Today’s News Clips Nov. 21, 2017

WGN

John McDonough: A Decade of Blackhawks Success

Dan Roan Nov. 20, 2017

CHICAGO - Blackhawks players and fans should hoist a glass tonight.

It was ten years ago to the day that Rocky Wirtz took control of this end of the family business and stole John McDonough from the Cubs.

"I had no intention to leave the Cubs. I knew that it was going through the sale process. Sam Zell was in the mix. This was prior to the Ricketts. But, I felt strongly enough that I would have a very good position there for years to come and possibly retire as a member of the Cubs organization."

We all know what's happened since - what Forbes Magazine called The Greatest Sports-Business Turnaround Ever.

And McDonough's fingerprints are all over it.

"The mission that I gave our director of human resources is 'give me great but people who want to be great collaboratively within our organization.'"

With Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the on-ice product was beginning to sizzle.

During the 2009 Western Conference Finals, McDonough saw signs that told him the Blackhawks were back.

"Someone from the 300-level unfurled a banner and it just simply said 'The Pride is Back.' It was very, very emotional. I have a picture of it in my office. It kind of was the exclamation point on 'Okay. They're going to give us a chance.'"

Today, virtually nothing is the same as it was a decade ago:

Blackhawks ambassadors offering a bridge to past glory, the Hawks frequent appearances in the NHL Outdoor Series, the annual summer fan convention - a McDonough staple, new office and practice facilities.

This is a president and CEO in perpetual motion, always with an eye on what matters most.

"People really love the experience of coming to the United Center. The greatest and the greatest marketing idea of all-time is winning. Nothing will ever replace that." Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks credit offensive turnaround to better net-front presence

Chris Hine Nov. 20, 2017

Coach didn’t have to think about his answer when asked why he thought the Blackhawks were scoring more of late.

“I would say we have a better net presence and willingness to hang around there longer,” Quenneville said before the Hawks defeated the Penguins 2-1 on Saturday.

The last 10 days have represented a scoring turnaround for the Hawks. They have 19 goals in their last four games after scoring only 12 in the previous seven games.

And although they scored only two goals against the Penguins, they created a number of scoring chances, especially in the first period, when they dominated play and kept the Penguins pinned in their end.

To Quenneville, the bolstered net-front presence has sent a trickle-down effect to the rest of the offense.

“(Defensemen’s) shots are getting through, and they’re more dangerous because there is a better net presence,” Quenneville said. “If goalies see the puck, it’s one and done and you’re defending off that. So let’s hang around the net, let’s have more inside positioning. Standing on the outside doesn’t generate a whole lot.”

Center Artem Anisimov has been at the forefront of this increase in productivity. He has five goals in his last three games, four of them coming because he was hanging around the net after the Hawks set up in the offensive zone. The other came on a rush chance.

Anisimov had an impressive play Saturday when he took a puck from behind the net and contorted his body just enough to get the puck to the front of the net and past goaltender Matt Murray before Murray could get over in time.

Anisimov’s teammates offered a few other reasons for the offensive resurgence.

Brandon Saad said after 20 games, the Hawks are starting to jell and players have had time to adjust to each other, no matter who they end up skating with during a game. Saad said that was especially true for his line with center Jonathan Toews and winger Richard Panik.

“We’re getting that chemistry a little bit better,” Saad said. “At least for our line, we’re getting more predictable for each other. But as a team, we’re playing a faster game, getting more pucks and bodies to the net, and you can see it results in more goals when we get bodies to the net. We’ve been playing better as a team lately — better defensively as well, and that’s a key.”

Patrick Sharp’s theory is that the Hawks are being less selective shooting the puck. That has also helped the power play get on track (five goals in the last three games) after an abysmal start (12.2 percent in the first 17 games).

“We’re having a shot mentality more so than just moving it around and getting it set up,” Sharp said. “You look at the goals we scored, it’s nothing overly complicated.”

The Hawks made it look difficult for a stretch in late October and early November. Now it’s coming a little easier. Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks penalty kill thriving with only two goals allowed this month

Paul Skrbina Nov. 20, 2017

Playing at a disadvantage has had its advantages for the Blackhawks.

Their 84.9 percent penalty-killing rate (62 of 73) ranked fifth in the NHL through Sunday. And since Nov. 1, the Hawks have killed 20 of 22 short-handed situations (90.9 percent), tied for second during that span.

Both goals came in one game by the Devils, who came back to beat the Hawks 7-5 on Nov. 12.

Brandon Saad attributed the bump in that number to several things.

“We’re playing our system well,” Saad said. “Once you have that trust in each other, that all leads to doing well on the penalty kill.

