin has been excellent, full stop. He combined aggressiveness with much better decision-making than we had seen from him in the previous four games. “This is probably the best hockey Jonathan’s played since he’s been with us,” Julien said. His outlet pass to Jonathan Drouin was the perfect example of Chiarot picking his spots. It was a low-risk, high-reward pass, which came after And the fans rightfully recognized his effort with a heartwarming moment Chiarot decided to be patient rather than dumping the puck out without a to close out the game. second thought. Final word Against a team like the Blues, the Canadiens need a physical defender The Canadiens should take pride in their win against the Blues. like Chiarot to be engaged, which is exactly what he provided. He played within his limits, his defensive positioning was on point and his passes It’s not just that they avoided a very dangerous losing streak to start the were crisp and accurate. season, though that was certainly important.

All six defencemen did a very good job when it came to breakouts, It’s the manner in which they won the game that mattered most. They got including the Shea Weber-Victor Mete pairing. The key was smart back to what led them to be one of the best five-on-five teams last positioning, which led to clean retrievals. As we all know from watching season; a structured game that focuses on wearing down opponents with the Canadiens play last season, the faster you have control of the puck, a relentless forecheck, sustained backcheck and creative, up-tempo the faster you can direct it up the ice. It’s something that has been offence. It also doesn’t hurt that they did it against the reigning Cup curiously absent from most of their games this season. champions.

As usual, it was Petry, the man who has quietly become the Canadiens’ It all started from the back end, where Kulak’s promotion led to a change best defender, who led the charge when it came to clean-zone exits. in pairings, which stabilized the entire blue line against the Blues and, perhaps, against the rest of their opponents going forward. When Petry and Kulak were on the ice, the Canadiens managed to control over 80 percent of the shots, high-danger scoring chances and The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 expected goals. Oh, and they did it while facing the Blues’ top line for most of the night.

Those numbers aren’t just good, they’re ‘this has the potential to be a dominant top pairing’ good.

“He was good tonight, I thought he looked more like the guy that we knew,” Julien said of Kulak. “Maybe playing with Petry, he’s the young guy on that group. Playing with Cale (Fleury) I think there might have been a lot of pressure on him to kind of carry that pair. But no matter what, I think tonight was more like the (Kulak) that we know.” 1156853 Nashville Predators

Living on edge likely to catch up with Predators

Paul Skrbina, Published 9:28 p.m. CT Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 1:32 a.m. CT Oct. 13, 2019

LOS ANGELES -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette was looking forward to his team's three-game road trip out west.

"We're going to a good place out in L.A., Vegas and Arizona," he said before the Predators boarded their charter plane after practice. "I can think of three worse places. It’s a great opportunity to get on the road and spend some time together. They get a chance to get away from their home."

But the first stop of the trip wasn't kind to the Predators. Mikael Granlund scored on the Predators' first shot on goal of the game, from an angle that seemed to defy geometry.

After that, though, the Predators mostly looked lost. Until the third period, when they scored three more times to tie before falling 7-4, thanks to three Kings goals in the final minute, including two empty-netters at Staples Center.

Had they won, it would have marked the third time in six games this season the Predators came back to for victory when trailing after two periods.

Impressive, sure. Also not sustainable for a full season.

The Predators had six such wins all of last season.

It's an edge on which they'd prefer not to reside.

An edge on which they'd likely not survive.

"That’s not the plan, to give up a big lead and come back in the third," Laviolette said. "It’s the hand we were dealt because we didn’t play up to our capabilities for the next 35 minutes after the first five minutes. We found ourselves in a hole."

Fifteen of the Predators' 23 goals have come during the third period so far.

Matt Duchene, who pulled the Predators to within one when he banked one in off Drew Doughty's skate, concurred. He called it the team's "poorest game of the year," but added he thought the team deserved at least a point after Colton Sissons tied the score 4-all.

Still, timing, Duchene said, can be everything.

When it comes to fluky goals or fluky wins. Even fluky losses.

"Any time you see that, no one’s ever trying to do that," Duchene said of scoring off Doughty's skate. "Makes me laugh every time they try to say on TV guys were trying to do that. I was trying to pass it to (Filip Forsberg) and we got a good bounce.

"It’s a disappointing loss for two reasons: One, if we play 60 we show what we can do. But we didn’t. Secondly, its impressive what we’re capable of doing it when we need to. … We got the three and it should have been going to overtime. They got one at the end. That was disappointing. ... It’s a good wakeup call this early in the season."

Speaking of shooting off of feet, Duchene's contention is it's best for the Predators to do it now, early in the season, so they can "learn from it so you're better from it (instead) of doing it at the end of the year."

"This one stings," he said.

And the Predators have Vegas and Arizona in which to try to make up for it.

Tennessean LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156854 Nashville Predators

Kings blow three-goal lead, hang on to beat Predators 7-4

Staff and wire reportsPublished 12:00 p.m. CT Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 9:36 p.m. CT Oct. 12, 2019

Alex Iafallo scored the tiebreaking goal with 59 seconds to play, and the Los Angeles Kings blew a three-goal lead in the third period before winning their home opener under new coach Todd McLellan, 7-4 over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Iafallo got his first goal of the season on a rebound of Dustin Brown's shot before Brown and Drew Doughty added empty-net goals seven seconds apart, sending the Kings to the 1,000th home victory in franchise history and a wild start to their 20th season at Staples Center.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Michael Amadio each had a goal and an assist while the Kings scored four consecutive goals spanning the first two periods. Captain Anze Kopitar and Kyle Clifford also scored during the barrage, but the Kings gave it away while Viktor Arvidsson, Matt Duchene and Colton Scissons scored in the first 11 ½ minutes of the third period for the Preds.

Mikael Granlund also scored, while Ryan Ellis and Ryan Johansen had two assists apiece as Nashville opened a three-game West Coast trip with another big offensive performance, but big mistakes late. The Preds have scored 23 goals in their first five games.

Jack Campbell made 28 saves for Los Angeles, and Juuse Saros stopped 30 shots for Nashville.

The Kings are coming off the franchise's worst season since 2007-08, but that team never gave up 21 goals in any four-game stretch, as these Kings have done to start the season under McLellan. But Los Angeles has been highly entertaining while scoring 18 goals in four games, an impressive turnaround for one of the NHL's lowest-scoring teams last season.

Granlund put the Predators ahead 4:55 after the opening faceoff, but Amadio evened it with a rebound goal after Kovalchuk screened Saros and tipped a puck to the net by defenseman Sean Walker, who had two assists in an outstanding performance.

Clifford scored his first goal of the season early in the second period, and Kovalchuk made it 4-1 before Arvidsson got his third goal of the young season early in the third.

Duchene's power-play goal with 9:04 left in regulation made it 4-3, and Scissons tied it 34 seconds later.

NOTES: Kings D Derek Forbort still hasn't played this season due to an undisclosed injury. ... Nashville D Dan Hamhuis returned to the lineup after sitting out two games. Matt Irwin was scratched.

UP NEXT

Predators: Visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday in the second stop of their three-game trip.

Kings: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday in the second of five home games in eight days.

Tennessean LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156855 Nashville Predators Milwaukee, say Jarred Tinordi or Alexander Carrier or Matt Donovan or Steven Santini or Jeremy Davies.

It's an issue he's going to have to address one way or another if things Predators good to goal so far, but there could be a hole in the defense don't get better.

Small sample sizes can be dangerous. So, too, can letting a problem linger for too long. Paul Skrbina, Published 9:00 a.m. CT Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 12:30 p.m. CT Oct. 12, 2019 Tennessean LOADED: 10.13.2019

The Predators have been good to go when it comes to goals.

Not so good when it comes to allowing them.

They scored 19 through their first four games going into Saturday's contest against the Kings in Los Angeles, tied with the Maple Leafs for most in the league.

Their 14 goals during five-on-five play also were tied for tops in the league with the Jets.

They had three power-play goals and a 23.08% success rate, putting them 15th in the league. They had 12 third-period goals and two third- period comeback victories in their first four games.

The line of Matt Duchene, Filip Forsberg and Mikael Granlund has been humming along.

They won three of four.

Good things, all of these.

The bad

The Predators also have allowed 14 goals, of which only eight have come during five-on-five play.

"If you're talking five-on-five defensive coverage, we can be better," coach Peter Laviolette said. "One game it was the forecheck. The game after that it was about turning it over in the offensive zone at inopportune times. I don't know if it's so much about straight d-zone coverage as it is about self-inflicted wounds. We talk about those things. ... We’re working on things."

There was the shorthanded goal they allowed to the Capitals, along with a pair of power play scores, during Thursday's 6-5 victory.

Defenseman Mattias Ekholm salvaged the evening when he scored the winner 28 seconds after Nick Bonino tied the score.

Ekholm was happy with the win. He was aware of the potential consequences of living on the defensive edge.

"In the future we might want to try and play a little bit more defense," he said.

"We have new pairings, new lines, new guys, new coaches, so it’s going to be awhile. ... We’re going to have growing pains, but when the offense looks this good it’s going to save us in those games."

Rookie Dante Fabbro experienced one of those bumps he talked about expecting when he was burned for a goal Thursday. To be fair, Fabbro has been fantastic otherwise this season playing next to Ekholm in what used to be P.K. Subban's spot.

The ugly

Dig a little deeper, though, and it would appear the Predators' biggest problem could lie with their third defensive pairing.

Yannick Weber and Matt Irwin were that pair for two games in a row heading into Saturday. Among pairs with at least 19 minutes played at five-on-five this season, the two combined for the worst Corsi-for percentage (22.58) in the league, according to naturalstattrick.com. They have been on the ice for one goal allowed and none for.

MORE: Who will stay and who will go? Predators have a few roster decisions to make

Dan Hamhuis and Weber had a 61.54 Corsi-for in 23:04 playing together over the first two games, but they have been on the ice together for three goals allowed and none for.

General manager David Poile may feel the need to address the sore spot via the trade market. He may choose to recall a defensemen or two from 1156856 New Jersey Devils

Make it 5 straight: Devils lose again in road shutout vs. Bruins

Today 9:31 PM

By Chris Ryan

BOSTON -- The Devils aren’t going to go winless all season. Probably not, at least.

But five games into the 2019-20 campaign, they’re still searching for win No. 1.

They lost their third straight road game in regulation to open the season, falling to the Boston Bruins, 3-0, on Saturday at TD Garden. The loss dropped them to 0-3-2 overall.

In all three road games this season, the Devils have played in the home openers of their opponents, and they haven’t led in any of the games. The Bruins took control with a pair of goals in the first period.

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The Devils actually controlled play in the opening minutes of the game, pushing the pace and getting some shot attempts on the offensive end. But Bruins forward Brad Marchand snatched that momentum away when he scored on a shot from the high slot at 3:33 of the first period. Marchand’s shot appeared to hit a Devils defender, either Damon Severson or P.K. Subban, en route to the net.

From there, the Bruins tilted the ice in their favor, controlling play the for the remainder of the opening 20 minutes. They doubled the lead to 2-0 when Joakim Nordstrom grabbed a loose puck following a battle in the slot, allowing him to snap a shot past Devils goalie Cory Schneider at 11:22.

The Devils killed two penalties in the second period, giving some hope to their efforts to improve the penalty kill after a rocky start to the season. But the Bruins capitalized on their third power play of the frame, getting a Patrice Bergeron goal with 46 seconds left in the period for a 3-0 lead.

Tuukka Rask made 31 saves in the the shutout for the Bruins, while Schneider stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced.

Next up

The Devils will be home for their next six games, taking them all the way into November before they hit the road again.

They’ll start the long home stand with 1 p.m. game against the Florida Panthers at Prudential Center in Newark. They will also play the Rangers on Thursday and the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday in the coming week.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156857 New Jersey Devils

Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Bruins (10/12/19) | Cory Schneider back in goal

Posted Oct 12, 2019

By Chris Ryan

BOSTON -- The Devils won’t make any lineup changes, other than Cory Schneider starting in goal, when they visit the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. on Saturday at TD Garden.

Here’s how the Devils will skate in their fifth game of the season.

FORWARDS

Taylor Hall - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri

Miles Wood - Travis Zajac - Blake Coleman

Pavel Zacha - Jack Hughes - Wayne Simmonds

Nikita Gusev - Kevin Rooney - Jesper Bratt

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DEFENSEMAN

Damon Severson - P.K. Subban

Will Butcher - Sami Vatanen

Mueller - Connor Carrick

GOALIES

Starter: Cory Schneider

Backup: Mackenzie Blackwood

SCRATCHES

F: Jesper Boqvist, John Hayden

D: Matt Tennyson

On IR: D Andy Greene (upper body injury)

On the power play, the only personnel change the Devils made was putting Sami Vatanen as the defenseman at the point on the second unit. Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri flipped sides on the wings on the top unit.

Here are pregame notes from the Devils:

Tonight is the first of three regular-season contests between New Jersey and Boston. In 2018-19, the Devils finished with a 1-2-0 (2PTS) record against the Bruins. Boston outscored New Jersey 8-6, and outshot the club 99-75 in three games played.

The Devils were 5-6 on the penalty kill in the season series, and 2-7 (29%) on the man advantage. Blake Coleman (2G), Andy Greene (2A) and Nico Hischier (1G-1A) led the Devils in scoring with three points apiece. Mackenzie Blackwood split the two games against Boston, posting a 1.52 GAA and 1-1-0 record. Cory Schneider started in one contest last season, allowing four goals against in the loss.

Patrice Bergeron tallied five points (3G-2A) against New Jersey. Bergeron led his squad in goals and shots (10) in the season series. Tuuka Rask saw the majority of the workload, allowing one goal and posting one shutout in 120 minutes of play (0.50) against the Devils.

The Devils are 2-4-0 at TD Garden and 4-7-1 overall against the Bruins since the 2015-16 season.

New Jersey and Boston will meet two more time this regular season, November 19 at Prudential Center and December 31 at Prudential Center.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156858 New Jersey Devils So aside from that game, the Devils have a slate of winnable matchups. And when they play the Bruins, Boston will be returning from a long west- coast swing.

Why there’s still reason to be optimistic about Devils despite slow start And for the rest of October, the Devils are going to be well rested. After two back-to-backs to open the season, they don’t have another one all month. They have just seven games in the next 21 days.

Posted Oct 12, 2019 So say the Devils lose to the Bruins and Lightning in regulation, but win four of the other five games on their upcoming home stand. That would By Chris Ryan put them at 4-4-2 on Nov. 2. It’s not perfect, but it would certainly be a manageable position.

The Devils’ season is now one week old, and after all of the offseason Jack Hughes is starting to look like Jack Hughes excitement, they’re still searching for their first win. In his first two NHL games, Jack Hughes struggled. The 2019 No. 1 They fell to 0-2-2 after a shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers on overall pick didn’t establish much offensive zone time with his lines and Thursday, and there’s been plenty written about what’s gone wrong in the got pinned in the defensive zone several times. opening stretch of the season. In the two games that followed, that changed. His line had positive But there are still signs for why things can turn around for the Devils, who possession against the Flyers and Oilers, and he generated three scoring play again on the road against the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. on Saturday chances against the Oilers, though he is still searching for his first NHL at TD Garden in Boston. point.

Here’s why there’s still reason to expect the Devils to get things figured It hasn’t been surprising to see Hughes need to make an adjustment to out. the NHL game in the regular season. The good news is that he seems to be figuring it out quickly. They actually executed in loss to Oilers “Jack played pretty well (Wednesday), he played pretty well (Thursday), In regulation losses to the Buffalo Sabres and Flyers, the Devils so we’ll keep working with him,” Hynes said. “The difference for him right controlled only 40 percent of the 5-on-5 shot attempts in each game, and now, he’s really understanding how hard you need to compete in this the Devils weren’t able to consistently establish offensive structure in game and how much puck battles matter and attention to detail when you either. Against the Oilers on Thursday, they finally did. don’t have the puck. I think he’s making strides in those areas. For him, Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes he’s just a step away from really creating some good offense. observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers "Good players adjust, but the thing I like about Jack, he hasn’t backed They accounted for 60 percent of the shot attempts, and they limited the down from the competitive part of things and understanding what he Oilers to 11 scoring chances and one high-danger scoring chance. needs to do outside of producing offense. His game has gotten better, Against the Oilers’ dangerous top line featuring Connor McDavid and and when you have a guy that’s that naturally talented, he’ll understand Leon Draisaitl, the Devils out-chanced that group, 15-11. from the mistakes, if you try one too many moves or get too tight on defenders, things get poke checked away. I think he’ll learn and grow That type of performance across the lineup will lead to wins more often from it.” than not, and now that they’ve shown they can do it, they just need to replicate it. Star Ledger LOADED: 10.13.2019

“After a tough loss (Wednesday) night, if you look at the way that we competed and the way we played 5-on-5, we did played a lot to our identity,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “I think everybody on the team showed up on a gut-check game. And if you look at that, that’s something certainly to build on. I think 5-on-5 we were the better team. If you look statistically in any category, any analytics you want to look at it, and the only difference was special teams.”

Special teams will get better

Because they can’t get any worse, right? The power play isn’t going to go scoreless for the entire season, and the penalty kill won’t hemorrhage goals at this rate all year, either.

The two groups have arguably been the Devils’ biggest downfall through four games. The penalty kill has given up multiple power-play goals in three straight games, and the power play hasn’t potted a goal in 11 opportunities.

The penalty kill ranked among the best in the league last season, so there’s plenty of reason to expect the group to figure things out with most of the same personnel still there. The Devils have more talent on the power play than they did in recent years, and they’re two years removed from a top-10 finish in the NHL. The goals will start the fall.

The schedule opens up

Saturday’s road game against the Boston Bruins presents a tough matchup, but the rest of October presents a schedule that should allow the Devils to straighten things out if they’re playing the right way and executing.

Following Saturday’s road game, the Devils have six straight home games, including five against teams that missed the playoffs last season: the Florida Panthers, Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes and Flyers. The other game is against the Tampa Bay Lightning, widely considered the favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season. 1156859 New Jersey Devils

Devils remain winless after getting blanked by Bruins

By Associated PressOctober 12, 2019 | 10:48pm | Updated

BOSTON — The hunt for a win goes on for the New Jersey Devils.

Tuukka Rask stopped 31 shots in his 46th career shutout, leading the Boston Bruins to a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils to win their home opener on Saturday night.

Brad Marchand, Joakim Nordstrom and Patrice Bergeron all scored in the Bruins’ first game on home ice since losing 4-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues in June. Boston won its first three road games this season before a 4-2 loss at Colorado on Thursday night.

“It’s behind us — we’ve got a new year,” Bruins center Sean Kuraly said. “Everyone’s got a clean slate this year. We’re just trying to play good hockey. Last year is all gone, and we’re looking forward.”

Cory Schneider stopped 29 shots for the Devils, who are 0-3-2.

Though the Devils entered this year with higher hopes, a win has been hard to come by, just like they were last season when New Jersey finished with the second-fewest points in the Eastern Conference. The Devils had a 11-27-3 road record a season ago, but were 20-14-7 at home.

“A good homestand is somewhere you can gain momentum,” said Schneider, whose team begins a season-high, six-game stretch at home on Monday. “We need to get a win, get some confidence, and hopefully it snowballs from there.”

Boston took a 2-0 lead after one period with a pair of goals in the first 12 minutes.

Marchand put the Bruins on the scoreboard 3:33 in when he skated to the high slot and fired a wrist shot to beat a screened Schneider.

Nordstrom doubled the lead with 8:38 left in the period. Sean Kuraly corralled a rebound in the slot and backhanded the puck to Chris Wagner, whose pass in front of the crease was finished off by Nordstrom.

Bergeron made it 3-0 on a power-play goal with 46 seconds left in the second period, poking in a rebound of Marchand’s shot from the right circle.

Rask turned away a handful of Devils’ scoring chances during a second period mostly controlled by the visitors with a 16-9 shots advantage. He also stymied New Jersey in the third to pick up his first shutout of the season.

New York Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156860 New Jersey Devils For Emile Francis made four separate trades with Detroit in just over four months that year — the first three when Sid Abel was GM and the last after Ned Harkness had replaced the Hall of Fame center of the Production Line that had Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe on the wings. Devils’ John Hynes is facing the heat amid sluggish start And if you combine three of the deals into one, it becomes one of the great trades in franchise history: the Blueshirts acquiring Pete Stemkowski, Dale Rolfe and By Larry BrooksOctober 12, 2019 | 5:45PM Bruce McGregor for Arnie Brown, a couple of months of Larry Brown

(who came back), Mike Robitaille, Tom Miller and Jim Krulicki. When ownership becomes involved in hockey personnel decisions and But you have to apply an asterisk because the fourth, well, in the fourth its prime acquisition is presented as a social-media marketing vehicle, one, Emile sent Don Luce to the Wings for Steve Andrascik. there is little time and little patience for slow starts. And look, the Rangers had Jean Ratelle-Walt Tkaczuk-Stemkowski down This is the case in New Jersey, where the Josh Harris-David Blitzer the middle and the point was winning the Cup rather than retaining combination at the top of the directory enthusiastically encouraged — pieces in the pipeline, but Luce (and Sheldon Kannegiesser) for how’s that for a euphemism? — general manager Ray Shero to pull off Andrascik, Syl Apps Jr. for Glen Sather, and Curt Bennett for Ron the deal for the Spirit of 76, who arrived with a boatload of charisma and Harris? as one half of a sports celebrity power couple with fiancée Lindsey Vonn. Woah. There is PK Subban, there is first-overall draft selection Jack Hughes, and there is Taylor Hall, one of the league’s elite players who is a Not suggesting cause and effect, and I’ve always advocated in this space pending free agent and who certainly isn’t going to sign up for a program for Ilya Kovalchuk and believe that the Devils would have beaten the that doesn’t produce results. Kings and won the 2012 Cup if No. 17 had been healthy in the finals, but, man, his NHL teams (Atlanta, New Jersey, Los Angeles) have a Hall has been in the playoffs once since entering the NHL with the Oilers combined record of 410-428-116 (410 victories in 954 games) with him in 2010. The Devils have been to the playoffs once since 2012. Coach on their respective rosters. John Hynes has taken the team to the postseason once since taking over to start the 2015-16 season. It went better in Russia, though.

There is top-end talent coursing through the Devils’ veins, and that is why The Candy Canes have ridden the momentum from last year’s surge into just a couple of weeks ago I projected them as a playoff team. It was a this season — a deep, talented industrious team that is playing with a brilliant pick through 39:48 of the opener, when the Devils charged to a 4- swagger and an edge in opening 5-0 with Friday’s victory over the 0 lead against Winnipeg … Islanders.

Before losing that game, 5-4 in a shootout … before losing three more The 1995-96 Devils began that way, capitalizing on the previous year’s times, once in the skills competition, to carry an 0-2-2 record into Boston Cup victory to catapult out of the gate at 5-0 and were clearly the NHL’s on Saturday night. Four games is a foolishly small sample size off which most superior team, before descending into dysfunction and missing the to leap to conclusions, it might be better to wait a wee bit for Hughes to playoffs. better acclimate himself to the league, and to give this some time to breathe. Finally, neither the NHL nor NHLPA objected to participating in the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi that provided a platform to glorify Putin’s But time is generally not measured through a scale of ownership when Russia, so why would anyone think that political considerations would ownership becomes as invested — dual meaning — as this operation prevent the league from participating in the 2022 Games in Beijing if the has become. It is difficult indeed to blast out a social marketing campaign money is right? focused primarily on one individual in a team game if the team is out of sight in the standings. Kid Rock could sing the anthem at the medal ceremony.

That is why it is important for Hynes, about whom everyone raves, to New York Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 generate some early success here. Or at least ensure the Devils don’t fall into a hole out of which they’ll be digging all year. It’s too hard.

And again, the organization needs something to entice Hall — who very well could attract offers of $12.5 million per year if he hits the open market following a healthy season — to sign on. Subban may be the off- ice face of the franchise, Hughes may be the future stud, but Hall is the team’s best player and most important asset.

Shero was not a quick-fire GM throughout his eight-year tenure in Pittsburgh. He inherited Michel Therrien at the start of 2006-07 and stayed with him through midseason of 2008-09 before dismissing him and replacing him with Dan Bylsma. The Penguins won the Cup that year. Shero stayed with Bylsma until his own dismissal following the 2013-14 playoffs in which the Penguins lost the second round in seven games to the Rangers after holding a 3-1 series lead.

The GM is a loyal man. He first hired Hynes to be an assistant coach for the Penguins’ AHL team in 2009, elevated him to the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton top job a couple of years later and then brought him to New Jersey in 2015.

But there is urgency here. The Devils have a complement of high-risk, high-reward players. But the individual at highest risk at this exceptionally early point of the season is Hynes.

So I was thinking about possible candidates to replace Hynes if and when the time should come and happened to flip on the NHL Network and there he was: Scott Stevens.

It wasn’t quite the Yankees-Kansas City A’s dynamic of the 1950s, but not sure what exactly was going on with the Rangers and Red Wings during the 1970-71 season. 1156861 New York Islanders

Brock Nelson’s shootout goal propels Islanders past Panthers

By Associated PressOctober 12, 2019 | 10:35PM

The New York Islanders are slowly rediscovering their disciplined style and beginning to play the way they did when they made it to the second round of playoffs last season.

Brock Nelson scored in the shootout and the Islanders beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum to snap a two-game skid.

Anders Lee and Josh Bailey scored in regulation for the Islanders.

“We didn’t focus on the outcome, we just focused on the process and how we have to get back to playing our way,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “We didn’t have any passengers, it was a team win.”

Semyon Varlamov, signed to a four-year, $20 million deal in the offseason, stopped 35 shots through overtime and all three Florida attempts in the tiebreaker to pick up his first win with New York.

“A win tastes great,” Varlamov said. “After two losses, we needed this win and I thought everybody played well.”

Dadonov tied the score at 2-2 when his wrist shot beat Varlamov with 6:02 left in the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau entered the offensive zone with possession of the puck and crisscrossed with Dadonov to throw off the Islanders’ defense.

“We got to learn to play the way we played in the third period, how we battled back, that needs to be our 60-minute game,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said.

Florida opened the scoring at 5:34 of the first period when Malgin hammered a one-timer off a pass from Dadonov for his first of the season.

Lee tied it when he recorded his second goal of the season at 5:40 of the second. Lee sent a slap shot from the high slot after Mathew Barzal masterfully manipulated the Panthers’ defense behind the net and found an opening to deliver a pass to the Islanders’ captain.

“I know (Barzal) sees me and he knows I am in the slot,” Lee said when describing his thought process. “I have to find a lane for him as well, I can’t just stand there. I have to be patient and be ready to shoot when it gets to me.”

Bailey gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead with 2:29 left in the middle period when he finished a cross-ice pass from Jordan Eberle, firing a wrist shot past Montembeault’s glove.

Late in the third period, Eberle absorbed a hard check from Mike Matheson and did not return. Trotz did not offer an update after the game.

The Panthers outshot the Islanders 12-9 in the first 20 minutes but failed to capitalize on the power play, squandering three opportunities.

“In the second period, we got a little cute, started to make stupid plays,” Barkov said. “It cost us a couple of goals.”

New York Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156862 New York Islanders "It was important for us,” Trotz said. “We played really hard [Friday] night and didn’t get the result. It’s just sticking with the process.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.13.2019 Islanders beat Panthers in a shootout at Coliseum, but Eberle exits with injury

By Andrew Gross

Updated October 12, 2019 11:39 PM

Something was clearly amiss for the Islanders through their first four games, three of them defeats, though the losses did not define what was going wrong.

They did not have the same defensive crispness, the same consistent goaltending, the same ability to roll four lines, the same all-out willingness to compete for pucks that fueled their run to the second round of last season’s playoffs.

“Yeah, we were not ourselves for the first four,” right wing Cal Clutterbuck said. “We had spurts. But last year, we were just stringing together complete games. We didn’t start the way we wanted. I think this one, if we can come back with the same kind of effort, even build on it, then we’ll get ourselves on the right track.”

All elements worked much better in Saturday night’s 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum as the team celebrated its alumni weekend with Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies and Denis Potvin among the returning players.

Of concern, though: top-line right wing Jordan Eberle exited the game at 17:26 of the third period after a hard check from defenseman Mike Matheson appeared to buckle his right leg. Coach Barry Trotz had no update after the game.

Semyon Varlamov made 35 saves for the Islanders, plus all three shots in the shootout. Backup Sam Montembeault stopped 26 shots for the Panthers (1-2-2). Brock Nelson scored the lone shootout goal in the first round.

“I felt like I was myself today and, of course, the team played different hockey,” said Varlamov, who notched his first win as an Islander in his third start after signing a four-year, $20 million deal. “Everybody played well defensively like we were supposed to play. It’s always easier to play for the goalie when there are no shots from the slot and you see most of the shots.”

One game, of course, is not a trend, so Monday’s matinee against the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues at the Coliseum will be a good test. But the trend is upward, even starting with Friday’s 5-2 loss at Carolina.

“You’re not just going to go from a brutal game against Edmonton [Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at the Coliseum] and have an unbelievable one the next night,” said captain Anders Lee, who tied the game at 1-1 at 5:40 of the second period with a one-timer from the left circle off Mathew Barzal’s patient stickwork behind the crease. “If you can build off of any loss, we built off of last night.”

Trotz, looking to spark his team’s five-on-five attack, revamped all but his top line of Barzal centering Lee and Eberle and was able to trust all four lines.

Evgenii Dadonov, off a feed from Jonathan Huberdeau on the rush, tied the game at 2-2 at 13:58 of the third period, beating Varlamov over his glove from the right circle.

As was the case in their 4-1 win over the visiting Jets last Sunday, the Islanders started playing much better in the second period against the Panthers as they scored twice.

Josh Bailey made it 2-1 at 17:31 off a three-on-two rush that started with defenseman Adam Pelech stepping up to intercept a pass in the neutral zone.

The Islanders allowed the first goal for the second straight night and for the third time in five games when Denis Malgin connected on a one-timer from the right circle at 5:34 of the first period. It was the Panthers’ second shot. 1156863 New York Islanders Nystrom agreed, calling it “really incredible.” “I was looking out here and saying to myself, how does anyone do a

project like this?” he said. “They’ve got a big hole dug out and now 'Smart' jerseys, virtual reality possible at new Islanders home they’re there and they’re starting to put in the standings. It’s crazy, but it’s absolutely wonderful.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.13.2019 By Laura Albanese

Updated October 12, 2019 8:41 PM

The Islanders future arena at Belmont Park will be technology forward — replete with virtual reality experiences and “smart” jerseys that change names when entering the building — team co-owner Jon Ledecky said Saturday, as he and dozens of Islanders alumni gathered near the construction site about 2 1/2 weeks after the groundbreaking.

“That’s the future of sports, that’s the future of arenas,” Ledecky said, adding that they’ve tried to anticipate what technology will have become mainstream when the arena is slated to open in 2021. “[Everything] takes advantage of technology. That’s what happens when you’re starting something from scratch, when you’re building a new building. … If you can get that family excited about jumping in the car or going on the railroad, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Ledecky, alongside Islanders greats Clark Gillies, Bobby Nystrom and Denis Potvin, said season ticket sales had risen as construction got underway. The new arena also hopes to host about 100 concerts a year, he added. Though he wouldn’t comment on ticket prices — a new arena could mean a heftier bill for fans — Ledecky did say that they “want the family of four to show up and not break the bank.”

The entire campus — which will have the 19,000-seat arena, a retail center and a 250-room hotel — is being developed by New York Arena Partners, a group that includes owners of the Islanders, Mets, and the arena development company Oak View Group. The project has been met with pushback, and two lawsuits have been filed to stop construction. However, Ledecky has said that everything was “full steam ahead.” On Saturday, he said the footings — part of the foundation — were going in.

While focused on the arena, Ledecky expects the rest of the campus will use advanced technology, he said. The exterior, however, will be built to blend with the more traditional Belmont Race Track.

“[It will be] a building facade that maintains the [Belmont-style] tradition but inside has everything state of the art,” he said.

The “smart” jerseys, which were unveiled by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver earlier this year, can switch names and numbers on the back while the front doesn't change. The arena will be built for hockey, and Ledecky said there would be “no bad seats,” though fans in the last rows could potentially use virtual reality or augmented reality for an up-close view of the game.

“Because we’re opening in 2021, we’re spending a lot of time, resources and energy to make sure that we’re right there" on the cutting edge, he said.

Additionally, the new arena will look to hire a diverse set of vendors. At least 30% will be minorities or women, Ledecky said, and 6% will be disabled military veterans.

All of that got rave reviews by the Islanders alumni in attendance Saturday. The team now splits its time between NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which some Long Island fans found difficult to reach. Potvin, who recently retired from 21 years in broadcasting, said the arena could potentially attract more free agents to the team. Gillies, meanwhile, said he thought it would greatly improve the fan experience.

“My daughter lives in West Islip and they haven’t been to many games in Brooklyn,” Gillies said. “They really love going to the Coliseum with the three kids. They’re there in 15 minutes, they’re home in 15 minutes. This is going to be a little bit different, but it will give them more accessibility to the game.”

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday called the redevelopment of state land at Belmont Park "a project Long Island deserves" as New York Islanders owners, players and developers joined him at a celebratory groundbreaking on the site of a new arena for the National Hockey League team. (Credit: Newsday / Chris Ware) 1156864 New York Islanders

Barry Trotz shuffles Islanders' lines against Panthers

By Andrew Gross

Updated October 12, 2019 11:43 PM

Barry Trotz wasn’t kidding.

The Islanders coach said prior to Saturday night’s 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum he “absolutely” was thinking of shuffling his lines to spark more five-on-five offense.

The top line of Mathew Barzal centering captain Anders Lee and right wing Jordan Eberle remained intact. But that was it.

The fourth line was completely broken up, with center Casey Cizikas missing his second straight game and left wing Matt Martin a healthy scratch for the first time this season. Scrappy right wing Cal Clutterbuck and left wing Anthony Beauvillier were pushed to Brock Nelson’s second line. Left wing Josh Bailey was placed with center Derick Brassard and Michael Dal Colle, while gritty Ross Johnston made his season debut on Leo Komarov’s left wing along with Tom Kuhnhackl.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been away from the other two guys,” Clutterbuck said. “I was just trying to go out there and give them some heaviness, keep the puck moving forward and be reliable. I’m happy for the opportunity. It was fun.”

Too soon for Cizikas

Trotz said Cizikas suffered an unspecified injury in the last preseason game and acknowledged he probably played him sooner than he should have.

“It sort of keeps getting aggravated every time he plays,” Trotz said “We probably should have held him out a little bit longer, in retrospect, but he wanted to get going.”

Cizikas, seen in a walking boot, has one assist in three games.

Isles files

Defenseman Nick Leddy logged 18:27 after missing Friday’s loss with an unspecified issue as rookie Noah Dobson was a healthy scratch ... The attendance was 11,421 ... Left wing Ross Johnston logged 7:08 in his season debut, fought defenseman Josh Brown in the third period and screened Panthers goalie Sam Montembeault on Anders Lee’s second- period goal ... The Islanders blocked 19 shots.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156865 New York Rangers but slotted into the open spot on the fourth line following the trade of Vladislav Namestnikov to Ottawa this week. ... The teams conclude the season series at Edmonton on Dec. 31. The Oilers have won three straight meetings after losing the previous five. ... Neal was held off the Rangers drop 4-1 decision to red-hot Oilers at the Garden scoresheet after he had seven goals in the previous three games.

UP NEXT

By VIN A. CHERWOOD Oilers: At Chicago on Monday to complete a four-game trip.

ASSOCIATED PRESS | Rangers: At New Jersey on Thursday night.

OCT 12, 2019 | 4:27 PM New York Daily News LOADED: 10.13.2019

Connor McDavid scored the tiebreaking goal and Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, all in the third period, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the New York Rangers 4-1 Saturday for their season-opening fifth straight win.

Oscar Klefbom had a goal and an assist, McDavid also had an assist, and Mike Smith stopped 20 shots to help Edmonton complete a sweep of the New York area teams. The Oilers beat the Islanders 4-1 on Tuesday night, and then edged New Jersey 4-3 in a shootout Thursday night.

Edmonton, 5-0-0 for the first time in 34 years, became the first team in NHL history to win its first five games after trailing in each.

Rookie Kaapo Kakko had his first NHL goal for the Rangers, who had won their first two games but were playing for the first time in a week. Henrik Lundqvist finished with 23 saves.

With the score 1-1, Lundqvist made several nice saves early in the third to keep the score tied, and Edmonton's Matt Benning hit a goalpost at 5:15. New York's Artemi Panarin was stopped by Smith on a wide-open try from the left side 70 seconds later.

Henrik Lundqvist and the Blueshirts can't keep pace with the Oilers.

Edmonton then took the lead when McDavid was credited with a power- play goal at 9:44. His pass for Neal in front deflected off Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba's leg and past Lundqvist. It was McDavid's fourth of the season.

Draisaitl made it 3-1, knocking in a loose puck in front of Lundqvist with 6:42 left. Lundqvist appeared to believe he had smothered the puck, but officials didn't blow a whistle, and Draisaitl kept whacking at the puck.

The Rangers pulled Lundqvist for an extra skater, but Draisaitl got an empty-netter, his fourth goal of the season, with 15 seconds left to seal the win.

Trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Oilers picked up their intensity in the second period. Draisaitl hit a goalpost 27 seconds into the period, and Edmonton had a goal waved off because Zack Kassian skated into Lundqvist in the crease.

Lundqvist made a sprawling save diving to his left to deny Alex Chiasson's tip try on a 2-on-1 about 4 1/2 minutes into the period to preserve the Rangers' lead.

However, Klefbom tied it at 6:45 as he got the puck off faceoff, skated to his right and fired a shot from the center of the blue line through traffic that beat Lundqvist for his first of the season.

Smith stopped slap shots by Panarin and Trouba about 90 seconds apart around the midpoint of the second, and one by Brady Skjei with just under 5 minutes left to keep the score tied.

Lundqvist was caught out of position up out of his crease when the puck deflected to Neal in front, but the goalie made a diving save with his glove.

The Rangers had a 5-on-3 advantage for about 40 seconds in the first period, but Smith denied Buchnevich from the middle nearly 7 minutes in. He then stopped Brendan Lemieux's tip 1:36 later, and the Rangers' Brendan Smith hit the crossbar just past the midpoint of the period.

Kakko, the second overall pick in June's NHL draft, gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with 1:32 left in the first. On a give-and-go with Ryan Strome on an odd-man rush, Kakko got the puck back and went forehand to backhand and lifted the puck over a sprawled Smith for his first.

NOTES: Greg McKegg, signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, made his Rangers debut. McKegg was a healthy scratch the first two games 1156866 New York Rangers

Kaapo Kakko: I got ‘lucky’ on first Rangers goal

By Larry BrooksOctober 12, 2019 | 10:37PM

And so it was at 18:48 of the first period at the Garden on Saturday afternoon that Kaapo Kakko scored his first NHL goal … and smiled widely from the bench when he appeared on the video screen during the PA announcement.

“That was a great feeling,” the second-overall selection of June’s entry draft said of the huge response from the crowd. “Of course [scoring the goal] feels good. It’s why you play hockey.

“But we didn’t play good. It was a big goal for us, but not enough.”

Kakko was the only Ranger to beat backup Mike Smith in the Blueshirts’ 4-1 defeat to Edmonton. The freshman scored off a backhand in tight after converting a lovely backhand feed from Ryan Strome after No. 16 picked up the puck after it had been poked off Kakko’s stick by Oscar Klefbom as he entered the zone on the right.

Kakko continued to the net, beating the Edmonton defenseman. Strome flicked a saucer up ahead to No. 24, who then made a couple of quick moves before slipping it into the right side of the net.

“It was a great play by Stromer,” Kakko said. “I was a little bit lucky.”

Sure.

“I’m happy for him,” said Artemi Panarin. “This should give him confidence and get better from here.”

Lias Andersson, who got 7:16 of ice (5:28 even-strength) had a golden opportunity to knot the game 2-2 with 7:17 remaining in regulation, but was snuffed by Smith on a rebound off Brady Skjei’s slap shot.

The Rangers had possession in the Edmonton zone with 2:30 remaining, down 3-1, but Quinn was conservative in pulling Henrik Lundqvist and did not get the goaltender off for the extra attacker for another minute.

Blueshirts were out-attempted 51-22 at even-strength in this one and by 165-113 through their three games for a small sample size Corsi of 40.6 percent, per Naturalstattrick.com.

Defeat prevented the Rangers from their fifth 3-0 getaway over the last 80 seasons. … Blueshirts next play on Thursday in New Jersey.

New York Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156867 New York Rangers “I thought we had good energy and a good first period,” Lundqvist said. “I don’t know, maybe that time away from the game made it a little tougher to find the next level.”

Rangers fall apart late after Kaapo Kakko’s first goal Chris Kreider went to the room with 4:29 remaining in the first period after Jujhar Khaira had fallen on his leg. No. 20 returned for the start of the second and took his regular shift, but was ineffective in 16:40. Indeed, it By Larry BrooksOctober 12, 2019 | 4:38pm | Updated was Kakko rather than Kreider who joined the first line when Quinn pulled Lundqvist for the extra attacker.

Still, the signal matchup of the afternoon was the marquee one between We are three games into the seven-year, $56 million contract the McDavid’s unit and Zibanejad’s. It went the wrong way. Rangers awarded Jacob Trouba after obtaining the defenseman from Winnipeg, so let’s keep this in perspective. “They did a better job. They were putting pucks behind us and won the matchup,” Zibanejad said. “We weren’t good enough.” It does, however, provide a snapshot commentary on the state of the team’s blue line that David Quinn did not use Trouba, partnered with New York Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 Libor Hajek, on the matchup pair against the dynamic Connor McDavid- Leon Draisaitl-Zach Kassian unit in Saturday afternoon’s 4-1 defeat to the Oilers. The coach instead opted to go with the Marc Staal-Tony DeAngelo tandem in concert with the Mika Zibanejad-Artemi Panarin- Pavel Buchnevich troika.

The McDavid line had far the better of it, but then, too, so did the rest of the Oilers in this match in which the Rangers were off-kilter, chasing and reacting rather than initiating through most of the contest.

“We were trying to [get a handle] on our pairings and wrestled with all three of them,” Quinn said. “I thought Staalsy has been playing real well, I thought Tony’s puck movement could get us out, but at the end of the day on one line or one group.

“We weren’t good all the way up and through the lineup.”

There certainly was rust to knock off the barnacles of the Good Ship Ranger after having been off since last Saturday. The Oilers, on the other hand, had played and won a shootout in New Jersey on Friday. This was an ultimate fresh versus tired matchup except one team wasn’t tired and the other was too fresh.

Regardless, the rest/rust was not an excuse Zibanejad had any interest in deploying after the contest in which his line was outplayed by a wide margin, the attempts in the five-on-five match going 15-6 for the Oilers.

“If we had won,” said No. 93, “then it would have been the best week of our lives.”

It was the best day of Kaapo Kakko’s NHL life, the 18-year-old Finn scoring a nifty goal in tight off a nifty backhand feed from Ryan Strome for the first of his big-league career to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 18:28 of the first period the team carried into the intermission.

But even in the first, the Blueshirts were out-attempted at full strength by 21-6. Their best chance to knock the Oilers, 5-0-0 after this one, may have come and gone earlier in the match when the Rangers were unable to capitalize on 3:39 of continuous power play that featured 40 seconds with a two-man advantage.

“It was not as good as we would have liked,” Panarin said through an interpreter. “We had a different combination. We’ll go back and work on it.”

The Rangers ceded space and allowed time to an Oilers team that looked considerably faster, while rarely creating zone time off the forecheck. When the Rangers did create chances, they refused to fire until they could see the whites of goaltender Mike Smith’s eyes through the small openings in his mask.

“It goes back to what I talked about last year,” said Quinn, whose team recorded 21 shots. “I can think of five instances off the top of my head where we had incredible chances to shoot the puck and we don’t. And off of that might come four other shots.

“So if you get a loose puck sitting in front of the net, you’d better get rid of it in a hurry. We just didn’t have that shooting mentality. We didn’t do a lot of things in a hurry.”

The Oilers tied the score at 6:45 of the second when Oscar Klefbom sent a long one through a tangle of bodies that beat Henrik Lundqvist from the left side. It remained tied until McDavid put one off Trouba’s leg from a bad angle on a power play at 9:44 of the third. Draisaitl sneaked on through Lundqvist’s pads at 13:12 — not a good one — before sealing it with an empty-netter. 1156868 New York Rangers

Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko scores first NHL goal in style

By Mark FischerOctober 12, 2019 | 2:07pm | Updated

Kaapo Kakko is on the board.

The Rangers’ No. 2-overall pick from this past draft scored his first NHL goal Saturday, giving the Blueshirts a 1-0 lead over Edmonton at the Garden.

The Finnish forward split the two defenders, took a pass from Ryan Strome and made a quick backhand move before lifting the puck behind Oilers netminder Mike Smith.

The goal also marked Kakko’s first point in two-plus games.

No. 1 pick Jack Hughes (four games) is still searching for his first NHL point with the Devils.

New York Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156869 New York Rangers it," Lundqvist said. "I thought it was still there, and then it was in. I was hoping to talk to the ref. When the puck is sitting between your knees like that, I don’t know if you should get a faceoff there."

NY Rangers takeaways: Kaapo Kakko scores first NHL goal in loss to The week off didn't seem to effect the Rangers in the first period — which Edmonton Oilers in many respects was their best period — but they did seem to get worse as the game went on. Lundqvist said, "Maybe the time away from the game made it a little tougher for us to get that extra level in our game." While Quinn added, "I thought we got off to a good start, but boy, as the Vincent Z. Mercogliano, Published 2:04 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated game went on, I thought we got sloppier and sloppier. I thought 6:07 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 throughout the day, we didn’t play with a lot of pace or jam."

Once again, the Rangers' power play generated good looks and quality NEW YORK - By the time he got back to the New York Rangers' bench, chances — but finishing was an issue. They had a 5-on-3 for about 40 Kaapo Kakko was doing his best to play it cool. But in the immediate seconds in the first period and failed to cash in, which was the biggest moments after the 18-year-old rookie scored his first NHL goal, he let out killer. Pavel Buchnevich, in particular, seemed to opt for the extra pass a rare showing of emotion — a loud roar followed by wide smile. too often when he had the puck close to the crease. "We were right there," Marc Staal said. "We just didn’t execute, and they did on their The No. 2 overall pick in June's NHL Draft was held without a point in the power play." first two games of the season, but he got himself on the board late in the first period of Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Not shooting enough was part of the problem, but the Rangers also didn't do a great job of controlling the puck and possessing it. We didn't see as Kakko and linemate Ryan Strome made it happen, with Strome snatching much of the quality puck movement as we did in the first two games. "It the puck near center ice and weaving a pass ahead through traffic right was a bit of a stalemate for both teams," Staal said. "A lot of turnovers on to Kakko's stick. The pride of Finland handled the puck side-to-side both sides. A lot of bouncing and rolling pucks all over the ice. It was one before sneaking a backhand by Edmonton goalie Mike Smith. of those games."

