SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 03/12/17 1052269 Ducks to celebrate 10-year anniversary of 1052307 Rielly scores in OT, Maple Leafs down Canes 3-2 title 1052270 What you need to know: Late keeps Ducks from Blackhawks prosperous road trip 1052308 Tomas Jurco trying to adjust to Blackhawks — and shed 1052271 Miller: In '07 Cup run, Ducks were much more than bad habits champs 1052309 Fight, goal make for eventful night for Trevor van 1052272 In hosting NHL’s best, Ducks bring back the team that was Riemsdyk vs. Red Wings at the top 1052310 Sunday's matchup: Wild at Blackhawks 1052311 Proper nutrition key to survival during grueling NHL season 1052274 Arizona Coyotes narrowly hold off after 1052312 Blackhawks' DeBrincat heating up with Erie Otters wild third 1052313 Confidence is everything, and Nick Schmaltz now has 1052275 Arizona Coyotes' Oliver Ekman-Larsson expects to plenty of it rebound from 'off' season 1052276 Coyotes hang on for wild win over Devils 1052277 Morgan: Coyotes need the right location to succeed — it’s 1052314 Frei: Colorado Avalanche to bid farewell to Joe Louis not Glendale Arena in Detroit 1052315 Rene Bourque wants to play next season … somewhere 1052316 Matt Duchene dropped to third line; Avalanche’s win 1052278 How this Acton-based company designed an at-home streak ends at two skate sharpener 1052317 Former Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson sets mark 1052279 Matt Beleskey brings punch to Bruins’ lineup in win over Colorado 1052280 Drew Stafford’s goal in waning seconds helps Bruins beat Flyers 1052281 Resurgent Bruins will try to keep up recent pace in 1052318 Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3 | Jackets score twice on power matinee vs. Flyers play 1052282 Bruins beat Flyers with goal in game's final seconds 1052319 Blue Jackets | Saad, Bjorkstrand blur the lines 1052283 Bruins take on desperate Flyers today 1052320 Blue Jackets | Zach Werenski in select group with 40 1052284 Better late than never for Bruins in 2-1 win against Flyers points 1052285 Tuukka Rask busy early, cruises late in Bruins’ 2-1 win 1052321 Sabres 5, Blue Jackets 3 | Jackets fortunate in loss 1052286 Bruins notebook: Drew Stafford continues hot streak since 1052287 BERGERON: 'IT WOULD BE DISAPPOINTING' IF NHL 1052322 Breaking down the NHL Expansion Draft: Which Stars are ISN'T IN 2018 OLYMPICS protected, the players most likely heading to Vegas 1052288 SATURDAY, MARCH 11: A PAW SAVE AND A BEAUTY 1052323 Stars head west for late rendezvous with playoff-bound 1052289 PLAYOFF PICTURE GETTING INTERESTING; Sharks CANADIENS IN BRUINS' FUTURE? 1052290 BELESKEY BRINGS THE ENERGY IN RETURN TO BRUINS LINEUP 1052324 Red Wings goaltending delivering; can rest of team follow 1052291 STAFFORD'S SOLID, PRODUCTIVE PLAY MAKING suit? BRUINS A BIG DEADLINE WINNER 1052325 How to watch tonight's Detroit Red Wings-New York 1052292 STAFFORD'S GOAL IN FINAL SECONDS GIVES Rangers game BRUINS 2-1 WIN OVER FLYERS 1052326 Mrazek says he’ll start for Red Wings Sunday 1052327 Refreshed Petr Mrazek returns for Red Wings vs. Rangers; Anthony Mantha, too? 1052293 Sabres, Deslauriers fight back for surprising victory 1052328 Jimmy Howard sharp in return to Red Wings 1052294 Quick hits: Sabres 5, Blue Jackets 3 1052329 ‘Really good' Mantha learns from benching 1052295 Mike Harrington: Players don't deserve say on Bylsma 1052296 Sabres Notebook: Bailey moving; home-and-home records 1052330 Terry Jones: Oilers-Penguins extravaganza shows 1052297 Five Things to Know as Sabres host Blue Jackets big-game NHL hockey is back in Edmonton 1052298 Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings 1052331 Terry Jones: Oilers embrace playoff intensity in loss to 1052299 Inside the NHL: We love this league and it drives us nuts Penguins 1052300 Inside the Sabres: D-lemma; Kane's year; granting Cal's 1052332 Game Day: Oilers vs Canadiens wish 1052333 Fans were into game against Penguins 1052334 Mixed emotions for David Desharnais playing against Canadiens 1052301 Hamilton a 'game time decision' as Flames try to extend 1052335 Oilers a much better team with Kris Russell in the lineup win streak to nine 1052302 Flames extend win streak to nine games with win against Jets 1052336 Jonathan Marchessault a bright spot in disappointing 1052303 Hamilton "lucky" in return to Flames following skate blade Florida Panthers season scare 1052337 Physical Lightning beat Panthers with late goal, put 1052304 Hamilton a 'game time decision' as Flames try to extend another dent in Florida’s playoff hopes winning steak 1052338 Wounded Lightning deal Panthers a crushing 3-2 loss 1052305 Hamilton injury could have been much worse 1052306 Flames extend win streak to nine games 1052339 Kings reignite their playoff hopes with win over Capitals, 4- 1052380 Senators take over first place in division after beating 2 Avalanche 1052340 Rookie Paul LaDue is making himself at home as Kings 1052381 Couch Potato: Boucher sitting pretty as coach of first- make their playoff push place Senators 1052341 Kings get crucial win over 1052382 Mark Stone joins long Senators injury list 1052342 Kings’ Drew Doughty caught in limbo awaiting NHL’s 1052383 Gameday: Ottawa Senators versus Colorado Avalanche Olympics decision 1052343 THE KINGS: NOT SCOREBOARD WATCHERS 1052344 MARCH 11 MORNING SKATE QUOTES: DARRYL 1052384 Late blunder costs Flyers in devastating loss in Boston SUTTER 1052385 Five things to know today about the Flyers as they meet 1052345 MARCH 11 MORNING SKATE NOTES: QUICK Bruins EXPECTED TO START; GRAVEL COULD PLAY 1052386 Third-period passiveness dooms the Flyers 1052346 March 11 postgame notes 1052387 AN 'UNFORTUNATE MISTAKE' COSTS FLYERS IN 1052347 March 11 postgame quotes: Martinez, Kempe DEVASTATING LOSS TO BRUINS 1052348 March 11 postgame quotes: Washington 1052388 INSTANT REPLAY: BRUINS 2, FLYERS 1 1052349 March 11 postgame quotes: 1052389 FLYERS-BRUINS 5 THINGS: LATEST IN LONG LINE OF 1052350 March 11 postgame quotes: LoVerde and Herr MUST-WIN GAMES 1052351 March 11 postgame quotes: Mike Stothers 1052390 3 things to watch in Game 67: Flyers at Bruins 1052352 Game 67: Los Angeles vs Washington 1052391 Bad bounce, tough call has Flyers needing help 1052353 Game 55: Tucson 5, Reign 4 + postgame notes/video 1052392 Brandon Manning’s gaffe will sting for a while 1052354 Stiff challenge tonight for a team in dire need of points Wild 1052393 Three periods: NHL scoring race crowded at the top 1052355 NHL Insider: Wild GM Chuck Fletcher weighs in on offside 1052394 Penguins notebook: Murray gets start in calls debate 1052395 Murray sharp as Penguins down Canucks, 3-0, for fifth 1052356 Wild-Chicago game preview consecutive victory 1052357 Wild has more to gain than pride with a defeat of 1052396 Penguins beat Canucks 3-0 for fifth consecutive win Blackhawks 1052397 The art of blocking shots in the NHL takes guts and brains 1052358 ready for Round 4 with rival Blackhawks 1052398 Ron Cook: Penguins can't win a Stanley Cup title without Kris Letang 1052359 What the Puck: Without Carey Price, Habs are going nowhere 1052399 Sharks vs. Predators pregame: Three keys for San Jose 1052360 Canadiens at Oilers: Five things you should know 1052400 Second period dooms Sharks in 3-1 loss to Predators 1052361 Canadiens Notebook: Carey Price and Alexander Radulov 1052401 Sharks cooled off by Predators healthy to face Oilers 1052402 NHL GAMEDAY: COUTURE HEATING UP AS SHARKS 1052362 Stu Cowan: Canadiens continuing to fight flu in locker HOST PREDS room 1052403 Sharks fail to match Nashville's desperation in 3-1 home loss 1052404 Instant Replay: Sharks fall victim to Predators, lose at 1052363 Predators snap skid with 3-1 win over Sharks home New Jersey Devils St Louis Blues 1052364 Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane, an M.V.P., Is Still Looking to 1052405 Blues make lineup changes for showdown with Islanders Improve 1052406 Blue Notes: Weight helps get Islanders into playoff hunt 1052365 Devils comeback falls short in 5-4 loss to Coyotes for 10th 1052407 Blues Insider: NHL points system is a topic for debate straight defeat | Rapid reaction 1052408 Tarasenko, Blues extend winning streak to four 1052366 Coyotes 5, Devils 4: Reaction from this latest loss 1052367 Fire and Ice Live Blog: 'Yotes top Devils, 5-4 1052368 Pietila gets his chance to impress Devils' brass 1052409 Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy quickly shows he deserves to be 1052369 Devils rally but lose 10th straight, 5-4, to Coyotes Lightning's No. 1 1052370 Devils’ crazy comeback only translates into 10th straight 1052410 Lightning up next: Panthers fall to Wild for seventh loss in loss past eight games 1052411 Lightning tops Panthers 1052412 Lightning journal: Rookies face bigger roles in key week 1052371 Vladimir Tarasenko too much for Islanders to handle in 1052413 Yanni Gourde's first NHL goal 'surreal moment' loss to Blues 1052372 Islanders fall out of playoff spot after road trip ends with thud 1052414 Leafs start trip with OT win over Hurricanes 1052373 Islanders coach Doug Weight puts Scott Mayfield in lineup 1052415 Despite modest scoring slump, stopping Matthews a for a hometown game vs. St. Louis priority for 'Canes 1052374 Islanders lose to Blues to close their nine-game road trip 1052416 Maple Leafs vs. Hurricanes: Everything you need to know 1052417 Appreciation for Carolina rookie Sebastian Aho 1052418 Leafs' Rielly scores OT winner in Carolina 1052375 Henrik Lundqvist to miss at least two weeks with hip injury, 1052419 Connor McDavid outshines but Edmonton Rangers announce Oilers end up on the short end in shootout loss to Pittsbu 1052376 Rangers suddenly will go where Antti Raanta takes them 1052420 ’s overtime goal lifts Toronto Maple Leafs 1052377 Rangers getting back two key offensive pieces past Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 for third straight win 1052378 Brendan Smith’s final game at Joe Louis Arena will be emotional 1052379 Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist out 2-3 weeks with lower-body injury, team says Vancouver Canucks 1052437 Jeff Paterson: Sbisa’s Canuck days could soon turn to Knights 1052438 MacIntyre’s Thoughts: Cannibal media, the analytics altar and a game of poetry 1052439 Penguins 3 Canucks 0: Miller’s best not enough to bail out hapless home squad 1052440 Ed Willes: Canucks’ youth being served up 1052421 NHL’s comes to Coyotes’ defense on new arena bid Washington Capitals 1052422 Tom Wilson is ‘playing hockey,’ and is getting rewarded by a move up the lineup 1052423 Capitals’ losing streak reaches three after 4-2 loss to Kings 1052424 Capitals’ West Coast slump continues 1052425 GAME 66: CAPITALS AT KINGS DATE, TIME, HOW TO WATCH, GAME THREAD 1052426 CAPS LOSE THIRD STRAIGHT IN REGULATION FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2015 1052427 3 BOLD PREDICTIONS: CAPS FACE KINGS IN THE CITY OF ANGELS Websites 1052441 .ca / Miller’s heroics not enough to bail out Canucks vs. Penguins 1052442 Sportsnet.ca / Flames’ Mikael Backlund picking up steam in Selke conversation 1052444 Sportsnet.ca / Ron & Don: Malkin was right to answer call against Wheeler 1052445 Sportsnet.ca / Friedman on NHL Olympic negotiations: ‘It’s a stalemate’ 1052446 Sportsnet.ca / How blocking has taken Erik Karlsson’s game to a whole new level 1052447 TSN.CA / Andersen helps Leafs earn desperately needed two points 1052428 Chiarot game-time decision against hot Flames 1052429 Tonight: Jets vs Flames 1052430 Jets paying since Frolik left 1052431 Albertans lay a hurtin' on struggling Jets, Flames win 3-0 1052432 Jets and Flames headed in opposite directions 1052433 Jets Patrik Laine: 'I need to get my game to my best level. I need to be a better player.' 1052434 Playoff hopes dying, Jets hope to learn from meaningful games 1052435 Jets trying to learn 1052436 Flames hammer lackluster Jets SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1052269 Anaheim Ducks Washington has won six straight games at Honda Center dating to the Ducks’ last home win in 2002.

Ducks to celebrate 10-year anniversary of Stanley Cup title LA Times: LOADED: 03.12.2017

Curtis Zupke

Jean-Sebastien Giguere doesn’t have to open the safe deposit box — where he keeps his Stanley Cup ring — and slip it on his finger to remind him of that glorious spring. His son, Maxime, is the figurative string around his finger. “My son always reminds me, ‘It’s been eight years since you won the Cup. It’s been nine years since you won the Cup,’ ” Giguere said. Maxime would know. He was born in April of 2007, when his goalie father and the Ducks were on their way to winning California’s first Cup. The Gigueres have a photo of baby Maxime sitting in the venerable trophy. “He’s very proud that he has a picture right in the Cup,” Giguere said. “He’s so small. He fit right in there.” The same could be said of that 2007 team. Rarely did pieces of a hockey team fit so snugly in place as the Ducks, who will hold the 10-year anniversary before Sunday’s game against the Washington Capitals at Honda Center. A majority of that ’07 team is expected to attend the 4:30 p.m. ceremony, from Scott Niedermayer, and Teemu Selanne to critical role players such as Samuel Pahlsson. Also expected is former Ducks general manager , the builder of what some opine might be the best team to ever win the Cup. His acquisition of Pronger from the Edmonton Oilers was the final piece after Pronger gave the Ducks fits in the previous season’s Western Conference final. “The one thing that you learn about coaches — you have to have the horses,” Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said. “You show [me] any championship team, they’ve got horses.” From the starting gate, the Ducks oozed confidence. They began the season 27-4-6, and at one Carlyle said out loud what many of them were thinking. “The message was to the players that, in my history in playing the game and my knowledge in playing the game, this might be the best team that they every get to play with,” Carlyle said. Carlyle, rehired in June nearly 10 years after he guided the ’07 team, also said the strength of that club lied in its resiliency. The Ducks lost Game 3 of the conference final to the Detroit Red Wings, 5-0, then won the next three games to close out the series. Pronger served two one- game suspensions during the playoffs and the Ducks won both games. The Ducks had a premier shutdown line of Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and Travis Moen. , and Dustin Penner comprised the second line. Under Burke’s philosophy of pugnaciousness, the Ducks led the NHL in fighting. “The easiest way I can explain it is, we could play any way you wanted, we could play any way we wanted,” Pronger said. Looking back, Pronger said the team had special makeup that’s difficult to achieve in today’s salary-cap era. “They’re hard to build,” Pronger said. “As you’ve seen, as soon as you build them, they’re being pulled apart pretty quick. For some to stand the test the time says a lot.” Time wasn’t very kind in the postscript to that Cup. Concussions forced top-line center Andy McDonald to retire in 2013. Pronger left the game following head and eye injuries. But all are tied to that Cup-clinching moment on June 6, 2007. Giguere had gone through a personal ordeal when Maxime needed surgery to correct a deformed right eye upon his birth. Giguere missed the beginning of the playoffs in one of the toughest times of his life that’s eased each time he coaches Maxime. “He’s a healthy 10-year-old boy,” Giguere said. “He’s a goalie.” Update: Ducks center Antoine Vermette will return from a 10-game suspension for abuse of an official. The Ducks went 5-5 in his absence after Friday’s loss but returned goalie John Gibson from injury. 1052270 Anaheim Ducks

What you need to know: Late goal keeps Ducks from prosperous road trip

March 11, 2017 Updated 12:58 p.m. By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER

Here’s what you need to know about the Ducks’ 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night: - A back-and-forth contest saw the Ducks failed to get a much-needed point when it seemed as if they were bound to force overtime. - “It’s tough. It was a hard-fought game. We really felt like we were the better team in the third period. We were so close many times. Yeah, this one [stinks] right now.” – Ducks forward Rickard Rakell - . The Blues’ second-line center had an assist on Ryan Reaves’s goal in the second period that tied the game and scored 25 seconds into the third to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead. Stastny also finished with a plus-4 rating. Joel Edmundson scored off a pass from defense partner Robert Bortuzzo with 20 seconds left to snap a 3-3 tie and lift St. Louis to the dramatic win. The two have teamed for three goals and 15 assists in 80 combined games. - It was a surprise to see John Gibson take the net after Ducks coach Randy Carlyle had proclaimed that his No. 1 goalie would not play either game of the short road trip. In prior days, Carlyle essentially put the ball in Gibson’s court as far as leaving it up to the netminder to tell him that he was ready to go after missing six games due to a lower-body muscle strain. Gibson has dealt with groin issues in the past so there was legitimate concern, especially since the Ducks have leaned heavily on him in the second half of the season and he has delivered in large part. It didn’t look good when Vladimir Tarasenko scored seconds after the national anthem ended but Gibson held up throughout, making some big saves along the way even as he got beat for goals in the first and last minute of the third that would prove decisive. The main thing is that Gibson stays healthy. Jonathan Bernier has done some solid work overall and the veteran was brilliant Friday night in Chicago. But the Ducks’ long-term prospects for this season will ride on Gibson. His health is going to be essential in that. - John Gibson played his first game since Feb. 20 at Arizona after missing the last six contests because of a lower-body muscle strain. Gibson made 27 saves and allowed all four goals. The Ducks sent Jhonas Enroth back to San Diego (AHL). - Blues defenseman did not play in the third period due to an undisclosed injury. St. Louis coach Mike Yeo told reporters that he would be questionable to play Saturday against the New York Islanders. THE DRESSING ROOM - "To lose the game with under 20 seconds to go, it's very disappointing on the road. We battled back in the hockey game, and coming off a back- to-back where [Thursday] night in and coming in here, this is going to be a tough game. So that's extremely disappointing. We didn't really get any reward. Even a point would have been a big difference immensely for us." – Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told NHL.com - “I think we were just motivated throughout the whole game. We know that there’s only going to be tough games like this until the end of the season. We like playing these kinds of games. I think this is a tough one but we just have to put it behind us and start thinking about the next one.” – Rickard Rakell - "I think I just saw some space. I think [Stastny] was yelling, 'Skate it!' as opposed to just ripping it up to a guy standing still. So I took the ice and we were able to squeak by and make a play.” – Robert Bortuzzo to NHL.com - "Me and Bortuzzo did a little regrouping. He rushed it all the way down to the corner and we made eye contact. He just sauced it across the ice and I was lucky enough to bury it." – Joel Edmundson to NHL.com

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052271 Anaheim Ducks He’d quiz them on what player wore what number, ask for final-score predictions before each game and mark every Ducks goal with hugs and high-fives. Miller: In '07 Cup run, Ducks were much more than champs “It was hard to balance,” Barnard says. “How do you put all the attention you need into Emily’s disorder and still give the other kids the attention they need? Ducks hockey is how we did that. March 11, 2017 Updated 11:51 p.m. “It guaranteed us 3 1/2 hours of family time every night. It took us away By JEFF MILLER / STAFF COLUMNIST from talking about Rett syndrome and doctors appointments.” [email protected] Game 5 of the finals was going to be the family’s most spirited gathering yet, Barnard sure the team would beat the Senators and secure the Cup.

A season-ticket holder, he wouldn’t be at Honda Center because, on that ANAHEIM - They won their first three playoff games, five in a row during particular night, his brother, David, had the two seats they shared with another stretch and seven of eight at the end. their parents. They won with emphasis, the 2006-07 Ducks did, clinching the Then, the phone rang. It was the Ducks, Bryson offering four tickets that franchise’s only title with a 6-2 wipeout of Ottawa in the Game 5 finale at had become available through the team’s ownership with the single home. stipulation that they go to someone deserving. They won with feeling, too, and with desire and with purpose. Yeah, “That was an easy decision,” Bryson says. “That was a fun phone call to especially with purpose. make.” Because when it was over, those Ducks had lifted a whole lot more than Barnard, his two older daughters and the girls’ mother, Jennifer, attended just the Stanley Cup. the game. “It was almost like that team became our family,” Eric Barnard says now. Afterward, he returned home, held Emily in his arms and told her all “They had no clue who we were, but we knew them. Those guys had no about the Ducks’ triumph, it mattering not one bit that she was still idea they went on a journey with us, but they did.” asleep. On Sunday, the Ducks will commemorate the 10th anniversary of their “As busy as the team must have been, how do they remember a family championship by playing in front of the third of Barnard’s four daughters like ours five months later?” Barnard still wonders. “It was just above and for the first time. beyond.” It will be Emily’s debut, all right. But this 12-year-old has experienced far So now, 10 years later, Emily is ready for her Ducks debut. She has one too much to be considered a rookie. metal rod in her spine and another in her neck. She has pins holding together a femur she broke falling out of bed. She has a seizure monitor A decade ago, she had just begun to battle a disorder that eventually implanted in her shoulder and a feeding tube in her stomach. would take her ability to walk, to talk, to swallow and to use her hands. “She always gets the same thing to eat,” Barnard explains. “But if it’s The seizures would number each day into the hundreds. The scoliosis night, we call it steak. If it’s in the morning, we call it bacon and eggs.” would become severe enough to impact her internal organs. The monitor she’s connected to every night, the one checking her oxygen levels and As a treat, as something to taste, Emily is hand-fed tiny bits of Goldfish pulse, rarely sits silent for long. or, her absolute favorite, McDonald’s French fries. And, yet, Emily’s story - and the journey this family survived with the She smiles a lot, at her grandpa, when Mickey Mouse appears on TV, Ducks serving as therapeutic distraction - will be celebrated Sunday as when her little sister, Brooklyn, crawls into her bed and reads aloud. Eric much as every moment the team recognizes in its Honda Center and Jennifer are now divorced, but Emily smiles at her stepmother, ceremony. Shayne, as well. “She has taught us so much,” Barnard says. “What’s important in life. “She’s in there,” Barnard says. “Sometimes, it just takes a little while to What real strength is. What real power is all about.” come out.” He figured her favorite player had to be Scott Niedermayer, this father In the family’s Mission Viejo home hangs that Niedermayer jersey, also reasoning that the Ducks’ quiet would be the one most likely framed. His autograph is on the back, on the “7” in “27,” along with the embraced by a little girl about to lose her speech forever to a inscription “Your friend…” neurological disease called Rett syndrome. Friend? For the Barnards, Niedermayer and those Ducks were so much So, when the team auctioned game-worn jerseys for charity, Barnard more than that. decided he’d bid on Niedermayer’s until the total reached $700. He ultimately did win the jersey. With an offer of $1,400. “Once I was in, I was in,” Barnard says. “I remember thinking, ‘I just have Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.12.2017 to have this.’ ” Early in the 2006-07 season, a letter from the family landed on the desk of Jesse Bryson, who has worked in community relations for the Ducks for 14 years. It detailed Emily’s situation, how Rett syndrome has no known cure and certainly no heart, how the condition is so insidious that, the first time he looked it up on the internet before Emily had been diagnosed, Barnard thought, “Please don’t let it be this.” “It sounded terrifying,” Bryson recalls. “I couldn’t even get my head around it. Here’s this adorable little 2-year-old. Knowing that this was what was in front of her was devastating.” The letter included one request: Niedermayer’s signature on that jersey. In January, the Barnards visited a Ducks practice, met the team’s captain and took a photo, Niedermayer wrapping his right arm wrapped around Eric and Emily. Over the next five months, the Ducks would win the Pacific Division and then eliminate Minnesota, Vancouver and Detroit before brushing aside Ottawa, never once facing as much as a Game 7. Every moment of the team’s Stanley Cup run poured into the Barnards’ living room, Eric watching on television, almost always with his two older daughters, Breanna and Cori. 1052272 Anaheim Ducks Silfverberg, a core two-way player whom the Ducks will work to get protected from this summer’s expansion list, is signed through 2019.

“He’s playing huge for us,” Rakell told Prime Ticket. “It feels like he’s In hosting NHL’s best, Ducks bring back the team that was at the top creating something every shift he’s out there. The way he’s holding on to the puck and creating scoring chances for the team, he’s really stepped it up.” By Eric Stephens, [email protected], @icemancometh on

POSTED: 03/11/17, 12:01 AM PST | UPDATED: # COMMENTS LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.12.2017

As they set to host the NHL’s top team today, the Ducks are also turning back the clock to when they climbed the Stanley Cup mountain and looked over the rest of the league. The Ducks are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Cup triumph by bringing back the majority of that team, which some have called one of the greatest assembled in league history. It went 16-5 in the 2007 playoffs, never needing to play a Game 7 to win a series. “Can’t wait,” said Teemu Selanne, whose No. 8 is retired and continues to attend Ducks home games. “I’m so excited. I haven’t seen most of the guys for a long, long time. It’s going to be a great weekend. “We did something so special together. It will be great to get together and celebrate the 10-year anniversary with them and with Ducks fans.” Scott Niedermayer, who captained the title team, and Todd Marchant have taken on other roles in the Ducks organization. Two current players, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, are still playing for the team while Francois Beauchemin, , Shawn Thornton and Drew Miller are also still active NHL players. The Ducks started 2006-07 with a 12-0-4 record, earning a point in 16 straight games that stands today as an NHL record to open a season. And they never faced an elimination game in that postseason. “Confidence was a big thing that year,” said Thornton, who won another Cup with Boston in 2011. “Any time you have Scotty Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and Teemu, these guys that have been there before. Scotty especially just put a quiet confidence into everybody and you feed off it. “He’s probably the greatest hockey player I’ve ever played with. When you know he’s out there on the ice, more times than not you’re going to have a ton of success.” The Ducks have watched their crosstown rival Kings win the Cup twice in the years since but they retain the distinction of being the first NHL team from the state of California to claim the Stanley Cup and the first West Coast-based outfit since the 1925 Victoria Cougars. Before the Ducks face Washington for a 6:30 p.m. puck drop, the Ducks will have several events for ticket holders and the public to meet and greet with the Cup team. •A 10-year celebration rally with Ducks season-ticket holders at Honda Center will take place in Lot 1 from 2 p.m.-2:30 p.m. •Fans can also meet with players, obtain pictures and autographs at Lot 1 from 2:45 p.m.-4 p.m. •The 10th year Stanley Cup anniversary celebration ceremony will be on the Honda Center ice from 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. The Ducks took Saturday off after playing on back-to-back nights, winning in Chicago and losing in St. Louis. The Ducks can welcome back Antoine Vermette into their lineup if they choose to dress him against the Capitals as the veteran finished serving his 10-game suspension for his slash of an official on Feb. 14. Ducks coach Randy Carlyle figures to take advantage of Vermette’s versatility as well his outstanding faceoff skills. Carlyle has put Rickard Rakell back on wing with Ryan Getzlaf and Patrick Eaves while moving Nate Thompson up to center the third line. Vermette could move back to third-line center and push Thompson back to the fourth line but could also operate on left wing as he has done in the past. Vermette has won 62.4 percent of his faceoffs this season while also contributing eight goals and 14 assists in 58 games. It isn’t clear if Nick Ritchie will be able to play after staying home from the two-game road trip to deal with symptoms from a “whiplash” effect Carlyle said occurred on a hit late in Tuesday’s win over Nashville. Jakob Silfverberg’s 19th goal of the season Friday not only put him one off last season’s career best but it gave him 40 points, marking a new personal best for the right wing. 1052273 Anaheim Ducks He’d quiz them on what player wore what number, ask for final-score predictions before each game and mark every Ducks goal with hugs and high-fives. Miller: In ‘07 Cup run, Ducks were much more than champs “It was hard to balance,” Barnard says. “How do you put all the attention you need into Emily’s disorder and still give the other kids the attention they need? Ducks hockey is how we did that. By Jeff Miller, [email protected],, @jeffmillerOCR on Twitter “It guaranteed us 3 1/2 hours of family time every night. It took us away POSTED: 03/11/17, 10:11 PM PST | UPDATED: 37 SECS AGO # from talking about Rett syndrome and doctors appointments.” COMMENTS Game 5 of the finals was going to be the family’s most spirited gathering yet, Barnard sure the team would beat the Senators and secure the Cup. ANAHEIM >> They won their first three playoff games, five in a row A season-ticket holder, he wouldn’t be at Honda Center because, on that during another stretch and seven of eight at the end. particular night, his brother, David, had the two seats they shared with their parents. They won with emphasis, the 2006-07 Ducks did, clinching the franchise’s only title with a 6-2 wipeout of Ottawa in the Game 5 finale at Then, the phone rang. It was the Ducks, Bryson offering four tickets that home. had become available through the team’s ownership with the single stipulation that they go to someone deserving. They won with feeling, too, and with desire and with purpose. Yeah, especially with purpose. “That was an easy decision,” Bryson says. “That was a fun phone call to make.” Because when it was over, those Ducks had lifted a whole lot more than just the Stanley Cup. Barnard, his two older daughters and the girls’ mother, Jennifer, attended the game. “It was almost like that team became our family,” Eric Barnard says now. “They had no clue who we were, but we knew them. Those guys had no Afterward, he returned home, held Emily in his arms and told her all idea they went on a journey with us, but they did.” about the Ducks’ triumph, it mattering not one bit that she was still asleep. On Sunday, the Ducks will commemorate the 10th anniversary of their championship by playing in front of the third of Barnard’s four daughters “As busy as the team must have been, how do they remember a family for the first time. like ours five months later?” Barnard still wonders. “It was just above and beyond.” It will be Emily’s debut, all right. But this 12-year-old has experienced far too much to be considered a rookie. So now, 10 years later, Emily is ready for her Ducks debut. She has one metal rod in her spine and another in her neck. She has pins holding A decade ago, she had just begun to battle a disorder that eventually together a femur she broke falling out of bed. She has a seizure monitor would take her ability to walk, to talk, to swallow and to use her hands. implanted in her shoulder and a feeding tube in her stomach. The seizures would number each day into the hundreds. The scoliosis “She always gets the same thing to eat,” Barnard explains. “But if it’s would become severe enough to impact her internal organs. The monitor night, we call it steak. If it’s in the morning, we call it bacon and eggs.” she’s connected to every night, the one checking her oxygen levels and pulse, rarely sits silent for long. As a treat, as something to taste, Emily is hand-fed tiny bits of Goldfish or, her absolute favorite, McDonald’s French fries. And, yet, Emily’s story - and the journey this family survived with the Ducks serving as therapeutic distraction - will be celebrated Sunday as She smiles a lot, at her grandpa, when Mickey Mouse appears on TV, much as every moment the team recognizes in its Honda Center when her little sister, Brooklyn, crawls into her bed and reads aloud. Eric ceremony. and Jennifer are now divorced, but Emily smiles at her stepmother, Shayne, as well. “She has taught us so much,” Barnard says. “What’s important in life. What real strength is. What real power is all about.” “She’s in there,” Barnard says. “Sometimes, it just takes a little while to come out.” He figured her favorite player had to be Scott Niedermayer, this father reasoning that the Ducks’ quiet captain would be the one most likely On her desk, Bryson still keeps a photo of Emily, in a frame the Barnards embraced by a little girl about to lose her speech forever to a gave her as a thank you, a frame engraved with a heart. neurological disease called Rett syndrome. In the family’s Mission Viejo home hangs that Niedermayer jersey, also So, when the team auctioned game-worn jerseys for charity, Barnard framed. His autograph is on the back, on the “7” in “27,” along with the decided he’d bid on Niedermayer’s until the total reached $700. He inscription “Your friend…” ultimately did win the jersey. With an offer of $1,400. Friend? For the Barnards, Niedermayer and those Ducks were so much “Once I was in, I was in,” Barnard says. “I remember thinking, ‘I just have more than that. to have this.’ ”

Early in the 2006-07 season, a letter from the family landed on the desk of Jesse Bryson, who has worked in community relations for the Ducks LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.12.2017 for 14 years. It detailed Emily’s situation, how Rett syndrome has no known cure and certainly no heart, how the condition is so insidious that, the first time he looked it up on the internet before Emily had been diagnosed, Barnard thought, “Please don’t let it be this.” “It sounded terrifying,” Bryson recalls. “I couldn’t even get my head around it. Here’s this adorable little 2-year-old. Knowing that this was what was in front of her was devastating.” The letter included one request: Niedermayer’s signature on that jersey. In January, the Barnards visited a Ducks practice, met the team’s captain and took a photo, Niedermayer wrapping his right arm wrapped around Eric and Emily. Over the next five months, the Ducks would win the Pacific Division and then eliminate Minnesota, Vancouver and Detroit before brushing aside Ottawa, never once facing as much as a Game 7. Every moment of the team’s Stanley Cup run poured into the Barnards’ living room, Eric watching on television, almost always with his two older daughters, Breanna and Cori. 1052274 Arizona Coyotes And a reminder that the team is still learning how to protect a lead and seal a win without requiring a photo finish.

“A win is a win,” Rieder said. “That’s how we see it, but obviously we still Arizona Coyotes narrowly hold off New Jersey Devils after wild third gotta get better at game management. We gotta close that game out way earlier, and that’s one area we gotta work on.” Sarah McLellan , azcentral sports Published 8:57 p.m. MT March 11, Key player 2017 | Updated 3 hours ago Coyotes defenseman Anthony DeAngelo scored the game-winner and added an assist. Devils winger moved in on the puck from deep in his own Key moment zone, gaining speed before nudging it ahead and then cradling it back Goalie Mike Smith stopped a penalty shot from Devils winger Taylor Hall and forth, again and again. at 17:22 of the third period to preserve a 5-4 lead for the Coyotes. Once he reached the top of the circles, he made a slight fake before Key number going with a five-hole shot that bounced off Coyotes goalie Mike Smith with just 2:38 remaining in the third period. 2 power-play goals by the Coyotes in three tries. A late-game penalty shot for New Jersey probably would have seemed View from the press box irrelevant at the beginning of the second period when Arizona was in control and commanding a four-goal lead, but the save ended up helping Although it may have been overshadowed by a frenzied finish, the power the Coyotes eke out a 5-4 win over the Devils Saturday at Gila River play’s contributions early in the game were vital for a unit that had been Arena as their early cushion continued to shrink. stuck in a rut. Arizona was 3-for-40 before defenseman Jakob Chychrun’s tally, and the Coyotes added a second on a blistering wrist “It was a lot closer than I would have liked,” coach said, “but shot by winger Brendan Perlini to rediscover a rhythm that had been take the win.” missing. Poor zone entries, not enough shots and just a simple lack of execution had foiled the unit throughout the past three-plus weeks, but The Coyotes built a four-goal head start by the early part of the second perhaps all it takes is a showing like this to stick to a workable blueprint. period.

Winger tallied his team-leading 16th goal just 1:27 into the first when he buried a feed from winger Max Domi by Devils goalie Cory Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.12.2017 Schneider. The goal moved Vrbata into sole possession of eighth place on the franchise’s all-time goals list at 153. Only 1:26 later, the Coyotes went up 2-0 when winger Tobias Rieder roofed a setup from center Jordan Martinook for his 15th goal of the season, which established a career high. “It feels good,” Rieder said. “I feel like I could have reached that a little earlier, though, but sometimes they go in. Sometimes they don’t.” Arizona’s power play then took over with defenseman Jakob Chychrun converting from the slot at 18:25 after pinching up into the play. “Chych’s done a good job most of the year jumping in the play and coming in late,” Tippett said. “He’s got that speed he can beat people up the ice.” Later, winger Brendan Perlini added a fourth 3:59 into the second on an impressive wrist shot that was his 12th goal and second in as many games. Schneider was replaced after that by Keith Kinkaid, who finished with 20 saves while Schneider had just six. “Perlini, he can shoot the puck,” Tippett said. “He got a hold of that one.” The power-play unit went 2-for-3, snapping out of a funk that had it go 3- for-40 over its previous 13 games and its first try Saturday. But that edge slowly started to disappear; Devils winger Kyle Palmieri had a redirect on the power play at 5:47 for the Devils’ lone extra-man goal in two chances. And then winger Beau Bennett pounced on a turnover at 12:09. Defenseman Damon Severson’s point shot wove through traffic only 17 seconds into the third. “We made some mistakes to allow them back in the game,” Tippett said. “Smitty made a mistake with puckhandling (that led to the Devils’ power play), and then we made a poor turnover in front of him and all of a sudden it’s a 4-2 game. It’s a different game.” Arizona scored a crucial insurance goal with 6:29 to go when defenseman Anthony DeAngelo patiently waited to wire a shot from the high slot. “They were scrambling a bit, so I had some time,” DeAngelo said. “It worked out.” Soon, though, the goal sat as the game-winner because Devils defenseman John Moore lifted a backhander over Smith at 15:02. And that slim lead was put in jeopardy after Luke Schenn got his stick in Hall’s hands as he skated in on Smith solo, signaling a penalty shot. “You’re trying to be patient and make him make the first move,” Smith said. “Fortunate to make a save there.” The win counts the same as the other 23 the Coyotes have posted this season, but how they managed to hold off the Devils was certainly unique. 1052275 Arizona Coyotes “You obviously don’t feel very good about it,” Ekman-Larsson said. “It’s kind of hard to don’t really play for anything.”

Still, he has hope and the Coyotes' youth has helped fuel that – an Arizona Coyotes' Oliver Ekman-Larsson expects to rebound from 'off' audience the 25-year-old, who has two full seasons left on a six-year, season $33 million contract, is aware he has as a leader on the team. “When I got in the league, I looked to Doaner (captain Shane Doan) Sarah McLellan , azcentral sports Published 6:19 p.m. MT March 11, every game we lost and how he acted or how he handled himself,” he 2017 | Updated 8 hours ago said. “I think that’s huge, especially when we have a lot of young players. I feel that’s important.”

The remainder of the season is no doubt still significant for the rookies There’s the team-worst minus-23, an unflattering shot differential – since every shift offers much-needed experience, but the time left is also particularly for a playmaking defenseman – and the drop in production. meaningful for a veteran like Ekman-Larsson. All suggest a down season for the Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson, an He wants to exit every game feeling proud of his play and like he did the assessment he agrees with when he reflects on his play with about a best he could. month left on the schedule. Because as much as this season has tested him, it hasn’t changed who “I think I haven’t been playing bad, and I haven’t been playing very good,” he is. he said. “You can consider it an off year.” “I feel like even if I’ve been hurt or if I’ve been playing bad, I’ve been the But there's also the fact Ekman-Larsson played through injury while same person and the same happy guy,” he said. “That’s what I’m taking feeling the frustration of yet another playoff-less trek – all the while with me this season.” bearing in mind he’s a role model for a growing cast of rookies.