“Once you’re off page or kind of get spread out, teams take advantage of you. We’re doing a good job of helping each other out.”

Ulf Samuelsson has helped too. He was hired as an assistant coach before this season in part to help the Hawks improve on last year’s 77.7 percent penalty-killing rate, which ranked 24th.

“One thing about it is the emphasis of pressure on entries,” coach Joel Quenneville said, “trying to make it a little uncomfortable and unsettling, and off that you’ve got to look to block shots, look for clears, make saves. I think it’s been effective.”

Excuse me, waiter: Artem Anisimov has delivered goals this month — seven in all, including five in the last three games. And with every score, the legend of his mustache has grown.

But the center is no water boy.

“I asked him to serve me a sparkling water on the plane because he looks like a waiter from France or something,” teammate Patrick Sharp said. “He’s scoring lots of goals, and he said he was going to in the month of November, so he’s backing it up.”

So did Anisimov deliver the water?

“No,” Sharp said with a laugh. Chicago Tribune

Deciphering 'Q-speak': A guide to the language of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville

Chris Hine Nov. 20, 2017

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has his own brand of coachspeak, or “Q-speak.” He likes to use certain words or phrases, which can sometimes be a challenge to interpret.

“Ordinary.”

You do not want Quenneville to call you ordinary. When asked to describe a player, he won’t come out and say that player is bad. But if you hear him refer to someone as ordinary, that’s not good. Quenneville will also refer to the team’s play as ordinary, as in, “I thought we were ordinary in the first period.” Even though it doesn’t sound bad, it is.

“OK.”

Context and tone of voice mean everything when Quenneville describes someone or something as “OK.” There are degrees. You have to read it. If he elaborates on a player after saying he was OK and has a bright tone of voice, that’s typically an average evaluation. Quenneville said this about Tanner Kero early in the season: “I thought he was OK in Toronto, and in Montreal he was much better. I thought he showed a little more offense to his game that we want to see him do.” If you ask Quenneville after a game to evaluate a player and he offers only, “He was OK,” in a hushed tone without elaborating, that means he only narrowly avoided being ordinary.

“I didn’t mind him.”

This is a cut above “OK” and is often a good evaluation. For instance, on Nov. 9, Quenneville had this to say about Connor Murphy playing the left side, his off side, on defense against the Flyers: “I didn’t mind him. I thought he had a good game. Strong in a lot of ways and nice to see him score a goal as well. He was effective.” Murphy remained on the left side for the next game against the Hurricanes. “I didn’t mind him” can actually one of the best evaluations Quenneville offers.

“Could be.”

Quenneville doesn’t like revealing information about his lineups to the media because he doesn’t like tipping off the other team. But if you watch practice and see the line formations and defensive pairings, you have a good idea of what they will be. When Quenneville deploys a “could be,” he is strongly hinting a certain player will be playing or a goaltender will be starting without coming out and saying it.

“Likely.”

Similar to “could be.” Quenneville often uses it to describe a player coming back from injury who is set to play — again, without coming out and saying it.

“We’ll see.”

When Quenneville wants to be more evasive, he’ll trot out a “We’ll see” when asked about a player drawing into the lineup or coming back from injury. He knows, but he’s not going to tell you.

“Special.”

Probably the highest form of praise Quenneville can offer. He gets asked a lot of questions from out-of-town media about the play of Patrick Kane, and almost every time Quenneville refers to Kane as “special.” He also uses it to speak about other Hawks mainstays such as Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. If Quenneville describes a line as “special,” don’t expect him to break it up any time soon.

“Every game is different.”

This one isn’t limited to Quenneville, but he uses it a lot when asked to describe team trends. If you ask him about the power play, he might preface his answer with the qualifier, “Every game is different, but ...”

“Things change quickly in our business.”

Quenneville doesn’t use it often, but he usually says this after player transactions to describe how the dynamics of a team’s needs or the value of a player’s performance can change in a hurry. Chicago Sun-Times

Blackhawks PK success as much about will as technique

Mark Lazerus Nov. 20, 2017

Look, nobody was happy to see Connor Murphy on his hands and knees, gasping for breath, in absolute agony after taking a Conor Sheary shot to, well, a very sensitive area midway through the second period Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

But that doesn’t mean the Blackhawks didn’t giddily leap out of their seats a little bit on the bench when it happened.

“I don’t want to say everybody’s excited, because you feel for the guy,” defenseman Jan Rutta said. “But it kind of pumps you up a little bit to see that.”