"It was a great pass by Strome," Kakko said. "That’s it. A little bit lucky." Quinn started the D pair of Staal and Tony DeAngelo for the second straight game, which put them on the ice more than most with SECOND LINE: How will the NY Rangers spark lines 2, 3 and 4? Edmonton's dangerous top line featuring McDavid and Draisaitl. Now that PROJECTED LINEUP: Rangers host red-hot Edmonton Oilers after Quinn has split up Trouba and Brady Skjei, he seems unsure about week off which pair is his best. Trouba led all Rangers with 24:40 played. "We wrestled with all three of them," Quinn said of his D pairs. "I thought The Madison Square Garden crowd erupted when Kakko was shown on (Staal) has been playing really well, and I thought Tony’s puck movement the big screen, with the even-keeled rookie trying his best to fight off can get us out. But at the end of the day, I don’t want to pinpoint it on one another smile. He called it, "a great feeling." line or one group. We just weren’t good all the way up and through the Key moment lineup."

Unfortunately for the Rangers (2-1), Kakko's goal was the only The least amount of ice time for any Ranger was Lias Andersson at just opportunity they cashed in on in their first loss of the season. 7:16. It's still very early, but Quinn did say he wanted to get Andersson out there a bit more after the first game. He went up over 10 minutes in They had their opportunities, but failed to convert on four power plays — game two, but dropped down significantly Saturday. (In part because the including a 5-on-3 in the first period — while Edmonton made one of Rangers only spent four minutes on the penalty kill.) theirs count with the game tied 1-1 halfway through the third period. A positive for the Rangers (besides Kakko) was the play of Lundqvist. As Immediately after the Rangers came up empty on a power play, Brendan Mika Zibanejad said, "The reason why it was so close was Hankie Lemieux committed a penalty to give the Oilers a two-minute advantage. today." He finished with 23 saves, but that doesn't tell the whole story. He The result was an unspectacular goal, with Connor McDavid deflecting a made a handful that were high-difficulty to keep the game within reach for puck off Jacob Trouba and past Henrik Lundqvist to give Edmonton a 2-1 two-and-a-half periods. (Like this play...) lead. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.13.2019 It snowballed from there, with Leon Draisaitl adding two more goals, including an empty-netter.

"It was a battle. It came down to a tough bounce, I think, in a 1-1 game," Lundqvist said. "Special teams was the difference."

Caught my eye

During the week of practice, coach David Quinn made it clear that he thought "we've got to shoot more pucks" — but the Rangers managed just 21 shots on goal compared to 27 for the Oilers.

Quinn did not seem pleased about it after the game.

"I can think of five instances off the top of my head where we had incredible chances to shoot a puck and we don’t — and off of that might come four other shots," he said. "You get a loose puck sitting in front of the net, you better get rid of it in a hurry. We just didn’t have that shooting mentality. We didn’t do a lot of things in a hurry today."

The Rangers did have a few tough breaks, with Chris Kreider hitting the post on a first-period power play and Brendan Smith clanking one off the crossbar shortly thereafter. But the Rangers showed hesitation in key spots and often tried to make one-too-many passes.

More takeaways from Vin

None of the goals the Rangers gave up were particularly great plays from the Oilers — more a combination of bad luck and sloppy play. It's hard to put too much blame on Trouba for getting low to stop the puck when it bounced in for Edmonton's second goal, and the third came on a shot that Lundqvist initially stopped before it trickled through his legs. "It was sitting right between my knees there, and then (Draisaitl) just hammered 1156870 New York Rangers How to watch/listen: TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM All-time series (NYR vs. EDM): 33-31-9-3 (15-17-6-1 at home; 18-14-3-2

on the road) NY Rangers projected lineup: Red-hot Edmonton Oilers will be a test “Gordie Howe Hat Trick”: Lemieux had one the last time these teams after week off met Mar. 11, 2019 at Edmonton, recording one goal, one assist and one fighting major in the contest.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL writerPublished 8:00 a.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 Troubs: Trouba leads all Rangers with 10 points (four goals and six assists) in 17 career games against the Oilers. His four goals against Edmonton are tied for the most he has recorded against one opponent.

It's been a week since the New York Rangers played a game, which is a Two good: The Rangers have won each of the first two games of a strange layoff at this early point in the season. season for the first time since 2015-16 and for the second time in the last The Blueshirts will finally get back on the ice at Madison Square Garden 11 seasons (dating back to 2009-10). In addition, the Blueshirts have at 1 p.m. today against the Edmonton Oilers — a team which has played won each of their first two games in a season for the 16th time in twice as many games as them — and then get another four consecutive franchise history. days off. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.13.2019 "There's no point in trying to find reasons to be upset," goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said Friday. "When I looked at it the first time, yeah, I was a little annoyed. I'm not going to lie. But then you just move on. You see it as an opportunity for us to work on a lot of details in our game."

The Rangers have tried to use the time productivity, working on getting more out of their second, third and fourth lines, getting their defensive pairs comfortable with each other and clearing the puck out of their own zone.

They also made a trade, sending forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Nick Ebert and a 2021 fourth-round pick. (And valuable salary cap space.)

But now, at long last, they get to turn their attention to an Edmonton team that comes in at 4-0.

"They have two of the best players in the league (centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl)," Rangers coach David Quinn said of the Oilers. "Well-coached, they have a good structure, their power play is on fire — they're a dangerous team."

Lundqvist is expected to start in goal, while Brendan Lemieux will move up to Namestnikov's left wing spot on the third line and Greg McKegg will make his Rangers' debut on the fourth line.

BRENDAN LEMIEUX: Gritty forward gets first opportunity to move up into the top nine

ANALYSIS: Thoughts on Vlad Namestnikov trade, potential roster moves and more

Here's the complete projected lineup for the Rangers:

NOTE: Projected lineup is based on Friday's practice and is subject to change

Forwards

First line → Artemi Panarin (LW) – Mika Zibanejad (C) – Pavel Buchnevich (RW)

Second line → Chris Kreider (LW) – Ryan Strome (C) – Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Third line → Brendan Lemieux (LW) – Brett Howden (C) – Jesper Fast (RW)

Fourth line → Greg McKegg (LW) – Lias Andersson (C) – Brendan Smith (RW)

Defense

First pair → Marc Staal (L) and Tony DeAngelo (R)

Second pair → Libor Hájek (L) and Jacob Trouba (R)

Third pair → Brady Skjei (L) and Adam Fox (R)

Goalies

Starter → Henrik Lundqvist

Backup → Alexandar Georgiev

Will not play (healthy scratch): Micheal Haley

Game notes 1156871 New York Rangers

Rangers won't blame long layoff for loss to Edmonton

By Neil Best

Updated October 12, 2019 5:32 PM

The Rangers finally got to play a hockey game on Saturday after a week of talking about not playing any hockey games.

Did their long layoff contribute to their 4-1 loss to the Oilers at Madison Square Garden? Mike Zibanejad put the matter into perspective.

“I mean, if we won today that week would have been the best in our life,” he said. “Now it’s tough, obviously. You feel like you’re a little bit out of your rhythm. But it’s not an excuse at all.”

The fact the Rangers’ best period was the first seemed to argue against the long layoff theory. But who knows?

“We had a really good first, I think, good energy and had some really good scoring chances,” goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. “Maybe the time away from the game kind of made it a little tougher for us to get that extra level in our game, but it was a battle.”

The Rangers won their first two games, on Oct. 3 and 5, then had to wait a full week to play again, and now have to wait until Thursday for their fourth game of the season, against the Devils.

The biggest drawback to the strange early schedule is that the team will have to pay for it down the road with more games in a shorter time frame. But as Zibanejad said, its short-term effect is a matter of interpretation.

The Rangers led 1-0 after one period and were tied at 1 after two. Then the Oilers scored three in the third to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 1985-86, when Wayne Gretzky still was their leading scorer.

Said coach David Quinn, “We got off to a good start, but I thought as the game went on we just got sloppier and sloppier.”

Quinn had much more to be annoyed about than the long layoff and lamented in particular a lack of urgency to shoot when given opportunities.

He said he could name five such instances off the top of his head. “You get a loose puck sitting in front of the net, you better get rid of it in a hurry,” he said. “We just didn’t have that shooting mentality.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156872 New York Rangers whack at him, and the puck trickled in. Lundqvist thought there should have been a whistle.

“It was sitting right between my knees and he was just hammering it,” Kaapo Kakko scores first NHL goal, but Rangers fall to Oilers Lundqvist said. “I thought it was still there and then it was in.”

Draistaitl’s empty netter made it 4-1. But it only is mid-October. There are many more games where that one came from, but the Rangers hope By Neil Best there are few young players like Kakko.

Updated October 12, 2019 4:59 PM Next on Kakko's to-do list: Thursday against the Devils and Jack Hughes, the No. 1 overall pick. Entering Saturday night’s game, Hughes had yet to score his first NHL goal. If the next decade or two go according to plan for the Rangers, the final score of their game against the Oilers on Saturday will be little more than Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.13.2019 a historical footnote.

They lost, 4-1, at Madison Square Garden, but the goal that really mattered was the one for the home team, not the four for the visitors.

That is because it was scored by Kaapo Kakko, the 18-year-old Finn whom the Rangers drafted second overall in June. It was the first of his NHL career, and a beauty, at that.

“Of course, it feels good, and that’s why I play hockey, because I’m scoring goals,” he said.

Kakko’s English is limited, but his reaction on the ice spoke volumes. He celebrated with a happy yell and gave a big hug to Ryan Strome, who got the assist.

When the goal was announced while Kakko’s face was being shown on the video board, fans gave him a loud ovation.

“Yeah, that was a great feeling, so thanks fans, about that,” he said.

Kakko got his breakthrough score with 1:32 remaining in the first period. Strome, a former Islander and Oiler, skated into the top of the slot and fed Kakko with a nifty backhand pass.

The rookie quickly maneuvered the puck from backhand to forehand then back to his backhand, flipping it past the left pad of the sprawling, face- down goalie Mike Smith, with defenseman Oscar Klefbom in futile pursuit.

Asked to describe the play, Kakko said, “That was a great pass by Stromer, and that’s it. A little bit lucky.”

What about his part in it? “I think it was a great goal and big goal for us, for the team; first goal is always big,” he said. “But it’s not enough, one goal.”

After concluding his English-language interview, Kakko seemed more animated as he conducted one with a reporter in his native tongue.

Others were happy to weigh in.

“It was a nice one, too,” goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. “It’s nice to see him get rewarded. He’s playing really well.”

Artemi Panarin said through a translator, “I’m happy for him. He definitely gained some confidence, so it’s only going to get better from here.”

Asked what he has seen from Kakko, coach David Quinn said, “The skill set that everybody talks about. His size, the way he competes, his vision. He’s got all those things that put him in a position to get drafted second overall.”

On Twitter, fellow Finn and former Oiler and Ranger Esa Tikkanen wrote, “Atta boy Kaapo Kakko! We have all waited your first as a Ranger and what a beauty it was. Many more to come! #NHL”

The Rangers are 2-1. The Oilers improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1985-86.

Edmonton tied it at 6:45 of the second when Klefbom’s long shot slithered through traffic in Lundqvist’s sightline and bounded past him.

In the third, Brendan Lemieux was called for interfering with Connor McDavid, and Edmonton took advantage at 9:44 when McDavid’s centering pass bounced in off the skate of defenseman Jacob Trouba and past Lundqvist.

The Oilers made it 3-1 on a goal credited to Leon Draistaitl, who backhanded the puck between Lundqvist’s pads. Zack Kassian took a 1156873 New York Rangers when Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello wouldn’t shoot. “We didn’t do a lot of things in a hurry today.”

Quinn also moved Ryan Strome, who set up Kaapo Kakko’s first NHL The Rangers have plenty of problems, but their weeklong break wasn’t goal, down the lineup late in the game for the more energetic Brett one Howden.

The Rangers wasted power plays — including a five-on-three, when they whipped the puck around but didn’t get a legit shot on goalie Mike Smith By Rick Carpiniello Oct 12, 2019 — and took some needless penalties, including one by Brendan Lemieux that led to McDavid’s goal immediately after consecutive Edmonton

penalties. NEW YORK — Let’s get it out of the way because everybody, myself It just wasn’t good enough, and won’t be good enough most nights, included, has harped on the ridiculous schedule the NHL has bestowed unless Zibanejad’s line and Kakko and eventually Chris Kreider score upon the Rangers. enough goals to cover it up. Their 4-1 loss to undefeated Edmonton on Saturday didn’t have much to Now that 82-0 is off the table, the Rangers can go back to basics again do with the seven-day layoff, which will be one game in 12 days when the with more than enough time to work on things. Rangers resume play Thursday. They have another game in five days. Then they play three in four days, It had everything to do with attention to detail, along with a couple of bad the first two on the road. Absurd. bounces and missed opportunities. Thoughts The Rangers’ first loss of the season wasn’t any more imperfect than their first win of the season way, way back on Oct. 3 against Winnipeg, 1. The highlight for the Rangers, of course, had been imagined since when they outscored their mistakes. It wasn’t a lot worse than their 3-1 April 9 in Toronto, when Jeff Gorton, armed with late officer Steven win in Ottawa the last time they laced ’em up, but that was a game McDonald’s NYPD shield, won the draft lottery. From that moment, it was against an inferior opponent. certain the Rangers were going to get Kakko, and the organization and its fans awaited the magic. On Saturday, the Rangers got back onto the Garden ice and didn’t appear rusty at all, particularly at the start, when they played with a Well, the 18-year-old has his first NHL goal, and the Garden exploded decent pace and skated with the swift Oilers for a while. Eventually, when he scored it — for a 1-0 lead late in the first period, no less. though, it was a case of what we should probably expect from a young team that really hasn’t defended well in years and will have its problems “It was a nice one, too,” Lundqvist said. “It’s still early. It’s going to at various times this season: How often will there be lapses? That will be come. A lot of looks for him and it’s nice to see him get rewarded. He’s the critical question in determining whether the Rangers will be looking at playing very well.” a possible playoff berth in February and March. “Of course it feels good,” Kakko said. “That’s why I’m playing hockey In the middle of the third period, all their deficiencies aside, the Rangers because I can score goals. But we didn’t play good. … But it’s not were in a 1-1 game against the Oilers, who were looking to go to 5-0. enough, one goal.” They had done a relatively good job of limiting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They had done so with Rangers coach David Quinn ATTA BOY KAAPO KAKKO! WE HAVE ALL WAITED YOUR FIRST AS deciding to go with his top line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and A RANGER AND WHAT A BEAUTY IT WAS  MANY MORE TO Pavel Buchnevich, and his second (more experienced) defense pair of COME! #NHL Marc Staal and Tony DeAngelo, against the two Edmonton stars. — ESA TIKI TIKKANEN (@TIKITALK10) OCTOBER 12, 2019 McDavid and Draisaitl were noticeable, for sure, but they hadn’t affected the game in a meaningful way to that point. 2. The best part of the break is it gave all the always-rational fans more The final stats will tell a different story, but what McDavid and Draisaitl free time to completely overreact to things, such as the Vladislav did to move the score from 1-1 to 4-1 in the final 10:16 had a lot of fluke Namestnikov trade and Vitali Kravtsov being scratched in Hartford. all over it. 3. Out of the gate, the Rangers were fine. Zibanejad found himself on a McDavid scored the go-ahead goal, a pass off Jacob Trouba’s leg. breakaway in the first half-minute. He didn’t pull away from McDavid, but Draisaitl padded the lead on a really bad — another really bad — shift by McDavid didn’t close in on him. Smith stopped his snap shot from inside the “Bread and Butter” line with a backhander that somehow trickled the right circle. between Henrik Lundqvist’s pads and in. Lundqvist said he was waiting 4. Lundqvist was sharp early, too, with a big save, then had to go all for a whistle, thinking he had the puck in his knees, when it was actually Yadier Molina on a terrible bounce on a puck dumped in from the blue still sliding at a turtle’s pace over the goal line. Then Draisaitl scored an line. Then Draisaitil, from McDavid, and Zack Kassian fired pucks empty-netter. through the crease behind Lundqvist and wide. Early in the second period, with the Rangers up 1-0, Lundqvist made a lunging save on Alex “I thought we got off to a good start, but boy, as the game went on we Chiasson on a two-on-one from Markus Granlund with Trouba trapped up got sloppier and sloppier,” Quinn said. “I thought all throughout the lineup the ice. we just didn’t play with a lot of pace or jam.” 5. Lemieux drew a penalty to James Neal and the Rangers went to the It started with the top line, which had been dynamic in the first two games power play in the first. Kreider hit the post as Buchnevich was hit in the but had a collective zero Saturday, with all three players on the ice for mouth with Kris Russell’s stick for a five-on-three, during which the three goals against. Zibanejad, fabulous through two games, lost two Rangers’ first unit went all Harlem Globetrotters but didn’t get a good post-icing faceoffs with all five Rangers teammates completely gassed on shot on net. That fivesome was wiped out by the time the second penalty Edmonton’s first goal, scored by Oscar Klefbom. They all had a great ended. Just as it expired, Kakko set up Lemieux for a redirection that view of Draisaitl’s insurance goal, even if one would expect Lundqvist to goalie Mike Smith stopped. Brendan Smith then the crossbar behind squeeze that one. Mike Smith a few shifts later. “At the end of the day, that line — again, I don’t want to pinpoint it on 6. Daily Bread: Late in the first, while his linemates were changing, one line, one group, but we weren’t good all the way up and through the Panarin did what he does best. He created his own chance out of lineup,” Quinn said. nothing, putting the puck between his own skates and moving in with a Quinn talked again about the fancy passing. When there’s a true short-side attempt that hit the outside of the net. Just another hint of what opportunity to shoot — he estimated there were at least four times he is going to bring to the table. Saturday, and all of those probably by the top line — “off of those might 7. Kakko-Meter: On the next shift, Kakko pushed the puck to Strome as come four more shots.” he crossed the blue line, then headed to the net. Strome threaded a “When you get a loose puck sitting in front of the net, you better get rid return pass to Kakko in behind Klefbom. Kakko deftly went forehand- of it in a hurry,” he said, noting it was a common theme last season, backhand and flipped it over Smith’s outstretched pad for his first NHL goal and about as loud a cheer as has been heard at MSG in a long time. 1-0. By the way, that’s a Rangers goal without Zibanejad on the ice.

8. At the start of the second, McDavid and Draisaitl broke two-on-one, and DeAngelo hurried over to cut off McDavid, who spun and set up Draisaitl for a shot off the left post. But the Rangers’ top unit, plus Staal and DeAngelo, got stuck on the ice and were unable to change for an awfully long shift with two icings, and Zibanejad twice lost faceoffs to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the second of which ended up in Klefbom’s wrister through traffic and past a screened Lundqvist. 1-1.

9. Late in the second, with Edmonton on the power play, Lundqvist sprawled again to reject a Neal deflection. Neal was left all alone behind the defensemen by design, as all PK units now seem to do.

10. Lundqvist had to make a quick cross-crease save on Draisaitl, who had gone around Kakko above the circles early in the third. Matt Benning then ripped one off the left post from the right point.

11. The Rangers’ power play failed again with McDavid in the box, and even when it fails, it’s miles better than it has been in the past. Right off the first draw, Kreider retrieved a puck off a lost faceoff and got it across to Panarin for a shot that Smith stopped, and that’s why he’s valuable even when he’s not producing on offense.

12. When McDavid left the box, though, Lemieux needlessly interfered with him in front of the benches and the Oilers went on the power play. McDavid, from behind the icing line, tried a pass to Neal, but Trouba went down to one knee and redirected the puck past Lundqvist. 2-1, Oilers.

13. With 6:48 left, the Rangers got running and chasing and McDavid sped to recover his own pass that deflected to the corner. He got it to Draisaitl, fronted by Staal, and was forced to backhand one from an angle to the right of the net. Zack Kassian poked at Lundqvist’s pads as Zibanejad tried to tackle him in a mismatch. Shortly thereafter, the referee was pointing at the puck in the net. 3-1.

14. Good Tony, Bad Tony: In the old (tougher) days, the worst thing a tough guy could be called is a “spot-picker.” Well, DeAngelo is certainly not that. He doesn’t care who you are or how big you are. DeAngelo went at it with Kassian early on and chirped him all the way back to the benches.

15. Quinn Bin: There are only 21 players on the roster now, and Micheal Haley sat out a third consecutive game. But nobody’s been in the Bin yet. Well, except for Kravtsov in Hartford.

16. R.I.P. Ted Green, the former Rangers assistant coach, pal of Glen Sather and quite a hockey character. Tough as hell. Good man.

17. My buddy, the retired Steve Zipay, has a new Rangers book out this week: “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Rangers,” published by Triumph Books. I’m sure he wrote it from a hammock on some tropical island, or the patio of a pub in Ireland. Fun book if, you know, you like the Rangers.

My three Rangers stars:

1. Kaapo Kakko

2. Brady Skjei

3. Adam Fox

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019

1156874 Ottawa Senators “I wonder if (Smith) wondered if he would ever win one,” Pageau added with a chuckle. “It feels good for everyone, not only the coaching staff, but all the guys, all the new guys and the guys coming up. Just to be around the room when you’re winning is fun and this is just start of it.” GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators strike down Lightning to give coach Smith his first NHL win The Senators had completely outplayed and outshot the Bolts by a 25-15 count, but they were having their issues beating McElhinney. The Senators didn’t solve him until White went top shelf on the glove side with his first of the season on a perfect feed from Brady Tkachuk with only Bruce Garrioch 6:16 left in the second. That goal was a huge relief for White. October 12, 2019 9:33 PM EDT “I wanted to shoot the puck a little bit more. I’ve been getting chances and not shooting it,” said White, who had four shots on net and won 55 per cent of his faceoffs. “That was key for me tonight. When you shoot Not bad for starters for D.J. Smith. the puck, good things happen.

Down the road, it will be a memorable Saturday afternoon for the Ottawa “Our goalie coach (Pierre Groulx) came up to me right before the game Senators’ new head coach. and told me, so I was thinking about it the whole way down.”

The 42-year-old Smith, in his first year as an NHL bench boss, picked up The lead the White goal provided didn’t last long, though. Palat tied it up his first victory in the league in pretty good fashion with a 4-2 victory over only 37 seconds later when he took a pass from Tyler Johnson and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in front of 11,023 at the Canadian Tire Centre. Anderson stick side.

The Senators outshot the Bolts 34-21 and were full value for this victory. Pageau’s goal from the below goal line that deflected off McElhinney and into the net restored the lead for the Senators. “It was great,” said Smith. “It’s a long time you spend to get to this league and it’s hard, certainly, to win. We earned it (Saturday). It was back and The Senators now get ready to close out this homestand against the forth, didn’t look good in the third and we find a way to win. It’s taken 16 Minnesota Wild on Monday at 1 p.m. with a boost of confidence. years to get here as a coach; you didn’t foresee losing the first three, but it is what it is and we got a win here.” “We had a lot of guys play hard today,” said Smith. “I thought against St. Louis (Thursday) we could have gotten a point or better and then Newly acquired Vladislav Namestnikov scored the winner with his first in (Saturday) right from the get-go we played hard, we played hard an Ottawa uniform with 3:03 left in the third to break a 2-2 tie while Jean- defensively, in the (offensive) zone, we’re doing a better job trying to limit Gabriel Pageau and Colin White, two guys the Senators needed more shots.” from on this day to have success, also scored. Craig Anderson made the saves as only Ondrej Palat and Luke Witkowski replied for the Lightning. The Senators have added former Carleton Ravens head coach Dave Smart as a consultant to the coaching staff. Vladislav Namestnikov was acquired by the @Senators from the Rangers on Oct. 7. Smart, who was named as Carleton’s director of basketball operations after 19 seasons as the most successful coach in Ravens history, has Namestnikov, who also scored into an empty net and had a three-point been working with coach D.J. Smith and the staff since training camp, effort, took a pass from Connor Brown on a 2-on-1 to beat Curtis giving them feedback on their interaction with the players. McElhinney on the winning goal for the Senators. The 53-year-old Smart won 13 titles with the Ravens and he attends the Looking for their first victory after three straight losses to open the coaching staff’s meetings with the players to help them understand the season, the Senators certainly had their best effort against last year’s direction they’re taking. Smith said that in his first year with the Toronto President’s Trophy winners. The odds were stacked against Ottawa in Maple Leafs the club had legendary coach Jacques Lemaire as a this one, but the Senators gave the Bolts everything they could handle by consultant, and that he was a good sounding board. taking the play to them a lot of the time. “The reason he’s on board is he’s the winningest coach in college “You never fear an opponent,” said Namestnikov, who played for the basketball with the championships that he has,” Smith said Saturday Lightning from 2013 until 2018. “You just go out there and play your before facing the Bolts. “Whether it’s hockey, basketball, baseball, game, and I think that’s what we did today. We limited their chances and football, whatever, it’s still coaching and you’re dealing with people. got rewarded.” “He’s here to help me in a senior role to see if we’re pushing the guys Though it looked like the Bolts had taken the lead with just over seven enough, push them too hard. It’s just his perspective from the outside. I minutes left when Nikita Kucherov beat Anderson from in front, the goal touch base with him on a daily basis. He watches our meetings. was called back because of interference on Anderson by Mikhail Sometimes you think you’re doing a great job, but you need someone to Sergachev. He knocked Anderson back in the crease and the officials tell you the truth. Are the players getting what I’m saying? Is it too long? called it back without any challenge from the Senators. Too short?

“It’s the right call because the guy is coming through the net,” Anderson “He’s going to help me throughout this process. Coaching is going to be said. “If Kucherov shoots right away and scores before there’s contact it’s a big part of pushing these guys every day, and you’ve to make sure probably a goal, but he holds onto it long enough to where there’s you’re doing the right job.” contact before the puck goes in. We’ll take it, a little puck luck on our side, and going forward we’ll stick with it. General manager Pierre Dorion has a good relationship with Smart and Smith got a chance to see him speak to the club’s top prospects during “It was big for us … huge. It allowed the fans to get back into it and gave the development camp in June. That’s when Smith thought Smart might us a little bit boost that way, and kind of took some (wind out of their be a good resource for the staff. sails) as well. They were buzzing and they were making some good plays.” “I thought (his talk) was exceptional,” Smith said. “Just his view on how you put winning teams together, it’s very similar to what I believe in, and The Senators were in good shape in the third until Witkowski tied it up 2- he’s just a guy that’s done it a lot longer. 2 by beating Anderson through the five hole when the club wasn’t able to get the puck out of its zone. “Having him around and being in the city, it doesn’t have anything to do with hockey, it’s about dealing with people. It’s going to help me.” Pageau’s first of the season with 27 seconds left in the second gave the Senators a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes and, quite frankly, they deserved to No, Smart isn’t spending a lot of time interacting with the players, but be ahead by a wider margin. eventually his role will evolve and that will be part of it.

“Getting that win is fantastic,” said Pageau. “It’s just good for our “He’s around talking to the guys but not direct one-on-ones,” Smith said. confidence. Just to know that we can compete and play against these “He will, in time, especially the younger guys that have seen him good teams if we play the way we want is huge for our confidence. throughout the years, but as they get to know him they’ll see him a lot more. “He’s really good at reading body language and guys during meetings. He’ll give me feedback on maybe I should go talk to this guy or that guy. It can only help me.”

OFF THE GLASS

The Senators were pleased with Pageau, who had a Gordie Howe hat- trick with a goal, an assist and a fight after dropping the gloves with Brayden Point in the second. “I don’t fight a lot so the odds aren’t good for me to get a couple more,” said Pageau. “It’s always fun to get your name associated with that.” … Smith celebrated the win with his family because they’ve played a big role in the journey. “Everyone that’s in hockey knows that it’s not just the person in hockey, it’s a big-time commitment to move around, different schools for kids,” he said. “I’m sure they saw the stress in the last couple of days because you want to get one win and get going.” … McElhinney made a huge stop on Anthony Duclair on a wraparound attempt with 13 minutes left in the third that would have given the Senators a 3-1 lead.

THE LAST WORDS

Give Ottawa blueliner Dylan DeMelo credit for coming to the aid of a teammate. He didn’t like a hit Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde made on alternate captain Mark Borowiecki five minutes into the first period and dropped the gloves. According to hockeyfights.com, it’s only the second fight of DeMelo’s NHL career. His last one was Dec. 9, 2017 against former Ottawa winger Alex Burrows while DeMelo was with the Sharks. … The Senators were forced to finish without centre Artem Anisimov. He left the game late in the second with a lower-body injury. “We’re hoping he’s going to play Monday, but if not shortly thereafter. It’s nothing serious,” said Smith. … Brown, Pageau and Namestnikov each finished the afternoon at plus-3.

Have a nice Sunday and Happy Thanksgiving.

TOP FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. A shortened bench for the Senators

Once Artem Anisimov left with a lower-body injury in the second period, coach D.J. Smith abandoned the idea of playing four lines. From there, callup Vitaly Abramov and winger Scott Sabourin got virtually no ice time. Abramov played 3:17 with five shifts and Sabourin had only 3:26 with six shifts. That’s the way it goes.

2. Power play needs work

The Senators are living dangerously through the first four games. They’ve yet to score a power-play goal with 12 attempts this season. The club had an 0-for-4 performance against the Bolts with 5:51 of power play time. The goals are going to come because they had opportunities, but just couldn’t cash in.

3. Pretty strong first for Senators

The Senators had no complaints about their first-period effort. Not only did they outshoot the Bolts by a 12-5 margin, Ottawa was able to shut down the Lightning power play on back-to-back opportunities and held the Bolts to no shots. The Senators had some golden opportunities, but the club wasn’t able to score on its chances.

4. Tough first period for Sabourin

After the Senators killed off a holding penalty on winger Scott Sabourin, he returned to the box pretty quickly. Going hard to the net, Sabourin was given a goalie interference call for tripping up Tampa Bay’s Curtis McElhinney. This was a hockey play and there’s no way Sabourin deserved the second straight penalty.

5. Ready for the backup plan

The Senators haven’t seen a starting goaltender since they faced Frederik Andersen and the Toronto Maple Leafs on opening night Oct. 2. McElhinney made the start for the Bolts on Saturday. That followed on the heels of the club facing Alexandar Georgiev with the Rangers last Saturday at home and St. Louis Blues backup Jake Allen on Thursday.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156875 Ottawa Senators They clearly weren’t at the best early, but the Senators didn’t allow them to wake up, either.

Fortunately for the Senators, their one moment of brilliance — Stamkos Senators' first win of season is all in the details and Kucherov twisting and turning into open ice — went for naught when Kucherov’s potential third-period go-ahead goal was wiped out due to goaltender interference by Mikhail Sergachev.

Ken Warren It was the proper call, but there are no guarantees when it comes to goaltending interference. October 12, 2019 9:02 PM EDT Who knows? The Lightning might have rolled to victory with a 3-2 lead.

Instead, with the game deadlocked, it was the Senators who capitalized Before “Uncle Ronnie” Hainsey scooped up the game puck and on a late Lightning breakdown. Vladislav Namestnikov, who had the presented it to Ottawa Senators coach D.J. Smith, there were countless golden touch all afternoon, finished off a Connor Brown pass for the tiny details that paved the way for the first victory of the season. winner. Just ask Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, who had the best seat in Not to be forgotten, though, was the impressive backcheck from Colin the house for the 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. White in front of Anderson only moments earlier. “It’s all the little things that lead up the big thing,” said Anderson, who had “When we looked at the video of the Tampa Bay-Toronto game, Tampa a relatively quiet afternoon himself, facing only 21 shots. “It’s the stuff did all the little things, whether it was backchecking or getting stick on that doesn’t get brought up on the scoresheet that wins hockey games.” puck or getting in people’s way,” said Anderson. “You watch and you Let’s go all the way back to the start to explain how a Senators squad see. The video doesn’t lie. Sometimes, you don’t get rewarded, but that was clearly overmatched on paper managed to skate out of (Saturday), we got rewarded. We’re starting to do things the right way, Canadian Tire Centre with a victory on Saturday. the proper way. Hopefully, there a few more victories in our future.”

We’ll give an early assist to anthem singer Sophia Pierce for setting the tone with her tunes. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.13.2019 Five minutes in, Dylan DeMelo stood up for defence partner Mark Borowiecki — we’ve seen it the other way around — fighting Yanni Gourde following a questionable hit.

Then came the early shutdown efforts on the Lightning Big Three of Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point.

They waltzed into Ottawa after combining for five goals and 11 points in Thursday’s 7-3 romp over Toronto. Maybe, just maybe, they took a look at the names in the Senators lineup and figured they might be in for an easy afternoon.

However, they immediately skated into a wall, with the Senators top defensive pair of Thomas Chabot and Nikita Zaitsev moving the puck quickly and being physical against the top trio. There wasn’t a whole lot of flash to Chabot’s game Saturday, but it was his best all-around game of the season.

The Lightning had every opportunity to take control when Scott Sabourin took back-to-back penalties midway through the first period, but managed zero shots on goal with the two power plays. After plenty of sloppiness in the opening two games, the Senators penalty killing has been much sharper in the past two outings.

Outshot 12-5 by the Senators in the first period — Lightning goaltender Curtis McElhinney deserves the credit for keeping the game scoreless — some frustration clearly set in.

When Point challenged Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a fight nine minutes into the second period after some bitterness on the boards and the game tied 1-1, the Senators centre gladly obliged.

“He dropped the gloves,” said Pageau. “It’s part of the game, no one got hurt. It’s just nice to have a five-minute (penalty) sometimes. I think in Toronto, he was their best player all night. We’re winning with him sitting five minutes in the box. We’re not losing much with me sitting for five. I think it was a good exchange for us.”

Pageau was selling himself short in what was his best of the season. After breaking the 1-1 deadlock by banking a shot from behind the net off McElhinney and assisting on Vladislav Namestnikov’s empty net goal, he registered the rare Gordie Howe hat trick.

But you understand his point against Point.

“Their top line is deadlier than deadly,” said Anderson. “So, to be able to get in their kitchen and get their minds away from scoring is huge.”

Point finished the game with a plus/minus of minus-3. Stamkos was a minus-2. Kucherov was a minus-2 and had a grand total of zero shots on goal. One of those negatives came after Namestnikov twisted around Point and Kucherov inside the Lightning blueline before setting up Pageau for his goal. If you want to keep the best offensive players from performing their magic, keep them in their own zone. 1156876 Ottawa Senators That, paired with a Tampa team that overall looked like it was just going through the motions, led to the victory. And boy was it sweet for Ottawa.

“Getting that win is fantastic,” Pageau said. “It’s just good for our ‘It’s taken 16 years to get here,’ and now D.J. Smith finally has his first confidence. Just to know that we can compete and play against these NHL win good teams if we play the way we want is huge for our confidence.”

If it wasn’t for Smith getting his first win, a number of players would have been the stars of the show Saturday night. By Hailey Salvian Colin White scored his first goal of the season, a glove-side snipe over Oct 12, 2019 Curtis McElhinney after goalie coach Pierre Groulx told him that’s the sweet spot to shoot. Pageau had a Gordie Howe hat trick, with one goal,

one assist and one fight against Point. And, of course, Vladislav With Kanye West’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” blasting in the dressing room, Namestnikov scored his first two goals as a Senator against his former you could faintly hear the booming voice of rookie coach D.J. Smith team. yelling at his team. Originally drafted by Tampa in 2011, Namestnikov joined the Senators on And Saturday night, it wasn’t about lack of effort. It was in congratulations Monday via trade with the New York Rangers. After much debate online for his players’ hard work and first win of the season against the high- about why the Senators would give up a fourth-round pick and Nick Ebert octane Tampa Bay Lightning. for the 26-year-old forward, Namestnikov certainly quieted some doubters with two goals and four points in his first two games. “I think tonight,” Smith said, “we deserved to win.” When asked how it feels to have such a good outing against his former The 4-2 win over the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners also marked team, Namestnikov said, “It feels good.” Smith’s first regulation win as a head coach in the National Hockey League. “But I mean, you don’t really think about it going in,” he added. “It’s just another team, and you gotta focus the same way you do with any other It’s been a long journey for the 42-year-old Smith, from an assistant team.” coach in Windsor to a head coach in Oshawa, where he won a Memorial Cup, to the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant with Mike Babcock to His former team had a little bit more to say after being on the receiving here: an NHL bench boss with the Ottawa Senators with one win finally end of his game. under his belt. “He’s a first-round pick,” Alex Killorn said. “(He) did a lot of good things “It’s a long time you spend to get to this league, and it’s (certainly hard) to for us. He was a difference-maker in the game. He’s a great player — win, and we earned it tonight,” he said after the game. “It’s taken 16 scored two goals that sealed it.” years to get here as a coach, and you didn’t foresee losing the first three, Added Jon Cooper: “He’s an NHL player. He played a (good) game. Too but it is what it is and we got a win here tonight.” bad it had to come against us.” After a rousing speech in the dressing room (all I could hear was “Good Namestnikov adds a layer of depth to the Senators and will continue to job, boys!”), Smith celebrated in his office with his staff and his young prove valuable for the team. Saturday, he allowed Smith to roll three lines family, who came in to congratulate Dad. after Artem Anisimov left the game with a lower-body injury and didn’t Having his family there made it all the more special. return. And obviously, he added an offensive-spark assist on Pageau’s goal, the game-winning tally for himself and an empty-netter for “Everyone that’s in hockey knows that it’s not just the person in hockey,” insurance. he said. “It’s a big-time commitment to move around and different schools for kids, and it’s a heck of a racket. Those close to Namestnikov feel he wasn’t utilized properly in New York, being slotted in on the third line with no special-teams minutes. Now in “I’m sure they saw the stress building the last couple of days, and you Ottawa, he will be relied upon to do exactly what he did Saturday. just want to get one win and get going. So it was great to see that everyone got to enjoy it tonight.” Help the Senators win.

It wasn’t just Smith who was happy to get his first win. His players, too, were happy to get it for their new coach. The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 “He’s instilled a system and instilled the work ethic, and I think guys are respected and we are starting to work in the right direction, and for us to reward him with a win was huge,” netminder Craig Anderson said. “It also shows a little positive reinforcement, too, that what he’s giving us as far as a game plan, it does work and we need to stick to it.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, meanwhile, decided to poke a little fun at his coach’s expense after the game.

“I wonder if he thought he would ever win one,” he said with a sly smile. “Obviously, it feels good, I think for everyone, not only the coaching staff but for all the guys, all the new guys and the guys coming up … just to be around the room when you’re winning hockey games, it’s way more fun, and obviously that’s just the start of it.”

The Senators’ first win came as a surprise to some, especially those who watched Tampa beat the Maple Leafs 7-3 on Thursday night. But this game was everything Smith has been working to instill in his team from Day 1: work hard, forecheck, don’t give the other team any room.

“If we play like that, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win,” he said.

And Saturday, they executed.

The Senators were driving play against the Bolts for the majority of the game, and they held the line of Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov — who combined for five goals and 11 points in the Lightning’s game against Toronto — scoreless. 1156877 Ottawa Senators In Ontario, most days with Sabourin involved a couple of hours of “Call of Duty” or time spent at the golf course. He was unsuccessful in beating my wife in a head-to-head match, which resulted in a dinner on Sabourin’s dime. Samuels-Thomas: Who is Scott Sabourin? I know. I lived with him In San Diego, he fully immersed himself in the lifestyle, replacing the XBOX with surfing and time on the beach.

By Jordan Samuels-Thomas Sabourin was an absolute animal that season. Defensively, he had found more balance and consistency in his game while also experiencing a Oct 12, 2019 boost offensively, registering 17 points in 54 games.

“As I’ve matured, I’ve learned a lot, I’ve seen a lot of hockey and have It was February 20, 2016, and Scott Sabourin’s pro hockey career was at been in a fair amount of different situations throughout the years,” a crossroads. The veteran of 153 AHL games had just been demoted to Sabourin said. “I had a better idea of what to do and what to expect.” the ECHL. Gulls coach Dallas Eakins helped enable Sabourin to play with a little Undrafted, Sabourin had managed to put together a nice AHL career in more freedom than he was accustomed to. With a clear mind came more the Los Angeles Kings system. The ECHL, though, was a long way success. from the NHL for a third-year pro in the final season of his entry-level Sabourin described his new game as a “nothing to lose” approach. He contract. really made a name for himself on the physical side that season, finishing “You never want to see your career regress, but that’s what happened,” second in the AHL in penalty minutes with 147. Sabourin says now of the demotion. “Especially during a time in my “Sabs just came in every day and worked hard,” Corey Tropp, a career where I should have been taking the next steps forward. But that’s teammate in San Diego said. “He played a hard physical game that really part of my story, I guess. That’s part of what led to the past couple of helped our team. He had good touch around the net and a hard shot. He weeks here.” really helped keep the locker room loose with his great personality.” Those past couple of weeks have been memorable for Sabourin. He’s He also fought. Sabourin is a lefty in hockey fighting terms, which makes gone from a longshot on a professional tryout with the Ottawa Senators, him difficult to handle for even the most experienced fighters. For those to making the team, to scoring a goal in his first NHL game at 27 years who were a little less experienced and didn’t do their homework old. beforehand, the southpaw’s quick and punishing left hand surprised and The past two weeks have been the high point of a climb that began well overwhelmed. before he put on a professional jersey. It’s a cliché, but there’s no way An example: This was one of my favourite times picking up Sabourin’s around it: Sabourin has had to fight for every opportunity in his hockey stick and gloves after a fight. You can see me shaking my head in journey. I know because I played with him. I know because I lived with disbelief after this one. him. Poor kid. Sabourin attended tryouts for the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals as a 17-year-old. He was cut in his first attempt before And to stick with the theme of Sabourin being a great team guy, he did eventually earning a spot the following season. He steadily progressed this after I was blindsided by a dirty hit that left me facedown the previous each season in Oshawa, eventually leading to a breakout year as an shift: over-aged player, recording 50 points in D.J. Smith’s first season behind the Generals bench. Sabourin has the ability to really change the energy of a game with fights like this, or a big hit and the occasional highlight-reel goal. His The following season, he began what became a journeyman career combination of speed, relentlessness and character was enough to earn through the AHL’s Pacific Division. He spent time with the Manchester him an NHL contract with the Ducks for the following season. Monarchs and Ontario Reign but had become a regular healthy scratch before that demotion to the ECHL. “Getting back to an NHL contract after my first season in San Diego was exciting. I thought that may be the year (to make the NHL),” Sabourin Sabourin and I were roommates in Ontario, Calif., during the 2015-16 said. “Ends up, it wasn’t.” season, and I watched him work tirelessly every day to be ready if his name got called for a return to the AHL. The 2017-18 season brought another tough year for Sabourin. Opportunities became sparse in San Diego due to an influx of entry-level Sabourin loves the game. It’s something that is easily noticeable to those contracts that needed to be developed for the Ducks’ future under who have watched him play. He doesn’t skate around the ice wearing an Eakins’ watch. He notched just seven points in 44 games. intimidating scowl on his face, but rather, a big smile. Attaching that expression to someone who is a physical force, a fighter, an agitator can And just like that, there was no contract offer during the summer of 2018. be a bit off-putting. He attended the Calgary Flames training camp on a PTO and ended up with AHL Stockton on another PTO. He fought his way into 43 games for However, that smile is the opposite of off-putting if you’re wearing the the Heat while never securing a full-time contract with the club. He was same uniform. Sabourin is the type of guy you love to have on your team. able to string together three consecutive PTO agreements while He’s always been more than just a great locker-room guy; he’s a great spending the entire season living in a hotel with his fiancée and their dog. guy in general. Living in a hotel for eight months out of a suitcase is tough. Add to that When I first arrived in Ontario for Reign training camp, Sabourin was the the stress that comes with the understanding that you could be cut at any first guy to come up to me and introduce himself. He and I were slated to moment. skate on the same line during the preseason, which carried over to the start the regular season after I made the team out of training camp. Like the summer prior, Sabourin had no contract offers — NHL or AHL – in the summer of 2019. A few weeks later, after his roommate the previous season secured a spot with the Kings, Scott opened his doors to my wife and me. We had With the Senators hiring Smith as head coach, Sabourin’s agent made been struggling to find an affordable place on a six-month California the connection and secured a PTO for Sabourin, a native of Ottawa lease. Sabourin’s prized pup Trace even showed our eight-week-old suburb Orleans, with his hometown Senators. puppy the ropes. “I really didn’t have any other options for this season,” Sabourin said. “I His hard work in the ECHL earned Sabourin another AHL contract the hadn’t even really talked to D.J. since junior. But I knew that he knew my next season with the Anaheim Ducks affiliate in San Diego. Following game. I know what he expects from his players.” Sabourin, I attended Gulls camp on a PTO and I could see new-found It has proven to be the opportunity of a lifetime. Even to secure a contract confidence in his game. He looked more at ease on the ice and more with the Senators’ top affiliate in Belleville would have been an comfortable in his skin. My PTO was eventually converted to an AHL accomplishment, considering the lack of job opportunities as an AHL contract and, for the second season in a row, we were teammates and veteran. occasional linemates. Sabourin first saw preseason action on Oct. 18 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sabourin channelled his energy toward the physical aspect of the game. Taking a run at Maple Leafs forward Andreas Johnsson and pestering Auston Matthews with a series of – soft — cross-checks. The encounter went viral when Matthews took a more comedic approach in trying to figure out who this Sabourin guy was.

By the time the game was over, his goal was accomplished. He brought physicality to a rebuilding Ottawa team; he was able to get under the skin of some of the opposition’s top players; he was able to energize the building with a spirited bout against Ben Harpur.

Smith and the Senators noticed. So did Twitter — and not all of the attention was positive.

“Twitter is a funny place, you get a thought in your head and a few clicks and it’s out there,” Sabourin said. “If I do see something I definitely can use it as motivation. Prove people wrong, right? It’s something I’ve had to do every step of my career and something that I’ll have to continue to do every day I’m here or not.”

Will Sabourin stick with the Senators?

Perhaps the most important factor in maintaining his spot in Ottawa’s rotation will be to continue to lean on his experience as a pro and find new ways to grow.

A player like Sabourin fits well on an NHL roster in the right situation for a few reasons. He skates well enough to keep up with the speed of today’s NHL and possesses the skills required to contribute in more ways than just a five-minute major.

Exhibit A: His first NHL game. Sabourin showed great touch around the net, receiving a hard pass from Filip Chlapik and beating Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen short side for his first NHL goal.

“Scoring in my first game was pretty surreal,” Sabourin says. “It was a sigh of relief to get one. I didn’t expect to score in my first game. So to contribute right away was special. I still have to prove myself every day and continue to work toward proving that I’m not one-dimensional.”