And while these numbers and experiences from the past five months have culminated in the most adversity he’s faced in the NHL, Ekman- Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.12.2017 Larsson is confident he’ll rebound. “It’s how you really handle it,” he said. “If you say to yourself, ‘I’m going to keep playing like this,’ then you will. If you tell yourself, ‘You’re going to get better,’ you will get better. I feel like I’m going to get better, and I know it and I’m going to work hard to get better. That’s the player and person I am.” Arizona’s offensive leader the previous two seasons, Ekman-Larsson is on pace for his lowest point total since 2013. Five teammates had more than his 10 goals entering Saturday’s game against the Devils, and his 34 points sat second to winger Radim Vrbata’s output – which was on the brink of 50. His shots are way down from the paces he set the past two years, when he eclipsed the 20-goal plateau. And while that’s a standard Ekman- Larsson said isn’t realistic to expect every season, it could explain the fewer offensive contributions. So perhaps could the broken left thumb he played with for six weeks after suffering the injury Nov. 29 against the Sharks. “It’s tough,” he said. “Obviously, you can’t really do the things that you want to do. You have to switch up your game a little bit, and maybe I was more of a passer for six weeks than a shooter.” Although he said he had the option to not play, Ekman-Larsson hasn't missed a single game. He didn’t want to take “the easy way out” and chose to continue suiting up. And while the injury was certainly a factor, he doesn’t blame it for his performance. “I felt like I could still be out on the ice and adapt my game to that situation,” he said. “I think that’s something you will have as long as you play in the league, that you are able to battle through, and I’ve battled through a lot of stuff over the years. I feel that helps you, too, and realize you just have to find a way to be the best player every day, and you’re not going to feel 100 percent every night.” Ekman-Larsson’s struggles, however, haven’t been limited to the offensive zone. Aside from an eyesore of a plus-minus, a stat “he’d love to do something about” while acknowledging it includes empty-net goals, turnovers have been glaring – especially since he’s carved out a reputation as a smooth operator in his own end, poise that typically enables him to organize a rush the other way. Overall, the Coyotes have given up 198 more shots at 5-on-5 than they’ve managed with Ekman-Larsson on the ice. “I don’t think I switched anything up or doing anything different,” he said. “It’s just you don’t get the bounces. That’s the one thing I’ve been telling myself that I’m not going to stop making plays. That’s not the player I am. I could do it really simple for myself and chip it out every single play and then it would be wrong.” He’d rather go through a tough season now than when the team is contending for the playoffs, Ekman-Larsson said, and he believes when the team is ready for that pursuit, he’ll be on-point to stoke success. But a four-going-on-five-year playoff drought has been a harsh reality. 1052276 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes hang on for wild win over Devils

BY CRAIG MORGAN | March 11, 2017 @ 10:08 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The last time Cory Schneider visited , the Coyotes fired 96 shot attempts his way but couldn’t put one past him. On Saturday, Arizona only needed 10 shots to send Schneider to the bench. Tobias Rieder scored his career-high 15th goal of the season, rookie Brendan Perlini scored his 12th goal in 42 games, Radim Vrbata moved into eighth place on the franchise’s all-time goal scoring list past and Laurie Boschman, rookie Jakob Chychrun netted his sixth goal of the season, the dormant power play accounted for two goals to snap out of a 3-for-39 slump and New Jersey native Anthony DeAngelo scored a critical late goal in a 5-4 win over the Devils that was New Jersey’s 10th straight loss (0-8-2). Got all that? There’s more. Mike Smith stopped New Jersey’s Taylor Hall on a penalty shot with 2:38 remaining to keep the Coyotes from blowing a 4-0 lead. “We didn’t totally blow it,” quipped Smith, who squeezed his pads to stop Hall. “I don’t know what his move was but I’ve played against him for a quite a few years now. You just try and be patient and make him make the first move.” Among the notable achievements in this game, Chychrun is tied for second among rookie defenseman in goals and also added a pair of assists. Vrbata leads the team in goals (16), assists (33) and points (49). Add in his AHL numbers and Perlini has 26 goals in 59 combined games in his rookie year. The odd thing about that? Coach Dave Tippett thought Perlini would be more productive as a pro than as a junior. He has proven correct. “He can shoot the puck,” Tippett said of Perlini. “He got ahold of that one.” Rieder has spent a lot of time in practice and the offseason working on his finishing skills, so to reach a career high was satisfying. “I feel like I could have reached fifteen a little earlier but sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t,” Rieder said. “It feels good, though. It’s good that the work pays off.” The work shouldn’t have been so difficult for the Coyotes on Saturday. Schneider entered the game having allowed 11 goals in 10 career games against the Coyotes with four shutouts, but Arizona chased him early in the second period when Perlini’s bullet found the far side of the net for a four-goal lead. It looked like a laugher of a game against a team with absolutely no momentum, but Kyle Palmieri scored at 5:47 of the second period, Beau Bennett scored late in the period and Palmieri scored 17 seconds into the third period to slice the lead to 4-3 and make the Coyotes sweat. DeAngelo gave Arizona a 5-3 lead when he waited and waited and finally beat Kinkaid through traffic from the point at 13:31 of the third period. Former Coyote John Moore scored on a backhander off a pass from Pavel Zacha at 15:02 of the third period to cut the lead to 5-4 and set up the Hall vs. Smith drama. “Entertainment,” Tippett said. “A win’s a win. We’ll move on.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052277 Arizona Coyotes Bob Worsley (R-Mesa) does not have the votes required to pass the Arizona Senate. To hear lawmakers and taxpayers shouting the simplistic mantras of no taxpayer dollars for rich sports owners and Morgan: Coyotes need the right location to succeed — it’s not Glendale support education for our kids instead is disingenuous, however. This is coming from the same lawmakers and taxpayers who have shown no such commitment to education at any point in recent memory, with BY CRAIG MORGAN | March 10, 2017 @ 3:34 PM Arizona ranking among the nation’s bottom 10 percent in educational spending, but we digress from the topic at hand.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made international headlines this week GLENDALE, Ariz. — Nobody is blameless in the latest war of words with a letter to state lawmakers in which he wrote, among other things: between the NHL, the Coyotes and the city of Glendale — a conflict at “The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The least eight years old that has drawn state lawmakers into the fray. Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.” The hard truth for the team is that it has produced four winning seasons, Some perceived that as a threat. It was not. The threat came in majority three playoffs berths and two playoff series wins in 13 seasons in the owner ’s curiously worded statement on the topic, in West Valley location that welcomed it when nobody else would. Winning which he wrote: “While we cannot and will not stay in Glendale, we will sells in any market, but it’s especially important in one as fickle as continue to push our proposed public-private partnership until we either Phoenix. Repetitive losing is an unwise investment of fans’ dollars and achieve a long-term arena solution in a more economically viable location emotions. in the Valley, or we reach the point where there is simply no longer a path forward in Arizona.” In 13 seasons in Glendale, the Coyotes have endured poor ownership from Steve Ellman and Jerry Moyes, poor coaching from , Let’s be clear on something. Barroway has no say in whether the team poor drafts, poor development of those draft picks, poor management leaves town. That’s up to the league and Bettman. If you’ve been paying from general manager Mike Barnett, an attempt by Moyes to put the attention the last eight years, you’ll notice that Bettman’s heels are dug team into bankruptcy in 2009, four years of frugal league ownership. so deeply into Arizona soil they are cemented in caliche. There’s also been an endless and sometimes comical carousel of ownership suitors from Jim Balsillie, Matthew Hulsizer and Jerry If you actually read Bettman’s letter, he is simply confirming a statement Reinsdorf, to Greg Jamison and Darin Pastor (remember him?). the Coyotes have made for the last two years — ever since Glendale voided its agreement with the team. They have no intention of staying in There was a protracted sale to IceArizona, some missteps by the new Glendale long term. and inexperienced ownership group, and now a long-needed rebuild whose architects are suffering in the shadows cast by their predecessors. Bettman also reaffirmed his commitment to the Phoenix market in that The past is haunting the Coyotes, even if none of its current actors are letter to lawmakers (and he did again the following day to reporters at the responsible for it. GM meetings in Boca Raton, Florida): “I am writing to you today to make sure that you hear directly from me about the NHL’s commitment to On the flip side, to cast the city of Glendale as the victim in this saga is to keeping the Arizona Coyotes in the Greater Phoenix market and to clarify ignore its own recent history. The city has a record of poor business the economic realities associated with accomplishing that goal.” practices with sports franchises. Just ask Cardinals team president Michael Bidwill about his repeated disputes with his civic partner, and In response to Bettman’s statement, former Glendale Mayor Elaine take a look at where all the Super Bowls activities were hosted the last Scruggs told the Republic: “the Coyotes position at the bottom of the time the NFL’s marquee event came here in 2015. standings is a leadership problem, not a location problem.” It was a pithy quote with some substance, but the idea that the Coyotes do not suffer Recent editorials have defended the city for ending what they called from a location problem does not stand up to critical analysis. “subsidies” to the Coyotes when it voided a 15-year arena lease and management agreement in 2015 — less than two years after it signed it. The Coyotes have long noted that their season-ticket holder base is on Those editorials gloss over the fact that the city of Glendale broke a the east side of town. This stands to reason since East Valley suburbs business deal it had signed with the team, citing a conflict of interest over represent about twice the population of West Valley suburbs, according the Coyotes hiring two former Glendale employees that never made its to U.S. Census figures. It is also undeniable that the wealth-base of the way to court, despite the opinions of five independent legal experts that city resides on the east side, not only in the wealthiest communities of the Coyotes had the better case. Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, east Phoenix (Biltmore, Arcadia) Fountain Hills and Carefree, but in sizeable pockets of Cave Creek, Chandler, east We’ll probably never know whether the Coyotes settled because they Mesa, Tempe and Gilbert. feared a hidden trump card or because they feared a protracted legal case and decided they were already at a breaking point with Glendale. East-side buyers make up 77 percent of premium season tickets sold (on The Coyotes’ hirings, and their delay in releasing financial statements to the glass, BMW Lounge, suites and loge boxes), and 78 percent of Glendale per their agreement, raise questions about their commitment to premium-seat revenue for the Coyotes. With non-premium packages in the partnership, but Glendale had questions about city employees joining the upper and lower bowls, east-side residents account for 59 percent of the team as far back as the Jamison deal. The city held onto them when seats sold and 67 percent of non-premium, full-season equivalent this dispute could have easily been resolved beforehand if the city had revenue. actually intended to act as a true business partner. East-side residents account for 54 percent of the revenue generated in If you think breaking signed business deals is a trifle, you have no the upper bowl of Gila River Arena and 71 percent in the lower bowl. concept of the business world and the importance of holding to Group tickets are similarly skewed toward the east side in both premiums agreements. Business leaders and scholars across the Valley were clear sales and non-premium full-season equivalent sales. In other words, the in underlying the significance of Glendale’s decision. more expensive the product, the more pronounced the revenue differential between the east side and the west side. “Even if they eke out a victory in the short term … they could still lose in the long term by damaging their brand for future negotiations,” said The fallout from this break-up will be messy. That’s unavoidable and Rodney Smith, the director of the sports law and business program at regrettable, but it should be clear to all that the Coyotes will not remain in Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Glendale long term. That door has closed. If the current legislation does “Anyone is going to think long and hard before they decide to do not pass, the Coyotes should be compelled by the league to take a seat business with Glendale.” at the table with a group that wants to build them a 20,000-seat arena on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land, first reported by In the wake of that decision, the Coyotes are seeking to establish a Arizona Sports in October. community engagement district elsewhere in the Valley. A portion of the tax generated within that district would be used to help pay debt service The Coyotes need three key ingredients to succeed in this difficult on bonds used to fund construction of an arena. Without that district, the market. They need stable ownership, they need to win and they need the undeveloped site would generate no tax revenue, so the Coyotes say the right location. That location is not Glendale. state can either have slightly more than half of something or all of nothing. The counter-argument, and it’s a valid one, is what will be lost in Glendale in the form of tax revenue and another tax-funded stadium Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.12.2017 whose very survival would be at risk. It’s clear lawmakers and taxpayers do not have the appetite to pursue such a venture, based on recent polls and an Arizona Republic story that canvassed lawmakers and found that the legislation introduced by Sen. 1052278 Boston Bruins Covers slide in on each end of the skate to hold it in place. A light inside the device turns green, indicating the sharpener is ready for use.

The standard hollow is half an inch. Sparx offers grinding rings that How this Acton-based company designed an at-home skate sharpener produce 12 different cuts, depending on how much bite vs. glide a skater prefers. By Fluto Shinzawa A lighter player, for example, might want a deeper hollow to produce more bite and harder turns. In contrast, a heavier player might prefer a GLOBE STAFF MARCH 11, 2017 shallower hollow because he or she creates enough power to dig into the ice. Each poker-chip-sized ring is $49.99 and lasts for approximately 40 sharpenings. A circuit board inside the ring signals to the machine, via a power bar, when it needs to be replaced. Of the eight patents held by Sparx Hockey, founder and CEO Russell Layton considers US Patent No. 9,242,330 the most critical. The patent, The dilemma Layton wanted to solve was one of convenience. Sparx issued on Jan. 26, 2016, lies at the heart of the Acton-based company’s eliminates the need to travel to the skate shop, pay for sharpening, and namesake product: the Sparx skate sharpener, a do-it-yourself device. wait in line. For skaters looking to hit the ice as quickly as possible, sharpening is an easy step to bypass. “We have eight already issued,” Layton said. “But this is the one that’s a very big defense for us.” The reality, however, is that sharp skates make a difference. As a casual skater (a generous classification considering my garbage truck-like The sharpener allows its users to sharpen their blades at home, maneuverability), I had not sharpened my skates since the fall. After bypassing the traditional domain of the skate shop. Yet there is no need using the Sparx sharpener to buzz my blades, my next spin felt far better. for a user to hold skate to wheel and sharpen the steel in the manner of a For the regular player, having an on-site sharpener encourages greater professional. The skate clicks into the machine, and a button push use. activates the sharpening process. The aforementioned patent helps to center the skate blade in the sharpener and guarantee a true sharpening, “You’d get your skates sharpened, your performance would deteriorate, bypassing the imperfect guess-and-check method produced by hand and and you’d get your skates sharpened,” Layton said. “Now, what it turns eye. into is, ‘You skate, then you sharpen. You skate and sharpen.’ Your performance never drops. It’s changing behavior.” “Before you ever allow a skate to be touched by the grinding ring, we want to align where the skate is going to be to where the grinding ring is,” Managers of local backyard rinks know it has not been a cooperative Layton explained. “So you actually bring those two features into winter for their creations. By P.J. McNealy’s count, he and his family alignment. If this is the grinding ring over here and this is the skate, the have skated eight times this season on their Natick sheet, down from the grinding wheel wants to be perfectly underneath the blade. The novel 34 twirls they took two winters ago. thing we did is that before you ever put a skate in, you actually align these two things visually together.” “The wild fluctuations of the temperature have wreaked havoc,” McNealy explained. “We get ice when we’ve gotten a cold snap for 2-3 days. But The market will determine whether $899 is a credible point of entry for a then it’s back to pure pond within 72 hours. A lot of people love the 60- service that usually costs several dollars. According to the company, and 70-degree days. I enjoy them, too. But they’re terrible for the rink.” 3,000 units have been sold in North America. Users in every state have purchased a sharpener, the last holdout being Mississippi. NHL users This winter’s jagged temperature profile is still friendlier to backyard rinks include , who is also an investor. The sharpener was than Southern California’s temperate nature. It is why the Ducks sent a available at Boston Winter, the outdoor City Hall operation featuring a video crew in January to the Falla Forum, McNealy’s rink, as part of a skating rink. segment for the First Flight Field Trip, an event for 16,000 elementary school students held on March 6 to learn about the science of hockey. That a Massachusetts company has even dipped into the at-home sharpening business reflects how technology has caught up to an idea. The Ducks featured the Falla Forum as an example of the middle ground Design improvements, technological advances, and the maker between natural (Ottawa’s Rideau Canal) and man-made ice-making movement have allowed Layton, an engineer with a background in facility (Anaheim’s Honda Center), two other locations they studied. medical devices, to create something that had been in his head for more Former Olympian Molly Schaus, a Ducks employee, initiated the Natick than a decade, waiting for the right time to be built. connection because she has coached Jack McNealy, P.J.’s son. Heavy machinery resides behind Sparx’s front-of-house offices. The In November, the Ducks outfitted McNealy with a GoPro camera to company owns a 3-D printer. It has a CNC machine to build custom capture a timelapse of the rink’s creation. In January, they interviewed pieces. Sparx uses computer-aided design programs to devise its 13-year-old Jack and his 11-year-old sister, Emma. components. “What we’re hoping is that with anything science-based, they think about Ten years ago, such technology was not available for small-business these concepts and potentially about the engineering that goes behind owners. A business plan to address a niche such as skate sharpening them,” fan development marketing associate Jason Cooper said of the would have been laughed out of every conference room. First Flight participants, mostly in grades 3-5. “We hope it empowers them to tinker, create, and find a better way.” “When this was this crazy guy and an idea and a couple interns I hired in the beginning, people were like, ‘Why hasn’t somebody done this On the day of the interview, the temperature allowed McNealy to make before?’ Part of my answer was that technology wasn’t there yet to help ice on his 55-foot-by-35-foot sheet. It was not cold enough for his kids to us solve this problem economically enough that someone would even skate. The unpredictability of backyard rink construction, however, has spend the effort to go after this niche market product,” Layton said. not discouraged McNealy. “There’s not enough financial gain possible out of this market for someone to have invested, 10 years ago, a lot of time and effort to “They’re both playing on 2-3 teams, so there’s plenty of ice time to go design a skate sharpener at this level. It allowed someone like me to around,” McNealy said. “But at the end of the day, on a Friday night when build a product like this very fast.” no one has hockey, the kids are all in the backyard, and the parents are on the porch under a space heater with the music playing, those nights The idea evolved. Originally, around 2001, Layton thought about a are just pure gold. That’s why you do it.” Netflix-style business where skaters could mail their blades to be sharpened. Upon consideration, Layton acknowledged that Netblades As poorly as Jimmy Hayes is playing, trade partner Reilly Smith is also would not be a sustainable operation. About 10 years later, Layton having a down season. The ex-Bruin had 25 goals and 25 assists as a advanced the concept to an at-home machine. He bought a traditional first-year Panther last season. But Smith’s production has dipped to a 10- sharpener, studied YouTube videos to learn the skill, and thought about 19—29 line through 63 games. what to do. Last season, Smith buried 14.5 percent of his 143 shots, somewhat in Layton understood that to be used at home, a sharpener would have to line with his 13.7 percent shooting percentage when he scored 20 goals be easy to use. The product he used as a model was the Keurig coffee for the Bruins in 2013-14. But Smith is down to 7.6 percent this year, maker. Operation would be foolproof. The sharpener would be even worse than the 9.1 percent shooting percentage in 2014-15 that led aesthetically appealing. Customers would need to reorder one part, just helped lead to him getting traded. like the Keurig K-Cups that require regular restocking. Additionally, Smith’s boss has not been happy with his play away from After several iterations, Sparx settled on a 26-inch-long, 7-inch-high the puck. With the Panthers desperate for every point, Smith was on the machine that resembles a large printer. By pulling a lever, clamps open ice for both goals against in Florida’s 2-1 loss to Dallas on March 4. on top of the sharpener, allowing the skate to click into the machine. Prior to Jamie Benn’s opening goal, Smith strayed from his net-front tablets . . . Condolences to the family of Charles “Mike” Tenney Jr., who position to give Benn space to score. died March 1 at age 90. Tenney founded the Duxbury Youth Hockey program in 1969. He was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Then with the Panthers just 67 seconds away from grabbing one point, Fame in 2012 . . . Tom Sestito skated three shifts against Winnipeg on John Klingberg scored the winning goal, again with Smith playing poor Wednesday. The Pittsburgh bruiser fought Chris Thorburn on one and defense. When Vincent Trocheck tried to bank the puck off the glass and labeled Toby Enstrom on another, earning a four-game suspension. That out, Smith took a premature skate into the neutral zone to track it down. is quite the bang for the buck for 62 seconds of work. Benn jumped to pick off the puck. With Smith out of position, Klingberg received a pass from Tyler Seguin and scored the winner. The best thing that can happen to a team following a coaching change is a hot streak. The Bruins have certainly gotten a lift from new coach Bruce “All I know,” Panthers coach Tom Rowe told the South Florida Sun- Cassidy, and the man he replaced, Claude Julien, is off to a winning start Sentinel, “is Reilly Smith was blowing the zone and doing exactly what in Montreal. All five of the coaches who took over during this season had he’s not supposed to be doing.” at least a .500 winning percentage in their first 10 games. The Blues will give Tage Thompson every opportunity to make their BRUINS lineup next fall. Thompson, the No. 26 pick in 2016, said goodbye to college life on Wednesday when he signed his entry-level contract. Last 10 before change: 4-5-1 (9 points) Thompson, son of former NHLer Brent Thompson, submitted two good seasons of work for Mike Cavanaugh at the University of Connecticut. First 10 after change: 8-2-0 (16 points) After a 14-18—32 freshman year, the right-shot forward posted a 19- First game: Feb. 9 13—32 run as a sophomore. The 6-foot-5-inch, 200-pound Thompson has some elements of Blake Wheeler’s style in his game as a big, strong, A few offensive tweaks by Cassidy gave the Bruins a scoring consistency and skilled scorer. If Thompson requires farm work with Chicago next fall, they couldn’t achieve under Julien. Sustaining that will be key to ending it should not be an extended AHL visit. the team’s playoff drought. It is not Henrik Zetterberg’s fault the Red Wings’ 25-year postseason CANADIENS streak will end. The 36-year-old is playing with tempo, strength, and skill. Through 65 games, Zetterberg paced the team with 53 points (14 goals Last 10 before change: 3-6-1 (7 points) and 39 assists), most recently playing with Tomas Tatar and Gustav First 10 after change: 7-3-0 (14 points) Nyquist while logging 19:28 of ice time per outing. It’s hard to see Zetterberg keeping up his pace through 2021, the final season of his 12- First game: Feb. 18 year, back-diving, $73 million deal. But based on current play, Zetterberg’s long-term outlook is better than those of Justin Abdelkader Just prior to the change, Montreal allowed four goals in four straight and Danny DeKeyser. The 30-year-old Abdelkader, parked on five goals games. Under the defensive-minded Julien, the Canadiens did not give through 47 games, is in the first season of a seven-year, $29.75 million up more than three in their first nine games. extension. It is already looking like an unmovable contract. DeKeyser is ISLANDERS three years younger, but the defenseman’s deal, which expires in 2022, is a $5 million annual investment in a player who spends too much time Last 10 before change: 5-3-2 (12 points) chasing the puck. DeKeyser peaked in 2014-15, when he produced two goals and 29 assists in 80 games. This year, DeKeyser owns a 3-5—8 First 10 after change: 7-1-2 (16 points) line in 65 games. First game: Jan. 19 Malkin earns respect Weight should have the interim tag removed after pushing the Islanders Evgeni Malkin didn’t have to fight. He earns his money with his gloves into the playoff hunt, something that seemed very unlikely when he took on. But on Wednesday against Winnipeg, Malkin recognized that over for Jack Capuano. accepting Wheeler’s invitation was the right thing to do. The ex-Bruin was still hot about Malkin’s high hit on Feb. 16. So at 3:33 of the first period, PANTHERS just after the puck dropped, both players dropped their gloves and Last 10 before change: 6-4-0 (12 points) engaged in a brief scrap in which Wheeler got the best of Malkin. It was Malkin’s first fight of the season. “A lot of respect for him answering the First 10 after change: 3-3-4 (10 points) bell,” Wheeler told the Winnipeg Free Press. “He didn’t have to do that, so it was good to get that out of the way right away.” First game: Nov. 29 Drew Stafford had company on deadline day. The short-term Bruin was The Panthers have cooled of late but they still lurk just outside the playoff one of 33 players to change teams. Because Winnipeg general manager picture. Rowe hasn’t been able to fix an offense that ranks 25th in the Kevin Cheveldayoff let Stafford know a deal could go down, the wing league in goals per game. remained in front of the TV past 3 p.m. on deadline day, aware that BLUES backups at NHL Central Registry could delay the announcement of some deals, including his own. Whereas Stafford anticipated his latest trade, he Last 10 before change: 3-7-0 (6 points) had no idea that Buffalo, his draft team, would turn his life and career upside down two years ago. On Feb. 11, 2015, the Jets and Sabres First 10 after change: 7-3-0 (14 points) executed a five-star blockbuster: Stafford, , , First game: Feb. 2 , and a 2015 first-round pick for , , and . “That one was out of left field,” Stafford A recent five-game losing streak dampened the high that came with a recalled. “I came in and found out on Twitter that it was coming down. six-game winning streak. Yeo’s promotion was by design, though it came This one was a lot better. I was more prepared mentally. I was [in a few months ahead of schedule. Buffalo] for almost a decade. I went through a lot of ups and downs there.” The 31 GMs are in charge of thinking about the game in accordance to Fluto Shinzawa the sport’s long-term health. They have been too focused on their own organizations and their corresponding job security to keep a good grip on Boston Globe LOADED: 03.12.2017 the state of the game, which has regressed to a low-scoring, back-and- forth, goalie-dominated spectacle. So it was encouraging that during their meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., the GMs took time to brainstorm. One idea requires consideration: moving faceoffs to the middle of the offensive zone. It would be easier for attacking teams to devise plays and create chances after winning a draw in the middle than on either side of the offensive zone. There’s more space for offensive-minded players to go to work rather than getting stuck in board battles. It’s a pity the GMs did not gas the offside challenge. The video review had good intentions when implemented, but has since transformed into an impediment to game flow and common sense. It is impossible to tell, other than the whiffs, whether a play was conclusively offside. We will continue to hold our noses every time the linesmen huddle over their 1052279 Boston Bruins gloves littered all over the Garden ice, the penalty boxes full of warring opponents.

“Oh, yeah,” he recalled. “[Dave] Schultz vs. [Terry] O’Reilly and [Don] Matt Beleskey brings punch to Bruins’ lineup Saleski vs. . . . pick your guys. The guy I didn’t like was [Flyers goalie] Bernie Parent. He kind of stoned us two years in a row. But anyway, he’s long gone . . . thank God.” By Kevin Paul Dupont Parent, now 71, played on the Niagara Falls Flyers with Sanderson and GLOBE STAFF MARCH 11, 2017 turned pro with the Bruins in 1965-66, then was lost in the expansion draft to Philly, where he became a Hall of Famer.

“He was a Bruin originally, if I’m not mistaken,” said Cassidy, showing a Matt Beleskey’s afternoon opened with a thump. The little-used Bruins tremendous capacity for Bruins lore, no matter how painful. left winger, scratched for five of the previous six games, was only seconds into his first shift Saturday when he put a body slam on Flyers , out with a concussion, skated on his own in the morning defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. at the Garden and will be on the flight Sunday to Vancouver . . . Tim Schaller, who banged heavily and feet-first into the end boards A mere dozen seconds later, at the opposite end of the ice, Beleskey put Wednesday vs. the Red Wings, remained out of the lineup. It’s possible a beating on Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning, each of them sent off he won’t be on the upcoming trip, which also has stops in Calgary, for fighting. This was the Beleskey the Bruins thought they were signing Edmonton, and Toronto. when they wooed him to Boston with $19 million as a in the summer of 2015. “I think I’m a player that should be able to stay in the lineup,” said Kevin Paul Dupont Beleskey, who has provided minimal offensive production (2-5—7 in 37 games), the reason he hasn’t been able to stay in the lineup. “They made Boston Globe LOADED: 03.12.2017 a commitment to me and I’ve made a commitment to the city of Boston to be who I am, and who I was, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.” The biggest difference in Beleskey’s game, beyond his physical engagement, was his skating. He was finally moving his legs. The added zip had him landing smacks (four hits total) and getting legit scoring looks around net. With 8:43 to go in regulation, he nearly potted the winner with a doorstep chance, the left side of the net open. Perhaps the waiting and the off-ice work has Beleskey positioned for a season-saving late push. “I haven’t been resting,” said the left winger, who sustained a significant knee injury at the start of December. “I have been working out twice a day with our strength coaches, doing the extra work, putting in the time with the skills coach. It’s hard work. It hasn’t been my year. But the coaches put some faith in me, gave me some time, worked me over, and I’m just trying to make it pay off.” Add young Bruins winger David Pastrnak to the chorus of NHL players displeased over the growing belief that the league won’t release its best and brightest for next February’s in South Korea. Pastrnak, 20, is in his third NHL season and would be a top candidate to play for the Czech Republic. He noted prior to the game against the Flyers that, like many European players, he grew up far more intrigued by an Olympic gold medal than a Stanley Cup championship. “I don’t think there’s any European player that wouldn’t want to play for his country in the Olympics,” said Pastrnak, whose goal on Saturday extended his season-best scoring streak to eight games (3-7—10). “Especially for me, it’s one of the dreams, to play in the Olympics and represent your country. I would be disappointed.” Reporter to Pastrnak: “A lot of European kids grow up thinking more of the Olympics than the Stanley Cup . . . were you one of those kids?” “Yes . . . 100 percent,” he said. Pastrnak then broke into a wide grin, seeming to recognize that he was standing in Boston, about to pull on his Black and Gold sweater to play the Philadelphia Flyers. Reporter to Pastrnak: “Have you changed?” “Yes,” said Pastrnak, his grin growing even wider. Brad Marchand, a blistering 10-16—26 in the last 18 games, has scored three shorthanders this season, increasing his career total to 22. By the time he calls it quits on Causeway, the L’il Ball o’ Hate will own the club record for shorties. Ahead of him: (25) and Derek Sanderson (24). Since 2009-10, the year he entered the league, Marchand has led the league in the man-down category. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, who will turn 52 in May, grew up in Ottawa as an unabashed Bruins fan. The picture of ’s winning Cup goal in 1970 — clipped from the Ottawa Citizen — hung on his bedroom wall for years. Prior to his Bruins taking on the Flyers, it was easy for Cassidy to remember the days when a Boston-Philly matchup meant sticks and 1052280 Boston Bruins lone goal. In the last six games, the Bruins have allowed only 11 goals. Mistakes are easily forgotten when they’re so few.

“By the end,” said Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who logged his standard Drew Stafford’s goal in waning seconds helps Bruins beat Flyers team-high minutes (26:23), “it’s like the old saying, throw the puck at the net and good things happen. We got a little break and we’ll take it.” By Kevin Paul Dupont Less than a month to go in the regular season. The Bruins are playing their best hockey (.769 under Cassidy) of the season. The good things GLOBE STAFF MARCH 11, 2017 just keep happening.

The angle was just right. The open space around the net perfect to Kevin Paul Dupont accommodate a winning goal. So, all the calculations made in an instant, Drew Stafford, the galloping advanced mathematician, took his shot. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.12.2017 “Yeah, you see the D-man’s stick is perfectly aligned with where he’ll tip it in,’’ kidded the afternoon’s hero, embracing a thespian’s false bravado, “you know, it’s geometry . . . ” Smiles and self-effacing humor continued to come easy Saturday afternoon on Causeway Street, where Stafford’s goal with 5.6 seconds remaining in regulation handed the Bruins a sudden-death-like 2-1 win over the Flyers. The shot also delivered the Bruins their sixth victory in the last seven games at the Garden and improved their record to 10-3-0 under coach Bruce Cassidy, who has been on the job for less than five weeks and looks like he’ll turn his “interimship” into a tenured position. His Bruins remain in a chase for a playoff spot, but the win over Philly was a giant step toward a postseason berth, the Broad Streeters falling eight points behind the Bruins in the Eastern Conference. With the clock winding down, Stafford, acquired at the March 1 trade deadline, sent his wishful, twisted wrister on net from some 35 feet out along the right wall. As it sailed toward Steve Mason in net, it was Flyers blue liner Brandon Manning who actually tipped it home, which is what later had Stafford kidding that he had calculated the shot with a pool shark’s eye for the side pocket. Which is to say Stafford, now 2-2—4 in his time wearing Black and Gold, fully knew his words were full of rubbish. “Those kind of lucky bounces you get, you just take it and ride with it,” he said in more earnest assessment. “The way this game was, we were pretty sloppy throughout. It was kind of a tough one for us. I have only been here for a few games, but I can tell this team knows how to win games. Even when you are not playing your best, you find a way to win . . . whether it’s by a lucky bounce like that; I mean, 99 times out of 100 that’s not going to go in, so you’ll take those kind of breaks.” It was an afternoon that had both sides playing well in only brief spurts and too often looking like clubs destined not to make it to a playoff game without buying a ticket. The Bruins went into virtual hibernation in the second period when they were outshot, 9-4, and saw Jordan Weal’s goal negate a 1-0 lead the Bruins took on David Pastrnak’s power-play strike (goal No. 28) late in the first. There are nights (and days) when teams leave the rink with a loss, thinking they deserved to win. By and large, this was an afternoon when neither side deserved to win. Too many dead spots. Too many incomplete plays. But all that is for purists to debate. The Bruins won. The Bruins keep winning. With 14 games to go in the regular season, they haven’t claimed a playoff berth, but they’ve put themselves in prime position, both mathematically and in terms of overall confidence. “Sometimes you’ve got to win, 5-4, and sometimes it’s 2-1,” said Cassidy, reflecting on his message to the Bruins after 40 minutes with the scoreboard at 1-1. “So let’s accept it, manage the puck, play tight, and if we get an opportunity, let’s make sure we bear down. One of those games, I don’t think we were at our best, you could clearly see that. But we still hung in there and did enough to win.” It was another day in which the Bruins also never trailed for a second. Their lead time was brief (2:45 in total), but it added to the massive advantage in lead time (458:18 to 103:04) they have enjoyed during their resurgence under Cassidy. They also own a 47-27 scoring advantage over 13 games, remarkable for a club that had been outscored, 149-143, prior to Cassidy taking over for Claude Julien. “That second period was pretty terrible — we just weren’t doing anything right,” said Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, his record now 32-16-4. “We just weren’t doing anything right. We kind of survived.” The one goal that eluded Rask came amid a scramble, Weal left alone in front, Rask down and out, and defenseman Torey Krug in the crease and facing the crossbar. It doesn’t get much more disjointed. But it was the 1052281 Boston Bruins

Resurgent Bruins will try to keep up recent pace in matinee vs. Flyers

By Kevin Paul Dupont GLOBE STAFF MARCH 11, 2017

The Flyers, clinging to a slight hope of making the playoffs, will be at the Garden Saturday afternoon to take on the resurgent Bruins at 1 p.m. The Bruins are 9-3-0 under new coach Bruce Cassidy and have won six of their last seven on Causeway Street. Tuukka Rask, who turned 30 on Friday will be back in net, where Thursday night he backed the Bruins to a 6-1 win over the Red Wings. Rask, now 31-16-4, had lost consecutive starts against the Rangers and Senators, prior to the easy win over the Wings — Boston’s widest margin of victory this season. The Bruins have scored the opening goal in 9 of their 12 games under Cassidy and have outscored the opposition, 45-26. They also have enjoyed a massive advantage in lead time in those 12 games: 455:33 compared to 103:04. Matt Beleskey, scratched for five of the last six games, is expected to be back in the lineup, filling in for the injured Tim Schaller at left on the fourth line. Schaller banged heavily feet-first into the end boards in the first period against the Wings, hobbled to the dressing room and wasn’t seen for the rest of the night. Following Saturday’s matinee, the Bruins will make their way to Vancouver to face the Canucks Monday night, followed by back-to-back games in Calgary (Wednesday) and Edmonton (Thursday). Backup Anton Khudobin, winner of his last three starts, will get one of those starts. Bruins left winger Brad Marchand, blistering hot the last six weeks, scored his 32nd goal of the season Thursday night and entered the weekend behind only fellow Maritimer Sidney Crosby (34) for the NHL lead in goals. The L’il Ball o’Hate also entered the weekend with 70 points, trailing the Oilers’ Connor McDavid by only five points for the league lead in scoring. Marchand has posted a 15-10—25 line over his last 17 games, the most prolific and consistent stretch of his career.

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Bruins beat Flyers with goal in game's final seconds

Steve Conroy Saturday, March 11, 2017

Drew Stafford scored with 5.6 seconds left in the regulation to lift the Bruins to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at the Garden today. Stafford gained the offensive zone, curled back and, with time running out, flipped a shot toward goalie Steve Mason that was tipped by defenseman Brandon Manning and past Mason. This one started like so many Bruins-Flyers games have transpired over the decades – violently. Matt Beleskey, in the lineup for the injured Tim Schaller, first blew up Shayne Gostisbehere with a hard check then a few seconds later answered for it with a throwdown against Manning. After Beleskey decked Manning with a solid right, he exhorted the crowd to roar on his way to the box. Later in the period, the B's were faced with 5-on-3 penalty kill with Brandon Carlo and Brad Marchand in the box. The Flyers fired away at Tuukka Rask, but he turned away seven shots on the kill and the B's suvived. Shortly after the second minor on Marchand was up, the Flyers' Travis Konecny tripped Colin Miller and the B's went on the power-play. David Pastrnak dumped the puck into the corner, where Andrew MacDonald gathered it but was quickly knocked off it by Marchand. The loose puck went to Patrice Bergeron, who dished it out front to Pastrnak for his 28th goal of the year at 18:38. But the Flyers came out strong in the second period and tied it just 1:27 into it. After a long time spent in the Boston end, the Flyers surged toward the net and a loose puck squirted to Jordan Weal in the crease and he tapped it into the empty net. The play was reviewed for being offside, but the call on the ice was upheld. The Flyers controlled much of the second period put could not take the lead. The B's also had a late power-play with which they could do nothing, so they went to the third tied 1-1, though the Flyers had a 23-15 shot advantage through two. The B's were lucky to be even.

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Bruins take on desperate Flyers today

Steve Conroy Saturday, March 11, 2017

Playing trap teams like Ottawa or New Jersey is not only a tad boring for fans, players don't exactly get juiced up for the chess match that those games become. But a team like the Philadelphia Flyers that goes up and down the ice? Sign them up. The Bruins will lock horns against the Flyers this afternoon at the Garden and, Torey Krug, for one, was looking forward to it. It is a vital game for both teams. The B's go into the contest with a two- point lead over the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division while the Flyers could be drawing their last breath. They are six-points back of the B's and five behind the Islanders and their quest for the final wild card spot. “When you play against teams that sit back, that get you to fall into a lull. That's the game that they want. But when you're playing against a team like Philly, it's a more aggressive, more assertive game, a lot quicker. Probably more fun for the fans to watch, and definitely more physical. It's definitely going to be a fun one this afternoon and I'm looking forward to it,” said Krug. Matt Beleskey will draw back into the lineup to replace the injured Tim Schaller on the fourth line with Dominic Moore and Riley Nash while rookie Peter Cehlarik sits for at least another game. Meanwhile, Ryan Spooner, who suffered a concussion on Monday in Ottawa, skated on his own for the first time since suffering the injury this morning and will travel with the team on the upcoming Western trip that begins Monday in Vancouver. He will still miss today's game and interim coach Bruce Cassidy said he's not sure when he will be able to return to the lineup.

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Better late than never for Bruins in 2-1 win against Flyers

Steve Conroy Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Bruins have spit up their share of points this season. They’ve been in hard-fought games against Montreal, Minnesota, Chicago and Anaheim this year only to be robbed of any points because of late goals against. But since Bruce Cassidy took over behind the bench as interim coach, the B’s are skipping down the sunny side of the street. And yesterday at the Garden, the Bruins made the Philadelphia Flyers feel their previous pain in a 2-1 victory. With the clock ticking down toward overtime, recent acquisition Drew Stafford gained the offensive zone, curled back to wait for his teammates to head to the net and then flipped a harmless-looking shot at Flyers goalie Steve Mason. The puck went off Philadelphia’s Brandon Manning past Mason and, with a grand total of 5.6 seconds left in regulation, the B’s had their game-winner. With the way they had played in the first two periods, the Bruins would have been fortunate to get the game to overtime and at least record a point. The deuce in regulation was a gift from the gods. The B’s gladly tucked those two points in their back pocket before heading out on a tough four-game road trip through Canada while it delivered a crushing blow to the Flyers’ fleeting playoff chances. “We didn’t have a great game, we know that. We got a little lucky,” Brad Marchand said. “(Goalie Tuukka Rask) kept us in it in the second. We did have a better third. But we both know the situation we’re in. We’re both clawing for a playoff spot. We knew it was going to be an intense game. They pushed a little harder than we did. Luckily, we got the two points and that’s all that matters.” Unlike the usual up-and-down affairs often played by the Flyers and Bruins, this was a grind-it-out gut-check by two teams desperate for the points. Once the B’s figured that out, they started to get the edge in play in the third period. Rask faced 27 shots, 23 of which came in the first two periods. After being outshot 23-15 in the first two, the Bruins did not allow a shot against in the first 12 minutes of the third period and would outshoot the Flyers 12-4. “Sometimes you’ve got to win 5-4, and sometimes it’s 2-1. It was shaping up to be a 2-1 game, so let’s accept, manage the puck, play tight and, if we get an opportunity, let’s make sure we bear down,” Cassidy said of his second-intermission speech. One of the pivotal junctures came late in the first period when the B’s, with Brandon Carlo (hooking) and Marchand (high-sticking) in the penalty box, faced a 5-on-3 for 1:43. Zdeno Chara did yeoman’s work on the penalty kill, staying on the ice the entire time, but the best penalty killer was Rask, who made seven stops during the two-man advantage. “It’s a pretty potent group they have,” said Adam McQuaid, who blocked a couple of shots during the two-man disadvantage. “You’re not necessarily in desperation mode, you have to be in control. But at the same time, you’re doing whatever you can to kill that time off.” Shortly after the second minor on Marchand was up, the Flyers’ Travis Konecny tripped Colin Miller and the Bruins made the visitors pay. David Pastrnak dumped the puck into the corner, where Andrew MacDonald gathered it for Philadelphia but was quickly knocked off it by Marchand. The loose puck went to Patrice Bergeron, who dished it out front to Pastrnak for his 28th goal of the year at 18:38. But the Flyers came out strong in the second and got the tying goal just 1:27 into the period. After a long time spent in the offensive zone, the Flyers surged toward the net and a loose puck squirted to Jordan Weal in the crease for a tap-in into an open net. The play was reviewed for being offside, but the call on the ice was upheld. It was a long time until the next goal was scored. But for the Bruins, it was worth the wait. “We don’t need to score six goals each game,” Pastrnak said. “We’ve got to be able to win those kinds of games, especially this time of year when every single point is important for us. Huge win.”