Murphy was fine — OK, “a little sore,” — after some time back in the dressing room. And he was hardly the only one who risked life and limb in the service of a greater good that night. That Hawks were credited with 15 blocks against the Penguins, a number that seems conservative at best. Brent Seabrook endured two painful blocks to help kill off penalties. And Pittsburgh’s ridiculously loaded power play — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist and Kris Letang — repeatedly saw their shots disappear into the equipment of Hawks players who were sticking out skates, going down to one knee, or just flat-out diving in front of the puck.

There’s a certain lunacy that comes with diving in front of an opposing slap shot — a will that goes beyond systems and technique. And nowhere is that will more important and more evident than on the penalty kill, where relentlessness, selflessness and faith in your teammates is every bit as crucial as Xs and Os and scouting. Whether you’re risking your body by blocking a shot, or risking a scoring chance by attacking the point, the penalty-kill is as much about determination as it is about design.

“That’s what’s funny about hockey,” Murphy said. “You can look at the Xs and Os and try to think that it’s all about that, but if you look at the overall outcome, it usually comes down to will. You talk about the game in general, and there’s a lot of systems stuff that comes into play. But systems don’t mean anything unless guys are putting in that will and effort to do everything they can within it.”

That doesn’t mean first-year assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson hasn’t made a difference since taking over the penalty-killing unit from the fired Mike Kitchen. The Hawks, hearkening back to the hyper-aggressive days of Marcus Kruger and Michael Frolik in 2013, have been applying tremendous pressure at the blue line, forcing opposing power plays to chip the puck in and risk losing it during a board battle, or preventing them from entering the offensive zone entirely. And when opponents do set up in the offensive zone, the Hawks are still applying that pressure, trying to force a bad pass or a turnover that can lead to an easy clear or even a shorthanded scoring opportunity.

Samuelsson, of course, isn’t the only newcomer to the Hawks PK. There are about a dozen players who are seeing at least some consistent shorthanded ice time, and only four of them — Jonathan Toews, Artem Anisimov, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook — killed for the Hawks last season. With that new energy has come new options, and the Hawks are sometimes making as many as four, five, even six line changes during one two-minute kill.

That leaves everyone fresh to play that high-energy style, and to hurl themselves in front of any shots that come through. Throw in the terrific play of Corey Crawford, who has a sparkling .920 save percentage shorthanded, and it’s easy to see why the Hawks have the fifth-ranked penalty-killing unit in the league, with an 84.9-percent success rate.

The Hawks have had a perfect PK night in seven of their last eight games.

“[Once] you have that trust in each other, everyone’s on the same page and we work as a unit, that all leads to doing well on the penalty kill,” Brandon Saad said. “Once you’re off page, or you get spread out, teams take advantage of it. We’re going a good job of knowing where the play is, and helping each other.”

No matter how painful that can be. Daily Herald

Chicago Blackhawks' Forsling making a name for himself

John Dietz Nov. 20, 2017

There are no knock-your-socks-off quotes coming from Gustav Forsling in this story. No witty one-liners. No great prose and no profound wisdom.

But that's OK.

Because while Forsling is as quiet, polite and unassuming of an athlete as you'll ever meet, he has cranked up the volume on the ice and is turning into quite a well-rounded defenseman for the Blackhawks.

And that's all coaches and teammates can ask for.

"He's been killing more plays and been way more influential," coach Joel Quenneville said . "That comes with a little bit more composure, experience and poise."

Forsling played 38 games for the Hawks last season and 30 in the AHL for the Rockford IceHogs. This season, the 21-year-old was confident coming into camp but also realized there would be some stiff competition from Michal Kempny, Cody Franson, Jordan Oesterle, Ville Pokka, Erik Gustafsson and Viktor Svedberg.

"I went in with that mentality to take a spot," Forsling said. "But for sure, I wasn't sure I was going to take one. Anything can happen. Yeah, I was nervous."

Six weeks later, he's as poised as any D-man on the team.

Forsling's role has exploded recently as he's now seeing time on both the power play and penalty kill. He even has 2 goals in the last four games and they did plenty to quiet an opponent's stadium.

The first came at Carolina on Nov. 11, tying the game at 3-3 in the third period. The Hawks went on to win in overtime. Exactly one week later, Forsling gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead at Pittsburgh in a 2-1 victory on a shot that sneaked between Matt Murray's legs.

Even if that wasn't where he was aiming.

"I wanted to shoot it under the arm," said a smiling Forsling. "But it went pretty good. Sometimes you have to be lucky."

Lately, Quenneville has teamed Forsling up with fellow rookie Jan Rutta. It's an interesting pairing in that neither has much NHL experience, but Quenneville trusts them to do the job together.