Hockey is still a sport that rewards good character and hard work. Some organizations put those attributes close to on par with talent. For a rebuilding team like Ottawa, Sabourin’s presence sends a good message to the locker room that hard work, perseverance and good people will be the foundation of the future. Talent and promise alone will not be enough to put on a Senators sweater.

“Sabby has sat out, been sent down, on PTOs. He never felt sorry for himself but instead worked to fulfill his dreams,” Mike Stothers, former coach with the Monarchs and Reign said. “I couldn’t be happier for him. He has been rewarded for the work and dedication he’s put in.”

“Who could ever question a young man who has invested his time to get a shot at his dream?” Eakins asks. “I had the privilege to experience Sabby as a selfless teammate and a tireless worker who left everything at the rink to get better.”

Sabourin says he has plenty of support surrounding him.

“The guys in the locker room having my back after only knowing me for a short period of time was awesome. It makes it easy to go battle every night knowing we have each other’s backs,” he said.

Far from that hotel room in Stockton, Calif., Sabourin is feeling quite at home these days. He’s living in Kanata, Ont., with his sister, her husband and their five-month-old baby.

The hometown kid made good.

“I never really imagined that it would all come full circle where my hockey journey really began. Everything I’ve had to battle through was worth it. Now I just have do everything I can to keep it going.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156878 Philadelphia Flyers It was the first time in three games the Flyers failed to score first. Even though the Flyers scored first in two of their first three games,

Lindblom said they can be better in the opening period. Flyers salvage a point but fall in shootout to Vancouver Canucks, 3-2 “I think in the first three games, we haven’t gotten the start we wanted,” Lindblom said. “We have to start the first period better. I feel like the teams we played against came out harder than us." by Sam Carchidi The Flyers had just one quality scoring chance in the opening 20 minutes. While on a power play with 13:25 to go in the period, Hayes threaded a pass to Jake Voracek in front. But Markstrom slid over and VANCOUVER, British Columbia – You didn’t expect them to go 82-0, did robbed the right winger of his first goal of the season. you? Hart kept the deficit at 1-0 by denying Jake Virtanen in front as he tried to After opening the season with consecutive wins, the Flyers dropped a 3-2 finish a three-on-two with 9:01 to play in the first. shootout decision Saturday night to the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. Before the game, Green called the Flyers a “team to be reckoned with,”

Tanner Pearson scored the winner in the shootout as the Canucks (2-2) “They’re a really good team. They added two good veteran defensemen won their second straight. to a really good young D,” he said. “That’s a pretty high-end group of defensemen, and they have a young goalie who was dynamite last year, “It was a tight game; it could have gone one way or the other, but I and a great offensive team. They have a good coach, and they’re a good thought we took over in the third,” said Sean Couturier, whose team had team in the East.” a 14-6 shots domination in the third period and tied it at 2-2 on Oskar Lindblom’s power-play goal with 5 minutes, 2 seconds left in regulation. The Flyers were trying to start 3-0 for the first time since the 2011-12 season, the last time they won a playoff series. Carter Hart stopped Bo Horvat on a breakaway with 1 minute, 13 seconds left in overtime, but the Canucks got a power play, which the They also missed a chance to become the first NHL team to win their first Flyers killed. Hart stopped one of three shots in the shootout. three games in three different countries (Czech Republic, United States, Canada) since Buffalo did it at the start of the 2011-12 season (Finland, Claude Giroux scored the Flyers’ lone shootout goal. Germany, U.S), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. “They’re a good team. They’re a fast team and they do a good job with the puck,” Giroux said. “Overall, I think we played pretty good. It’s early in the season and we’re still working on some things, but I think our guys Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.13.2019 battled,”

The Flyers (2-0-1) had almost as many shots in the third period (14) as they did in the first two periods combined (16).

Trailing 2-1, the Flyers swarmed the net and had the first eight shots of the third period, but Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom had all the answers. James van Riemsdyk and Kevin Hayes had golden chances for the Flyers.

But after Michael Raffl drew an interference penalty, Lindblom’s power- play goal tied it.. Taking a perfect right-circle feed from Travis Konecny, Lindblom ripped a shot past Markstrom for his second goal (both on the power play) in the young season.

“The point feels good,” Lindblom said, adding he didn’t like the Flyers’ start in the first period. "One point is better than zero.”

The 6-foot-6, 206-pound Markstrom stopped 30 of 32 shots.

“He’s a big body and he made some big saves, for sure,” Giroux said. “We hit a couple posts, too, but that’s part of the game.”

Carsen Twaynski’s first NHL goal had evened the score at 1-1 with 16:46 remaining in the second period.

After taking a long pass from defenseman Justin Braun, Twarynski, a 21- year-old rookie, whipped a left-circle shot past Markstrom, beating him to the short side.

“It was nice to get that first one out of the way .... It was a nice play by Brauner and we caught them in a line change ,” Twarynski said. “Obviously, we came here to win games. We got a point tonight, but would have loved two.”

Just 73 seconds after Twarynski tied it, Pearson deflected Christopher Tanev’s shot past Hart, giving the Canucks a 2-1 lead.

“The first two periods were a chess match. Both teams were fighting for space,” Canucks coach Travis Green said. “We hung in there in the third. They were coming; they were pushing.”

The Canucks, coming off Tuesday’s 8-2 home win over Los Angeles, had the better scoring chances and built a 1-0 lead in a first period in which both teams managed just seven shots.

Elias Pettersson’s point drive went off Hart’s chest, and Brock Boeser (six goals in five career games against the Flyers) knocked in the rebound with 14:59 remaining in the first. The Canucks had two men down low, and Braun was the only defenseman in front of Hart as Provorov appeared out of position. 1156879 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers’ Nolan Patrick skates with teammates for first time this season, but still ‘week to week’ with migraine disorder

by Sam Carchidi

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Nolan Patrick, suffering from a migraine disorder that has prevented him from playing this season, took an encouraging step Saturday, but the 21-year-old center is still far away from returning to the Flyers’ lineup.

“It’s still a week-to-week process, but it was real good to see him on the ice with the guys,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said after Patrick practiced with the team for the first time this season. He has been skating on his own for about a month.

It was a positive sign that Patrick felt well enough to travel with the Flyers on their three-game trip to western Canada. He looked sharp skating and taking shots on goal during the morning skate at Rogers Arena, before the Flyers faced the Vancouver Canucks.

He was asked what needs to happen before he is cleared to play.

“Obviously, being pain-free is probably the first thing,” he said. “Some days are tough, and it obviously affects your everyday life, too. Hopefully it turns the corner pretty quickly. It’s been improving, but it’s been a little slower than I hoped for, but I’m getting better.”

The Winnipeg native added that it’s “up and down, depending on the day.”

Patrick said the migraines, which started early in the summer, “kind of snuck up” on him, but added he had them when he was much younger. “It’s obviously pretty frustrating, and hopefully soon it’s gone."

He added: “I had some as a kid, and then it went away, and I never had it again for probably seven or eight years. And then it came back. It started slow and then got more and more intense. When I was younger, it was a lot different. I didn’t really have any treatment for it when I was younger, so it’s obviously nice to have things to help it now.

“It would get to the point where I was sick from it as a kid,” he said. “I’d get nauseous from it, and then I would be fine. It comes at pretty random times.”

He is undergoing some treatment and taking medication.

Patrick was excited to be on the ice with his teammates.

“Obviously, it’s nice being back,” he said. “The guys were gone for a while in Prague, and you’re by yourself. You feel detached from the team, so whenever I can be around when I m injured, it’s nice to feel part of the team again.”

Captain Claude Giroux said, “He looked good. It’s always fun when Patty is around. He’s been through a lot, and we’re all here to support him.”

Patrick , selected No. 2 overall in the 2017 draft, said there were “more things involved than just headaches.” He would not elaborate.

The former Western Hockey League star was impressed with his teammates’ 2-0 start.

“We look good. We look fast. The guys look confident,” he said, praising the starts of right winger Travis Konecny -- “he’s looked amazing” -- and goalie Carter Hart. “Good to see some of the young guys playing bigger roles right off the start.”

Patrick, who scored 13 goals in each of his first two seasons, is also expected to play a major role when he returns. He was going to drop from the second line to the third, which the Flyers believe will give him better matchups.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156880 Philadelphia Flyers

Justin Braun, Ivan Provorov building chemistry as Flyers’ top defensive pairing

by Sam Carchidi

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Justin Braun was never paired with Ivan Provorov in any exhibition games, but they were together as the No. 1 defensive unit last Friday in the season opener against Chicago and again Wednesday in the home opener against New Jersey.

They are still trying to get in sync, but they’re making progress.

In the 4-3 win over Chicago, the two had some good and bad moments and combined for a minus-3 rating.

They were much better Wednesday in a 4-0 victory over New Jersey, and they played key roles in stopping a five-on-three power play that lasted for two minutes and turned the game in the Flyers’ favor.

After the Flyers’ final preseason game, “we started practicing together and we’re still trying to get to know each other a bit,” said Braun, 32, a veteran acquired from San Jose in the offseason. “It’s always a process with new D partners, but I think overall it’s been pretty good.”

For most of the preseason, Braun was paired with Shayne Gostisbehere, who played the first two regular-season games alongside Robert Hagg.

“It’s pretty similar,” Braun said when asked about playing next to Prororov and Gostisbehere. “Provy’s got a lot of skill. Ghost may be a little quicker, jumping around and more darty, but I think Provy’s stick and defensive position is similar to how Ghost plays. It’s not usually the style that’s a big issue; it’s usually the breakout and getting used to where the guy is going to go.”

Provorov, 22, has more freedom to join the attack, knowing Braun, a stay-at-home type, has his back. He downplayed the learning-on-the-fly aspect of playing alongside Braun.

“We’re all NHL players for a reason,” said Provorov, who is second on the team with three points. “I think everybody can play with everybody” on defense.

The Flyers, off to their first 2-0 start in eight years, will begin a three- game Western Canada trip Saturday night in Vancouver, which is 1-2 but has received solid goaltending from 6-foot-6 Jacob Markstrom (2.37 goals-against average, .922 save percentage).

Braun is familiar with Western Conference teams, having spent the first nine years of his career in San Jose.

He seems to be acclimated to living on the East Coast.

“Other than the weather, it’s pretty much the same,” he said. “So far, so good in getting adjusted to being here.”

He has observed one noticeable difference.

“They push a little bit more wine out there on the West Coast,” he said, smiling.

Breakaways

Carter Hart has a 1.50 GAA and a .946 save percentage in two starts. … The Flyers lead the league in faceoff percentage (62.1 percent), and their power play is fourth in the NHL, clicking at 42.9%. … Travis Konecny, who recently signed a six-year, $33 million contract, leads the Flyers with three goals and five points over two games. Konecny and Travis Sanheim each have a plus-3 rating, tops on the team. ... Sean Couturier has won 24 of 32 faceoffs (75%).

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156881 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers’ prospect Joel Farabee scores first pro goal in Phantoms’ victory

by Sam Carchidi

Winger Joel Farabee, one of the Flyers’ last cuts during training camp, scored his first goal as a professional Friday night, helping the host Lehigh Valley Phantoms defeat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 4- 1, in an AHL matchup.

Taking a long feed from defenseman Phil Myers, Farabee went around a defender with a sweet right-to-left move and then faked out goalie Casey DeSmith before tapping his shot into an empty net, giving the Phantoms a 3-1 third-period lead.

“It definitely felt good,” Farabee, 19, a 2018 first-round draft pick who hit numerous posts during preseason games with the Flyers, told reporters in Allentown. “I don’t know what to say. I just kind of reacted to the play and it happened.”

Myers, 22, was also trimmed by the Flyers late in camp.

“My focus is on the Phantoms right now and I’m just going to put all my energy here and try to get better and keep it simple out there,” said the 6- foot-5 Myers.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156882 Pittsburgh Penguins They made it a 4-1 contest at the 12:58 mark of the second. Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin chucked a wrister from the right point which Dubnyk punched out to the crease. Letang was low in the crease, collected the rebound and whipped it past Dubnyk’s blocker for his Empty Thoughts: Penguins 7, Wild 4 second goal of the season. Assists were credited to Dumoulin and forward Brandon Tanev.

The Penguins’ fourth line struck again at 13:39 of the second. Chasing SETH RORABAUGH down a puck behind the Wild net, Johnson emerged to the left of the Sunday, October 13, 2019 12:01 a.m. cage and fed a little pass to the slot where forward Joseph Blandisi, making his season debut, tapped a forehand shot past Dubnyk’s left leg. It was Blandisi’s first goal as a member of the Penguins. Assists went to Johnson and Lafferty. Dubnyk was pulled in favor of backup Alex ST. PAUL, Minn. — After practice on Friday in Cranberry, Mike Sullivan Stalock. was asked if he guides “the AHL guys” – players recently recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – any differently than veteran players. Minnesota reclaimed some pride at 16:46 of the second. Spurgeon circle around the Penguins’ right corner and fed a pass inot the crease where Sullivan offered a slight protest in how the query labeled those Foligno chopped the puck free and fed a pass back to Spurgeon to the individuals. left of the cage. Spurgeon lifted a wrister which clunked off a diving block “For me, they’re not AHL guys,” he said. “They’re Pittsburgh Penguins.” attempt by Crosby then squirted through the equipment of a scrambling Murray. Foligno and forward Victor Rask had assists. Those Pittsburgh Penguins played a major role in the team’s victory against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center. Another would-be goal for Minnesota was waved off at 5:55 of the third. As Wild forward Ryan Hartman slid into Murray, pushing him into the net, Joseph Blandisi, Adam Johnson and Sam Lafferty each began the week forward Joel Eriksson Ek swatted the rebound from above the crease practicing in Northeast Pennsylvania. They ended it on an NHL past the mass of humanity into the cage. Officials immediately waved the scoresheet near the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. goal off citing goaltender interference. The Wild issued a coach’s All three scored goals and, in general, contributed throughout a challenge but was unsuccessful and was issued a delay of game minor somewhat too-close-for-comfort victory against a poor Wild team. for the failed challenge.

“These guys, they’ve shown they can come in and make an impact on The Penguins poured it on at 10:48 of the third with another power-play the game,” Sullivan said after the game. “They did more than that. They score by another Minnesotan. Crosby outbattled Spurgeon for a puck in can all skate, the defended hard. They helped us get momentum on the the Wild’s right corner and forced it to the right circle where Hornqvist forecheck. We put them on some defensive zone situations against some chopped it on net. Guentzel, of Woodbury, Minn. tapped it under the left of their top people and they did a good job defending. When you have leg of Stalock. Hornqvist had the lone assist. the trust in those guys that we can put them in those situations, it gives Minnesota scored again at 15:23 of the third. After Penguins forward us an opportunity to use Crosby’s line, for example, in an advantageous Teddy Blueger failed to corral a loose puck to the left of his cage, Wild situation offensively. That’s what those guys provided for us tonight.” forward Kevin Fiala dealt a pass from the left circle to the left point where What Happened Hunt boomed a one-timer through a mass of humanity in the crease and pass Murray’s glove on the far side. Fiala and forward Eric Staal had The Penguins took the game’s first lead at 14:54 of the first period with a assists. power-play goal. Collecting a loose puck after a blocked pass attempt, Penguins forward Sidney Crosby circled in the offensive left circle and The Wild pulled within two 21 seconds later. Off a feed from the right sent a crossing pass to Justin Schultz in the right circle. Surveying the corner by Spurgeon, Kunin whipped a wrister from the right point through net for a moment, Schultz directed a shot/pass to above the crease traffic and past Murray’s blocker on the far side. Assists went to where forward Patric Hornqvist leaned forward and directed the puck with Spurgeon and defenseman Jonas Brodin. a backhand past the right skate of sprawling goaltender Devan Dubnyk. It With Stalock pulled for an extra attacker, Lafferty secured the victory with was Hornqvist’s fourth goal of the season. Schultz and Crosby got an empty net goal, his first career goal as an NHLer. It was unassisted. assists. Statistically speaking They made it a 2-0 game at 3:26 of the second period. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray settled a puck behind his cage and left a pass for • The Penguins had a 35-33 edge in shots. defenseman Kris Letang to pick up. Pushing play up through his own slot • Guentzel led the game with seven shots. and exiting the defensive zone, Letang fed a forehand pass to the right wing where Crosby blew past Wild forward Luke Kunin wild Minnesota’s • Forward Miiko Koivu led the Wild with four shots. top defensive pairing of Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon collided at the blue line. Streaking on a breakaway, Crosby lifted a a backhander over a • Letang led the game with 23:29 of ice time on 29 shifts. sprawling Dubnyk. Letang and Murray netted assists. • Defenseman Matt Dumba led the Wild with 23:27 of ice time on 27 The Wild responded 28 seconds later with a power-play score. Settling a shifts. puck at the right point, defenseman Brad Hunt surveyed the offensive • The Wild had a 32-21 edge in faceoffs (51 percent). zone, faked a shot, pulled his stick back again and pounded slap pass towards the crease where forward Jason Zucker was positioned. Zucker • Crosby was 15 for 25 (60 percent). carefully directed the puck with his forehand past Murray’s glove hand. Assists went to Hunt and defenseman Jared Spurgeon. • Staal was 9 for 15 (60 percent).

The Wild appeared to tied the game at the 4:28 mark of the second when • Penguins forward Jared McCann led the game with three blocked forward Marcus Foligno swept a loose puck during a frantic goalmouth shots. scramble past Murray’s left skate. But referee Brad Meier immediately • Brodin, Eriksson Ek and Staal each led the Wild with two blocked shots. waved the score off and ruled Murray had frozen the puck before it came loose in the crease. Historically speaking

A Minnesota native scored the Penguins’ third goal at 11:11 of the • Johnson became the 522nd player to score a goal for the Penguins. second. Gaining the offensive blue line at center point, forward Zach Aston-Reese fed a pass to the left wing for forward Sam Lafferty who • Blandisi became the 523rd player to score a goal for the Penguins. released a heavy wrister from above the right circle. Dubnyk kicked out a • Lafferty became the 524th player to score a goal for the Penguins. big rebound to the left circle where Adam Johnson, a native of Hibbing, Minn. whacked a one-timer past a helpless Dubnyk. It was Johnson’s first • Lafferty’s assist on Johnson’s goal was his first career point. With three career goal. Assists went to Lafferty and Zach Aston-Reese. Lafferty, of career points in three career games, he’s not a point-per-game player. Hollidaysburg, Pa., recorded his first career point. • Murray recorded his 100th career victory. • Murray’s assist was the fourth of his career moving him into eighth • Johnson on the family and friends who came to the game: place among Penguins’ career goaltending assist leaders. Only Tom Barrasso (31), Marc-Andre Fleury (14), Wendell Young (7), Denis Herron “Estimate, probably 20 or 30. A lot of people made the trek down. … I’m (6), Michel Dion, Greg Millen and Ken Wregget (five each) have more. sure it was them making a lot of noise.”

• This is quite a stat: (Note: They probably made enough noise for 300 people. They were pumped to see him score.) Tonight was the fifth time in @penguins history that two Pens players notched first NHL goal in the same game. • Lafferty was happy to get put on the ice with the empty net while the Wild was pushing: Pratt-Briere v. MIN, 11/1/69 “It feels great. We just want to help the team any way we can. I thought Kachowski-Brown v. NJ, 10/21/87 we played a simple hard game and that’s the way we need to play.”

Kraft-Lacouture v. ANA, 10/6/01 • Murray got emotional over recording his 100th career win:

Letang-Staal v. NYR, 10/12/06 “It’s really cool. It’s really humbling. If you told me as a kid that I’d have a hundred wins in the NHL, I’d be thrilled. I’m just feeling very lucky for • Tanev appeared in his 200th career game. sure.”

• This was the Wild’s first regulation loss in a home opener. It is now 14- • Furthermore, having 100 wins with the Penguins means he’s been 1-4 in such games. pretty successful for the same franchise for a long time:

• The Wild remains one of two teams the Penguins have never recorded “It just means the world to me to play for this team. I just feel very lucky. a shutout against. The Vegas Golden Knights, who are in their third Just to get to play with these guys night in and night out, it’s pretty season of existence, are the other. special. It’s something I don’t take for granted.”

Randomly speaking

• There was a bizarre sequence in the second period where Dubnyk and Tribune Review LOADED: 10.13.2019 Hornqvist began brawling during goalmouth scramble. Hornqvist grabbed Dubnyk’s head and Dubnyk responded by pounding Hornqvist’s ribs with his blocker while a Wild teammate held Hornqvist by the head. Hornqvist got a double minor for roughing while Dubnyk was given a single minor penalty.

Dubnyk, who has criticized Hornqvist’s methods in the past, offered this on interaction on Saturday:

“It was just part of the play. I wasn’t overly upset. I was completely calm. He kept grabbing my mask, so, that’s the way it is.”

-Johnson and Lafferty each indicated they would likely be giving their “first-goal” pucks to a parent to be named later.

Publicly speaking

• Sullivan on the somewhat tight finish to the contest:

“We played a hard, competitive game. For the most of the game, we had pretty good control of it. It got away from us a little bit. Late in the third there, they got two quick goals there and they’re right back in the hockey game. You’ve got to make sure you don’t exhale. You’ve got to play to the final whistle. It wasn’t pretty down the stretch but we found a way.”

• Crosby on the callups helping in the victory:

“That’s the only way you win is with everyone contributing. Those guys, just with the way they skate and how they are on the forecheck and what they’re able to do that way, they’re going to create chances just by that. With every game, they’re get more and more comfortable. You see tonight they get some huge goals for us.”

• Sullivan on the Blandisi-Lafferty-Johnson line:

“The fourth line, in general, they played minutes for us tonight. And we’re going to need that moving forward. And they earned the minutes through their performance. They were sound defensively. They made good decisions. And when you look at those three players, they can all really skate. That’s a fast line. We can put pucks into spaces and allow them to get in foot races and that’s where those guys thrive.”

• Seeing players get their first career goals – as Lafferty and Johnson did – never gets old for a veteran like Crosby:

“It’s great. To see guys get their first, especially in a big way. It’s a close game, on the road, they’re starting to get some momentum. (Johnson) in his home state too. It’s always great to see that.”

• Johnson was limited to 1:24 of ice time in Thursday’s 2-1 home win against the Anaheim Ducks and did not record a shift past the second period. He was happy to get much more playing time on Saturday:

“It makes it a little easier when you’re getting out there every few shifts. We had a good night as a line. We were playing good defensively and that led to some good chances offensively. Hopefully, we can that rolling tomorrow.” 1156883 Pittsburgh Penguins “For me, they’re not AHL guys,” said Sullivan. “They’re Pittsburgh Penguins.”

On Saturday, they validated that label. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton call-ups guide the Penguins past the Wild

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.13.2019 SETH RORABAUGH

Saturday, October 12, 2019 11:45 p.m.

Joseph Blandisi, Adam Johnson and Sam Lafferty began the week on an AHL payroll.

They ended it on an NHL scoresheet.

Playing on the fourth line, three forwards, recalled from Wilkes- Barre/Scranton over the past several days, each scored goals and helped the Penguins outscore the Minnesota Wild in a slightly too-close- for-comfort 7-4 win at Xcel Energy Center.

“The fourth line, in general, they played minutes for us tonight,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “And we’re going to need that moving forward. And they earned the minutes through their performance. They were sound defensively. They made good decisions. And when you look at those three players, they can all really skate. That’s a fast line. We can put pucks into spaces and allow them to get in foot races and that’s where those guys thrive.”

For a team dealing with considerable absences among their incumbent NHL forwards, their contributions helped lift the Penguins’ offense which had been limited to only three goals – all from or assisted on by captain Sidney Crosby – over the previous two games.

Of course, the Penguins won’t ever decline offensive offerings from Crosby. He set up the team’s opening goal on a power play by dealing a pass from the left circle to the right circle where defenseman Justin Schultz directed a shot/pass to the slot for power forward Patric Hornqvist to tap behind goaltender Devan Dubnyk.

Crosby scored on a breakaway at 3:26 of the second period but the Wild responded only 28 seconds later with a power-play goal by forward Jason Zucker. A potential tying goal by forward Marcus Foligno at the 4:28 mark was waved off after officials determined goaltender Matt Murray had frozen the puck before Foligno shot it.

Johnson, of Hibbing, Minn., scored his first career goal at 11:11 of the second period by cleaning up a rebound off a shot by Lafferty. A party of an estimated 20 to 30 family and friends roared with the intensity of nearly 100 to celebrate Johnson’s milestone.

A lot of people made the trek down,” Johnson said. “I’m sure it was them making a lot of noise.”

Defenseman Kris Letang scored at the 12:58 mark of the second to make it a 4-1 contest. Only 41 seconds later, Blandisi, recalled on Friday, scored his first goal with the Penguins off assists from Johnson and Lafferty. Dubnyk was replaced by backup Alex Stalock after that goal.

The Wild started to claw its way back into the contest with a goal by defenseman Jared Spurgeon at 16:46 of the second.

Penguins forward Jake Guentzel added a power-play score at 10:48 of the third period to make it a 6-2 contest. Minnesota began to make things interesting with nearly simultaneous scores by defenseman Brad Hunt (15:23) and forward Luke Kunin (15:44).

Late in the contest, the Wild pulled Stalock for an extra attacker but allowed Lafferty, of Hollidaysburg, Pa., to collect the empty-net score, the first of his career.

“I was kind of surprised,” Lafferty said. “I looked up and I had a clear lane and I decided to take it.”

The milestones weren’t limited to the goal scorers. Murray recorded his 100th career victory.

“It’s really cool,” said an emotional Murray. “It’s really humbling. If you told me as a kid that I’d have a hundred wins in the NHL, I’d be thrilled.”

Blandisi, Johnson and Lafferty seemed pretty thrilled over being on the NHL roster. After practice in Cranberry on Friday, Sullivan was asked if he guides “the AHL guys” any differently than the veterans. 1156884 Pittsburgh Penguins “The Stanley Cup runs, to those that have been through that experience, it’s not all highlights,” Sullivan said. “There’s ups and downs. Every series has its challenges. It can be an emotional roller-coaster. Billy always has a way to lighten the atmosphere at an opportune time when the pressure Fight by Penguins’ Teddy Blueger no surprise to Mike Sullivan is on everyone. What jumps out to me the most is probably that support that he gave us through those Stanley Cup runs.”

Lineup notes SETH RORABAUGH Defensemen Erik Gudbranson, Juuso Riikola and Chad Ruhwedel were Saturday, October 12, 2019 9:23 p.m. scratched Saturday. Gudbranson has been scratched for two consecutive games, and Riikola and Ruhwedel have yet to play this season. ST. PAUL, Minn — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Joseph Blandisi made his season debut Saturday against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.13.2019 The Penguins recalled Blandisi from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Friday and assigned forward Andrew Agozzino to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

“(Blandisi is) another player that’s part of the depth of this organization that we knew that at some point he could play games for us,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s a little bit different than (Agozzino) in the sense that he’s got a little bit more size, a little bit more speed, he plays a simpler game.”

Blandisi, 25, appeared in six NHL games with the Penguins last season and did not record a point. He began the season with the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins centering the third line. In one AHL contest this season, he has no points.

Agozzino, 28, was recalled Monday and made his Penguins debut during Thursday’s 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at PPG Paints Arena. His first contest in a Penguins jersey hardly was a memorable one as he only recorded 1 minute, 44 seconds of ice time on four shifts, none of which came after the Ducks’ lone goal at 3:27 of the second period. Agozzino was on the ice during that score.

Teddy Blueger recorded his second career fighting major against the Ducks when he fought defenseman Korbinian Holzer at 5:03 of the first period. He dropped the gloves in response to a heavy hit Holzer laid into Penguins forward Adam Johnson while the two were pursuing the puck along the Ducks’ end boards.

While neither Blueger nor Holzer are regular fighters, it was a pretty clear mismatch as Blueger stands a modest 6-foot and 185 pounds in comparison to Holzer at 6-3 and 213 pounds. Blueger jumped Holzer and was fed a series of right hands for his troubles.

Regardless of his scarce pugilistic history or his dimensions, the fact Blueger tried to avenge a fallen teammate wasn’t unexpected to Sullivan.

“I’m not surprised because he’s a great teammate, and he’s a competitive guy,” Sullivan said. “It doesn’t surprise me. It was a little bit of a mismatch. That guy was a whole lot bigger than Teddy was. That’s just an indication of how good a teammate Teddy is and his competitive nature.”

Saturday’s contest was the first between the Penguins and the Wild since former Penguins power forward-turned-executive Bill Guerin took over as Minnesota’s general manager.

Guerin was a member of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup titles in 2009, as a player, as well as ’16 and ’17, as an assistant general manager.

“He’s a lot of fun to be around,” Sullivan said. “He’s an engaging guy. And he has a lot of knowledge through his playing experience. And now he’s acquired the business experience as it relates to hockey through the experience he’s gained as an assistant general manager and a development role with the Penguins. What I’ve really respected about Billy is he’s put the time in and gone through the process and acquired the experience that’s necessary to have success at the level that’s he’s at right now. He’s a hard worker, he’s a fun guy to be around but he’s not afraid to be make decisions. And he has strong convictions on how he thinks the game should be played.

“I’ve always admired and valued the conversations that he’s been a part of with our coaching staff. I’ve got a lot of respect for his knowledge of the game.”

Guerin’s impact on the 2009 title-winning team was clear as he was third on the team with 15 points in 24 postseason games. His contributions to the ’16 and ’17 titles were less tangible. 1156885 Pittsburgh Penguins Wampum, is sidelined indefinitely because of lingering concussion issues.

Then there is Sam Lafferty, a forward recalled from Wilkes- Former Penguins forward Ryan Malone showed Pittsburgh can produce Barre/Scranton on Monday. The 25-year-old native of Hollidaysburg grew NHLers up a fan of the Penguins and is more a part of the “Sidney Crosby generation” than the generation influenced primarily by Lemieux. Lafferty watched plenty of Penguins games as a child during the mid-2000s when Crosby and the Penguins were on the rise towards becoming Stanley SETH RORABAUGH Cup contenders. Saturday, October 12, 2019 9:20 p.m. Malone was a big part of that surge for the franchise, on and off the ice.

“It kind of speaks to the people of Pittsburgh and the growth of the ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice facility in game,” said the 39-year-old Malone, whose NHL career ended in 2014- Cranberry is a magnificent structure. With two rinks as well as state-of- 15. “It’s such a great sports town. Bringing those Stanley Cups there just the-art training and medical facilities, it’s one of the finest hockey-focused really gave it that stamp in the hockey world. We can make great hockey facilities you’ll find in the Western Hemisphere. players. Your dream should be the NHL, not just to go play junior hockey or college hockey. You should really shoot for the NHL. You can set that It also serves as a shrine of sorts to the presence of the sport in Western goal really high. Pennsylvania and the person who has had the largest impact on it. “It’s obviously difficult, but there’s no reason you can’t because guys There is a display of Mario Lemieux that includes memorabilia from his before you have done it.” days as a youth player in Montreal as well as a black No. 66 banner hanging off a wall overlooking the rink the Penguins usually practice in.

And, oh yeah, the entire building is named after him. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.13.2019

His isn’t the only name you’ll find in that venue.

Pete Babando, Grant Lewis, John Zeiler and others also have posters on the wall.

They’re not exactly household names, but they’re part of a select fraternity of Western Pennsylvania natives who have played in the NHL.

One member of that group who probably is far more familiar to anyone with an interest in the Penguins or the sport in general is Ryan Malone.

The Upper St. Clair native served as a rugged power forward for the Penguins in the 2000s. In 2007-08, he served as Evgeni Malkin’s left wing and helped the Penguins advance to the Stanley Cup final that season, their first in 16 years. During Game 5 of that series, he was struck in the face by a one-timer from teammate Hal Gill.

Malone would return later in the game and provided a screen for teammate Petr Sykora on his goal in the third overtime period.

The son of former Penguins forward-turned-scout Greg Malone, Ryan Malone was one of the first players from the region to reach the NHL. A fourth-round pick in 1999 by his father and the Penguins, Malone showed there was a path to the NHL from Western Pennsylvania more than a decade before the 2011 draft that included future All-Stars such as Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson of Whitehall and Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck of Upper St. Clair.

Also in that draft class were Vancouver Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad, a Gibsonia native who contributed to two Stanley Cup championship squads this decade, and Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller, a two-time 20-goal scorer who grew up in Coraopolis.

“I was happy to get drafted at all,” said Malone, who lives in Minnesota and attended the Penguins’ morning skate Saturday at Xcel Energy Center. “Growing up in Pittsburgh, a few kids went to Junior B. You never heard really about anyone going to a Division I school. I know R.J. Umberger and Jason Crain were some guys that kind of paved the way, along with myself there, to kind of help realize we can go to a higher level of hockey. From there, you can see the trickle-down effect.”

Umberger, of Plum, was the first Western Pennsylvanian to be drafted in the first round when he went No. 16 overall to the Vancouver Canucks in 2001. Crain, of Natrona Heights, played four seasons at Ohio State with Umberger in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“Looking back to when Mario (Lemieux) and all those guys brought the (Stanley) Cup to Pittsburgh, that was the big boom.” said Malone, who also played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers. “It helped guys like myself get more rinks around. The trickle-down effect all through Western Pennsylvania has been amazing. It’s been great to hear names get called from Pittsburgh.”

Beyond that ballyhooed class of 2011, there are a handful of other Western Pennsylvanians in the NHL or on NHL contracts. Defensman Matt Bartkowski of Mt. Lebanon is on a two-way deal with the Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, a native of 1156886 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins forward Joseph Blandisi expected to make his season debut

SETH RORABAUGH

Saturday, October 12, 2019 2:51 p.m.

ST. PAUL, Minn — Penguins forward Joseph Blandisi is expected to make his season debut Saturday against the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center.

The Penguins recalled Blandisi from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Friday and sent down forward Andrew Agozzino in his place.

“(Blandisi is) another player that’s part of the depth of this organization that we knew that at some point he could play games for us,” said coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s a little bit different than (Agozzino) in the sense that he’s got a little bit more size, a little bit more speed. He plays a simpler game.”

Blandisi, 25, appeared in six NHL games with the Penguins last season and did not record a point. He began the season with the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins centering the third line. In one AHL contest this season, he has no points.

Agozzino, 28, was recalled on Monday and made his Penguins debut during Thursday’s 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks at PPG Paints Arena. His first contest in a Penguins jersey was hardly a memorable one as he only recorded 1:44 of ice time on four shifts, none of which came after the Ducks’ lone goal at 3:27 of the second period. Agozzino was on the ice during that score.

Notes:

• Goaltender Matt Murray is expected to start in net.

• Sullivan did not disclose his plans in net for Sunday’s road game against the Winnipeg Jets. Backup goaltender Tristan Jarry has yet to play this season.

• The Penguins held an optional morning skate. In addition to Murray and Jarry, the only players to participate were defensemen Erik Gudbranson, Jusso Riikola and Chad Ruhwedel. All three are expected to be scratched for the second consecutive game.

• This will be the home opener for the Wild, which has begun the season at 0-3-0. Due to a pregame ceremony, the game is scheduled to begin at 8:43 p.m. EDT.

• The Wild has only had a lead for 12:09 in its three games this season.

• Wild forward Victor Rask, who was connected to the Penguins in offseason trade rumors, is expected to make his season debut.

• Goaltender Devan Dubnyk is expected to start for the Wild.

• The Wild has never lost a home opener in regulation. It has a 14-0-4 record in such games.

• The Wild is one of two active NHL franchises the Penguins have never recorded a shut out against. The other is the Las Vegas Golden Knights, an expansion franchise which is only its third season.

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156887 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins scored the game’s first goal on the power play after Brandon Tanev, playing in his 200th career game, drew another penalty. He now has drawn seven in his first five games with the Penguins. Crosby pirouetted into the slot then found Justin Schultz, who fired a Penguins newcomers lead win over Wild pass that Patric Hornqvist poked past Dubnyk.

It was the third goal of the season for Hornqvist, as many as he scored in the final 40 games of last season. The season is young, but it certainly MATT VENSEL looks like he is back to being one of the NHL’s most disruptive players Pittsburgh Post-Gazette near the front of the net.

OCT 13, 2019 4:40 AM Crosby, meanwhile, extended his season-opening point streak to five games.

The Crosby line kept on trucking. Letang sprung him on a breakaway ST. PAUL, Minn. — Sidney Crosby and the first line had another strong early in the second period. Crosby, cruising down the left wing, pulled the game for the Penguins Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center. No big puck to his backhand, waited out Dubnyk then flipped a backhand under surprise there. the crossbar.

But the fourth-liners who came through with three goals in a dominant 7- After Jason Zucker made it 2-1, a quick whistle bailed out the Penguins. 4 victory against the winless Minnesota Wild? Where in the heck did that Marcus Foligno drove the net and a mad scramble ensued. The Wild come from? kept whacking away until Foligno fired it in. A whistle blew so the tying goal was waved off. About 19,000 Minnesotans loudly but respectfully Just a week ago, Sam Lafferty, Adam Johnson and Joseph Blandisi expressed a differing opinion. helped the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes- Barre/Scranton defeat the rival Hersey Bears. Lafferty skated on their top That would prove to be a turning point as the Penguins soon pulled line. Johnson was a winger on the second. And Blandisi centered the away, thanks in large part to the three youngsters who were handed third. All three eyed an eventual call-up. opportunities due to the injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust. Then, just like that, they found themselves on the Penguins fourth line after the NHL club got nailed by injuries. And together, they achieved Can the Penguins really count on these guys to keep scoring like this? milestones as the Penguins chased All-Star goalie Devan Dubnyk and Probably not. But they’ll take what they can get from their bottom lines spoiled the Wild’s home opener. right now.

Penguins goaltender Matt Murray makes a save on Blue Jackets center “It’s the only way you win, with everybody contributing,” Crosby said, Alexandre Texier on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. adding, “[It’s great] to see guys get their first, especially in a big way. It’s a close game. It’s on the road. They’re starting to get momentum and “It is kind of crazy. Things happen so fast,” said Lafferty, who scored his they get some big ones for us.” first NHL goal. “We’re just going to try to make the most of it while we’re here.” In the game’s final minutes, the Wild scored two goals in 21 seconds to make it interesting. But Lafferty’s empty-netter allowed the Penguins to Midway through the second period, after the Wild had scored to cut the exhale. Penguins lead to 2-1, Johnson got his first career goal in his first NHL game back in his home state. Johnson, who hails from up the road in “It wasn’t pretty down the stretch,” Sullivan said. “But we found a way.” Hibbing, was crashing the net when Dubnyk kicked out a juicy rebound off a heavy Zach Aston-Reese shot. Matt Murray stopped 29 of 33 shots to earn his 100th career win.

“I saw it rolling out there. ... I was just hoping I could get all of it,” he said. The Wild had been 14-0-4 all time in home openers at Xcel Energy “I just kind of blacked out for a little bit and it ended up in the back of the Center, which made them the only NHL team without a regulation loss in net.” their first game at home. The Penguins, meanwhile, had lost their previous four road openers. Lafferty, with the secondary assist, picked up his first NHL point on the play. The Penguins, who improved to 3-2-0 with the victory, play the Jets Sunday in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It’s their first set of back-to-back games Kris Letang, who had a whale of a night, made it 4-1. Just 41 seconds this season. Last season, the Penguins posted a 6-4-1 record in the later, Blandisi, making his season debut, scored his first goal with the second half of back-to-backs. Penguins. Lafferty and Johnson picked up assists, giving them the first multi-point games of their careers.

Lafferty got his goal by hitting a late empty-netter from nearly Post Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 Minneapolis.

Coach Mike Sullivan said the fourth line did more than score. They skated fast and defended hard. They helped the Penguins build momentum with the forecheck. And they delivered when Sullivan sent them out for defensive-zone faceoffs.

Penguin fans try to get the attention of Pens defenseman Erik Gudbranson during warmups Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at the PPG Paints Arena Uptown.

“We put them in some defensive-zone situations against some of their top people and they did a good job defending,” he said. “When you can have the trust in those guys that we can put them in those situations, it gives us an opportunity to use Crosby’s line, for example, in advantageous situations offensively.”

Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Dominik Simon set the tone early.

Crosby could have had three points in the first period if not for two big saves by Dubnyk. Early on, Guentzel sent a spinning pass to Crosby but Dubnyk turned aside his point-blank shot. Crosby returned the favor later in the period, whipping a backhand pass to Guentzel. But Dubnyk slid across to stop that one, too. 1156888 Pittsburgh Penguins foot-5 blue-liner said. “So I’ll try to use this to my advantage as much as possible.”

Joseph Blandisi made his season debut for the Penguins after they Erik Gudbranson is frustrated by benching, but here's why he won't take called him up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday. They returned it out on John Marino Andrew Agozzino, who got less than two minutes of ice time in Thursday’s win, to the AHL club.

“We knew that at some point he could play games for us. He’s a little bit MATT VENSEL different than [Agozzino] in that he’s got a little more size, a little bit more speed. He plays a simpler game,” Sullivan said. “So that was part of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette decision-making.” OCT 12, 2019 8:56 PM Blandisi did not record a point in six games for Pittsburgh last season.

Earlier in the day, when the Penguins were preparing at Xcel Energy ST. PAUL, Minn. — Erik Gudbranson was the first player on the ice for Center for Saturday’s game, a familiar face popped out of his new office Saturday’s morning skate at Xcel Energy Center. He didn’t have much there. Bill Guerin, who won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins as a player competition. Only two other Penguins skaters participated. They were and two more as an executive, is two months into his tenure as the Wild’s healthy scratches, too. general manager.

After working up a sweat in an empty area for 75 minutes, the big blue- The Penguins weren’t pulling for him on Saturday, of course. But they liner stopped in a hallway outside of the Pittsburgh locker room, leaned in expressed hope and confidence that Guerin can build a winner here in with his chin on the butt end of his long right-handed stick and carefully Minnesota. chose his words. “He’s a hard worker. He’s a fun guy to be around. But he’s not afraid to His disappointment was evident. You could see it in his face. You could make decisions and he has strong convictions on how he thinks the hear it in his voice. He was a healthy scratch with Florida early in his game should be played,” Sullivan said. “And so I’ve always admired and career. But this is different. He is established now. And he feels the best valued the conversations that [we had]. I’ve got a lot of respect for his he has in a long while after undergoing surgeries to his wrist and his knowledge of the game.” shoulder in Vancouver. Added Jake Guentzel, who was aided by Guerin in his rapid rise to “It’s frustrating. Very frustrating,” Gudbranson said. “It’s part of being an becoming a 40-goal scorer: “He was huge for me. Coming out of college, NHL player, I guess. I’ve worked hard, did a lot of really good things this I was talking to him a lot of the time. He just kind of stuck for me and year. I feel pretty much back to what I used to be. I’ve got a few years of [battled] for me. I was very thankful for him and obviously wish him well separation from my surgeries and whatnot. I put a lot of work into being here.” here. So it’s frustrating.” For the second time in his career, Teddy Blueger dropped the gloves in Pittsburgh Penguins center Sam Lafferty, center, celebrates with Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. He did it in defense of defenseman Brian Dumoulin (8) and winger Jared McCann (19) after Adam Johnson, who had just been drilled into the boards by big Ducks scoring an empty-net goal during the third period of the team's NHL defenseman Korbinian Holzer. hockey game against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Despite Holzer having about three inches and 30 pounds on him, he St. Paul, Minn. The Penguins won 7-4. immediately challenged Holzer. That was appreciated by teammates and For a second straight game Saturday, impressive rookie John Marino got his coach. the nod over Gudbranson, who was solid in the season’s first three “I’m not surprised,” Sullivan said of the 25-year-old center. “It was a little games. bit of a mismatch. That guy was a whole lot bigger than Teddy was. But I “[Coaches must] make really difficult calls and I respect their decisions,” just think that’s an indication of how good of a teammate he is and his he said. “And all I can do is work hard and continue to come in here with competitive nature.” a smile on my face. This is my job today. Regardless of whether I’m in the lineup or not, I still get to come to the rink and play hockey for a day. So it can’t be that bad.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.13.2019 He praised coach Mike Sullivan for handling his benching delicately.

“He was very professional,” he said. “If there’s any way to take a guy out of the lineup nicely, he did it the proper way. So I have a lot of respect for that.”

The 27-year-old could pout or give Marino the cold shoulder. Other NHL players have certainly done that in similar situations. But Gudbranson remembers trying to break into the league with the Florida Panthers and Keaton Ellerby taking him under his wing despite Gudbranson bumping him into the press box.

“I’m never going to be a [jerk] about something like this,” said Gudbranson, whom the Panthers picked third overall in 2010. “It would never be John Marino’s fault. It would never be any other defenseman’s fault. … This kid’s playing really good hockey and he deserves to be out there getting a good look.”

He doesn’t “have any doubts” about his own game. He added, with an audible sigh, that it was “probably the hardest I’ve ever worked in the summer.”

Penguins goaltender Matt Murray makes a save on Blue Jackets center Alexandre Texier on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.

For now, Gudbranson says he will keep working his tail off behind the scenes to make sure he is ready for his next opportunity to get back in the lineup.

“It’s given me time to work on some things on the ice. There was a fire in me before coming here and now it’s turned into a pretty big flame,” the 6- 1156889 Pittsburgh Penguins That includes goalie Matt Murray, who never loses his composure as Dubnyk did Saturday night. Murray’s steadfast cool has something to do with him staying calm amid crease chaos. So does him having Hornqvist as a teammate. Patric Hornqvist is back to his old ways before and during games, and the Penguins love it “He’s always right there in practice, too,” Murray said. “I get to see it. We have some good battles. I think we actually both like practicing like that; it prepares you for the game.

By Rob Rossi “Obviously, I’m going to get some of that in games. And that’s where he spends most of his time in games. That’s where he’s so good.

“It’s good to practice (against him), for sure.” SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Coach Mike Sullivan often refers to winger Patric Hornqvist as “a warrior.” He did so again Saturday night after the Murray, Crosby and all of the Penguins would be hard-pressed to find Penguins’ 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild. something they don’t dig about Hornqvist. Especially at the start of this season. With good reason, too. Well, except that certain something Sullivan learned about Hornqvist Hornqvist made his presence known at Xcel Energy Center. He scored after this win against the Wild. one goal, set up another and generally infuriated a handful of Wild players. That group included goalie Devan Dubnyk, who lost his Recently, Hornqvist has again stopped wearing his helmet during composure with Hornqvist near the midpoint of the second period — and warmups. This breaks a promise he made to Sullivan last season, when quickly thereafter, his ability to make saves. Hornqvist changed his warmup ways after getting hit in the head.