1052285 Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask busy early, cruises late in Bruins’ 2-1 win

Matt Kalman Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Bruins knew they had to play a lot better in the third period than in the second yesterday at the Garden. They turned their play around so well they almost rendered goaltender Tuukka Rask’s presence meaningless. But Rask was every bit as important because of his 26 saves in the 2-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers as Drew Stafford and David Pastrnak were for their goals. The Bruins outshot the Flyers 12-4 and held Philadelphia without a shot in the third period until the 12:27 mark. “At least it was the third period, not the first,” said Rask, who earned career win No. 199. “You’re in the game, so you’re just trying to stay with it and you know they’re going to get a shot or two, so I have to make the stops.” Rask was perfect in the third period, including a stop on Matt Read’s wrist shot at 12:27 on the end of a 2-on-1 after Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo fell down. Rask also was quick to glove defenseman Ivan Provorov’s wrist shot from the high slot after an end-to-end rush at 13:25. One day after his 30th birthday, Rask earned the third-period respite by making 22 saves on 23 shots through the first two periods. It took just nine minutes for the Flyers to spring forward Jakub Voracek for a breakaway that Rask stopped with his right pad. Voracek flipped the rebound to the short side, where Rask pinned the puck against the post with his blocker. Brayden Schenn thought he poked the puck in, but after a review, it was ruled the referee intended to blow his whistle after the initial stop. Things got busier for Rask when the Bruins took minor penalties 17 seconds apart later in the period. During 1:43 of the Flyers’ 5-on-3, Rask had to make five saves, including an in-tight one-timer from defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. “I think (Rask) making the saves that he did . . . you’ve got to give something up at times, and him being able to make the saves that he did allowed us to be in the lanes that we were to block shots and have our sticks in certain areas and stuff,” said defenseman Adam McQuaid, who along with Zdeno Chara and center Patrice Bergeron was on the ice for almost the entire kill. “I think it was a great job by him making the saves when we needed them.” After making 14 saves in the first period, Rask had to make eight more in the second. Jordan Weal scored from the top of the blue paint 1:27 into the period to tie it 1-1, but with the sleepy Bruins mustering just four shots at Philly goaltender Steve Mason at the other end, Rask did all he could to keep the Bruins even. Rask has now won seven of his past 10 games for the resurgent B’s, who are 10-3-0 for interim coach Bruce Cassidy. “In the second, we were obviously not as good, and he really held his ground and made some big saves for us, and that was a key,” Chara said.

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052286 Boston Bruins “He’s progressing well, but he’s still in protocol,” Cassidy said. . . . With Beleskey returning to the lineup for the injured Tim Schaller (lower body), Peter Cehlarik sat for the second straight game. Joe Morrow and Bruins notebook: Drew Stafford continues hot streak since trade John-Michael Liles were scratches on defense. . . . Cassidy also shortened his bench. Austin Czarnik and Jimmy Hayes both Steve Conroy Sunday, March 12, 2017 played fewer than six minutes while Brandon Carlo, who had a rough time on Philly’s lone goal, played 14:11, his second-lowest total this season. If Drew Stafford can be half as effective the rest of the season as he has been in his first four games with the Bruins, it will be a really nice deadline pickup. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.12.2017 Stafford has four points in as many games, but none has been bigger than his cue shot in the side pocket off defenseman Brandon Manning’s stick past goalie Steve Mason that was the game-winning goal with 5.6 seconds left in the B’s 2-1 victory against the Flyers yesterday at the Garden. Had it all the way. “Yeah, you look up and you see the (defenseman)’s stick perfectly aligned with where you want to tip it in. It’s geometry, so . . .” joked Stafford, acquired from the Winnipeg Jets for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2018. “No, those lucky bounces that you get, you take it and ride with it. “The way this game was, we were pretty sloppy throughout. It was kind of a tough one for us. I’ve only been here for a few games, but I can tell they know how to win games. Even when you’re not playing your best, you find a way to win, whether it’s by a lucky bounce, but . . . 99 out of 100 times, that’s not going to go in. Those kind of breaks, you’ll take those, especially when things may not be going your way.” Stafford has two goals and two assists in the four games he’s played for the B’s. That’s half the number of goals and nearly a quarter of the points he notched in 40 games with Winnipeg before the trade. “I’m just grateful of the opportunity to play in a little more of an offensive role where I think I’m comfortable wherever,” Stafford said. “At the same time, I take a lot of pride in my offensive game and being able to contribute anyway I can. It’s definitely a kind of a shot in the arm to get an opportunity to at least play with some pretty good players here, so I’m very grateful.” Interim coach Bruce Cassidy juggled every line except Patrice Bergeron’s top unit. He moved Stafford from the left wing on the second line and put him on a newly created third line as a right winger (his natural side) with center Riley Nash and Matt Beleskey, while Frank Vatrano moved up and played left wing with David Krejci and David Pastrnak. Cassidy felt both Vatrano and Beleskey, who started the game on the fourth line, were skating well enough to move up, and it also allowed Stafford to play the right wing. Cassidy said the moves balanced the offensive threats against the Flyers, who have three fairly dangerous lines. Hard to argue with the results. Stafford scored the winner from the right wing. “It happened to work out, and I think you’ll see more of that,” Cassidy said. “When we find the best formula, we’ll keep it that way. But we’re still tinkering.” Torey Krug’s shots on net are down a hair from last season, when he averaged just more than three per game. This season, he’s just below 2.6 shots per game. But Krug said yesterday it’s somewhat by design. After about 20 games this season, he sat down with the coaches to figure out a better approach. He had no points in his first nine games, and his first goal didn’t come until Game 14. He was coming off major shoulder surgery, but he felt a different approach was necessary. So instead of shooting to score every time, he was looking to make plays for tips and deflections more. “I just sat down to think about my game,” Krug said. “I went nine games without much contribution statistically. . . . I’m a player who has to contribute in that regard in order for me to maintain my importance in the lineup. That was the idea that came to mind sitting down with Bruce (Cassidy) and even Claude (Julien) at the time. That definitely helped.” After the slow start, Krug is fourth on the team with 44 points (six goals). Ryan Spooner, out with a concussion, skated yesterday for the first time since suffering the injury last Monday in Ottawa. He will travel with the team today to Vancouver, though Cassidy did not know when he’ll be back in the lineup. 1052287 Boston Bruins As Backes alluded, a definitive decision hasn’t been reached, though the IOC previously said that it needed to know by March to make certain the proper arrangements could be made. It sounds like the NHL isn’t budging BERGERON: 'IT WOULD BE DISAPPOINTING' IF NHL ISN'T IN 2018 until they like what they hear from the Olympic decision makers. OLYMPICS Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 By Joe Haggerty March 11, 2017 1:18 PM

BOSTON – It’s clear that many players around the NHL aren’t happy with the way negotiations are trending for league involvement in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said this week that no meetings are scheduled between the NHL and the International Olympic Committee and the International Federation. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly reportedly added that “unless something changes we’re not going.” Prominent foreign players, such as Russian-born Alex Ovechkin, have indicated they’re going to play whether or not the NHL stops their regular season for an Olympic break. Jakub Voracek lashed out at Bettman and Daly in clear disappointment that a deal hasn’t been struck at this point for Olympic participation. Those in the B’s dressing room echoed the same sentiment, but in more muted than some of their European peers. “I think it would be disappointing. I think guys want to go. We'll see how it turns out," said Patrice Bergeron, who has won gold medals with Team Canada in back-to-back Olympics. "I think it's the biggest sporting event in the world. As an athlete you want to participate. I’ve had two amazing experiences. It's hard for me to say no to that. I thought it was amazing hockey for fans too, to watch." It’s all subject to change, of course, in what amounts to negotiating between the NHL and the Olympic governing bodies and the NHL has indicated it’s working off two schedules for the 2017-18 season: One with an Olympic break and one with a revamped bye week schedule that makes some tweaks from this season. Bruins forward David Backes played for Team USA in both 2010 and 2014 and hoped that other NHL players would get the same chance he did to play for his country. “Whether I had, or have, a chance to play in another Olympics a year from now I’m not sure, but the Olympics I have been able to participate in have been some of the best times I’ve had playing hockey,” said Backes, who has six times represented USA Hockey in World Championships, Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey. “Representing my country in doing what I do for a living was exhilarating and one of the proudest moments I’ve had in the game. Whether I’m able to go or not, I think that next generation deserves that opportunity. “From my standpoint seeing guys elevate their games and get lifted to national hero status the way T.J. Oshie did during my time playing with him in St. Louis, and just seeing guys do what they do when they get onto that next stage and show that to the world…to me that’s great for the game. But we don’t make that decision in a vacuum. It needs to be a conglomerate effort and we’ll see how it sorts out. If it were my vote we’d have NHL players in the Olympics, but that’s above me except for my little input with the [NHLPA].” Adding to the complications would be, for example, if Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom leave the Washington Capitals for three weeks to play in the Olympics, and in doing so, tip the competitive balances for both the NHL and the Winter Games. That’s obviously less than ideal, so the hope is still that the posturing and negotiations turn into an agreement, but there’s also a sense that the NHL is much more interest in the 2022 Winter Games in China than the next winter’s tournament in PyeongChang. “There’s competitive balance in the Olympics with certain guys [potentially] being able to go and certain guys not being able to go," Backes said. "Then there’s competitive balance back in the NHL if Ovechkin goes, and if he goes that mean Backstrom goes and Oshie goes, or whoever else? If they’re missing five or six guys and they play six or seven games while those guys are absent, I don’t think [Washington is] as strong as they would be with those guys there. “It’s a little bit of business factoring in, but it’s also best for everyone if some sort of agreement gets reached. We’ll leave that in somebody else’s hands that’s a really good negotiator because I’m a hockey player.” 1052288 Boston Bruins

SATURDAY, MARCH 11: A PAW SAVE AND A BEAUTY

By Joe Haggerty March 11, 2017 11:09 AM

Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading, while enjoying the show “Legion” on FX. It’s a little out there and it takes place in the Marvel Universe, but worth a try if you’re into that sort of thing. *Crusoe the dachshund has all the right moves between the pipes and has earned a dog bone, if not some Vezina Trophy consideration, with his work in the crease. *Bill Simmons has PK Subban on as a guest for his podcast and I’m imagining this to be a mostly polite chat between a former Montreal Canadiens star and a big Boston sports fan. *This evolution of coaching in the NHL is an outstanding piece of journalism from one of the best in our biz in Eric Duhatschek. *It looks like it could be lean times for the Rangers for a bit as Henrik Lundqvist is going to be out for the next 2-3 weeks with an injury. *Speaking of injuries, Colin White is being evaluated after suffering a knee injury for Boston College on Friday. One has to wonder if this is going to impact the Ottawa Senators, who might be looking at him as a late season/playoff option. *Craig Morgan has the story on the situation in Glendale, Arizona, with the Coyotes that’s gone up a notch in intensity since Gary Bettman’s latest salvo. *PHT writer Cam Tucker has tempers flaring in a Red Wings/Blackhawks game as Justin Abdelkader crushed with a hit the head. *The price is going up for Justin Schultz, who continues to rehab and repair his career in Pittsburgh after a rough go of it in Edmonton. *For something completely different: I’m glad the Southie St. Patrick’s Day parade organizers decided to join the rest of us in the 21st Century.

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PLAYOFF PICTURE GETTING INTERESTING; CANADIENS IN BRUINS' FUTURE?

By Joe Haggerty March 12, 2017 12:07 AM

BOSTON – Don’t look now, but if the NHL regular season ended on Sunday morning the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens would collide in the first round of the . That’s a function of a few different things happening (Leafs win, Senators win and an Islanders loss) in Saturday’s full dance card of NHL action, but one of those things was the Bruins winning for the 10th time in their last 13 games. The 2-1 win over the Flyers wasn’t Boston’s best, and it certainly wasn’t the dazzling offensive pyrotechnics show the B’s put on Wednesday when they dropped six goals on the woeful Detroit Red Wings. But the Bruins showed a flair for the dramatic with Drew Stafford’s game-winning goal with 5.6 seconds remaining in the third period, and once again displayed an ability to clamp down defensively in the third period, allowing just four shots on net to a Philly team desperately playing for their own playoff survival. It was an impressive showing for a Bruins team that’s proving they can win games when they overwhelm opponents with offense, and they can be equally successful in a tight, playoff-style game where the first team to blink loses. “The message [between the second and third period] mostly was, sometimes you’ve got to win 5-4, sometimes it’s 2-1, and it was shaping up to be a 2-1 game. So let’s accept it, manage the puck, play tight, and if you get an opportunity, let’s make sure we bear down,” said Bruce Cassidy. “We did have some [chances], because we were cleaner in our end, and we managed the puck better. It was just one of those games that, I don’t think we were at our best and you could clearly see that. But we still hung in there and did enough to win. “Sometimes you just reset, and the mindset of the group, how you can be struggling to find your position and your game in the second period, and then the third you kind of sort it out. That’s leadership in the room. They had a few things to say as well. They know the importance of these games and to find your game, and we did.” The win over the Flyers coupled with the Islanders loss gives the Black and Gold a three-point cushion for a playoff spot, and a two-point cushion for the third place spot in the Atlantic Division. So it’s a long way from a certainty for playoff hockey in Boston this spring, and the Bruins won’t be going there with their comments anytime soon given the way things have played out the last two seasons. But it’s easy to see there’s a different kind of confidence with this Bruins group, and it’s got as much to do with how they’re winning games as anything else. “I think the confidence that we built over the homestand that we’ve had, and winning the games and finding ways, it definitely helps you in the long run to realize you’re a good team,” said Patrice Bergeron. “You just have to believe. Sometimes it’s not always going to be perfect or it’s not always going to happen in the first 20 minutes and you have to work at it. I thought [Saturday night] was a perfect example of that.” The Bruins now fully believe in their potential and their abilities as a fully- functioning hockey club at this point after the last month of positive results. That should make it all the more interesting when we see how it all plays out for the Black and Gold, and whether we see Claude Julien face his old team as the hockey gods most certainly want it to be.

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BELESKEY BRINGS THE ENERGY IN RETURN TO BRUINS LINEUP

By Joe Haggerty March 11, 2017 9:43 PM

BOSTON – After being a healthy scratch in five of the previous six games, Matt Beleskey was going to make an impact one way or the other after getting into the lineup Saturday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers. The hard-nosed left winger did just that by blowing up Philly D-man Shayne Gostisbehere with a punishing hit at the blue line on his very first shift, and followed by quickly dropping the gloves with Brandon Manning at the other end of the ice. It was a brief bout but Beleskey tagged Manning with a big shot at the end that might have been a good way for the B’s winger to simply release some of his pent-up frustrations this season. It also helped to provide an emotional and energetic spark to the Bruins in their last-second 2-1 win over the Flyers at TD Garden, and provided Beleskey with exactly the kind of physical, solid all-around effort he’s been looking for since returning from a knee injury. “It’s good to play. That’s what I want to do and help the team. To be able to come out, get a big hit and kind of get something going is what I was looking for,” said Beleskey, who has been having a bit of a lost season to this point with two goals and seven points along with a minus-11 rating in 36 games sandwiched around a knee injury. “I have been working out twice a day with our strength coaches and doing the extra work, and putting in the time with the skills coach. It’s hard work. “An injury is something you come back from, it’s been tough. Obviously it hasn’t been my year in that way but the coaches put some faith in me, gave me some time, worked me over and I’m just trying to make it pay off. Keep working hard and I think good things will happen.” It wasn’t just a big hit and a brawl for a gritty winger that can bring more than that to the table, however. Beleskey had a scoring chance in the third period, registered four hits in all and teamed with Drew Stafford and Riley Nash as the trio on the ice when the Bruins scored the game- winner with just 5.6 seconds left in the game. It started with Beleskey making a concerted effort to bring the energy early, however, and that wasn’t lost on his head coach. The injury to Tim Schaller afforded him an opportunity to find his game and that's exactly what Beleskey did on Saturday afternoon. “I loved his energy. He came ready to play. It’s an area, an element of our team that he can certainly bring. I know Backs [David Backes] is a heavy player every night. We’ve got a lot of skill, just saying we could use a little more sandpaper some nights. Against Philly, you generally need it. He took it to heart,” said Bruce Cassidy. “It’s something he can do, certainly capable of, he can finish some plays, but he can also be an energy, physical player, and trouble found him later. “He got the crowd into it with the fight against [Brandon] Manning, and he had some opportunities around the net. I think those players when they are physical and energetic, I think their whole game gets pulled along.” That was certainly the case with the 28-year-old Beleskey, who made a strong case for being kept in the Bruins lineup for the time being with a performance that reminded everyone why he was so effective for the Black and Gold last season.

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STAFFORD'S SOLID, PRODUCTIVE PLAY MAKING BRUINS A BIG DEADLINE WINNER

By Joe Haggerty March 11, 2017 7:31 PM

BOSTON – It’s still early yet, but it sure looks like Don Sweeney and the Bruins made the best value move at the NHL trade deadline. The Bruins sent a conditional sixth-round draft pick to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for 31-year-old winger Drew Stafford. He continued his charmed existence with the Black and Gold by pumping in Saturday’s game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Flyers with just 5.6 seconds remaining in the third period. It was a smart play in the closing seconds where Stafford threw a puck at the net with overtime almost a certainty, but instead one good bounce off a Flyers player ended things in Boston’s favor. “He’s a smart player. I mean, let’s face it. He’s got composure," said Bruce Cassidy. "That’s a product of being in the league for 10 years, and knowing he can score and make plays, and they did a good job in the last minute, to get the puck first of all, and get it out with control, and then hey, ‘You never know.’ You just never know, throwing it at the net.” Stafford now has two goals and four points along with a plus-5 in four games with the Bruins and has already played with four different centers while playing games at both left wing and right wing. That’s probably well beyond what they thought they were getting when they made the deal for Stafford just ahead of the March 1 trade deadline, but a nice reward to the B’s front office for doing the right, prudent and patient thing amid a flurry of deadline deals. “He’s a great player. He always scored a lot in this building over the years so it’s great to see him continue that success in here,” said Brad Marchand. “It’s great to have that addition. So it’s been nice to have him.” The ironic part about Saturday’s performance was that Stafford didn’t play particularly well until he was slotted back on the right side with Riley Nash and Matt Beleskey in the third period, and had been dropped to the fourth line during the game. So it wasn’t as good as Stafford’s performances against New Jersey and Detroit, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as a forgettable night in Ottawa for a number of players including No. 19. But things clearly took a much better turn for the good when Stafford carried puck into the offensive zone, snapped off a quick spin move and then threw a puck at the net that bounced off Brandon Manning’s stick before getting past Steve Mason for the game-winner. “I don’t know if you’d be asking that same question if I didn’t score a goal at the end, to be honest with you,” said a smirking Stafford, when asked if the trade to Boston rejuvenated his offense. “Tonight was kind of a tough one, to be honest with you. I was trying to mix things around. I mean, I didn’t get too much – at least too many looks until maybe the third period there. The lines kind of got moved around to try and spark something. “I thought that myself and [Riley] Nash and [Matt] Beleskey, we had some pretty good shifts and we were able to generate a little bit of a forecheck. I’m just grateful for an opportunity to at least play in a little bit more of an offensive role where I think that I’m definitely comfortable wherever. At the same time, I take a lot of pride in my offensive game and being able to contribute in any way I can. It’s definitely kind of a shot in the arm to get an opportunity, at least, to play with some pretty good players here. So I’m very grateful.” The truth is that the Bruins may end up shipping more like a fifth rounder or fourth rounder to the Jets if Stafford ends up playing in more than half of Boston’s games (which he should) and the Bruins make the playoffs (which they should at this point). But that’s still excellent value for a player in Stafford that’s already helped the Bruins win a couple of crucial games since arriving last week, and who has given the Bruins another veteran scoring threat on the wing that they’ve needed since the beginning of the season.

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STAFFORD'S GOAL IN FINAL SECONDS GIVES BRUINS 2-1 WIN OVER FLYERS

By Joe Haggerty March 11, 2017 3:59 PM

BOSTON – The Bruins are finding ways to win hockey games these days and they did it again on Saturday afternoon. Drew Stafford threw a seemingly harmless puck at the net with 5.6 seconds left and a fortuitous bounce off Brandon Manning’s stick ricocheted past Steve Mason to give the Bruins a 2-1 victory over the Flyers. It gives the Bruins 10 wins in 13 games under Bruce Cassidy and is the seventh in eight tries on home ice since the coaching change. The score also gives new guy Stafford two goals in four games since the B’s sent a conditional sixth-round pick to Winnipeg for him and caps off a day when the winger was dropped to the fourth line in the hard-fought contest. The Bruins got on the board first with a power-play strike at the end of the first period buoyed by a judgment call from the B’s bench. Cassidy kept the first PP unit out for the duration of the possession and they paid back the trust with a David Pastrnak strike from the slot after a quick centering pass from Patrice Bergeron. It was Pastrnak’s 28th goal of the season and extended a career-best eight-game point streak for the 20-year-old puck prodigy. The Flyers punched back at the start of the second period when Jordan Weal pounced on a loose puck in front after Wayne Simmonds won a 1- on-1 battle with a gassed Brandon Carlo at the end of a very long opening shift. That’s the way it remained until the third period when Stafford played the role of last-second hero. Tuukka Rask stopped 26 of 27 shots while playing brilliantly in a second period dominated by the Broad Street Bullies.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052293 Buffalo Sabres As the Sabres head toward another playoff-free spring, the final month is about learning lessons. A terrible one would be that it’s OK to just play 40 minutes. A good one is that passion leads to success. Sabres, Deslauriers fight back for surprising victory “You saw the emotion guys were playing with,” left wing said. “It’s too hard to flip the switch in this league. You’ve got to bring that every shift, every game. You’re not going to get away with that too many By John Vogl times, especially against a team like this. Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017 “But you see what we can do when we do play like that.”

Once Nicolas Deslauriers learned he was joining the top line for the Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 opening shift of the second period, he knew what he had to do. It sure wasn’t win a puck battle, carry behind the net and set up Jake McCabe for a game-changing goal. That’s what happened, but that certainly wasn’t the plan. “Obviously, I would have loved to get a fight there,” Deslauriers said Saturday night. “But I don’t think there’s a player out there that would have been good for that.” Since Deslauriers couldn’t beat them, he joined them. On the ice with the Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly and Evander Kane while matched up against Columbus scorers Nick Foligno, Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg, Deslauriers turned from fighter to playmaker. It was almost as unreal as the Sabres’ 5-3 comeback win. In a 3-0 hole after 20 minutes, Buffalo used Deslauriers’ assist just 18 seconds into the second to develop a pulse. “I wanted some passion and energy in the game injected at the start of the second period,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. “I didn’t necessarily think it was going to come in the form of a backhand pass to Jake coming to the top of the circle for a goal, but to his credit he gave it. “It energized our team. Not just the play, not just the goal, but the play from him.” It’s hard to overstate how bad the Sabres were during the first period. There’s been a lot of terrible, lifeless hockey during the past few years, but the opening 20 minutes ranked down there with any of it. Then, after a few intermission chats, Deslauriers got the Sabres and KeyBank Center crowd into it. After going 34 games without a point, he earned an assist for the second straight night. This time, it was with the top line. “I enjoyed that,” Kane said. “He did a great job of setting the tone right when we got the puck in, and he ends up making a nice play out front to Caber from behind the net to keep his point streak going. “He’s a great guy in the room, and it was great to see him give us that spark.” While Deslauriers helped light the Sabres, Robin Lehner extinguished the Blue Jackets. The goaltender entered in relief at the start of the second and stopped all 24 shots he faced. He made 13 during the second to allow Buffalo to exit in a 3-3 tie, and he made a game-saving stop on Cam Atkinson with 33 seconds left. “We might have struggles, we might have our ups and downs, but we never quit,” Lehner said. The five unanswered goals allowed the Sabres to end a three-game losing streak and move to 2-6-2 in the last 10. It was the first regulation victory while trailing by three since Dec. 29, 2009, against Pittsburgh. “We had 40 minutes to show up, and we did a good job,” left wing Marcus Foligno said. “There wasn’t any yelling. There was just talking amongst ourselves that it wasn’t good enough.” That’s an understatement. “They took it to us,” right wing said. “Maybe we weren’t as ready as we should have been, but we came out in the second, got one early and took it to them after that.” While Deslauriers didn’t get to punch anyone on his big shift, the Sabres’ physicality turned the game in their favor. Marcus Foligno got into a scrum with Brandon Dubinsky after a big hit on Ennis. mixed it up with Nick Foligno. Deslauriers, Zach Bogosian and Columbus’ Scott Hartnell earned 10-minute misconducts after the second-period buzzer. “Being hit, getting hit, hitting people, that’s how you get into the game,” Ennis said. “That’s how you’re ready to go, and that’s how you play good hockey. That’s how we should start every game, just make sure everyone gets a bump in. That’s what happened in the second.” 1052294 Buffalo Sabres Rough stuff: The sides combined for eight roughing penalties and three 10-minute misconducts during the second period. After the buzzer, Scott Hartnell got into scrums with Deslauriers and Bogosian. Quick hits: Sabres 5, Blue Jackets 3 Ouch: Columbus lost defenseman Ryan Murray less than four minutes into the game after a taking a shot off his right hand or wrist. Atkinson missed the final 10:39 of the second period after his shoulder got By John Vogl stepped on during a scrum. He returned for the third period. Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017 Bloodied Buffalo defenseman Cody Franson went to the dressing room with 14:21 to play after taking a shot to the face.

Counting the house: The Sabres announced a crowd of 18,744, with a The Sabres always talk about needing to play 60 minutes. They got away good portion staying in their seats during the second period as the team with 40. showed its documentary on the Sabres-Senators brawl from 2007. After an abysmal start Saturday night, the Sabres scored five unanswered goals to shock Columbus, 5-3, in KeyBank Center. The Blue Jackets easily opened a 3-0 lead, but Buffalo rallied almost out of Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 nowhere. The Sabres ended a three-game losing streak and improved to 2-6-2 in the last 10 games. Buffalo ended Columbus' three-game winning streak and dropped the visitors to 8-3-1 in the last 11. No show: The Sabres did almost nothing for the opening 20 minutes, and it showed on the scoreboard and in the fans’ voices. The crowd gave a mock cheer for the “one minute remaining” announcement, and it booed lustily when the Sabres skated to the dressing room in a 3-0 hole. Columbus outshot the Sabres, 12-6. Welcome to the game: The Sabres decided to show up for the second period, and it showed on the scoreboard and in the fans’ voices. Buffalo scored three times to tie the game, and the fans cheered the players’ delayed departure after a post-period scrum. The winner: The Sabres' three most potent weapons, Jack Eichel, Evander Kane and the power play, connected with 2:29 to go. Eichel spun away from a defender and hit Kane with a cross-ice pass for the winger's 25th goal. Eichel sealed it with 3.5 seconds left, firing into an open net for his 19th goal. Switch them up: After Anders Nilsson stopped nine of 12 shots during the first, coach Dan Bylsma sent Robin Lehner to the crease for the second. Lehner made three big stops in a row midway through the period to keep the score 3-2. He finished the second with 13 saves as Columbus outshot Buffalo, 13-11. Lehner finished with 24 stops, including a game-saver on Columbus leading scorer Cam Atkinson with 33.4 seconds left. Read the book: The word is apparently out on the Sabres’ goaltenders – shoot high from the circles. The trend continued on the opening goal as defenseman David Savard fired one over Nilsson’s shoulder as the goalie went down with 7:09 off the clock. Inside out: Nick Foligno’s individual effort gave Columbus a 2-0 lead. The captain spun Jake McCabe and stepped around the defenseman to get a high, close-range goal with six minutes to go in the first. Although a television timeout was coming at the next whistle, Bylsma had seen enough and couldn’t wait. He called timeout for a quick talk with the team at the bench. Triple: Scott Hartnell took down McCabe in the corner, allowing to feed Oliver Bjorkstrand for an empty-netter on a two-on-one. It was 3-0 with 2:04 left in the first. Life: The Sabres finally showed a pulse on the opening shift of the second period, and they made it 3-1 with 18 seconds gone. Nicolas Deslauriers, getting a spot shift on the line with Ryan O’Reilly and Evander Kane, carried the puck behind the net and fed McCabe at the top of the circle. The defenseman shot just inside the post for his third goal. After no points in his opening 34 games, Deslauriers has two in two nights. Power: Buffalo’s power play made it 3-2 with 5:43 gone. After getting the rebound of Zach Bogosian’s shot, Matt Moulson buried his own. It was Moulson’s first goal in 12 games and his 10th of the season on the power play. The only time he’s had more was when he potted 14 in 2011-12. Tied up: With the fans yelling “shoot” as the seconds ticked down, Sam Reinhart listened. He slipped a low shot between the pads of Joonas Korpisalo with only 2.9 seconds left. It was Reinhart's 16th goal. 1052295 Buffalo Sabres hockey, especially among general managers who have done a poor job at roster construction, asset management or both.

How hypocritical would Murray look to fire Bylsma now after clearly Mike Harrington: Players don't deserve say on Bylsma saying the team’s skid following the bye week was on the players? And how much of a defeat would it be for Pegula to hire a pair of big- By Mike Harrington name coaches in Bylsma and Rex Ryan – and dump both of them just two years into five-year contracts? It would just add to the feeling that Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017 Pegula and his GMs have no idea what they’re doing. Look no further than the opponent the last two nights to see what could happen here. Murray needs to spin off either Sam Reinhart or Kane for a The point of this column before the puck was dropped Saturday night defenseman in the kind of trade Columbus pulled off with Nashville that was that it would be absurd for the Sabres to fire Dan Bylsma after the saw Seth Jones arrive and Ryan Johansen depart. The Jackets were season. He didn’t put this leaky defense together. That was done by much healthier this season, Sergei Bobrovsky became a Vezina Trophy General Manager Tim Murray. And when do the players take candidate and the climb up the standings was quick. responsibility for what’s gone on here since they hit the beaches during their bye week? Bylsma needs that kind of chance to open next season with a retooled roster. But he admitted after this one he wondered where this was all Then the game happened. The way the first period went, you started to going with 1-7-2 looming – and a West Coast trip in the offing. wonder if Bylsma should be on the flight to California for practice Monday in San Jose. “Frankly, it brought me back to us losing the lead against Nashville,” Bylsma said of the Feb. 28 overtime loss to the Predators that saw In a 3-0 hole against Columbus through one, Bylsma peeled some Buffalo blow a pair of two-goal leads. “We’re still trying to recover from dressing room paint behind his players’ ears, put Nic Deslauriers, of all Arizona and get wins and we lose the 4-2 lead there. Then a succession people, on the top line to open the second and instantly got an assist of days go by and you’ve crapped away games. I was thinking, ‘this from him. He also yanked Anders Nilsson for Robin Lehner and got a ton happened to us in our building two weeks ago and it’s time we do it the of saves. Amazing how that helps. other way.’ ” Five goals later, the Sabres had a rub-your-eyes 5-3 thriller over the Blue Somehow, it did and the heat on Bylsma can cool for a couple of days. Jackets for their first three-goal comeback in regulation since 2009. After all, the Sabres can’t get on a Bills-style merry-go-round of coaches. Bylsma gets some credit for the wakeup calls but it’s good to see some of these players looked in the mirror and said enough was enough with Bylsma should be on a tight leash next season for sure, say maybe up to this season-crippling 1-6-2 slide. Thanksgiving. But it seems awfully short-sighted to kick a guy to the curb who’s won a lot of hockey games and even a Stanley Cup, all on the “We came out in the second with nothing to lose,” said defenseman Jake whims of players who haven’t won anything yet. McCabe. “We went on the attack for the rest of the 40 minutes. It’s been a rough stretch here and it’s getting to the point now you have to have a short memory. We know what’s expected of us, what we’ve been told to do. We have to go out there and perform.” Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 Amen to that. To these eyes, there has been far too much emphasis on the coach, not nearly enough scrutiny on the GM’s roster construction or on the underpeformance of a lot of players not named Evander Kane or Jack Eichel. Still, Bylsma is a long way from perfect either. His breakout system featuring long stretch passes from the defense doesn’t work with blue liners who just aren’t good enough. He’s overused Ryan O’Reilly and Rasmus Ristolainen to the point both seem worn out and often ineffective. Especially in the first half of the season, he was a serial line tinkerer and it seems few of his forwards had any chemistry. The narrative developing of late, however, is darker. It seems Bylsma and Eichel, among others, don’t see eye to eye. Bylsma made it a point to single out Eichel for an admittedly terrible turnover that led to Philadelphia’s first goal Tuesday night, but didn’t mention Marcus Foligno’s much more egregious giveaway that led to the Flyers’ second goal or the toasting Lehner got on a couple of long shots. Later in the week, Bylsma admitted he’s tougher on Eichel and his young players. Seems reasonable. Demand more from the guys with the most talent. Eichel has given “I’m not the coach” answers a couple of times this season but clearly knows his place too. He’s been darn close to brilliant for much of the last couple months and hasn’t sniped outwardly at the coach, even if you see him gritting his teeth. You hear scuttlebutt that others in the room aren’t that enthralled with Bylsma and they’re big names. But if you fire Bylsma based on that, you let the inmates run the asylum. The last thing Murray should want is to create a situation where Eichel or any other young star is tagged a coach-killer before even playing a single playoff game. That’s kind of what happened to Bylsma in Pittsburgh. It’s widely known Sidney Crosby, among others, tired of Byslma’s complex, defensive- oriented system and implored Mario Lemieux & Co. to say no mas. Of course, Crosby had won a Stanley Cup by then and was on a team with several other veterans who were tired of losing playoff series to lower- seeded foes. As unsightly as that is, superstars can do that. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan did. LeBron James did it just last year with David Blatt. In my world, however, 20-year-olds don’t get to play GM. Murray and owner had better think long and hard about that. One thing that doesn’t help Bylsma is that plenty of coaching changes in the NHL have worked wonders this year in places like Boston, Brooklyn and Montreal. Firing the coach is becoming a very convenient crutch in 1052296 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Notebook: Bailey moving; home-and-home records

By John Vogl Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017

No one has moved around the Sabres’ lineup more than Justin Bailey lately. In the last four games alone, the right winger has started on three lines with six different forwards. Wherever the rookie is skating, Buffalo coach Dan Bylsma expects the same thing. “He’s got the ability and the potential to be a guy that can add with speed and skating and force,” Bylsma said Saturday. “That’s what he’s done when he’s played well.” Bailey started Saturday’s game against Columbus alongside center Zemgus Girgensons and left wing Marcus Foligno. In Columbus on Friday, Bailey was on the top line with Ryan O’Reilly and Evander Kane. Bylsma said Bailey’s attributes need to shine no matter the line or situation. “You’re trying to develop and grow within our organization,” the coach said in KeyBank Center. “This is a huge opportunity for him to show just the type of effective player he can be.” The back-to-back meetings between Buffalo and Columbus were a first for the franchises. It’s certainly not the first time it’s happened, though. It was the 161st time Buffalo has participated in a home-and-home series. The Sabres have gone 56-75-29 in the road games and entered KeyBank Center with a 90-46-24 record in the home games. They are 70-60-30 on the opening night and entered Saturday with a 76-61-23 record on the second. The Sabres had swept 31 series and lost both games 23 times. Columbus coach John Tortorella wasn’t thrilled with Friday’s 4-3 victory, saying the Blue Jackets won even though they “weren’t that good.” He eased up on his club before Saturday’s game. “We have to be really careful here,” Tortorella said. “Don't pick apart the team because it's not always perfect. We've been very fortunate because I think the players have gone about their business each day to be the best they can be. “In a long season, you're not going to have all these great minutes. I think sometimes people get spoiled. That's part of my job, managing that part. Not only with you guys but more important with the team, to make sure the expectation and how we manage the season is done properly.” Saturday’s game was the battle of seldom-used backups. Buffalo went with goaltender Anders Nilsson for just the third time in 16 games. Columbus started Joonas Korpisalo, who was playing for just the fourth time in 18 games. Defenseman Josh Gorges reached the goal column Friday, leaving Justin Falk and Nicolas Deslauriers as the only Sabres without goals this season. It’s Gorges’ work without the puck that earned Bylsma’s praise. “He’s been the card-carrying member of how we want to play with being tough, aggressive, physical and putting his body on the line for the team,” Bylsma said. “That’s got to be the mantra for our team.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052297 Buffalo Sabres

Five Things to Know as Sabres host Blue Jackets

By John Vogl Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017

Round One of Sabres versus Blue Jackets went Columbus’ way. Buffalo gets to host Round Two on Saturday. Here are Five Things to Know as the teams face off in KeyBank Center at 7 p.m. 1. They know what they’re getting The Blue Jackets’ 4-3 victory Friday night was the teams’ first meeting of the season. Buffalo fell to 1-6-2 in the last nine games. “They showed what they are,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said Saturday. “I don’t think they bowl you over with high-profile names. They certainly have good players and skill, but they’re a working team, an aggressive team. They’re a team that probably has the highest battle level in the league of any teams we’ve played. “We’ve seen their success throughout the year, but it was our first chance to taste it and it was as advertised.” Quick Hits: Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3 2. Anders Nilsson in net The Sabres will turn to Nilsson to man the net. The goaltender is 9-9-4 with a .920 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against average. He is coming off a 41-save loss Sunday in Pittsburgh but has started just two of the previous 15 games. 3. Columbus shooting for history The Blue Jackets (43-17-6, 92 points) have tied the franchise record for wins in a season and are one point away from tying the team mark set in 2013-14. Columbus is 8-2-1 in the past 11 games while outscoring opponents, 34- 16. 4. Get in front The Blue Jackets are turning to backup Joonas Korpisalo (5-2, .915 save percentage), and Bylsma wants players to block the goalie’s view. They didn’t do that with Sergei Bobrovsky in net Friday. “We got a fair number of scoring chances in the game,” Bylsma said. “I still think we have to do a better job of getting pucks to the net-front area. We had four or five in the first where we missed that opportunity. By my calculation, we didn’t have any net-front presence from our other players around their goaltender.” 5. Start new streaks The Sabres’ Jack Eichel (11 games) and Ryan O’Reilly (five games) saw their point streaks come to an end Friday. Buffalo is 4-8-1 in the second game of back-to-backs this season.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052298 Buffalo Sabres 28. New Jersey Devils. Stink: Current 0-7-2 skid included hideous scoreless streak of 174:51. (24)

29. Arizona Coyotes. Stinkier: War of words erupts again between Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings Bettman and Glendale politicos. (29) 30. Colorado Avalanche. Stinkiest: May be first team since '00 Thrashers By Mike Harrington to not get 50 points. (30) Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017 Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 Through Friday's games. Last week in parenthesis. 1. Washington Capitals. Trotz shuffles lines after 5-4-1 return from bye week. (1) 2. Minnesota Wild. Atop the West, three points out of Presidents Trophy lead. (2) 3. Columbus Blue Jackets. Fascinated to see if incredible turnaround translates to playoffs. (5). 4. Pittsburgh Penguins. Surviving in spite of injury-riddled defense. (4) 5. . Final trip to Joe Louis results in first two-game skid since late January (3) 6. New York Rangers. Lundqvist’s 12 consecutive 20-win seasons are tied for the most in NHL history. (6) 7. San Jose Sharks. After blowing lead here, you figure they'll be primed for Sabres' visit on Tuesday. (7) 8. Montreal Canadiens. Julien Effect: Habs are 7-2 in last nine. (8) 9. Ottawa Senators. They're in position to win the Atlantic. Amazing. (11) 10. Edmonton Oilers. Pretty wild to see both McDavid and Crosby score in same shootout. (9) 11. Anaheim Ducks. Bernier with a 43-save shutout in 1-0 win at Chicago. (10) 12. Calgary Flames. Won eight straight, are 12-2-1 since Feb. 1. Battle of playoff meeting with Oil looming? (12) 13. Boston Bruins. Surprised they haven't already taken away Cassidy's interim label. (14) 14. New York Islanders. Held firm as ACC Tournament booted them from Barclays for two weeks. (13) 15. Nashville Predators. Have crept past Blues into third place in Central. (15) 16. Toronto Maple Leafs. Two more visits to Buffalo should keep StubHub busy here. (16) 17. St. Louis Blues. Desperate to hold off Kings for final wild-card in West. (19) 18. Tampa Bay Lightning. No excuses accepted: Lost three players to injury, still beat Wild. (20) 19. Los Angeles Kings. Just like previous years: Dangerous if they get in. But it's a huge if. (18) 20. Philadelphia Flyers. Toyed with Sabres, got tripped up in Toronto. (21) 21. Florida Panthers. Lost all momentum from 5-0 road trip when they returned home. (17) 22. Winnipeg Jets. Laine at 32 goals with stunning shooting percentage of 19.5. (23) 23. Buffalo Sabres. Road woes a big issue heading into West Coast trip: Just 11-17-6 this season after 19-17-5 last year. (22) 24. Vancouver Canucks. Two straight OT losses open last-ditch five- game homestand. (25) 25. Carolina Hurricanes. Open home-and-home with Islanders Monday in Brooklyn. (27) 26. Dallas Stars. Just nine road wins. Same as Colorado and Arizona. Shame on you, Lindy. (28) 27. Detroit Red Wings. When Journey hits "born and raised in South Detroit" in Joe Louis sing-along, isn't that really Windsor? (26) 1052299 Buffalo Sabres provided with. So how exactly have all these Web sites prospered?