"They've contributed offensively while going out there and playing against high-quality players and giving quality minutes to the team," said veteran defenseman Cody Franson. "When you can get guys to go out there and do that kind of job, it gives guys like Duncan (Keith) a little bit of a breather. He doesn't have to play that many minutes. …

"Being as inexperienced as they are and taking the load on that they have, they've done a very good job."

Forsling and the quick-witted, humorous Rutta are roommates on the road and you couldn't ask for more of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality difference. But that's OK because, as Forsling points out: "We think the same out there on the ice."

Forsling, who was drafted by Vancouver in 2014, came to the Hawks via trade when GM Stan Bowman sent Adam Clendening to the Canucks in January 2015. The Hawks certainly got the better end of the deal as Clendening is now playing for Arizona's AHL team, while Forsling -- who will be a restricted free agent in 2019- 20 -- might be a fixture on the Hawks' back end for years to come.

"Last year at the beginning of training camp he wowed us to a different level," Quenneville said. "There's still upside to his game. We feel he can turn out to be somebody who could play a lot."

Even if he does do it without saying much along the way. The Athletic

Blackhawks player trends: A look at Brandon Saad, Vinnie Hinostroza, Ivan Nalimov

Scott Powers Nov. 21, 2017

Brandon Saad can fade into the background with the Blackhawks.

Saad may be the Blackhawks’ fourth highest-paid player, but the level of expectation that usually comes with a $6 million cap hit isn’t applied to him. Saad doesn’t have to wait around to answer the tough questions when the Blackhawks aren’t producing or are losing. That pressure will always fall on Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews as long as they’re around. In some ways, Saad is still thought of as he was during his first stint with the Blackhawks.

Saad admitted Monday there was some truth to that. It’s easier for him to fly under the radar with the Blackhawks. But what he also made clear is he carries around plenty of individual expectation and measures his performance beside other elite players. He’s bothered when he’s not producing.

“I think as a player you always want to score regardless of who says what,” Saad said. “You put that pressure on yourself to score goals and be successful to help the team win. Regardless of where I’m at, it’s something I want to produce all the time. That’s something you’re fighting for every day.”

Lately, Saad hasn’t been living up to those expectations. After scoring six goals in his first six games, he’s tallied just one goal in the last 14 games. He hasn’t scored a 5-on-5 goal in the last 16 games.

Saad has fought off frustration in recent weeks and focused on trusting the process. He’s confident if he plays his game the goals will eventually come.

“There was a little bit of a dip where I wasn’t getting chances,” Saad said. “As of late, I’m getting chances. I think that’s what you work for. That’s all you can do is to stay in the now, give it your all, work for those chances and you hope they go in. Sometimes you get the bounces where you can have three or four in one night, and sometimes you get the chances and they still don’t go in. I think the biggest thing for me even talking with our line is getting more chances collectively because we know what we can do offensively.”

As a line, Saad, Toews and Richard Panik have all struggled to score in the past month. Toews is the only one who has a 5-on-5 goal in the past 10 games. Panik hasn’t scored 5-on-5 goal in his last 18 games.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville isn’t too concerned about the trio’s drought. He said Monday he especially liked what he saw from that line against the Pittsburg Penguins over the weekend. The line was on the ice for 11 scoring chances for against the Penguins.

“I thought they had a good game in Pittsburgh, had the puck a lot,” Quenneville said. “Finish around the net has been like the rest of our team for a long stretch. But there’s production that can be had there. They can score on the power play, we’ll take them any which way. But offensively they’re right around the net, and it’s one of those things that eventually they’ll break out and get some production sees like they have the puck and are more dangerous. Any one of the three can have a big night.”

What do the Blackhawks do with Vinnie Hinostroza?

Vinnie Hinostroza was recently described by one league source as playing with “fuck you confidence.” Hinostroza believes he should be playing in the NHL. He’s undoubtedly angry over the fact he’s not in the NHL.

Driven by that and playing with the same confidence he entered training camp with, Hinostroza has been producing at a high rate for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL.

Hinostroza is averaging a point a game and has eight goals and nine assists in 17 games for the IceHogs. He leads the IceHogs in points and is tied for 13th in the AHL.

Hinostroza isn’t just putting up numbers, though. He’s been showing off his skill. Here’s a look at a few of his recent goals:

The Blackhawks are in a tough spot with Hinostroza. He’s shown he’s deserving of a call-up and he might be able to help the Blackhawks who have struggled to score at times this season. But the Blackhawks have 23 roster players and don’t have anyone they want to send down to the AHL. Tanner Kero and Jordan Oesterle are the team’s most consistent healthy scratches, but both have to go through waivers. The Blackhawks aren’t likely to risk either of them.