After falling to the ice near the midpoint of the second period, Hornqvist Given his concussion history and the rugged nature of his game, appeared to reach for the back of Dubnyk’s mask. Dubnyk, in response, Hornqvist in a helmet is likely something the Penguins would favor at all swiped at Hornqvist. times — on or away from the ice. Considering their bad luck with injuries over the past few weeks, the Penguins might be keen to go so far as The Penguins were ahead, 2-1 at the time. They had been on a power wrapping their veteran forwards in bubble wrap. play, but Hornqvist’s double-minor for roughing wiped it out. Or they could just let Hornqvist do his thing his way before games. They wiped out Dubnyk over the next five minutes, too. He was pulled after allowing three consecutive goals. Those ended up mattering a lot Especially if the trade-off is Hornqvist doing his thing the way he did more when the Wild rallied a period later. against the Wild.

But even though three-goal leads are sometimes described as “dreaded” Postgame observations in the NHL, four-goal deficits in home openers are an awful lot for winless clubs to overcome. The Wild couldn’t, so it remains without a win. • Murray probably deserves more credit than he receives. That goes for this game and his career. Regarding the former, Murray was sharp early, The Penguins have won three of four since dropping their home opener. turning aside 11 first-period shots to preserve a 1-0 lead after the They’ve somehow done it with a roster that had quite a few unfamiliar opening 20 minutes. As for the latter, Murray now has 100 victories — faces — maybe more of those, however, than Hornqvist had friends on and in the post-expansion era, only six goalies have been faster to triple- other clubs. digits in wins. Of course, 100 wins probably isn’t as big a deal for Murray as it would be a goalie who hasn’t twice been between the pipes when Ten players who dressed against the Wild were not with the Penguins his team won the Stanley Cup. Still, the marker is most impressive last October. Only the top line and No. 1 defense pairing contained considering Murray has never appeared in more than 50 games in any players who had been with Pittsburgh’s NHL club a year ago this time. one regular season. “It’s really cool, really humbling,” Murray said. “If you Hornqvist has become a staple in Pittsburgh. And for the most part early would have told me as a little kid that I’d have 100 wins in the NHL, I’d be this season, he has looked a lot like the pesky Penguin whom opponents thrilled.” typically find repugnant. • Secondary assists have their critics, and it’s probably true that not every Which is fine by him. goal was preceded by two passes that were point-worthy. But it’s also true that quite a few times more than three players deserve the reward of “Yeah, of course,” Hornqvist said Saturday night. a point for a goal scored. The Penguins’ opening goal in this game was one of those times. Kris Letang’s quick read-and-feed up the ice to fellow Really? He was cool with getting punched at by Dubnyk or boarded by defenseman Justin Schultz sparked the sequence that ended with Wild winger Ryan Hartman, which happened with about 10 minutes Crosby and Schultz setting up Hornqvist on the power play. Crosby’s remaining in regulation. dish to Schultz was dazzling, but the entire sequence caught the eye of “I want them to be mad at me or paying attention to me,” Hornqvist said. Sullivan. “All the elements were there: speed, timing, good decisions, “That means I’m doing something right.” great execution — and I think Sid brought it to another level,” Sullivan said. “It was a great play all around.” Only Schultz and Crosby received It’s a job not a lot of $5.3 million wingers could or would do. assists for Hornqvist’s goal, but Letang’s pass that started everything Then again, if Hornqvist wouldn’t — or the Penguins believed he couldn’t, showcased an offensive awareness that few defensemen can match. even at the age of 32 — he might not be a $5.3 million winger in • Sullivan said during training camp the Penguins’ organizational depth at Pittsburgh. The Penguins are too cap-strapped too often to keep around forward was vastly improved. That certainly has been put to the test by an ineffective version of Hornqvist. early injuries to centers Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad and wingers They caught a good look at what that version of Hornqvist looked like in Alex Galchenyuk and Bryan Rust. So, it was no insignificant occurrence the second half of last season, when injuries (including a concussion) that each of the Penguins’ fourth-line forwards scored against the Wild. sure seemed to catch up with him. But he arrived for training camp fit, And what’s really wild (cough, cough) is that Adam Johnson and Sam pronounced himself ready and went on to show — during practices and Lafferty are the sixth duo to each score first NHL goals in the same game exhibition games — that this warrior had some battles left to be waged. for the Penguins. Johnson, a native of Grand Rapids, celebrated his goal in front of about 20-30 friends and family and said he would give the puck Saturday night was one of those battles. to either his mother or father. The Penguins have never had three players score first NHL goals in the same game. “A lot of guys probably don’t enjoy playing against him,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “He’s tough. You knock him down, he gets back up and • If the Penguins are going to lose another player to an injury, a goes to the same spot whether it’s the same shift of the next shift. defenseman would probably be the choice. They again had nine on the 23-man roster Saturday, though only six dressed against the Wild. Still, “That’s the big thing with Horny. He sets the tone with the way he when Marcus Pettersson took a shot to his glove hand in the second competes, and everyone tries to follow his lead.” period, Sullivan and general manager Jim Rutherford could have been forgiven for cursing the hockey gods. Pettersson missed only a few shifts and did not have his hand or wrist wrapped or taped after the game. His brief absence provided Sullivan with another chance to throw a new wrinkle at rookie John Marino, whose ice time increased to 16:30 in his third consecutive appearance. “We just really, really like him,” Sullivan said of Marino, who was spotted after the game speaking with Rutherford in the hallway leading toward the Penguins’ charter buses.

• It’s a long season. (Anybody anywhere mention that yet?) But at the end of it, if the Penguins are in the playoffs, it might be a good idea to look back upon Crosby’s October. It’s shaping up to be one of his more impressive months, which would be saying something. He has scored three goals and four assists since a frustrating season-opening loss at home to the Buffalo Sabres. That is a 1.75 points-per-game pace over four games. And the Penguins have played all but one period without Malkin over that span. Malkin is expected to miss the rest of October because of a leg injury. The Penguins’ early-season run without Malkin might end up being Crosby’s case to win the Hart Trophy for a third time.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156890 Pittsburgh Penguins Actually, Guerin said he would have been willing to wait on Rutherford, who agreed to a three-year extension about a year ago, potentially retiring.

Wild GM Bill Guerin would have waited, but he knows moving on from But now, he realizes waiting probably would have been a mistake — and Penguins was best not just because there are only 32 jobs like the one he holds with Minnesota. As much as he, his wife, Kara, and their kids love Pittsburgh, Guerin was going to be better off running a team in another NHL city.

By Rob Rossi “It’s kind of like leaving home for the first time, spreading your wings a bit,” Guerin said. Oct 12, 2019 He had spent more than a decade in Pittsburgh after being traded to the

Penguins in March 2009. He was handed the Cup by Crosby three SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Bill Guerin racked up quite a few victories while months later. He played one more season, retired, and joined the waiting on his first win as general manager of the Minnesota Wild. Penguins’ hockey operations department to oversee player development. At the time, Shero told Guerin he “was afraid of a former player who A few weeks ago, he met famous TV chef Andrew Zimmern. On wants a business card, a paycheck and a title.” Tuesday, he attended son Liam’s speech to 300 people about ADHD, anxiety and depression. And late Thursday night, thanks to a couple of “It was the best thing he ever told me,” Guerin said. “It was, like, ‘OK, giant heaters provided by the airport crew, he was on a charter plane that Billy, you gotta work.’” actually made it out of Winnipeg, just as a blizzard was beginning to Guerin also had to disappear. pummel the city. He did that by immersing himself in player development with the Still, the Wild had lost in Winnipeg and were winless in their opening Penguins, driving to and from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton — one season he three games of the NHL season. If Guerin was frustrated, he hid the spent 40 of 45 days there (though, don’t ask his wife about that stretch) feeling from players, coaches and team staffers inside the Wild’s offices — and immersing himself with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, even after he and practice facility Friday afternoon. was promoted to assistant GM when Rutherford was hired in May 2014. As he left TRIA Rink for the cold, windy walk across a couple of streets to GM Bill Guerin kept things loose at Minnesota’s practice facility a day XCel Energy Center, Guerin nearly bumped into a long haired and before the winless Wild’s home opener. (Rob Rossi/The Athletic) bearded man who goes by “Wolfie,” a friend of Wild owner Craig Leipold. If Pittsburgh is where Guerin came to finish his playing career, Wilkes- “Gettin’ better,” Wolfie said. Barre is where he started a new one, beginning on a path that eventually Guerin offered a polite smile. Wolfie pulled his right hand from the pocket would make him an NHL GM. But Guerin knew he couldn’t rely on his of a puffy jacket and held up five fingers. He told Guerin he recently had popularity as a player to get him there; the “Billy G” persona, which dinner with Leopold at “Herbie’s On The Park,” a restaurant named after Guerin admitted had, at times, won over and worn out teammates, the Miracle on Ice coach (and Penguins coach) Herb Brooks, and coaches and management in a lot of his stops, wasn’t going to carry him watched the Wild’s loss to Winnipeg. in this new role.

“Oh yeah?” Guerin said, still smiling. Not that “Billy G” was ever a bad guy. Far from it.

“Yup,” Wolfie said. “I told the boss, ‘It’s five years. We’re only three But that guy was larger than life. That was especially true in Pittsburgh, games in.’” where Guerin’s grinding work in hockey operations likely was not recognized as it should have been because his popularity as a player Guerin chuckled at the reference to his contract, nodded, then thanked a followed him into hockey ops life. man you would have presumed he has known. Wolfie, though, was not finished. And for once in his life, Guerin had met his match when it came “I had Fitzy around and saw how hard he worked, how hard Bottsy to the gift for gab. worked, and was able to just get around our scouts and do a lot of the amateur stuff, and just, you know, work,” Guerin said. “Listen, you can see the improvement every game,” Wolfie said. “It’s there. They’re getting there. It’s getting better.” “I wanted to earn respect. I felt like I needed to. I knew I had respect from my playing career. But it was really important to me that the people I “Thanks, Wolfie,” Guerin said before resuming his walk into a stiff breeze. worked with — the scouts, the other hockey ops guys — knew I didn’t After crossing one of the streets, he looked back toward Wolfie. take anything for granted, that I didn’t try to short-cut anybody.”

“The people here,” Guerin said, “they remind me a lot of the folks back It was Guerin’s tireless work, not the brashness and likability of “Billy G,” home.” that positioned the Penguins to benefit from a developing nucleus of prospects during the 2015-16 season. The games of Conor Sheary, Pittsburgh was a much as a home as Guerin had ever had for his family. Bryan Rust, Brian Dumoulin, Matt Murray and Jake Guentzel had been It’s where he transitioned from being captain Sidney Crosby’s winger to fortified in the AHL under his oversight to help spark the Penguins’ recent finding future wingers, such as Jake Guentzel, to play with Crosby. back-to-back Cup runs. Candidly, it’s where Guerin said he would have loved becoming the last GM to build a Penguins squad around Crosby. For whatever reason, other NHL clubs were slow to notice Guerin’s game as a rising executive. “Yeah, of course,” Guerin said, learning across a desk in a corner office that is quaint by modern NHL standards. “Especially with my situation in Like most people, Guerin was surprised the Wild made a change at the Pittsburgh, I think people would think that. And I was certainly no top in late July. different. Unlike most people, Guerin sensed that decision might end up changing “But I didn’t push it. I was big on … staying in my lane.” his life.

Guerin had been the last assistant standing for Jim Rutherford from Ray He asked Kara not if he should apply, but rather if she would be willing to Shero’s staff. Tom Fitzgerald departed after one year to rejoin Shero with move their empty-nesting life to the Twin Cities. His thinking was that if New Jersey. Jason Botterill left to take over in Buffalo midway through he landed an interview and it went well, everything might happen fast. the Penguins’ Cup defense a couple years ago. Sort of like all those times he had been traded. It had never been a battle between those three to become Rutherford’s successor. However, Guerin had become the seeming heir apparent, The difference though is now Guerin would be the one doing the trading. especially considering the support he had always received from And budgeting. And reporting to ownership. And everything. Penguins CEO/president David Morehouse. Including firing. Well, maybe.

It’s not that Guerin has resisted “blowing everything up” with the Wild, who have never won the Cup in its two decades. It’s just that he learned from Rutherford that a new GM can learn a lot about what needs to change by studying employees instead of firing them. Guerin also remembered Shero saying one of his best decisions upon taking over for Craig Patrick was keeping Michel Therrien as the Penguins coach.

Shero and Rutherford built the three Cup clubs of the Crosby era. Guerin could do worse than to borrow liberally from their playbooks to deliver the Stanley Cup to “The State Of Hockey” for the first time.

But borrowing and following are not the same thing, and Guerin is comfortable with his own style in Minnesota.

“Those are going to be big shoes to fill,” Guerin said of whoever becomes the next Penguins’ GM. “There’s going to be a lot of pressure on that next guy.”

After meeting with Leipold for an interview in early August, Guerin told Kara he “felt real good about how it went.” A few weeks later, Guerin had agreed to join the Wild as GM, achieving his goal of transitioning from player to GM and doing it within a decade, but not without “a tough feeling” that accompanied a necessary quick exit from Pittsburgh.

“Emotionally, it’s definitely tough because I’ve only know one thing post- playing — and my kids have only known Pittsburgh for the last 10 years, which are the formative years of their lives,” Guerin said. “You don’t just … I guess the one good thing is it’s been so busy that you don’t have time to think about it, and that’s probably been a good thing.”

Guerin became Minnesota’s fourth GM on Aug. 21. There were only a few weeks until training camp. No time to sell the house where the kids had grown up. No time to throw a goodbye party.

No time to take one last stroll through PPG Paints Arena, where Guerin was viewed as a working class hero, even though he had made millions playing in the NHL before ascending to second-in-command among Penguins hockey executives. From his Wild office, Guerin roll-called PPG Paints Arena workers by their first names: “Tom by the elevator, Linda running the elevator, Pat by the wives room — you know, everybody in that building, we knew them.”

Six weeks into his new job, Guerin has learned the names of his employee’s parents. One day before his first home opener, it’s clear he has brought a refined version of “Billy G” to Minnesota.

At the practice facility Friday afternoon, Guerin kept everyone with the Wild in good spirits as classic rock blasted from speakers in the workout room. He asked about one player’s new car, urged another to try the sauna, inquired about the Raiders with the video coach who loves that NFL team, tried to coax a smile out of a veteran assistant coach and joked about cream corn with a woman serving lunch.

Before returning to the Wild’s offices, Guerin walked into Herbie’s On The Park, where he saw a young man from the Wild’s business side. He teased him, asking “if the bar is your desk now” and drew laughs from other employees taking a break from pre-home opener meetings. Earlier, he jabbed Leopold about ordering breakfast food (eggs, bacon and toast) for lunch. The owner laughed and playfully punched Guerin’s arm.

How did Wolfie put it? Oh, yeah: it’s getting better.

First, it’s going to get weird.

“I can’t believe it’s Pittsburgh in the home opener,” Guerin said. “But to be honest, and this might be kind of corny, but it’s a special night for me. And I’m glad the team that means so much to me is here for it. I am.”

As for the Penguins being down four top-nine forwards for their game in Minnesota on Saturday night?

“I wasn’t hoping for that,” he said. “But I hope we win.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156891 Pittsburgh Penguins on the ice to the Penguins’ five. Johnson, though, tends to have that sort of effect on his partners; the other team shoots the puck more when he’s on the ice. It happens.

The Penguins like John Marino. Get used to it. Marino, for his part, said that he’d been given “nothing specific” to focus on as Johnson’s partner.

“They just let you go out and play your game. You’ve just got to go out By Sean Gentille there and make hockey plays,” he said. “(I’ll) know which plays are the right plays and which plays are the wrong plays that I made tonight. I’ll go Oct 11, 2019 back and I’ll learn from them.”

He specified “a couple turnovers.” He was credited with one. The Penguins like John Marino. Quite a lot, in fact. We know this. Marino also is aware of the steps the Penguins have taken to figure out They’ve made it clear. just what they might have in him. He got about 6 1/2 minutes of ice time If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have kept nine defensemen on the roster in the third period Thursday night, including the lion’s share of two when they broke training camp. They were, and remain, free to send penalty kills, one featuring a block and clear from the front of the Marino to the AHL at their leisure. Instead, he’s been on the roster from Penguins’ crease when they were holding on to a 2-1 lead. the jump, alongside eight other guys who are, for one reason or another, These, in short, aren’t the sort of minutes Sullivan gives to just anybody. locked into their spots. Mix in Marino’s ability to play on the left side as a right shot, and it’s easy Maybe they don’t like Marino quite enough, yet, to expose, say, Chad to see him playing, and playing a lot. He might be too good, and the Ruhwedel or Juuso Rikola to waivers. They like him enough, though, to Penguins’ third pairing too in flux, to sit. willingly walk into a suboptimal roster situation and live there — at least “(Playing the last two games) means a lot,” he said. “There’s a lot of for a bit. opportunity there. You try to go out there and take advantage of every If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have dressed seven defensemen Tuesday shift and show them what you’ve got.” against Winnipeg. They knew that they were a forward injury away from a He seems to have done that. The Penguins seem to have liked what true mess, and that’s what came to pass, but it wouldn’t have been a risk they’ve seen. You’d expect them to continue taking a look. they were willing to take if it weren’t important to work him into the lineup.

If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have scratched Erik Gudbranson on Thursday against the Ducks. Gudbranson has been solid for the vast majority of his The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 Penguins career, but he plays on the right side. That’s Marino’s preferred spot. So, against Anaheim, out Gudbranson went. Getting the rookie out of Harvard on the ice was, again, the priority.

And if they didn’t, coach Mike Sullivan wouldn’t have said after the Penguins’ 2-1 win that Marino has a chance of placing one of the veterans in the press box consistently, and becoming a lineup fixture himself.

“Yes he does, and that’s why he played tonight,” Sullivan said. “I think that I was maybe misunderstood after last game when we put him in the lineup and chose to play seven defensemen. We put him in the lineup because we think he can help us win. We put him in the lineup because he’s a good hockey player, and he’s shown a lot through training camp and up until this point in the early part of the season. So that’s why the decision was made to put him in the lineup in the first place. And I thought he had another strong game tonight.

“I think he’s a big strong kid. He’s got a good stick. He’s mobile. He defends hard. He’s got a little edge to his game, and he has poise with the puck. That’s what he’s shown since he’s been here, and that’s why we put him in the lineup to this point, but we think he’s a good player.”

Against the Ducks, it was easy to see why they feel that way. You saw the skating ability. You saw the decisiveness. You saw why, with a forward health issue bordering on crisis, they’d willingly plant themselves behind the eight ball just to see a little more.

You might not agree with the destination, but you understand the route. Dap to colleague Jesse Marshall, who spent a chunk of his night cutting up highlights.

Knowing that you need to make plays like that is one thing. Having the skill to pull them off is another. Marino’s ability to combine those, on a team that sorely needs it, has to be a tantalizing proposition for Sullivan and Jim Rutherford. Otherwise, they’d have taken the easy way out.

“Being a puck-moving defenseman, your first job is to just get the puck out of your zone, by any means necessary,” Marino said. “Go back, be first on the puck for retrievals and join the rush if possible.”

Marino isn’t just good at articulating his responsibilities — he seems to be good at performing them. Those bits of video, ironically, don’t quite speak to that. You don’t have to get the puck out of your zone if it isn’t there in the first place.

In his two games, Marino has played 23:37 at 5-on-5. Against the Ducks, he clocked 13:07, almost entirely to the right of Jack Johnson. Mixed in with those this-kid-knows-what-he’s-doing moments were some less- than-stellar numbers. Anaheim attempted 11 shots with Johnson-Marino 1156892 Pittsburgh Penguins It’s not exciting, and it’s not the Penguins’ way. Given how decimated their lineup is right now, though, it must become their way in the short term.

The Penguins have lost their identity. It is by design “We probably need to play more like this anyway,” Letang said. “I thought we played a good defensive game tonight.”

There was a particular sense of satisfaction in the locker room following By Josh Yohe this contest.

Oct 11, 2019 “This game was definitely a little different,” Simon said. “More defense.”

That was the plan, and it was well executed.

It wasn’t old-time, up-tempo, Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. It was “We knew we needed to win today,” Simon continued. “Sometimes it’s plodding, professional and prudent. easier, sometimes it’s harder. Today wasn’t the prettiest. It was a little more defensive. But we found a way.” One could say it was boring. The schedule is about to intensify for the Penguins. They face back to But it was absolutely perfect. The Penguins are playing without Evgeni back games in Minnesota and Winnipeg this weekend. Then, they Malkin and a host of other important forwards, which dictates a change in welcome three Stanley Cup contenders next week in Colorado, Dallas style and priorities. They were up to the task on Thursday at PPG Paints and Vegas. The following week, they travel to Florida, Tampa Bay and Arena, methodically breaking down the Ducks while playing easily their Dallas. As currently constructed, even with Crosby and Letang in the most thoughtful game of the season in a 2-1 victory. lineup, the Penguins aren’t really built to run and gun with those teams. Their record is now 2-2 as the Penguins embark on a brief road trip to Judging by how they absorbed their coach’s message Thursday, they’re Minnesota and Winnipeg. aware of this. “This was good,” Kris Letang said. “We needed this.” “We didn’t want to be 1-3,” Letang said. “We needed to win this game. Indeed they did. The Penguins have played the high-risk hockey that has We feel really good about what we did. We need to keep playing like become their trademark early and often this season, losing badly in two this.” of their first three outings while making the same mistakes that made last Ten postgame observations season extraordinarily frustrating for pretty much the entire organization. • The play Crosby made on Guentzel’s game-winner was spectacular. The Penguins had to use a different style of hockey to reach the His speed, power, vision and finesse were all on display during the postseason last spring. With Letang and Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup game-deciding play. Crosby shrugged off Josh Manson, before being for a long stretch of play late in the 2018-19 regular season, the shot out of a cannon down the right wing. He then unleashed a vintage Penguins began winning games with a fairly simple formula. They went backhand pass that perfectly led Guentzel into a wide open look. It was back to it Thursday: the kind of play that we’ve seen Crosby make literally hundreds of times • Get a goal from the power play. during his career, but we shouldn’t take it for granted. That’s six points in four games for Crosby, who has registered at least one point in every • Enjoy a dominant performance from Sidney Crosby. game this season. The Penguins need him to be great right now, with so many regulars out of the lineup. Greatness was on display Thursday from • Have Matt Murray shut the door. the Penguins’ captain. He played 24:02, scored on the power play • Hang on for dear life. deflection in the second period and was a force all game.

That plan worked out nicely against the Ducks. • Brandon Tanev continues to impress. He hasn’t scored a goal yet in four games with the Penguins, but his speed continues to make an Crosby, easily the game’s dominant player, started the scoring in the impression on the coaching staff. Tanev has now drawn five penalties in second period with a deflection off a Letang shot that we’ve seen four games. He was among NHL leaders in this category last season, his countless times during his career. rare speed and tenacity making him a handful for defenders on a nightly “It’s an easy decision for me,” Letang said with a grin. “He likes getting basis. It’s early, of course, but it’s clear to see why the Penguins were so the puck there, he was open and I got it to him. We practice it all the infatuated with him this summer. time, and it worked.” • Matt Murray produced a nice performance against the Ducks, stopping With the game even at 1 in the third period, the top line went to work. 31 of 32 shots. I didn’t love the goal he allowed, as he looked unprepared And make no mistake, that line must be dominant right now, as the for Ondrej Kase’s short side shot in the second period. However, I’m not Penguins are very much a one-line team with four of their top nine going to be critical of a goaltender who stops 31 of 32 shots. Murray was forwards on the shelf. especially good in the third period during a crucial penalty kill. His rebound control has been excellent all season, and he’s been Dominik Simon got the puck the Crosby, who worked his magic, weaving outstanding in three of his four outings. It’s been a fine start to the down the right wing before finding Jake Guentzel for his first goal of the season for the starting goaltender. season, the one that served as the game-winner. • I didn’t liked Letang’s game at all through three games. He looked “That line was really good tonight,” Letang said. “And we needed that utterly out of sync against the Sabres, Blue Jackets and Jets. Finally, from them.” against the Ducks, he authored the kind of performance the Penguins require from their No. 1 defenseman. It wasn’t perfect, but it was his most Murray was very good for the third time in four games. The Penguins, solid defensive outing by far. There was more composure and though, did a much better job in front of him. Most of the 32 shots he thoughtfulness in his game than was evident in the first three games. He faced required fairly basic stops. produced seven shot attempts. His skating, which has been ordinary for The Penguins were guilty of nine giveaways and, while that’s not a his standards in the early going, was spectacular at times. A dominant number that will help them draw comparisons to the 1995 Devils, it’s a Letang will go a long way with so many important players out of the step in the right direction for a team — and a franchise, really — that lineup. This game was a good step. would rather wear short sleeves in Winnipeg than play in 2-1 games. • I’ve been tempering my enthusiasm about John Marino simply because “We played smart,” Mike Sullivan said, simply and to the point. he hasn’t done anything at the NHL level. Looking good in rookie tournaments and exhibition games is great, but it’s not thriving in the They did, and they need to exhibit more of this brand of hockey. The NHL. So, let’s not get too attached to him just yet. That said … yeah, I Penguins didn’t try much in the way of fancy breakouts this game, nor think he’s pretty good. He’s an above average skater, plays with a bit of perfect touch passes in the neutral zone. Instead it featured playing more an edge and essentially did everything right in 16:06 against the Ducks. I “north/south hockey,” chipping the puck off the glass when in trouble and asked Mike Sullivan if there’s a real chance that Marino could become a getting pucks on net. fixture in the lineup. The coach said yes, and I believe him. Marino has quickly become a darling of everyone in the organization, and it’s easy to see why. He’s starting to look like a keeper. His ability to skate pucks out of trouble and to make prudent decisions with the puck is pretty clear.

• Teddy Blueger came to the defense of Adam Johnson following an early hit in the first period, dropping the gloves with Korbinian Kholzer. The fight didn’t exactly go in Blueger’s favor, but I assure you that kind of gesture goes a long way in the locker room. I’ve seen plenty of young players come and go in the Penguins’ locker room. Some are respected by their veteran teammates (Olli Maatta), some are not (Derrick Pouliot, ). Blueger is a lot like Maatta. Everyone loved him from Day 1. His eagerness to stay in the NHL is obvious and a becoming trait.

• It’s a polarizing thing to talk about Dominik Simon being included on the top line. I know, I know. He doesn’t finish enough. I agree. That said, he made a really good play to get Crosby the puck on Guentzel’s goal and has done some good things on the top line through two games. Plus, who are are you going to put on Crosby’s right wing at the moment? He’s the only logical player to go there. He hasn’t looked the least bit out of place so far.

• Andrew Agozzino played 1:24 and still managed to pick up a minus-1. He didn’t see another shift, though to be frank, I’d say that goal was Murray’s fault more than anyone else’s. I don’t think Agozzino did anything horribly wrong and I’d suggest the Penguins augment his minutes this weekend. They’ve got games Saturday and Sunday, so rolling four lines is going to become pretty important as the schedule picks up. While he didn’t see much ice time, Sam Lafferty played 13:51 and acquitted himself pretty well. I like his game. He’s got NHL speed and plays a perfectly simple brand of hockey. I’d like to see more of him.

• The Ducks apparently find Carter Rowney and Derek Grant to be more valuable than Sprong. Let that sink in for a minute. There is no question that Sprong is a legitimate NHL talent, but there’s also no question that he irritates coaches wherever he goes. It would be a shame if his NHL career were to finish as a bust, because I don’t think he’s a bad kid and he certainly possesses a shot that could see him score a lot of NHL goals. But his tendency to rub coaches the wrong way can’t be ignored.

• It’s a shame we only get to see Ducks goalie John Gibson play in his hometown once a season. What a star he is. He made a wonderful leg save on Patric Hornqvist in the third period and was simply stellar throughout the evening. He’s stopped 124 of 129 that he has faced so far this season. Not bad for a kid from Whitehall.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156893 San Jose Sharks Pavelski’s 13 years of Sharks leadership was sadly missed as a calming influence and the youngsters on the team looked especially skittish over their first three games. Even with a friendly hometown discount, Wilson deemed it impossible to even make a competitive offer to the 35-year- Unraveling the return of Mr. Shark: Can Marleau be a solution to this old. mess? It was obvious from the evening Thornton picked Erik Karlsson up from the airport that Wilson coveted the perennial Norris Trophy candidate at nearly any and all costs. For better or worse, he has bet nearly 15percent By GARRETT WROBLEWSKI/GUEST COLUMNIST of Hasso Platner’s Sharks equity portfolio on the generational talent free- PUBLISHED: October 12, 2019 at 10:06 am | UPDATED: October 12, agent (but size-deficient and injury-prone) defenseman. 2019 at 5:11 PM Last season by the elimination game of the Sharks-Blues series, Karlsson had finally been put on injured reserve. Those who observed the obvious grimace on Karlsson’s face during what was normally an The few remaining Bay Are hockey fans willing to vocalize their effortless stride could tell that the Blues legal pounding of the Mustached displeasure over the return of Mr. Shark died a quick and ignominious Maestro had taken its toll and decimated his effectiveness in the series. death after the incredulous fairytale ending Patrick Marleau helped engineer in Chicago on Thursday night. Many nationally considered Karlsson’s leverage diminished, but Wilson appreciated him gutting out painful injuries during the playoffs and much The 40-year old prodigal power forward of George Gund and Dean of the regular season. Karlsson was a full participant in the All-Star Lombardi willed his new team to its first victory of the season with his festivities while rehabbing a day-to-day injury which he easily could have energetic performance, in particular on the backcheck. Marleau admitted begged off, primarily to endear himself to Sharks fans. enjoying the luxury of skipping official training camp due to his contract situation, showed the young whippersnappers how it was done with a Wilson did end up paying top-dollar for the services of the Swedish two-goal, six-shot, five-hit performance. defenseman, making a rather sizable exception to his unstated rule that players try to be willing to take a bit less than they would on the open If Old Man Marleau can put forth that kind of effort, why can’t Johnny market to accommodate the Sharks’ salary cap. Brodzinski? But, unlike San Jose’s other quadragenarian Joe Thornton, Patrick’s wheels are still a threat. Not the threat he was in 2009, but An NHL-quality forward, cheap, preferably one capable of a top-six role Marleau’s size and speed and ability to protect the puck with his aging- was needed. One with the experience to calm a team that no longer had yet-still-sizeable frame is a definite asset when cycling between players the benefit of Pavelski. in the offensive zone to create outnumbered chances in front of the net. Enter Marleau, an NHL-quality forward capable of a top-six role. If Doug Wilson’s rather vocal proclamation before training camp that the anyone has the experience to calm a young team, it is him, a man who young talent in the organization was deserving of a chance before any has seen everything in his 20 years with the Sharks, but is now making veteran (*hint* Patrick Marleau) got a shot at the roster quickly wore thin $700,000 annually for San Jose. after the Sharks young forwards played in extended roles ill-suited to After three regular-season games (not to mention that loss to ferocious them. This immediately exposed the shaky, inexperienced makeup of the Nashville, post-Marleau signing, to solidify the 0-4 start) it became rookie forwards who played tenuously without the steadying presence of obvious the current crop of Sharks rookies are the hockey equivalent of Captain Joe Pavelski manning a top role. the Not Ready For Prime Time Players. That is not meant as a critique of new and deserving Captain Logan Veterans were just as culpable, the Sharks having spent three-and-a-half Couture; if anything, quite the opposite. Adversity is the quickest way to of their first four games (the lone exception being their shot-heavy grow on the job and Couture has the ear of two former captains to lean second period versus Nashville) tentative and/or sloppy with the puck, on if he chooses to seek their counsel. seemingly unsure of where teammates would and should be. It will be interesting to see if No. 39’s modus operandi is to become more The presser Wilson gave announcing the return of Mr. Shark was a touch vocal in the dressing room. Not at all shy with the media, Couture’s abrupt, especially considering the whiplash quick turnaround from the forthright and oftentimes harsh critique of teammates and himself in franchise’s initial dismissal of Marleau’s desire to return. rough, losing postgame interviews over the years suggests he will not be a Mary Poppins NHL Captain, where a spoonfull of sugar helps the The Sharks GM plays his cards so close to the vest during public medicine go down. interviews that acquiring any sort of nugget of real information can prove both vexing and difficult. At one point when answering a Marleau Difference-maker Evander Kane’s primary contribution to the team the question, however, Wilson mentioned off-the-cuff that Patrick first three games was zero after his dopey three-game suspension for “understands how we play and is very accepting of the role that Pete De abuse of an official. The Sharks need his fiery play desperately, but Boer, our head coach, may need on different nights.” enhancing his pouty reputation among NHL officials in a meaningless pre-season game is a selfish act. While probably unintentional, this mild pre-rebuke warning may be Wilson signaling that another mid-season trade request (or poutiness in Kane’s role and paycheck on the team dictates, if not a role model, he general) will not be acceptable during his second tour of duty. When the should be setting the tone for the younger guys to follow a veteran’s lead superstar feuded with his coach during the 2015 season, was it ever fully as to where the line is regarding physical play. Kane needs to resolved? remember during scrums that whether the target on his back is deserved, or simply a crooked witch hunt by referees out to get him, the target is With Thornton fully accepting a reduced role and salary with aplomb, certainly there to stay. Just ask former Shark Raffi Torres. there seems to be no reason why the mostly affable Marleau would cause any locker room wave due to past friction as he bucks the odds yet It didn’t help that the positives have been few and far between. In again and is granted a Sharks Farewell Tour most 40-year old players particular, two of the Sharks young big-gun forwards contract-wise could only dream of. Playing once again in the city he became an icon, a (Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier) were barely visible on the scoring sheet. city his family loves and still calls home. This is hardly a roster that, on paper, screams Stanley Cup Contender. The Sharks have finally deciphered the answer to what must have Watching the Cup-contending Golden Knights dismantle the Sharks seemed to be a sphynxlike puzzle, achieving their first victory and before losing, in a similarly uninspiring fashion, to whatever just- earning their initial two points of the season. It was also the first game promoted San Diego Seagulls currently make up the Ducks roster was where most viewers felt like they were watching the San Jose Sharks, not the start to the season Sharks fans or management were expecting. and not a collection of strangers in similar-looking teal laundry pretending The shockingly non-competitive 0-4 start, in addition to abruptly slapping like they’ve practiced together before. Marleau to a contract so soon after Wilson vocalized making a big deal Will this be the start of an ascent to the top of the standings in the Pacific out of his dedication to the youth movement, is a definite sign that Division? Or perhaps an inconvenient number of overtime losses will management realizes it has radically overvalued the abilities of many of gum up the statistical works and make the standings near-indecipherable the players in the Sharks draft pipeline to contribute immediately, or to the casual hockey fan after less than a month? We’ll know more after perhaps ever, to the parent club. another five games, approximately 12 percent of the way into the regular season.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156894 San Jose Sharks

How Aaron Dell's win could boost fellow goalie Martin Jones, Sharks’ defense

By Chelena Goldman

October 12, 2019 6:13 PM

SAN JOSE -- After Aaron Dell tended twine in the Sharks' first regular- season win Thursday in Chicago, many believe he might start a second consecutive game.

From the looks of things at Saturday's morning skate, however, de facto starter Martin Jones will get the call instead Sunday night when the Sharks host the Calgary Flames.

But the decision to start Dell against the Blackhawks wasn't about sending a message to Jones after four straight losses, Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said Saturday. That decision was about giving his backup goalie more starts.

In the long run, this is something that could greatly benefit the Sharks' goaltending situation.

"It isn't any kind of indictment on Martin Jones," DeBoer insisted when asked about choosing to start Dell in Chicago. "I kind of decided over the summer that I wanted to play Deller more."

While Jones and Dell both faced downturns in performance through their 2018-19 campaigns and ended the regular season with goals-against averages under .900, Dell was the goalie who spent most of the time sitting on the bench. So DeBoer gave his backup some offseason homework ahead of this season so that, hopefully, wouldn't happen again.

Dell then showed off that hard work in his start, making huge saves that kept the Blackhawks from running up the scoreboard early in the contest. In the final minute of play, Dell's insane saves allowed San Jose to hang on for their first win.

"I wanted to play him more last year, but he didn't allow me that opportunity to," DeBoer admitted. "So I told him over the summer that, 'I want to get you in more games than I did last year. I'm going to give you the opportunity early to play some more, but you have to help me and play well when you get in there.' And I think he did that."

Getting better performances out of Dell ultimately can help Jones, too. Jones plays some of his best hockey when the stakes are higher, and he easily could get a boost from his backup having a more reputable season. And since the two netminders have built a solid working relationship, the whole team can benefit.

"We've had a good relationship over the last few years, so it's been good for our team, " Jones said. "We're on the same team here. We all want the same thing. We all want to win."

Now, if the defense in front of both Jones and Dell can tighten up, the Sharks really will be in good shape.

"We've started to help our goaltenders, but our game in front of those guys isn't where it needs to be yet either," DeBoer said. "I think slowly we've gotten a little bit better every game."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156895 San Jose Sharks

Why Sharks' Patrick Marleau expects nerves before SAP Center return

By Chelena Goldman

October 12, 2019 12:51 PM

SAN JOSE -- Sure, even a seasoned veteran like Patrick Marleau had some jitters before he took the ice for his first game back with the Sharks on Thursday night in Chicago.

But that's nothing compared to how he's going to feel on Sunday when he takes the ice at SAP Center.

While meeting with the media on Saturday morning following practice, Marleau admitted that the nerves ahead of his first game back home as a Shark will be on another level.

"I expect it to be a lot the same [nerves as the first game on the road], maybe a little bit more with coming back in front of the fan base," Marleau said. "That adrenaline will be going again and they're going to help me out. Just as long as I keep my legs moving and go to the right spots, hopefully it will be fine."

Those pre-homecoming jitters haven't taken away from how happy the 40-year-old winger is to be playing hockey again. Even with one game back in teal under his belt, the delight of once again being in the fold hasn't worn off.

"The smile hasn't come off my face," he said. "To be able to come back here and walk into this locker room and see my name, it feels good to have somewhere to go and have somewhere to play. And to especially be back here."

It isn't just Marleau's teammates who are happy he's back in a Sharks jersey. No. 12 said he's also heard from former teammates who are happy he's found a home after missing the start of the season.

"The amount of text messages and phone calls I got, it was very humbling and overwhelming," he said. "I really appreciate all of the support that I've been getting. Now the work really starts and I'm really looking forward to it."

Marleau has already had a positive impact on the Sharks ahead of his return to the South Bay, registering two goals in San Jose's 5-4 victory over the Blackhawks. But the team will also be looking to him off the ice as a crop of rookie players gets more acclimated to playing in the NHL.

"Just happy to have another solid pro on the ice and in the room," head coach Peter DeBoer said. "He's going to be a great mentor to our young guys. Just the game he played the other night. How he created offense, he did it the right way."

All that's left now is for Marleau to take the SAP Center ice in his first game back with the Sharks.

Speaking of taking the ice -- Marleau traditionally was the last player to skate out of the sharks' head during his previous tenure with the team, a role that was taken over by Marc-Edouard Vlasic after Marleau left for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Will No. 12 take back the honor of being the last Sharks player out on the ice?

"We had a little talk about it," Marleau said with a laugh. "He let me go out last last game, it was very nice of him."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156896 San Jose Sharks “Definitely,” Dell said. Thursday’s win in Chicago was hardly a 60-minute blueprint for how the

Sharks would like to play. Until Brent Burns’ fortunate goal off Connor Expect to see Aaron Dell in net more this season for the Sharks, if he can Murphy’s glove that tied the score at 3-3 midway through the second handle it period, the scoring chances were heavily in favor of the Blackhawks.

Dell, though, did his job well for the most part. He managed to make some difficult saves, including breakaway stops on Brandon Saad and By Kevin Kurz Alex DeBrincat in the first and second periods, respectively. He kept his teammates in the game long enough for them to erase four deficits and Oct 12, 2019 finally pull out a 5-4 win.

“That’s what we need out of him. Made some key saves at key times,” In hindsight, it turned out to be the correct decision. But last April, more DeBoer said after the game. “I thought both teams were a little bit loose, than a few eyebrows were raised when coach Pete DeBoer returned to and he made one more save than the other guy (Corey Crawford). That’s Martin Jones in Game 5 against Vegas in the first round. Jones had sometimes all you need.” played miserably for three consecutive playoff games, helping to leave The third period was also the Sharks’ best of the season. In a 4-4 game the Sharks on the brink of elimination. Jones’ regular-season and playoff after two periods at United Center, they played with much more control performance to that point didn’t leave much hope that he was suddenly and patience than they had in the first 14 periods of the season. The going to get it together. result was a game-winning goal by Barclay Goodrow on a nice setup by But the decision was also a reflection on backup Aaron Dell. Just like Joe Thornton, and no high-danger scoring chances allowed. Jones, Dell’s regular-season performance — 10-8-4, 3.17 goals-against That kind of play will help any goalie’s numbers, and the Sharks hope to average and .886 save percentage — left much to be desired. DeBoer build off it for Sunday’s meeting with the Flames. appeared to lose confidence in his backup fairly quickly last season, as Dell started just eight regular-season games for the Sharks after the turn “We haven’t helped our goaltenders out this year. We didn’t help them of the new year. out much last year. It’s disappointing (and we’re) upset about that,” Logan Couture said after Thursday’s game. “We need to defend a lot The coach hopes Dell, who backstopped the Sharks to their first win of harder, and we talked about that between the second and third (periods). the season on Thursday in Chicago, shows him that he’s reliable enough Take some pride in playing defense. I thought we did a good job in to get in more often this season. That was the message DeBoer relayed helping him out in the third. When we had those breakdowns, he made to the goaltender in the offseason. some big-time saves for us, and that’s what you need when you’re “I kind of decided in the summer that I wanted to play Deller more,” struggling defensively. You need your goalie to bail you out a few times, DeBoer said Saturday. “I wanted to play Deller more last year, but he and he did tonight, for sure.” didn’t allow me that opportunity to. I told him over the summer, ‘I want to Even though it’s Jones on Sunday, it’s likely that Dell will get back in the get you in more games than I got you in last year. I’m going to give you net soon, perhaps Wednesday against Carolina or Saturday against the the opportunity early to play some more, but you have to help me and Sabres as the Sharks’ enjoy their first homestand. After that, a difficult play well when you go in there.’ I thought he did that (against Chicago).” swing through eastern Canada awaits, including a back-to-back in DeBoer added that starting Dell in two of the Sharks’ first five games Montreal and Toronto on Oct. 24-25. There’s also a home back-to-back “isn’t an indictment on Martin Jones,” and it will be Jones who returns to on Nov. 1-2 against the Jets and Canucks. the net Sunday against Calgary at SAP Center. Or maybe Jones continues to struggle, and Dell plays much more More action means Dell has more of a chance to push Jones, and regularly. Regardless, the plan is to mirror what so many NHL teams are perhaps even overtake him as the goalie who gets more starts. Jones doing nowadays in playing their No. 2 goalies much more often than was was the only Sharks player who actually showed up in the miserable typically seen a decade ago. The days of a goalie starting 70 games in a season opener in Vegas on Oct. 2, a 4-1 loss that could have been much season are pretty much extinct. worse. But his play since has resembled how he looked last season, Jones indicated he would be fine with that setup. when he posted a 36-19-5 record with a 2.94 GAA and .896 SP — the lowest save percentage among the 20 NHL goalies who appeared in at “Any time you can have two guys that are a little fresher and a little least 47 games. sharper, that’s a good thing for your team,” he said. “We’re on the same team here, we all want the same things, we all want to win. Me and Yes, the team has hung him out to dry on many occasions, but No. 1 Deller have had a good relationship the last few years, so it’s been good NHL goalies are expected to make momentum-changing saves from time for our team.” to time. Kyle Turris’ goal that snuck under Jones’ left arm in Nashville is one example. Had Jones made that save at that important time with the DeBoer said: “I think the strength of our goaltending a couple years ago Sharks trailing 2-1, perhaps they get the tying goal later in the final frame was when we put Deller in there he gave us a boost of energy and gave and it changes the outcome. us a solid game. He found a way to win games for us in those situations. I thought last year that didn’t happen enough. Those were the Asked to evaluate Jones before the Sharks played the Blackhawks, conversations I had with him over the summer, and that’s his job.” DeBoer said, “I think Martin has been a product of our team play, no doubt. I don’t think we’ve helped him. At the same time, I think you’ve got to be part of the solution, too, on a nightly basis.” The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 Jones and Dell have each appeared in three games. It’s a small sample, but Dell’s numbers (3.17 GAA, .886 SP) are better than Jones’ (4.55 GAA, .854 SP).

Dell stuck around the San Jose area this summer to work with the Sharks’ training staff, apparently taking DeBoer’s offseason message to heart.

“It was great,” he said. “If you’re off at home and things like that, you just kind of check-in, but I was able to work directly with (Sharks trainer Mike Potenza) all summer. I think that made a big difference for me.

“I did the same things, but I think I was more controlled on things. I watched what I ate a little bit closer, and I was more disciplined in workouts, and things like that.”

Did it make a difference? 1156897 St Louis Blues St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019

Blues notebook: Perron's wrist shot even quicker this year

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch

MONTREAL — If it looks as if David Perron’s trademark wrist shot is quicker than ever, well, it just might be.

At 31, Perron is playing his 13th NHL season and only four Blues are older (Jay Bouwmeester, Alexander Steen, Tyler Bozak and Carl Gunnarsson). But in this case, an old dog is learning new tricks.

“I think the last couple years, I changed my stick, did some things and really focused and watched what some of the guys are doing to score goals in this league now,” Perron said. “You see a guy like Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, those guys — those young guys came in the league, they’re really shooting the puck.

“That caught my attention, and I changed some things on my part. I feel like my stick and my shot’s better since then.”

Perron entered Saturday night’s game against Montreal with three goals and two assists — the only Blues player with at least a point in every contest. He recorded the 200th and 201st goals of his NHL career Thursday, including the game-winner, against Ottawa, which was his 17th as a Blue and his 26th in the NHL.

In terms of career goals, only Alexander Steen (238) and Vladimir Tarasenko (211) have more on the Blues' current roster.

“He’s always had an unreal wrist shot,” goalie Jake Allen said of Perron. “It’s all about timing for him and getting it off and being open. I see it in practice all the time. So does Jordan (Binnington). I know how hard he can shoot.

“He’s always been a really skilled player in this league. If he gets the time and space and confidence that he has, it’s not surprising to us that they’re going in.”

Born in nearby Sherbrooke, Perron is one of two Quebec natives on the Blues' roster. So these trips to Montreal are special. His mother and father were at the morning skate and attended Saturday’s game.

Sammy Blais is the other Quebec product on the roster, and there were two busloads of family and friends on hand Saturday from his hometown of Montmagny, about three hours away, to cheer him on.

They got to see Blais play on the power play for the first time this season.