It's really hard to believe this didn't come up at the GMs meetings at all. Inside the NHL: We love this league and it drives us nuts They actually think this is a good thing? By eliminating the 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 matchups, we're guaranteeing the By Mike Harrington early elimination of some potentially 100-point teams. We're sure to have that happen in the Metropolitan Division, where the Capitals, Blue Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017 Jackets and Penguins are battling for the top three spots. The Rangers entered Saturday just two points behind Pittsburgh for third but it would likely behoove New York to finish fourth so it would have Is there any league that drives its fans crazier than the NHL? Sometimes easier matchups with Atlantic Division clubs like Montreal or Ottawa. And you have to wonder why we love this league so much because it doesn't any format that encourages losing should be tossed. reciprocate the feeling. In the second round, we could be looking at Caps-Penguins and Wild- This corner routinely invokes Mario Lemieux's infamous 1992 quote Blackhawks. How is it good for fans -- and by extension NBC -- to have calling the NHL a "garage league." It's sure felt that way in the last week. two top teams gone halfway through the playoffs? Gary Bettman came Over and over again, the NHL can't get out of its own way. It's hard to from the NBA and it's hard to believe the NHL doesn't follow its model. believe some of the things we've seen and heard the last few days. The NBA playoffs build the drama to the final. The NHL loses steam as it goes along because it's knocking out too many good teams too soon. I'm tired of hearing about the general managers' meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. What a waste of time for a bunch of guys who have too much power And don't even get me started on the points system. It's mind-boggling determining the rules of the league who are simply protecting their own that a regulation win still counts the same as a shootout win. When are jobs and not thinking about the fans at all. They should all get sent to we getting three points for regulation wins in this sport? Winnipeg for three days in March to work on what's really broken in this league. The production quality continues to be college-level at times, with recent Sabres games showing a graphic picturing Cal O'Reilly instead of Ryan At one point in the meetings, Montreal's Marc Bergevin strode through O'Reilly and listing Cody McCormick as a scratch when he's been retired the lobby holding a large potted plant in front of him to evade the media. for more than a year. There has to be some symbolism there. Some of these guys have about as much vision for the game as a potted plant, yet it was the GMs who The studio show is the worst of the four major sports by far. NBC were broken into groups to discuss their vision of the game 5-10 years leadership clearly thinks the world of and Jeremy Roenick, from now. Can't wait to hear these ideas. while fans think both are just over their heads. I have no idea what Roenick was talking about last week when he said to give a team no Here are some of the points about the current state of the NHL, points for an overtime loss but one point for a shootout loss. Yo, Jeremy: especially in the last week, that have me riled: No one would attack in overtime that way. They would just try to get to the shootout to protect their point! The worst rule change in the history of the sport -- and maybe the history of any sport -- was left alone by the GMs. Nothing to see here, it's The game talent is much better. Love Doc Emrick and Gord Miller on working great. Even though every single fan you talk to absolutely hates play by play and they're two of the most respected media people in the it. But we have to get it right, we can't lose a game on an offside call. game. The likes of and come in and also do (Reminder: We only have this rule because the Canadiens lost a playoff solid jobs. game in overtime to Tampa two years ago on an offside goal. So because Montreal got burned once, we ruin the game forever. Think There are those who think Pierre McGuire is too self-indulgent for their they'd change the rule if, say, Columbus had lost? Or if the Lightning had tastes and I get that. And we could use far less references to guys' junior, been burned?). high school and college days. But there's just no arguing his knowledge of the game, nor the respect he gets from players and coaches. If Pierre At the very least, the GMs could have tweaked it to allow goals to be is in the house, it's a big game. scored when players have their skate in their air as they get to the blue line. But no, let's leave it alone and let's continue to spook linesmen into But the practice of "national" games using home announcers from the whistling plays down that are fine because they don't want to deal with league's Comcast connection has to stop. Especially on the road. There replay, or let's continue to show how many they technically miss by the is no excuse -- none -- for a national telecast of a Flyers-Sabres game in length of a toenail. Buffalo to simply pick up the Philadelphia broadcast. Sabres fans and the national audience were subjected to Flyers announcers (thankfully, Jim So let's continue to make offside the most important rule in the game, Jackson and do a good job), as well as ads for suites and and not worry if the play before a goal was, say, 30 seconds earlier when season tickets in Philadelphia. the defensive team has had five chances to clear the zone. But don't discuss cracking down on hooking, holding and interference. And by all It's embarrassing. NBC should not be allowed to claim exclusivity in the means, let's not worry when Jack Eichel is breaking toward the goal in home market for a telecast like that. That game should still be on MSG, overtime and Victor Hedman throws a stick at him and tackles him. That's for instance. But obviously, NBC would thus get no Buffalo ratings. Then not the kind of call we should pressure the referees to be making. pony up and send a national crew here. Would the NBA ever allow TNT or ESPN to put such a sham product on the air? No chance. The NHL If any of these GMs think they don't want referees deciding games by shouldn't either. making calls, they're crazy. They're absolutely deciding games by not making calls. Can't wait for all those playoff games to come on CNBC and other channels we can't find. Still can't believe this league can't get back Why is the NFL a 365-day-a-year enterprise? Because they make involved with ESPN. themselves that way. The NHL would rather operate in secrecy, like it did in smoke-filled hotel ballrooms in the 1960s and 70s. They're the first I'm not going to judge former Sabres enforcer for what he league going into Las Vegas and it seems like they don't want anybody to did or didn't do during that recent Jr. Sabres brawl in HarborCenter. The follow the expansion draft. video is grainy and no charges have been filed. I think Peters got a raw deal in some early television reports that went over the top. GMs reportedly decided at their meeting that the teams will be keeping their protected lists secret for the Golden Knights' selections. Don't want That said, the optics were obviously not good and Peters' suspension to hurt any players' feelings, the poor fragile multi-millionaires. (NHL from coaching by Academy of Hockey Director Kevyn Adams was Hockey Operations Director Colin Campbell reportedly said later in the certainly justified. And it was downright goofy the Sabres didn't take him week the lists may be released). off the air on "The Instigators" simulcast on WGR Radio and MSG for at least a few days while the situation was being reviewed. Folks at WGR So let's not give fans weeks to discuss hockey, even about teams that certainly thought he didn't deserve to be on the air with "The Bulldog" don't make the playoffs. Let's not let them go online and have real taking a strong stance during his show. information to play with for their draft simulators. And let's certainly not let new fans in Las Vegas try to draw up their new team. Still, Instigators is run by the Sabres and not the radio station. Their call. But putting Peters on the actual game broadcast Friday night from The selection process for the Golden Knights should be a draft-week, Columbus with unavailable was an incredibly tone-deaf move made-for-TV show. The entire hockey world would watch. But remember, by the Sabres and Pegula Sports and Entertainment executives. this is a league with a commissioner who said salary information is something only the media cares about and isn't anything fans need to be For now at least, Peters is tarnished. It's far too close to the incident for him to suddenly pop up on game broadcasts. Just a bad, bad decision. As for his actual work, Peters did a solid job and it's clear the Sabres feel he has potential in that area. "The Instigators" has really matured as a show that deals in reality and isn't state-run media, unlike the often- embarrssing Bills-produced simulcast that runs immediately after it on WGR and MSG. Former Sabres captain Craig Rivet has an excellent voice for radio and TV, works very well bantering with Peters and really should be doing a lot more broadcast work. Fellow former Sabres and Matt Ellis do a fine job as well during their regular appearances. If Peters wants to continue to grow in this field, he can't have any more incidents to tarnish his reputation.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052300 Buffalo Sabres more seasons on his contract. Therefore, they had three seasons to make a run.

Time is almost up. Inside the Sabres: D-lemma; Kane's year; granting Cal's wish There was progress last year. There’s been none this year – and the way things are going, Buffalo may take a step back in points. By John Vogl The Sabres wanted Kane for his scoring ability, and the left winger has Published Sat, Mar 11, 2017 delivered: *He leads the Sabres with 24 goals and is on pace to tie his career high of 30. OK, the Sabres want to get better defensemen. Let’s look at the pending free agents. *Since Kane scored his first goal Dec. 3, only Montreal’s (26), Boston’s Brad Marchand and Nashville’s Filip Forsberg (25 each) There’s Kevin Shattenkirk and … um … er … have more. Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Franson? *Kane has 10 goals in his last 15 games. Buffalo fans can really use some good news. Looking at the NHL Buffalo, meanwhile, is closing in on the Eastern Conference basement. defensemen available this summer won’t deliver it. During Kane’s 45-game binge, the Sabres have gone 18-20-7, including 1-6-2 in the last nine. Consider: Kane is set to be an unrestricted free agent after next season. The best *The top unrestricted point-producers are Shattenkirk, Montreal’s Andrei way to keep him in Buffalo (and that’s an entirely different debate) was to Markov, Pittsburgh’s Mark Streit and the Sabres’ Franson. become a playoff team. Now Murray may have to trade him. *The top UFAs by minutes played are Pittsburgh’s Ron Hainsey, Markov, If it’s clear during offseason talks that Kane will explore the market in Buffalo’s Kulikov and Edmonton’s Kris Russell. 2018, Murray can’t risk losing the forward for nothing. He’ll have to deal him during the summer or by next trade deadline. *The youngest UFAs are Kulikov, Philadelphia’s Michael Del Zotto and Calgary’s Michael Stone. If Kane leaves town without a playoff game, that will indeed be a waste of production. The Sabres have already tried Kulikov and Franson. It’s part of the reason they’re looking for top-four defensemen. Murray has said he wants to do right by players. Look no further than Cal O’Reilly. Washington’s Karl Alzner is worthy of an offer. But unless Buffalo lands Shattenkirk – and there will be plenty of suitors – it appears the UFA When the Sabres gave Ryan O’Reilly a seven-year, $52.5 million market won’t yield that surefire catch. contract, they also handed his brother a two-year deal that paid him $700,000 a season whether he was in the minors or the NHL. His prior How about the restricted market? deal with Vancouver was $600,000 in the NHL and $325,000 in the The top point-producers are Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz, St. Louis’ Colton minors, which is how most contracts for up-and-down players work. Parayko, Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere and Washington’s Dmitry Recently, a source says, Cal has wanted out of Rochester, which is last Orlov. The top RFAs by ice time are Toronto’s Nikita Zaitsev and Dallas’ in its division and 28th out of 30 AHL teams. Murray granted his wish, Esa Lindell. loaning O’Reilly to the for the rest of the season. Other well-known RFAs include the Islanders’ Calvin de Haan and It certainly did not help the Amerks to see their captain given away for Vancouver’s Erik Gudbranson. Offer sheets are rare, but maybe the nothing, but if O’Reilly ever talks about his time in the organization, he'd Sabres will think it’s worth it to deliver one. better say Murray treated him right. More likely, General Manager Tim Murray will have to swing a trade. In It’s not the ideal time to be affiliated with the Sabres. order to get something, the Sabres will have to lose something. That means a key forward or two will be shown the door. Rochester is not only last, it plays in an arena that Buffalo hates. The , meanwhile, have announced they are ceasing operations As of now, Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe, Zach Bogosian, Josh at the end of the season. The Sabres don’t run the ECHL team, but they Gorges, Justin Falk, Casey Nelson and Brendan Guhle will man the do help supply it with players. Sabres’ blue line next season. Buffalo needs more, as everyone from Murray to coach Dan Bylsma to Joe Schmoe has mentioned. The Jackals are 14-38-8 – which is, of course, last place. Finding more won’t be easy. If the Sabres are wasting anyone, it’s Evander Kane. Buffalo News LOADED: 03.12.2017 Yahoo Sports sparked an internet debate last week when it wrote the “Sabres are wasting Jack Eichel.” The basics: *The Sabres are a rotten team and will miss the playoffs during Eichel’s first two seasons. *Eichel is a top-10 scorer since his return from injury. *Eichel’s peers – Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine – are in playoff or trophy races. *Eichel is too good to not be in the playoffs. It’s hard (or impossible) to argue with those premises. The debate is about “wasted.” There are too many stars who missed the playoffs their first two seasons to even think about writing a list. Top prospects join terrible teams because that’s how the draft process works. Good seasons for young players have gone for naught for decades. Eichel has at least five more seasons in a Buffalo uniform. His expiration date isn’t until 2021-22 at the earliest, so it’s a bit quick to say he’s being wasted. (However, if you want to say the Sabres are wasting a season in which he comes cheap, that’s a viable argument.) When it comes to Kane, however, his time is being wasted with no playoffs. The Sabres acquired him in February 2015, and he had three 1052301 Calgary Flames

Hamilton a 'game time decision' as Flames try to extend win streak to nine

KRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 12:27 PM MST

As fans waited with baited breath in Calgary, Glen Gulutzan finally offered some comforting news. The first update? Dougie Hamilton suffered a laceration on his leg . . . BUT . . . he took Saturday’s morning skate on his normal pairing with Flames captain Mark Giordano and is a game time decision against the Winnipeg Jets tonight. “It could be five days and it could be gone,” said the Flames head coach of the cut on Hamilton’s leg, following the team’s morning skate at MTS Centre in Winnipeg. “It’s in a spot that makes it a little uncomfortable. But the good news it’s just a cut on his leg from a skate. “If he’s not ready to go (Saturday), he’ll be ready to go the next game.” As for Michael Stone? The team is being a little more cautious. The 26- year-old defender did not travel with the team, dealing with an upper body ailment which looked like a shoulder injury. “It’s a little better than we thought in the beginning,” said Gulutzan. “That’s encouraging news, that he’s feeling a bit better than we initially thought. We’ll see how he is in the next few days.” Against the Jets, blueliner Dennis Wideman will draw in for Stone while Stockton Heat call-up Rasmus Andersson is waiting for his turn to draw in. Wideman hasn’t suited up since a Feb. 18 overtime setback against the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames traded for Stone two days later. They haven’t lost since. “Obviously, everybody wants to play,” Wideman said prior to Friday’s flight to Winnipeg. “My job to stay ready and be as ready as possible if need be. If it’s (Saturday), then I’ll be ready to go. “With the guys going as well as they’re going, I think you’re just trying to come in and add to that. Or if not, just not take away from it. The way everybody is going, I’ll just come in and play as solid as I can and try to keep the puck out of my net.” But the biggest thing for the Flames is not disrupting the roll they’ve been on. Winners of eight in a row, Calgary is the hottest team in the with points in 10 games straight and are 13-2-1 in the last 16 games. They’ve also been relatively healthy — their last injury was Garnet Hathaway’s upper body ailment which kept him out until Feb. 3. “We know injuries are going to happen,” Gulutzan said. “They’re a part of the game. We just have to bring guys in, keep pushing forward, stay consistent, and don’t change your game. “Our guys have done a real good job of staying focused. We haven’t let complacency come into our game. We’re trying to make the playoffs here and we know it’s going to come down to the last game. I expect this to be a really good game.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052302 Calgary Flames Hamilton, who was a game-time decision after a skate cut his leg on Thursday versus the Canadiens, hit a post but Backlund eventually deposited the rebound. The goal gave Backlund a career-high 48 points. Flames extend win streak to nine games with win against Jets It didn’t stop there. In the final minute of the first, big Dustin Byfuglien set-up in Calgary’s Kristen Odland, Postmedia zone for a point-shot but Kris Versteeg stripped him at the blue line and cruised down to the other end of the ice for a scoring chance. Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 8:56 PM MDT Needless to say, Gulutzan was hot under the collar. “I was a little fired up, maybe too much,” said Gulutzan. “Our bench was fired up … we came in (after the first) and for a team that’s been playing WINNIPEG – Enjoy this, Calgary Flames fans. well as we have, we certainly have a lot of edge to us. We settled into the first five (minutes) of the second. The mood with the guys is good. They Because it might not last long. love to win.” With Saturday’s 3-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, the Flames won their Saturday’s win was Calgary’s 28th straight when holding a lead after two ninth straight game, which is the first time the team has won nine in a row periods as they improved to 14-2-1 in the last 17 games and have earned since moving to Calgary from Atlanta. If they win 10 straight, they’ll tie the points in 11 straight games. franchise record set in Atlanta from Oct. 14 to Nov. 3, 1978. “This time of the year, it’s essential,” Elliott said. “You get those two But what was most heart-warming to their faithful supporters — points and you have to keep doing the same things. You can’t sit back especially in Alberta — was the fact they leapfrogged the Edmonton and look at the run we’ve been on. Oilers (35-23-9) and the Anaheim Ducks (35-23-10) to occupy the second spot in the Pacific Division. “You have to look forward to the next game.” Both teams play on Sunday (Anaheim squares off with the Washington Capitals while Edmonton hosts the Montreal Canadiens). So, while Calgary remains idle on a day off, things could change. 1. Flames C Mikael Backlund — His career year continues. Made a huge impact on the power play and was able to dominate in Winnipeg’s zone. Regardless, with the National Hockey League playoffs around the corner and 14 more regular season games to play, Saturday’s game continued 2. Flames D Dougie Hamilton — The Flames were able to breathe a sigh an impressive run for the Flames (38-26-4). of relief when D Dougie Hamilton was good to go on Saturday. Three assists for the big blueliner. “I think you’re just trying to take it one step at a time,” said Flames netminder Brian Elliott. “You’re not focussing too much on scoreboard 3. Flames RW Michael Frolik — With a goal and an assist, Michael Frolik watching or anything like that. We’re in a position where we control our continues to be a consistent force for this club. own destiny. NOTES: “That’s the best way to approach it and not worry about other teams or After some concern over the laceration on his leg, Flames D Dougie what’s going on in the league.” Hamilton drew into the lineup. Good news but what about blueliner Elliott is 12-1-1 in his last 14 starts and, making 31 saves, earned his Michael Stone who was also injured in Thursday’s 5-0 win over the second straight shutout after Calgary beat the Canadiens 5-0 on Montreal Canadiens? The 26-year-old did not travel with the team, Thursday. dealing with an upper body ailment which looked like a shoulder injury. “It’s a little better than we thought in the beginning,” said Flames head Alex Chiasson sealed the deal, scoring Calgary’s third marker on a coach Glen Gulutzan. “That’s encouraging news, that he’s feeling a bit perfect set-up by Sean Monahan. better than we initially thought. We’ll see how he is in the next few days.” … Against the Jets, Flames D Dennis Wideman drew in for Stone while Once again, the line of Matthew Tkachuk, Mikael Backlund, and Michael Stockton Heat call-up Rasmus Andersson is still waiting for his turn to Frolik was effective, scoring twice on the power play — both times while draw in. Wideman hadn’t suited up since a Feb. 18 overtime setback Ben Chiarot was serving penalties. against the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames traded for Stone two days later and they haven’t lost since … Flames scratched RW/C Curtis Lazar, “When you talk about everybody contributing to the streak we’re on, you C Freddie Hamilton, D Michael Stone (upper body), and D Rasmus can speak to that, but our specialty teams probably won us this one,” Andersson … With the victory, Calgary matched their longest road said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “Along with our goaltender. You winning streak since winning five straight from Dec. 22, 2014 to Jan. 19, need something different every night and that was the big difference in 2015. They also have their longest point streak (seven games) since nine my mind.” consecutive wins from Jan. 17 to March 1, 2012. Calgary’s second goal came when Chiarot was serving a four-minute double minor for high sticking. Dougie Hamilton had the first shot on net, a hard wrister from the right face-off dot and then Tkachuk did some Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.12.2017 digging while Frolik tapped in the loose puck. Meanwhile, the Flames killed off Matt Stajan’s tripping penalty (Flames captain Mark Giordano had huge shot block and was able to clear the puck). And, near the end of the second period, Sam Bennett fiercely dropped the gloves with Jacob Trouba right in front of Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck, leaving both of them a bloody mess. “That’s Sam’s second fight in 10 or 12 games … and, man, he’s a tough kid,” Gulutzan said. “I thought he was engaged. He’s a competitor. If he keeps doing that, he’s going to give himself some room.” Funny because the Flames didn’t have a great start. Hey, that’s to be expected when you’ve won eight straight heading into a clash — some games aren’t going to be perfect. Passes were missed. Plays were misread. And, in general, they were just not as crisp as usual. No matter. The Flames hit the scoreboard with 5:54 remaining in the first period. While Chiarot was off for interference, Backlund had a perfect no- look feed from behind the net to Hamilton. 1052303 Calgary Flames

Hamilton "lucky" in return to Flames following skate blade scare

KRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 10:21 PM MDT

WINNIPEG – When Mark Giordano saw what happened to his defence partner Dougie Hamilton on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens, the Calgary Flames captain cringed. Understandably. Anytime there is an injury involving a skate blade, there is a sense of panic. But given that Hamilton is one of Calgary’s key cogs in this current nine- game win streak — which was extended with a 3-0 blanking of the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday — the laceration the back of his leg was even more worrisome. “Oh yeah,” Giordano said. “You hope that it hasn’t caused too much damage. Thankfully, it was just a cut and that’s it.” It was a relief for Flames fans, too, as Hamilton was available for Saturday’s clash despite early reports of his status being up in the air. Earlier in the day, Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan wanted to ensure Hamilton was ready to go. The 2017 National Hockey League post-season must be around the corner because the 23-year-old battled through the injury, which required stitches and mustered a three-assist performance in 18:17 of ice time. “You know what? Dougie was in a lot of pain playing,” Gulutzan said. “There was a time in the third period where we were going to shut him down. I thought he did a really good job and ended up with three assists. He was effective but played through all of the freezing. He was in some discomfort in the third — nothing that will keep him out. But he could feel it. I thought he did a great job.” It was a relief that Hamilton was able to play, but the Flames are still without blueliner Michael Stone who is dealing with an upper body injury and didn’t make the trip to Winnipeg. As a result, Dennis Wideman drew in as the Flames also recalled Rasmus Andersson from the Stockton Heat of the . Hamilton admitted that the past couple days have been a whirlwind. “I’ve never dealt with something like this before,” said Hamilton who has played 67 games and has scored 10 goals and 34 assists in his second full season with the Flames. “I just wanted to listen to the doctors and did the best I could.” The injury was just as frightening for the six-foot-six, 210 pounder who wasn’t entirely sure how bad the injury was after the collision which happened in the Flames zone late in the second period. Hamilton didn’t return for the third frame. He considers himself fortunate. “I knew right away that something was wrong,” Hamilton said. “I just got really lucky that I was wearing the right socks and it didn’t touch my tendon. “They (the Flames trainers/medical staff) said it was as close as it could be to my tendon. I was lucky.” The Flames think so too. “A big part of our team,” Giordano said. “He makes things happen and gets pucks to the net. “At this time of the year, you need guys to battle through nagging things and he did that (Saturday).”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052304 Calgary Flames

Hamilton a 'game time decision' as Flames try to extend winning steak

BY KRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 12:21 PM MST

As fans waited with baited breath in Calgary, Glen Gulutzan finally offered some comforting news. The first update? Defenceman Dougie Hamilton suffered a laceration on his leg . . . BUT . . . he took Saturday's morning skate on his normal pairing with Flames captain Mark Giordano and is a game time decision against the Winnipeg Jets tonight. "It could be five days and it could be gone," said the Flames head coach of the cut on Hamilton's leg, following the team's morning skate at MTS Centre in Winnipeg. "It's in a spot that makes it a little uncomfortable. But the good news it's just a cut on his leg from a skate. "If he's not ready to go (Saturday), he'll be ready to go the next game." As for Michael Stone? The team is being a little more cautious. The 26- year-old defender did not travel with the team, dealing with an upper body ailment which looked like a shoulder injury. "It's a little better than we thought in the beginning," said Gulutzan. "That's encouraging news, that he's feeling a bit better than we initially thought. We'll see how he is in the next few days." Against the Jets, blueliner Dennis Wideman will draw in for Stone while Stockton Heat call-up Rasmus Andersson is waiting for his turn to draw in. Wideman hasn't suited up since a Feb. 18 overtime setback against the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames traded for Stone two days later. They haven't lost since. "Obviously, everybody wants to play," Wideman said prior to Friday's flight to Winnipeg. "My job to stay ready and be as ready as possible if need be. If it's (Saturday), then I'll be ready to go. "With the guys going as well as they're going, I think you're just trying to come in and add to that. Or if not, just not take away from it. The way everybody is going, I'll just come in and play as solid as I can and try to keep the puck out of my net." But the biggest thing for the Flames is not disrupting the roll they've been on. Winners of eight in a row, Calgary is the hottest team in the National Hockey League with points in 10 games straight and are 13-2-1 in the last 16 games. They've also been relatively healthy — their last injury was Garnet Hathaway's upper body ailment which kept him out until Feb. 3. "We know injuries are going to happen," Gulutzan said. "They're a part of the game. We just have to bring guys in, keep pushing forward, stay consistent, and don't change your game. "Our guys have done a real good job of staying focused. We haven't let complacency come into our game. We're trying to make the playoffs here and we know it's going to come down to the last game. I expect this to be a really good game."

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052305 Calgary Flames

Hamilton injury could have been much worse

BY KRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 09:55 PM MST | UPDATED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 10:00 PM MST

WINNIPEG - When Mark Giordano saw what happened to his defence partner Dougie Hamilton on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens, the Calgary Flames captain cringed. Understandably. Anytime there is an injury involving a skate blade, there is a sense of panic. But given that Hamilton is one of Calgary’s key cogs in this current nine- game win streak — which was extended with a 3-0 blanking of the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday — the laceration the back of his leg was even more worrisome. “Oh yeah,” Giordano said. “You hope that it hasn’t caused too much damage. Thankfully, it was just a cut and that’s it.” It was a relief for Flames fans, too, as Hamilton was available for Saturday’s clash despite early reports of his status being up in the air. Earlier in the day, Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan wanted to ensure Hamilton was ready to go. The 2017 National Hockey League post-season must be around the corner because the 23-year-old battled through the injury, which required stitches and mustered a three-assist performance in 18:17 of ice time. “You know what? Dougie was in a lot of pain playing,” Gulutzan said. “There was a time in the third period where we were going to shut him down. I thought he did a really good job and ended up with three assists. He was effective but played through all of the freezing. He was in some discomfort in the third — nothing that will keep him out. But he could feel it. I thought he did a great job.” It was a relief that Hamilton was able to play, but the Flames are still without blueliner Michael Stone who is dealing with an upper body injury and didn’t make the trip to Winnipeg. As a result, Dennis Wideman drew in as the Flames also recalled Rasmus Andersson from the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League. Hamilton admitted that the past couple days have been a whirlwind. “I’ve never dealt with something like this before,” said Hamilton who has played 67 games and has scored 10 goals and 34 assists in his second full season with the Flames. “I just wanted to listen to the doctors and did the best I could.” The injury was just as frightening for the six-foot-six, 210 pounder who wasn’t entirely sure how bad the injury was after the collision which happened in the Flames zone late in the second period. Hamilton didn’t return for the third frame. He considers himself fortunate. “I knew right away that something was wrong,” Hamilton said. “I just got really lucky that I was wearing the right socks and it didn’t touch my tendon. “They (the Flames trainers/medical staff) said it was as close as it could be to my tendon. I was lucky.” The Flames think so too. "A big part of our team," Giordano said. "He makes things happen and gets pucks to the net. "At this time of the year, you need guys to battle through nagging things and he did that (Saturday)."

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052306 Calgary Flames In the final minute of the first, big Dustin Byfuglien set-up in Calgary’s zone for a point-shot but Kris Versteeg stripped him at the blue line and cruised down to the other end of the ice for a scoring chance. Flames extend win streak to nine games Needless to say, Gulutzan was hot under the collar. “I was a little fired up, maybe too much,” said Gulutzan. “Our bench was BY KRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA fired up … we came in (after the first) and for a team that’s been playing well as we have, we certainly have a lot of edge to us. We settled into the first five (minutes) of the second. The mood with the guys is good. They love to win.” Because it might not last long. Saturday’s win was Calgary’s 28th straight when holding a lead after two With Saturday’s 3-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, the Flames won their periods as they improved to 14-2-1 in the last 17 games and have earned ninth straight game, which is the first time the team has won nine in a row points in 11 straight games. since moving to Calgary from Atlanta. If they win 10 straight, they’ll tie the franchise record set in Atlanta from Oct. 14 to Nov. 3, 1978. “This time of the year, it’s essential,” Elliott said. “You get those two points and you have to keep doing the same things. You can’t sit back But what was most heart-warming to their faithful supporters — and look at the run we’ve been on. especially in Alberta — was the fact they leapfrogged the Edmonton Oilers (35-23-9) and the Anaheim Ducks (35-23-10) to occupy the “You have to look forward to the next game.” second spot in the Pacific Division. Three Stars Both teams play on Sunday (Anaheim squares off with the Washington Capitals while Edmonton hosts the Montreal Canadiens). So, while 1. Flames C Mikael Backlund — His career year continues. Made a huge Calgary remains idle on a day off, things could change. impact on the power play and was able to dominate in Winnipeg’s zone. Regardless, with the National Hockey League playoffs around the corner 2. Flames D Dougie Hamilton — The Flames were able to breathe a sigh and 14 more regular season games to play, Saturday’s game continued of relief when D Dougie Hamilton was good to go on Saturday. Three an impressive run for the Flames (38-26-4). assists for the big blueliner. “I think you’re just trying to take it one step at a time,” said Flames 3. Flames RW Michael Frolik — With a goal and an assist, Michael Frolik netminder Brian Elliott. “You’re not focussing too much on scoreboard continues to be a consistent force for this club. watching or anything like that. We’re in a position where we control our NOTES: own destiny. After some concern over the laceration on his leg, Flames D Dougie “That’s the best way to approach it and not worry about other teams or Hamilton drew into the lineup. Good news but what about blueliner what’s going on in the league.” Michael Stone who was also injured in Thursday’s 5-0 win over the Elliott is 12-1-1 in his last 14 starts and, making 31 saves, earned his Montreal Canadiens? The 26-year-old did not travel with the team, second straight shutout after Calgary beat the Canadiens 5-0 on dealing with an upper body ailment which looked like a shoulder injury. Thursday. “It’s a little better than we thought in the beginning,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “That’s encouraging news, that he’s feeling a bit Alex Chiasson sealed the deal, scoring Calgary’s third marker on a better than we initially thought. We’ll see how he is in the next few days.” perfect set-up by Sean Monahan. … Against the Jets, Flames D Dennis Wideman drew in for Stone while Stockton Heat call-up Rasmus Andersson is still waiting for his turn to Once again, the line of Matthew Tkachuk, Mikael Backlund, and Michael draw in. Wideman hadn’t suited up since a Feb. 18 overtime setback Frolik was effective, scoring twice on the power play — both times while against the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames traded for Stone two days Ben Chiarot was serving penalties. later and they haven’t lost since … Flames scratched RW/C Curtis Lazar, C Freddie Hamilton, D Michael Stone (upper body), and D Rasmus “When you talk about everybody contributing to the streak we’re on, you Andersson … With the victory, Calgary matched their longest road can speak to that, but our specialty teams probably won us this one,” winning streak since winning five straight from Dec. 22, 2014 to Jan. 19, said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “Along with our goaltender. You 2015. They also have their longest point streak (seven games) since nine need something different every night and that was the big difference in consecutive wins from Jan. 17 to March 1, 2012. my mind.” Three Stars Calgary’s second goal came when Chiarot was serving a four-minute double minor for high sticking. Dougie Hamilton had the first shot on net, 1. Flames C Mikael Backlund — His career year continues. Made a huge a hard wrister from the right face-off dot and then Tkachuk did some impact on the power play and was able to dominate in Winnipeg’s zone. digging while Frolik tapped in the loose puck. 2. Flames D Dougie Hamilton — The Flames were able to breathe a sigh Meanwhile, the Flames killed off Matt Stajan’s tripping penalty (Flames of relief when D Dougie Hamilton was good to go on Saturday. Three captain Mark Giordano had huge shot block and was able to clear the assists for the big blueliner. puck). 3. Flames RW Michael Frolik — With a goal and an assist, Michael Frolik And, near the end of the second period, Sam Bennett fiercely dropped continues to be a consistent force for this club. the gloves with Jacob Trouba right in front of Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck, leaving both of them a bloody mess. NOTES: “That’s Sam’s second fight in 10 or 12 games … and, man, he’s a tough After some concern over the laceration on his leg, Flames D Dougie kid,” Gulutzan said. “I thought he was engaged. He’s a competitor. If he Hamilton drew into the lineup. Good news but what about blueliner keeps doing that, he’s going to give himself some room.” Michael Stone who was also injured in Thursday’s 5-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens? The 26-year-old did not travel with the team, Funny because the Flames didn’t have a great start. Hey, that’s to be dealing with an upper body ailment which looked like a shoulder injury. expected when you’ve won eight straight heading into a clash — some “It’s a little better than we thought in the beginning,” said Flames head games aren’t going to be perfect. coach Glen Gulutzan. “That’s encouraging news, that he’s feeling a bit better than we initially thought. We’ll see how he is in the next few days.” Passes were missed. … Against the Jets, Flames D Dennis Wideman drew in for Stone while Plays were misread. Stockton Heat call-up Rasmus Andersson is still waiting for his turn to draw in. Wideman hadn’t suited up since a Feb. 18 overtime setback And, in general, they were just not as crisp as usual. against the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames traded for Stone two days later and they haven’t lost since … Flames scratched RW/C Curtis Lazar, No matter. The Flames hit the scoreboard with 5:54 remaining in the first C Freddie Hamilton, D Michael Stone (upper body), and D Rasmus period. While Chiarot was off for interference, Backlund had a perfect no- Andersson … With the victory, Calgary matched their longest road look feed from behind the net to Hamilton. winning streak since winning five straight from Dec. 22, 2014 to Jan. 19, Hamilton, who was a game-time decision after a skate cut his leg on 2015. They also have their longest point streak (seven games) since nine Thursday versus the Canadiens, hit a post but Backlund eventually consecutive wins from Jan. 17 to March 1, 2012. deposited the rebound. The goal gave Backlund a career-high 48 points. It didn’t stop there. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052307 Carolina Hurricanes News Observer LOADED: 03.12.2017 Rielly scores in OT, Maple Leafs down Canes 3-2

By Chip Alexander [email protected]

The two head coaches are close friends. The two teams have some of the NHL’s best rookies. The Toronto Maple Leafs believe they have a playoff-caliber team this season, and the Carolina Hurricanes will have to wait at least another year, but both played it Saturday like much was at stake for each team. It took overtime to decide it, and a goal by defenseman Morgan Rielly at 2:13 of the extra period gave the Leafs a 3-2 victory at PNC Arena. [Box score, game recap and stats] Rielly’s goal came about 30 seconds after the Leafs’ Auston Matthews knocked the puck away from Canes center Victor Rask, who was caught on the ice too long in the overtime. Rielly first carried the puck behind the net, pivoted near the right circle, then made another stop-and-start move and unleashed a low shot past Rask that beat goalie Cam Ward. “I had a couple of chances, but I couldn’t put it in the net,” Rask said. “Then my man scored. So it’s my bad.” It was the rubber game in the three-game season series, matching Canes coach Bill Peters and Mike Babcock of the Leafs, who dined together Friday night. The game almost seemed like an NHL rookie showcase, with so much attention given this season to Matthews, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander of the Leafs and the Canes’ Sebastian Aho. The Leafs (31-22-14), getting 36 saves from Frederik Andersen, slipped past the New York Islanders and into the second wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 76 points. “It was a bit of a grind, but in the end we stuck with it,” Babcock said. While it was a loss, Peters said there was “lots to like” about the Canes’ game. The Canes scored on a second-period power play when Teuvo Teravainen winged a long shot that glanced off Rielly’s stick in front of Andersen. Carolina’s penalty killers killed off both penalties in the game, and Peters liked the play of his defensemen-- Jaccob Slavin played almost 30 minutes and had five takeaways. Peters praised Rask, who scored his 15th in the first period with a sharp shot past Rielly that beat Andersen shortside. Rask, centering a line with Jeff Skinner and Elias Lindholm, also won eight of 10 faceoffs. “I thought Victor Rask skated very well,” he said. “I thought that line was dangerous.” Told Rask accepted responsibility for the loss, Peters said, “I liked his game. I liked the fact he had more pace to his game.” Peters didn’t like losing rookie forward Valentin Zykov early in the game. Zykov, who scored his first goal Thursday in his NHL debut against the New York Rangers, was banged into the boards by the Leafs’ Roman Polak and left the game with an upper-body injury. Peters did not criticize the officiating for the Polak hit – the defenseman was not penalized – or for an interference call against Ward in the second period when the goalie went behind the net to play the puck and was knocked down by Leafs forward . Asked how often he had seen a goalie flattened and then penalized, Peters said, “In the last decade that would be the first.” While the Canes (27-27-11) twice took the lead, the Leafs responded. Marner scored 53 seconds after Rask’s goal with a one-timer from the right circle, and James van Riemsdyk, who assisted on the Marner goal, scored on a quick burst into the zone in the second period after the Leafs won a faceoff in the neutral zone. Marner missed the Feb. 19 game in Raleigh with an injury as the Leafs won 4-0, getting a sensational goal from Matthews. Marner’s goal was his 16th. “I thought it was a real good hockey game,” Peters said. “I thought there was real good pace and skill both ways.” 1052308 Chicago Blackhawks