The Blackhawks also haven’t had any major injury issues this season –no one has missed more than just a few games. That’s also prevented Hinostroza from being recalled.

The Blackhawks had a similar situation last season and didn’t recall their first player from the IceHogs until December. Eventually, a handful of prospects got time in the NHL.

Hinostroza hasn’t asked for a trade, according to a source, and the Blackhawks wouldn’t likely oblige at this point either. Hinostroza is still just 23 years old and is in the final year of his entry-level contract.

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman does often emphasize rewarding prospects with opportunities, and he’s well aware of Hinostroza’s play and desire to play in the NHL. One way or another Bowman will likely find a way to get Hinostroza into the Blackhawks’ lineup this season. How soon is the unknown.

Ivan Nalimov potentially turning around his career

Blackhawks goalie prospect Ivan Nalimov’s career was spiraling quickly.

He was giving up goals at a high rate. His opportunities were becoming limited. His confidence was slipping. On Sept. 21, he hit a new low. He allowed seven goals on 35 shots in a 7-6 overtime loss for Admiral in the KHL. After that, Nalimov didn’t play for more than a month. The reason isn’t exactly clear, but he took a leave of absence from the team, according to a source.

Nalimov eventually returned to the team, and Admiral also underwent a coaching change around that time. Fredrik Stillman was named Admiral’s new coach.

Stillman decided to put Nalimov in net on Oct. 31. It was his first game since the seven-goal performance. Nalimov looked like a different goalie, stopping 30-of-31 shots. A few days later, he was given another start and had a 34-save shutout.

The KHL then went on a break. Nalimov didn't look like he'd taken one, though. He had 45 saves on 46 shots in his next start. He came in in relief in the next game and made 14 saves on 16 shots. He had a 40-save shutout in his following start and stopped 39-of-40 shots in his latest start on Monday.

Since returning on Oct. 31, he’s made 202 saves on 207 shots for a .976 save percentage in six games. In his five starts, he’s had 188 saves on 191 shots for a .984 save percentage.

So, what’s happened?

According to a KHL scout, “The coaching change has lifted the whole team. He's playing to his best potential right now. His teammates are raving about him being by far the best player on the team since he came back to play on regular basis. The looks to have his confidence back after being just down on himself about never going to be successful.”

A Blackhawks scout said, “He got the chance in late October and he’s made the best of it. He’s really on a good run. He is 23 years old, the age where goalies start to emerge.”

The Blackhawks drafted Nalimov, who 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, in the sixth round in 2014. They had him in North America for training camp last year, when he was deemed still pretty raw. He returned to the KHL last season and had a .897 save percentage in 18 games.

The Blackhawks have been keeping an eye on Nalimov, but there haven’t been expectations on his development. They can hold his rights forever, so they’re sitting back and waiting to see what he becomes. If he pans out, they’ll certainly be pleased.

The Blackhawks have been building a stable of young goalies as they prepare for the future. They signed Anton Forsberg (24) and Collin Delia (23) to NHL contracts and Matt Tompkins (23) to an AHL deal this offseason. Wouter Peeters (19), a 2016 second-round pick, is playing in the USHL.

Where Nalimov fits into the Blackhawks’ future is yet to be determined. He certainly has grabbed their attention again after his recent play. NBCSportsChicago.com

Blackhawks’ much-maligned power play is now clicking

Tracey Myers Nov. 20, 2017

It’s an annual rite of passage if you cover or are a fan of the Blackhawks: you question the power play, because there always seems to be an issue with the power play. You wonder why every season, given the talent on this team. And again this fall the power play has sputtered.

But a funny thing happened at the end of the weekend. The Blackhawks’ power play started to look good, started to generate chances and started to score. In 10 games prior to the Blackhawks’ Nov. 12 game against New Jersey they had just three power-play goals in 40 opportunities. In their last three games (vs. the Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins), they’ve tallied five goals on 13 opportunities.

So what’s been working?

“I’ll probably give you the same answer as when it wasn’t working: pucks to the net, guys in front,” Patrick Sharp said. “We have the shot mentality more so than just moving it around and getting it set up. You look at the goals we’ve scored, it’s nothing overly complicated. It’s just getting the puck to the net. Just stay with it.”

Sounds simple enough, but the stay-with-it part has probably been the toughest segment of the equation. When the Blackhawks slumped they really slumped, and their lack of confidence on the power play was as evident as their lack of scoring on it. Yes, stressing over it can have its affect; and when the Blackhawks got those two power-play goals against the Devils it seemed to be a release.