“I came to the rink this morning and I saw that I was on the power play,” Blais said. “So just another opportunity for me to show what I can do. I’m not putting too much stress on myself. Just play my game and we’ll see what happens.”

Coach Craig Berube and Blues assistant coach (and power play coach) Marc Savard liked the idea of having Blais’ big body stationed in front of the net to take away the eyes of Montreal goalie Carey Price.

“It’s part of my game,” Blais said. “Also, with my line I probably bring some physicality on the forecheck. This helps us get the puck back, and we’ve been doing a good job doing that. I think we have a good chemistry all three together, and it’s been working since Game 1.”

Last season, Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly bought tickets for an entire team of First Nation hockey players and their families for a game in Ottawa. He met the team, posed for pictures.

The teenage players had been subject to racist taunts during a tournament in Quebec, and O’Reilly — with help from his mother and father — arranged the day to emphasize that the taunts weren’t right and that the game of hockey should be enjoyed by everyone.

So on the Blues’ return trip to Ottawa this week, he was presented with a customized First Nations team jersey and moccasins for him and his family by team manager Tommy Neeposh.

“It’s a beautiful jersey and not only shows the character of him but the people around him to be able to do that,” O’Reilly said. “It really means a lot.” 1156898 St Louis Blues the slot for the goal. Danault somehow found some space between three Blues for his second goal of the season.

So it was a 3-3 contest entering the third period, a period the Blues have Canadiens' strong third period sinks Blues ruled this season, outscoring their opponents 6-1 in the final period in their last three games — all comeback victories. There were no third- period goals Saturday and no comeback victory.

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Didn’t bring out our best effort in the third,” Schenn said. “We turned over pucks and they just wanted it more than us in the third period.”

Montreal came out flying in the third, outshooting the Blues 8-1 in the MONTREAL — A parade wouldn’t have been necessary. Or another opening minutes. Arturri Lehkonen gave the Canadiens the lead back 7½ engraving of a Cup, or anything like that. minutes into the final period. His quick wraparound shot from behind the But the Blues were seeking franchise history Saturday night at Bell net was stopped by Binnington, but Binnington left just a crack of space Centre. A win over the Montreal Canadiens would have improved their between his pads and the post and Lehkonen found that space with his record to 4-0-1. And meant for the first time in 52 years of Blues hockey, rebound attempt. the team had opened with at least one point in its first five games. Parayko was in the vicinity, but was caught betwixt and between. A part After a Vince Dunn power play goal gave the Blues a 3-2 lead with 7:10 of him thought Binnington had covered up the initial shot, but he was left in the second period, it looked as if the team was in position for wary of another pass to the near slot as was the case with Danault’s another comeback victory — having trailed 2-1 entering the second goal. period. “I was just trying to protect the slot a little bit,” Parayko said. “Make sure Oh well. The Canadiens (2-1-2) scored the game’s final four goals, that if there was a guy coming down in the slot like their third goal — so I including three in the third period, as the Blues (3-1-1) suffered their first was kind of trying to protect both. regulation loss of the season, 6-3. Yes, 48 hours after scoring six times in “But he wrapped it and then before I could get back he had another jam Ottawa, the Blues allowed six goals to Montreal to the delight of most of at it.” the crowd of 21,302. Not content with a one-goal lead, the Canadiens didn’t slow down. They After the victory Thursday against the Senators, coach Craig Berube said kept charging, and took a 5-3 lead 4½ minutes later when Brendan he didn’t want another run-and-gun game against a quick, relentless Gallagher crashed the net, made contact with Binnington and somehow Montreal team. But that’s what happened. got the puck through the Blues goalie. “They’re quick, they’re fast,” forward Brayden Schenn said. “Eastern

Conference type of team. When you play into a team’s game like that where you think you’re gonna go run-and-gun, or go chance for chance, St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 more times than not they’re gonna beat our hockey team like that. We don’t tend to do that, and I think we did that too much.”

Schenn scored his fourth goal in as many games since signing his eight- year contract extension the first week of October. It also tied his career- long streak for consecutive goals in a season, achieved three times earlier in his career. His goal Saturday came on a precise cross-rink feed from Vladimir Tarasenko and temporarily tied the game at 1-1 in the first period.

The Blues also got a backhand goal from Sammy Blais that seemed to surprise Montreal goaltender Carey Price to tie the game 2-2. It was his third of the season, a career high, and came before several dozen family and friends who came down from his hometown of Montmagny, Quebec, three hours away.

And there was the Dunn goal and that short-lived 3-2 lead. But the Blues couldn’t keep up with Canadiens, who had all sorts of odd-man rushes, continually pressuring the St. Louis defense. And couldn’t keep them from crashing the net.

“We weren’t very good tonight,” Schenn said. “We couldn’t get to our game. We couldn’t get the forecheck going, didn’t sustain a lot of O-zone pressure, turned over the puck. Obviously you see the result, six goals against and that’s even with Binner making some big saves.”

Goalie Jordan Binnington, returning to the crease after Jake Allen got the start against Ottawa, faced 37 shots Saturday and did make some big saves. One came on a penalty shot by Joel Armia late in the third period. But five goals got past him, with the sixth goal an empty-netter with 2:28 to play by Max Domi.

Armia was whacked and tripped to the ice by Colton Parayko resulting in the rarely called penalty shot.

“We didn’t play hard enough,” Berube said. “We didn’t manage the puck. Turning it over and then they transitioned and that’s basically the game.”

“We gave up more chances than we wanted to,” defenseman Justin Faulk said. “More shots, more chances. They had a good handful of ‘Grade A’s’ that we wouldn’t want to give up. On any night you don’t want to give up that many opportunities, and they capitalized on it.”

Less than three minutes after Dunn’s goal gave the Blues their 3-2 lead, they were uncharacteristically outworked near their net. Tomas Tatar won the puck behind the net and fed Phillip Danault crashing down into 1156899 St Louis Blues That perked the Blues up a little and five minutes later, Jaden Schwartz dropped a pass for Vladimir Tarasenko, who passed to Schenn for the goal.

Blues suffer first regulation loss, fall to Canadiens 6-3 Both teams had a power play in the first period and neither team scored. The Blues had only one shot on their power play and almost gave up another shorthanded goal but Binnington made a save on a breakaway. That left the Blues 2 for 12 on the season on the power play; they came By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch into the game tied for 20th in the league on the power play.

1230 62 with second try wraparound after Weal misses open net 3-4 The Blues suffered their first loss in regulation this season, allowing a 804 Gallagher charges in, goal, hits Binnington 3-5 season-high five goals in a 6-3 loss to the Canadiens at Bell Centre in Montreal.

After allowing four goals to Ottawa on Thursday, the Blues gave up six St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 more (the last into an empty net) to Montreal and if Blues coach Craig Berube was concerned about the team's defensive play after the Ottawa game this will only amplify those concerns as the team looks to put together a complete game for the first time this season.

The third period was all Montreal, as they outshot the Blues 16-10. In the game, Montreal outshot the Blues 38-29 and the shot attempts were a lopsided 72-41.

"They played better and played harder than us. That's what it boils down to." Berube said. "They deserved to win. Tonight we didn't play hard enough, didn't compete hard enough, didn't manage the puck."

The Blues were 3-0-1 in their first four games, with an overtime loss to Washington on opening night. The Blues were trying to have a point in their first five games for the first time in franchise history and be the first Stanley Cup champion since Detroit in 1998 to start with points in five games.

The Canadiens outscored the Blues 3-0 in the third period, breaking open a game that was tied after 40 minutes. Artturi Lehkonen started the period's scoring with a second-chance wraparound goal with 12:30 to go after Jordan Binnington had made the initial save.

With 8:04 to go, Brendan Gallagher scored to make it 5-3 after going to the goal and bumping into Binnington, though the Blues didn't challenge for goalie interference. And then with 2:28 to play, Max Domi scored into an empty net to seal the win. The Canadiens had a chance for another goal, but Binnington stopped a penalty shot by Joel Armia with 5:30 to play.

The Blues did what they've done several times already this season, coming back from a deficit to take the lead, though they couldn't hold this one.

The Blues entered the second period down 2-1 but quickly got even when Sammy Blais, who grew up about three hours from Montreal, scored on a backhand shot from a sharp angle on a delayed penalty just 1:05 into the second. The Blues took the lead on a power-play goal by Vince Dunn with 7:10 to go in the second off a pass from Brayden Schenn.

But the lead didn't last, with Phillip Danault scoring on a pass from Gallagher with 4:25 to go in the period.

Blais' goal was his third of the season, surpassing his total for all of last season in just five games. He took the puck the length of the ice after Montreal ran into Binnington in goal. Carey Price made the initial save on the play but Blais got the puck back and backhanded it in.

Another sluggish start for the Blues left them trailing 2-1 after the first period against the Canadiens.

The Blues had gotten off to quick starts in their first two games before struggling through the second peirod. On their current trip, it's been the reverse, with opponents taking it to them from the opening whistle and the Blues only finding their game later.

Schenn scored for the Blues, his fourth straight game with a goal, with 2:02 to play in the period, to tie the game, but Montreal retook the lead 49 seconds later when a bad line change by the Blues left Jonathan Drouin with a lane down the middle to score on Binnington.

Montreal had taken the lead with 7:01 to go in the period, with Tomas Tatar scoring on a backhander in front of the net off a faceoff. 1156900 St Louis Blues

Blais gets spot on power play against Montreal

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch

MONTREAL • For the first time this season, Sammy Blais gets a spot on the power play in tonight’s Blues game against the Montreal Canadiens.

During the morning skate at Bell Centre, Blais was on a power play unit that included Vince Dunn, Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz. Robby Fabbri, who had replaced the injured Robert Thomas on the power play, remains in the lineup on the Tyler Bozak line. But not on the power play.

Blais saw power-play duty in only a handful of games last season, so this represents a big opportunity for the 23-year-old from Montmagny, Quebec. Two busloads of family and friends made the three-hour trip from his hometown to Montreal for the game.

Will they be wearing Blais’ jerseys?

“Well, I hope so,” Blais said. “I think there’s a lot of people from my hometown that have bought my jersey. So they’re probably gonna be a lot of Blues fans in the stands.”

There is also a change on defense, as Craig Berube will reinsert Carl Gunnarsson on defense and sit Robert Bortuzzo. It will be the third game of the season for Gunnarsson. The trend developing is that Gunnarsson plays against the smaller, quicker teams. And Bortuzzo plays against the heavier, more physical squads.

And Montreal definitely falls into the smaller, quicker category.

“Lots of speed, especially up front,” coach Craig Berube said. “They’ve got some real fast forwards that have a lot of skill. We’ve gotta do a good job obviously of checking and keeping ‘em in front of us. They have the ability to get behind you with their speed.”

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156901 St Louis Blues

Gallagher leads Canadiens past Blues 6-3

Staff Report

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OCTOBER 12, 2019 10:28 PM

MONTREAL

Despite playing their third game in four nights, the Montreal Canadiens were good enough to beat the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Brendan Gallagher had a goal and two assists and the Canadiens beat the Blues 6-3.

Tomas Tatar, Jonathan Drouin, Philip Danault, Arturri Lehkonen, and Max Domi also scored for Montreal.

"We had a good game today," Danault said. "We had the Stanley Cup champions so it was a good challenge for us,"

Drouin was awarded his team's player of the game award, a sword replica from the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie "Conan the Barbarian."

"Last year we had the cape. This year it's the sword. It's a new tradition," Drouin said.

Brayden Schenn, Samuel Blais, and Vince Dunn scored for St. Louis, which absorbed its first regulation loss of the season.

"They played better, they played harder than us," Blues head coach Craig Berube said.

Montreal goalie Carey Price made 26 saves. Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots for the Blues.

The Canadiens earned their first regulation victory of the season.

"We're fortunate enough that two (of our games) were at home," Julien said. "These guys use a lot of energy night after night. They get on the plane, they get back home at one in the morning. They've got to play the next night. It's not easy, but you have to manage it,"

Tatar tipped a bouncing puck past Binnington in the first-period to open the scoring. It was his second goal of the season.

Schenn tied the game 1-1 with 2:03 left in the period, firing a shot that banked off the inside post past Price.

Less than a minute later, Drouin responded with a goal of his own. He skated into the offensive zone and fired a shot past Binnington as two Blues defenders closed in. Drouin has at least a point in each game he's played this season.

The Blues tied the game in the second period when Blais scored a goal off a tight angle.

Dunn made it 3-2 by scoring a power-play goal 11 minutes later.

St. Louis' advantage lasted less than three minutes. Danault tied it at 15:35 of the second period.

Lehkonen scored the eventual winner for Montreal at 7:30 of the third period. He wrapped around Binnington and jammed the puck underneath the goalie's left pad, stabbing at it until it went in the net.

Gallagher and Domi added insurance goals in the third.

"We had it 3-3 going into the third," Schenn said. "Didn't bring out our best effort in the third. We turned over pucks and they just wanted it more than us in the third period."

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156902 Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.13.2019

Ottawa Senators’ odd-man rushes sink Lightning

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Earlier today

Updated Earlier today

OTTAWA — Odd-man rushes pull people out of their seats. They’re fast, and they lead to scoring chances. The Lightning’s first few games have demonstrated exactly why — for the other team.

The Lightning have been hurt by odd-man rushes, and the Senators made theirs count Saturday.

Ryan McDonagh pointed to the Lightning’s passing and decision making as their issues in a 4-2 loss.

All the Senators’ goals came on the rush (though the final one, an empty- netter, doesn’t seem to count). In two of those situations, the Senators had the numbers advantage.

“There’s no doubt they can skate,” McDonagh said. “They have speed, and they force you to really anticipate your next play quick”

First, Ottawa caught the Lightning (2-2-1) in a bad line change. Bobby Ryan threw an outlet pass up to Brady Tkachuk, giving the Senators a three-on-two. Tkachuck beat McDonagh at the blue line and then fed the puck over the Colin White, who roofed it over Curtis McElhinney’s glove for a 1-0 lead at 13:44 of the second period.

In the final minute of the period, the Senators beat the Lightning on a two-on-four. While former Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov took the puck up the ice, Jean-Gabriel Pageau flew up the center behind three Lightning players and posted up in front of the net. Namestnikov hit him with a pass, and Pageau scored easily for a 2-1 lead.

Namestnikov scored a goal of his own late in the third. The Senators chipped the puck out of their zone, and Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn lined up to play it like he was waiting for a fly ball.

Coburn bobbled the puck on its way down, and Ottawa’s Connor Brown picked it up, creating a two-on-one alongside Namestnikov. Brown slid the puck over to Namestnikov at the back door, and Namestnikov scored what ended up being the winner.

“Little unlucky break on the game-winner there,” coach Jon Cooper said. “Can’t give them up, bottom line.”

Cooper didn’t think his team gave up a lot of rushes, just that the ones it did give up turned into goals.

That’s similar to what he said after the season-opening win over the Panthers about most of the 37 shots on goal the Lightning gave up: They weren’t quality scoring chances, but the ones that were of quality were doozies.

Many of those doozies were on odd-man rushes. This has been a recurring theme for the Lightning in this season’s small sample size of games.

Many of those plays started in the offensive zone, Alex Killorn pointed out. There might have been a turnover or someone the Lightning lost sight of.

“We’re trying to get greedy. We’re trying to score a goal,” he said. “We have to realize that we have to take care of our own zone.”

Flow on the ice can change quickly, so when a team loses possession in the offensive zone, players need to be aware of where opponents are so they can get back quickly. That comes back to the defensive awareness the Lightning have been talking about needing but haven’t consistently achieved.

Getting too fancy can lead to turnovers, which can lead to rushes, which can lead to goals.

The little mistakes the Lightning have made in the first couple of games are fixable, not something to worry about. But they can start to add up. 1156903 Tampa Bay Lightning Three-on-three Most surprising starts: 3. James Neal. 2. New Jersey. 1. Dallas

Top three players who are who we thought they are: 3.Milan Lucic 2. Team bonding is the upside to an early Lightning road trip Patrik Laine. 1. Brayden Point

Top Lightning players by games: 4. Victor Hedman, 700. 3. Steven By Diana C. Nearhos Stamkos, 749. 2. Martin St. Louis, 972. 1. Vincent Lecavalier, 1037 (Okay I cheated, but I make the rules) Published Yesterday Questions facing the Lightning

Does Bolt play with the team before games or hang out in the room OTTAWA — The Lightning miss Amalie Arena. They opened the season during intermission? at home, then immediately started six games away from Tampa. But there’s also an upside to an early road trip. The team ambassador, a yellow lab, will make some appearances in the dressing room at morning skates, but only sporadically. He won’t be with There’s nothing like traveling to bring a team together. Players spend a the team at all around game time. During the games, he will be with his lot time together on the plane, going to dinner and just chilling after person, Missy Davis, who works the 50/50 table, and visiting with fans. practice. (This question comes from @saveforblood on Twitter. If you have a question, @ me!) “I like going on the road early in the season, “ Braydon Coburn said. “You get some chemistry and personal relationships forming a little bit more on How is Cedric Paquette coming along? the road.” Paquette missed the start of the season with an arm injury, dealt in the After Friday’s practice in Ottawa, most of the team boarded the bus back final game of the preseason. He has returned to practice but in a red no- to the hotel, but a large group of about seven players headed off together contact jersey. Cooper doesn’t expect Paquette to play on this road trip with other plans. (which extends to Thursday) but probably in the following homestand.

There aren’t many full-team dinners, a few are sprinkled throughout the Is the Stamkos-Point-Kucherov line here to stay? year, but a causal non-game night can turn into something like 16 players dining together. Though, Coburn said, it can be a mess for restaurants I’ll start by saying that lines change when the team needs to be shaken sometimes. up, so rarely is anything permanent.

As far as road trips go, this one isn’t bad schedule-wise (though it does BUT (yes, that deserves allcaps), what we saw Thursday demonstrated feature some challenging opponents). The Lightning have four games just what we all thought (and wanted) this line to be. Kucherov said it was spread out over 10 days. Once they got to Toronto, no one city is more fun to play on and it was definitely fun to watch. than 300 miles from the next, so the travel is easy. Plus, they get an off The question is how opponents respond. The Maple Leafs tried to match day in Montreal, one of the league’s most fun cities. John Tavares’ line against the Point line. Putting all your stars together Last year, the first trip featured five games, spanning from Chicago to gives teams the opportunity to focus on the matchup against that line. Arizona with two back-to-backs. With this much talent, that may or may not work for teams. It worked for some teams against Colorado’s super line last year. “There’s a benefit (to an early trip) in the sense of the team getting together, doing dinners and team bonding,” Alex Killorn said. “It’d be nice If the other three lines score, which they’re certainly capable of, it will to be at home, though.” help remind teams there are other threats in this lineup as well.

Coach Jon Cooper pointed out that the other benefit to starting with a road-heavy schedule is those home games come back somewhere. The Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.13.2019 Lightning only have four road games in December.

Quick hits with Alex Killorn

Go-to coffee shop order: Killorn is a regular at DI Coffee Bar on Davis Islands. He orders a small iced latte with almond milk. It has to be a small so as not to have too much milk.

First car: Killorn didn’t have his own car until he signed his first contract. He went to boarding school, then Harvard, where he didn’t need a car, so he just used one of his parent’s cars when he was home. After signing his contract, he bought a 2009 BMW X5.

Random thoughts

• If you thought Carolina was something of a one-off with a great 2018-19 season, then would fall off, the Hurricanes are proving they’re the real deal. They got off to a perfect 5-0 start, including a shootout win over Montreal and two overtime wins against the Lightning and Capitals. Carolina certainly showed the Lightning it won’t fade away.

• Hey, you’re on the same team. Yanni Gourde took out Mathieu Joseph in Thursday’s win over the Maple Leafs in what Cooper joked was the hardest hit of the game. Both players were going for the puck and not looking out for each other. Joseph, who has a scrape on his nose, retweeted a clip of the collision: “I swear we like each other.” They laughed over the “hit” in the dressing room the next day, as they traded blame.

• Patrick Marleau’s Iron Man streak needs an asterisk. When last season ended, Marleau had played 788 straight games. But he was traded to Carolina, then bought out this summer and wasn’t on a roster when this season opened. Technically, his streak continues now that he signed with the Sharks and played Thursday. Technically. It’s hard not to discount those games when he wasn’t on the roster. If someone retired and came back a year later, would his streak be active? I’m skeptical. 1156904 Tampa Bay Lightning

Vladislav Namestnikov lands Ottawa Senators’ final blows against Lightning

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Earlier today

Updated 6 hours ago

OTTAWA — Eight years ago, the Lightning hoped Vladislav Namestnikov would be a potent offensive threat, drafting him in the first round. On Saturday, he scored the winner against them.

The Lightning traded Namestnikov to the Rangers in February 2018 as part of the swap for Ryan McDonagh. On Tuesday, the Rangers sent him to the Senators. He made a quick impact.

Namestnikov had two goals and an assist in the Senators’ 4-2 win over the Lightning.

“He did a lot of good things for us when he played for us,” the Lightning’s Alex Killorn said. “He was a difference-maker in (Saturday’s) game.”

Namestnikov scored on a back-door tap-in on a two-on-one to give Ottawa the final lead late in the third period, then added an empty-netter. Namestnikov also set up the Senators’ second goal with a nice feed to Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

Namestnikov downplayed the effect of playing against his former team, saying it felt good to play well against the Lightning but it wasn’t something he thought much about going into the game.

Previously, Namestnikov had two assists in five games against the Lightning.

He has maintained friendships with former Lightning teammates that go beyond just catching up at the rink after a game. Mikhail Sergachev had referred to New York as one of his favorite cities in part because of the change to go out to dinner with Namestnikov.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156905 Toronto Maple Leafs pending Hyman’s return, when surely Kapanen will get shunted down to the third line, which has found its footing.

Unlike Johnsson, the Finn had not been a good fit in his new Johnsson flourishes and Kapanen fumbles in the Leafs’ tale of two environment. That’s weird because logic would dictate the speedy wingers Kapanen should well complement Tavares and Marner. Perhaps Saturday was afforded a twinkling of the line’s possibilities, if only because Kapanen appeared jolted into substantive presence, seized by a doggedness and energy that had previously been lacking. By Rosie DiManno Star Columnist The entire unit has been collectively underwhelming, in truth, and it can’t Sat., Oct. 12, 2019 be just because Marner is a hop-skip-and-a jump behind on his rhythm and game conditioning as a result of the contract-twiddling training camp holdout. Tavares, who didn’t find the back of the net until that Tampa One had slid into simpatico. One had skidded into dissonance. embarrassment, hasn’t been himself. Yet most of the blame has landed on Kapanen’s shoulders. Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen: The yin and yang of a very early Maple Leafs season. He denies that the every-which-way disconnect had been eating away at him but he doesn’t dispute that it wasn’t clicking. The 20-goal scorer of A coach never really knows how the three-card monte of forward line last season has yet to turn the light red, though he anchored a cameo combinations will pan out, not even a purported genius like Mike reappearance of the hitherto discarded stretch pass on Ilya Mikheyev’s 2- Babcock, although the hockey IQ sheen has dulled considerably in his 1 goal against the Red Wings with 30 seconds left in the second period. Toronto iteration. And as the Leafs ventured into Detroit on Saturday, hauling a three-game losing caboose, it would be fair to say that Babcock Still, Kapanen is a team-worst minus-6, his most notable spasm the had hit upon chemistry out of a No. 1a (or No.1b) trio of Auston broken stick he reflexively threw at Montreal’s Jeff Petry. Just two slim Matthews, William Nylander and Johnsson. Not that yoking Matthews- assists through six games, not counting the puck that went off his skate Nylander is Mensa territory, but appending fire plug Johnsson to the unit to nicely set up Tampa’s Ondrej Palat on Thursday and his peripheral has borne surprisingly juicy fruit. puck-pinging involvement in Darren Helm’s goal Saturday.

In halting their early-season slump — which really amounted to one lousy “Lately, I haven’t been at my best,’’ Kapanen had admitted earlier. “But week — and resetting their mojo via a 5-2 win over the Red Wings it’s nothing to get frustrated about.” (exhale here), the Leafs were thoroughly paced by the bottom six bracket of forwards. And a good thing too since the stars were essentially MIA. Head-scratching, though, why Kapanen has been such a mismatch with Marner and Tavares. Not to fret too much on that count. This spectral episode notwithstanding, Matthews has been kicking out the goal jams as expected and Nylander “Sometimes chemistry is a difficult thing to explain,” Tavares said. displaying the marvellous creative instincts that made him such an “Sometimes opposites attract, sometimes similar plays gel well. attractive fetch for the Leafs — albeit initiating the salary cap bondage Sometimes things come quickly and sometimes it takes time. which now plagues the club. Of the three, however, only Johnsson “Kappy’s his own player. There’s no question all of us have to get to the brought the drive in Motown. net. That’s where the goals are scored. There are opportunities to Johnsson has stepped seamlessly into the role of retriever and net-front recover pucks off shots, off broken plays. It’s up to me to build our games pit bull. The Swede holds his ground, distracts defenders and blocks the together, mesh. Kappy … with that type of speed, it puts so much goalie’s vision, his value more multi-dimensional than a lone goal and pressure on the defence. It opens up ice for me making plays. So, yeah, I lone assist would suggest. Nor is Johnsson shortchanged in the speed can do a much better job. We’re all good players so just trust that fact.” department, so he can keep up with the line swooping into the offensive Trust. Kapanen had earned that from his coach over the course a zone. sometimes bumpy coming-of-Leaf-age. It would seem he hasn’t lost it “Get pucks back and get to the net, those are my two responsibilities,” yet. Johnsson was saying the other day, “It’s not totally different from last “I have to be in front of the net as much as possible. I’m a decent enough year. Well, the net part is. The rest is just knowing our system and big guy to do that. It’s not all about size. It’s being able to spin and move recognizing the situation. You have to read the game, the moment. their D-men. Being in front of the goalie. For guys like Mitch and Johnny, There’s a lot battling for the puck in this role. And doing it without getting who are shooting the puck, make it as hard as possible for the goalie. a penalty. Staying out of the crease, so there’s no whistle.” Also use my speed to get open and be available for them.” Johnsson is hardly a bruiser in the up-elbows style of a bygone NHL but And maybe, for the love of God, a few bounces, a lick of luck. he is hard-nosed and brings an element of grit to a line defined by its finesse and offensive prowess. So he snorted when informed that the “When it rains it pours. It’ll be better soon.” Leafs, as per the Gospel of Don Cherry, are too soft to ever win anything of substance. “I don’t know what he said,” Johnsson shrugged. “I don’t Perchance starting right now. follow him.”

That’s funny. As if Cherry had been reduced to a Twitter crank. Maybe Toronto Star LOADED: 10.13.2019 that’s how a 24-year-old sees the world.

Toughness, in the Johnsson lexicon — and as measured by the Kyle Dubas calculus that emphasizes elite skill and fleet transitions — is about gaining and holding the offensive zone, which requires an alternate dimension of physicality. He points to Thursday’s execrable 7-3 thrashing by the Lightning, an outfit in many ways a mirror image of the Leafs but with crustier edges. “Did you see them hit anyone? No. We were a lot in their end. Our problem was we let them get more three-on-twos. Too many loose plays. Nothing to do with not being physical enough.”

When Zach Hyman is restored to the roster within a matter of weeks, probably before October gives way to November — immediately elevating the sandpaper quotient — the forward line permutations will likely have no impact on the Johnsson unit, although one can never predict Babcock’s inclinations.

Many observers have been surprised, however, that Babcock has stuck with Kapanen on his off wing with John Tavares and Mitch Marner, 1156906 Toronto Maple Leafs play (Tavares) and (Matthews) out in the offensive zone all the time, which is easier on them.”

Added Gauthier: “I think, with the game we had last game, we just tried to Lower lines lift the Maple Leafs past the Red Wings come out strong and have a good first period and it went well. I think chemistry worked well, getting a goal early is always nice and getting the legs under you. Then, obviously, the draws went well for me and (Shore) so we got to start with the puck which is better than chasing it all night.” By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Bouncing back: Andersen responded the way the Leafs needed him to Sat., Oct. 12, 2019 after that seven-goal barrage Thursday. He kicked out 25 of 27 shots and was stellar in an important job detail for all goalies: keeping your team in the game until it finds its game. The Toronto Maple Leafs will take a win just about any way they can get it these days, and right now, they’re getting wins delivered by their third Andersen did that with huge saves on a Mantha breakaway and another and fourth lines. in-alone chance by Bertuzzi in the second period.

Fourth-liner Nick Shore scored his first goal as a Leaf and added an Holding his own: Leafs defenceman Justin Holl played in his second assist on Jake Muzzin’s third-period goal as Toronto overcame another straight game after earning a season-high 15:28 of ice time in Thursday’s early deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 Saturday night at Little loss. Holl was arguably the Leafs’ most solid defenceman positionally Caesars Arena. against Tampa Bay. He was paired with Rasmus Sandin on Saturday and offered a strong contribution in 10:43 of ice time. He’s trying to earn This was a much-needed win; Toronto entered the night winless in its the inside track on a job in the third pairing, but things will get more previous three games and, even though it is early in the season, the talk complicated for Sandin, Holl and Martin Marincin when Travis Dermott in a hockey town like Toronto began heating up about head coach Mike returns from injury later this month. Babcock, the Leafs’ defence and goaltender Frederik Andersen. First-five follies: The Leafs have now allowed a goal in the first five The win also came on the heels of an embarrassing 7-3 loss to Tampa minutes in four of their first six games. Bay on home ice Thursday, which didn’t go over well. Enter the bottom six players Saturday night in Detroit.

Shore, after a nice forecheck and feed from Dmytro Timashov, tied the Toronto Star LOADED: 10.13.2019 game 1-1 midway through the opening period. Shore took the pass and paused slightly in front of the Detroit net. That forced Wings goalie Jimmy Howard to move, and Shore went to his backhand and had the upper half of the net to tie the score.

Ilya Mikheyev, who has quickly established himself on the third line and is opening eyes with his combination of size and speed, used all of that to put Toronto up 2-1 with 30 seconds left in the second period.

Howard was late to skate out to a puck drifting toward the Detroit net; Mikheyev beat him to it, went around him, and rifled an easy wrister into an empty net for his second of the season.

Third-line centre Alex Kerfoot made it 3-1 midway through the third by getting solid position to bang in a two-foot rebound. And Trevor Moore put the game away with a goal late in the third period, giving bottom-six forwards four of the five Toronto goals. Defenceman Jake Muzzin had the other.

Players on the Leafs’ bottom two lines have accounted for 11 of the team’s 23 goals in the first six games. Those players are picking up some of the early-season slack from the top line of John Tavares, Mitch Marner,and Kasperi Kapanen, which has managed just three goals collectively.

The top two lines accounted for only two points, but they matched their lower linemates in work ethic. Auston Matthews and John Tavares joined Kerfoot and Frédérik Gauthier in going over 50 per cent in faceoffs, an important detail against a big-bodied Detroit team that can be dangerous when it has possession in the offensive zone.

“Well, they were good,” Babcock said of his bottom lines. “I started (Gauthier) and Shore – whatever line you want to call it – in the D-zone every time and they seemed to win the draw and play in the offensive zone, so that was a good line for us.

“ I think (Kerfoot’s) line with (Moore) and Mikheyev is getting better each and every game and they’ve been good in lots of games for us, so that was positive.”

Gauthier had arguably his best game of the season. He continues to drive the net and seems to have figured out how to use his size. Gauthier has been criticized for playing too soft for a big-bodied player but he’s skating and muscling up against defencemen while in stride.

Gauthier, Shore and Timashov were on the ice for more defensive zone faceoffs than any other Leafs line Saturday. And Gauthier responded with a vital 7-0 performance in the faceoff circle.

“If the guys can do it, obviously it’s a huge deal for you,” Babcock said. “It makes you a way better hockey club and way deeper and then you can 1156907 Toronto Maple Leafs he was a natural. The book tells the story of how he famously caught the eye of a scout for the WHL’s Regina Pats not on the ice but in a street fight.

The night Stu Grimson became the Grim Reaper, thanks to three left If hardbitten hockey men saw Grimson as a prototypical tough guy, he hands from his opponent saw himself as an all-round player who scored 24 goals in his final season in junior. So while the game eventually shaped him into a one- dimensional specialist in causing human harm, the transformation didn’t come without angst. By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist “You’re not turning my son into a goon,” Grimson recalls his father telling Sat., Oct. 12, 2019 the coach of the Pats after Grimson struggled as a WHL rookie.

And Grimson quit training camp with the Calgary Flames in 1985 as he In this particular life-changing moment, one side of Stu Grimson’s face dealt with his conflicting feelings around the role. But after a detour to a was rendered cratered and bloodied. job on a dairy farm and two seasons with the University of Manitoba — where he got a year’s probation after a fight that spilled off the ice led the The force of his opponent’s punches, three left-handed jackhammers, RCMP to lay assault charges — the Flames happily took him back, and a fractured his skull in two places, both above his right eye and below the goon he would become. cheek bone. The reconstruction of the disaster zone required 21/2 hours of emergency surgery and the insertion of a 15-centimetre stainless steel The career came with consequence. Though he broke his nose just rod — a piece of which poked out of Grimson’s skin in a look reminiscent once, he acknowledges he suffered a dozen or more concussions. Not of Frankenstein. that he disclosed the bulk of them to his team. Grimson writes that there existed a “code of silence tough guys imposed on themselves” when it And yet as Grimson convalesced in the wake of the worst beating of his came to injuries. If he has a regret it’s that he didn’t self-report his professional life, his face rearranged by Dave Brown, the feared frequent head injuries, a course of action that might have given his Edmonton Oilers pugilist, he had an epiphany. He was only three regular- repeatedly traumatized brain time to heal before it was subjected to the season games into his fledgling career as an NHL enforcer. And even if usual punishment. He figures he participated in some 393 fights in junior, Grimson looked every bit the part — six-foot-six and 240-some pounds the minor leagues and the NHL before he was actually diagnosed with a — until that moment he’d been unsure the job was for him. As Grimson concussion. explains in his excellent new memoir, “The Grim Reaper: The Life and Career of a Reluctant Warrior,” he had arrived in the world’s best league “Make sense?” he writes. “Hardly.” terrified of the potential humiliation that would come with losing a fight in As it was, Grimson played his last NHL game in 2001, around the time an front of a big-league crowd. Though he’d carved out a reputation as a MRI showed atrophy on one side of his brain, a diagnosis he only menacing presence in junior and in the minors, the mere idea of failing in received after a lopsided loss in a fight with Georges Laraque left him the NHL nearly kept him out of it. unusually foggy. And though he says he’s obviously concerned about “I was a tough guy. Winning fights was who I was,” Grimson writes. what his future may hold, he has chosen not to participate in the “Getting my ass kicked in front of thousands of people was too much to concussion-centred legal action taken by dozens of former players ask of me.” against the NHL. He’s of the mind that he was aware of the grim risks when he chose to pursue hockey’s great rewards. But in the days after his pummeling at the bloodied hands of Brown, Grimson felt differently. If this defeat was as bad as life in the league “I just don’t know that the league had all this important, critical, specific could get, perhaps life in the league was for him. information, withheld it from us, and withheld it to the point where I was injured in some way,” Grimson said. “I accept some of the responsibility “I know it seems counterintuitive to a lot of people, but (losing that fight to myself. I realized that by choosing a life in pro hockey, I put myself in Brown) was a very liberating experience,” Grimson said in an interview harm’s way. We were prepared to live with the risks because as athletes, this week. “Because I got to a place where I was able to say to myself, ‘If as individuals, we put far more value in the upside, which was to pursue I can sustain a loss like this, but I’m able to yank myself up by my boot a career as a pro hockey player and to live this lifestyle, which was a straps and get back into the fray, what now do I have to fear?’ I really had great one, an exciting one and a very comfortable one.” nothing else to fear.” It’s a lifestyle, it’s worth pointing out, that’s also led to the too-young So goes the NHL origin story of one of the game’s best-known denizens demise of a string of Grimson’s tough-guy counterparts. Grimson argues of the heavyweight enforcer era. After Grimson recovered from his in his book that it’s a mistake to lump together the deaths of Bob Probert, injuries, he would go on to a 14-year career in the league despite a Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak. They all did the same statistical resumé that included just 17 goals, the fewest by any NHL job, yes, but were different men who met their respective ends in varied forward who has played 700 or more games, according to hockey- circumstances. reference.com. Still, once an enforcer, always an enforcer. Decades removed from the Grimson existed, of course, in the now-extinct reality that saw a select hospital bed where Grimson decided to make fighting his life, and more handful of NHLers get paid to fight, ostensibly to provide protection for that 18 years since his final NHL bout, the man they call the Grim Reaper stars like Paul Kariya, an ex-teammate of Grimson who provides an says he still must occasionally resist the urge to drop the metaphorical appreciative foreword to “The Grim Reaper.” Grimson was compensated gloves on a helpless civilian. handsomely for his work. Do the math, as he does in his book, and you realize he made a princely $26,000 (U.S.) for each of his 211 NHL “I find even today I have to keep myself in check all the time. Whether it’s fighting majors. By Grimson’s estimate, he won or drew about 80% of somebody cutting you off in traffic, whether it’s somebody jumping in them. front of you in line … it can trigger that response in me,” Grimson said. “You play the protector, this avenger-type role, and it’s deeply ingrained Seen through the lens of today’s enforcer-free game, it’s difficult to in you. So I am constantly, even as a 54-year-old man today, I find I’m fathom the extremes of Grimson’s hockey life. Now aged 54 and working constantly having to curb or keep that instinct in check.” as a corporate lawyer and an NHL Network analyst, he says he wrote the book, in part, to satisfy the hankering of fans who miss the kind of All these years later, Grimson has nothing left to fear — except, maybe violence he helped perpetuate. the ever-present danger of the societal equivalent of serving five minutes in the box for road rage. “I love where the game’s at today. These young athletes, they’re incredibly gifted,” Grimson said. “But there is a romanticism, a certain sense of nostalgia and a reverence for that (enforcer) era.” Toronto Star LOADED: 10.13.2019 Grimson, in his first foray into book writing, does a fine job sketching out his remarkable life’s arc. The adopted son of a Mountie who lived in eight different cities before he was 14 years old, Grimson grew up as an attention-seeking wild child known for daredevil tricks in speeding automobiles and occasional bouts of public nakedness. And as a fighter, 1156908 Toronto Maple Leafs the Calgary Flames … Between them, Gauthier and Shore won 11 of 13 draws in the defensive zone. All told, the fourth line provides Babcock with a dependable option that didn’t exist last season.

No stars, no problem as Leafs beat Wings to end losing streak MARNER SHRUGS

The highest-paid player in the NHL this season isn’t lying awake at night, worried about his line’s play. Terry Koshan Of Mitch Marner’s six points through the Leafs’ first six games, just two October 12, 2019 11:45 PM EDT have come at even-strength.

“It’s going to come, so I ain’t worried about it,” Marner said after the Leafs’ optional morning skate. “I just think we have not clicked as well as DETROIT — The foot soldiers cleared the trenches for the Maple Leafs we want to yet. in a battle of attrition on Saturday night. “We have to make sure we get back to basics, make sure we are staying The Leafs’ bottom-six forwards shone against the Detroit Red Wings at above people, doing things right, not making mistakes and on the Little Caesars Arena, providing the offence in a 5-2 win as Toronto ended offensive side of it, we’re getting our shots, trying to get the puck back, a three-game losing streak. trying to get to the net.” Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev and Nick Shore scored for the Leafs in a Marner, pulling in a salary of $16 million US (with a cap hit of $10.893 game that featured next to nothing in the way of open ice. Frederik million), John Tavares and Kasperi Kapanen have yet to find their stride. Gauthier was impactful throughout the evening and Trevor Moore added Marner and Tavares miss the impact of Zach Hyman, to be sure, but it’s an empty-net goal. not as though they are being stuck with an inferior player in Kapanen. And to give the win an exclamation point, it was Jake Muzzin, not Morgan Marner and Tavares have to be better, period. Rielly or Tyson Barrie, sneaking in from the point with less than seven minutes to play to deposit a pass from Dmytro Timashov past Wings PEERING AT PRESSURE goalie Jimmy Howard. When Andreas Johnsson scored his first goal of the season against As encouraging as it is for coach Mike Babcock when the Leafs stars are Tampa Bay, he didn’t feel a weight fall off his shoulders. dimmed and Toronto still emerges with a victory, just as pleasing to the staff was the players’ work ethic, which was absent in a lopsided loss to Johnsson is coming off a 20-goal campaign in 2018-19, followed by the Tampa Bay on Thursday. signing of a four-year, $13.6-million US contract at the end of June.

“We talked a lot about that: How hard can we work?” Babcock said. The biggest difference for Johnsson between now and a year ago is the “That’s got to be our calling card. If we go to work, our talent will show expectations. He was a healthy scratch for five of the Leafs’ first 11 and you’ve got to outwork the other team. That’s the bottom line. games in October before getting his feet under him.

“I liked our consistency and our patience in our game.” “Honestly, I have not felt that much difference,” Johnsson said. “I feel like it’s pressure anyway. The goal by Kerfoot, coming off a Mikheyev rebound, gave the Leafs a 3- 1 lead at 9:11 of the third. “It was pressure last year because I didn’t have a spot and I tried to fight for it. At this time, I was sitting in the stands. There is pressure all the Considering the tight nature of the match, for a brief time, we figured it time, wherever you play and whatever contract you have. You have to would serve as insurance. Instead, it was larger, as Darren Helm was left produce to play.” alone 24 seconds later and popped a quick shot past Frederik Andersen. THREE CHEERS FOR … Mikheyev gave the Leafs a 2-1 lead late in the second period with his second goal in the National Hockey League. The Leafs, naturally, want each other to have success individually, but there is a little more cheerleading directed toward defenceman Justin Howard underestimated the speed of Mikheyev as a loose puck made its Holl. way toward the Detroit net. Howard raced out of his crease to play it, but Mikheyev, steaming through the neutral zone, beat him to the puck, No surprise, really, as Holl was the good soldier last season, keeping his moving to his forehand past the sliding netminder to deposit it into an mouth shut as he played in just 11 games, including just two before the open net at 19:30. end of February.

Overall, the Leafs were a heck of a lot more engaged than they were The 27-year-old Holl played in his fourth game on Saturday night, skating against Tampa. alongside Sandin.

“I think it’s kudos to everyone involved — the players and everyone “I’m happy for him,” Johnsson said. “I have been playing with him since I finding the guys,” Muzzin said of the role players. “We have lots of depth got in this organization, know him well. I think it was a tough battle for here. We have smart hockey players and guys who are working hard and him last year to sit out basically the whole season (as a healthy scratch are hungry. It’s a great combination to have.” most nights), but he still had good energy and a smile on his face. I’m happy he can get this opportunity and hopefully it continues.” Andersen, with 25 saves, got some mojo back after being pulled against Tampa. Holl didn’t lose faith in himself in the off-season, even as the Leafs added depth to the defence corps. GAME ON “Whether you play or don’t play, and you are in the NHL all year, and you Mikheyev on whether he is happy (we say he should be) with the solid weight-train, you are around the guys and you learn a lot,” Babcock said. start to his NHL career: “I don’t think about this. I just work. I’m excited “He has been off to a pretty good start for us. It’s simple for us. We just and I’m very happy every day when I come to the practice rink or watch and then, if you play good, you get to play more. Good for him. Scotiabank for the game.” … We were going to make a lame joke on This is what he wanted. He is getting an opportunity right now and he has social media about the Leafs giving up an early first goal, but we didn’t to seize it.” have to. Jacob de la Rose beat us to it, scoring on a backhand at 3:44 of the first. Rasmus Sandin was not much physical help on the play as the POINT SHOTS Leafs fell behind 1-0 for the fifth time in six games … Babcock went back Count Sandin among those who find the use of personal iPads supplied to Timashov and Shore on the fourth line in place of Nic Petan and Jason by the team as a large positive. “Especially for me (starting his NHL Spezza, respectively. Timashov and Shore teamed up to score at 9:57 of career), I think it’s great to watch my own shifts and see what I did well the first to tie the game 1-1. The energetic Timashov, who had two and see what I can improve,” Sandin said … Overheard in the press box, assists, knocked Wings defenceman Dennis Cholowski off the puck and regarding Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, with his long hair and missing to the ice, centring to Shore, who deked to his backhand to beat Howard. tooth: “He looks like he should be on Letterkenny.” … Joseph (Brick) For Shore, who spent last season with Magnitogorsk of the KHL, it was Woll kicked off his professional hockey career quite nicely on Saturday, his first goal in the NHL since April 3, 2018, when he was a member of posting a shutout as the Toronto Marlies won 4-0 in Winnipeg against the . Woll made 23 saves in his American Hockey League debut as the Marlies improved to 3-0-0, becoming the first rookie Marlies goalie to blank the opponent in his first game. Pontus Aberg, with two goals, Pierre Engvall and Egor Korshkov scored for the Marlies. Engvall and Nick Baptiste each had two assists. “We didn’t give up a great deal but he looked really confident back there, moved very well,” Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe said of Woll … When Leafs prospects Semyon Der-Arguchintsev and Nick Robertson packed up during camp and headed back to the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, each had the idea that 100 points were attainable. So far, so good, and perhaps both were exceeding what they expected from themselves. Going into the Petes’ game against the Flint Firebirds on Saturday night, Robertson (11 goals and six assists) and Der- Arguchintsev (two goals and 15 assists) were tied for second in OHL scoring with 17 points, putting them on pace for 145 points each. Robertson’s 11 goals were tops in the league, as were Der- Arguchintsev’s 15 assists … The Leafs were scheduled to have Sunday off, returning to practice on Monday to prepare for a visit by the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

THE GOAT, INDEED

Frederik Gauthier didn’t have a point, but so what. He had a career-high five shots on goal and was a stellar 7-0 in the faceoff circle.

SHORE-D UP

Nearly as effective as Gauthier at the dot was Nick Shore, who won seven of his nine draws. Shore also had his first two points in a Leafs uniform.

JOHNNY HOCKEY

Winger Andreas Johnsson didn’t get on the scoresheet, but produced nine scoring attempts, including a team-high six shots on goal.

ATTEMPTING FATE

While there wasn’t much space, the Leafs still tilted the ice, registering 67 attempts to the Wings’ 38 while playing 5-on-5. Toronto had 10 high- danger scoring chances, Detroit six.

TOP-SIX FIZZLE

Of the Leafs’ 41 shots on goal, a mere 16 were provided by the top six forwards. Of that group, Johnsson’s six were the high. Neither John Tavares nor William Nylander had a shot on goal.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156909 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs' Marner on personal slow start: 'It's going to come'

Terry Koshan

October 12, 2019 1:45 PM EDT

DETROIT — The highest-paid player in the National Hockey League this season isn’t lying awake at night, worried about his line’s play.