Tomas Jurco trying to adjust to Blackhawks — and shed bad habits

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

Tomas Jurco hasn't been in Chicago for long, but the first few weeks in the city living near the Magnificent Mile were already a significant upgrade from his old digs in Detroit. "There's so much stuff to do," Jurco said. "In Detroit, we were so bored, my girlfriend and I, we didn't know what to do. ... There wasn't much to do. Here there's so much stuff to do." Jurco has been acclimating to his new home since the Hawks traded for him Feb. 24. And the winger has had six games to acclimate to his new teammates and a new style of play. The transition hasn't been as simple as curing his boredom. General manager Stan Bowman preached patience when the Hawks acquired Jurco for a third-round pick, saying it would take time for him to adjust to the Hawks' system — which relies on speed and skill — after coming from the Red Wings, who asked him to play more physical hockey. The Hawks hope Jurco will develop into the next Richard Panik, a diamond in the rough they found last season on the Maple Leafs' AHL roster. Jurco was open about the demands the Hawks are placing on him. "The biggest difference is that here we're told to make plays instead of just making safe plays and chipping it in and playing safely," Jurco said. "Here you actually should create something if you want to stick in this lineup because there's so many creative players." "I try to play it safe and it doesn't work here. You obviously can't be risking it at certain times of the game or situation, but most of the time you should try to create something, hold onto pucks and don't just chip it in and go for it." Jurco, a 2011 second-round pick, said he used to be that kind of player — but having to play a different style for parts of four seasons with the Red Wings changed him. The Hawks' system can be notoriously tough for newbies to figure out. It took Panik some time to adjust last season. It will take Jurco time as well. He hasn't registered a point in six games. Coach has been patient with Jurco, who has had an averaged 11 minutes, 4 seconds of playing time with his new team. The Hawks aren't in danger of missing the playoffs but they are in a tight race with the Wild — their opponent Sunday at the United Center — for the Central Division lead. If Jurco is struggling, Quenneville might develop a quick trigger. "I played that third-, fourth-line role so it's in me now," Jurco said. "I have that bad habit sometimes to play safe and chip it in. When I played juniors (and) in the AHL, I was a creative player, so it takes a little while for me."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052309 Chicago Blackhawks

Fight, goal make for eventful night for Trevor van Riemsdyk vs. Red Wings

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk had an eventful night Friday. Not only did he score his fourth goal of the season, but van Riemsdyk also registered the second fight of his NHL career in the Hawks' 4-2 loss to the Red Wings. The sequence began when Red Wings winger Justin Abdelkader put a high hit on van Riemsdyk's defensive partner, Brian Campbell, at 15 minutes, 14 seconds of the first period. Abdelkader sent a shoulder into Campbell's head, drawing a charging penalty. In the immediate aftermath, van Riemsdyk didn't let Abdelkader walk away unpunished. He locked arms with Abdelkader and within a few seconds, punches were flying. Referees decided to let them go at it — and for a while. "I was pretty tired after it. I haven't been in many of those," van Riemsdyk said. "I don't know what the cutoff is for those." Van Riemsdyk drew fighting, instigator and 10-minute misconduct penalties while Abdelkader received charging and fighting penalties. Van Riemsdyk's first career fight came against former Blue Jackets forward Kerby Rychel on Oct. 17, 2015. "That was more of a wrestling match," van Riemsdyk said. "This was probably my first real one. ... It wasn't planned. It just happened and unfortunately it wasn't in a winning effort." After van Riemsdyk served his time, he scored in the second period off a shot from the point, thanks in part to a nice play from Marian Hossa to get him the puck and a screen from Ryan Hartman. The four goals are a career high. "I'm just trying to be involved in the play," van Riemsdyk said. "You have a way to get it to the net and that doesn't go in without 'Hartsy' in front taking away the goalie's eyes. It was a great play by 'Hoss' just to win it in the corner and bump it back." Odd timing: The Hawks and Wild will play a key Central Division matchup at 11:30 a.m. Sunday instead of the original 6 p.m. start time. The time was changed to cater to a national television audience. It makes for some weird timing for the Hawks, who did not practice Saturday and won't skate before Sunday's game. And the morning start will feel even earlier considering the overnight time change. "It's kind of a different weekend, especially coming off a few days off," winger Patrick Kane said. "With the schedule this year everyone's dealing with it, so no excuses."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052310 Chicago Blackhawks

Sunday's matchup: Wild at Blackhawks

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

Storylines: The second-place Hawks enter Sunday three points behind the Wild, who have a game in hand. This will be the last regular-season meeting between the teams. Trending: The Hawks have scored only two goals combined in their last two games after averaging 4.23 over their previous 13. … After dropping eight consecutive regular-season games against the Wild, the Hawks have won the last two.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052311 Chicago Blackhawks

Proper nutrition key to survival during grueling NHL season

Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus | email

Nick Schmaltz was munching on a greasy, limp slice of Little Caesars pizza Friday night in the visitors dressing room at Joe Louis Arena as he dissected what went wrong in a 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. In the moments following an NHL game, there are no dietary restrictions, no concerns about organic food and lean proteins. There’s pizza in a lot of cities, or chicken wings in Buffalo, or even poutine at some Canadian rinks. Several hours removed from an early-bird dinner, and after expending all those calories on the ice, an NHL player after a game could probably digest a puck without much difficulty. But postgame is the exception. Every other day, and every other meal, hockey players are becoming increasingly fanatical about proper nutrition, about monitoring everything that goes in their bodies, about maximizing their physical potential. And the three Blackhawks rookies are fully on board as they make their way through their first full NHL season, a grind the likes of which they’ve never known. “I wasn’t big into it before I came here, but you learn quickly how you’ve got to take care of your body, and what you’re putting into it,” Schmaltz said. “In college, it was always Taco Bell, or whatever you can find.” The indefatigable Duncan Keith is the model for what proper nutrition can do for an athlete, and the meticulous Jonathan Toews is the evangelist, preaching the benefits to anyone who will listen, rookie or veteran. But the Hawks as a whole take nutrition seriously. During Ryan Hartman’s first season in Rockford, the team had a nutritionist take him and a bunch of other first-year pros on a field trip to the grocery store for some remedial food training. This is a vegetable. Vegetables are good. You should eat them. They even send players to a cooking class, to show them how to make a proper meal — organic food only, lean proteins, lighter carbs such as sweet potatoes. Hartman started taking it seriously this past summer, knowing he had a real chance of sticking in the NHL. And as he approaches a career high in games played, and faces down a frenetic stretch run and a potentially long postseason, he’s reaping the rewards. “If you don’t want to do it, you’re not going to do it,” Hartman said. “But they give you the tools to do it. It can’t hurt. Obviously, you see how it helps guys like [Toews] and [Keith].” Tanner Kero has always had a more restrictive diet, which always meant he was the weird one in college. When he and his buddies at Michigan Tech would go out to grab a bite to eat, he’d be the one ordering a salad amid all the greasy burgers and pizza. When he turned pro at the end of the 2014-15 season, he was excited to find kindred spirits among his teammates. “I’ve always tried to focus on being as healthy as I can,” Kero said. “But now it’s kind of nice when more of the guys are focused on it, so you don’t feel like the outsider, worrying about getting a salad with every meal. Everyone’s a little more focused on it here.” The team provides many of the meals, particularly before and after practices, and on the road. Following games, players are chugging all sorts of protein shakes and thick, gruel-like substances to help them recover faster. It’s a far cry from Joel Quenneville’s playing days, when postgame recovery came with a pull tab. “Night and day,” Quenneville said. “Definitely a big difference in how they manage their lifestyle and how they prioritize what goes in [their bodies], how they sleep, how they train, and how they prepare. The commitment is around the clock. Their drinks are a little different than beer.” That’s not to say life is an endless drudgery of bison, grilled chicken and sweet potatoes. There are still those sinful postgame gut bombs. And yes, maybe the occasional trip to a fast-food joint. Just as long as it’s an off night. With no game the next day. And then it’s probably straight to the gym afterward. “Every now and then you’ve got to treat yourself,” Schmaltz said. “I still go to Taco Bell sometimes — just not every other day like in college.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052312 Chicago Blackhawks Tomas Tatar (60), Wayne Simmonds (61), Reilly Smith (69), Cody Eakin (85) and Johnny Gaudreau (104).

"Nothing's a guarantee," Kelley said. "The interesting thing on Alex is if Blackhawks' DeBrincat heating up with Erie Otters you look at where he scores his goals, it's in locations where NHL goals are scored. He doesn't score goals from far outside with long shots. He's in the slot area, he's around the net, he gets the puck and he puts it in. John Dietz "Where he scores goals is transferable." Follow @johndietzdh DeBrincat said he's able to score so much because he gets into open areas and is "in the right place at the right time." With the postseason fast approaching, Blackhawks fans are Said Patrick Kane: "Talking to different people around the organization, understandably gearing up for what they hope is another Stanley Cup they seem excited about him. His hockey sense is probably what stands championship. out most about him." But today, let's pull the lens back a bit and focus on the remarkable The kid has plenty of common sense too and gave an impressive answer season that Alex DeBrincat is having in Erie, Pennsylvania, because it's when asked what it would be like to play with Kane, Jonathan Toews, quite a story. Marian Hossa and Artemi Panarin if he makes the team next season. By the numbers "It would be really cool to play with those guys," DeBrincat said, "but I also have a season here and am worrying about other things." Alex DeBrincat's stats with the Erie Otters of the OHL: As for future Blackhawks opponents, they may be worried about Season G-A-Pts DeBrincat soon enough. 2014-15 51-53-104 2015-16 51-50-101 Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 2016-17 62-59-121 OHL goal-scoring leaders1. Alex DeBrincat, Erie 62 2. Dmitry Sokolov, Sudbury 44 3. O. Tippitt, 43 OHL scoring leaders1. Alex DeBrincat, Erie 121 2. Taylor Raddysh, Erie 102 3. A. Mascherin, Kitcheneer 95 (Through Saturday) The 5-foot-8 native of Farmington Hills, Michigan, had already put together back-to-back 50-goal seasons for the OHL's Erie Otters when the Hawks drafted in the second round (39th overall) last year. This season, the numbers are even more ridiculous as DeBrincat has 62 goals -- yep, 62! -- in 59 games. In a 4-1 victory on Friday, DeBrincat tied the league record by scoring a goal in his 19th straight game. He can break Mike Ricci's mark, set in 1988, on Monday. Oh, and he has 59 assists, which gives him 121 points. "The one thing we can't take credit for -- it's all on Alex -- is how hard he's worked," said Mark Kelley, Blackhawks vice president of amateur scouting. "There's a lot of times you draft players and they go back and they get a little complacent in the league. "Maybe they're bored. Maybe it's too easy. They let up a little bit. That's not the case with Alex." DeBrincat is just the second OHL player to post three straight 50-goal seasons and the eighth to rattle off three straight 100-point seasons. Yet when asked what part of his game has improved the most, the 19- year-old comes back with words that will be music to Joel Quenneville's ears. "My defensive game has really come a long way," he said. "That's kind of something that I wanted to work on from last year to this year. That was the big thing that I know I need to do to get to the NHL. … My guy's not getting as many chances when I'm in my own zone." Kelley said he and general manager Stan Bowman were "very surprised" DeBrincat wasn't taken in the first round. The Hawks' first pick last year came at No. 39, and when DeBrincat was still there, they pounced. One issue could be his size, but Kelley isn't concerned. "He's not the least bit timid, he's not small," Kelley said. "Growing up he's always played with older kids. So he's always been able to compensate. … His core strength is very, very good." It will be interesting to see if DeBrincat becomes the latest in a long line of players taken in the second round or later that make teams kick themselves for not drafting them earlier. In the past 10 years, that list includes Brandon Saad (43), Tyler Toffoli (47), Nikita Kucherov (58), 1052313 Chicago Blackhawks

Confidence is everything, and Nick Schmaltz now has plenty of it

By Tracey Myers March 11, 2017 2:51 PM

Imagine being a 20-year-old rookie like Nick Schmaltz was this fall, entering the Blackhawks' locker room and making the team out of camp. In one way it's a dream come true. In another way, you're joining a venerable group of players, some of whom have won multiple Stanley Cups among other hardware. That can be a little daunting. "Definitely high expectations coming in," Schmaltz said. "You want to make sure you're helping out the team right away but you don't want to try to do too much." In those first few months, perhaps Schmaltz was trying to do too much. He was going through the first-year growing pains, and he's not the first to deal with them. But as this season has progressed Schmaltz has gained confidence and regained his game. Being physically ready for the NHL is one thing. Having the right mental approach and confidence to be there is another, and in those two departments Schmaltz has made the greatest strides. Prior to the Blackhawks' break Schmaltz, playing on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik, was on a five-game point streak (two goals and seven assists). The rookie, who admits the first stay with the Blackhawks was a little bit overwhelming, is certainly more confident this time around. "Obviously you want to be a part of the team and to contribute offensively," Schmaltz said. "I want to play well away from the puck, too, play well defensively and make sure I'm responsible out there. I'm just trying to play both sides of the puck and contribute as much as I can." It's not unusual for a young player to need time to adjust to the NHL, especially coming straight from college. It can be a heck of a leap, and Schmaltz said the Blackhawks' veteran players helped him feel more at ease. Coach Joel Quenneville said Schmaltz has handled "the big hurdle" of college-to-pro well. "There's definitely a learning curve when you first come into the NHL. Expectations are higher for some guys than others. But him getting down and getting some games [in Rockford], getting more confident offensively and with the puck, he added a little pace and another dimension to his game, we like how he's playing during this recent stretch," Quenneville said. "We like how he's handled himself in a situation where, as the season's gone on here, he's gone to a different level." Schmaltz's 12-game stay with Rockford was a chance to get more pro experience but it was mainly an opportunity to regain his game, as well as the confidence to play it. The initial experience of joining the Blackhawks was eye-opening and a little daunting but Schmaltz now looks like he belongs here. "It's definitely tough coming in, but the more and more you get to know the guys they make you feel so comfortable in there," Schmaltz said. "Once you settle down you can focus on playing your game and you're not trying to worry about who you're with, how historic the locker room and the franchise is. And I think I've done a better job of that lately."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052314 Colorado Avalanche arenas.) The “permanent” press box soon was constructed there, but it never has been much better than tables behind the last row.

What’s up: The Avalanche faces Vrbata and the Arizona Coyotes on Frei: Colorado Avalanche to bid farewell to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit Monday in Glendale. Vrbata played in his 1,000th NHL game Thursday night against Ottawa. The first 118 were with Colorado. By TERRY FREI | [email protected] | The Denver Post Background: Vrbata had 29 goals with the Avalanche before he was traded to Carolina at the 2003 deadline for winger Bates Battaglia. PUBLISHED: March 11, 2017 at 11:39 am | UPDATED: March 11, 2017 Desperately trying to extend its streak of divisional titles, the Avalanche at 11:49 AM was seeking a physical winger and thought Battaglia would help considerably. He didn’t, it was a bad fit and he was traded the next fall to Washington in the deal that brought to the Avalanche. playoffs. Frei’s take: Vrbata, who has 274 career goals, has played with six NHL Yes, times have changed. teams and is in his third stint with the Coyotes. With 15 goals and 48 By now, few of the players on the two rosters have a feel for what the points, he’s the Coyotes’ leading scorer. He can be an unrestricted free Avalanche-Red Wings rivalry meant to the game in the late 1990s and agent July 1 and was expected to be traded at the deadline, but wasn’t. early 2000s, when one or the other won the Stanley Cup five times in a Earlier this week, in advance of his 1,000th game, he told Craig Morgan span of seven seasons — and the rivalry so often was extraordinarily of Arizonasports.com about his first NHL game at Madison Square acrimonious. That’s a nice way of saying that while somewhere beneath Garden, with the Avalanche against the Rangers on Nov. 20, 2001. Then all that hatred, there was respect, it could get ugly. 20, he was called up with Hershey and thrown right onto a line with Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk. “There were so many Hall of Famers on the ice. Another page will turn next Saturday, when the Avalanche makes its final Sakic, (Rob) Blake, Patrick Roy, (Peter) Forsberg. On the other side of appearance ever in Joe Louis Arena, the site of many of the great games the ice you had (Eric) Lindros, Brian Leetch, (Theo) Fleury. Before the and, yes, much of the fireworks. puck was dropped for the opening faceoff, Fleury was pulling my leg with his stick and I’m thinking, ‘What is going on here?’ ” He has been a The most notorious always will be the March 26, 1997 game when survivor, and it’s intriguing to think about what might have happened if Darren McCarty, the Red Wings’ helmeted avenger, went after Claude the Avalanche had hung on to him — at least longer. Lemieux and all heck broke loose … and even goalies Patrick Roy and ended up fighting at center ice. A little later, Avalanche forward Mike Keane stood as his locker stall later and labeled the Red Wings gutless for waiting for a home game in the series to seek Denver Post: LOADED: 03.12.2017 retribution for Lemieux’s hit on Kris Draper in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference finals. But focusing on that game — or the over-the-top events in later meetings — probably does a disservice to what the sharp-edged rivalry meant to the NHL. A reminder came last year, when the Avalanche-Red Wings alumni game the night before the Stadium Series regular-season matchup seemed to be more eagerly anticipated. They were the two best teams in the league much of the time, and it was a great rivalry — a far cry from the state of the franchises and of the matchup now. The Red Wings will miss the playoffs for the first time since 1990. The Avalanche has been in them only once since 2010. The game at Joe Louis Arena is the second half of a barn-to-barn set after the Red Wings meet the Avalanche Wednesday at the Pepsi Center. Next season, the Red Wings will move into the new Little Caesars Arena, roughly two miles north of the Joe Louis Arena site and near Comerica Park and Ford Field. It’s unfortunate that universally respected Red Wings and Tigers owner Mike Ilitch won’t be there to see the arena open. He died at age 87 on Feb. 12. There’s more to it than an arena, since Ilitch’s role in the revitalization of the downtown in a still-struggling city is undeniable and praiseworthy. For so many years, the NHL team was the city loyalist, while the NBA Pistons played in the suburbs, in the Pontiac Silverdome and then in the Palace of Auburn Hills. One of the ironies was that the Pistons owner behind the construction of and move to the Palace, Bill Davidson, eventually also owned the Tampa Bay Lightning. In fact, in 2004, he pulled off an unprecedented double when his teams won both the NBA and NHL titles in the same season. The Pistons will join the Red Wings in the new arena. The NBA will be back downtown, rejoining the Lions, Tigers and Red Wings. I’ll miss (well, kind of) Joe Louis Arena, which will be demolished and replaced by a hotel and retail complex. It was one of the many arenas of that era that were out of date virtually from the time they opened, and I covered games there right from the start. The -coached Rockies were the opponent in the Red Wings’ third game ever at Joe Louis, on Dec. 31, 1979, and I was in the house for the Feb. 5 1980 All- Star Game, when Gordie Howe — then of the during the first season after four WHA teams, including the Quebec Nordiques, joined the NHL — got a four-minute standing ovation during the introductions. The press box then was a row of tables jammed behind the back row at the top of the upper bowl … because a hockey press box wasn’t included in the design. (It’s amazing how many times that happened at NHL 1052315 Colorado Avalanche Denver Post: LOADED: 03.12.2017 Rene Bourque wants to play next season … somewhere

By Terry Frei | [email protected] | The Denver Post March 11, 2017 at 8:50 PM

Last summer, after Rene Bourque had an unproductive season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and his six-year, $20 million contract expired, no NHL team jumped in to sign him as an unrestricted free agent. Although he had 151 career goals, Bourque seemed to have played himself out of the league. But the Avalanche brought him to training camp on a professional tryout agreement. After he made the team and signed a one-year, $650,000 contract — if that’s not bargain basement, it’s at least below street level — he was the Avalanche’s leading goal scorer at the end of November, with eight. That was a problem. Why? It meant “core” forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Matt Duchene and Gabe Landeskog weren’t scoring. Bourque didn’t have a point in the Avs’ 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators Saturday, leaving him with 11 goals and five assists for the season. He has missed a total of 16 games with head, groin and lower body injuries, but also has slowed down, dropping behind Duchene (16), Landeskog (15) and MacKinnon (14) in goal-scoring. The fact that those numbers are so meager is an illustration of how bad the league’s lowest-scoring team has been in a dreadful season. “I think I’ve proved to myself that I can still play,” Bourque said before the game. “I still believe I can play even after this year.” Bourque now is back playing on the top line, with MacKinnon and Landeskog. “Nothing is good when the team isn’t doing well,” Bourque said. “Statistically, I haven’t scored this much in a while. I think that just comes with more playing time and trying to make a difference every night, somehow. I know I’m fighting year-by-year now to play in this league, I want to continue in this league, and I have to do whatever it takes in whatever role I’m going to be playing.” In that sense, the tryout never stopped. “I think I can play up and down the lineup,” Bourque said. “Obviously, right now, I’m getting a chance with Mac and Landy and that’s a good spot to be, where you’re going to get a lot of ice time. Whether it’s there or the fourth line or whatever, I think my game is pretty simple. Use my speed, my skating and play physical down low.” General manager Joe Sakic repeatedly has said his goal is to make the Avalanche younger and faster, and that requires clearing cap room and getting veteran contracts off the books. already is gone, and Fedor Tyutin, John Mitchell and Bourque will be UFAs on July 1. There are other contracts (i.e., those of Francois Beauchemin, Carl Soderberg and Joe Colborne) the Avalanche would unload in a heartbeat if anyone would take them. So Bourque is unlikely to be back, unless the Avalanche concludes that with his cut-rate salary this season as the benchmark, he can deliver bang for the buck beyond the top six next season. “Everybody in the league is trying to get younger and faster,” Bourque said. “That’s no secret. But I don’t think I’m old and slow, either. I think I can still skate well enough to be effective.” Before the game, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Bourque “has been producing for us for the most part when he’s been in the lineup. He had that streak midseason where he wasn’t scoring and noe he’s playing pretty well after coming back from being injured. But he’s a guy we’ve been able to move up and down our lineup and he still finds production. He’s kind of found a fit there on the MacKinnon line. He was good there at the start of the year, and now recently that line’s started to score again.” Bourque and his wife, Jana Flatt, and their two young children, Ayla and Bennett, are renting former Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincey’s home in the area. (Quincey now plays for Columbus.) “I love Denver,” Bourque said. “I’ve loved my time here. As tough as the year has been, my family has enjoyed it a lot. As far as coming back next season, obviously they have a lot of decisions to make and there’s a numbers game up front with all the guys coming back. So we’ll see where that takes us.” 1052316 Colorado Avalanche

Matt Duchene dropped to third line; Avalanche’s win streak ends at two

By Terry Frei | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: March 11, 2017 at 7:57 pm | UPDATED: March 11, 2017 at 10:50 PM

Matt Duchene’s frustration is mounting as his point totals don’t. For the Avalanche’s 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at the Pepsi Center, coach Jared Bednar dropped the slumping Duchene to Colorado’s third line at the outset and for much of the game, between Carl Soderberg and Joe Colborne. Asked his reaction to the move after the game, Duchene said politely: “I’m not going to give you much on this. I can’t right now. … This is crazy. Know what? I’m going to keep working, be a good team guy. I’ve been here before. I can work out of it. That’s the way things have gone this year.” Duchene has gone pointless in the last 10 games, and has one goal and eight assists in his past 24 games. Bednar said Duchene wasn’t in the doghouse. “He’s out there trying, he’s working, and we have to find a way to get him on the board,” Bednar said. “So he’s going to move around a little bit here. He played probably with three or all four lines tonight at some point and we have to find a way to get some of those guys productive.” Colborne had been a healthy scratch in Colorado’s previous three games and has one goal since his opening night hat trick against Dallas. Soderberg also has struggled all season and came into the night without a point in his past 15 games. Bednar said he had expected Colborne “to come in hungry” after his recent scratches. “He played last week a little bit with Soderberg,” Bednar added. “They had a pretty good game, the game they played together. So I wanted to try and juggle the lines around a little bit and see if we couldn’t get some production there.” The second line was J.T. Compher between Sven Andrighetto and , while the top line again had Nathan MacKinnon centering Gabe Landeskog and Rene Bourque. Matt Nieto and Andrighetto had the Avalanche goals in the loss that snapped Colorado’s modest winning streak at two games. Nieto has five goals in 29 games since being claimed on waivers from San Jose on Jan. 5, while Andrighetto’s first score for Colorado came in his fourth game since his acquisition from Montreal for on March 1. The Avalanche, now 19-45-3, has won two in a row four times this season, but has failed each time to stretch the streak to three games. Colorado led 1-0 after one period on the strength of Nieto’s goal at 9:38, but the Senators stormed back with scores from Fredrik Claesson, Alexandre Burrows and Mike Hoffman and were up 3-1 after two. Ryan Dzingel’s 13th goal of the season at 11:22 of the third made it 4-1 and Andrighetto scored a meaningless power-play goal in the final seconds. Soderberg and Colborne had the assists on Andrighetto’s late goal, so they made the scoresheet. Former Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson had to make only 14 saves for the Senators, including only two in the third period, while getting his second win over Colorado in 10 days. He had 22 saves in the Senators’ 2-1 victory at Ottawa on March 2. The win also gave him 147 with the Senators, moving him out of a tie with Patrick Lalime and making him the franchise’s all-time leader. The Avs’ 16 shots on goal tied their lowest total this season, and they also had 16 at Tampa Bay on Oct. 20 and at Montreal on Dec. 10. The Avalanche faces the Arizona Coyotes Monday night at Glendale before playing a back-to-back set against the Red Wings Wednesday at the Pepsi Center and Saturday at Detroit.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052317 Colorado Avalanche

Former Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson sets mark in win over Colorado

By: The Associated Press March 11, 2017 Updated: March 11, 2017 at 11:35 PM

DENVER — Craig Anderson worked his way to the NHL admiring the work of Patrick Lalime, so passing him to become the all-time wins leader for Ottawa is extra special for the goaltender. Anderson made 14 saves to set the franchise wins mark and the Senators defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on Saturday night for their sixth consecutive victory. and Mike Hoffman each had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which tied Montreal atop the Atlantic Division with 84 points. Anderson earned win No. 147 with Ottawa to break a tie with Lalime for the top spot. "Patrick's a great guy. I've met him numerous times," said Anderson, who played for a short time with Colorado, after career win No. 234. "I remember watching him in Ottawa when I was coming up through and trying to break into the league. Great guy, great goaltender, and it's an honor to be right there next to him." Fredrik Claesson and Ryan Dzingel also had goals for the Senators. Ottawa's winning streak started after it acquired Burrows from Vancouver on Feb. 27. He scored two goals in his debut, a 2-1 win over the Avalanche on March 2, and he has five goals against them this season. "This year I've gotten a few breaks along the way, for some reason bounces are going in against this team," he said. Calvin Pickard stopped 27 shots and Matt Nieto and Sven Andrighetto scored for the Avalanche, who were eliminated from the playoffs with the loss. It is the third straight year they've failed to reach the postseason after posting 52 wins and 112 points in 2013-14. Nieto gave Colorado a 1-0 lead with his fifth goal midway through the first period, but Ottawa gained control in the second. Goals by Claesson, Burrows and Hoffman in the second made it 3-1. Dzingel scored at 11:22 of the third to seal the win. The Avalanche were trying for their first three-game winning streak of the season, but couldn't generate much offense against the Ottawa trapping defense after outshooting the Senators for most of the first period. They went the final 28:27 of the game with only two shots. Andrighetto ended a drought of 17:28 without a shot when he scored in the final minute. "It just started from the neutral zone and our defensive zone; we couldn't break it out," Nathan MacKinnon said. "They were all over us. I don't think we had any controlled entries. Every time we got the puck we were flat-footed and we had to chip it in. It's no fun playing like that, just dumping every puck in." Ottawa outshot Colorado 20-6 in the final two periods. The Senators head home for three straight games, the last of which is the first game of a home-and-home with Montreal that could help decide the division winner. "We have had a strong last two weeks, but all we are focused on right now is getting points right now collecting as many as we can to try and set ourselves up for the playoffs," Hoffman said. NOTES: Colorado's 16 shots tied a season low. ... Senators D Mark Borowiecki missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. Second-leading scorer Mark Stone was out after suffering a lower-body injury against Arizona on Thursday. C Kyle Turris missed his third straight game with a fractured finger. ... Avalanche C Matt Duchene has gone pointless in the past 10 games and has just one goal in his past 25. ... Ottawa recalled Phil Varone from Binghamton of the AHL. ... Colorado C Mikhail Grigorenko was scratched for the fourth time this season.

Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052318 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3 | Jackets score twice on power play

Posted Mar 11, 2017 at 12:01 AM Updated at 10:13 AM By Aaron Portzline The Columbus Dispatch

Early this season, when the Blue Jackets needed an early burst of confidence to get off and running toward this surprising season, it was the power play that puffed out chests and padded stat lines. Lately, the Blue Jackets have found other ways to sustain winning, but they got a visit from the old friend Friday night, and it was well-timed. The Blue Jackets scored two power-play goals in a game for the first time since Jan. 22, leading the way to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres before 17,530 at Nationwide Arena. "It was an important part of the game tonight," coach John Tortorella said, "because our 5-on-5 play was not good." Nick Foligno and Sam Gagner scored power-play goals, and David Savard and Boone Jenner also scored. Jenner's goal with 5:07 remaining — his 14th of the season — was the winner. "I don't think we were very strong compete-wise," Foligno said. "Our power play bailed us out, which is huge. I didn't like the way we played. We stick-checked and we swung off things. That's not really how we need to play the game, but it's big when your power play is there to bail you out." Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who carried a three-game shutout streak into the game, lost his bid for a fourth only 2:50 in when Buffalo's Evan Rodrigues forced a turnover and beat him with a wrist shot from the slot. The longest streak of Bobrovsky's career — and the second longest in Blue Jackets' history — ended at 182 minutes, 50 seconds. The Blue Jackets pushed back with two goals later in the first period and didn't trail the rest of the game, winning three straight games for the first time since their 16-game winning streak ended Jan. 5 at Washington. The win pushed the Jackets to 43-17-6, matching the franchise wins record set in the 2013-14 season. At 92 points, they are one short of matching that record, set in the same season. By assisting on the Blue Jackets' power-play goal at 17:05 of the first period, rookie defenseman Zach Werenski reached 40 points (nine goals, 31 assists), breaking 's rookie scoring record. "I had no expectations coming into the year, and to pass someone like Rick Nash, who has had a great career, it's pretty cool," Werenski said. The Blue Jackets had been 3 of 39 on the power play (7.7 percent) since Jan. 22. But Foligno redirected a pass from Alexander Wennberg at 17:05 of the first and Gagner rifled home a slap shot from the right circle at 18:28 of the second, restoring leads for the Blue Jackets. Their third power play, midway through the third, did not result in a goal. But it shifted momentum dramatically, and Jenner capped it with a hard- working goal in heavy traffic. "It runs hot and cold over the course of a season, but you want to create momentum with it regardless," Gagner said. "We got back to that tonight and it won us a game."

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052319 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Saad, Bjorkstrand blur the lines

Posted Mar 11, 2017 at 12:01 AM Updated at 9:48 AM By Aaron Portzline The Columbus Dispatch

Once Oliver Bjorkstrand showed he was ready to be a difference-maker at the NHL level, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella started tinkering with his lines in a way that must be maddening for opponents. On Friday, when the Blue Jackets played the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena, Brandon Saad was on the left side of the No. 1 line. Bjorkstrand manned the right wing on what appears to be a third line. But during the game, he Bjorkstrand took a sprinkling of shifts with the No. 1 line, while Saad spelled him lower in the lineup. The same could happen again tonight when the teams play at Buffalo. "You can do a lot of different things, especially with Saader, who can play both sides," Tortorella said. "It's not a top six (now), it's more the top nine." Saad has the speed to stretch the ice. Bjorkstrand is more of a slasher and a sharpshooter. During the recent home-and-home slogfest against New Jersey, the third line clicked when Bjorkstrand has played with center Sam Gagner and left wing Scott Hartnell, totaling three goals, five assists and a plus-8 rating. Asked why that line has worked, Tortorella looked bemused. "I don't know," he said. "If a coach tells you he knows why it works when he puts players together, he's lying." Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky saw his shutout streak end at 182 minutes, 50 seconds when the Sabres' fourth-line center Evan Rodrigues scored on Buffalo's fourth shot of the game. It's the second-longest streak in the NHL this season, trailing only Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk, who had a steak of 183:16 from Oct. 22 to Nov. 1. The Blue Jackets franchise record — held by Steve Mason, who had a streak of 199:28 during the 2008-09 season — remains intact.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052320 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Zach Werenski in select group with 40 points

Posted Mar 11, 2017 at 9:25 PM Updated Mar 11, 2017 at 9:25 PM By Tom Reed The Columbus Dispatch

BUFFALO, N.Y. — There are many ways to quantify the success of Zach Werenski's rookie season with the Blue Jackets. Having his name on a list that includes five Hockey Hall of Fame defensemen is among the more impressive. On Friday night, Werenski became just the 10th teenage defenseman in the NHL to reach 40 points in his rookie season. The 19-year-old finds himself in distinguished company that includes Larry Murphy (76 points), Phil Housley (66), Ray Bourque (65), Bobby Orr (41) and Scott Niedermayer (40) — all of whom are in the hall of fame. "That's quite a list and he's not done yet," defensive partner Seth Jones said of Werenski. "You think about it, it's only his first year and he's only going to get better. I look forward to playing with him for a long time." Werenski entered a game Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres with 40 points, and 16 games remaining in the regular season. He's not going to catch Murphy, who established the mark with the Los Angeles Kings in the 1980-81 season, but Werenski could crack the top five. and Tyler Myers are tied for fourth at 48 points. Werenski, who holds franchise records for rookie assists (31) and rookie points (40), said he became aware of the list Friday. He's more focused on helping the Blue Jackets catch the Washington Capitals and win the Presidents' Trophy. "It's pretty crazy to think where we are as a team and what I have done individually," Werenski said. "Obviously, what I am doing comes within the team's success. It's really been an unbelievable year for a lot of guys." Coach John Tortorella almost has exhaustive superlatives in describing Werenski's impact on the game and the team at a tender age. "He's had a lot of different ways people have played against him," Tortorella said. "Teams have tried to be physical with him. He's handled being banged up and still playing. Forget about his physical skills and his raw ability. His mental aptitude and his mental toughness are really at a high level for a 19-year-old at that position. "This coaching staff probably won't reap all the benefits of him, but he has one heck of a future ahead of him. ... And he has such a good head on his shoulders, I think he'll just keep going about his business as good things come his way." Ryan Murray's return to the lineup lasted two shifts. The defenseman, who missed two games because of a lower body injury, was struck in the hand with a first-period shot from Buffalo's Tyler Ennis. Tortorella played Murray in favor of Kyle Quincey, who took warmups but was scratched. It was less than an ideal situation playing nearly an entire game with five defensemen on the second half of back to backs.

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Sabres 5, Blue Jackets 3 | Jackets fortunate in loss

Posted Mar 11, 2017 at 10:04 PM Updated Mar 11, 2017 at 11:14 PM By Tom Reed The Columbus Dispatch

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Blue Jackets blew a three-goal lead, lost defenseman Ryan Murray to an apparent hand injury and still left town feeling a bit lucky. It could have been worse. It could have been far worse. Although the Jackets suffered a 5-3 loss Saturday night to the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, their leading scorer Cam Atkinson returned to the game after a scary second-period injury involving a skate blade to the left shoulder. Atkinson, who required 17 stitches to close the gash, nearly tied the score in the final minute but was denied on an outstanding save from Sabres goalie Robin Lehner. "I definitely have a couple of guardian angels looking out for me," said Atkinson, who was clipped by the skate blade of Sabres forward Marcus Foligno. "I got a skate to the face a couple of years ago and it didn't touch my eye. This, it could have been my neck, it could have been other damage, nerve damage. I've got to just count my lucky stars." Sabres forward Evander Kane scored the winner on the power play with 2:29 remaining and Boone Jenner in the box for hooking. Jack Eichel added an empty-netter as Buffalo erased a 3-0 first-period deficit, ended the Jackets' three-game winning streak and denied them the chance to set the franchise record for most wins and points in a season. But after the game, a lot of discussion in the Jackets locker room was focused on Marcus Foligno, brother of Jackets captain Nick Foligno. Midway through the second period, Marcus Foligno barreled into the corner and finished a check on Atkinson, who already was down on the ice along the boards. The collision occurred an instant after Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky drilled Tyler Ennis, who has a history of concussions. As Foligno wheeled to confront Dubinsky, his right skate blade caught the shoulder of Atkinson, who immediately went to the locker room, his jersey ripped from where the skate caught him. The Blue Jackets were furious with Foligno, but none accused him of intentionally stepping on Atkinson. They were upset Foligno went to hit a player who was in a vulnerable position. Atkinson missed the remainder of the second period but returned for the third. "(Atkinson) is on his knees, his head is at the dasher and (Foligno) comes in and tries to finish a hit — it's just a dumb play," said Scott Hartnell, who took 16 minutes of penalties at the end of the second period while trying to get at Foligno. It was a physical, testy game. The Blue Jackets received first-period goals from David Savard, Nick Foligno and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Jake McCabe, Matt Moulson and Sam Reinhart had second-period goals for the Sabres. The Jackets lost Murray less than four minutes in after he was struck in the hand by an Ennis shot. It forced a club playing its second game in as many nights to play 56 minutes with five defensemen. Coach John Tortorella said Lehner, who replaced Anders Nilsson after the first period, made key stops in the second period when the Blue Jackets still led 3-2. He was upset his goalie, Joonas Korpisalo, couldn't make the stop on Reinhart's shot with three seconds left in the second.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052322 Dallas Stars means the third protected spot will probably go to Stephen Johns or Jamie Oleksiak.

The two 24-year-olds have struggled this season, but the thought is one Breaking down the NHL Expansion Draft: Which Stars are protected, the will be a key part of the defense next season. It seems the Stars will players most likely heading to Vegas evaluate each as the season winds down. Because Vegas probably wants neither Kari Lehtonen nor Antti Niemi, it By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heika on Twitter: @MikeHeika seems a moot point who is protected. It's a tricky position for Vegas GM George McPhee, who has to fulfill all sorts of requirements to fit this puzzle together. He probably won't take all In 2000, the last time the NHL welcomed new teams, the Columbus Blue 30 players straight from the exposed lists, because all will probably have Jackets and Minnesota Wild paid $80 million each and fought over a NHL contracts and you can only carry 23 on a roster next season. threadbare expansion draft that allowed teams to protect nine forwards, five defensemen and one goalie. Vegas also can acquire players with the hope of trading them. In fact, some have suggested they load up on goalies with their four wild-card But with the Vegas Golden Knights having to cough up $500 million to picks and then start taking offers from teams like Dallas. That plan has get into the league next season, the expansion rules are tighter and each flaws, as teams could wait them out and they might start panicking in team is expected to lose a pretty good player. September with too many goalies in camp. NHL squads can protect just seven forwards, three defensemen and one One of the other options is to make deals directly with the teams. Would goalie this year, forcing a lot of strategy before the June 17 deadline for Dallas give up a draft pick or younger prospect to protect a current roster submission. As the Stars prepare themselves, here are a few facts to player? Would Vegas be better off acquiring assets and then signing free keep in mind. agents? Vegas has a 48-hour window following the submission of protected lists Well, Vegas has to take on at least 60 percent of the expected cap, or to sign players who can become unrestricted free agents July 1. If it signs about $44.4 million in salary for the 2016-17 season. It also needs to try a UFA from your team, that is the only player your team loses. to fit within the parameters set out by the NHL. So there will be players being taken, and if Dallas makes a player like Eakin, Roussel, Johns or Teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie or Oleksiak available, there is a good chance one would be taken. eight skaters and one goalie. Players with no-movement clauses must be protected. However, if the Stars protect two and trade two, then Vegas might be more inclined to take draft picks or a young prospect instead of a player Teams must expose at least two forwards and one defenseman who like Curtis McKenzie or Patrik Nemeth. have played either 40 NHL games in 2016-17 or 70 NHL games over the last two seasons. The goalie exposed must be under contract for 2017- Potential controversy? 18 or be a restricted free agent who has been given a qualifying offer and is under the control of the team. The NHL last week said there is no plan to reveal the protected and available lists for each team, that the only thing announced will be the The total 2017-18 salary cap hit of the chosen players must be between new roster for the Vegas Golden Knights. 60 percent and 100 percent of the NHL salary cap. That has many fans in an uproar. NHL GMs said they feel revealing the Teams need not expose players with two years or less of pro experience, lists will hurt feelings and cause problems between players and teams. If and a complicated formula lets teams protect most of their really young a player is left unprotected and not taken, GMs believe it is best they players. The Stars' Julius Honka, Mattias Janmark and Devin Shore are never know what happened. The NHL in the past has revealed the entire exempt. expansion draft process. Teams can negotiate deals to give Vegas draft picks or an exempt player One of the interesting aspects of the expansion draft is the fear fans have in exchange for not taking a player who is unprotected. of losing a good player. That's natural, but Dallas lost Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, Kris Russell, Vernon Fiddler and Colton Sceviour after Because of the quick turnaround from June 14, the last possible date for last season, so it should be able to overcome the loss of one roster the , and the deadline for protected lists, look for trades regular. to be made during the playoffs.