“You get one, that weight gets lifted off your chest a little bit, you can play a little loser and maybe not grip your stick as tight as when things weren’t going well,” Cody Franson said. “When you’re confident out there you’re moving the puck cleanly, things happen a little quicker for you and give you those better looks at good chances. When you’re not that confident sometimes you’re not executing as well and things were moving slower and you’re not generating too much. Confidence definitely plays a big part in it.”

So back to what’s working. The Blackhawks started becoming more active on the power play, cutting down on the passes and increasing the shots. They’ve been there for rebounds. They started feeding off the success, be it with the power play as a unit or with individual performances. Artem Anisimov has returned to being a force at the net again; of his five goals in his last three games, two are power-play goals.

“A couple of broken plays and sometimes you get some breaks. You win a faceoff and make a quick little play after a couple of great opportunities on the prior whistle there that didn’t go in. I just think shots at the net and traffic and off that, sometimes they go in,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Our entries have always been alright this year, so we’re getting zone time and let’s get some simpler looks and sometimes they go in. I think gaining confidence there, it seems like we’re having the puck more and longer and sustaining some offense off it.”

The Blackhawks have struggled more than they’ve succeeded on the power play the last few seasons. But as their overall scoring has increased again, so has their power-play production. Good timing.

“People tend to say the power play can keep you in games and the penalty kill can win you games. Our penalty kill’s been great and has given us chances in a lot of games. [Corey Crawford’s] been playing pretty well,” Franson said. “And when our power play can give us success we find ourselves in better situations to try and win games.” chicagoblackhawks.com

Prospect Roundup: Fortin nets first AHL goal in big week

Emerald Gao Nov. 20, 2017

1st Star: LW Alexandre Fortin, Rockford IceHogs (AHL) The Line: 3GP, 1G, 2A

Fortin scored his first professional goal last Wednesday, providing Rockford's lone tally in a 2-1 loss to Iowa. He added a pair of assists in Sunday's 4-3 shootout win over Chicago. The free-agent signing now has seven points (1G, 6A) in 15 games this season to begin his career.

2nd Star: C Evan Barratt, Penn State (H-EAST) The Line: 2GP, 2G

Barratt picked up his first two goals of his collegiate career in Penn State's 7-0 win over Arizona State last Friday, both coming on the power play. The 2017 third-round pick also shared the team lead with five shots on goal in the outing; he now has four points as a freshman.

3rd Star: G Ivan Nalimov, Admiral Vladivostok (KHL) The Line: 3GP, .971 SV%

Nalimov made three appearances for Admiral Vladivostok last week, putting up strong numbers despite going 1-2-0. He kept his team in the game with 45 saves on 46 shots last Tuesday in a 2-0 loss to SKA St. Petersburg, made 14 saves on 16 shots in a relief appearance on Thursday, and finished his week with a 40-save shutout against Dinamo Minsk on Saturday. The 2014 sixth-round pick now has a 1.96 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in 12 games this season.

Around the system:

Defenseman Lucas Carlsson contributed a goal and an assist in Brynas' 5-3 win over Malmo on Saturday in the Swedish Hockey League. The 2016 fourth-round pick now has six points (4G, 2A) in 17 games this season.

Henri Jokiharju picked up his 18th helper of the season in Portland's 3-1 win over Regina on Saturday in the team's only outing of the week. He has 24 points in 19 games this season, matching 50 percent of his offensive output from 2016-17.

Chad Krys notched a season-best three assists for Boston University in a 7-0 drubbing of Maine on Saturday. The sophomore continues to lead team defensemen with 11 points (2G, 9A) in 14 games this year …

Northeastern blueliner Ryan Shea netted his first goal of the season on Friday in a 2-1 win over Vermont; he has nine points this season … Denver freshman Ian Mitchell extended his point streak to seven games with three assists in two games last weekend to help the Pioneers split their series against North Dakota. The 2017 second-round pick has 11 helpers in 12 games to begin his NCAA career.

Defenseman Joshua Ess tallied his first collegiate goal on Friday in Wisconsin's big 7-3 win over Michigan; he has two points in 15 games as a freshman.

Dylan Sikura assisted on Northeastern's game-winner on Friday after returning to action. The senior forward has 15 points (6G, 9A) in 10 games this season … Fredrik Olofsson contributed a goal and an assist last weekend as Nebraska-Omaha dropped both games to Western Michigan. The 2014 fourth-round pick has seven points (2G, 5A) in 10 games this season.