Of Mitch Marner’s six points through the Maple Leafs’ first five games, just two have come at even-strength.

“It’s going to come, so I ain’t worried about it,” Marner said after the Leafs’ optional morning skate at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday.

“I just think we have not clicked as well as we want to yet.

“We have to make sure we get back to basics, make sure we are staying above people, doing things right, not making mistakes and on the offensive side of it, we’re getting our shots, trying to get the puck back, trying to get to the net.”

Marner, pulling in a salary of US$16 million (with a cap hit of $10.893 million), John Tavares and Kasperi Kapanen have yet to find their stride. Marner and Tavares miss the impact of Zach Hyman, to be sure, but it’s not as though they are being stuck with an inferior player in Kapanen.

Marner has had some success in his career against the Detroit Red Wings, recording nine points (four goals and five assists) in 12 games, and could use that knowledge to his advantage when the Leafs and Wings meet on Saturday night.

Marner, of course, is not the lone Leaf under a bit more of a microscope. Toronto (2-2-1) was embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Thursday night in a 7-3 loss and has lost each of its past three games.

The Wings (3-1-0) have won three of their first four games, playing each night with a level of determination and outranks their talent level. Still, a top line of Dylan Larkin between Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi is the kind that can give the Leafs fits.

“Just play right and give yourself a chance,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said of the approach his players must have. “We have liked lots of things we have done, we didn’t like ourselves at all the other night. We feel we can play at a way higher level, so we have an opportunity today. Let’s play well.”

Frederik Andersen will get the start in the Leafs net, attempting to rebound from a shaky start against Tampa, when he allowed seven goals on 28 shots before being pulled for Michael Hutchinson.

“He has not been known for (great play at) the start of the year,” Babcock said. “We have to do a better job ourselves. The way I look at it, we’re all in this together. We have to pick each other up and we have to be sound defensively and over a period of time, he usually gets himself dialled in and ready to go and feeling better. I don’t know why the pattern is like it is.”

Andersen has a .911 save percentage in 51 career games in the month of October, his lowest in any month other than March, in which he has a .906 save percentage in 54 career games.

“I’ve felt great,” Andersen said. “Sometimes you don’t have it and sometimes the other team comes in and plays a little bit better and embarrasses you like that (as Tampa did), but then you have to move on.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156910 Toronto Maple Leafs It’s a testament to patient, productive development that he looks ready now — faster, certainly, with more pace and skill to his game. Gauthier went 7-for-7 on the draw against the Wings. He fired a career-high five shots. The Leafs won over 70 percent of the shot attempts when he was Ilya Mikheyev, Dmytro Timashov and the importance of the Maple Leafs’ on the ice. They outscored the Wings 2-0. newfound depth It was probably the best game the former first-rounder has played as a Leaf.

By Jonas Siegel “You see him out there, he’s flying,” said Moore, who won a with Gauthier with the Toronto Marlies. “He’s creating offence like I’ve Oct 12, 2019 never seen before from Goat, which is awesome.”

“I feel more confident,” Gauthier said. “Things are going well. Now, I DETROIT — Mike Babcock knew it was coming. guess we’re just gonna see where it goes.”

It was after a TV timeout in the first period. Defeated in three straight The guy who joked about potting 50 goals on Instagram recently knows games, the Leafs were already down 1-0 at that point. Babcock knew the he’s building trust with the Leafs coach. That means more ice time and Dylan Larkin-led Detroit top line was coming out for a faceoff in the Maple an extra security blanket at centre ice for the Leafs. Leafs’ end. As Babcock said, it’s a “huge deal” for the Leafs. The Leafs coach put his fourth line of Dmytro Timashov, Frederik Being able to trust the fourth line to trade blows with top competition in Gauthier and Nick Shore on the ice anyway. the defensive zone even occasionally means Matthews and Tavares “You don’t know what’s gonna happen,” Babcock said of that moment. don’t have to waste as much of their time down there. They can get to “But if the guys can do it, obviously it’s a huge deal for you. It makes you playing offence right away. And true enough, Matthews lined up for only a way better hockey club, and way deeper.” two five-on-five faceoffs in the defensive zone in Detroit, while Tavares was out there for only one. The Leafs owned the possession battle when Gauthier beat Larkin on the draw. the two lines were on the ice.

With seven minutes left in the third period and the Leafs up 3-2, Babcock Helping Gauthier after a couple of games off was Timashov, another did it again, put his fourth line out there for a key defensive-zone draw. former Marlie and product of the Leafs’ development wheel. He got a Shore won that one, too. The Leafs iced the puck. It didn’t matter. deserved shoutout from Babcock after setting up two goals in only 10 Gauthier snatched the ensuing faceoff, and about 30 seconds later, minutes against the Wings. Timashov out-waited the Red Wings defence and, with the Leafs coach hollering for him to shoot it from the bench, set up Jake Muzzin for the “I thought Timo had a heck of a game,” Babcock said. “He was fast, was dagger that put an end to the Leafs’ slide. strong, was physical. The goals and that stuff were bonus, but I thought he played real well.” The Leafs ended up with five goals in Motown, and not one came from Auston Matthews, John Tavares or any of the team’s top 12 goal scorers “I think tonight I started to relax a little bit,” Timashov said. “I wasn’t as from last season. Shore had one. Ilya Mikheyev scored another. So did stressed. I got a little more comfortable in the room. In the beginning, I fellow third-liners Trevor Moore and Alex Kerfoot. was feeling a little bit nervous, even on the practice days.”

It was a night in which depth shined for the Leafs, and it was a reminder He’s maybe not all the way relaxed just yet. He hadn’t realized he was of why newfound improvement there could be of great importance to the going head-to-head against Larkin and Anthony Mantha for much of the organization this season. night. He was trying to keep his focus on the things he had to do, like win battles in the defensive zone. The Leafs didn’t get that kind of bump from lower in the lineup often enough last season. That was especially true in the playoffs when a third He hunted down a puck at the other end that sparked Shore’s goal and line that included Patrick Marleau and Connor Brown was mostly quiet. then paused to find Muzzin later on. Tyler Ennis popped a bit in limited duty during the regular season. “In the beginning, I was thinking, ‘As soon as I will get it, I will shoot it,’” Nazem Kadri chipped in here and there. But it was largely a show of star Timashov said of the leadup to his second assist, “but then I saw Muzz power most nights — and rightly so, as that’s what stars do. going down so I passed to him.” But some nights, and for some stretches (including in the postseason), When he got to the bench, Babcock said, “I was yelling for you to shoot!” the stars go quiet, as they largely did in Detroit. And that’s when depth can really get a moment in the sun. The third and fourth lines have The Leafs coach wants him to shoot it more often. arguably been the most consistent for the Leafs early this season, a story told by the team’s current five-on-five goal leaders. They include Mikheyev looks like the most intriguing of the depth bunch, a real Matthews (3), Mikheyev (2), Kerfoot (2), Gauthier (2) and Moore (2). potential find for the Leafs. His smarts shine. So does his speed, including on the burst that won him a puck from Jimmy Howard, which he Oddly, the line that was most effective for the Leafs last season — two- confidently slid around the Red Wings netminder and into the back of the thirds of it, anyway, with Tavares and Mitch Marner still out there — has net. proved the least effective so far. Afterward, Mikheyev said Howard probably thought it was 50-50. But it This new show of strength from the lower ends of the lineup changes was he who won the race. things. Asked how happy he was with his start as an NHLer — five points in six For one, the Leafs are growing a fourth line that Babcock is learning and games —Mikheyev, still in the early days of speaking English publicly, willing to trust. He didn’t have that last year and said so after the 5-2 win said, “I don’t think about this, I just work, because this is my first NHL against his old team. Above all, he didn’t have the trust in Gauthier that season. Other country, other mentality and a new system for me. he’s showing now. “I’m excited, and every time — ” Mikheyev said, stopping for a second to The 24-year-old not only won a roster spot at training camp but has also gather his thoughts. “Sorry, I forget these words,” he said. Adding: “I’m secured the only stable job on the fourth line. While Shore and Timashov very happy every day when I come in the practice rink or Scotiabank trade places here and there with Jason Spezza and Nic Petan, Gauthier (Arena) for games. I’m just very happy.” goes nowhere. He’s become a stable presence in the middle or on the wing, the kind of boring, dependable option the Leafs coach wanted in Mikheyev, looking like a real player, is a real win for the Leafs. Not only 2017 when the club traded for Brian Boyle, and again, a year later, when do they find a speedy, capable upgrade at third-line left wing, a job that Tomas Plekanec was acquired from Montreal. mostly went to an aging Marleau last season, but they also get him for entry-level money ($925,000) this season. The 25-year-old is an RFA Gauthier made strides last season, but only to the point of seven minutes next summer, the only top-nine forward as yet unsigned for next season. or so in the playoffs. In other words, the Leafs (adding Zach Hyman to the mix) have nine of their top 10 forwards locked up for at least another year. They only need to fill in around the edges.

The organization can afford to pay its big guys up-front premium coin if it can keep finding more Mikheyevs and Moores. The Leafs have gotten deeper to the point now that Moore, signed this year and next for $775,000, will likely have to drop to the fourth line when Hyman returns next month from a torn ACL.

The Leafs will probably have to waive one of Shore or Spezza (and/or others) when Hyman and Travis Dermott are back. Both vets have shown their usefulness in short order, with Shore winning 6 of 8 defensive-zone draws on Saturday and 7 of 9 overall.

The 27-year-old, returning to the NHL after a year in the KHL, acknowledged it was difficult to bounce in and out of the lineup, to carry around that kind of insecurity, “but at the same time, this team’s got a lot of depth, and that’s a good thing.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156911 Toronto Maple Leafs Frederik Andersen (G, No. 31) — He didn’t have much of a chance on the first goal (Rasmus Sandin needs to clear that rebound), but Andersen looked extremely sharp the rest of the game. Who knew he wouldn’t keep posting an .876 save percentage after five games? Leafs Report Cards: Bottom six dominates, top six struggles in victory over Detroit ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alexander Kerfoot (C, No. 15) — He’s been getting a bit outshined by his linemates lately, but if you’re watching closely, you’ll find plenty to like By Ian Tulloch about Kerfoot’s game. For a winger who’s playing his first season at Oct 12, 2019 centre full-time, he’s done an excellent job of keeping himself well- positioned in all three zones, taking his F3 responsibilities (the third forward back in the offensive zone) very seriously. Kerfoot also made a few crafty passes throughout the course of the game, as usual, and was In a confusing game in which Toronto’s best players performed poorly able to chip in on the scoresheet with a goal off a Mikheyev rebound. It and worst forwards played great, the Leafs found a way to defeat the was an all-around great game for Toronto’s bottom six. Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Now, that’s to be expected considering the talent disparity, so let’s break down the game in a bit more nuance from Jake Muzzin (LD, No. 8) — This felt like a playoff game for Muzzin with Toronto’s perspective. the way he was battling through contact (and a preseason game for some of Toronto’s more skilled players). Despite taking some heavy hits Key takeaways from Luke Glendening and Anthony Mantha, he found a way to stay in 1. “Starting on time” the action and play his usual steady defensive game. Muzzin also made an excellent read to jump up in the play when the situation called for it, One of these days, I’ll have to stop starting off the column this way: potting an insurance goal in the third period off a beautiful pass from Timashov. At some point, we have to concede this is a consistent pattern, and I’m honestly not sure who’s more to blame, the players or the coaching staff. Justin Holl (RD, No. 3) — I loved Holl’s first two periods (he didn’t get as much play time in the third). He’s been looking much more confident with 2. Toronto’s bottom six showed up the puck on his stick, joining the rush when the Leafs have numbers, The third line has been impressive for a while now, but it was great to making quick passes out of the zone, holding the line in the offensive end see Dmytro Timashov, Frederik Gauthier and Nick Shore have standout and, my favourite, skating the puck out at the end of those “nightmare” performances Saturday. This could make the battle for fourth-line roster shifts (rather than just flinging it off the glass and hoping for the best). spots interesting over the next few weeks. ⭐⭐⭐ 3. Its top six didn’t William Nylander (RW, No. 88) — I understand why Nylander’s such a You love it when your depth guys bring it, but when your high-end divisive player in Leafs Nation. His talent is undeniable; there was one forwards aren’t providing the same level of effort, it definitely leaves a play when he was on a one-on-three and still managed to gain the zone sour taste in your mouth. with speed. That elite puck-carrying ability is a big part of the reason his team has always been so much better when he’s on the ice; the Leafs Heat map spend more time in the offensive zone because of it.

Here’s a quick look at where each team’s shots were coming from, At the same time, I find myself yelling at the TV every time he shies away courtesy of Natural Stat Trick. from a puck battle, floats back on defence when he’s F3 or gets knocked The Leafs controlled the game at five-on-five, thanks largely to their down despite being one of Toronto’s strongest players on his skates. I bottom six, although the power play was a bit of an adventure. love Nylander. I think he’s a phenomenal hockey player, but I’d also like to see him play more like Mikheyev or Moore without the puck. Player reports Kasperi Kapanen (LW, No. 24) — It’s become a common trend to blame ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Kapanen for the top line’s struggles, and to some degree, it has been his fault (especially in the first few games of the season), but he was the only Game Ball : The fourth line — I couldn’t pick among these three player in Toronto’s top six who looked like he was legitimately trying in forwards, so they’re going to split this award. Timashov looked like he this game. He was flying into the offensive zone on the forecheck and belonged in the NHL on Saturday — “a guy,” as Justin Bourne would say. skating his butt off on the backcheck to prevent odd-man rushes, even Gauthier has become a surprisingly explosive skater who’s blowing by stopping a breakaway late in the third period. He was also making solid defencemen off the rush. Shore was threading cross-ice passes all night, decisions with the puck. I saw him make a drop pass to Mitch Marner on not to mention the beautiful goal he scored earlier in the game. a three-on-three, which is something we’ve been begging to see from him since last season. You never want your fourth line to be your “best” line in any particular game since it typically means your top lines didn’t perform well, but this is Was this Kapanen’s best game? Not necessarily, but the $11 million exactly the kind of performance coaches want to see from their depth forwards he’s playing alongside have been much more to blame for the players. line’s struggles recently.

Trevor Moore (RW, No. 42) — Remember when I said Moore has a Coaching staff — I find this grade tricky because, at the end of the day, limited offensive ceiling? I still believe that, but I’m starting to question whose fault is it for these consistent slow starts? I’m tempted to lean myself a bit after some of the plays I’ve seen him make off the rush. He toward coaching after this many years, but the players should also be found Ilya Mikheyev backdoor with a beautiful saucer pass, made a few held accountable for not showing up out of the gate on a consistent brilliant plays along the wall to get Alexander Kerfoot into open space basis. When it comes to in-game decisions, I liked how Toronto was and even pulled a spin-o-rama in the neutral zone to wheel himself into experimenting with Sandin, splitting his time with Tyson Barrie and Holl at open space. I know a lot of Leafs fans have Moore pegged for fourth-line five-on-five. The power play looked ugly on Saturday, but again, it’s duties after Zach Hyman returns from injury, but if he keeps playing like difficult to know how much to blame the players (namely Marner) this, he’s going to force Toronto’s coaching staff into some tough compared to the tactical game plan. decisions. ⭐⭐ Ilya Mikheyev (LW, No. 65) — Lock him up to a seven-year deal for $4.5 million already; it’s time for the borscht man to get paid. Andreas Johnsson (LW, No. 18) — There was a fun moment on the power play when Johnsson backed up into the crease butt first for a few In all seriousness, I love his relentlessness on every puck battle. The way nice scoring chances. (We know Babcock loves it when his players use he and Moore aggressively pursue loose pucks is what the Leafs need their keisters.) Other than that, though, this wasn’t the greatest game for more of from their star players. If Toronto’s big three played with that kind Johnsson. of energy, Toronto would become a terrifying team. Tyson Barrie (RD, No. 94) — I didn’t think he had a bad game per se, but I’d like to see more from him in the transition game. The Leafs acquired Barrie to be a dynamic puck-moving defenceman, but we didn’t get to It’s not perfect, but it can help give us a decent idea of how well players see many of those plays from him on Saturday. His pairing still had a performed in a particular game based on their numbers (although I’d solid night, but I would make the argument that had more to do with always recommend combining stats with video, since single-game Muzzin’s strong play. numbers can be wonky).

Cody Ceci (RD, No. 83) — I think we’re starting to get a decent read on As you can see, we’ve officially started the “Breakout Game” section in Ceci’s skill set in Toronto. He looks completely lost in transition defence the left column, which should be fun to keep track of this season. (much like his partner), which doesn’t make for a great partnership. I broke that down earlier in more detail, using some video and numbers to Looks like Gauthier finally realized he’s 6-5 and 235 pounds — watch explain why the Morgan Rielly-Ceci pairing doesn’t work. But Ceci does out! have some offensive talent. He has a knack for making smart passes in Final Grade: B- the offensive zone, skating himself into open space, even making Sandin-esque plays along the wall, where he’ll pretend to grab the puck, then let it slide behind him to F3 on the point. The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 Realistically, he’s not a top-four guy, and Rielly is probably the last player he should be playing with in Toronto, but I still think there’s an NHL defenceman in there (albeit one you should be sheltering on a third pair).

⭐

Rasmus Sandin (LD, No. 38) — This was a rough game defensively for Sandin. He was making smart plays up the ice with the puck, which we’ve grown accustomed to, but he was arguably to blame for both goals the Leafs allowed. He failed to box out Jacob de la Rose on Detroit’s first goal (100 percent on him), and he wasn’t able to take away the pass to the slot on the Red Wings’ second goal (50 percent on him, since there was some confusion from Ceci and Kapanen in defensive zone coverage).

Mitch Marner (RW, No. 16) — “What’s wrong with Mitch Marner?”

I have to be honest: I’m not sure. There are times when he looks like he’s going to make a magical play off the rush, but then the pass is off by a mile.

He’s taking bad shots off the rush, missing open teammates on the power play — even his penalty killing hasn’t been as great as we’re used to seeing. I’m not a psychologist, but with all the pressure that’s on him after his contract situation (and for good reason), it feels like his on-ice problems are coming between the ears.

Auston Matthews (C, No. 34) — I have a bone to pick here. Auston Matthews is a phenomenal talent (in my opinion, the second-most- talented offensive player in the NHL behind Connor McDavid), but we need to stop praising him for backchecking when he’s put himself out of position in the first place. There were a few moments in this game when he did end up catching his man in transition, but only after he let the Detroit forward get behind him. When you’re F3 on a play, you can’t let your man get behind you, period. It’s happened way too often throughout his career, and it’s still happening.

There was also a play earlier in the game when he jumped out of the way when Mike Green skated the puck toward him. Why is a 6-foot-3, 220- pound centre shying away from contact? These are the types of plays coaches get frustrated with, and it’s a big part of the reason his defensive numbers have been so poor throughout his career. If Matthews is going to reach his potential, he needs to start using his size to his advantage.

Morgan Rielly (LD, No. 44) — He turned around his game in the third period, but we need to talk about his first 40 minutes. Rielly was getting embarrassed in one-on-one situations, letting Mantha blow by him on multiple occasions despite having plenty of room to recover. It’s easy to blame the pairing’s defensive struggles on Ceci (and to be fair, he’s also been poor in transition defence), but Rielly needs to do a better job of handling his defensive responsibilities.

There was one point in the game when the opposing right winger was skating down the ice on a one-on-four, and Rielly still gave him the free pass into the offensive zone. That isn’t Norris-quality defending, and it’s a big part of the reason he isn’t Toronto’s best defenceman at even strength; I’d trust Muzzin more against top competition.

John Tavares (C, No. 91) — This is a tough grade because Tavares did have a baby recently. Any parents reading this know how hard the first few months are (sleep becomes a thing of the past), but at some point, you need to find a way to show up for work and do your job. Tavares hasn’t been performing up to his standards this season, which is a big part of the reason Toronto’s top line has been getting shelled at even strength this season.

Game score is a metric developed by The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn to quickly measure a player’s performance in a single game. 1156912 Toronto Maple Leafs defencemen, so that’s actually a decent sample (unlike shooting percentage, where we would need a much larger sample of games).

We’ll also take a look at some puck-moving numbers (since it paints a Breaking down what’s really behind Morgan Rielly’s defensive struggles nice picture in the chart below), starting with Rielly.

Break-Up %: Percentage of entry attempts broken up by the defender

By Ian Tulloch Possession Exit %: Percentage of exit attempts that resulted in a clean zone exit (with possession) Oct 12, 2019 Charts by Sean Tierney

I always like comparing defencemen to their teammates in these charts, Riding a three-game winless streak, Toronto Maple Leafs fans are since system effects can vary greatly from team to team. For example, frustrated (even more so than usual). Now, every team goes through ups Ron Hainsey (the unlabeled Leafs player in the top left of the chart) was and downs throughout the course of an 82-game season, so should we above league average in possession exit percentage when he played in really bother reacting to such a small sample? Carolina’s system, but was well below the team average in that department. As we saw from his time in Toronto, he didn’t end up moving Yes and no. the puck very well, but he’s always been one of the better players on the On the one hand, Frederik Andersen’s save percentage is bound to team at shutting things down in the neutral zone (Travis Dermott also regress upwards. He’s been a top five goaltender since joining the Leafs, excels in that area). so it’s likely he performs closer to his .918 career average save Getting back to Rielly, it’s clear that he was the Leafs’ worst defenceman percentage than the .876 he’s posted so far this season. We know he at breaking up plays in transition last season. This has been something isn’t as bad as he’s looked lately. he’s struggled with his whole career, and it helps explain why he’s always On the other hand, save percentage is often a product of a goaltender’s given up so much defensively. He makes up for it with his elite puck- environment (just ask Robin Lehner), and the Leafs have looked dreadful moving ability, but defending the rush has always been a weakness in his defensively in their last few games. They’ve consistently given up odd- game. man rushes and cross-ice passes, which isn’t doing their goaltending any With Ceci, it’s a similar story defensively (he really struggles breaking up favours. plays at the blue line), but he obviously isn’t the same kind of passer as The most noticeable culprits on Toronto’s blue line have been Morgan Rielly. Relative to his situation, though, he’s actually moved the puck Rielly and Cody Ceci. Rielly has Norris-quality talent and Ceci has pretty well last season. performed much better offensively than even his biggest supporters Ceci was very poor at breaking up plays in the neutral zone (only Dylan would have expected, but together they’ve been a disaster in transition DeMelo broke up fewer plays), but he was Ottawa’s second-best puck- defence. mover after Chabot. That’s not saying much when you look at the other This is a great example of why teams can’t give up space to talented defencemen on the Senators, but it’s enough to make me wonder if he players. Rielly backs off the blue line in transition, essentially gifting could have success making short passes underneath to Toronto’s Steven Stamkos a free zone entry on the three-on-three. It looks like talented forwards (which is what I think Dubas and company are betting Andreas Johnsson was hoping to “switch” (skating toward Stamkos so on). that Rielly could defend the net-drive and Ceci could pick up the man in I’m still not sure that I trust Ceci to ever become a play-driver (that ship the slot). Neither defender was able to make that read in real-time, which has probably sailed), but I have seen him make passes that make me resulted in a Grade-A scoring chance for Tampa Bay. think: “You’re pretty good at this.” This all stemmed from the free zone entry. That pass wasn’t an accident; he saw William Nylander backdoor and got In the modern game, top-six forwards are just too skilled; when they get it too him quickly with a touch-pass (we see these kinds of plays all the open space, they’re going to take advantage of it. Eric Tulsky’s time in soccer). groundbreaking study in 2013 indicated that teams generate twice as I’ve also seen him jump into the play offensively when the situation calls much offence off a clean zone entry (carry-in) compared to a dump-in, for it. which is consistent with subsequent research on the topic. That’s one Joonas Korpisalo probably should’ve had, but it doesn’t take The best offensive teams in the league want to gain the zone with speed away from the play. Ceci makes a great read to jump into the open space and make an east-west pass to get the goaltender moving (those are the in the offensive zone (something Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev were always highest percentage scoring opportunities). Logically, defences want to hesitant to do), skate toward the dot and fire a solid scoring chance on prevent that from happening, and it starts by not giving up the blue line. net, especially when factoring in the partial screen. Now, if defencemen don’t have support from their forwards on the Plays like these make me wonder if there’s something there with Ceci. I backcheck, it obviously isn’t a good idea to make an aggressive play in don’t think he’ll ever be a true top-four defenceman on a Cup contender, the neutral zone (that’s an easy way to give up an odd-man rush). But in but can he be a No. 5? I think that’s what this huge Ceci debate really a three-on-three situation where the forward (F3) is back, the comes down to at the end of the day. Most of us nerds think he’s a No. 6- defenceman needs to make a play on the puck-carrier. 7 defenceman (replacement level), whereas Leafs fans are hoping he This is something Rielly and Ceci have both struggled with historically. can be a serviceable No. 5 who plays in the top four until Dermott comes back from his shoulder injury. In this clip, Frederik Gauthier did a great job of cutting off Brayden Point’s options and angling him toward the boards, but he needed his And so far, he’s been just fine. Look at his share of the shots and defenceman to step up at the blue line to prevent the entry. Instead, Ceci expected goals when he’s on the ice. backed up into the defensive zone (giving Point the clean entry), and a Expected Goals are essentially weighted shot locations, for example: few seconds later, the puck is in the back of the net. 3% shot from the blue line = 0.03 Expected Goals It’s easy to pull up clips of defencemen making poor decisions in real- time (I could make Nicklas Lidstrom look bad if I only showed a couple 20% shot from the slot = 0.20 Expected Goals videos of him screwing up). That’s why I like to include some evidence beyond the video to back up what my eyes are seeing (after all, Kyle So far this year, Ceci actually has better shot metrics than Muzzin and Dubas likes to say that our eyes “are lying sons of bitches.”) Rielly at five-on-five. It’s obviously early in the season, but there can be some meaning in five-game samples. To objectively break down how Rielly and Ceci defended the blue line last year, let’s take a look at Corey Sznajder’s manually tracked data. It’s At the team level, I’m sure the Leafs would love to give up fewer chances worth noting that he tracked 29 Leafs games and 23 Senators games in defensively, which would help improve their expected goal share. When it 2018-19. These “microstats” normalize after about 20 games for comes to their ability to maintain puck possession and get pucks on net, though, the team has actually done pretty well in that regard. What’s glaring from that graphic isn’t Ceci’s numbers — it’s Rielly’s. That’s why I think the Leafs defence pairings should ultimately shake out like this: He’s had the worst results at even strength among Leafs defencemen, which matches the eye test based on his last few games. He’s really Muzzin-Barrie been struggling. So what’s going on? Rielly-Dermott Most of it comes down to the defensive concerns we’ve seen on tape. Sandin-Ceci NHL defencemen simply can’t allow a scoring chance on that play; Rielly needs to be better in those one-on-one situations. At the same time, Or … transition defence is an area he’s struggled with his entire career. He’s Muzzin-Barrie always been a player who’s explosive offensively (loves joining the rush to make it a three-on-two or four-on-three), but that comes at the Rielly-Sandin expense of giving up chances the other way. Dermott-Ceci That’s essentially been the Maple Leafs’ identity over the last few I’m sure most Leafs fans would love to see the team run those pairings in seasons, so it makes sense that the player they give the most minutes to the playoffs, which is why this isn’t time to panic. I have confidence the has some defensive issues in his game even if we rarely talk about them. team is going to sort out its defensive issues. But long term, Rielly-Ceci (Much like the fact we don’t bring up Auston Matthews’ poor defensive isn’t the solution. play throughout his career or Mitch Marner constantly blowing F3 coverages and allowing three-on-twos the other way).

At 22, Matthews has the talent to improve the defensive side of his game The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 if he commits to it. But at 25, I’m mostly convinced Rielly is what he is at this point (since most defencemen hit their peak between ages 20-24). He’s never going to be a defensive stalwart, but when he plays with a defensively strong partner, it helps cover up those weaknesses.

It would be ideal if the Leafs could find him a partner who provided that defensive element and was also able to make a first pass, but he’s never had that luxury.

When considering that Rielly has been facing top competition since 2015, it makes sense that his shot metrics haven’t been overwhelmingly positive at five-on-five. I’m of the opinion that can change, but it isn’t going to happen with Ceci as his defence partner.

That’s a pass Hainsey would have taken away last year. Now, should the Leafs have put Ceci in that position? No. Marner lost his man as F3, Rielly probably shouldn’t have pinched, but hey, these are the Leafs; they’re going to take chances offensively and there are going to be odd- man rushes (at both ends of the ice).

Rielly’s defence partner needs to be able to defend two-on-ones, much like they will if they’re going to be Tyson Barrie’s partner. This is something Hainsey excelled at, but Ceci has never been great at taking away that pass.

Again, a defenceman shouldn’t be put in that position, but the Leafs are going to be in those situations at times (much like Tampa Bay, they like the idea of trading odd-man rushes with their opponents — it’s a smart bet for a team with that kind of skill). We’ve seen other Leafs defencemen struggle at defending two-on-ones (most notably Zaitsev and Jake Gardiner), but it’s something Hainsey always had a knack for; he was great at timing his dives to take away the passing lane and he also had a great stick.

Ceci isn’t good at those things, and that’s OK (some defencemen aren’t), but when you combine it with his poor gap control in transition, he isn’t a great fit to play alongside Rielly. I’d love to see what Rasmus Sandin or Dermott could do with him in some sheltered second pairing usage (similar to how the San Jose Sharks use Brent Burns at five-on-five. With the way Rielly moves the puck, all he needs is someone who can take away space from opposing forwards off the rush.

We probably won’t get to see that until Dermott comes back from his injury.

Both of these players are excellent at closing their gaps in transition, as is Dermott.

Based on what we’ve seen, any of these defencemen would likely have success with Rielly based on what we know about their games. Given Ceci’s poor gap control, though, he probably isn’t an ideal fit, especially against a line like Kucherov-Stamkos-Point. They haven’t been getting much help from their goaltending (Andersen’s save percentage will improve), but the chances they’re giving up are very real.

The Rielly-Ceci pairing simply doesn’t have the gap control to handle dynamic forwards off the rush. Ideally, both players would be paired with a partner who could help cover up for their weaknesses.

Meanwhile, if Jake Muzzin can handle the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line alongside Zaitsev, you have to think he could handle anything. 1156913 Vegas Golden Knights Where could they see him fitting come April and (likely) playoff time? If it’s a position of importance, then perhaps Glass remains at right wing

when Tuch returns and Gallant tries a third line along with Eakin that, in a Golden Knights find spot for Cody Glass after Cody Eakin’s return short window of just under nine preseason minutes, was unproductive and disjointed.

It wasn’t a good look at all. By Ed Graney Maybe things get crowded and there comes a time when Glass is healthy October 12, 2019 - 9:56 PM scratched to the press box or even sent back to Chicago and the American Hockey League.

Maybe he’s here to stay. Here’s another reason Cody Glass has a chance at delivering a long and successful NHL career: He’s not all that worried about Cody Glass. One thing is for sure: The last guy worrying about Cody Glass will be Cody Glass. “I come in every day just happy that I’m still here,” the Golden Knights rookie said. “If I would get taken out of the lineup, the next opportunity that came, I’d do my best to take advantage of it,” Glass said. “Just try and learn from It’s another example of a birth certificate saying a guy is 20 years old and the older guys. They’ve been very good to me and talking to me about him acting with a heightened sense of maturity, Glass not nearly everything. Just not to let things get in your head about lineups changes. preoccupied with his immediate future as others. They’ve all been through it. Work, he says, usually produces skill and results. “There is stuff you just can’t read into and just have to show up to the rink So he does. each day and work.”

Glass learned Saturday that at least one key roster move wouldn’t He’s 20 — in years only. translate to him being removed from the lineup, as Cody Eakin made his And still in the lineup. season debut following injury. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.13.2019 Eakin centered the third line, and Paul Stastny was elevated to do the same on the second of a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames before an announced gathering 18,192 at T-Mobile Arena, meaning Glass as a center needed a new home.

He found it as a right winger on the third line, evidence that coach Gerard Gallant was as much action as words when saying Glass deserved to remain in the lineup once key veterans began returning.

Glass found the scoreboard at 17:12 of the third period, when his backhanded pass instead struck a Flames defender and bounced into the net for Glass’ second career goal.

The real test to lineup stability probably won’t come until Alex Tuch returns from long-term injured reserve, and that can’t occur until after the 10th game.

Until then, the first draft pick in franchise history tries not to think about much other than his next shift, from whichever spot it comes.

“In today’s NHL game, a lot of times centerman take the draws and then they’re all over the ice,” Gallant said. “That’s the way the game is played. I think it’s more in their heads than anything else. Would I like to see (Glass) playing center? Yes, I would. But is it a big issue with him going to the wing? It happens all the time with young players. He’s a solid kid mentally. No issues there at all.”

It was an obvious move with Eakin returning. Gallant had to get Stastny back with Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone, because if you can name five better second lines in hockey, well, we’re waiting …

Consider: When together last season, the three offered team-best efforts in expected goal share (60), scoring chance percentage (56.4) and shot attempt percentage (58.0), the first a ridiculously good number and the last two terrific.

The line produced two of the team’s goals Saturday, with Stone and Stastny scoring off assists from Pacioretty.

Glass was competent centering the second line at even strength in the first four games, better on the power play and not good at all when taking faceoffs, but Gallant obviously liked more of what he saw than not.

So he remained on ice and played alongside Eakin and Valentin Zykov while a struggling Brandon Pirri traded his sweater for a suit.

“I think (Glass) has played pretty well,” Stone said. “He’s learning ways to succeed in this league, which isn’t easy. At 20 years old, it’s a tough league to maintain for 82 games.”

Season-long plan?

Here’s the important part: Where do the Knights envision Glass over the season? 1156914 Vegas Golden Knights 3. Quiet Tkachuk Calgary left wing Matthew Tkachuk ranks a distant third behind San

Jose’s Evander Kane and Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty on the hate meter Golden Knights’ 4th line excels in 6-2 win over Calgary at T-Mobile Arena.

But after torching the Knights the past two seasons, he was held in check Saturday. By David Schoen Tkachuk finished with an assist and hit the crossbar on a power play in October 12, 2019 - 9:37 PM the third period but also saw 12:51 of ice time. By comparison, Milan Lucic played 15:45 for the Flames. Updated October 12, 2019 - 11:23 PM LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.13.2019

The members of the Golden Knights’ fourth line were on the ice nearly an hour before practice Friday working on breakouts and other assorted details.

The reward for their extra effort came Saturday.

William Carrier registered his first career two-point game, including the go-ahead goal in the second period, to help the Knights secure a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena.

Tomas Nosek and Ryan Reaves also scored, as the fourth line combined for three goals and an assist.

“I think our last game was not our best game, so we just tried to bounce back from that,” Carrier said. “It wasn’t nice goals. They were all work- ethic goals and go to the net and send pucks through.”

The Knights snapped a two-game losing streak and remained unbeaten all time at home against Calgary in five games.

Rasmus Andersson and Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Flames 33 seconds apart in the second period to go ahead 2-1 before the Knights responded.

Here’s what else stood out from the Knights’ win:

1. Instant chemistry

Paul Stastny returned to his customary spot on the second line between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone, and registered his first point of the season when he scored at 17:26 of the second period to put the Knights ahead 4-2.

Stastny took a pass from Pacioretty in the neutral zone, and his wrist shot trickled past Calgary goaltender David Rittich, who was slightly screened by defenseman Travis Hamonic.

“When you go in little slumps, you almost just need one to get yourself out of it,” Stone said. “He’s just such a consistent player, and he has been his whole career. Nothing but good things from him the rest of the season.”

The Pacioretty-Stastny-Stone line combined for five points (two goals, three assists), including a fantastic individual effort by Stone to tie the game. He took a drop pass from Pacioretty, and after his shot was stopped, tracked down the rebound.

Stone had a goal and an assist for his fourth multipoint game and leads the Knights with eight points (three goals, five assists).

Pacioretty finished with two assists.

“We played angry,” Stone said. “We don’t like losing two games in a row, and we hadn’t played the way we normally play.”

2. The Spiders from Mars

Center Cody Eakin slightly resembles the old Ziggy Stardust character with his “screwed down hairdo,” and the red mullet was a welcome sight for the Knights’ third line.

But overall the line struggled to possess the puck and finished with a 36.4 percent shot share at 5-on-5, according to the website NaturalStatTrick.

Cody Glass, who moved to right wing, set up Eakin for a one-timer in the first period. The rookie managed to bag his second career goal late in the third period when his pass on a 2-on-1 deflected off Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano.

“Our minutes were limited, so it was nice to get the feel back,” Eakin said. We chipped the puck in and got to work and just kind of kept it simple.” 1156915 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights get early look at Pacific Division opponents

By Ben Gotz

October 12, 2019 - 3:09 PM

Updated October 12, 2019 - 9:02 PM

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said before the season that he saw improvement across the Pacific Division.

His team has gotten a firsthand look at that.

The Knights began the season with a stretch of five division opponents in six games, which concludes Sunday at the Los Angeles Kings. They now have a better sense of what they’re up against as they try to win the division for the second time in three seasons.

“As long as we’re playing well in those games and winning those games, it’s good to see them, for sure,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s a good test.”

The Knights have finished first and third in the Pacific in their first two seasons in large part because of their ability to get points against division opponents. They were 20-6-3 against the Pacific in 2017-18 and 18-8-3 in 2018-19.

They’ve had a losing record against a division opponent once, against the Edmonton Oilers in 2017-18 (1-2-1).

That pace might be harder to maintain this season. The Oilers (5-0) and Anaheim Ducks (4-1), who finished with the seventh- and eighth-worst records in the NHL last season, are off to good starts.

The Arizona Coyotes (1-2-1) look better and defeated the Knights on Thursday.

Top prospect Cody Glass said the early games against division teams such as the Coyotes help the Knights see where they stack up. But right wing Mark Stone offered a word of caution, saying it’s too early to tell how much better the division is.

“I mean, we’re four games in,” Stone said before Saturday’s game against Calgary at T-Mobile Arena. “I don’t know. I haven’t watched a ton of the teams yet, but everybody obviously wants to have a great start. Some teams have, and some teams haven’t.”

Dansk up

The Knights called up goaltender Oscar Dansk to serve as Marc-Andre Fleury’s backup while Malcolm Subban is day to day with a lower-body injury.

Dansk, 25, made one start for the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves this season and allowed seven goals in 59 minutes. He had a 2.46 goals-against average and .913 save percentage last season with the Wolves and helped them reach the Calder Cup Final.

On the farm

Forward Lucas Elvenes, the Review-Journal’s No. 4 Knights prospect, is off to a hot start in his first season in North America with five points (two goals, three assists) in the Wolves’ first three games.

Defenseman Dylan Coghlan, who competed for a job in training camp, has two assists.

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GAME DAY: Cody Eakin to make season debut for Golden Knights

By David Schoen

October 12, 2019 - 1:09 PM

Cody Eakin is expected to make his season debut Saturday when the Golden Knights host the reigning Pacific Division champion Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena.

Opening faceoff is 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

Eakin has been day to day since he suffered a lower-body injury in the Knights’ 3-2 loss to Los Angeles on Sept. 27. He is expected to center a line with right wing Cody Glass and left wing Valentin Zykov.

Center Paul Statsny is projected to move back to his regular spot on the second line.

“I think it’s going to help (Stastny), and I think Cody (Glass) going to the wing with Cody Eakin, there’s no issue there,” coach Gerard Gallant said.

The Knights (2-2) have lost two straight games following a 4-1 setback to Arizona on Thursday. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury came on in relief of the injured Malcolm Subban and will start against Calgary.

Oscar Dansk was recalled from the American Hockey League on Saturday to serve as the backup.

This is the first game of a back-to-back that concludes Sunday at Los Angeles.

“We can’t let them dictate the way the game is being played,” Knights leading scorer Mark Stone said. “We have to be the ones to dictate the way it’s played, especially in our rink. We really have to have a strong first 10 (minutes). When we do that at home, we get our crowd into it and get momentum, which leads to success.”

The Flames (2-1-1) are expected to use the same lineup from Thursday’s 3-2 shootout victory over Dallas.

Goaltender David Rittich (2.46 goals against average, .929 save percentage) will make fifth straight start for Calgary.

Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with six points. Matthew Tkachuk has seven goals and 11 points in six career games against the Knights.

“I think we’re starting to play quicker and that’s what we have to do here tonight is make sure we play with tempo and all four lines,” Flames coach Bill Peters said. “They’re going to be coming off a loss, so they’re going to be hungry. They’re always good at home. They come out flying at home. It’s an unbelievable atmosphere, but we’ve got to use that and take that energy in our favor.”

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty-Paul Stastny-Mark Stone

Valentin Zykov-Cody Eakin-Cody Glass

William Carrier-Tomas Nosek-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore

Jon Merrill-Deryk Engelland

Nic Hague-Nick Holden

Goaltender

Marc-Andre Fleury

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Golden Knights recall Oscar Dansk to replace injured goaltender

By David Schoen

October 12, 2019 - 10:57 am

Goaltender Oscar Dansk was recalled from the American Hockey League, the Golden Knights announced Saturday.

Dansk replaces the injured Malcolm Subban (lower body) and will serve as the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury when the Knights host the Calgary Flames on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

Dansk allowed seven goals in his only appearance this season for the Chicago Wolves. He posted a 27-13-2 record with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage last season, and helped the Wolves reach the Calder Cup final.

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Golden Knights do ‘the right things all night’ in win over Flames

By Ray Brewer

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019 | 10:44 p.m.

The Golden Knights squandered a two-goal lead earlier in the week against Boston. And in the following game, they were downright awful in an ugly loss at Arizona.

So while Saturday’s 6-2 win against visiting Calgary was far from a perfect outing, it was exactly what the Golden Knights needed. They got some momentum, the benefit of scoring five unanswered goals to close the game, where all four lines seemed to contribute to the onslaught.

More important, after surrendering two goals in the span of 33 seconds early in the second period, the Knights quickly fought back. It wasn’t like the loss to Boston, where they had few quality scoring chances until late in the game. And it certainly wasn’t like to three-goal loss Thursday in Arizona.

“The last two games haven’t been how we wanted to play,” said Ryan Reaves, who scored his first goal of the season in the third period. “Coming back on home ice, getting ready for the back-to-back, (having a good game) was really important.”

Mark Stone, William Carrier and Paul Stastny had goals in the second period scoring outburst, and Max Pacioretty had a pair of assists. Stone scored at the 6:44 mark of the period, or about two minutes after the Flames took the advantage, to put the Golden Knights back on top.

“We forced our way into three goals to finish out the second,” Stone said.

That was also the case in the first period, as Tomas Nosek scored his team-leading third goal 3:24 into the game when he jammed a loose puck into the Flames’ net after goalie David Rittich couldn’t contain a shot. William Carrier and Stone were credited with the assist.

“We did a lot of good things,” Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “It wasn’t an outstanding game by any means, but we did the right things all night long and we were fortunate to put some pucks in the net.”

The opportune play continued into the third period as Reaves scored an unassisted goal for his first goal of the season, and rookie Cody Glass added the final goal with three minutes remaining.

Marc-André Fleury was solid in goal with 33 saves on 35 shots, including a brilliant sequence at the end of the second period that prompted the home crowd to roar, “Fleu-ry” as he exited the ice.

“Shutting the door there was huge,” Reaves said.

The Knights will quickly turn the page to Sunday’s contest at the Los Angeles Kings in their first back-to-back of the season. All teams have eventually play their share of back-to-back games, and maybe it’s at perfect timing for Vegas. The Knights, after all, seem to have some momentum, as do the Kings, who beat Nashville 7-4 Saturday at home.

“There wasn’t nearly as many mistakes as the last couple of games,” Gallant said.

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Golden Knights Ride Fourth Line Hat Trick To Defeat Calgary Before 18,192 Saturday

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

A fourth line hat trick helped the Vegas Golden Knights get back in the win column Saturday night as an announced crowd of 18,192 soaked up a VGK 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames.

Fourth liners Tomas Nosak, William Carrier and hitman/beerman Ryan Reaves each scored for the Knights.

Here’s Carrier post-game:

Rookie Cody Glass registered his second goal of the season to top off the 6-2 decision.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Knights, which lost games to Boston at home Tuesday and to Arizona on the road Thursday.

Here’s Mark Stone post-game:

VGK goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 of 35 Calgary shots Saturday night.

After three home games, the Knights are averaging 18,334 fans a game — up slightly over the 18,319 a game from last season.

*

It’s 5:45 p.m. and the Golden Knights fans are flooding into the T-Mobile Arena lobby.

Most pick up their game poster — tonight centerman Paul Stastny is the featured poster boy for tonight’s VGK-Calgary Flames game — follow the left escalator to the venue’s main concourse.

And it’s at the top of the escalator, where they hear the non-stop greetings of Arnold the usher who is rattling off salutations left and right to every fan who passes him.

“You da man,” he tells every boy.

“You’re a princess, ” he tell ever girl.

“C’mon, give me a high five,” he tells every adult.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156920 Washington Capitals The Capitals doubled their lead at 7:13 of the second period when Carlson scored off a failed breakout. Carlson has two goals and eight assists through six games. Carlson has elevated his play as the leader of the blue line, which is still without Michal Kempny (hamstring). Caps finally get a third-period lead they can hold on to in 4-1 win over Stars Also assisting on Carlson’s goal was fourth-liners Garnet Hathaway and center Nic Dowd, who was inserted into the lineup over Chandler Stephenson. Stephenson was the team’s fourth-line center in the past two contests, but Todd Reirden decided to put Dowd back into the lineup Samantha Pell Saturday, leading to the unit’s most cohesive performance yet. Hathaway October 12, 2019 at 11:21 PM EDT has one goal and two assists while Dowd’s assist marked his first point of the campaign.

“We’re playing pretty good hockey,” Wilson said. “I think we’ve had a DALLAS — Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson sat in his dressing good chance to win every night. We’re putting ourselves in a position we room stall at American Airlines Arena on Saturday morning and talked of want to be in throughout the game, and, you know, we’ve been trying to expectations. Ahead of his team’s 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars, in which close it out a little bit better. And we did that tonight.” he scored the game’s opening goal and later added an assist, Wilson knew his on-ice responsibilities were heightened. Washington Post LOADED: 10.13.2019

After he was suspended for the first 16 games of last season, he went on a tear, scoring a career-high 22 goals and tallying 18 assists in 63 games. This season, he expects to do more — and he has, recording at least a point in each of the past three games.

His two-point night Saturday helped power the Capitals to their first regulation win in Dallas since 1995.

“When you’re playing on the top six, you are expected to contribute offensively, you’re expected to get more chances to score, you’re expected to contribute,” Wilson said before Saturday’s game. “That’s part of the responsibility of skating with those guys and on the top line.”