Dallas should be able to manipulate its situation pretty well. The Stars have enough pending UFAs that the exposed forward group will be slim. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.12.2017 They have some issues on defense, where a good younger player could be lost. And they actually could choose to expose some players they wish to lose. In the forward group, Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza have to be protected because of no-movement clauses, and Tyler Seguin and Radek Faksa also are locks to be protected. That means the Stars have three forward spots remaining and have four key forwards they'd probably prefer to protect. Adam Cracknell on signing his extension with the Stars: 'This is the spot where I want to be' Though he's playing in Russia, Valeri Nichushkin is part of the Stars organization and requires protection if the Stars want to keep him. A top- 10 draft pick who is 22 years old has a lot of value, so the Stars will probably protect Nichushkin. That makes five of seven forwards, with Cody Eakin, Antoine Roussel and Brett Ritchie remaining. The guess is the Stars will protect Ritchie, 23. That means Dallas needs to choose between Eakin, 25, and Roussel, 27. Eakin has three years remaining at a cap hit of $3.85 million. Roussel has one year left at $2 million. The Stars could trade one of them. Roussel had one of the best years of his career before getting injured, while Eakin struggled with injuries and had one of the worst. With the depth at center caused by the development of Faksa, Devin Shore and Jason Dickinson, you could definitely speculate a departure for Eakin. On defense, Dallas will protect John Klingberg and Esa Lindell. Because Dan Hamhuis is 34 and has just one year left on his contract, the thinking is an expansion team would not want him, so he'll be unprotected. That 1052323 Dallas Stars

Stars head west for late rendezvous with playoff-bound Sharks

By Stephen Schroats

Stars at Sharks Records: Stars 27-30-10, 64 points; Sharks 40-20-7, 87 pts. About the Stars: Sixty-seven games into the season, the Stars get their first look at the Sharks. It’s the first of three meetings in the next 13 days against San Jose, but the only one in California. This game opens a four- stop tour of the west for the Stars. They have won two consecutive road games for just the second time all season. The first time was in mid- November on their last trip to western Canada. Dallas has 15 games remaining and 10 are against teams currently in playoff position. About the Sharks: There’s been little drop-off from the team that lost to Chicago in the Stanley Cup Final last season. San Jose leads the Pacific Division by seven points and is still within easy reach of Minnesota and Chicago at the top of the Western Conference. Despite Saturday’s loss to Nashville, San Jose has won five of its last seven and are two games into a season-long six-game homestand. Bearded defenseman Brent Burns had three assists Thursday against Washington to climb to 70 points, tied for third-most in the NHL. San Jose was pretty quiet at the trade deadline but did acquire forward Jannik Hansen from Vancouver, where he had played the past 10 seasons. After notching 13 points in 28 games for Vancouver, Hansen had an assist in his first outing with the Sharks. Goalie Martin Jones is in the top 10 in goals-against average (2.27) and wins (31) but is only 1-3 with 12 goals allowed in his career against Dallas.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052324 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings goaltending delivering; can rest of team follow suit?

Helene St. James , Detroit Free Press Published 2:37 p.m. ETMarch 11, 2017 | Updated 4 hours ago

The Detroit Red Wings seek consistency as they stare down the last four weeks of the regular season. They enter Sunday’s game against the Henrik Lundqvist-less New York Rangers buoyed by a fine performance Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. One area showing consistency is goaltending, with Jimmy Howard returning to spell Petr Mrazek and Howard delivering his first NHL victory since getting injured in December. Mrazek confirmed he’ll get the Rangers start. After a turbulent first half, he put up a .923 save percentage in February. “It is nice to have those numbers back, but I look at the performance, how I play, and most important are the wins,” Mrazek said Saturday. “If we win 6-5 or 1-0, it doesn’t matter, it is all about the wins.” As they cling to dimming chances of making the playoffs, stellar goaltending is needed, but so are more performances like the one against Chicago, when the Wings managed the puck so much better than the previous three games. “We did a really good job in a lot of areas,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Because of our pressure both in tracking and in the neutral zone, it gave us a little more time to break the puck out. “Every game we come out and try to play our very best, and we haven't won enough of them. We’ve had a lot of games where we’ve been right there. We haven't made enough critical plays at critical moments.” Anthony Mantha sat out the Chicago game as a healthy scratch after poor performances over the past week. Coaches tend not to change winning lineups, but at the same time, Mantha is a big, skilled forward who realizes he’s being challenged to do better. What might happen is Mantha joins Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou, and Riley Sheahan drops back to the fourth line, bumping Mitch Callahan. Mantha practiced as a sub on the fourth line. Blashill wouldn’t say if Mantha is back Sunday, but Blashill reiterated Mantha “is going to be a really good player in this league and could be a great player in this league. He has been a really good player for us this season. “This is a one-game thing. I think Anthony has, from the time I have known him, wanted to be better. That doesn’t mean you always agree with your coach, but he absolutely really wants to be a really good player. Anything from not playing he would gain would be in the fashion of how can I make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Contact Helene St. James Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052325 Detroit Red Wings

How to watch tonight's Detroit Red Wings-New York Rangers game

Kirkland Crawford , Detroit Free Press 1:46 a.m. ETMarch 12, 2017

Detroit Red Wings (26-29-11, 63 points) vs. New York Rangers (43-23-2, 88 points) Game notes: Perhaps the lessened pressure over trying to make the playoffs has helped the Red Wings recently. They are coming off one of their better performances of the season, a 4-2 win over the Blackhawks on Friday. Now, another Original Six team visits the Joe for the last time. Granted, there isn't a ton of Joe Louis Arena history with the Rangers. Still, New York is comfortably in the first wild-card spot in the East, and just four points behind Columbus for third place in the Metropolitan Division. But they are without goalie Henrik Lundqvist (hip strain).

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052326 Detroit Red Wings

Mrazek says he’ll start for Red Wings Sunday

Ted Kulfan , The Detroit News Published 5:57 p.m. ETMarch 11, 2017 | Updated 1 hour ago

Detroit — Petr Mrazek earned a night off Friday but it appears he’ll be back to work Sunday for the Red Wings. The goaltender sat and watched as Jimmy Howard returned to the lineup and helped the Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over Chicago. But Mrazek confirmed he’ll get the start Sunday against the New York Rangers — coach Jeff Blashill, as is his custom, didn’t officially name a starter — after a brief rest. “When you play a lot of games in a row, and we’ve played some back-to- backs, it’s always nice to get a couple days off, then go back and play strong,” Mrazek said. Mrazek had started eight consecutive games before Jared Coreau started Wednesday in Boston. But Coreau didn’t get past the first period, and Mrazek relieved and finished the game. After an unsatisfying start to his season, Mrazek has looked much more like the No. 1 goaltender he was most of last season for this last month. “It’s nice to have those numbers (statistics) back but I don’t look at them,” Mrazek said. “I look at my performance and most important, the wins. If you win 6-5, or 1-0, it doesn’t matter. “It’s all about the wins. I feel great. I’m hoping to continue and finish the season strong.” The Red Wings would like to accumulate a lot of wins these last few weeks of the regular season. To do so, Blashill feels the goaltending will have to play a key part. “For us to win, we’re going to need great goaltending,” Blashill said. “Petr Mrazek has been on top of his game for a while. He played excellent over the last little bit. “We threw him to the wolves (games in Edmonton, Boston) but he still played excellent. “Jimmy was excellent (Friday).” Sit or play? Whether forward Anthony Mantha returns to the lineup remains to be seen. Mantha was a healthy scratch for Friday’s game, Blashill wanting to get his point across about Mantha needing to play and work hard each and every game. Blashill had Mantha alternating on the fourth line with Drew Miller during Saturday’s practice, and wouldn’t reveal whether Mantha will return to the lineup against the Rangers. But Blashill is optimistic Mantha has learned a valuable lesson in the development process. “Anthony Mantha is going to be a real good player in this league, could be a great player in this league, and he’s been a real good player for us this season,” Blashill said. “This is a one-game thing. Anthony, from the time I’ve known him, has wanted to be better. That doesn’t mean you always agree with your coach, but he absolutely wants to be a real good player.” Mantha worked out on his own during Friday’s game. “You just need to learn from it, build off it, and come back stronger,” Mantha said.

Detroit News LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052327 Detroit Red Wings "(Lundqvist) has (404) wins in the NHL, so it is disappointing that he is not going to be in the net tomorrow, but it doesn't matter," Mrazek said. "They have a great team if it's Lundquist or Raanta, they are both good Refreshed Petr Mrazek returns for Red Wings vs. Rangers; Anthony goalies."Re Mantha, too? Michigan Live LOADED: 03.12.2017 By Ansar Khan | [email protected] March 11, 2017 at 2:30 PM, updated March 11, 2017 at 2:37 PM

DETROIT - Petr Mrazek and Anthony Mantha watched Friday's game for different reasons. Mrazek got a physical and mental break after playing nine games in a row and 14 of the past 15. Mantha essentially got a timeout for not playing hard the previous game. Mrazek will start Sunday for the Detroit Red Wings against the New York Rangers at Joe Louis Arena (7 p.m., NBC Sports Network). Coach Jeff Blashill declined to reveal whether Mantha will return to the lineup. Mantha practiced Saturday as an extra forward, rotating with Drew Miller on the fourth line. But that's not necessarily an indication that he's out again. "I'll say it again, I think Anthony Mantha is going to be a really good player in this league and could be a great player in this league and I think he's been a really good player for us this season," Blashill said. "This is a one-game thing. I think Anthony, from the time I've known him, has wanted to be better. That doesn't mean you always agree with your coach, but he absolutely wants to be a really good player. "Anything from not playing that he would gain would be in a fashion of how can I make sure this doesn't happen again and how can I make sure I'm better." Blashill then clarified "one-game thing" to mean he's sat one game so far. Mantha said he worked out, rode the stationary bike and sat in the sauna before the game and then watched his team defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 behind Jimmy Howard. "The guys played amazing," Mantha said. "Obviously, it wasn't the start they wanted, but they battled through it and came back. They played hard. Everyone was on the same page compared to Boston." Mantha was scratched because Blashill felt he wasn't competing hard enough, wasn't skating on the back-check in Wednesday's 6-1 loss at Boston. "It's not the greatest situation," Mantha said. "You just need to learn from it and build off it and come back stronger." "I've been going through that process for three years now and it's a never-ending process until you're maybe five or six years into the league and more." Mrazek's performance has been improving for several weeks, even if his numbers are only slightly better than before (2.99 goals-against average, .901 save percentage). "It's nice to have those numbers back, but I don't look at it," Mrazek said. "I look at my performance and most important are the wins, so if you win 6-5 or 1-0, it doesn't matter, it's all about the wins." Recent games between the Red Wings and Rangers have been low- scoring; five of the past eight have gone to overtime. "There's no question that for us to win we're going to need great goaltending," Blashill said. "I think Petr Mrazek has been on top of his game for a while, I think he played excellent over the last little bit. I think we threw him to the wolves a little bit in Edmonton (last Saturday) and certainly in Boston, and I thought he still played excellent. I thought Jimmy was excellent last night." Said Mrazek: "I feel great, a lot of games I have played I feel very good, so I am hoping to continue and finish the season strong." He said it was good to get a mental break on Friday. "When you play a lot of games in a row -- we've played some back-to- backs -- so it's always nice to get a couple of days off and go back (in goal) and play strong," Mrazek said. He'll be facing Antti Raanta. Henrik Lundqvist is out 2-3 weeks with a lower-body injury. 1052328 Detroit Red Wings Tatar also had an assist, giving the Red Wings' top line eight of Detroit's 12 points.

"Hank up the middle there, he makes a lot of nice plays and makes it Jimmy Howard sharp in return to Red Wings easy for me and Tats," Nyquist said. "It was nice to see a couple go in tonight." By Brendan Savage | [email protected] The Red Wings outshot the Blackhawks 29-26, outhit them 19-11 and gave the puck away five times to Chicago's nine. March 11, 2017 at 6:06 AM Add it all up and Howard had his first victory since Nov. 23, when he made 32 saves in a 2-1 win at Buffalo. DETROIT - Where has this team been all season? "Outstanding," Tatar said. "That is not easy to come back like that. The train is going and he just jumps in. It's not easy after the injury. To come That was a question many Detroit Red Wings fans were undoubtedly here and play against Chicago, I bet it was a pretty tough challenge. asking after Friday's 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena. "Jimmy, I think he held up pretty strong." The Red Wings were coming off their worst game of a disappointing With the victory, the Red Wings (26-29-11) won the season series with season - a blowout loss Wednesday in Boston - before responding with the Blackhawks. Chicago (42-20-5) won the first meeting 4-3 in overtime. one of their best performances to date while ending a four-game skid.

So what was the difference? Michigan Live LOADED: 03.12.2017 Well, a lot of it had to do with Jimmy Howard. Howard didn't do it alone, of course. The Red Wings' top line also had a big night against one of the NHL's top teams. But Howard was there when the Red Wings needed him. The veteran goaltender was making his first appearance for the Red Wings since spraining his right MCL Dec. 20 in Tampa. He allowed a goal on Chicago's first shot - a dandy from the left faceoff circle by Artemi Panarin - before turning aside 24 of the next 25 that came his way. "It was great to see him back," said captain Henrik Zetterberg. "We missed him for sure. He's been working hard, had a really good rehab here. He went down to Grand Rapids and played two good games and now he's ready to play. "He got his work here in the rehab and it showed here tonight." Howard's outing took some of the focus - at least temporarily - off the big news of the day, Anthony Mantha being a healthy scratch for the Red Wings. The only goal Howard allowed other than Panarin's less the five minutes into the game was by Trevor van Riemsdyk with 44.3 seconds left in the second period. Van Riemsdyk beat Howard with a slap shot from the right point but Howard appeared to be screened by teammate Robbie Russo and Chicago's Ryan Hartman. As it turned out, van Riemsdyk's goal was meaningless because the Red Wings still had a 3-2 lead heading to the third period and Tomas Tatar's second goal of the game provided some breathing room with 4:29 left. "A little jumpy at first," is how Howard assessed his performance. "I think it was the nerves. But I was able to settle down. As soon as I had some pucks stick to me the last minute of the first period, I felt more and more at home out there. "Even though we got down there early by a goal, I think everyone stuck to the game plan and just kept pushing forward out there. It was a fun game to be a part of. "I'm just excited to be out there with the guys and competing again. It was frustrating not being able to do anything and just sitting on the sidelines but it was a lot of fun for me personally just to be back out there and competing with the guys." The win gave Howard a 6-7-1 record in 18 appearances but wins and losses aren't an accurate indication of how he was playing before the injury. His goals-against average is 1.96 and his save percentage is .934, the same as they were before he beat the Blackhawks. Both of those numbers were leading the NHL at one point this season. "Jimmy was good," said coach Jeff Blashill. "I thought we were better defensively than we were in Boston and Edmonton. I thought we did a pretty good job defensively but obviously they're a group that can still create some. "When they did, I thought Jimmy was excellent. He controlled his rebounds well and made his saves look easy, so that's a real positive after being out that long." Xavier Ouellet and Andreas Athanasiou also scored for the Red Wings, Gustav Nyquist picked up three assists and Zetterberg had two. 1052329 Detroit Red Wings Macomb Daily LOADED: 03.12.2017

‘Really good' Mantha learns from benching

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily POSTED: 03/11/17, 4:57 PM EST | UPDATED: 32 SECS AGO # COMMENTS

DETROIT >> Will Anthony Mantha be back in the Wings’ lineup Sunday when they host the New York Rangers? Coach Jeff Blashill isn’t saying yes or no. “First of all, I’ll say it again, I think Anthony Mantha is going to be a really good player in this league and could be a great player in this league, and I think he’s been a really good player for us this season,” Blashill said after practice Saturday at Joe Louis Arena. “This is a one-game thing.” Blashill later clarified a “one-game thing” meant he’s sat one game so far. Mantha had been skating on the top line with Henrik Zetterberg and either Tomas Tatar or Gustav Nyquist. “I think Anthony, from the time I’ve known him, has wanted to be better,” Blashill said. “That doesn’t mean you always agree with your coach, but he absolutely wants to be a really good player, and so I know anything from not playing that he would gain would be in a fashion of ‘how can I make sure this doesn’t happen again’ and ‘how can I make sure I’m better.’” Mantha has 14 goals and 19 assists in 50 games and a plus/minus rating of plus-12. “(Not being in the lineup) for sure happens once in a while,” Mantha said. “It’s not the greatest situation. You just need to learn from it and build off of it and come back stronger.” Mantha rotated in-and-out of a line with Drew Miller on Saturday. “That’s their decision coming forward for (Sunday’s) game and the next few games,” Mantha said. “We’ll see (Sunday) coming to the rink if he changed the lineup or not. I’ll just be ready if I’m put in the lineup (Sunday).” Blashill did the same thing to Andreas Athanasiou back on Jan. 4 at Anaheim. He responded with a goal and two assists at Los Angeles the next night. “Oh for sure,” Mantha said when asked if this was just part of the learning process. “I’ve been going through that process for three years now and, like I said, it’s a never-ending process until you’re maybe five or six years into the league and more. You still could learn. It just keeps going over and over and over again.” Mantha added that, in the long-term, sitting and watching was a good learning experience. “It’s just like that learning process, learning to be a player that shows up every game. and I think that’s the message they wanted to send me,” Mantha said. Blashill felt Mantha didn’t compete hard enough and wasn’t skating hard on the back-check in Wednesday’s 6-1 loss at Boston. Petr Mrazek will start Sunday. He had started nine in a row prior to backing up Jimmy Howard on Friday. “If you look around the league, the teams that go on any kind of runs, their goalie gets extremely hot,” Blashill said. “The differences between team-to-team and night-to-night are so miniscule that goaltending becomes a huge factor. Use Montreal for example, just follow their goaltending and follow their record. So, there’s no question that for us to win tomorrow night, we’re going to need great goaltending. “I think Petr Mrazek has been on top of his game for a while, I think he played excellent over the last little bit,” Blashill continued. “I think we threw him to the wolves a little bit in Edmonton and certainly in Boston, and I thought he still played excellent. I thought Jimmy was excellent (Friday) night. For us to win moving forward, we’re going to need really good goaltending. Part of really good goaltending is playing good defense. They go hand-in-hand, so sometimes it’s a little bit unfair.” Mrazek had started 14 of the past 15.

1052330 Edmonton Oilers And it turned into a great game again with great plays and great saves galore.

Midway in the second period, Jordan Eberle drew a penalty and McDavid Terry Jones: Oilers-Penguins extravaganza shows big-game NHL tied it up at 12:45 on the power play with his 23rd of the year. hockey is back in Edmonton The final 10 minutes of regulation was absolutely frantic.

The three-on-three overtime was even more incredible, especially when Terry Jones Leon Draisaitl sent McDavid in alone on a breakaway. Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 5:00 AM It was an excruciatingly exciting game, the best by far in this building and MST in this town for ages. The fans stood for the entire shootout, where both Crosby and McDavid It was arguably a game with more sizzle involved than any game in scored. Phil Kessel gave the Penquins a 3-2 win. Edmonton since June 17, 2006. If this was McDavid vs. Crosby, McDavid won it big time. He was easily It was most certainly the kind of night you’ve been waiting an entire the most valuable and most outstanding of the two on the ice this night decade to experience. and probably in the entire league. Talbot, playing his 60th game of the season, was wonderful as well. And Malkin ranked right up there for When Edmonton fans entered Rogers Place Friday evening, it was prime Pittsburgh. time in an NHL hockey season for the first time since that 2006 Stanley Cup final. But the winner this night was hockey in Edmonton. It was a smorgasbord of delicious scenarios. It’s been a long, long time. It was the defending Stanley Cup champions in a battle with Washington, Columbus and the New York Rangers for position in the Metropolitan Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.12.2017 Division. You wanted meaningful hockey on March 10? The night before, Anaheim, Calgary, Los Angeles and San Jose had all won. The Ducks moved two points up on the Oilers for second place in the Pacific, the Flames moved into a tie with Edmonton for third. There was no longer any dodging it for Todd McLellan’s hockey team. It was now prime time – time for desperation hockey and time to answer the question: ‘What are you made of?’ It was the first time that Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid would play a game against each other in Edmonton. There was the scoring race with the youngest captain in the history of the NHL, McDavid, going into the game with 74 points and the Penguins’ Crosby and Evgeny Malkin tied at 70 along with Brent Burns, Patrick Kane and Brad Marchand. With 15 games to go in a season, how does a scoring race for the Art Ross Trophy get any better than that? While no Oilers are involved, there was also the goal scoring race for the Rocket Richard Trophy with Crosby going into the game with 34, Patrik Laine and Marchand at 32, Malkin, Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty at 31, three others at 30, two more at 29, three more at 28 and five at 27. And, there was also the Hart Trophy. Would voters give it to McDavid if he could lead the Oilers to a playoff spot, particularly if it were one opening at home, after finishing 28th last year? Game 67 for the Oilers and Game No. 999 this NHL season wasn’t going to decide any of that. But you had to play it like it might. It didn’t just set up as a big game for the Oilers, but for their fans as well. If there was any question how the fans would be in the new arena when it came to a playoff game, we were likely to find out during a game that set- up like this one. Would they bring it? You could feel the excitement and taste the apprehension in the building before the game. And the fans, with a little help from the scoreboard, brought it for the first minute. It wasn’t 2006 all over again. But there was a buzz that never left the building and it built and built and built. By the third period, there was incredible energy in the building. On the ice, the action was palpitating from one end to the other, for openers. And about three minutes in Oilers radio play-by-play man Jack Michaels, who sits about 10 feet from me in the press box, enthused, “Is this any good?” It was Crosby vs. McDavid at the opening faceoff, and it stayed that way much of the night but not the entire evening. McDavid scored first. Unfortunately, it was into his own net. No. 97 saw the puck sitting in the Oilers goal crease and kicked it out. Right into the pads of goaltender Cam Talbot. And into the net. Malkin was given credit for the goal. Pittsburgh had a chance to make a route of it with a power play early in the second, but the Oilers penalty kill did the job and the team began the battle back. 1052331 Edmonton Oilers Goaltender Cam Talbot, who will be playing his 61st game of the season against Montreal, figured the Pittsburgh game may have the effect of propelling the team forward to the payoffs. Terry Jones: Oilers embrace playoff intensity in loss to Penguins “I think we had our foot off the gas a little bit lately. We weren’t playing as desperate as we probably needed to. Friday night after the first period, we came in here and addressed it,” he said of being down 2-0 to Sidney Terry Jones Crosby and friends. Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 8:34 PM “We came out with a no-quit mentality and told ourselves if we skated MDT with them we could beat them. We came out in the second period and played one of our best periods of the year if not our best. We didn’t give up a lot and we created a ton of scoring chances. It was a foreign feeling. “Being able to have the mentality to do that and come back from down 2- 0 says a lot about this group and what we can accomplish.” After Friday night’s greatest hockey game in Edmonton since June 17, 2006, going to Rogers Place Saturday morning prior to Sunday’s game When asked about going forward embracing what’s ahead instead of against the Montreal Canadiens seemed like going to practice between fearing it head coach Todd McLellan embraced the question. playoff games. Being able to have the mentality to do that and come back from down Friday night’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh 2-0 says a lot about this group and what we can accomplish. Penguins was definitely the greatest game, yet, played in the new arena and quite possibly was the best game played this entire season in the “I think that’s a fair statement,” he said. “For me, I’m not sure if the game NHL. Friday night was about Pittsburgh or the Oilers but we drew some urgency out of our group. There was more desperation. There was a little Saturday morning there was a buzz around the rink that carried over from more passion in the game than we had seen a few games earlier. And the night before. And having a busload of travelling Montreal media that’s what happens at this time of year. And when you haven’t wandering around the Oilers dressing room contributed to that feel. experienced it as a group and many individuals haven’t even been through it, the most you can get out of it, the better it is. Your correspondent went to practice Saturday to take the temperature of the team to see if a theory I developed overnight might be accurate. “For the last number of seasons here, the year is winding down at this time of year. They don’t want to get hurt. They don’t want to block shots. First of all, in terms of proceeding to the playoffs, I saw that as a win, not They don’t want to do the hind of things you have to do at this time of a loss. year. It’s completely different now with this push time. We’re trying to The Oilers battled back from a 2-0 deficit. Their best players were their reset the clock, if you will, to make it ramping up rather than ramping best players. Connor McDavid was restricted to one goal but that might down.” have been his best game of the 112 he’s played in the NHL so far in his Friday’s Oiler performance now needs to be replicated, again and again career. Cam Talbot was brilliant in goal in the second and third periods down the stretch and into the playoffs. and overtime. And the 666 line of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle and Milan Lucic was excellent. “It’s understanding how intense the games are going to be and elevating your play every night. There isn’t a magic wand that you waive,” McLellan There were positives all over the roster. said. Yes the Oilers lost in the shootout. But there are no shootouts in the Magic stuff can happen if you do embrace it, however. playoffs. And if they kept playing that game, the way Edmonton grew into it, the Oilers almost certainly would have won it. All season the Oilers have been absolutely abysmal in the faceoff circle. But somehow, some way, the league-worst Oilers went a remarkable But the big thing to me, with all the lack of experience involved of playing 76% in the dot. at this time of year and in the playoffs, the big thing was what it could do for the team. “That was our best outing of the season. We recognized that at practice this morning and let our players know it meant a lot in the game,” said Instead of having an element of fear going forward into the unknown, my McLellan. “That’s part of the intensity going down the stretch. Our theory is that they are now much more likely to embrace it. And enjoy it. numbers have to be better if we’re going to have success. But I don’t They just just found out how much fun that pouring yourself into a game have an explanation.” like that can be. As for Friday feeling like the practice day between playoff games, “I think you saw that our desperation level went up,” said Lucic, who had McLellan is hoping that will carry through. a crowd of more than a dozen media members surrounding his stall. “If that holds true, and that is the way you feel and we feel, I think that it “You look at Thursday night and everybody else in the division won their allows us to gain some experience,” he said. “The Pittsburgh game an game. It was like we had almost no choice but to step up another level if was intense, quick, fast exciting game. We approached the practice we want to end up where we want to end up,” he said. “Other than the similar to a playoff. It was a real quick practice working on a couple final score, we out-shot them, out-chanced them, out-performed them in things.” the faceoff circle.” Game 2, if you will, is a 5 p.m. start against the Canadiens. When I threw out the idea of now going forward embracing it instead of fearing it, Lucic jumped all over that. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.12.2017 “For sure,” he said. “I think that was more the mentality against the Penguins than the game before against the Islanders. It was more embracing it than, like you said, fearing it. “We just went out there and played. We played to our strengths. We trusted our system. We trusted each other. It was a sign that if we have everyone stepping up and playing like we can play, we can be a very good hockey team. I think you said it the best. We have to embrace the challenge that’s in front of us with 15 games left. “A lot of our guys found out that games like that one are the kind of games you want to be in. They are fun games. They’re the games that bring the best out of players. “The players felt it. I’m sure if you ask the coaching staff, they felt it. And I’m sure if you asked the fans, they felt it, too. We’re going to need a lot of that moving forward. You have to come to the rink with a smile on your face from here on out and have fun with the situation that we’re in. I know I’m looking forward to it.” 1052332 Edmonton Oilers

Game Day: Oilers vs Canadiens

Jim Matheson Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 7:21 PM MDT

Oilers C David Desharnais. When anybody plays against his old team for the first time, there’s always the opportunity for a big game. Desharnais is only averaging 12:16 in his first three games with the Oilers but he has two points and he was 7-1 on faceoffs against the Penguins. He may see some second power play time although Benoit Pouliot was there against Pittsburgh. Canadiens LW Max Pacioretty. The Habs’ captain has 31 goals, which puts him fifth behind Sidney Crosby, Patrik Laine, Brad Marchand and Evgeni Malkin. Along with Alex Radulov, he’s been their best forward most nights. He’s got one hat trick and one four-goal game this season and imagine how many he’d have if he had a playmaking centre like Nick Backstrom? He has 22 goals five-on-five. Game Notes Winger Alex Radulov, Montreal’s second-best forward after Pacioretty, will return to the Habs lineup after missing three games when he blocked a P.K. Subban shot on his leg. He’ll play with Alex Galchenyuk … Oilers defenceman threw his arm up in the goal-crease to block a late Malkin shot Friday and it stung, but just a flesh wound. “At first I thought it was going to hit me in the face,” said Larsson … The Oilers will go with the same lineup, barring anybody coming up sick, which means Eric Gryba out on defence and Jujhar Khaira, Anton Slepyshev and Drake Caggiula at forward … Habs’ forward Paul Byron missed Saturday’s practice with the flu and is questionable for the game Sunday … Cam Talbot will start his 61st game for the Oilers … The game will be the Hometown Hockey featured tilt with Bob Cole doing the play-by-play … Oilers beat the Habs 1-0 in a shootout in Montreal on Super Bowl Sunday. was the Habs’ goalie that afternoon … Habs coach Claude Julien had an on-ice chat with Galchenyuk on Saturday. The gist of their conversation? “Not going to tell you,” dead-panned Julien. “Actually I may have been talking about his haircut.” Julien said it was a friendly get-together with Galchenyuk. The Habs still don’t know whether he’s a centre or a winger … If the Habs were to protect three D in the expansion draft Shea Weber and are automatic and the third is up in the air. Either Nathan Beaulieu, who is up and down with his consistency, Jordie Benn, Alexei Emelin or Brandon Davidson. On the surface, the puck-mover Beaulieu would seem to have the inside track but his star has dimmed … Connor McDavid’s goal against the Penguins was only his third on the power play this season. He’s got 23 even- strength markers.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052333 Edmonton Oilers

Fans were into game against Penguins

Terry Jones Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 8:20 PM MDT

The players in the first few months of their time in their palatial new building haven’t been big fans of the fans. Maybe it was all the gawking around hockey’s latest greatest arena. Maybe it was the world largest and most amazing arena scoreboard. Maybe it was a higher percentage of suits in the building than usual. Whatever it was, the players during the front end of the season felt like they were playing in a library. Not Friday night against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. “That was the loudest I’ve heard the building all season long,” said goaltender Cam Talbot. “When Connor scored that tying goal on the power play I thought the roof was going to blow off this building,” he said of McDavid’s goal that tied the game 2-2. “I felt like if we could get that from the fans every single night that would really push us moving forward. “When you go into some buildings like Chicago and Montreal, they’re tough to play in because of the way the fans are behind them. You can’t even hear yourself think out there,” added Talbot. “With this arena if the fans did that night in and night out it would be nice to see.” Milan Lucic said the crowd is growing into it. “The closer and closer we’re getting to the end of the season I feel it’s getting a notch louder and louder. It’s great to see that the fans are getting into it more and more. It lifts us up,” said Lucic. Coach Todd McLellan said both the team and the fans raised their games to new levels. “The energy in the building was phenomenal. You could feel it o the bench and guys got going. “It was the type of game to lend to that. Up and down. Fast. A lot of talent. A lot of nice plays. A lot to appreciate with the physicality and the grinding part. “As I said (Friday) night, our seventh man, if you will, really helped us earn a point. I definitely believe that.”

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052334 Edmonton Oilers Thomas Vanek came in and played with us … sometimes that’s what I need.”

The comfort of grade A large wingers isn’t so much for protection as Mixed emotions for David Desharnais playing against Canadiens game realization. “They open up space for me. Kass on the forecheck, defencemen get Jim Matheson scared and they fumble the puck and there’s turnovers,” Desharnais said. “The game’s so fast nowadays, you just need that extra second of time. Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 8:36 PM Playing with big guys? That’s huge for a guy like me.” MDT

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.12.2017 There will be no pound of flesh storyline with Edmonton Oilers centre David Desharnais, who weighs about 170 pounds with gusts to 175 if he wanted to dive into a heaping plate of poutine. Try as we might, there’s no big revenge angle with Desharnais playing the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday even though he wasn’t playing much for the Habs when they traded him to the Edmonton Oilers 10 days ago for defenceman Brandon Davidson. In Desharnais eyes, it’s not about evening any scores, although if he got two goals Sunday for the Oilers in his role as the third-line centre, there might be a loud “bonjour” from him. Instead, he’s looking at the first meeting with the only team he’d ever known as a pro, with some trepidation. “I’m assuming it’s going to be weird,” said Desharnais, who scored his first Oilers goal Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has two points in three games with the Oilers, and after two struggles in the faceoff circle against the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders, he was 7-1 against the Penguins. Desharnais played four years of junior in Chicoutami and was one of the best players in the QMJHL as he got older, but if former Habs coach Guy Carbonneau, who owned the junior club then and now is a TV broadcaster, hadn’t thrown him a lifeline and got him a Montreal training camp tryout, he might never have been an NHLer. “He was great for me … he gave me a little chance and I’m very thankful,” Desharnais said. “Dream come true just getting to an NHL training camp. I didn’t play any exhibition games but just being around the guys I’d watched on TV was special … Yeah, it was cool for me.” Desharnais was not drafted and no one was banging down his door to sign him as a free-agent either, even at 20 when he was lighting up the QMJHL. “My first year I had 50 points, then after the draft, when nobody takes you, you think you’re done. It’s stupid because you are only 17 years old. But then, I had three years of 100 points,” said Desharnais, 30. “I went to the East Coast League, going one step at a time. I didn’t really think I’d make it to the NHL until I was in the A (American League) and leading the league in scoring. “I forced them to give me a shot. The East Coast was so good for me. Instead of playing on the fourth line in the American League (Hamilton), in and out of the lineup, no PP, I went to Cincinnati and had a huge year.” He played 438 games with the Habs, then they fell out of love with him. They did him a favour, dealing him to the Oilers. He’s not out to show them they were wrong, though. “I never think it’s personal. Nowadays unless you are (Connor) McDavid or (Sidney) Crosby you’re going to get traded at some point. Shea Weber and P.K. Subban? They got traded. Nothing personal, but I do want to win the game,” said Desharnais. “It’s a different feeling playing against your ex team. You listen to Justin Schultz coming back here, Taylor Hall here, Adam Larsson going back to New Jersey … I don’t know if Brandon (Davidson) will play but I’m sure it’ll be the same for him, too,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. “In David’s case, when you’re a young man from Quebec and you grow up in that environment and you struggle just to get to the league, then you get to play for the Habs … that’s pretty remarkable. Playing against them will probably magnify his emotions.” Against the Penguins, Desharnais played with and Benoit Pouliot, book-ended with large bodies. “Best game of the three with us. I thought Benoit was tremendous and Kass too. They really complemented each other well,” said McLellan. Desharnais didn’t argue. “Playing with big guys helps me a lot,” said the five-foot-seven centre. “When I first started, I was with , then (Max) Pacioretty, then 1052335 Edmonton Oilers were down 4-1. He came to the bench, started telling guys we’d turn it around and he took charge.”

Julien isn’t surprised his old Bruins GM, Peter Chiarelli, has turned things Oilers a much better team with Kris Russell in the lineup around in Edmonton. “He’s got lots of talent here but Peter’s way of doing things he’s got size Jim Matheson in his lineup. When you’ve got the Patrick Maroons and the Lucics, it makes room for the guys. I’m seeing a lot of similarities here with what he Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 8:42 PM did when he build the Stanley Cup champion in Boston,” said Julien. MDT Habs goalie Carey Price, who was sick and didn’t play in Calgary although he watched the game on TV from the dressing room with his gear on, is better now and he’ll start against the Oilers. The flu bug is How much better are the Edmonton Oilers when Kris Russell is on their running through the team. blue line alongside Andrej Sekera rather than in the medical room as he’s been three times this season with a lower-body (groin) injury? “We’re kind of a herd, travelling together, in tight places so it’s inevitable we’d pass it around,” said Price. It’s immense.