Vinnie Hinostroza collected a goal and an assist over three games with the IceHogs last week; he also recorded shootout winners against Grand Rapids and Chicago. The 23-year-old continues to lead the team with 17 points (8G, 9A) in 17 games this season … Matthew Highmore posted a goal and an assist in three games last week and now ranks second with 12 points (6G, 6A) in 17 games … Luke Johnson tallied his first two goals of the season and added eight shots on goal in Sunday's win over Chicago … Andreas Martinsen scored his first goal as a member of the IceHogs in Saturday's 3-2 shootout win over Grand Rapids.

Defenseman Luc Snuggerud collected a pair of assists in Rockford's shootout win on Sunday and now has four points (1G, 3A) in 11 games this season … Goaltender Jeff Glass won both of his starts last week, stopping a combined 66 of 71 shots to improve his record to 5-1-0 this season.

Nathan Noel logged his first professional points last week, tallying twice in three games with the ECHL's Indy Fuel; he's appeared in five games this season … Radovan Bondra picked up his first point of the season with a goal for Indy last Tuesday. Tampa Bay Times

Lightning impressed with improved offense from defensemen

Roger Mooney Nov. 20, 2017

BRANDON — At one point during Saturday’s game against the Islanders, the Lightning was first in the NHL in points and second in points scored by its defensemen. That’s one reason the team is off to the best start in franchise history.

It’s also by design. Maybe not to be at or near the top of the leaderboard, though that’s not so bad, but to generate more offense from the blue liners.

"Since we’ve been here we’ve always wanted our D involved in the offense," said associate coach , who coaches the defense. "The league today is a four-man attack, so you need that D up (in the attack)."

The Lightning’s 53 points from its defensemen was tied with the Maple Leafs heading into Monday’s action, while its 14 goals from the blueliners was third in the NHL.

Victor Hedman led the defensemen last season with 72 points during a career year in terms of scoring. He set career highs for goals (16) and assists (56). But there was a 50-point drop off to the next defenseman, who was Anton Stralman — five goals and 22 points.

Hedman again leads the defense with 15 points through the first 20 games. But rookie Mikhail Sergachev is next with 14 points. He has five goals, Hedman has two.

Stralman has six points, while (three goals) and Braydon Coburn have five points each. Dan Girardi and Jake Dotchin (two goals) both have four points.

"I think it’s something that’s in our game plan, it’s something we always want," Stralman said.

Credit the jump in O from the D to Sergachev, who brings what coach Jon Cooper calls high offensive instincts.

"He’s elite," Cooper said.

Added Hedman, "He’s been a very offensive talented defenseman. He’s proven that. He shows up on the score sheets. He’s making big-time plays, scoring goals."

And maybe Sergachev’s willingness to create offense has sparked the other defensemen not named Victor Hedman to become more involved. It’s one thing to tell the defensemen to become more active. It’s another when a kid shows up and does just that.

The Lightning defensemen have been more active on the offensive zone, pinching along the side boards more as they look to create scoring chances for themselves and the forward line. That could prove tricky. They also risk getting caught up ice if a turnover results in an opponent’s odd-man rush.

"We have rules in place. It’s not an automatic pinch for sure," Bowness said. "We want to make sure there is a forward there (to cover), and when we do go down and pinch we make sure we get the puck or the (opposing) man. That third option (allowing the odd-man rush) is not a good option."

Hedman’s career year helped produce 160 points last season by the Lightning defensemen. They are way ahead of that pace this season with 53 through 20 games.

"Sergachev has helped. Slater jumping up, he’s got three goals and two assists, has helped," Bowness said. "It’s not just the one guy now. Stral is going to get his points. Girardi and Cobby are moving the puck up. It starts defensively. The forwards are doing a much better job coming back, helping out on the breakouts, so we’re far more creative on the rush because of the breakouts out of our zone."

The way the game is played these days, Hedman said you need as much offense as you can get from your defense when both teams are at full strength.

"It doesn’t really have to be the perfect shot every time, it’s just about getting puck to where our forwards can score and create opportunities," he said. "We got to keep that rolling. It’s been part of our success so far. We can’t slow down." Tampa Bay Times

Lightning’s rare loss produces reality check

Roger Mooney Nov. 19, 2017

TAMPA — Jon Cooper stood at the podium late Saturday night to address the media after a regulation loss for only the third time this season.

"Let’s be honest," he said, "we’ve had one hell of a start."

The loss, he added, was frustrating, even when you haven’t experienced many in the first 20 games.