Nationals’ playoff march feels more and more like Capitals’ Stanley Cup run (no jinx)

Behind Wilson’s early goal, goaltender Ilya Samsonov’s second NHL win and defenseman John Carlson’s third consecutive strong game, the Capitals (3-1-2) broke a three-game losing streak.

After getting a split on this trip to Nashville and Dallas, the Capitals return for a three-game homestand.

“I’m happy,” said Samsonov, who stopped 24 of 25 shots. “Really good game for the Caps. Everyone has been playing power play, power kill. Awesome job and good team win.”

But most importantly, the Capitals didn’t blow a third-period lead against Dallas, stopping a trend that marred their previous two losses. After they entered the final period up 2-0, center Evgeny Kuznetsov provided an insurance goal at the 3:35 mark of the third to push the lead to 3-0.

Kuznetsov has recorded a point in each of the three games he’s played since returning from suspension (two goals, one assist).

The Stars (1-4-1) trimmed the lead to 3-1 when Radek Faksa beat Samsonov with 13 minutes left, but Dallas would get no closer. Captain Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-netter with 56.7 seconds left to close the scoring.

“I just think we took care of it,” Carlson said. “I think those first couple shifts really set the tone. We talked about it enough the last couple days and certainly today going into the third, so I think the first couple shifts really got everyone on board doing the right things and carried the momentum there.”

Samsonov has won his first two NHL starts and continues to look the part of the team’s goaltender of the future with starter Braden Holtby in a contract year.

With Samsonov strong in net Saturday, the Capitals got things started early on offense thanks to Wilson, who poked in a rebound off a shot from Jakub Vrana on the power play. The Stars asked for a replay review, believing a hand pass preceded the goal, but the goal stood.

“He’s such a valuable player for us,” Capitals Coach Todd Reirden said of Wilson. “We’re fortunate to have this guy and watch his growth for the last four to five years.”

Wilson’s goal was the second of the year from the Capitals’ second unit on the power play. After going 0-for-11 with the man advantage in their previous two games, the Capitals are 3-for-9 in the past two. The Capitals’ penalty kill was also 6-for-6 on Saturday night. 1156921 Washington Capitals

Ilya Samsonov gets his turn in goal for Capitals; Nic Dowd back as fourth-line center

Samantha Pell

October 12, 2019 at 2:58 PM EDT

DALLAS — Following the Washington Capitals’ 6-5 loss at the Nashville Predators on Thursday, Coach Todd Reirden repeatedly said the same phrase: The team needs to find a way to win with the players it has in the dressing room.

It’s a rather simple, routine thought, but with the Capitals on a three- game losing streak (0-1-2) and all three defeats coming after blowing a third-period lead, finding combinations that work remains an area of emphasis for a group still missing a key blue-liner in Michal Kempny.

So on Saturday night against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Arena, the Capitals (2-1-2) will make a minor change to their lineup, reuniting the fourth line that was firing on all cylinders early in the season with the insertion of center Nic Dowd over Chandler Stephenson.

“Just wanted to get Nic back in there after a couple games of being out of the lineup,” Reirden said. “I think Chandler has done some decent things, but just want to find the right combinations that work for our team.”

Dowd will center Garnet Hathaway and Brendan Leipsic, who got time on the second line against Nashville. Through the first three games, the trio was starting to build chemistry. So, when Reirden decided to break the group up when Washington played Dallas for the first time this season Tuesday, a 4-3 overtime loss, there were some lingering doubts.

After two games with Stephenson in the lineup over Dowd, that fourth- line combo is back. Through five games, Hathaway has one goal and one assist, while Leipsic has one assist. The trio looked like the best line on the ice in the later stages of the Capitals’ 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Oct. 4 and had another solid showing in a 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina in the Capitals’ home opener the next day.

The Capitals’ other forward lines against the Stars remained the same. Ilya Samsonov will get his second start in net; his first came in the win over the Islanders. Samsonov, 22, finished with 25 saves in his NHL debut, while Braden Holtby has a 1-1-2 record.

“Looking forward to seeing him in his second start. He was solid in the first one and hope we can do a better job of insulating him than we have Braden lately,” Reirden said of Samsonov. “So that will be important against a very offensive group with the Dallas Stars, especially here at home.”

On the blue line, the Capitals will still be without Kempny. Counting the contest against Dallas, Kempny will have missed six regular season games. Before the team’s trip to Nashville, Kempny said he was progressing well and felt good on the ice but needed more practice time. After Saturday night, the Capitals will return to Washington to practice Sunday ahead of Monday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. That practice should provide more information about Kempny’s availability against Colorado.

“Anxiously awaiting him to return,” Reirden said. “Just with the situation we have with the extra right-handed defensemen is not ideal, and it is the situation we are in right now and we will gladly have him back regardless of the situation, but especially this year.”

Washington Post LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156922 Washington Capitals

John Carlson reps the Nationals' batting helmet after winning Capitals' 'hard hat' award

By Frank Piscani October 12, 2019 11:14 PM

It's like winning is contagious or something.

Everybody likes to be a part of winning, and that's all the Washington Nationals seem to be able to do lately.

No one has been a bigger supporter of the Nationals' magical postseason run than the Washington Capitals, who have been awarding a Nats' batting helmet to players with standout performances. After a victory on the road in Dallas, John Carlson became the latest Capitals player to don the Curly W.

Carlson earned the award after ripping a wrist shot in the second period that put the Caps up 2-0.

He joins defender Martin Fehervary and rookie goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov as the team's game-MVPs so far in the season. Fehervary and Samsonov won the helmet after the Capitals' first two victories.

The award comes at a time when Washington's professional sports teams have rallied around each other. In addition to the hard hat award, the Nationals cheered on the Washington Mystics while flying to St. Louis, as the Mystics won the WNBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

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Caps earn their first regulation win in Dallas in 24 years

By J.J. Regan October 12, 2019 11:04 PM

The Capitals 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday was a long time coming. Like, a really, really long time coming.

Heading into Saturday's game, Washington had lost three straight, dropping a third-period lead in all three games. The Caps carried a 2-0 lead with them into the final frame against the Stars, but did not sit on their heels and added two more goals to their score for the win.

But that’s not why the game felt like such a relief. It felt that way because Washington never wins in Dallas.

The last time the Caps won a game in Dallas was Dec. 19, 2017. That’s not so bad, right? That win, however, came in overtime.

When was the last time Washington won in Dallas in regulation? For that you have to go all the way back to Oct. 17… in 1995. There were three Caps in the lineup on Saturday -- Jakub Vrana, Jonas Siegenthaler and Ilya Samosnov -- who had not yet been born when that game was played.

Washington won the game by the score of 4-3. The Caps' goal scorers were Mike Eagles, Mark Tinordi, Stefan Ustorf and Dale Hunter. And just in case thinking about that game didn't make you feel old yet, guess who the goalie was for that win? Jim Carey.

The Stars play in American Airlines Center which opened its doors back in July 2001, making Saturday's game the Caps’ first regulation win in that building ever.

If the Caps go another 24 years between regulation wins, that means Saturday will be the last win until 2043. Let's hope we don't have to wait that long.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156924 Washington Capitals on ice, but being able to give the fourth line consistent playing time even in the third period is a huge asset.

Too many penalties Caps get revenge on Stars, snap losing streak The Caps were called for six minor penalties on Saturday. The penalty kill was great and killed off all six, but you are not going to win many games taking six penalties a night. That’s too many. By J.J. Regan October 12, 2019 10:49 PM Turning point

You know what is easier than protecting a two-goal lead? Protecting a The Capitals held a 2-0 lead heading into the third period and this time three-goal lead. they were able to close. Washington earned a rare road victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak with the Obviously when you are leading 2-0 in the third period you are in a good 4-1 win. position, but you could be forgiven for not having a ton of confidence heading into the third period after seeing what happened the last three How rare is a Caps' victory in Dallas? The last time Washington beat the games. Stars in Dallas was Dec. 19, 2017. The last time the Caps won in regulation in Dallas? For that, you have to go all the way back to Oct. 17, Kuznetsov’s early third period goal set the tone and let everyone know 1995 this game was going to be different.

Observations from the win Play of the night

Caps protect the lead with offense, not defense How different is the game if Samsonov lets this one in with the score 1- 0? Heading into the third period, Dallas had the Caps right where they wanted them as they trailed 2-0. OK, so that's a stretch, but Dallas was Stat of the night probably feeling pretty confident they could come back given that they The last time the Caps earned a regulation win in Dallas was Oct. 17, did it on Tuesday in Washington and that the Caps had blown a third- 1995. Three players in the lineup on Saturday -- Samsonov, Jakub Vrana period lead in three straight games. and Jonas Siegenthaler -- had not even been born yet. In the first game between these two teams on Tuesday, the Caps led 2-1 Quote of the night heading into the third period. They did not get a single shot on goal until past the midway point of the period after the game was already tied at 2. John Carlson on protecting the third period lead: It was a very different story on Saturday as the Caps realized, hmm, maybe scoring more goals may actually help get the win. “We talked about it enough the past couple days and certainly today going into the third so I think that first couple shifts really got everyone on Washington was much more aggressive with the lead in the third period board doing the right things and carried the momentum there.” than we have seen the last few games, drawing a penalty about three minutes in and extending the lead to 3-0 with a power play goal. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019

Shots on goal were 8-7 for Dallas in the last 20 minutes. That’s how you protect a lead.

Samsonov looks pretty darn good

For anyone who got a chance to see Ilya Samsonov play in Hershey last year, he looks like a completely different player. His play was very frantic last season and not always in the “Dominik Hasek, make a save in any way you have to” sort of way. Samsonov looked more calm and controlled than you would expect for a 22-year-old making his second NHL start.

So what does this mean? Has Samsonov earned more playing time? Sure. He has two starts in six games and that is a ratio the Caps should definitely try to stick to for now. There is no reason for Todd Reirden to try to force extra starts for Holtby.

Should Samsonov take over as the No. 1? Let’s pump the brakes. It’s just two games and, let’s face it, Samsonov got a heck of a lot more help from the defense on Saturday.

Here’s the 5-on-5 heat map from Saturday's game (from Natural Stat Trick):

And here it is from Thursday's game in Nashville (from Natural Stat Trick):

Holtby did not get much net-front help at all against the Predators.

The fourth line is a home run for Brian MacLellan

We are six games in so you should be careful about drawing any conclusions from what we have seen. Having said that, I am going to anyway. MacLellan did a hell of a job upgrading the fourth line.

Garnet Hathaway adds some grit, Brendan Leipsic adds speed and both players have a lot more skill than you would expect from a fourth line. Their work on the forecheck led to John Carlson’s goal in the second period.

The phrase “rolling lines” is almost cliche at this point. Everyone says it, but when it matters no one does it (except for Mike Babcock because why play Auston Matthews in a Game 7 when you can play your fourth line for 20 minutes?). Hathaway is not about to top Alex Ovechkin in time 1156925 Washington Capitals

3 things to know for Capitals-Stars: The rematch

By J.J. Regan October 12, 2019 10:36 AM

After three straight losses, the Capitals (2-1-2) head to Dallas for a rematch with the Stars (1-3-1). The Caps lost to Dallas on Tuesday, which remains the Stars’ only win of the season to this point.

You can catch all the action on NBC Sports Washington, with Caps FaceOff Live at kicking things off at 7 p.m. before Caps Pregame Live begins at 7:30 p.m. to bring you up to the 8 p.m. puck drop. Stick with NBC Sports Washington afterward for Caps Postgame Live and Caps Overtime Live as well.

Here are three things to know for Saturday’s game.

The Caps lost to Dallas four days ago

Washington played its best period of the season on Tuesday as they outshot Dallas 14-5 and jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov’s first goal of the season. The Caps could not shake Dallas, coughed up a 2-1 lead in the third and needed a goal from Nicklas Backstrom with the goalie pulled just to force overtime. Tyler Seguin ended the game 43 seconds into overtime, scoring on a 2-on-1 after a turnover from Alex Ovechkin.

The Caps have blown a third-period lead in three straight games

Washington has lost three straight giving up a third-period lead in each loss. This was particularly egregious Thursday against the Nashville Predators when the Caps coughed up a 4-2 lead, retook a 5-4 lead, coughed it up again and lost in regulation. In total, Washington gave up four leads in that game. They only trialed when Nashville took the 6-5 lead which was ultimately the final score.

This is a cloud that will hang over the team’s head until they are able to hold onto a lead and pull out a win.

The Caps still struggle with Dallas

Tuesday’s loss drops Washington’s record against Dallas in the Ovechkin era to 5-10-4. It was also the third straight game between these two teams that Dallas has won in overtime.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156926 Winnipeg Jets Maurice said he’s intent on sticking to a plan on the distribution of labour for his goaltenders — with Hellebuyck the busier of the two — based on a hectic start to the ’19-20 schedule.

Dahlstrom enjoys last laugh "Laurent’s going in (Sunday). Nine (games) in 15 (days) to start. We thought six (Hellebuyck) and three (Brossoit) or five and four would be the right thing, and we’re probably still on that," he said.

By: Jason Bell Busy bodies

Posted: 10/13/2019 3:00 AM By Thanksgiving Monday, Winnipeg will have crossed seven meetings off the 82-game slate. A dozen of the NHL’s 31 squads will have played five

or fewer by then. CHICAGO — Carl Dahlstrom’s hopes for a memorable return to United Want more sports? Center on Saturday came true. Get the latest sports coverage from Winnipeg and beyond in your inbox. The Winnipeg defenceman, claimed on waivers from Chicago just before the NHL regular season began, helped orchestrate a critical third-period SUBSCRIBE TO PLAYBOOK tying goal by centre Andrew Copp. The visitors secured the optimum two points on Mark Scheifele’s howitzer in overtime. "You’d prefer not to get this heavy a load with a younger back end, an inexperienced back end, you’d like more practice time, for sure," he said. Dahlstrom said the mission against his former teammates was "(You learn) where you’re at physically. If you’re going to have a heavy uncomplicated. part of the schedule, you’d rather have it at the start than the end. Surviving it’s key. But I think we’re all right." "My only thought was I really wanted to win," he said, in a post-game chat. "Obviously, playing with these guys I know all of them. So it’s The Jets play five straight at home, including the Arizona Coyotes on special. Definitely, a fun experience and I loved that we came out with Tuesday, the Islanders on Thursday, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton the win." Oilers on Sunday, Oct. 20, and the L.A. Kings on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

Dahlstrom, 24, a second-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2013, said he Niku scratched traded some good-natured barbs with the fellows in red. Sami Niku, sent down to the Manitoba Moose on Friday morning, skated "I wasn’t expecting anything else from them. That’s a fun part of the for the AHL club that night at Bell MTS Place in a 3-2 loss to the Toronto game. I was really good buddies with Connor Murphy, so we had a Marlies but was a late scratch Saturday afternoon as the eastern squad couple of, nothing gritty, just fun talk." earned a 4-0 shutout.

Dahlstrom dressed in 49 games for the ’Hawks over the past two Moose head coach Pascal Vincent told reporters the young defenceman seasons. He was on the Chicago roster in late September when the team was pulled because of a lower-body injury that occurred a few days ago. travelled to Prague for the season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers Niku pushed through it Friday but wasn’t available for the rematch. — part of the NHL’s Global Series — but was claimed by Winnipeg and joined the Jets in time for matchups with the New York Islanders and Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.13.2019 Pittsburgh Penguins.

He was a healthy scratch Thursday as the Jets hosted the Minnesota Wild, but head coach Paul Maurice turned to him against Chicago.

"Guys get fired up playing against their old team," Maurice said, in a pre- game interview.

Dahlstrom replaced rookie blue-liner Ville Heinola, who cracked the roster out of training camp to open the season and participated in five games to begin the season.

Some warts popped up in the Finnish teen’s game in the victory over the Wild. He was a minus-one in a 5-1 win, coughing up the puck three times including a turnover to Ryan Hartman on goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s doorstep that resulted in a 1-0 lead for Minnesota 13 minutes into the first period. Hartman swept his skate across, purposely or inadvertently tripping up Heinola, grabbed the puck and knocked it past Winnipeg’s startled goaltender.

Maurice’s mild criticism didn’t include a indictment of that giveaway, even though making the decision to dart in front of your own net with an opponent in hot pursuit comes with a degree of risk.

"It was a penalty, it wasn’t his fault. So I don’t hold that one against him," Maurice said. "Other than that, he looked like the rest of our (defence). They worked real hard, they had some good moments (and) some things that we’d like to clean up. We just made sure we communicated that with him. And (playing) back to back (as) an 18-year-old, it’s not a bad time to take him out."

Brossoit to face Pens

Laurent Brossoit returns to the cage tonight. Maurice confirmed the back- up goalie will get the start against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins at Bell MTS Place.

Brossoit split his first two starts, allowing four goals in a 5-4 shootout win against the New Jersey Devils before yielding four in a 4-1 defeat to the New York Islanders two days later.

The last three starting gigs went to Hellebuyck. 1156927 Winnipeg Jets second, we started tipping it in our favour a bit. Luckily, we didn’t run out of time."

Only Hellebuyck, who made his third consecutive start, earned a pardon. Scheifele's slapshot gives Jets win over Blackhawks 3-2 in OT He had no chance on the Saad tally and then did the splits to make a couple of saves in heavy traffic before Seabrook cashed in.

He finished with 27 stops to post his third consecutive win. Jason Bell "That’s what I said to (Hellebuyck) at the end: ‘Thanks for just giving us a Posted: 10/12/2019 8:48 PM | Last Modified: 10/12/2019 11:53 PM chance.’ Both goals were tough. You can’t really fault him on them. He stuck in there and fought hard for us," Wheeler acknowledged. . Maybe head coach Paul Maurice did some barking or the Jets applied CHICAGO — The usual suspects that do damage for the Winnipeg Jets some deep self-analysis after the first period — whatever it was had the really didn’t Saturday night — but they earned their keep with some nifty effect of a B12 shot. work in overtime. "That was our first first period like that... when everybody’s off. So you Kept off the scoresheet through 60 minutes, Mark Scheifele and Blake know that your prep wasn’t right. There’s a bunch of reasons that could Wheeler collaborated on a terrific game-winning tally in the three-on- be, so we’ll try to figure that out before we come on the road again," three extra session to lift the Jets to a 3-2 defeat of the Chicago Maurice said. "But how do you get out of it? The first three strides have to Blackhawks at United Center. be different. A little more physical. And then look at it as an opportunity, Scheifele accepted a cross-ice pass from Wheeler and unloaded a instead of yellin’ and screamin’. You’re going to have that. We’ve gotta howitzer that eluded goalie Robin Lehner just 47 seconds into overtime. figure out how to get out of it. They did a great job of it." Blue-liner Josh Morrissey started the play, pinching Hawks star and Winnipeg plays its first of five consecutive games at Bell MTS Place Winnipeg product Jonathan Toews against the wall in the defensive tonight when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit. zone, grabbing the puck and moving it to Wheeler. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.13.2019 Winnipeg (4-2-0) has registered three straight victories, while Chicago (0- 2-1) is still without a win.

"Good play by (Morrissey) in the corner, forcing Toews’ hand, went up the ice. We knew we had kind of an odd-man break... good pass by Wheels and put her home," Scheifele said, describing his second goal of the season.

Patrik Laine, who patrols the left side on the top line, didn’t get a point for the first time in six contests. The trio combined for just five shots in regulation on Lehner, whose sprawling pad-stack on Scheifele late in the middle period preserved a 2-1 lead.

The Jets trailed until around 12 minutes into the third period, when Copp evened the contest. Kyle Connor worked the puck to the front of the net, drew the attention of two Blackhawks and dished to Copp, who promptly stuffed it behind Lehner with 8:16 left in regulation time.

It was just reward for a solid performance from the second forward unit. Nikolaj Ehlers had opened the scoring for the visitors with a power-play goal at 7:05 of the second period, set up by Neal Pionk.

"We got the power-play goal — that was good to be a part of," Copp said. "And then we needed a goal, and (Wheeler, Scheifele and Laine) have provided pretty much all the big goals this year. So it was good to give them an opportunity to win the game. Total team effort."

Wheeler said the offensive production has to be spread around for the team to excel in the tough Central Division.

"It’s a team effort. There’s going to be times where our line catches fire, times where each line is going to have a moment to step up and make plays. It was awesome to see some guys get rewarded," the Jets captain said.

The Jets have been working some new wrinkles into their power play, but an element that hasn’t changed (does it ever?) is vigorous puck pursuit. Connor let that part of the job description slip on the Blackhawks’ game- opening goal, coming a not-so-close second in a puck race to Ryan Carpenter along the wall in the Chicago zone and then coasting to catch him. Carpenter drove down on a two-on-one and fed Brandon Saad, who tucked in his first goal of the season behind Connor Hellebuyck just four minutes into the opening frame.

Winnipeg has given up the first goal in each of its six games.

Later in the period, Brent Seabrook slipped in from the point and buried a rebound off a shot in tight from rookie winger Dominik Kubalik.

By all accounts, Friday’s premature winter blast had little effect on the Jets’ journey to Chi-Town. Yet, forwards and blue-liners alike looked like they were slogging in sticky, wet snow through 20 minutes.

"I swear, it was a 7 o’clock start," Wheeler joked. The opening faceoff was, indeed, at 6 p.m. CT. "The first wasn’t good for us. You’ve got to give them credit, though. Two-thirds of that game was really good. In the 1156928 Winnipeg Jets That’s how the first period ended, and it could have been worse for the Jets, who were sloppy, disjointed and disengaged.

“I swear it was a seven o’clock start,” a grinning Wheeler said. Jets shake off worst first to beat Hawks in OT The game started at 6 p.m.

Winnipeg, 4-2, will go for a fourth straight win on home ice against the Paul Friesen Pittsburgh Penguins, Sunday.

Published:October 12, 2019 HEINOLA SITS ONE OUT

Updated:October 12, 2019 10:31 PM CDT Maurice decided to make rookie defenceman Ville Heinola a healthy scratch for the first time.

The move came after the 18-year-old made some mistakes in his last CHICAGO — A forgettable first period, a two-goal comeback and an game, but the coach says he had another reason: Wanting to play Carl overtime tally to remember: The story of the Winnipeg Jets’ third straight Dahlstrom against the team that put him on waivers to start the season. win in a nutshell. “I didn’t want Dahlstrom out for long … and we’re playing in Chicago,” Andrew Copp scored the tying goal with just over eight minutes to go in Maurice said. “He’ll know the players’ tendencies in here and he’ll be the third period and Mark Scheifele fired the winner 47 tics into overtime excited to play here. Guys get fired up playing against their old team.” as the Jets beat the Blackhawks, 3-2, in Chicago, Saturday. That was the only lineup change Maurice made from the home-ice win “We’ve had some pretty good comebacks this year, so they’re believing,” over Minnesota, Thursday. Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “Copp’s line and (Jack) Roslovic’s line were the two that turned the tables for us and got us playing in their “My only thought was I really wanted to win,” Dahlstrom said, post-game. end.” “I know all of them. So it’s special.”

Copp’s first goal of the season came at the end of a strong shift from his A LITTLE TOO FANCY unit (Kyle Connor and Nik Ehlers), Connor setting up the centre right on The Jets need more of a simple, grinding approach from the line of the doorstep. Roslovic, Mathieu Perreault and Mason Appleton, and by the end of Scheifele scored his second in six games when he was set up by Blake Saturday’s game they were getting it. Wheeler on the Jets’ first rush of overtime, sending another sizable A Roslovic goal in the previous outing didn’t alter his coach’s opinion of Windy City throng of 21,340 home disappointed. that game. “Good pass by Wheels, and put her home,” is how Scheifele described it. “I know he scored four-on-four, but that line didn’t make the adjustment to The goal helped erase the Jets’ worst start of the young season. the style of play that they needed to,” is how Maurice put it prior to Saturday’s faceoff. “You’ve got the puck in the middle of the ice a bunch “That was our first first period like that … when everybody’s off,” Maurice of times and got closed out pretty quick, and some turnovers. So, some said. “So you know that your prep wasn’t right. There’s a bunch of centre-ice things.” reasons that could be, so we’ll try to figure that out before we come on the road again. In Chicago, the line did some good work starting in the second period.

“Look at it as an opportunity, instead of yelling and screaming. You’re But Roslovic’s spot at centre is anything but a given. going to have that. We’ve gotta figure out how to get out of it. They did a “We’ve got a need with Bryan (Little) out,” Maurice said. “When Bryan great job of it.” comes back, we’ll see.” Down 2-0 and skating in sand, the Jets got a wakeup call in the form of a BROSSOIT GETS THE PENS power-play goal by Ehlers seven minutes into the second. Maurice said No. 2 goalie Laurent Brossoit will start Sunday’s home That sparked the turnaround. game against Pittsburgh. “We didn’t try to break the game wide open,” Scheifele said. “We just With nine games in 15 days to start the season, it’s Hellebuyck’s turn for played our game and were able to wear them down. That’s what it takes a scheduled break. to win games in the Central. There’s 40 minutes left. It wasn’t like it was 7-0. “We thought six (for Hellebuyck) and three (for Brossoit), or five and four, would be the right thing,” Maurice said. “And we’re probably still on that.” “It’s a two-goal game. The worst lead in hockey.” Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.13.2019 Connor Hellebuyck made it an easier comeback road than the four-goal mountain the Jets climbed in New Jersey in Game 2.

The goalie was solid for a third straight game.

“That’s what I said to him at the end: ‘Thanks for just giving us a chance,’” Wheeler said. “Both goals were tough. You can’t really fault him on them. He stuck in there and fought hard for us.”

It was easy to find goat horns for the first Chicago goal, just four minutes into the game.

On a Jets power play, Connor looked casual in having his stick lifted on a failed pass back to the point.

Ryan Carpenter’s play created a Hawks two-on-one, and they converted, Carpenter setting up Brandon Sadd to draw first blood.

That first Jets power play was a mess. It gave up another odd-man rush which Drake Caggiula just missed cashing in on.

Chicago’s first power play wasn’t nearly as feeble. The Hawks won some puck battles and made it 2-zip on Brent Seabrook’s goal with Adam Lowry serving two minutes for high-sticking. 1156929 Winnipeg Jets Josh Morrissey-Neal Pionk Ville Heinola-Tucker Poolman

Dmitry Kulikov-Anthony Bitetto JETS GAME DAY: Jets shoot for fourth straight win as Pittsburgh comes to town Goalies

Connor Hellebuyck

Paul Friesen Laurent Brossoit

Published:October 12, 2019 Pittsburgh Penguins

Updated:October 12, 2019 11:33 PM CDT Forwards

Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Dominik Simon

Pittsburgh Penguins (3-2) at Winnipeg Jets (4-2) Dominik Kahun-Jared McCann-Branden Tanev

Sunday, 6 p.m., Bell MTS Place; TV: Sportsnet-1, Sportsnet-360; Radio: Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Patric Hornqvist TSN 1290 Adam Johnson-Joseph Blandisi-Sam Lafferty THE BIG MATCHUP Defence Laurent Brossoit versus … Tristin Jarry? Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang It could well be the battle of the backup goalies, as both teams are playing back-to-back nights and the No. 1 netminders got the call on Marcus Pettersson-Justin Schultz Saturday. We know Brossoit was scheduled for the Jets. If it’s Jarry for Jack Johnson-John Marino Pittsburgh and you’re wondering who he is: He played just two games last year, but has a decent career record of 14-8-3, with a 2.84 goals- Goalies against-average and .906 save percentage. Tristin Jarry FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Matt Murray 1. Still stopping Sid Injuries Sidney Crosby had six points in the Penguins’ first four games and remains the straw the stirs this drink, especially with No. 2 centre Evgeni Jets: F Bryan Little Malkin on the injured list. With last change, it’ll be interesting to see if Penguins: F Bryan Rust, F Evgeni Malkin, F Nick Bjugstad, F Alex coach Paul Maurice fights fire with fire and puts the Mark Scheifele line Galchenyuk against him, or the bigger, grittier Adam Lowry. Special Teams 2. Stamina POWER PLAY Both teams are playing the second half of back-to-backs — the Jets coming off Saturday’s game in Chicago, the Penguins having taken on Winnipeg: 13.3% (25th) the Wild in the Twin Cities. Scheduling might favour the road team in this one, as the Jets have played more games and travelled further. Pittsburgh: 17.6%* (22nd)

3. Score first (this is a recording) PENALTY KILLING

The Jets have given up the first goal in all six games so far. While they’ve Winnipeg: 72.7% (23rd) come back to win four, that’s way better than they should expect over the Pittsburgh: 83.3%* (11th) long haul. If they’re suffering from road-weary legs, there’s nothing like an early goal to inject some life into them, via a boisterous crowd. *going into Saturday night

4. Keep the power play going Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.13.2019

The Jets’ power play, 1-for-11 going into the weekend, went from ineffective to downright detrimental in the first period in Chicago Saturday, giving up a shorthanded goal and nearly more to a Blackhawks team that had been atrocious on the penalty kill. A second-period power play looked just as bad, until Nik Ehlers buried a one-timer. Problem solved? Not just yet.

5. Keep the streak going

The Jets have won three in a row and putting together some streaks goes a long way to putting a team in the playoffs. These early-season games against non-divisional or even non-conference teams may not seem like big deals, but putting the points in the bank usually pays off, with interest, down the road.

GAME DAY LINEUPS

Winnipeg Jets

Forwards

Patrik Laine-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler

Kyle Connor-Andrew Copp-Nik Ehlers

Mathieu Perreault-Jack Roslovic-Mason Appleton

Gabriel Bourque-Adam Lowry-Mark Letestu

Defence 1156930 Vancouver Canucks They were put together because it was post-PK, but I'm here all day for the Hughes-Stecher pairing.

Holy puck movement.— Patrick Johnston (@risingaction) October 13, Canucks Extra: Boeser busts out 2019

Sweet, sweet breakouts

PATRICK JOHNSTON Remember last season, when the Canucks struggled time and again to break out? Published:October 12, 2019 That hasn’t been a thing this year. Some of that is the freshness of the Updated:October 13, 2019 12:02 AM PDT season, with opponents more focused on building their own game than looking at what the opposition is doing, but the fact also is that the

Canucks have a better collection of puck-movers on defence this year. The Canucks ground out a win on Saturday night and Brock Boeser got Pettersson’s quest for excellence his first goal of the season. The Canucks had a 4-on-3 power play in overtime, which nearly scored It was a hard summer for Brock Boeser. when Boeser’s shot trickled just past the post after being knocked down And there was light at the end of the tunnel. by Flyers goalie Carter Hart.

His dad finally saw hope in his cancer fight. And Boeser’s contract But Elias Pettersson said he believed the quartet of himself with Boeser, dispute was settled with a shiny new deal, just as training camp came to Bo Horvat and Quinn Hughes was capable of so much more. a close. “We gotta work on that because I don’t think we had that many looks and Boeser may have missed the three-day romp in Victoria, but he did also we kind of wanted to pass around the puck too much,” Pettersson said. get a full summer of training in for the first time in his professional career. “We kind of got stressed to get a shot and then we shot it kind of bad shots and they cleared it.” It was adding up in a way that he’d hoped for when his season came to an end last spring. It was pointed out that it is a tricky scenario even with the man advantage: there’s only four attackers on the ice. And then he was concussed in pre-season. “Yeah but you get more ice work with,” he responded. “We’ll just have to From the outside, it seemed to be adding up that he was, once again, work on it.” going to be frustrated by the start to his season. It wasn’t going to be ideal. Micheal Ferland spent some time on the fourth line tonight.

And yet, after scoring Saturday against the Flyers, he has three points in His start to his Canucks career has not been stellar. four games, he’s finally getting good looks with the pucks and the Ferland’s ice time thru first 4 #Canucks games: narrative has swung in a direction that, yes, suggests hope. 17:36 “I just wanted to find a rebound and there was one there,” Boeser said about his goal. 12:41

#Canucks Boeser donating $1,000 per goal to Pucks for Parkinsons. I'm 11:50 sure he'd love to get that up over $30K— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) October 13, 2019 10:31— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) October 13, 2019

He’s taking part in Pucks for Parkinson’s this season, where he’ll donate He did lose six pounds to a virus in training camp; that’s tough for regular money at the end of the season to Parkinson’s charities in B.C. and in mortals to come back from. Minnesota. Markstrom worry? “Obviously everyone knows my dad has Parkinson’s, it’s something close After Wednesday’s game, Jacob Markstrom was in treatment. Saturday to my heart. So hopefully I can score a ton of goals and donate as much he wasn’t available to speak post-game. A few reporters noted his money as I can.” absence and so were curious as to his health status. Lighting the lamp in a 3-2 shootout win over the Flyers Saturday, Brock “Marky stood on his head all night tonight and we owe a lot to him for Boeser has reached 60 goals in the NHL. As this shows, only 2 players in sure,” Horvat said about the team’s goalie, who was named first star on @Canucks history have gotten there in fewer games from the start of the night. their (regular season) careers pic.twitter.com/t6zPgzy033— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) October 13, 2019 Asked post-game Travis Green if Markstrom’s unavailability means there’s an injury concern, the coach said no. Horvat 2-0 as a skipper “100 per cent healthy,” he replied. Bo Horvat chuckled when it was pointed out he’s now 2-0 as a captain. New sweaters “It’s great,” he said, smiling. Count Tanner Pearson a fan of the Canucks’ new third jersey. “It must be,” Boeser said in agreement. “He’s a great leader.” “Love ’em,” he said about the dark blue and green sweater. Boeser did admit he was relieved he wouldn’t fielding questions any more about the captaincy. “Can’t wait to wear the black ones.”

“There was a lot,” he said. Queried about whether wearing such a dark uniform might help players pick out teammates more quickly in their peripheral vision, Pearson “In my three weeks here, four weeks here, whatever it was a lot,” he said. paused. Possibly every day. “That’s a good question, I’ve never thought about it.” Did he ever say that it was going to be him? He then recalled a game he played for the Manchester Monarchs of the “Sometimes I’d joke about it, yeah.” AHL, where the team wore their regular jerseys and socks, but half the Change it up? team wore white helmets and half wore black.

It was because of some penalty killing, but the Canucks went through a “It was actually not bad,” he said. series of different defence pairings to close out the second period. The game in pictures The Canucks maybe stole a win against the Flyers. As far as the shot total fell, the Flyers were dominant. The chasing team is supposed to get more shots, but not quite as many as they did.

The Canucks absorbed a lot of pressure Saturday.

The numbers show that Jordie Benn and Chris Tanev were in their own end a lot more than they’d like to have been, while the rest of the line was a little more negative than positive in shot attempts for vs. against.

Tanev and Quinn Hughes saw a lot of time against the Flyers’ first line, but the Sean Couturier-led trio won the matchup.

Gino Odjick, zombie killer

Caught up with the Algonquin Assassin in the press box before the game.

Odjick plays a key role in the Canucks’ pre-game warmup video, smashing down some zombies.

“Oh yeahhhh, that was fun,” he said before flashing an enormous grin.

But yes, it did take a couple takes.

Amen

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156931 Vancouver Canucks Tanev’s tempest What has Chris Tanev been drinking? His assist on the Boeser goal was

the 100th of his career. And then he made his mark again. Canucks 3 Flyers 2: Saturday night's alright for grinding hockey Best known for his steady hand on the blueline, Tanev jumped up into the rush to score a tap-in goal on Wednesday and on Saturday, he set up the game’s second goal with a shot from the side boards that Pearson PATRICK JOHNSTON was able to deflect over Carter Hart’s shoulder.

Published:October 12, 2019 It was his second point of the game.

Updated:October 12, 2019 11:31 PM PDT “Just going out and we’re having fun out there,” Tanev said of his early run on offence. “It’s enjoyable playing with (Hughes). And I think we feed

off each other and we have fun.” They're engaged physically all over the ice, they don't linger in their own Quinn Hughes said before the game he’s so confident playing beside the end when they have the puck, they look to push the tempo. veteran; it’s clearly working the other way, too. There are many ways to win a hockey game: there’s blitzing the “We think the same way,” Hughes said. opposition for eight goals, like the Vancouver Canucks did on Wednesday night; there’s also playing tough, grinding hockey, like the Dynamic defence Canucks did Saturday night to defeat the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout at Rogers Arena. A major talking point coming into the season was how improved the Canucks’ defence corps would prove to be. The Canucks talking a lot about wanting to be “hard to play against,” and through four games on the season, they’ve demonstrated plenty of what Half of the octet who regularly suited up in green and blue last season is that means. gone; the replacements — Tyler Myers, Quinn Hughes and Jordie Benn — are all proving to be upgrades. They’re engaged physically all over the ice, they don’t linger in their own end when they have the puck, they look to push the tempo. It’s not just that the Canucks are breaking the puck out better, it’s the work they’re doing in preventing the opposition from getting good shots “Grit and grind … it was a lot of battles out there and I’m happy we got a on net. win,” Elias Pettersson said post-game. Vancouver Canucks’ Bo Horavat and teammate Elias Pettersson against For a lot of the night, it worked against a tired-looking Flyers bunch. the Philadelphia Flyers, in Vancouver on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ben Nelms But this Philadelphia team has plenty of interesting angles to it: they have a solid group of forwards, some young defencemen reinforced by some Horvat’s horde cagey veteran blueliners, a young hotshot goalie and yes, a well-known veteran coach in Alain Vigneault. Pearson and Horvat have been forechecking demons since day one this season. It was no surprise that the Flyers didn’t go quickly into the night, despite falling behind 1-0 early and then again 2-1. The Flyers tied the game up Adding Josh Leivo to the line has only made the Canucks’ second line with just over five minutes to play in the third period. deadlier along the boards.

They also won the shot battle through 60 minutes of regulation 30-19, Teams around the league rated the Canucks as a frustrating team to play though given they trailed most of the night, that’s not a huge surprise: against; the Horvat line is the ultimate example of why. They’re physical, trailing teams generally get more shots that the opposition. they’re dangerous with the puck and they’re relentless.

“They’re a good hockey team,” Canucks coach Travis Green said. “A lot Marked man of people on the western teams, players, don’t know a lot about some of Once again, Jacob Markstrom is making it look his job look easy. the teams in the east. You can see that they can move, they’ve got some d-men that can get up the ice. It’s not, he’ll tell you.

Tanner Pearson scored the winning goal in a shootout. “Maybe you should put them on,” he joked to a reporter Friday when it was suggested to him that he looks at ease tending the Canucks’ net so The Canucks got goals in regulation from Brock Boeser and Pearson; the far this season. Flyers’ goals came from Carsen Twarynski and Oskar Lindblom. As if to prove a point, he made a very difficult save on a first-period Here’s what we learned… power play, making a pad save after moving across his crease, denying Go to the net, good things happen what looked like a sure goal for Flyers winger Jakub Voracek.

Brock Boeser has been a bit snake-bit, perhaps. He would probably like Twarynski’s goal back, as it was a shot off the wing that seemed to fool the big Swede as much as anything. He did the simple thing that everyone always says is the best way to solve your scoring woes: he drove the net. Konecny finds Lindblom to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/l2tKgzD8gg— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 13, 2019 He found a rebound sitting there for him, after Elias Pettersson tipped a Chris Tanev point shot. He couldn’t be faulted on the third-period tying goal, though, as Lindblom connected on a fine cross-ice pass from Travis Konecny. Lindblom was The forecheck. The point shot. The tip. The GOAL! the loose man left unchecked by the Canucks’ penalty killers. pic.twitter.com/KVYB7Kq94O— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 13, 2019 What time is it?

Beyond his goal, he had six further shot attempts — including one that Just over a week ago, the Flyers were in Prague, where they had opened trickled past the Flyers’ post on an overtime power play — all from good the season on Oct. 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks. spots. They flew home, then played a mid-week game against New Jersey, then “I had some good looks last game, some blocked shots but you know, got on another plane for Vancouver on Thursday. the key I think is I made sure I can put pucks on the net and getting those it's 9pm in Vancouver. Midnight in Philly. 6am in Prague. Who knows shots up,” he said. “When I play my best game, I’m shooting the puck, what time it is on Flyers body clocks…— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) getting that momentum.” October 13, 2019 All of a sudden, Boeser has three points in four games; anyone think Add it all up: the Flyers travelled 10,566 km to play hockey over eight there’s still going to be talk about a “slow start” for Boeser from here on? days. Celebrating the past

After the excellent opening night pre-game ceremony — having five legends from the past skate out as part of the player introductions was widely well-rated — the Canucks carried on with the historical emphasis during Saturday’s game.

Before opening faceoff, Kevin Bieksa cranked the siren, which drew as loud a reaction as the pre-game noisemaker has ever drawn. He was also interviewed by arena host … during the first intermission.

And in the first period, they recognized Gino Odjick on the video board, drawing another roar from the audience.

NEXT GAME

Tuesday

Detroit Red Wings vs. Vancouver Canucks

7 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: SNET1; Radio: SNET 650 AM

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156932 Vancouver Canucks Markstrom again Jacob Markstrom gets the start for the fourth straight game. It’s not much

of a surprise, given the slow start to the schedule, with the Canucks Canucks Game Day: AV comes flying back into town having four games in a week-and-a-half.

Thatcher Demko, you’d think, will play Tuesday against the Red Wings.

PATRICK JOHNSTON Motte: “Close”

Published:October 12, 2019 Tyler Motte hasn’t played yet this season, after starting the year on the injured reserve list. The injury has only ever been described as “upper Updated:October 12, 2019 2:11 PM PDT body” injury.

He has, however, skated all week with his mates and looks ready to return. Saturday Nonetheless, when asked for an update on his status, coach Travis Philadelphia Flyers vs. Vancouver Canucks Green said the forward was, simply, “close.” 7 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: Hockey Night in Canada, Radio: Sportsnet Heritage sweaters 650 The Canucks will debut their new third “heritage” sweaters on Saturday. Upbeat Canucks Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.13.2019 The Canucks, of course, are coming off a big night on Wednesday, between the 8-2 win and Bo Horvat being named captain.

They finally found an offensive groove; can they keep it rolling? Plus their penalty kill has yet to concede a goal.

The men in blue are feeling good.

No lineup changes

The Canucks are using the same lineup that thumped the Kings 8-2 on Wednesday, which means Oscar Fantenberg and Loui Eriksson remain healthy scratches.

Trolling the depths

One of the keys to the Canucks’ success against the Kings on Wednesday was getting strong contributions from their blue line and from the third line.

That will truly tell the story of their season: can that trend continue? The rebuilt defence corps has been pretty solid to start, which is exactly what the team’s leadership hoped would be the case.

Up front, the top two lines remain outstanding, but the questions about offence from the third and fourth lines remain.

Conversely, the Flyers have added depth to a young core — and a new coach.

“They’ve added two veteran, good defencemen to a group that already had some really good young pieces,” Canucks coach Travis Green noted. “they’ve got a young goalie that was dynamite last year and those top two lines are pretty offensive.”

No changes for Philadelphia tonight, according to AV. Here's how the Flyers lined up on Wednesday. https://t.co/jZAGHKZOnS— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) October 12, 2019

Flyers’ health

Half the Flyers are fighting a cold. The travel the Flyers have made over the past two weeks have clearly taken a toll: they were in Prague a week ago for a game against the Blackhawks (and a pre-season game in Switzerland before that), then they flew back to Philadelphia for a home game on Wednesday. Then they flew west Thursday.

Travis Konecny said he took a hydration test after the team arrived here in Vancouver and his number was so low, he wasn’t even on the chart.

Travel is a big challenge to an NHLer’s health, leave no doubt.

AV’s return

Alain Vigneault hasn’t coached the Canucks for six years, but his return is always a story line.

There are only two players left from his time behind the Canucks’ bench, Chris Tanev and Alex Edler, so the on-ice rivalry isn’t there for him, but he still said the city holds a special place

“Vancouver’s a beautiful city, probably the nicest city in Canada,” he said. “I have nothing but great memories. I really love it every time I come back.” 1156933 Vancouver Canucks Jakob Markstrom wasn’t made available to the media after the game, so nobody was able to question him about this glorious save.

“The Goalie Whisperer” Kevin Woodley, on the other hand, has never The Armies: Big Sexy shows up, Jacob Markstrom stacks the pads and met a pad stack he didn’t utterly hate with every fibre of his being, so it J.T. Miller proves his worth was fun to look over and see him scowl. Fans were delighted on social media, seeing the old-school move, however. If you can’t enjoy a desperation stack, then why even watch hockey, Kevin?

By Wyatt Arndt Oct 13, 2019 Besides, how can you watch Kirk McLean suit up one last time and not get the urge to recreate “The save” on Robert Reichel?

Travis Green was asked after the game about the last time he saw a In a world where surely Peter Chiarelli is hastily updating his LinkedIn save like that in a game. profile to take credit for the Oilers’ hot start this season, is it too crazy to think the Canucks might be, in the words of Thomas Drance, “better than “I don’t know,” he said, laughing. “I don’t keep track of it, but we’ll take a we think”? two-pad stack to win a game any time, whatever it takes. Marky’s competitive, he’ll do whatever it takes to win.” I jest, of course. If we were told to slow down on our criticisms after an 0- 2 start, we must do the same when the team bounces back to win two in Markstrom, who ended the game with a lingonberry-sparking-beverage a row. Especially in a game in which the Canucks had to grind out the save percentage of .938, was noticeably sharp all game. victory and played with fire during the dying seconds of the game. Markstrom, preferring to keep his stacked-pad save for the shootout, Were it not for the backup goalie tandem of Alexander Edler and used the normal boring traditional technique to stop a cross-crease pass Brandon Tanev blocking shots on the final play, this game might have tap attempt in the first. One assumes Woodley nodded sagely from press ended up a disappointing loss, one that even a surprise guest row. appearance by Kevin Bieksa in the locker room couldn’t have saved (rest assured, the Murphy vs Bieksa friendly feud is still alive, as both men It was hard to tell if this was blind luck or Jedi blindfold training paying off, took shots at each other’s sense of fashion). but Markstrom pulled off this move in the first:

That being said, there were some things to take away from this game. Cool guys never look at explosions or incoming forechecks that could Jacob Markstrom continued his excellent play in net. Tyler “Big Sexy” spell disaster. Myers had himself a heck of a game. Watching Quinn “Maverick” Hughes Just to give us a hat trick of gifs, here is one last one showcasing him play hockey is like watching Harman Dayal write about hockey, making tracking the puck and not overcommitting on yet another cross-crease people around them jealous of their smarts and abilities at such a young attempt: age. It might be, dare I say it, fun to watch this team right now? All in all, it was a very good night for the Swedish goaltender. Sure, nobody is suggesting the Canucks are Cup contenders, but the rink feels different so far this season. The atmosphere is better. The crowd is So tight more engaged. The in-arena entertainment is bringing it’s A game, and it is miles ahead of where it was last season. For a team that has often In the infamous words of the Canucks owner: been criticized for being too afraid of breaking out of its corporate shell, it MAN, SO TIGHT, ALMOST LIKE A PLAYOFF GAME. has been refreshingly open to trying new things this season. — FRANCESCO AQUILINI (@FR_AQUILINI) NOVEMBER 28, 2018 Saturday, the Canucks had the Slap Chop infomercial guy set to a techno beat, telling the crowd “You’re gonna love my nuts”, and everyone “It was a pretty tight game the whole game, to be honest,” Tyler Myers ate it up. I cannot emphasize enough how that would never have said after the game. “One of those games you’re kind of used to seeing happened last season. In years past, telling a knock-knock joke was towards the end of the year, with how tight it was.” probably considered “too aggressive” for the Canucks. “I thought both teams played hard and it was back and forth, but not with Maybe it’s just the momentum from the 8-2 win over the Kings that has flow, in a grinding way,” Travis Green said. “We were battling for inches the city jacked. Maybe this team will hit the same notes as the past few on the ice tonight.” seasons, where the wheels fall off in the second half. It’s this kind of game that the Canucks are better built for this season. Or maybe, the Canucks might actually be a bit fun again? This is the kind of game the Canucks probably envisioned in a potential playoff series, a game where the size, tenacity and work rate of players Perhaps it can be summed up best by Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics such as Josh Leivo, Tanner Pearson, Jake Virtanen and J.T. Miller prove — decisive.