Russell was outstanding against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night in a 3-2 shootout loss. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.12.2017 “We had a video review today of the Penguins game and a couple of the impact plays weren’t pretty offensive rushes, they were Kris Russell blocking shots,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. “There was that four- on-three penalty-kill in the overtime where he was down blocking a one- timer by (Evgeni) Malkin. That makes us better. We feel good when he’s in the lineup.” So does Matt Hendricks. “He’s a calming influence around the dressing room, he never seems be shaken. He doesn’t add a lot statistically, but last night he got a huge assist (first goal by David Desharnais) by controlling the puck and get it on the net,” Hendricks said. “What I love most though is his blocking shots. As a penalty-killer and defence-first guy, I love how Kris sacrifices himself. He’ll always get in the way of a shot. It’s almost like he coaxes a guy into a lane to take a shot, then, boom, he steps in front and gets the block.” While the Oilers are driving for the first playoff berth in 11 years, if they get there, they won’t have much to draw on. They’ve played 342 total post-season games as a team. Milan Lucic is the leader with 101. Benoit Pouliot’s played 54, Desharnais 38 and Russell 36. Twelve guys haven’t played any and 17 have 10 games or less. The comeback from down 2-0 against the Penguins was special for Hendricks, though. “We had a few individuals that found something extra but as a team we came together. We’ve been trying to find this since the all-star break. We’d been playing really good hockey but came back won a bit of a lull and teams were taking advantage of us,” Hendricks said. Brandon Davidson who was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Desharnais, is iffy to play against his old team. He played in Vancouver with another ex-Oiler Jeff Petry with Alexei Emelin scratched, but didn’t dress in Calgary on Thursday. Emelin was minus-3 but he’ll probably be back in against Edmonton. Unless Jordie Benn or Nathan Beaulieu comes out here, Davidson will watch. “I’m praying and hoping I play. It would be quite the experience,” he said. Canadiens coach Claude Julien wouldn’t say if he was in or out. But he likes what he sees. “He’s strong, good in the battles, moves the puck well. We’re deep in the back-end in depth, but I like him a lot. Good future ahead of him,” said Julien. Davidson flew back with the Oilers from St. Louis Feb. 28, the night he was traded. He got into Edmonton in the wee hours of March 1, had three hours sleep, packed some clothes at his condo and hustled to Montreal. “Seems like I’ve been on the road about 25 days,” laughed Davidson, who was on a six-game, 12-day road trip with the Oilers when dealt and was holed up in a downtown hotel in Montreal for three days after the trade before the Habs came west. “I spent seven hours yesterday (Friday) packing up stuff at my condo. My dad is going to fly here (from Lethbridge) and drive back my truck with everything I have. Thank god for dads,” said Davidson. Julien loved his time with Lucic in Boston. “He came in as a 19-year-old and had such a good training camp that we kept him. He played on our top lines by the end of the year and as he got older, his voice was heard in the dressing room,” Julien said. “I remember the Game 7 playoff game against Toronto where the Bruins 1052336 Florida Panthers ▪ Florida started goalie James Reimer on consecutive nights after he faced 44 shots on goal and 70 attempted shots in Friday’s loss to the Wild. Jonathan Marchessault a bright spot in disappointing Florida Panthers season Miami Herald LOADED: 03.12.2017

BY GEORGE RICHARDS [email protected]

TAMPA In a season which has been mostly a disappointment, the Florida Panthers have at least one bright spot in the play of Jonathan Marchessault. In Friday night’s 7-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild, Marchessault continued his career year by scoring his 20th goal of the season. Not bad for a player the Panthers found at the NHL’s version of the dollar store as he left the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent to sign a bargain deal with Florida for $1.5 million over two seasons. The Panthers and Marchessault visited the Lightning on Saturday night. Florida assistant general manager Steve Werier targeted Marchessault as a free agent who could help the Panthers if given the opportunity Tampa Bay couldn’t promise. "We thought he was a guy who could crush it," Werier said. "He had limited opportunity in Tampa because they were a team with an embarrassment of riches at forward but was great with the opportunity he had. "We sold him on that. We told him we thought he could be a big part of our team here." The Panthers gave Marchessault the hard sell despite his limited NHL playing time. Werier said the Panthers called Marchessault’s agent right when the free agency period opened. Florida, unlike other teams, were offering Marchessault the chance to be part of the big club. While other teams may have offered one year contracts with a two-way, minor league provision, the Panthers were bringing a two-year contract to the table with one-way NHL protection. How much did Florida covet Marchessault leading into the signing period? Owner Vinnie Viola called up Marchessault and the two talked about Florida’s plans for him for over an hour. Moments after the market opened, Florida announced it signed goalie James Reimer – with Marchessault and Colton Sceviour quickly following suit. "We explained to him that he wasn't just a depth addition for us," Werier said. "He is one of those who wasn't drafted and isn't a big guy so he doesn't have that stereotypical pedigree. But, he's been really good at every level he has played at including in Tampa. If he did the things here he did in Tampa, yeah, he could punch way above his pay grade." After Friday’s loss, Marchessault was in no mood to celebrate his milestone goal instead focusing on a Florida season heading southbound in a hurry. "Our whole season, right now, has been a disappointment," he said. "At this point of the year, time is limited. We have less games; we need to turn this boat around." ▪ Greg McKegg didn’t need to introduce him to the Panthers on Saturday night as the former Florida fourth-liner stepped into the Lightning lineup for the first time in four games due to injuries. McKegg, who played in 31 games for the Panthers this season, was claimed by the Lightning when Florida waived him just before the trade deadline last month. “It will be a little weird to play against a team I was just on a few weeks ago,” McKegg said. “It should be fun. You never know what can happen at the trade deadline, but this team is on a bit of a roll and we want to keep it going.” 1052337 Florida Panthers Tampa Bay cut into Florida’s lead between the Ekblad and Malgin hits — both did not return because of possible concussions — when Nikita Kucherov broke the Panthers’ impressive penalty kill run 3:43 into the Physical Lightning beat Panthers with late goal, put another dent in second. Florida’s playoff hopes Before Kucherov beat Reimer, Florida had successfully killed off 31 consecutive penalties. By George Richards The Lightning eventually tied the score midway through the second when Yanni Gourde forced a turnover in the neutral zone, raced by Trocheck [email protected] and put a soft, sliding shot through the legs of Reimer. “I thought we played extremely well, especially being down [three] players, especially coming off a back-to-back,” said Reimer, who made TAMPA 31 saves. “At the end of the day, it’s not over. We’ve been playing good hockey. In my experiences, if you keep playing the right way, you’ll get With three of its starting centermen out of the lineup, not to mention the bounces.” superstar Steven Stamkos, the Tampa Bay Lightning did its best to even things up against the Panthers on a fight-filled Saturday night. Tampa Bay got its first lead of the night with 2:23 left after Ondrej Palat knocked down a shot from Andrej Sustr and past Reimer. The Lightning not only knocked out defenseman Aaron Ekblad and diminutive forward Denis Malgin with big hits along the boards, but it ▪ Greg McKegg didn’t need to introduce himself to the Panthers on scored with 2:23 left to help its slim playoff chances by beating Florida 3- Saturday night, as the former Florida fourth-liner stepped into the 2 at Amalie Arena. Lightning lineup for the first time in four games because of all of Tampa’s injuries. The Lightning salvaged a season split with its cross-state and divisional rivals while also putting another crimp in Florida’s rapidly fading The Lightning was without starting centers Tyler Johnson, Cedric postseason hopes. Paquette and Vladislav Namestnikov on Saturday. Tampa Bay extended its lead on Florida in the Eastern Conference McKegg, who played in 31 games for the Panthers this season, was playoff race to four points. The Panthers have dropped eight of their past claimed by the Lightning when Florida waived him just before the trade nine, getting just three of the available 18 points. deadline last month. Instead of looking toward a first-round playoff meeting with the Washington Capitals, the Panthers are now looking toward a season- ending game in Washington D.C. against the Caps on April 9. Miami Herald LOADED: 03.12.2017 “We just need to win one, get our confidence back,” Vincent Trocheck said. “That will help us get back in the race.” Said Derek MacKenzie: “I’ll be honest; I don’t know what the standings are. I’m not looking at them. I have been in this position before. The only thing you can do is win, win and win.” The Panthers, fresh off a 7-4 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday night, had James Reimer back in net after he faced 44 shots on goal and 70 attempted shots. Reimer stood tall for Florida time and again and, at least in the first period, his teammates gave him some run support. Jaromir Jagr put the Panthers on the board as he corralled a big rebound off a Sasha Barkov shot and sent an odd-angled shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy with 3:28 left in the opening period. In the final minute of the first, defenseman Mark Pysyk made it 2-0 when he fired in a long shot with Jagr blocking. Unfortunately for the Panthers, that would conclude their scoring for the night. “Those were two teams fighting hard,” Pysyk said. “We just didn’t get the result we wanted. We were shortened up on the back end, but we need to find a way to win these. It could have gone either way. “The past couple of games we’ve played pretty well, done good things. We’re just not winning the close ones we need to win.” The Lightning got physical in the second, with Ekblad being knocked out of the game when he went head first into the glass thanks to a high hit from Gabriel Dumont. Minutes later, Anton Stralman sized up Malgin and drove him into the corner of the glass off the Florida bench with a slow hip check. Malgin remained face down on the ice for what seemed like an hour before he slowly rose and was helped out through the nearby tunnel to the Florida training room. That hit also cost Florida the services of defenseman Alex Petrovic, who went after Stralman and was ejected. Tom Rowe, Florida’s interim coach and general manager, said he thought the hit on Malgin was “a good, clean hit” but thought the hit on Ekblad was “dangerous” and a “cheap shot from behind” and told the supervisor of officiating. “It was a great hockey game, great for the state of Florida,” Rowe said. “We want to build a rivalry here, and they want to build one with us. That’s as close to a playoff game as you’re going to get in the regular season. It was tough to lose.” 1052338 Florida Panthers game snuck it through Reimer for his first tally, despite Vincent Trocheck hacking away at him.

“It sucks,’’ Trocheck said. “Guys are working hard the last two games. I Wounded Lightning deal Panthers a crushing 3-2 loss feel we’re starting to turn around our game even though we lost in some of the hardest fought battles we played all year. Harvey Fialkov Contact Reporter Sun Sentinel “We got 15 games left. We win, we’ll get our confidence back and we’ll be back in the race.’’

The Panthers were then stymied on a 56-second, 5-on-3 advantage, as These two Sunshine State rivals were projected to battle for Atlantic Vasilevskiy robbed Jonathan Marchessault with a glove save to keep it 2- Division supremacy. 2 after two. Instead, the wounded Tampa Bay Lightning and free-falling Panthers were literally fighting for their playoff lives Saturday night in Amalie Arena. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.12.2017 Frustration boiled over for both teams in a chippy slugfest, but the Panthers disturbing pattern of blowing leads continued as Ondrej Palat’s deflection with 2:23 left lifted the Lightning to a 3-2 victory. The Panthers have lost five straight and eight of nine to tumble down the standings. They’re now four points behind the Lightning, who are three behind Toronto for the second wild-card berth. “It was a great hockey game, great for the state of Florida,’’ Panthers coach Tom Rowe said. “We want to build a rivalry here. They want to build one with us. I thought that was as close to a playoff game as you’re going to get in the regular season.’’ At times it looked like throwback to the ‘70s when the Flyers and Bruins were firing more uppercuts than shots as the teams combined on 15 penalties for 50 minutes after two periods, including two fights apiece, six roughings and a game misconduct for Panthers defenseman Alex Petrovic. The Lightning were down three of their four starting centers from their 4-1 victory over the Wild on Thursday, while the Panthers, already without Petrovic, lost defenseman Aaron Ekblad and fourth-line forward Denis Malgin to concussions after bruising hits in a penalty-marred second period. Tied at 2-2 after two, James Reimer came up big with a couple of sterling saves, including a point-blank one on Victor Hedman during a mid-period power play, and later, Yanni Gourde’s doorstep drive. It wasn’t enough as Palat deftly guided in Andrej Sustr’s shot from the point for what seems like a mortal wound to the Panthers’ dwindling playoff hopes. Within two minutes of the puck drop, Petrovic and J.T. Brown dropped the gloves. That set the tone for a smash-mouth evening that was scoreless until the Panthers scored twice in the final 3:28 of the opening frame. Ten seconds after a puck-controlling power play expired, the Panthers continued to attack until Aleksander Barkov’s shot caromed to Jaromir Jagr, who used his stick like a sand wedge to chip it in from an acute angle at 16:32. It was Jagr’s 14th goal and second in two nights. Then with 47 seconds left in the period, the suddenly hot Mark Pysyk took a pass from Reilly Smith and slapped it in off a Lightning stick. It certainly didn’t help Lightning backup goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy that Jagr was blocking out the sun with his body outside the crease. In the second period, Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle came to the aid of Ekblad, his blue-line mate, after his head struck the glass from a high check by Gabriel Dumont. After their fight, Yandle got an extra two minutes and Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov immediately one-timed it past Reimer to cut Florida’s lead in half. “Malgin hit by [Anton Stralman] was a good clean hit,’’ Rowe said. “I talked to the supervisor and thought the hit on Ekblad was dangerous. We’ll leave that up to the league. When you lose three guys ...’’ The Lightning’s power-play goal snapped Florida’s top-ranked penalty- killing streak at 31 over 12-plus games. Kucherov leads the Lightning with 31 goals and 67 points, including 10 goals and 19 points over his last nine games. “It’s a tough one to swallow,’’ Yandle said. “It was a playoff-type game, a lot of emotion with state rivals, a fun game to be part of but it hurt us a little getting down a couple of [defensemen]. Ekblad gets hit from behind and I don’t know how they got a power play out of it. They scored a goal and it changed momentum.’’ After several more scrums the Panthers were victimized on a sensational, steal and short-handed goal by Gourde, who in his 5th NHL 1052339 Los Angeles Kings

Kings reignite their playoff hopes with win over Capitals, 4-2

Curtis Zupke

Adrian Kempe won’t have to exaggerate his first NHL goal when he describes it to his grandkids someday. It was far from a flukey bounce that gets better in the retelling, but a genuine highlight packed with a bigger meaning for the Kings in their playoff push. Kempe spun away from Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson and wristed a shot short side with 12:14 remaining in the third period to give the Kings a 4-2 win Saturday at Staples Center. The Kings pulled to three points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. It sets up a huge game against St. Louis on Monday, and the Kings will have momentum from their first back-to-back wins in more than a month. Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik also scored as the Kings solved Capitals goalie Philipp Grubauer, previously 2-0 lifetime against them. Kempe was recalled last month to inject offense, and his goal shook the Kings out of a stagnant third-period start in which the Capitals dominated possession. “There was a lot of time left in the game,” Kempe said, “[but] I think it was an important goal and it was a really great feeling to finally put it in.” Said defenseman Alec Martinez: “He’s been really good for us. He’s brought a lot of energy and a lot of speed. Any time you see a guy get his first NHL goal, it’s pretty awesome.” The Kings had managed a 2-2 tie going into the third period thanks to a power-play goal for the fifth straight game. Kopitar tipped Jeff Carter’s shot for his ninth goal and third in four games. Capitals defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk watched it from the penalty box because of his delay- of-game infraction for shooting the puck over the glass. “We started to play better after the first,” Kempe said. “We had a lot of opportunities after the first period. I think we bounced back after that and I think we came back to our game.” The score certainly could have tilted more toward the Capitals in the first 40 minutes. Alex Ovechkin missed an open net, Nicklas Backstrom hit the crossbar and Jakub Vrana shot the puck right into a sprawled Kings goalie Jonathan Quick in another prime chance. Quick made his second straight start, if there were any doubts about whose net it is these days. Ben Bishop sported a new Kings-themed mask, but he didn’t get to show it off. He’s winless in his two starts with the Kings and had a 2-6-1 record against Washington anyway. Kings Coach Darryl Sutter reiterated before the game that the acquisition of Bishop was for the longevity of Quick and that he needs both to play like No.1 goalies. “Quite honest, we are in a position where we’re fighting for a playoff spot because our goaltending, in February, hit the wall,” Sutter said. There wasn’t much Quick could do to prevent Washington’s second goal at the start of the second period. The Kings gave up a rush and T.J. Oshie batted in the puck out of midair at 47 seconds following an attempt by Johansson. Gaborik scored on a snap shot late in the first period for his ninth goal. Kopitar did the work when he maneuvered around Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen for a shot that created the rebound. It was only the second even-strength goal by the Kings in five games. Carter added an empty-net goal with 1.4 seconds left, his 31st goal of the season. On the other side of the Kings’ excellent special teams ledger, their penalty- killing unit cracked fewer than five minutes into the game. Vrana redirected Shattenkirk’s shot, with Drew Doughty serving a slashing penalty. The Kings had killed 48 of the previous 50 penalties . LA Times: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052340 Los Angeles Kings

Rookie Paul LaDue is making himself at home as Kings make their playoff push

Curtis Zupke

Sometimes Paul LaDue looks around and sees how surreal this season has become. From his corner locker stall at the Kings’ practice facility, he’s just a few steps away from Jarome Iginla, a player he followed as a kid. On Thursday, there was LaDue in a postgame celebration with Iginla following Iginla’s overtime goal against the Nashville Predators. “It’s pretty crazy,” LaDue said. “I was a little star struck the first time he walked in the locker room. It was unbelievable. I’ve got him and Marian Gaborik out there with me, so it’s a little crazy knowing I grew up watching them play. They’ve been great guys. It’s been fun hockey.” It also has been an unlikely late-season ascension for LaDue, so no one can blame him for soaking it up. The 24-year-old rookie defenseman has grabbed a job on the blue line in the most critical time of the season for the Kings. He averaged more than 16 minutes a game and taken a role on the second power-play unit going into Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals. Recalled in February, LaDue had four assists in his first nine NHL games, including an assist on Iginla’s first goal with the Kings on Thursday. “He’s a very good student of the game,” Kings assistant coach John Stevens said. “You tell him things, and you can see he takes it in. He implements it into the game right away. He can understand what you’re trying to do. He’s getting a great opportunity to play in a lot of situations.” Stevens noted that the coaching staff is still getting to know LaDue. He turned pro after his junior season at North Dakota and has played only 40 games for minor league . Going back further, LaDue was a sixth-round draft pick in 2012 and, at that time, was not rated among the top 210 North American skaters by NHL’s Central Scouting. Since 2012, he is the only defenseman drafted by the Kings to have played for them in the NHL. Colin Miller, taken ahead of LaDue, was traded to the Boston Bruins as part of the deal for Milan Lucic in 2015. LaDue already had a familiar face in the Kings’ room in Derek Forbort, a fellow North Dakota alum. “He was a Grand Forks [N.D.] kid, so I would kind of see him around,” Forbort said. “We got to know each other and got to be pretty good friends.” Forbort can identify with LaDue in having to prove himself in a defense- minded team under Kings Coach Darryl Sutter, who typically is not receptive to rookies. But the transition appears fine, on and off the ice. The closest ribbing LaDue gets might be the occasional “Freddy Adu” nickname that Drew Doughty throws him in reference to the soccer player. “It’s a really good group of guys here that don’t really treat you like a rookie,” Forbort said. “They want you to come in and contribute and play well. Paul’s been a really good guy for that.” LaDue did have some nerves in his NHL debut Feb.7. “I kind of blacked out that whole first period,” he said. But it was familiar because it was in the same venue, Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., where he won an NCAA title last season. Nearly a year later, he’s trying to help the Kings in their playoff push. Did he envision this in training camp? “I always hoped for it,” LaDue said. “But I never knew what was going to play out. I try not to think about it too much, but it is pretty crazy being up here. I’m thankful for it, and I’ve just got to keep working.”

LA Times: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052341 Los Angeles Kings

Kings get crucial win over Washington Capitals

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 03/11/17, 10:31 PM PST | Updated: 21 secs ago

LOS ANGELES >> Adrian Kempe made one darting move along the right wing in the third period to shed a defender. Then, showing the poise of a seasoned veteran rather than the 20-year rookie he is, Kempe made another one that put him in a position to create a scoring chance from the right faceoff circle. In a nanosecond, the puck was in the net and the Kings had a lead over the Washington Capitals. Soon enough, the Kings would secure a 3-2 victory Saturday at Staples Center, thanks in part to Kempe’s first NHL goal in his 11th game. The Kings’ deficit had grown to five points in their wild-card battle with the St. Louis Blues before they dropped the puck. The Blues completed their 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders in St. Louis only minutes before play began in Los Angeles. The Kings play host to the Blues on Monday, a four-point game if ever there was one. Kempe’s game-winning goal, at 8:46 of the third period, ensured the Kings’ deficit would be only three points when the teams play for the third and final time during the regular season. The Kings followed their recent method of operation by falling behind to start Saturday’s game. The Capitals scored on their first shot on Jonathan Quick’s net, a power-play deflection off a pass from Kevin Shattenkirk to Jakub Vrana only 4:35 into the game. Marian Gaborik countered for the Kings with an even-strength goal at 15:30. Washington needed only 47 seconds to start the second period to regain the lead, though. T.J. Oshie chipped a rebound of Marcus Johansson’s shot off Quick into the back of the net to make it 2-1. Johansson skated through the Kings’ defense a little too easily. The Kings rallied once more, tying the score 2-2 on Anze Kopitar’s power-play deflection of Jeff Carter’s shot from the left faceoff circle at 7:20 of the second period. Kopitar tipped the puck over Philipp Grubauer’s left shoulder and into the back of the net for only his ninth goal in 61 games. Coach Darryl Sutter went with Quick rather than Ben Bishop in goal, an easy decision if you looked strictly at the numbers. Quick was 6-2-0 with a 2.44 goals-against average in his career against the Capitals and Bishop was 2-6-1 with a 3.42 goals-against average. Capitals coach Barry Trotz decided to play Grubauer, a backup, against the Kings and save No. 1 goalie Braden Holtby for Sunday’s game against the Ducks at Honda Center. Holtby led the league with a 1.97 goals-against average and was third with 34 victories in 51 games. The Kings went into the game with a sizzling power play, clicking seven times in 14 chances over the past four games. Only one of their past nine goals had been scored while skating 5 on 5, with the aforementioned seven with the man advantage and another while shorthanded. The Capitals’ high-powered offense was in a rut going into the game, having failed to score more than two goals in four consecutive games. Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals’ leading goal-scorer with 27 going into Saturday, had been blanked in eight straight.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052342 Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ Drew Doughty caught in limbo awaiting NHL’s Olympics decision

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 03/11/17, 10:17 PM PST | Updated: 14 secs ago

LOS ANGELES >> Drew Doughty would like to play in the Winter Olympics next February in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He would like to win his third gold medal for Canada. He also would like to know when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will make up his mind about sending the league’s players. Or keeping them at home. NHL players have played in each Winter Olympics since 1998, when the league made its long-awaited and much-anticipated debut in Nagano, Japan. Doughty, a Kings defenseman, and Canada have won the last two gold medal, in Sochi, Russia, in 2014 and Vancouver, , in 2010. Bettman said Wednesday at the league’s general managers’ meetings in Boca Raton, Florida, that there was “absolutely nothing new” to report about the league’s Olympics participation, which was more or less what he said Jan. 28 at the All-Star Weekend at Staples Center. “Unless something changes, we’re not going,” Bill Daly, the NHL’s deputy commissioner, told the Canadian Press on Wednesday, taking Bettman’s standard statement one step further. “We’ve said that consistently for three months, so there’s nothing new about that.” Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers was incensed by Bettman’s comments, and especially those of Daly. Voracek played for his native Czech Republic in Sochi, and he made it clear he was willing to put up with a compressed NHL schedule to play again in Pyeongchang. “Absolutely ridiculous,” Voracek told a Philadelphia reporter Friday. “We have it once every four years. I read something that Bill Daly said we’re not going (and) nobody wants to go. The players want to go. Why are you saying you’re not going? You’re not part of the players’ association. “Nobody wants you there. They want the players.” Doughty wasn’t nearly as emotional on the subject as was Voracek, but he said it would be nice to know what the NHL’s plans were as soon as possible. Doughty said he would like to go to try to win a third gold medal, but acknowledged the decision wasn’t up to him. “It would be awesome to win a third one,” Doughty said of going for an Olympic three-peat with Canada. “We’ve won a few tournaments here lately (including the World Cup of Hockey last fall in Toronto), and everybody is going to be gunning for us. “So it’s going to be that much harder to win, which would make it fun.” It wouldn’t be the same with college or minor-league players in Pyeongchang, Doughty said. “I wouldn’t be watching,” he said. Kings coach Darryl Sutter altered his defense corps for the Kings’ game Saturday against the league-leading Washington Capitals at Staples Center. Kevin Gravel returned to the lineup and Brayden McNabb sat out for the first time since a Jan. 21 game against the New York Islanders. Gravel was scratched for the past four games after playing in four consecutive after sitting out for five in a row. He scored one goal and five points before Saturday’s game. McNabb (two goals, four points) was sidelined 27 games earlier this season because of a broken collarbone.

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THE KINGS: NOT SCOREBOARD WATCHERS

JON ROSEN MARCH 11, 20170 COMMENTS

Had any players on the Los Angeles Kings been interested in watching some late-season hockey that directly impacted their postseason fortune, the St. Louis Blues hosted the Anaheim Ducks on a game broadcast on Prime Ticket across the Southland Friday night. The Blues, among the teams the Kings are trying to catch in a battle for a Wild Card berth, scored 12 seconds into the game against Anaheim, reclaimed a lead 25 seconds into the third period, and in a tied game late in the third, claimed a win on a Joel Edmundson wrister with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. With a 4-3 win, they moved three points and three regulation wins ahead of the Kings and dropped L.A.’s chances at making the postseason to 40.5%, according to SportsClubStats.com. It was an entertaining and important late-season game. It was also a game that hockey players, on a night off some 66 games into the season, largely weren’t inclined to watch. “We’re aware of it, but I mean, I guess I can only speak for myself, but I don’t scoreboard watch,” Alec Martinez said. In other words, don’t expect players to be forgoeing their afternoon nap on a game day so they can sit on the couch to watch Nashville play at San Jose, another game that carries important implications. “I mean, I’ll check the standings every morning probably, but it’s not like I’m looking at the score of the games while they’re happening,” Dustin Brown said. “Kind of just wake up in the morning, see where you’re at and go from there.” The players are reminded of where exactly they’re at when they arrive at the rink. Standings boards are updated every morning and placed around the team areas at both Staples Center and Toyota Sports Center, and it’s not uncommon when a period of particular urgency arises for the standings to be printed out, highlighted, and taped to the wall in the dressing room. But players aren’t going to arrive home after a hard practice, plop down on the couch and feast on a diet of Eastern Conference games followed by Western Conference nightcaps. As training has intensified and the schedule has become invreasingly year-round, a mental recess on off- days is paramount in maintaining a healthy equilibrium over the course of 82 games. This, of course, doesn’t necessarily apply to watching the Olympics, or when the players’ alma maters may be playing important basketball or football games. While some players don’t read the press clippings, there are others who stay on top of league comings and goings. “I don’t know if it’s watching games, but I’d say the one guy who kind of always knows what’s going around the league is Carts,” Brown said. “But I don’t know if he sits at home watching games or he just reads all the TSN or wherever you get hockey info. I know a lot of guys have the TSN app. I don’t have any of that stuff, though.” Coaches, while they’re not necessarily going to be scanning the out of town scores on Staples Center reader boards, are, obviously, more inclined to watch live games during their time at and away from the rink. And if there’s an eastern team playing Anaheim the night before they visit Los Angeles, there’s a good chance the staffs’ eyes will be affixed to a television. “I obviously know the task at hand and there are certain teams that we have to catch, but I think sometimes if you watch the scoreboard too much it’s going to get the best of you, so I think you’ve just got to take it one game at a time and focus on what we’re doing in here because, quite honest, other than the teams when we play them, there’s nothing that we can do about those games,” Martinez said. “All we can do is worry about ourselves and our own, so obviously we know the task at hand, but we’re up for it.”

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MARCH 11 MORNING SKATE QUOTES: DARRYL SUTTER

JON ROSEN MARCH 11, 20170 COMMENTS

MORNING SKATE QUOTES On Washington’s league-best 143 goals against: First off, they have one of the best goalies in the league, and they have one of the most experienced teams in the league, and it’s not like they’ve all of a sudden come upon that. If you have the opportunity to watch Washington play, they’ve been a dominant team for a number of years now. [Reporter: Are they also similar to that – for the lack of a better term – “heavier” style for Eastern teams? That they can play a style like San Jose, like L.A., where they can be quick up and down the ice, but they’re also one of the bigger, more physical teams, still?] They’re a big team, a mobile team. They run a four-line team, which leads to extended success and more time in the offensive zone. On what has improved in the power play, or whether pucks are just going in now: I think the one group’s been really good – whoever we put on the second group. The second power part of it’s been really good. The first minute part of our power plays have not. [Reporter: Would you maybe shuffle that up even a little more?] No, I trust those guys. You know what? Tanner’s a really good net guy, and Kopi and Jeff and Drew, I’d prefer they were always on the first one, so the only thing we should shuffle in there is maybe the one defenseman or somebody who’s not doing a job around the net. On Paul LaDue having “acquitted himself” well on the power play: Every game it’s something different. I’d say Jarome acquitted himself pretty well. On “continuity” with the forward lines: Well, you want success. So continuity in lines means five-on-five, right? They line up, they play five-on-five. Continuity’s fine. That’s wonderful to say ‘well, we don’t change lines up, those guys play together.’ You’ve got to score. Otherwise you don’t. If you get outplayed by the other team’s line, that’s continuity, but if three guys get outplayed by three guys, that’s not. On the options that having another number one goalie in Ben Bishop provides: Well, first off, really clear, bringing Ben in here was for the longevity of Jonathan Quick. If we’d have been 10 points or 12 points out of a playoff spot or had a comfortable spot clearly, I don’t think that the organization would’ve gone after another number one goalie. I think you’re looking at the long term of Jonathan Quick. He has a long-term contract. It’s what I said – I’m not going to play him every game. Quite honest, we’re in a position where we’re fighting for a playoff spot because our goaltending in February hit the wall. We were losing way more than we were winning in terms of goaltender versus goaltender, and we had one goalie that was leading the league in losses and one goalie that had the fewest wins, so that’s a recipe for not success. So having two goalies, it doesn’t matter if they’re two twos or two ones. We’ve got to win games. Lots of number twos here are five or six games over .500, so we need both of these guys every time they’re in to win a game for us. On Ben Bishop’s “stickhandling option”: Both our goalies are. I think they both see forechecks and handle plays really well. We’re fortunate to have both those guys – it’s something that was missing in our game. It’s important also … because we have three or four young defensemen. You’ve got to have experience to be able to do that. We have that. Otherwise you’re basically giving pucks back, and there are goalies in the league that do that, too, but we’re a strong possession team. Either get us the whistle, get us the faceoff, get the rebound to somebody, or make the play on the puck coming in. It makes a big difference. On whether the calves on the farm are being birthed: Not starting quite yet. [Reporter: Not quite yet? Is that in April, the first week of April?] Should be sometime between the 17th and 21st.

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MARCH 11 MORNING SKATE NOTES: QUICK EXPECTED TO START; GRAVEL COULD PLAY

JON ROSEN MARCH 11, 20170 COMMENTS

-Jonathan Quick was the first goalie off the ice and is expected to start against the Capitals. In eight career games versus Washington, Quick is 6-2-0 with a 2.44 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. For what it’s worth, Ben Bishop, who earned a win in his lone appearance against the Capitals this season, is 2-6-1 with a 3.42 goals-against average and .891 save percentage against Washington in his career. -Both Kevin Gravel and Brayden McNabb took shifts alongside Alec Martinez, though Gravel was the first player off the ice whereas McNabb remained on for a little bit of work. Expect both players to take the ice in warm-ups, but Gravel appears to have a pretty good opportunity to get into his first game since the overtime loss at Minnesota on February 27. Neither Jordan Nolan nor Nick Shore took part in the skate. -This may come as a surprise to some: The Kings, and many players, in general, do not watch hockey or pay close attention to other games on off-nights, even in the heat of a playoff race. “I mean, I’ll check the standings every morning probably but it’s not like I’m looking at the score of the games while they’re happening,” Dustin Brown said. “Kind of just wake up in the morning, see where you’re at and go from there.” Story to come. The night was December 14 2005, and since then Los Angeles has won six straight at home in the series. Eric Belanger and Sean Avery scored for the Kings, and Jamie Heward (two goals) and Brian Sutherby scored for the Caps. Heward’s second came with 1:03 remaining, making a winner out of Olaf Kolzig (24/26). Jason LaBarbera (26/29) took the loss for L.A. Players from that game who are still active in the NHL: Michael Cammalleri, Dustin Brown and Alex Ovechkin. -Tonight’s Caps team is better than the 2005-06 outfit that finished 29-41- 12 and amassed a -69 goal differential. They’re leading the NHL with 95 points, though with regulation losses in two straight, the Blue Jackets and Penguins (both with 95 points) are beginning to breathe down their necks a bit. At only 5-4-1 since their bye week, brows are furrowing as goatees are being stroked in our nation’s capital. Washington was 17-2-1 heading into the break, so Barry Trotz moved the forward lines around at yesterday’s practice in El Segundo. “We had really great success before the break there, and coming out of the break, I kept the same,” Trotz told reporters, as noted by Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. “I thought they’d sort of re-spark, and they quite haven’t. What I’ve learned with this group and the guys is that we move them around and they sort of find their way a little bit. And you can always go back to the old reliable lines. At some point, we probably will do that. Right now, we just need a little spark, a little interest, a little more production at five-on-five for us.” Expect the forward lines to shape up as Johansson-Backstrom-Oshie, Ovechkin-Kuznetzov-Wilson, Connolly-Eller-Williams and Winnik-Beagle- Vrana. Kevin Shattenkirk has assists in three straight games, representing his only points since joining the Capitals via trade. -More from Khurshudyan – plus a conversation with AEG Sports COO Kelly Cheeseman – in the latest Kings Men Podcast: -Tonight’s officials are referees Frederick L’Ecuyer and Brad Watson and linesmen Michel Cormier and Ryan Gibbons. Pia Toscano will sing the national anthem. Anze Kopitar will be my Kings Live pre-game guest. Lots more to come, Insiders, beginning with Darryl Sutter quotes. Let’s talk soon.

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March 11 postgame notes

Jon Rosen March 11, 20170 Comments

Postgame notes -With the win, Los Angeles improved to 58-35-15 all-time against Washington, a record that includes a home mark of 34-14-7. The Kings have won seven home games in a row in the series since a 3-2 loss on December 14, 2005. The two teams split this year’s season series, with each team winning on home ice. Los Angeles has two games remaining against the Eastern Conference: March 16 versus Buffalo and March 25 versus the New York Rangers. -The Kings improved to 14-14-2 against the Eastern Conference, 9-5-1 against the Metropolitan Division, 5-6 in two-goal games, 14-23-2 when their opponent scores first, 12-9-1 when tied after one period, 12-3-4 when tied after two periods and 25-19-2 when outshooting their opponent. -Los Angeles has scored eight power play goals over the last five games, going 9-for-19 (47.4%). The five-game power play goal streak is the longest since December 26, 2015-January 4, 2016 (six games). This is the first time the Kings have scored multiple power play goals in three straight games since December 18-27, 2014 (four-game streak). -By killing off two of three Washington power plays, Los Angeles has killed off 50 of their last 53 shorthanded situations since John Tavares’ power play empty net goal on January 21 at . The 94.3% success rate over the last 21 games is the best in the NHL over that span, though the team’s overall percentage fell to 84.9%, which ranks fourth in the league. The three power play goals recorded against the Kings over this span were scored by Brendan Perlini, David Pastrnak and Jakub Vrana. -Adrian Kempe (1-0=1) scored his first NHL goal in his 11th career game. The last King to have his first career goal be the game-winning goal was Andy Andreoff, who scored on Arizona’s Mike Smith on March 16, 2015 vs. ARI (courtesy Elias Sports Bureau). -Alec Martinez (0-2=2) registered his sixth multi-point game of the season, most amongst Los Angeles defensemen. He has assists in four straight games (1-5=6 total), which ties a career-long. -Jonathan Quick has not lost a regulation game since returning from a 59-game absence, going 4-0-1. -Anze Kopitar (1-1=2) has seven points (3-4=7) over the last seven games. -By playing in his 673rd career game, Drew Doughty tied Mike Murphy for ninth place on the Kings’ all-time games played list. -By playing in his 1,539th career game, Jarome Iginla moved within one game of Johnny Bucyk (1,540 games) for 13th place on the NHL’s all- time games played list. -Los Angeles attempted 41 shots (22 on goal, 10 blocked, 9 missed). Washington attempted 48 shots (19 on goal, 13 blocked, 16 missed). Alex Ovechkin led all skaters with six shots on goal and 15 shot attempts (6 on goal, 3 blocked, 6 missed). Anze Kopitar, Tanner Pearson and Jeff Carter finished tied with a team-high three shots on goal. -The Kings won 27-of-59 faceoffs (46%). Anze Kopitar won 10-of-19, Andy Andreoff won 1-of-1, Trevor Lewis won 1-of-2, Nic Dowd won 1-of- 5, Adrian Kempe won 6-of-13, Jeff Carter won 8-of-18 and Jarome Iginla won 1-of-1.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052347 Los Angeles Kings Obviously it was a really good feeling. The first one, it was a big one too, so it was an extra-good feeling.

Kempe, on seeing the puck go in the net: March 11 postgame quotes: Martinez, Kempe I didn’t see it go in right away. It was either Lewie or Brownie in front that started celebrating, so I didn’t see that it went in right away. Jon Rosen March 11, 20170 Comments Kempe, on whether he began wondering when that first goal might come: Not really. I mean, I know I’ve got chances before. I’ve had a lot of Postgame quotes chances and I should probably have scored before this game. It was a good feeling when it finally went in. Alec Martinez, on the team’s 12-3-4 record when tied after two periods:

I think part of it is our style of play. Kings hockey, we just kind of stick with it for 60 minutes and it’s no secret that we find ourselves in that LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 position a lot in tie games or one-goal games, and I think all the guys are used to being in a position like that. We had a big goal there by Adrian, and that was huge for us. Martinez, on limiting a top offensive team to one even strength goal and 19 shots: I think we were good at all three positions. You look at the forwards, they’re providing that back pressure, which allows us as D to stand up and take away a lot of their rush play, and it’s no secret that they generate a lot of opportunity off that. We had some big saves from Quickie, so I think just taking their time and space away, that’s the key to high powered offenses like Washington. Martinez, on whether there’s more discussion in the room by team leaders prior to these games: No, not necessarily. Tonight’s a big game, and so was last game, and so will the next whatever it is, 14 or 15. We know the task at hand and we know that we’re in a battle and we’ve got to be playing playoff hockey. There was no more emphasis put on this one as all these. We know that this is going to be a battle, and we’ve got to prepare for every game like it’s our last. Martinez, on whether it was good to see Adrian Kempe score his first career NHL goal: Yeah, it was awesome. I mean, he’s been really good for us. He’s brought a lot of energy and a lot of speed. Anytime you see a guy get his first NHL goal, it’s pretty awesome. [Reporter: He didn’t even crack a smile on the bench. Is he normally like that?] He’s a pretty even keel guy. He doesn’t get too high, too low. That makes for a good pro, so it’ll be fun to watch. Martinez, on the importance of Monday’s game against St. Louis: I think it’s like anything – you take what you did well in the game, and you take a focus on carrying that forward. There are certainly some things that we need to sharpen up. We gave up a few opportunities that we probably would’nt have liked to, so again, you enjoy this one for a few minutes tonight, and then tomorrow morning you wake up and you’re ready for the next one. Adrian Kempe, on the feeling of scoring the game-winning goal: Obiously pretty good. I mean, there was a lot of time left still in the game. But it was an important goal, and it’s a really great feeling coming up with a win. Kempe, on the team’s performance in shutting down a strong offensive team: I think we started playing better after the first. They had a lot of opportunities after the first period, and I think we bounced back after that, and we came back to our game and we played very good with speed and I think we challenged their D-men well and we got some opportunities and we scored on them, so it was good. Kempe, on the importance of Monday’s game: Obviously all the games now we have left are going to be really important. I think this one today was really important for us, and we’re just going to reload back tomorrow and then come back stronger on Monday. Kempe, on his first career NHL goal: The puck got rimmed, and I got challenged there with the center, I think, and I kind of rolled off him and tried to fake the D-man a little bit and tried to hit the short side there under his glove, and it went in, so it was cool. Kempe, on the feeling of the puck going in the net: 1052348 Los Angeles Kings tomorrow. We’re not happy with the results but let’s find a way to get out of it together.

Niskanen, on the Capitals playing a good possession game: March 11 postgame quotes: Washington Yeah we had the puck a lot tonight but possession and generating scoring chances are two different things so we’re going to have to find a Bo Hamby March 11, 20170 Comments way to either shoot from the perimeter and then go for rebounds or fight our way to the interior a little bit more to be a little bit more dangerous because we did have the puck a lot, but a lot of perimeter stuff. We’ve got to get to the slot if we want to score a little bit more. Postgame quotes Philip Grubauer, on the game-winning goal scored by Adrian Kempe: Barry Trotz, on an “evenly played” game: Yeah, I mean, they did a good job screening. [inaudible] They had a Yeah I thought it was. I thought there were a couple things that we were couple shots and they made it really tough to see around. Doesn’t matter a little bit unlucky. We hit a couple posts there, could’ve been up 4-2 in if it’s only one shot, you’ve got to stop that and move forward and snipe the second period and we come out 2-2 and then, you know, they score one here. the third one and then an empty net so I thought it was a pretty even game. I thought our compete was pretty good. Yeah, goals aren’t Grubauer, on Gaborik’s goal: coming. We’re going to have to score more than two goals. We haven’t scored too much lately. [Reporter: Can you put your finger on why that He was falling in to me, I tried to get it away from his stick as far as is?] Nope. It’s not coming easy. Like I said, if they go in the net we’ve got possible. I didn’t see the guy coming in up high, yeah. Could’ve gone four but we didn’t so you just go through it. You’ve got to fight through it. either way. We hit two posts. Did a good job, I mean, the game in San We’ve got to get to the net, we’ve got to shoot, all those types of things. Jose was won with special teams and they’re a pretty good power play We can bring our penalties down a little bit as well. team. We’ve got to stay out of the box. I think we’re getting back to that habit where we’re taking too many penalties and then it’s really hard to Trotz, on Ovechkin struggling to score lately: get it going again. I mean, 5-on-5, I don’t think any team, if we play our way, they can move with us. Yeah, no, I thought he was skating really well. He was dangerous every shift. He was a force so it’ll come you’ve just got to stay with it. Trotz, on whether penalties were a problem for the Capitals: LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 Well any time that we have a push on and obviously taking some penalties late takes away from your push, if you will. I don’t know, we’ve got to stay out of the box a little bit there. Trotz, on the feeling aftter losing three in a row: Awkward. We haven’t done that for a while so we’ll have to fight through it. And the only way you do it is together, as a group and we’ll see what we can do tomorrow. The great thing is you get to find out if we can right the ship tomorrow. Trotz, on whether a playoff race “can be good for the Capitals”: Yeah, absolutely. We’re in one. Justin Williams, on losing three games in a row: Well there’s obviously frustration but you can’t whine and cry about it like babies. You lost three in a row, big deal. Pick it up and get the next one. Good news is there’s usually another game of hockey the next day and we have one tomorrow. Williams, on avoiding a late-season slide: I don’t know. It’s just getting yourself mentally ready to play hard games. These are the hard games, the last 15 of the season, and as I said earlier, you can’t get frustrated because say you haven’t scored in a while or something. You’ve got to do what makes you successful within our system. You know, we’re not obviously scoring and winning as we’d like and all teams go through it. The trick is not to let it snowball too far. Williams, on the Capitals’ struggling to score of late: Yeah, it’s just harder to score this time of year. So we’ve got to take it upon ourselves to get it done. Get that second effort ’cause that’s what goals are about this season. Williams, on whether a playoff race “can be a good thing for this team”: Of course it is, yeah. Any competitiveness and tight-scoring is encouraged and it’s just the way it is now. These are fun games to play. Williams, on the Capitals compared to other teams he’s played on: Listen, I’ve been on a lot of great teams and this is certainly a great team. Whether or not it’s a championship team, we’ll see. We think it is but we have to go out and prove it. Matt Niskanen, on the loss: We could’ve won that game. We had our chances to score, not a ton of ’em, but we hit some posts. Didn’t generate quite enough and didn’t keep enough out of our net. Niskanen, on having lost three straight games: You know, guys played hard tonight so we’re disappointed that we didn’t get better results but I think a little adversity at this time of year is not a bad thing so we’ll keep pushing. Luckily we don’t have to wait long for 1052349 Los Angeles Kings

March 11 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter

Jon Rosen March 11, 20170 Comments

Postgame quotes On Adrian Kempe scoring a big goal in an important game: He scored his first NHL goal, so I’m sure he feels really good about it. On the key to the win: Stay with it. They scored a power play goal and we made it 1-1. They scored a goal to start the second. Our defenseman got beat easy on a one-on-two going up the ice. Bounced back to make it 2-2. Kopi had a big impact on the game of how the centermen – it’s nice to see the kid score, but I think Kopi was a pretty impactful player tonight. On the team’s strong record when tied entering the third period: I wasn’t aware of it, so I really don’t point that. Most games are pretty close going into the third in this league. On whether he remembers his first NHL goal: I have a good memory. It’s just the difference between short and long. Bad memory, good memory. I’d have to think about that.