Tampa Bay’s 5-3 loss to the Islanders on Saturday was just the third time the Lightning (15-3-2) failed to earn at least one point. It was the product of a slow start that undercut a three-goal third period.

"(Saturday) was definitely a reality check for us," Cooper said.

That was the case after the first two regulation losses.

The first was a 5-4 road loss to the Panthers on the second night of the season. After that, Cooper went with an 11 forward/seven defenseman lineup, and the team made a conscious effort to defend both goals.

The result was a nine-game stretch where the Lightning earned 17 points. It was interrupted midway by a 5-4 shootout loss at New Jersey.

The next regulation loss came Oct.?28 to the visiting Ducks, a 4-1 setback. The Lightning got caught playing the Ducks’ more physical, plodding style.

The Lightning responded with a seven-game stretch in which it won six times, including a season-best five in a row. The only glitch was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Rangers where the Lightning picked up a point.

If the Lightning has showed anything this season, it is good at responding to a loss. It has yet to lose consecutive games.

"We know how good of a team we are, especially in a game like (Saturday) when we came out flat and hurt ourselves," center Brayden Point said.

The Lightning has started flat a few times, but usually gets back in the game. Against the Islanders, that didn’t happen until it trailed 4-0 early in the third.

"What’s that old bumper sticker say in Forrest Gump? That stuff happens," Cooper said.

The Lightning returns to on Wednesday against the Blackhawks (10-8-2) before beginning a four- game road trip.

"I don’t know," forward Ondrej Palat said when asked Saturday about the team’s ability to bounce back. "We have to be better. There’s no excuse. We have to be better than (Saturday) Wednesday night."

That’s one way. Tampa Bay Times

Lightning finds its game too late, loses to Islanders

Roger Mooney Nov. 18, 2017

TAMPA — The firepower showed up in the third period.

Yanni Gourde and Ondrej Palat scored 13 seconds apart. Gourde scored again.

Suddenly it was a one-goal game, and the Lightning appeared on its way to one of those comeback wins that would be remembered for a long time if this season truly turns out to be something special.

It wasn’t enough, though. Those 20 minutes couldn’t undo the damage done in the first 20.

"We had such a slow start in the first period that it cost us later on," center Brayden Point said.

The Islanders held on for a 5-3 win Saturday night to snap the Lightning’s season-high five-game .

It was the first regulation loss for Tampa Bay (15-3-2) since Oct. 28 against the Ducks. It was the first regulation loss for goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy since Oct. 7. He entered the game with a 13-0-1 record in his previous 14 starts.

The Islanders (11-6-2) have now recorded road wins over Nashville, St. Louis and Tampa Bay.

"Give the Islanders a little bit of credit," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "They came in here to win a game."

The Lightning, off to the best start in franchise history, should expect that every game. Having the best record in the league tends to bring out the best in its opponents.

"Everybody is going to have their A-game in this building," Gourde said. "We have to expect that, and we have to have a good start and slow them down, make them realize the are ready to play, and we are going to play that way for 60 minutes."

But they weren’t.

A turnover by Point on the first shift of the game led to Andrew Ladd’s goal 51 seconds into the period.

Anders Lee scored the first of his two goals 10 minutes later, and New York appeared on its way to an easy night.

"I think we thought it was a midweek game and it started at 7:30 (p.m.)," Cooper said.

It was not. Puck drop was just after 7. The Lightning trailed by two goals by 7:30.

The Lightning was a step too slow or a step too late or made one pass too many.

"We were off," Cooper said. "We just felt off."

For a snapshot of that, look no further than Point’s scoring chance late in the second. With the Islanders on the power play, Point got the puck behind the Islanders defense and skated in alone on goalie Thomas Greiss. But his chance for a shorthanded goal that would give the Lightning momentum heading into the second intermission disappeared when he couldn’t get his blade cleanly on the puck.

The Islanders’ top line of John Tavares, Josh Bailey and Lee had five goals and eight points.

"We didn’t do our job," said Palat, who, along with Point and Gourde was matched against the Islanders’ top scoring line.

Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, one-two in the league in scoring, were held scoreless for just the third time this season.

Lee’s second goal of the game came early in the third with the Islanders still on the power play and snapped the Lightning’s streak of 19 straight successful penalty kills.

Even with the top line coming up empty, the Lightning had a chance. Vasilevskiy saw to that, stoning the Islanders after Lee’s power-play goal made it 4-0.

But the Lightning couldn’t overcome its poor start against a team that has developed the knack for big wins on the road.

"They’re a good team. We just came out a little flat," Palat said. "They were skating better, first period. Our game got better as the game went on, but it was too late."