Wait, did I use that one already? While the Canucks’ overall control of the game slipped during the third OK, perhaps it can be summed up best by Queen: period like a blue shell was chasing them down, the club’s play along the wall and on the forecheck was crucial in building the lead. Tonight I’m gonna have myself a real good time Miller, in particular, helped set up the first goal with his pressure on the I feel alive forecheck with the Flyers defender appearing to slow down based solely on the threat Miller posed: And the world I’ll turn it inside out Later in the first period, Miller got the puck deep, battled to maintain And floating around in ecstasy possession and set up the cycle: So don’t stop me now, don’t stop me “You know he has the skill, but it’s his work ethic,” Brock Boeser said of ‘Cause I’m having a good time, having a good time Miller’s impact on his line. “He knows our systems and he chips it in and gets it deep. He knows that’s our game. That’s when we create turnovers We the people and that’s how we get O-zone time, he’s been good for us and I think we have good chemistry.” @THESTANCHION MARKY STACK OF THE PADS FOR THE WIN. PERFECT SAVE TO LEAD INTO YOUR ARMIES! Through four games, Miller leads all Canucks with a shot-attempt differential well north of 60 percent, and Vancouver has outscored its — HLGUU AXHATHAATKW (@JKERVEL) OCTOBER 13, 2019 opponents at five-on-five with Miller on the ice by a 6-to-3 margin. He’s If The Armies is one thing, it’s a vehicle for the people. And if you want a brought an additional bite along the wall, much like when Sloth joined stacked-pad save to lead The Armies, well then damn it, you’re going to Chunk to help save his friends. get it! He’s made an immediate impact on the wing of either Bo Horvat or Elias Pettersson and has people whispering “is he worth a first-rounder?” with a positive ring to it, versus the Woodley-like stacked pad save derision it I have been excited about a potential Hughes/Stecher pairing ever since was first uttered with when the trade was first announced. the Canucks drafted Quinn, and Saturday, we got to see it in action for one shift when both guys ended up between partners during a change. “This was one of those games, a grinding chess match, where every move and every inch mattered,” Green said of the Canucks’ play along It’s not a Sedin shift of legends, but it was still fun to see two small, the walls on Saturday night. smart, fast, puck-moving D-men run the offense to see what they can do.

“When you look at analytical stuff where the game is played, it’s on the I asked Troy From Richmond after the game if he was as excited as I walls a lot. You try to get it inside, but if you’re not good on the walls, it was to showcase to the world what two smaller defensemen could do can be a long night for you.” together, and he was decidedly nonplussed about it, shrugging it off as just another shift. It was the kind of night one wonders how Goldobin would have fared in. Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em You’re a wizard, Elias Pettersson Who wants to read about stats when we could just watch guys tee off on Any time Pettersson does something crazy on the ice, you tend to each other? assume he meant to do it. The Flyers found out what happens when you try and run into thick Jake, On the Canucks’ first goal, it was pretty clear this wasn’t the plan from as Scott Laughton looked like Wile E. Coyote running into a painted Elias, to have the puck roll along the glass to avoid the stick of Provorov, doorway on the side of a mountain. And as one does when you’re only to end up on Miller’s stick. embarrassed on television, you get up and angrily fight the guy who … BUT WHAT IF THAT WAS THE PLAN? stood still?

“No, absolutely not.” Pettersson said, laughing. “We talk a lot about Jordie Benn, who hydrates his beard for occasions such as these, laid a moving the puck on our line, so I was just moving it to the other side. smackdown on Provorov worse than the time Victoria tried to get rid of all Then I was like, ‘Where did the puck go?’ And then I saw it at the top of the bunnies: the boards. It worked out. We got a goal from it.” And if that wasn’t enough violence to satiate you, Captain Bo Horvat Big Sexy debuts his ‘long strides’ stepped into Niskanen, dropping him into the boards.

I’ve never been chased by a giraffe intent upon eating me, but if I was, I’d Stretch Pass imagine it would play out like when Myers chased down Raffl in the Like a Boeser hug on a cold winter’s day, the path to the net was very second period. inviting for the Flyers on their first goal:

“I mean, he had a bit of a step in the neutral zone, and I got my long The Flyers used the stretch pass throughout the night, and while the strides going and luckily I caught him.” Myers said when asked about it. Canucks did shut it down for the most part, it did work very well on the Somewhere, Jeff Tambellini is smiling with pride about that glorious first goal. chase-down. The other goal on the night was on a late power play: And it wasn’t just the defensive recoveries from Myers that stood out, it was his overall game on the night. His puck movement was solid, there Sutter, who is not being run out of town, made an aggressive pinch on were no egregious Gudbransons in his own zone and his Corsi reflected the PK, and it led to a whole lot of open ice that the Flyers put to good that, as he was one of the best players in terms of shot differential. use.

It was especially on display in the offensive zone, as he continues to No word on if Sutter’s status has been upgraded to being run out of town push toward the net, not only looking for goals, but also in aggressively again. keeping the puck in play. It’s honestly a bit of a bizarre sight in Vancouver, where it’s been years since we’ve seen a defense this Offensive Defenseman activated on offense. Travis Green was asked about the improved Tanev, in a Chris Jericho-like career transformation, has given up the offensive potential on the back end, during the morning skate. world of defense for one of offense:

“We’ve tried to encourage it the last two years, but it’s easier said than Tanev, who kind of got buried in his own zone on the night in terms of done,” Green said. “If your team plays better overall, if it creates more Corsi (third-worst on the team at 29 percent), was able to make up for chances, if your forwards work harder, your D are going to get more that with a key block to end the game, and getting the assist on opportunity, it kind of goes hand in hand. I think Quinn Hughes will help Pearson’s goal. us in that department and Tyler Myers as well. … Collectively, our D should get more offense.” It led to this revelation:

A good example of this was on display here: This is true, while the Canucks might have been a bad team the past few seasons, no team has been quite as meme-able as this one. Myers not only jumps up to make a play in the corner but then when skating back to the point, he knocks a puck down along the wall, keeping The Church of Pettersson is in session the play alive. “I thought I hit the post and then out, but it trickled in somehow,” Myers agreed that he feels he’s felt good so far this season. Pettersson said with a rueful grin.

“I’m happy with my start,” Myers said. “I think there’s more. But you Although it took a shootout to win the game, let it be known that there is know, some of that is getting more comfortable. For the first four games, I something special about overtime whenever Boeser, Pettersson and really like where my game is at. I just want to keep building at it.” Maverick Hughes get on the ice.

And if you want physical play, Myers continued to show that if you poke It’s like when you’re at the gym and your favorite workout song comes the beast, he will respond. In Calgary, it was Giordano who found this on, and you get super excited and you start hitting that elliptical even out, and Saturday, it was James Van Riemsdyk: harder. It’s games like Saturday where you honestly just want the NHL to give in and let people have 10 minutes of four-on-four overtime. When asked if that sort of toughness is something he wants to bring to the table, Myers agreed. The buzz when these three hit the ice in overtime takes over the building and is something the NHL should be trying to cash in on. “You know I think that’s important for any group,” he said. “I didn’t like getting my helmet pulled off, I got a little angry there (laughs). It’s Look, the only way Schaller gets a nod in The Armies is if he does important for our dressing room to show that we’re going to play for each something heroic and gritty, like block a shot that looks like it killed him: other, not that that was an example, that play, but it’s important for our As you were. group to play for each other and to play hard for each other, and get a little physical when we need to.” As we continue to watch the colorful past of the Canucks on display throughout the season, the Skate jersey continues to shine as a beacon Glimpse of the future? of joy to many. Horvat has often been seen rocking the Skate logo, going back years ago. Hell, even his clothing collection has a custom skate logo motif.

So was it any shock that his dog, Gus, was on team skate as well? Bo confirmed he and his doggo are down with the black, red and yellow.

“Those are my favourite jerseys,” Horvat said. “It was the first one we took off the wall and he had to have one. I’m team skate for sure.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156934 Vancouver Canucks Pittsburgh dominated with the NHL’s best power play, however, and that was enough to push it over the line for a playoff berth.

The Cup-winning Capitals encapsulated the overall trend of boasting elite Achilles’ Heel: How the Canucks’ woeful but improved bottom six stacks talent (sixth-most effective top-six group) and dangerous man-advantage up against recent playoff teams proficiency (seventh-best) to create the edge needed to outweigh the deficit each team’s respective bottom six created.

Ottawa is the anomaly of the group, and it’s no wonder it eventually had By Harman Dayal Oct 12, 2019 a down year the following season. The Senators somehow made the playoffs despite a negative goal differential in all situations, relying on

luck and timely scoring to get them to the postseason. It’s possible, but I After shoring up their back end and bolstering the top-six winger pool, the wouldn’t call this a repeatable template for success. Vancouver Canucks’ biggest weakness as they chase their first playoff How do the Canucks project? appearance in four years remains the bottom six. It’s possible to make the playoffs in spite of a bottom six that puts you at The Edmonton Oilers have been the best example of weak depth a deficit on the scoresheet, but as we saw above, even the four undermining top-end talent, yet it was the Canucks’ bottom six last examples we found were 10 to 15 goals better than the Canucks’ depth season that was outscored at a greater rate than any other group’s in the last season. The truth is this is the second area of concern where depth NHL. has significantly undermined the team’s win/loss record. Vancouver Vancouver’s bottom two lines were in the red by nearly a full goal for posted an identical -0.96 goal differential per hour of five-on-five play in every 60 minutes of five-on-five play. The hope this season is that the 2017-18 as well, finding itself in grave company when examining the forward additions of JT Miller and Micheal Ferland might create a positive window from the past two seasons. trickle-down effect for the bottom six, in addition to more stability at the Over the past two years, Vancouver’s bottom six has been in the red by a third-line centre role through a bounce-back performance for Brandon whopping 64 goals. The company the Cancuks share as far as the likes Sutter and/or a breakout season for Adam Gaudette. Let’s examine that of the Senators, Sabres, Rangers, Coyotes, Red Wings and Oilers paints possibility while also analyzing how teams with similarly weak bottom-six a pretty ugly picture. corps overcame that hurdle to make the playoffs. In 2017-18, the Canucks’ bottom six featured one line centred by the The first step in tackling the bottom-six issue is establishing the minimum Sedins and another featuring a rotating cast of fourth-liners. While the threshold it needs to perform to make the postseason. Thereafter, we Sedin line was respectable (hovering between a 45-46 percent goal can look at which areas clubs with weak bottom-six groups need to find share), the fourth line that included Nic Dowd and Markus Granlund was competitive advantages to make up for inferior depth. obliterated, getting outscored by a 2-to-1 ratio. Dowd, in particular, was I parsed through data going back over the past three years using the the victim of terrible puck luck (his expected goal share was 47.5 percent same methodology as I did last time to establish top-six versus bottom- and his luck has since rebounded in Washington), but the results created six criteria, hoping to key in and identify which teams made the playoffs a hole nonetheless that the Bo Horvat and Brandon Sutter lines simply in spite of their forward depth. couldn’t dig themselves out of.

The goal for any competitive team would be for its bottom six to finish as The last time Vancouver had a respectable bottom six was in 2016-17. close to break-even as possible. Naturally, that’s the less talented part of Fourth-line issues continued then, but the third line, which was then its roster, and in theory, you’d hope your bottom six could hold down the centred by Horvat and saw Alex Burrows, Jannik Hansen and Sven fort while your stars make the difference against the opposition when Baertschi rotate as wingers, actually outscored the opposition. they step on the ice. Anything better than break-even from further down Unfortunately, that season the top six was underwhelming, with Sutter’s the lineup is a boost, while on the flip side, anything drastically in the red line especially falling behind the eight ball. provides a tough deficit and uphill battle for the top six to fight. If there’s a realistic model for success when it comes to outpacing an In the two graphs above, green bars are used to represent the teams that underwhelming bottom six, look no further than the 2014-15 Canucks in make the playoffs. Most of these postseason seeds are concentrated to their first season under Jim Benning and Willie Desjardins. Their third the left of the graph, which means they’re keeping things in check to and fourth lines were outscored by a combined margin of 19 goals (nine create a relatively clean slate, if not a slight advantage for the top end of goals better than 2018-19), but the Sedin and Bonino lines were in the their roster. black. As a whole, Vancouver was still outscored at even strength. But just like the Penguins in 2017-18, the 2014-15 Canucks overcame that There are, however, exceptions. In the three seasons studied, four teams thanks to excellent special teams performances, finishing with the got to the playoffs with a bottom-six group that produced bottom-10 seventh-best power play and second-best penalty kill. results in the league as far as goal differential. Looking at what Vancouver has to offer deeper in its forward ranks this I’ve included the Canucks’ results from last season as reference, and you season, there’s a slight upgrade, but not to the extent to which one might can see that it is possible to make the playoffs with a bottom six that puts believe. the team in a hole. In fact, one of those teams, the Washington Capitals, won the Stanley Cup that same year. The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn sees the Canucks with an above- average top six, but even when Antoine Roussel returns, we’re looking at Relative to last season’s Avalanche, which squeaked into the playoffs a bottom six that expects to be the fifth-worst in the NHL. The margin with 90 points, Vancouver’s bottom six was 11 goals worse. At the bare between that value and the average projected playoff team’s bottom six minimum, it’ll likely need to improve by 10 to 15 goals, whether that be by is roughly 2.2 wins, or the equivalent of four to five points in the scoring more, allowing less or a combination of both. standings. It might not sound like a huge difference, but that’s a pretty significant swing of points if you’re on the bubble near the end of the Taking a closer look at how the above teams found success in spite of season. their underperforming depth, each had a unique profile. Improving the bottom six by a notable margin might be a bit of a stretch, Most had some combination of a loaded top six and a lethal power play but if Gaudette continues to develop and/or Sutter rebounds, it’s a to compensate for the rest of their roster. Starting with last season’s distinct possibility. The Canucks will not only need a bump like that from Avalanche, they had arguably one of the best lines in hockey with a trio further down the lineup, but Horvat’s line will also need to produce better of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog — one results now that they’ve improved on the winger depth. that powered them to the seventh-best power play in the league as well. Thrown to the wolves with arguably the toughest deployment in the The 2017-18 Penguins are a unique case of a team so dominant on league, Vancouver held a -5 goal differential with Horvat on the ice. This special teams that they dispelled all even-strength issues. Pittsburgh is is an area for improvement, but unlike the bottom six, it’s far more blessed with one of the best top-six groups in the league (second-best probable given the additional support he has. goal differential in 2018-19), but in this particular season, the Crosby line was snakebitten and so, as a whole, they were only break-even on the There are a lot of things that need to go right, but there are also factors scoresheet. In fact, the team was outscored 176-161 at five-on-five. outside of the forwards’ control that’ll greatly influence these results. One is the back end. We’re looking at five-man unit results, so if the defencemen these forwards are playing with are better than last season, that same bottom six is likely to produce better results than the year prior. Goaltending is an obvious factor at play, but so is luck.

You could theoretically have a situation where the Canucks’ bottom six gets heavily outshot and out-chanced again, but if they run into some good on-ice shooting luck, they could see their goal differential improve on that basis alone. True talent level is the most important variable in determining results, but it’s not uncommon to see outcomes that deviate from that level (teams under- or overperforming their talent thanks to good or bad fortune).

All told, the Canucks will probably need a little bit of everything sprinkled in to make the playoffs: a 10 to 15 goal improvement from the bottom six, another solid campaign from Jacob Markstrom, elevated play from a reinforced second line, great special teams performance and a little bit of puck luck along the way.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156935 Websites Toronto’s own fourth line evened the contest when some nifty forecheck work by Timashov helped the rookie set up Shore in the slot. Shore’s patient move to his backhand foiled Jimmy Howard, giving Shore his first NHL goal since April 2018. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' supporting cast steals the spotlight against Red Wings "That’s all you can do," Shore said. "You work hard when you’re not in, and when the opportunity is given, you try to make the most of it."

The Maple Leafs seized a lead with a mere 30 seconds remaining in a Luke Fox | October 12, 2019, 10:09 PM back-and-forth second period thanks to the deceptive speed of Mikheyev.

From deep in his own corner, Kasperi Kapanen lobbed an airborne pass inside the Red Wings’ zone for the soup lover to go chase down. DETROIT – Saturdays were built for hockey’s marquee stars, but every once in a while the supporting cast steals the spotlight. "I saw that Kappy did a flip pass, and I just moving and see puck before me," Mikheyev explained. "I think goal is 50/50. I have shot and I did." For the Toronto Maple Leafs, this was certainly one of those nights. Mikheyev, who broke out for 23 goals with hometown Omsk Avangard In the giddy aftermath of their 5-2, three-game-skid-snuffing victory over last season, blew past defender Madison Bowey and beat a charging the Detroit Red Wings, there was Frederik Gauthier conducting a national Howard for the loose puck, then smoothly deposited it in the vacated net TV interview, his first-ever Hockey Night in Canada towel draped over his for his second since moving to North America. broad shoulders and a spotless 7-for-7 faceoff performance stamped on the game sheet. The Leafs’ third-line centre, Kerfoot, and Detroit winger Darren Helm continued the theme of bottom-six stars by exchanging goals in the third There was fifth-rounder Dmytro Timashov happily describing his two period. primary assists and point-per-game NHL career after finally squeaking onto a big-league roster after three years in the farm system. Timashov registered his second primary assist of the game when he fed a beautiful cross-seam pass to a pinching Jake Muzzin, who snapped it There was the undrafted Trevor Moore trying to make sense of how he clean for the insurance. needed 25 games in 2018-19 to score two goals and only six games to find the net thrice. Moore potted an empty-netter, giving each member of the Leafs’ third line a goal in the same game. There was fourth-line journeyman Nick Shore downplaying his first NHL goal in more than 18 months, striving to make the most of his limited ice The patchwork fringes of the lineup shone bright. time after a winter abroad, clinging to his professional hockey career in Magnitogorsk. "It’s kudos to everyone involved, the players and everyone finding the guys," said Muzzin. "We have lots of lots of depth here. We have smart And there — trembling and smiling as he struggled to explain his first hockey players, and guys are working hard and hungry, so that’s a great love in a second language — was the Maple Leafs’ new fan favourite, combination to have." courted and imported jewel Ilya Mikheyev, telling what it meant to make an impact in a hockey town known for its Russian icons. Yes, the expensive all-stars in the penthouse of the Maple Leafs’ lineup are being paid and pressured to deliver. "I see portraits in here, Russian Five and Pavel Datsyuk. They’re very great. Big history, I know," Mikheyev said, holding court in the Little But it’s the personnel throughout the trenches that need to do their share Caesars visitors’ room. if this squad can equal its lofty expectations.

"I just work because this my first NHL season. Other country has other "Everyone contributes," Tavares says. "There’s no doubt we need mentality and new system for me, and I excited every time. I very happy everyone, whether your role is small or big, the impact is huge." every day when I came in practice rink or Scotiabank rink. I just very It may never be as huge as it was on Saturday. happy." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.13.2019 Ditto, Mike Babcock.

Head coaches dream of bottom-six performances like the one he witnessed Saturday, when he trusted a bunch of names not splashed on the backs of the travelling Leafs Nation to not only stifle one of the sport’s hottest lines (Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha) but ended up leaning on them to produce hearty spoonfuls of offence when his $40 million worth of showtime ran dry.

It was the theatre of the bizarre. Neither John Tavares nor William Nylander registered a shot on goal. Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, Andreas Johnson and Nylander were all minus players.

Yet the Leafs’ bottom-six of Timashov, Shore, Gauthier, Moore, Mikheyev and Alexander Kerfoot combined for a whopping eight points, despite getting tasked with critical defensive-zone starts.

"You don’t know what’s going to happen, but if the guys can do it, obviously it’s a huge deal for you. It makes you a way better hockey club and way deeper, and then you can play [Tavares] and [Matthews] out in the offensive zone all the time, which is easier on them," said Babcock, crediting Gauthier and Shore’s face-off prowess.

"Shoresy is a right-hand faceoff guy, and we didn’t have that [last season]. They’re just not in the same situation we were in a year ago. I thought Timo had a heck of a game. He was fast, he was strong, he was physical. The goals and that stuff were bonus."

Toronto’s sluggish starts are officially a habit, as the Maple Leafs surrendered the night’s first goal for the fifth time in six games.

Fourth-liner Jacob De La Rose eluded his rookie check, Rasmus Sandin, in the slot and whacked in a sweeping backhanded rebound past Frederik Andersen, a goaltender out for redemption after surrendering a touchdown to Tampa Bay on Thursday. 1156936 Websites with Jordan Weal and Artturi Lehkonen produced the game-winning goal and an empty-net deal-sealer while controlling 71 per cent of the shot attempts.

Sportsnet.ca / Strong start to season has Canadiens' Drouin brimming With Nate Thompson, Nick Suzuki and Paul Byron skating well as a with confidence fourth line for the Canadiens, and Drouin’s line at the height of its abilities, it was too much for St. Louis to handle.

“They played better and harder than us,” said Blues coach Craig Berube. Eric Engels October 13, 2019, 12:19 AM “That’s what it boils down to.”

It was a big departure from where the Canadiens last left off—with goaltender Carey Price saying they just needed to find a way to play MONTREAL— Jonathan Drouin stood in the middle of the Montreal better after losing their second game in as many nights (4-2 to the Detroit Canadiens’ dressing room with team-awarded, Conan-the-Barbarian Red Wings after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres). sword in-hand, and with a smile as wide as it could stretch across his face. They skipped practice Friday, opted for a video session instead, and they got back to the habits that earned them 96 points in the standings last He was five minutes removed from an interview with TVA Sports’ Renaud season. Lavoie at centre ice—in which he was serenaded by the fans at the Bell Centre for the role he played in his team putting the boots to the reigning Limiting the Blues to just 29 shots on net was a big improvement for the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues—and he was justifiably satisfied. Canadiens after allowing 38.3 shots on average through their first four games. Their transition game was infinitely better, too, with Brett Kulak With a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 6-3 win, Drouin extended his drawing back into the lineup and on a pairing with Jeff Petry—and with point streak to five games, which is as many as the Canadiens have Ben Chiarot skating 17:37 next to Christian Folin after playing more than played this year. 21 minutes in each of Montreal’s first four games. He’s brimming with confidence, skating as well as he ever has, and yeah, The 6-foot-3, 225-pound defenceman made a perfect pass to Drouin in he’s definitely smiling a lot more right now than he did a couple of weeks the 19th minute of the first period, and it would have been the nicest play ago—when his sleepy pre-season play garnered a lot of negative of the game had Drouin not collected that pass on his backhand and attention (and not just from this small corner of the hockey world). dribbled it at lightning speed before releasing it into the top corner of “I feel good right now,” Drouin said. Jordan Binnington’s net to give Montreal a 2-1 lead.

How could he not? By now it’s an old story that’s been repeated ad The 24-year-old celebrated with a vigorous fist pump and smiled his way nauseam, but it must be revisited to reinforce the point that Drouin is through the high-five gauntlet at the bench, just like he smiled in his playing the way the Tampa Bay Lightning expected him to play when interview with Lavoie and smiled in his post-game scrums. they drafted him third overall in 2013, and the way the Canadiens Drouin and the Canadiens will be smiling lots if he keeps playing this expected he’d play when they traded for him in the summer of 2017 and way. instantly made him their highest-paid forward: He finished last season with one goal in his last 26 games and was short-shifted on a regular Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.13.2019 basis as Montreal battled tooth-and-nail to earn the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. They failed, and so did he.

Drouin was publicly eviscerated for it. And despite his initiative in pouring over video with Canadiens’ assistant coach Dominique Ducharme over the summer months, he did little in September to convince people that he was in for a course correction.

But October began with Drouin shining in a hard-fought 4-3 shootout loss for the Canadiens in Carolina, and it’s rolled along with him standing out as the best Montreal forward in all their games.

He’s been their hardest worker, he’s had the biggest impact, and he’s tied for the team-lead in points (two goals, four assists).

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“I think that, at the moment, Jonathan is probably playing his best hockey since he’s been with us,” said Canadiens coach Claude Julien after Saturday’s win. “He’s playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of energy, and at the same time, he’s showing what kind of impact he can have on other players as well. It’s not the others that are making him better; it’s him who’s making them better. It’s a good sign for us and he deserves a lot of credit for it.”

Absolutely. The Ste. Agathe, Que., native has earned it.

If Joel Armia (who had 13 goals in 57 games last season) has found the net three times this week, it has much to do with the work Drouin has been doing to his left. If centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been a more reliable option in the early going of his second NHL season, it’s at least in part due to the energy and finesse Drouin is providing. And with all three playing as confidently and as well as they are, it allows for the Canadiens’ biggest strength—their depth—to shine through.

On this night, nine of their players hit the scoresheet. The line of Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher dominated its matchup against Ryan O’Reilly, Sammy Blais and David Perron—with all three players scoring a goal apiece and combining for six points, 13 shots on net, and a Corsi-for rating of 64 per cent. Behind them, Max Domi’s line, 1156937 Websites "The first period was not good. I’ve said it (before), we haven’t played good for 60 minutes yet. That’s what we’re looking to do here. We started off the second period really well. We got two quick ones there. If you make mistakes against a team like this, they’re going to punish you and Sportsnet.ca / Flames stage Vegas-worthy disappearing act against that’s what they did. Golden Knights “We’re disappointed the way we’ve played. We haven’t played hard enough. We’re well aware we haven’t played hard enough and we haven’t played hard enough on a consistent basis.” Eric Francis | October 13, 2019, 1:46 AM Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.13.2019

LAS VEGAS – Mere metres from a strip where the likes of Criss Angel, David Copperfield and Penn & Teller have performed endless illusions, the Calgary Flames staged one of their own Saturday.

In the midst of their fifth appearance ever at T-Mobile Arena, the visitors did well to make it look like they were actually in the game for a time.

It was a façade.

Two goals in 33 seconds to open the second period gave the Flames a 2-1 lead in a game in which they had no business pretending to be front- runners.

Alas, the Golden Knights’ dominance over the Flames resumed soon thereafter when a Mark Stone goal minutes later kicked off a five-goal spree from a host team that has still never lost to Calgary at T-Mobile Arena.

Flames coach Bill Peters was unable to disguise his frustration over the effort of his team.

“We didn’t play hard enough," said Peters of his club’s 6-2 beat down.

"Until we start to play hard — and play hard for 60 minutes — it’s going to be up in the air all night long, or you’re going to get blown out. We’ve got to develop a little bit of a work ethic here.”

A harsh assessment indeed, but one his players shared.

"I think we started to play the right way there for a couple minutes and we got rewarded for it," said Milan Lucic, whose club erased a 1-0 deficit early in the second thanks to a Rasmus Andersson goal and another credited to Johnny Gaudreau that was actually tipped in by William Karlsson.

"Then we went back to cheating for offence and once we started turning pucks over and not covering up we gave up some odd man rushes and the puck wound up in the back of the net.

"It’s one of those games we can learn a lot from early on and that’s what we need to do with a quick turnaround playing (Sunday) night."

In an outing that saw plenty of bad bounces end up behind him, David Rittich finished with 24 saves.

He thwarted an admirable number of the 18 scoring chances the Knights generated, but twice saw pucks squeeze through his pads, thanks to shots from Paul Stastny and Ryan Reaves.

"I thought we carried most of the game," said Reaves.

"They caught up in shots at the end of the game obviously (the Flames outshot Vegas 35-30), but I thought for 50 or 55 minutes we carried the game."

Reaves’ goal made it 5-2 early in the third on a play in which Andersson turned the puck over after Mark Jankowski and Sam Bennett collided at the blue line. Reaves then walked around Andersson and beat Rittich to put the game out of reach.

It marked the fifth-straight start for Rittich, who has faced 30 or more shots every outing, en route to a 2-2-1 record.

It had been predetermined he’d give way to Cam Talbot on Sunday in San Jose where the assignment doesn’t get any easier for a team that has yet to hit its stride this season.

For the third time this year the Flames were outskated the first 20 minutes, but bailed out by Rittich once again.

This wasn’t on him.

"We’ve got to be ready to play," said Andersson, who played on the top defensive pairing with Mark Giordano. 1156938 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' Jesse Puljujarvi open to staying all year in Europe

Sportsnet Staff | October 12, 2019, 11:40 PM

While the Edmonton Oilers are enjoying a 5-0-0 start to the season, there is still one situation that will require some attention down the road regarding restricted free agent Jesse Puljujarvi.

The Oilers’ fourth overall pick from the 2016 draft continues to play with Oulun Karpat of the Finnish Elite League and doesn’t look to be in any rush to make a return to the NHL.

“I’m hearing he’s comfortable staying all year in Finland,” said Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston during the Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “Obviously the Oilers might have a decision to make for what’s best for them, as they get closer to the Dec. 1 deadline where he has to be traded and signed if he’s gonna play in the NHL this year.”

Puljujarvi requested a trade out of Edmonton back in June and did not sign his qualifying offer so that he could sign a contract in Finland. The Oilers still hold his NHL rights and will have to decide whether they will sign him or trade him before Dec. 1.

The 21-year-old seems to have found his confidence back home with Karpat as he’s leading the team with five goals and 11 points in 11 games. He also had two goals and four points in four Champions Hockey League games.

“I get the feeling that’s a comfortable situation for the player. He’s trying to get his confidence back, trying to get his game back and he might be the best player right now in the Finnish Elite League.”

Before signing in Finland, Puljujarvi had 17 goals and 20 assists in 139 career games.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156939 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Devils to be patient with Taylor Hall after team's slow start

Sportsnet Staff | October 12, 2019, 9:37 PM

The New Jersey Devils‘ start to the new season has not gone to plan.

They have yet to record a victory through five games following their latest defeat to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. While it is still early, the Devils’ slow start is slightly magnified considering Taylor Hall has yet to sign a contract extension.

“I think a lot of people are starting to wonder how patient are the Devils going to be with Taylor Hall who is, of course, the big fish in the free agent pond at the end of the year,” said Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman during the Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “I think the answer is this is way too soon to start asking.

“I do think teams might start calling saying ‘what are your plans? What are you thinking out here if you can’t get him signed?’ … I just don’t think we’re at a point yet where New Jersey is really looking to say, even though [Devils GM] Ray Shero is a pretty unafraid guy, that we’re putting him out there.”

Hall, 27, has one year remaining on his current deal with New Jersey, but both sides agreeing to an extension is still a possibility.

“Privately, not much talk between the agent Darren Ferris for Taylor Hall or the Devils and that suggests to me that there is an ongoing process here,” Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston added. “I do think we can’t rule out the possibility of an extension depending on how things turn out.”

The former Hart Trophy winner has recorded three assists in New Jersey’s opening five games so far this season.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156940 Websites Zibanejad came into the game with eight points in the Rangers first two games. The only number he posted on Saturday was a minus-3, however.

Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' patient play propelling Edmonton to unexpected, On the day the hockey world learned of the death of beloved former record-setting start Oilers coach Ted Green, the Oilers played a defensive, detail-oriented game that Teddy would have been proud of.

Now, they’ll take their show to Chicago for a Monday nighter that closes Mark Spector | October 12, 2019, 6:24 PM out a four-game road trip, six points already in the bank.

It’s insane what’s happening here. Truly it is.

NEW YORK — The Edmonton Oilers boarded their plane on a Newark Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.13.2019 tarmac Saturday afternoon in first place in the National League. A perfect 5-0 record was packed underneath, the NHL’s two leading point-getters and its leading goal scorer sitting pretty up top.

Yep, that’s the Oilers we’re talking about, tearing through New York like the Joker while Batman’s on vacation.

Edmonton set a National Hockey League record by becoming the first team to go 5-0 to start off the season after trailing in every single game. Meanwhile James Neal — who leads the NHL with seven goals and was robbed of his eighth by the great Henrik Lundqvist’s glove on Saturday — notched a new team record with his hot start, no easy feat on a franchise that used to score 400 goals in a season, stocking the Hockey Hall of Fame with eight players in all.

It marks the first time in team history that Edmonton ran the table on a three-game trip through New York and New Jersey, beating the Islanders, Devils and in a high-paced Saturday matinee, the Rangers by a convincing 4-1 score.

It’s crazy, that this team is setting these records. Particularly if you’ve watched them bumble through these last couple seasons, when two of these three games would have surely gotten away from them.

"Absolutely," said Connor McDavid, who logged another two-point night for a league-leading 4-8-12. "We were talking about that Jersey game (a 4-3 shootout win), especially. We usually found a way to lose that game by two or three, just because we open it up.

"We have to stick with games. Play the full 60 minutes. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true."

If you’d have looked at the NHL schedule on October 1 and put $20 down on which of the 31 teams would go 5-0, tell us, would the Oilers have even been in your Top 20? With this goaltending, a bunch of brand new players, a new coach and a completely new system?

"It’s definitely fun," smiled McDavid. "I said it (Friday): Everyone was always kind of waiting for the bad stuff to happen for our group."

Leon Draisaitl had another two goals and an assist, and was an absolute horse on this trip. Like the Devils and Islanders before them, the Rangers just couldn’t handle the big German, who had another four shots on goal and an empty netter — his first in two seasons. He didn’t have a single one in his 50-goal campaign of a year ago.

But the theme here is of a team that has figured out that if it hangs around long enough, McDavid and Draisaitl are likely enough to find a game-tying goal. Or someone else, like Oscar Klefbom, who has seven points in his first five games, scoring the 1-1 goal Saturday.

"One thing I’ve figured out quickly with this team – especially with some of the talented players that we have – is that there’s more incentive to keep the game close," said goalie Mike Smith, who allowed the game’s first goal but was not beaten again on just 21 Rangers shots. "You have guys on this team that can change the game in the blink of an eye … one goal is nothing. Guys are starting to figure that out."

And those players are learning to be more patient in waiting for their chances. It has become a deadly mix.

"Guys are recognizing what we have to do to win," said head coach Dave Tippett. "Just because you’re up 3-1 doesn’t mean you have to make it 5- 1. You make sure the 3-1 stays in place. It’s about winning games. The two points are more important than how many goals you score."

The Oilers won their first seven in 1983-84 in the franchise’s first Stanley Cup season, and two years later had a 5-0 start. On this day they killed a 40-second five-on-three in the opening eight minutes of the game, as Smith robbed Mika Zibanejad and Brendan Lemieux on what seemed like certain goals. 1156941 Websites “It’s not like I’m spying on anybody. I’m just observing,” Smart explains. “If I see a player is struggling with a concept, I’ll bring that forward. DJ just wants the players to feel comfortable.”

TSN.CA / Ottawa Senators tap into greatest basketball coach in Smart says one of the reassuring elements of his newly-formed Canadian history by hiring Dave Smart relationship with Smith is that neither person feels the need to sugar coat any of their messaging to each other.

“He’s not sensitive. He’s open to me saying things the way I see them,” Ian Mendes Smart added.

Smith says that Smart’s role could expand during the season to include individual meetings with Senators players, but for now, he’s appreciative For the past several years, the Ottawa Senators have brought in Dave of the feedback he’s receiving on how group meetings are transpiring. Smart to speak to their prospects during the club’s rookie training camp in the summer. “Sometimes you think you’re doing a great job in a meeting, but you need someone to tell you the truth. Are the players getting what I’m saying? Is As the winningest coach in Canadian university basketball history, it too long is it too short?” Smith asks aloud. “He’s really good at reading Smart’s ability to connect with young players has been an element the body language and guys during meetings. He’ll give me feedback saying, Senators wanted to tap into for themselves. maybe I should talk to this guy or maybe I should talk to that guy.” But this past July, there was a new member of the Senators coaching When he was an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs, Smith said he staff who was absolutely astounded by Smart’s ability to connect with really appreciated the ability to tap into the mind of Jacques Lemaire, young athletes. who served as an outside consultant for the coaching staff in his first year And after D.J. Smith heard the basketball coaching legend address his in Toronto. prospects, he knew he would have to find a way to bring Smart into the “Sometimes, when you’re not in the battle and you’re a little bit outside, fold on a more regular basis. you see it differently. And it’s a great perspective,” says Smith. “I listened to him talk to our young guys at rookie camp and I thought it With Lemaire, Smith was able to confer with one of the greatest was exceptional. Just his view on how you put winning teams together defensive coaching minds of his generation. In a way, he has the same and it’s very similar to what I believe in,” Smith said on Saturday. “I just luxury with Smart – whose air-tight defensive system was the backbone said that’s a guy that I could use.” of winning 14 national championships under his watch. The Senators And to that end, the Senators have now brought Smart into the fold on a biggest issue over the past couple of seasons has been in their own fairly regular basis as a consultant. Smart – who stepped aside as the zone, where they have constantly been hemmed into their own zone. Ravens head basketball coach in the spring to become the university’s But does Smith believe that the concepts of defensive basketball – where director of basketball operations – has daily contact with Smith and is Smart would constantly force his players to play as a five-man unit – can often seen observing practice from the stands at Canadian Tire Centre. translate directly into hockey? Smart – who boasted a ludicrous career winning percentage of .925 “One hundred per cent in can,” Smith said staunchly. “One of my beliefs against USports competition – has the reputation of being a tightly-wound is that you have to keep the puck out of the net to win hockey games. It is perfectionist who demands the most out of his players and staff. Smith – a five-man mentality. Once your team truly believes how you have to play in his first full-season as an NHL head coach – is known as one of the to win the game, you can start to win a lot more hockey games. And I most gregarious personalities behind the bench – extremely loud and think he can help us with that.” equally demanding. Smart, however, is quick to point out that he will not be handling anything “I’m not sure who people think is crazier,” Smart told TSN.ca with a from a systems standpoint. laugh. “We hit off right away. I’m a basketball guy, not a hockey guy. But we see things the same way.” “I don’t get into the technical stuff. It’s not like I’m saying ‘I don’t like your forecheck’,” says Smart. For many years, the Senators have been widely panned for not being open-minded when it came to such things as analytics and progressive He will watch most Senators home games from the 400-level suite concepts within the game. But bringing Smart into the fold as a occupied by general manager Pierre Dorion and other members of the consultant gives a window into the innovative culture Smith is trying to staff. But Smart is quick to point out that he tries to keep his distance foster around the team. from that group – to give them the space they need to scout the game. When he’s watching from above, Smart is looking for positive or negative “The reason he’s on board is he’s the winningest coach in college body language from the players and staff – something he can detect from basketball here. Whether it’s hockey, basketball, baseball, football the upper deck of Canadian Tire Centre. whatever, it’s still coaching and you’re dealing with people,” Smith explained. “He’s here to kind of help me in a senior role to see ‘Are we “He’s not watching anything systems-wise. He’s watching personalities,” pushing the guys enough?’ ‘Are we pushing them too hard?’ And give us says Smith. his perspective from the outside.” Smart will not be in attendance for Saturday’s game against the Tampa Smart is very direct when asked how his college basketball success Bay Lightning at Canadian Tire Centre, because he was watching his son could potentially translate into success for a re-building NHL team. play hockey. Smart also serves as an assistant coach for his two boys – aged 7 and 10 – who play at the highest competitive level. “Winning is winning. Culture is culture. It translates from sport to sport,” Smart says flatly. And he does admit to stealing some of the concepts and plays from the Senators meetings to use for his own kids teams. Smart points out that he has daily conversations with Carleton Ravens hockey coach Shaun Van Allen and football coach Steve Sumarah and “The things I hear in the meetings with the Sens, I take it back to the kids’ often times the lessons carry over from sport-to-sport. So the idea of him coaches,” Smart says. helping out an NHL team isn’t a totally foreign concept. Smart is now regularly on the ice with his sons’ teams – after a 20-year “It doesn’t have anything to do with hockey, it just has to do with people,” hiatus from playing hockey. He says he played Triple-A hockey up to the adds Smith. ”And I think it’s going to help me.” age of 15 – until basketball completely took over his life.

One of Smart’s key roles this season is to essentially serve as a fly-on- Smart’s personal life now appears to be the perfect intersection of the-wall when Smith and his coaching staff are addressing the players in basketball and hockey, though it seems doubtful that he would be lacing a group setting. Smith considers Smart to be an expert on body language up the skates to join the Senators for a practice any time soon. – and he relies on the long-time basketball coach’s ability to read the room from afar. “My skating is getting a lot better,” he says with a laugh. “At least now my wife isn’t panicked I’m going to end up in the hospital.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 10.13.2019 1156942 Websites "No, no, not really," the 22-year-old said. "I just think the puck's been bouncing, haven't been going our way, stuff like that happens."

Is he feeling off at all? TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs Frederik Andersen's confidence not "No," he said. "It’s going to come so I’m not worried about it." shaken after uneven start Both Marner and Tavares have been minus players in each of the last

three games, all losses. Mark Masters Marner, Tavares not clicking yet, focused on getting 'back to basics'

Mitch Marner and John Tavares still haven't found their groove yet with Frederik Andersen has posted an .876 save percentage through four new winger Kasperi Kapanen, but they're not worried and are looking to games this season, but the soft-spoken Dane insists his confidence has get back to basics tonight in Detroit. not been shaken. After getting torched by Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point and Nikita "I'd say I spend less time thinking about it than you guys have," he said Kucherov on Thursday, the Leafs have done their homework on the with a grin. "I think that's all you guys want to talk about, but, yeah, you Wings' big line. Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi have just got to keep going." combined for 10 of Detroit's 14 goals this season.

Andersen allowed seven goals on 28 shots before being pulled in the "They bring kind of every aspect, offensively, defensively," observed third period Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was only the Marner. "They’ve got speed on their line, but a lot of grit as well. They second time in 369 NHL games (regular season and playoffs) that aren't afraid to get down low and get in front of your net and bounce Andersen has been torched for seven goals. He's not dwelling on it. those dirty ones in, but all of them can shoot very well. On the defensive side of it, they all have their guys and they all box out hard and it’s going "You can't save a goal (after) you let it in on Thursday," Andersen said, to be a good challenge tonight for us." "you can't save it in practice the next day, but you prepare for the following game instead of looking back." Mantha is leading the way for the Wings with six goals.

Andersen struggled in his first two Octobers as the Leafs starter, but "He's definitely got some deceptive speed," said Andersen, "and a pretty appeared to put that storyline to bed with a .919 save percentage in the good shot so (I’ve) got to be ready for him." opening month last year. However, those previous October issues are Mantha has been on Babcock's radar since he scored 57 goals in 57 clearly on the mind of Mike Babcock. regular-season games in his final QMJHL season (2013-14) and then "He hasn't been known for the start of the year," the Leafs coach said. added 24 goals in 24 playoff games with Val d'Or. "The way I look at it, we're all in it together so we got to pick each other "It's taken him some time, but he can flat-out score," Babcock noted. up. So, we have to be sound defensively and over a period of time he "And then Bert's at the net and plays hard so they’ve got a good line usually gets himself dialed in and ready to go and feeling better. I don't there." know why the pattern's like it is, it is and so let's battle." Mantha and Auston Matthews are tied for second in goals this season as Babcock pointed out yesterday that his team has improved in a number only the Edmonton Oilers’ James Neal has more entering Saturday's of defensive categories so far this season. action. Andersen on uneven start: 'I spend less time thinking about it than you Matthews has dominated the Wings in his career with 10 goals in 11 guys' games. The only opponents he's scored on more are the Ottawa Frederik Andersen admits that Thursday's game against the Lightning Senators (12 goals in 13 games) and Montreal Canadiens (12 goals in 12 wasn't their best, but he's already put it behind him and believes the games). media is more worried about it than the Maple Leafs. The Leafs and Wings split their four-game series last season with three Andersen, meanwhile, is actually content with where his game's at, in of the games going to overtime. general. The Red Wings top line of Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Tyler "I felt great," he said of his season, "but it's just sometimes you don't Bertuzzi has combined for 20 points over their first four games and the have it and sometimes the other team comes in and plays a little bit Maple Leafs say their speed and grit make them difficult to contain at better and embarrasses you like that but then, like I said, you have to both ends of the ice. move on." Babcock's depth rotation continues up front tonight with Nick Shore and The Leafs have a number of new faces on defence with Tyson Barrie, Dmytro Timashov drawing back in and Jason Spezza and Nic Petan Cody Ceci and rookie Rasmus Sandin all still getting settled with their sitting. But on defence, Justin Holl will play a third straight game with new team and their new goalie. Martin Marincin stuck in the press box. It will be Holl's fourth game out of six this year after he played in just 11 of 82 last season. "It's a growing process, of course," said Andersen, whose errant pass led to the Lightning's seventh goal on Thursday. "I think, it won't happen from "He's been off to a pretty good start for us," said Babcock. "I thought he Day 1, but we'll get comfortable with each other more and more and we was tentative at the start of last game, but I thought he played well in the just have to let that process play out." game ... good for him. This is what he wanted. He's getting an opportunity right now, you’ve got to seize it." Both times Andersen allowed seven goals in a game it came against the Lightning and his overall numbers against Tampa Bay aren't great (3-10- Holl played 15:28 on Thursday picking up an assist and finishing +2 in 1, .871 save percentage). Tonight's match-up is more favourable as the 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Andersen is 7-0-1 with a .918 save percentage in his career against the Projected Leafs lines for tonight's game: Red Wings. Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander Mitch Marner has yet to register a point in five-on-five play this season and admits his chemistry with John Tavares isn't where it was a season Kapanen-Tavares-Marner ago. Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Moore "We haven't clicked as well as we want to yet," Marner said. "We’ve got to get back to basics, make sure we're staying above people, doing Timashov-Shore-Gauthier things right, not making mistakes and, on the offensive side of it, when Rielly-Ceci we're getting our shots trying to get pucks back and get to the net." Muzzin-Barrie Any theory as to why the connection is off? Sandin-Holl Andersen starts

Hutchinson

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