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March 11 postgame quotes: LoVerde and Herr

Lindsay Czarnecki March 11, 20170 Comments

Vincent LoVerde, on whether the game comes back to the first period and the power play goals allowed: Uh, yeah, part of it’s that. Part of it’s we weren’t ready to play in the first. Bad penalties by myself, the 5-on-3 in the second period, we need to score on that. [Reporter: Tough to take the too many men on the ice penalty on that?] Yeah. I didn’t see what happened. I was going back for a puck. Usually don’t want to take penalties there but at the end of the day we need to score there. LoVerde, on the 54 shots on goal, shot selection and whether the team was happy with its chances: I wouldn’t say we’re happy because we lost the game. We got a lot of shots on net but at the same time when you’re chasing from behind you’re going to put up a lot of shots on net. I think it boils back to we just need to be ready to play. We need to score the first goal, we need to come out for the start of the game. LoVerde, on what needs to change to get a better start going: I wish there was an easy answer. We didn’t have a great start last night, we had an OK start tonight. It just needs to be better, especially at this point in the year. We need all the points we can get. We just gotta be better. I think everyone in the locker room knows that. Sam Herr, on whether the game comes back to the first period and the power play goals allowed: Yeah. Obviously you don’t want to start a game letting up two power play goals but that’s been a point of emphasis in the first half of the year, not taking too many penalties to start and I thought we corrected that a little bit so it’s kind of a little frustrating to take a little step back. I don’t know, just clean things up on the penalty kill. I thought we had a pretty good start, though. We got pucks to the net to begin with and … the end the penalties killed us a little bit. So, learn from it and just move on for tomorrow. Herr, on Tucson answering quickly each time the Reign got within a goal: That was the hard part. We didn’t carry momentum. We did a good job getting back into games and just one little mistake. They’re a skilled team. They’ve got a lot of goal scorers on that team so they were getting contributions from guys who normally don’t score. Just playing a sound sixty minutes, not letting those little mistakes happen, losing coverage, stuff like that and allowing them to get the two-goal lead again. Herr, on where the team is at mentally after three losses in a row: Obviously it’s frustrating. You don’t want to lose three games in a row. The thing about our team though is we know we’ve got so much more. We know we’re better than the way we’re playing. It’s just a matter of coming in ready to go tomorrow, focused for a full sixty minutes to try and bounce back. Yeah, again, it’s a little frustrating but we know we’re a good team. We know we’ve got fire power. There’s games where we beat the best team in conference seven to two, so we know we can score goals. We just got to bear down on our assignments, get the puck moving north and get offense going.

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March 11 postgame quotes: Mike Stothers

Lindsay Czarnecki March 11, 20170 Comments

On whether the game goes back to the power play goes surrendered in the first: Well, I mean, sure you can look back and say that but, you know what, we had 54 shots and I mean, we scored four goals. You think that would be enough to win a game, clearly it wasn’t. There’s lots of things that you can probably pinpoint as the difference, but I liked our resolve again. So, you know what, we come in here tomorrow and we get the game we end up at .500 for the weekend. Not exactly the way we wanted it to be but it’s pretty hard to be disappointed in your players, in their work, when you’re generating that kind of an offense. Hey, we’ll get back at it tomorrow. On how difficult it was to deal with Tucson being able to answer each time the Reign got the game within a goal: That’s tough. Kind of kicks the wind out of your sails a little bit. But, you know what, you look at Tucson and they can score as good as anybody in the league. You can’t let off the throttle, even for a second. You get all excited, we went down and we had a good shot off the pads, a second opportunity and the next thing you know they’re going down our way, shot off the pads, second opportunity and it’s in the back of the net. But again, I mean, you gotta stay with it. So, I think we just ran out of time. On whether he’s looking for something different with the start every night and going into tomorrow: Well, yeah, the starts could be better obviously but I think, to me, when I’m watching I was like, I don’t know how many games now I can think of where the opening puck drops and it’s in our end. We never seem to be in their end right off the opening faceoff. Ever. So that is a little bit of a concern. Last night, in Bakersfield, we had one O-zone faceoff the whole first period. That was because they iced the puck, not for anything we did. But we had one O-zone faceoff. So, yeah, do we need better starts? Certainly. First periods, start, opening faceoff, win it, let’s get it in their end. Sure there’s times where you can look and we probably did but majority of the time, we’re starting the game on our heels. And I’d rather see us be on our toes.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052352 Los Angeles Kings

Game 67: Los Angeles vs Washington

Jon Rosen March 11, 20170 Comments

Game Threads Los Angeles Kings 4, Washington Capitals 2 Final Radio Feed NHL.com Preview Boxscore Ice Tracker SOG: LAK – 22; WSH – 19 PP: LAK – 1/5; WSH – 1/3 First Period 1) WSH PPG – Jakub Vrana (3) (Kevin Shattenkirk, Justin Williams), 4:35 2) LAK – Marian Gaborik (9) (Anze Kopitar, Alec Martinez), 15:30 Second Period 3) WSH – TJ Oshie (26) (Marcus Johansson), 0:47 4) LAK PPG – Anze Kopitar (9) (Jeff Carter. Jake Muzzin), 7:20 Third Period 5) LAK – Adrian Kempe (1) (Kevin Gravel, Alec Martinez), 8:46 6) LAK ENG – Jeff Carter (31) (Unassisted), 19:58 Los Angeles Kings (32-28-6) vs Washington Capitals (44-15-7) Saturday, March 11, 2017, 7:30 p.m. PT Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA Referees: #17 Frederick L’Ecuyer, #23 Brad Watson Linesmen: #76 Michel Cormier, #58 Ryan Gibbons FOX Sports West, FOX Sports GO, KABC 790, I Heart Radio LAK starters: G Jonathan Quick, D Derek Forbort, D Drew Doughty, LW Marian Gaborik, C Anze Kopitar, RW Jarome Iginla LAK scratches: D Brayden McNabb, F Nick Shore, F Jordan Nolan WSH starters: G Philipp Grubauer, D John Carlson, D Karl Alzner, LW Marcus Johansson, C Nicklas Backstrom, RW TJ Oshie

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052353 Los Angeles Kings

Game 55: Tucson 5, Reign 4 + postgame notes/video

Lindsay Czarnecki March 11, 20170 Comments

Game ThreadsOntario Reign 5, Ontario Reign 4 SOG: ONT 54, TUC 28 PP: ONT 1/4, TUC 2/4 ONT starters: G Jeff Zatkoff, D Vincent LoVerde, D Kurtis MacDermid, LW Joel Lowry, C Andrew Crescenzi, RW Sam Herr TUC starters: G Marek Langhamer, D David Musil, D Zybnek Michael, LW Joe Whitney, C Chris Mueller, RW Christian Fischer FIRST PERIOD 1) TUC PPG – Jamie McBain (6) (Christian Fischer, Kyle Wood), 5:48 2) ONT PPG – Brett Sutter (15) (Mike Amadio, Sean Backman), 9:46 3) TUC PPG – Laurent Dauphin (13) (Christian Fischer, Chris Mueller), 11:18 4) TUC – Zbynek Michalek (6) (Michael Bunting, Tyler Gaudet), 16:12 SECOND PERIOD 5) ONT – Patrick Bjorkstrand (7) (Alexx Privitera, Jonny Brodzinski), 13:32 6) TUC – Jeremy Morin (10) (Laurent Dauphin, Dakota Mermis), 17:09 THIRD PERIOD 7) ONT – Sam Herr (7) (Andrew Crescenzi, Michael Mersch), 9:50 8) TUC – Grayson Downing (8) (Jeremy Morin), 11:42 9) ONT – Vincent LoVerde (7) (T.J. Hensick, Teddy Purcell), 19:05 POSTGAME NOTES –With the loss, the Reign are now 29-17-9-0 overall and 4-5-2-0 against Tucson, which improved to 24-23-6-0. Ontario is now 23-17-9-0 against Pacific Division opponents and 18-9-2-0 at home. –Ontario has now dropped three games in a row for the just the second time this season and the first since Nov. 4-9. –Ontario (.609 winning percentage) has 13 games left in the regular season and continues to stand in third place in the Pacific behind first- place San Jose (15 GR, .717) and second-place San Diego (15 GR, .689). –The Reign produced a season-high 54 shots on goal, besting the 48 they registered on Nov. 5 vs. Tucson in a 5-4 OTL. –Both Sam Herr and Patrick Bjorkstrand scored their seventh goals of the season. –Jeff Zatkoff started his third game for Ontario and made 23 saves on 28 shots. His record falls to 1-2-0. –Jonny Brodzinski record an assist on Bjorkstrand’s goal, his 20th of the season, and now has a goal and three assists in his last four games. –Teddy Purcell picked up an assist on Vincent LoVerde’s late goal and now has a goal and two assists in the last two games. –Ontario dropped to 18-8-9-0 in one-goal games and 3-11-3-0 in games when trailing going into the third period. –Ontario’s power play went 1-for-4 to improve to 24.1 percent on the season, good for second in the AHL. The penalty kill went 2-for-4 and now stands at 80.6 percent overall.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052354 Los Angeles Kings Dustin Brown, on Ben Bishop’s role with the Kings: Yeah I think he’s come in, I mean, we haven’t really played very well in front of him but I mean, you look at both of the games that he did play, he Stiff challenge tonight for a team in dire need of points played really well for us. And it’s just coming down the stretch we’re going to need him so I think it probably takes off a little bit of pressure off of Quickie coming off and not having to feel like he needs to – knowing Jon Rosen March 11, 20170 Comments Quickie he wants to play every game but I think it’s important for him to pace himself and having a legit number one behind makes that a lot easier for us. Morning Skate QuotesOpposition Brown, on his reaction to the Ben Bishop trade: With the Los Angeles Kings three points out of the second Wild Card I mean, yeah, kind of a little surprised. But at the end of the day you’re spot and the St, Louis Blues and Nashville Predators having held serve improving the position. Boods played really well for us and helped us get in their most recent games, attention now turns to an event that holds to where we are but like I said, Ben’s a clear-cut number one goalie so I significant sway towards whether the Kings will play past April 9. guess it’s an odd position to upgrade because you expect one guy to kind of carry the load but if you can upgrade a position, you upgrade it. “It’s pretty clear,” Dustin Brown said. “We’re three points out, even games, and tonight we need two points and it sets us up for [Monday’s] game against St. Louis head-to-head. That’s where we can gain ground by beating the team we’re trying to chase, but we’ve got to get this game LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.12.2017 first.”

In that pursuit, they’ll face the NHL-leading Washington Capitals, who boast the league’s best goal differential at +71. They’ve outscored opponents 68-30 in first periods and 82-50 in third periods this season and have allowed the fewest goals in the league. Washington, though, comes in nursing their most noticeable limp of the season. The Caps have lost two straight in regulation for only the third time this season – they’ve yet to lose three straight in any circumstances at any point – and have been held to seven goals over their last four games, prompting some line readjustments by Head Coach Barry Trotz during yesterday’s practice at Toyota Sports Center. The Kings aren’t the only ones having trouble scoring in five-on-five play. Alex Ovechkin, who hasn’t scored at even strength over the last 16 games, was placed alongside Evgeny Kuznetzov and Tom Wilson. Regardless, the Capitals, who have dropped six straight at Staples Center since a 3-2 win in the first half of the 2005-06 season, still rely on 10 players having reached double digits in goals scored on top of one of the league’s more dynamic power plays. “It’s obviously Ovechkin off the right side,” Alec Martinez said. “They always look to feed that right side on both (power play) units. They have four righties up top – two on each unit – and that’s what they look to feed, and Backstrom is one of the best playmakers in the league and he’s going to find those guys, so you’ve got to make sure you take away those seams, block shots.” On top of the offensive capability, which may resemble a sleeping giant at the moment, they’ve still allowed nine fewer goals than any other team in the NHL. “I mean, they obviously have a really good goalie. That helps,” Derek Forbort said. “Really good D-core, they’ve got three really good pairs that are both good defensively and at the same time good offensively, so I’m sure that’s the key for them.” It’s an example of the best defense being a good offense. “Yeah, I feel like they have the puck a lot,” Forbort said. “They’ve got some guys who are pretty good with possession, so, yeah, I’m sure it helps them out as far as not getting scored against that much is that they always have the puck.” It’s a useful combination of size, possession, speed, checking and goaltending, amongst a bevy of attributes that have made them “a dominant team for a number of years now,” according to Darryl Sutter. “They’re a big team, a mobile team,” Sutter said. “They run a four-line team, which leads to extended success and more time in the offensive zone.” Derek Forbort, on Ovechkin and other players on the Capitals that are hard to play against: Yeah I mean, obviously he’s a good scorer. I think Backstrom does a really good job of finding space and just makes little plays that make it hard to close him out but we’ve got to do a better job of that tonight then we did last time. Alec Martinez, on Evgeny Kuznetsov: He’s a really skilled, crafty player. He can obviously make a lot of really good, sometimes fancy plays. They like that, Kuznetsov individually, likes to act like he’s kind of gaining the net and he’ll throw that same-side pass out. I think I’ve seen them score a few goals off that so, you know, he’s a really good player. He’s the total package. 1052355 Minnesota Wild we want to make it more equitable in the future. Everyone is a year wiser after doing this for the first time.”

• With the Winter Olympics in South Korea less than a year away, the NHL Insider: Wild GM Chuck Fletcher weighs in on offside calls debate NHL still not has committed to its participation. “There’s absolutely nothing new,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman By Michael Russo Star Tribune MARCH 11, 2017 — 6:01PM said. “The overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it’s very disruptive to the season and there’s somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject.” Back in his playing days, Marc Bergevin was one of the NHL’s biggest Even though there obviously are multiple versions to a potential 2017-18 practical jokers. Other than the former defenseman-turned Montreal schedule reflecting a potential 17-day break for the Olympics, Bettman Canadiens general manager carrying a potted plant to comically hide said the focus now is on a schedule without Olympic participation. from the assembled media, this past week’s GMs’ meeting in Boca Raton, Fla., was blander than dry white toast. The league has not met with the International Olympic Committee since early February. Let’s put it this way: The lone recommendation that came from three days at the posh resort was no more timeouts from the coach following “Unless something changes, we’re not going,” Deputy Commissioner Bill an icing. Daly said. “We’ve said that consistently for three months.” The GMs decided not even to fiddle with the long-standing definition of If the NHL doesn’t go, it’ll need to come up with specific guidelines on offside. With so many close calls during offside reviews and nine goals how to deal with players and teams that have players bail. Washington’s called back because a skate blade was hovering over the blue line rather Alex Ovechkin has insisted he’s representing Russia no matter what the than the skate touching, some began to mutter that there should be a NHL decides, and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has given his blessing. break-the-plane rule in hockey. Similarly, if national teams have to use non-NHLers, teams need to “Offside is actually down this year by a pretty significant margin,” Wild determine how to deal with minor leaguers who get picked. The Wild is GM Chuck Fletcher said. “I think that means players are adjusting and one of those teams that could have players such as Luke Kunin, Jordan recognizing you’ve got to be careful not to go offside because if you’re an Greenway and Alex Tuch chosen by the . inch off after a goal, a review will show that. • Traded from Tampa Bay to Philadelphia at the deadline, Valtteri “I like the rule and don’t have an issue with it. We’re getting the right call Filppula confirmed he wouldn’t waive his limited no-trade clause to go to a lot more often now.” Toronto despite his former Detroit coach Mike Babcock calling. Sources say every Canadian team was on his no-trade list. Where the review process will be altered is the timing before and after. Fletcher said it can take some coaches up to a minute to decide to challenge a goal and too much time was wasted after the review process Michael Russo to explain the decision to the coaches. Star Tribune LOADED: 03.12.2017 That will stop, Fletcher said. “There was more debate on how do we speed it up rather than the offside itself,” Fletcher said. “When a referee decides goal or no goal, why is the referee then going to the bench to explain it to the coach? “It is what it is. The video review has been concluded. If that’s the best call, then let’s go to the faceoff and drop the puck. Let’s be honest: After a review, it’s not like a coach is going to get him to change the call. At the end of the day, one coach is happy and one coach is not. But that’s the decision. Let’s move on. Talking isn’t going to change anything.” Fletcher said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, who scoffed at one ref recently for not explaining a decision, is fine with this process. Other tidbits from the meetings: • One of the most asinine and irritating things that came out of the meeting is something that had been rumored the past few months: The NHL is leaning toward not publicizing the names of protected and exposed players from each team once they’re submitted to Vegas June 17 for the June 20 expansion draft. That is beyond absurd. With so much interest in expansion and fans incessantly wondering what players will be protected for months, leave it to the NHL to douse that enthusiasm in order to protect GMs from scrutiny and players from hurt feelings. What’s ridiculous is names undoubtedly will leak out. Instead of incomplete lists or the potential of some misreporting names, you’d think the league would want to be forthcoming and transparent about such an exciting process. • Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet the salary cap is projected to be $75.5 million to $76 million next season. • Even NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the five-day bye didn’t work as hoped. There was no uniformity. Some teams started on the road after their bye, some at home, some were able to practice before resuming their schedule, some couldn’t. So in future years, the league wants clusters of teams to head off on their bye at two separate junctures in the season. Teams would also resume their schedule against other teams coming off their bye. “I didn’t have any problem with it from our perspective maybe because there were enough people talking about it that I think our players came back pretty focused,” Fletcher said. “In fairness, with the World Cup this year, the schedule is already a week shorter and compressed. So I think 1052356 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Chicago game preview

MICHAEL RUSSO MARCH 11, 2017 — 9:41PM

Wild gets another swing at Blackhawks Preview: The Detroit Red Wings-New York Rangers game was booted off the national telecast for the final Central Division showdown of the regular season between the Wild and Blackhawks. The Blackhawks won each of their two visits to St. Paul in February after Minnesota won its eighth consecutive regular-season game against Chicago earlier this season. The Wild, three points up on the Blackhawks, has won four in a row in Chicago. Players to WATCH: Wild G Devan Dubnyk will be looking for his career- high 37th victory, which would match the Wild's team record. RW Mikael Granlund leads with 22 goals and is the eighth Wild player in history to hit 40 assists. In Friday's victory at Florida, C Eric Staal hit 20 goals for the 10th time and 50 points for the 11th. RW has 27 points in his past 26 games. Blackhawks C Jonathan Toews became the third Wild opponent in history to have five points against it in the previous meeting. RW Patrick Kane has 33 points in 39 meetings with Minnesota, while RW Marian Hossa has 26 points in 39 meetings. Numbers: The Wild is 16-0 when Staal, coming off his 68th career three- point game, scores a goal. … In the past 44 games, the Wild has scored at least five goals 16 times and at least four goals in 20. … The Wild has 17 come-from-behind wins after only nine last season. Injuries: Wild D Christian Folin (upper body) and D Gustav Olofsson (upper body) are out. Blackhawks G Scott Darling (upper body) is day-to- day.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052357 Minnesota Wild getting the wins. But, if you can find some consistency, and some familiarity, it’s nice.

“We’re getting down to the end here, and we want to be rolling on all Wild has more to gain than pride with a defeat of Blackhawks cylinders once we get to the playoffs. We’ll see how things shake out. But [Friday] I thought throughout the lineup that we had guys contributing all over the place.” By Michael Russo Star Tribune MARCH 11, 2017 — 9:46PM

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.12.2017 CHICAGO – With its 2007-08 (now-defunct) Northwest Division championship banner and No. 1 “Wild Fans” banner looking awfully lonely draping from Xcel Energy Center’s roof, the Wild would love nothing more than to win the Western Conference and Central Division. But beyond bragging rights, there’s a more significant reason the Wild wouldn’t mind total conference supremacy following a grueling 82-game regular season. If the Wild and Chicago Blackhawks ultimately do meet in the second round of the playoffs, the Wild wants to change things up against its rival and open at home, plus fasten the potential of a Game 7, if needed, in St. Paul. With all their star power and three Stanley Cups in seven years, make no mistake, the Blackhawks still are the team to beat in the conference no matter where the Wild finishes. Considering the Wild went 0-8 at the United Center en route to eventually being eliminated by the Blackhawks in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 playoffs, home-ice advantage could be a prized commodity. The Wild, three points ahead of the Blackhawks with a game in hand, could go a long way toward securing that possibility if it can close the season series with a big win Sunday morning at 11:30. The game will be nationally-televised on NBC, and body clock-wise, it’ll feel oddly like a 10:30 a.m. start time because the clocks spring forward in Sunday’s wee hours because of daylight saving time. “It’s going to be fun. That’s why you play,” veteran Eric Staal said. “And over the course of an 82-game season, you don’t have a ton of games that have a little extra oomph to them. You know, NBC on a Sunday, those are always ones that are watched, and we’re excited about it. “It’s a great challenge against a very good team.” The Wild beat Chicago for an eighth consecutive time in the regular season last time Minnesota played in Chicago on Jan. 15, but in two games last month in St. Paul, the Blackhawks won in overtime and in regulation. The Blackhawks have lost two in a row after winning 12 of their previous 13 games. “When you play Chicago, you want to win the game. That’s the only impression I want to leave,” coach Bruce Boudreau said when asked about the significance of the final regular-season meeting before a possible playoff meeting. “They’re going to play with the same tenacity that they played us in the first three, so it’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination.” Last time the Wild faced Chicago, Boudreau went mostly with the Jason Zucker-Mikko Koivu-Mikael Granlund line against Chicago’s star-studded Artemi Panarin-Artem Anisimov-Patrick Kane line. That trio was shut down, but captain Jonathan Toews lit up the Wild for five points. Since that meeting, the Wild acquired center Martin Hanzal, so you know Boudreau will do his best to have two shutdown lines featuring Koivu and Hanzal in the middle. In Friday’s come-from-behind victory to beat the Florida Panthers, Boudreau uncovered four lines that churned impressively. He said if those 12 forwards continue to run like that, he’ll halt weeks’ worth of scrambling his line combinations. Boudreau said Friday, “Believe me, I hate moving the lines around as much as we’re moving them right now,” and his hope was to settle on lines down the stretch. One line that was outstanding was Nino Niederreiter-Staal-Charlie Coyle. The trio combined for six points (Staal had three), and Coyle had by far his best game in more than a month. After 10 games without a point, Coyle had his legs moving and he finished with nine shot attempts, an empty-net goal and an assist. He said it was “nice to get rewarded. I haven’t had that, personally, lately.” “We’ve got a lot of good players on this team,” Staal said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can play in a lot of different spots. So the main thing is 1052358 Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild ready for Round 4 with rival Blackhawks

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: March 11, 2017 at 3:16 pm | UPDATED: March 11, 2017 at 3:17 PM

CHICAGO — As a sense of panic permeated throughout the Twin Cities over the past few days, the Minnesota Wild proved that, no, the sky is not falling on their season. In the wake of back-to-back losses to the St. Louis Blues and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Wild emphatically put those worries to rest with a much-needed win over the Florida Panthers on Friday. “It means that we’ve set the standard pretty high when it feels like panic sets in when we lose two games in a row,” left winger said in the aftermath. “That means we’re doing some good things.” Yes, the Wild (43-17-6) are indeed doing some good things this season, as they have already surpassed their point total from last season with 16 games to play. They lead the Western Conference with 92 points, yet they haven’t been able to shake the rival Chicago Blackhawks (42-20-5), who are three points back heading into Sunday’s nationally televised matchup at the United Center. “It’s going to be fun,” center Eric Staal said. “You know, over the course of an 82-game season, we don’t have a ton of games that have a little bit of extra oomph to them. NBC on a Sunday. Those are always games that are watched. We are excited about it. It’s a great challenge.” To say it’s a big game for the Wild as they work to lock down the No. 1 seed would be an understatement. They are 1-1-1 against the Blackhawks this season. If the Wild win, they will stretch their lead to five points over the Blackhawks with less than a month left in the regular season. “We know it’s going to be a tough game,” Parise said. “They have been playing some great hockey. We know it’s going to be a good game and we’re excited for the challenge.” In the past month, the Blackhawks have won 12 of their past 15 games to keep pace with the Wild. When asked last week if he appreciates that the Blackhawks are playing well and possibly making the Wild hungrier, coach Bruce Boudreau cracked, “If they wanted to lose 10 in a row I’d be very happy.” Chicago has lost two games in a row — to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday and the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. Boudreau, however, knows the Blackhawks “are going to be a difficult team down the stretch.” “We know if we want to go anywhere we have to go through Chicago to be successful,” he said. Boudreau was alluding to the fact that the Wild and the Blackhawks could be on a collision course for a second-round playoff series. That said, Boudreau has a clear message heading into their final matchup of the regular season. “We want to win the game,” he said. “That is the only impression I want to leave. They are going to play with the same intensity they played us in the first three games. It’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052359 Montreal Canadiens come up with some last-minute heroics to better a team that’s well out of playoff contention.

There are also not a lot of Habs D-men to celebrate these days. Alexei What the Puck: Without Carey Price, Habs are going nowhere Emelin appears to be doing his best to play himself out of a job and Jeff Petry, to be kind, has been inconsistent. Until the Flames game, the one bright note on D was the new pickup Jordie Benn, who has looked solid. Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette And sure the trade deadline additions add some size, weight and grit, all Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 6:00 AM of which is a step in the direction for a team that was still pretty Smurfs- EST like. But fact is Marc Bergevin’s plan remains the same as ever — hope Price pulls out a miracle each and every night.

And that sadly is no plan at all. Sure, anything can happen in the It’s all about Carey, ain’t a damn thing funny. playoffs, but short of 1986/1993-style lucky breaks, the Canadiens five years into Bergevin’s much-touted five-year plan are still more or less I’m paraphrasing the great Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five only praying Carey is godlike in the playoffs. No other team in hockey pioneering rap classic The Message and that’s today’s message. Your builds everything around the goalie. You build it around A-list Top Six Montreal Canadiens are going absolutely nowhere without Carey Price. forwards, at least one stud D-man and a very good goalie. There is much talk ici in Montreal about l’effet Julien — how the team has It could be argued at this point the Habs don’t even have a Top 3 upfront. come back to life since Claude Julien took over from Michel Therrien. When only one player on the team has more than 16 goals 68 games And it’s true. The Habs are 7-3-0 since Julien stepped behind the bench into the season, you have a big problem. and that’s a major upswing for a team that was seriously on the ropes in the dying days of the Therrien era. Yes, Julien is a much better coach than Therrien and it’s great news Price is willing to give his 110 per cent for the new guy on the block. But But the question is why are Les Boys doing so much better. Is it really the that likely won’t be enough. Julien system, whatever the heck that is, or is it actually only the fact Price is no longer on strike? Okay, I exaggerate a little, as usual. Our all-world goalie wasn’t actually Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017 on a picket line, but there’s really no denying he was playing way below par prior to the arrival of Julien and that, with the magic wave of a wand, he suddenly became a bazillion times better as soon as Therrien was forced to walk the plank. How come Price, quite literally, overnight returned to his all-star form? A change in the weather? No. He was under-performing with Mike T and the only real question is whether he was doing that consciously or unconsciously. I agree it’s hard to imagine an elite professional athlete would deliberately play like a Pee Wee B goalie in an effort to get the coach axed. So maybe it was unconscious on his part — that he was so bummed out by Therrien’s approach and/or personality he simply wasn’t able to bring his A-game to the rink. Whatever the reason, he snapped out of his funk as soon as Julien appeared on the scene and that’s far and away the biggest reason the Canadiens have appeared to turn things around. Price was named third star in the National Hockey League last week, during a seven-day period that saw Price go 3-0-0 with a 0.66 goals against average and a .974 save percentage. During the week ended March 5, Price registered a shutout against the Columbus Blue Jackets (1-0 in overtime), a 2-1 nail- biter win over the Nashville Predators and a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers in Manhattan. In short, it was a superstar-like week for the goalie from Anahim Lake, B.C. But the perils of life without Price were underlined Thursday night in Calgary when the Flames pummelled the Habs 5-0, with an ill Price replaced by backup netminder Al Montoya. No one is suggesting the sad- sack loss was Montoya’s fault — when the other team outshoots you 38- 24, that means the entire team is playing a terrible game. But the loss also serves as a reminder on so many nights in recent years, Montreal has won games it has no right to win simply because Price bails the team out. The talk is Julien is helping the forwards create more scoring opportunities, which is true, and since his arrival, the team has finally begun getting some goals from the supporting players, something that was not happening at all in the last weeks under Therrien’s watch. But — and this is a huge ‘but’ going into the playoffs — the Canadiens still have enormous difficulty scoring. Look at the 10 games since Julien came in. Winnipeg won 3-1; Montreal beat New York 3-2 in a shootout; the Isles blanked the Habs 3-zip in a nightmarish bout; Montreal edges the Leafs 3-2 in overtime; Montreal came back to beat New Jersey 4-3 in OT; Habs took the Blue Jackets in extremis 1-0 in overtime; the Habs survived the P.K. tribute and bested the Predators 2-1 with a last-second goal; beat the Rangers 4-1; made it past the Canucks 2-1 in overtime; and last but least lost in miserable fashion to the Flames 5-0. There are not a lot of Habs goals to be celebrated here. The only really convincing win in my books is the 4-1 takedown of the Rangers, a game most agree was the Canadiens’ best effort since Julien nabbed the job as bench boss. The only other four-goal game was against the Devils and Montreal played a mediocre game for the first two periods and had to 1052360 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens at Oilers: Five things you should know

Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 5:21 PM EST

EDMONTON — The Canadiens (38-22-8) take on the Oilers (35-23-9) Sunday night at Rogers Place (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690) as they wrap up their Western Canada road trip. Here are five things you should know about the game. Price check: The Canadiens will have Carey Price back in goal after he missed Thursday’s 5-0 loss in Calgary because of a flu bug. Backup goalie Al Montoya faced the Oilers when they visited the Bell Centre on Feb. 5 and stopped all 32 shots he faced before losing 1-0 in a shootout. Price was back on the ice for practice Saturday in Edmonton. He has a personal five-game winning streak during which he has posted a .964 save percentage. Radulov returns: Alexander Radulov, who missed the last three games with a lower-body injury, will return to the lineup and practised Saturday on a line with Alex Galchenyuk and Artturi Lehkonen. Paul Byron missed practice as the latest victim of a flu bug going through the Canadiens’ locker room and Andrew Shaw was moved up to a line with Max Pacioretty and Phillip Danault. Tomas Plekanec, who missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, took part in practice while wearing a no-contact jersey and isn’t ready to return to the lineup. Brian Flynn is still out with an upper-body injury. Connor McDavid Show: Connor McDavid logged an incredible 26:53 of ice time as a centreman in the Oilers’ 3-2 shootout loss to Pittsburgh Friday night in Edmonton and scored a goal. The 20-year-old, who also scored a shootout goal against the Penguins, led the NHL scoring race with 23-52-75 totals after Friday’s game. Desharnais faces old team: Former Canadien David Desharnais will face his former team for the first time since being dealt to Edmonton for Davidson on Feb. 28. Desharnais scored his first goal as an Oiler in Friday’s loss to Pittsburgh and has 1-1-2 totals in three games since the trade while averaging 12:16 of ice time. He is wearing No. 13 and playing centre on the third line with two other former Canadiens: Benoit Pouliot and Zack Kassian.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052361 Montreal Canadiens human side of yourself sometimes and it’s just chatting about different things … nothing in particular.”

After being made a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s OT win in Vancouver, Canadiens Notebook: Carey Price and Alexander Radulov healthy to defenceman Alexei Emelin was back in the lineup Thursday night and face Oilers ended up minus-3 against the Flames. Brandon Davidson, who took Emelin’s spot in Vancouver, was the Posted by Stu Cowan seventh defenceman at practice Saturday and that means you can expect to see Emelin back in the lineup against the Oilers.

“I think so,” Julien said. “I guess he’s an easy guy to pick on because of EDMONTON — A day off Friday certainly helped the Canadiens. the situation he was in. He sat out the game before, but I don’t think anybody had a great night the other night (in Calgary). We need to be After missing Thursday night’s 5-0 loss to the Flames in Calgary with a better as a team. As I said before, he’s had a great year and hopefully flu bug, goalie Carey Price was back on the ice for practice Saturday tomorrow things go better for our team and things go better for him as afternoon at the beautiful new Rogers Place arena in Edmonton. well.” More good news for the Canadiens is that Alexander Radulov is also The 30-year-old Emelin has 2-7-9 totals in 65 games this season and is healthy again after missing the last three games with a lower-body injury. plus-1. He has one more season remaining on his four-year, US$16.4- They will both be in the lineup Sunday night when then Canadiens wrap million contract. up their Western Canada road trip against the Oilers (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690). Former Canadien David Desharnais scored his first goal as an Oiler Friday night in Edmonton’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins “Thank goodness for a day off,” coach Claude Julien said after practice at Rogers Place. about Price being healthy again. In what was one of the most exciting games this season in the NHL, “Hopefully that’s the end of it for him.” Desharnais logged 11:42 of ice time while playing on a line with two other former Canadiens: Benoit Pouliot and Zack Kassian, who saw his Missing from practice was Paul Byron, the latest flu victim on the team. Montreal career come to an end before playing in any regular-season Also missing was Nikita Nesterov, who took a maintenance day, and games after his truck crashed into a tree in an early-morning accident in Brian Flynn, who missed the Calgary game after suffering an upper-body October 2015. injury during the first period of Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime win in Vancouver. In three games with the Oilers, Desharnais has 1-1-2 totals and is With Byron missing practice and Radulov returning, Julien mixed up his averaging 12:16 of ice time. Kassian has 6-13-19 totals in 64 games with lines, moving Andrew Shaw up to right wing on a line with centre Phillip 86 penalty minutes and is even in plus/minus. Pouliot has 5-5-10 totals in Danault and left-winger Max Pacioretty, while Radulov was at right wing 52 games and is minus-5. on a line with Alex Galchenyuk at centre and Artturi Lehkonen on the left side. Pouliot was the No. 4 overall pick at the 2005 NHL Draft after Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh), (Anaheim) and Jack Johnson Tomas Plekanec, who has missed the last two games with an upper- (Carolina). The Canadiens took Price with the No. 5 pick. body injury, took part in practice but was wearing a non-contact jersey. He said he won’t be ready to play against the Oilers. Desharnais is wearing No. 13 with the Oilers. “It’s hard for me to say, listen this is my lineup because tomorrow Friday’s game was a showdown between the Oilers’ Connor McDavid morning it will be hopefully much clearer once we get through the night and the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby. here,” Julien said as his team tries to fight off a flu bug that is going through the locker room. McDavid scored once in regulation time and again in the shootout and logged a mind-boggling 26:53 of ice time as a centre. The 20-year-old led The Canadiens will not have a morning skate Sunday because of the the NHL scoring race with 23-52-75 totals after Friday’s game, four points early 5 p.m. local start. ahead of Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin (32-39-71) and Chicago’s Patrick Kane (29-42-71). One of the big reasons for Julien switching up his lines is to try and spread out his team’s scoring, hoping to generate more offence from his Crosby was held off the scoresheet during regulation time but did score top two lines. in the shootout. Heading into Saturday’s games he led the NHL with 34 goals and was tied for third in the scoring race with 70 points. “I’d like to be able to balance the lines a little bit, spread the scoring around so that we’re not too easy to play against or too easy to shut The Ottawa Senators can move into first place in the Atlantic Division down,” the coach said. “In order to do that, you got to spread it around a with a victory over the Avalanche Saturday night in Colorado (7 p.m., little bit. But the guys that are moving in those different positions have to CITY, TVA Sports). step up as well and help us create that situation. The Senators moved within two points of the Canadiens with two games “It’s hard for me to confirm my lines right now because from day to day, in hand when they beat the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime Thursday night in from hour to hour, I don’t know what I’m going to have lately (because of Arizona. the flu bug). So I’m just staying ready for any situations that arise.” What’s next? When asked how he was feeling after practice, Radulov said: “I feel good and nothing is bothering me.” Sunday’s game will wrap up the Canadiens three-game Western Canada road trip. They will fly home after the game and have a day off on When asked about his new linemates, Radulov said: “I don’t know who Monday. I’m going to play with. It always can change. We’re going to wake up tomorrow, come here and we’re going to see who I’m going to play with. The Canadiens will then get back to work Tuesday with an 11 a.m. morning skate in Brossard before facing the Chicago Blackhawks that “It doesn’t matter who you’re going to play with … it’s just all about the night at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., SNE, RDS, TSN Radio 690). After team,” added Radulov, who has 15-31-46 totals in 63 games. “We need that, the Canadiens don’t play again until the weekend when they have to get that win … t on (the lines). It’s not what I can really control. I have back-to-back games against the Senators Saturday in Ottawa (7 p.m., to think about hat’s the most important thing. SN, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690) and Sunday at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., SN, RDS). “Coach will decide myself, get prepared and get ready and try to win.”

Julien had a pretty lengthy discussion near the end of practice with Galchenyuk, who has a new, short haircut. Afterward, the coach was Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017 asked if he could tell reporters what the talk was about. “I’m not going to tell you anything,” Julien said with a big smile. After getting a chuckle from the media scrum, the coach added: “I just talk with players about all kinds of different things. It’s not always about the game itself. I told him he looked light today … I think I was referencing to his haircut. Sometimes you just got to, I guess, show the 1052362 Montreal Canadiens Paul Byron is the Canadiens’ latest flu victim, missing practice Saturday as a result. Captain Max Pacioretty said he’s probably the one on the team who first caught the bug. Stu Cowan: Canadiens continuing to fight flu in locker room “I was puking all night …,” Pacioretty said in the locker room after practice, before being interrupted by RDS play-by-play man Pierre Houde, who was standing nearby. Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette “OK, I’m going to go … see you guys,” said Houde, who is famous for his Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 8:03 PM “et le but!” call when the Canadiens score. EDT “Max, always a pleasure,” Houde added with a smile as he left the locker room, probably to wash his hands thoroughly. EDMONTON — The Canadiens’ wasn’t feeling good Pacioretty laughed before continuing the sentence he had started. before the start of last Tuesday night’s game in Vancouver. “Two days before Vancouver, so it didn’t affect me at all for the game The forward decided to stay behind in the locker room during the national (against the Canucks),” Pacioretty said about when he got sick. “I came anthem before heading out to the team bench. At the 3:57 mark of the in and practised the next day and we had a really hard practice.” first period, Mitchell deflected a point shot by Andrei Markov past goalie Ryan Miller to end a 39-game goalless drought en route to a 2-1 overtime Pacioretty and Julien both said the team’s training staff does the best win over the Canucks to start the Canadiens’ three-game Western they can to stop the flu bug, disinfecting locker rooms, providing Canada road trip. nutritional supplements and even giving IV treatments when needed. “After my first shift, I was going to maybe go back in the locker room and “As you get older, I think you get used to what you have to do to make try to shake it off,” Mitchell recalled after the Canadiens practised sure you rehydrate and fuel back up,” Pacioretty said about fighting off Saturday afternoon in Edmonton. “But (coach Claude Julien) called our the flu. line again, so I jumped on and I scored. I was like, this is great. Luckily for the Canadiens, this bug has only been of the 24-hour variety “But I was dying,” Mitchell added. “It was bad.” … so far. Mitchell returned to the locker room and started puking his guts out. He “Thank goodness for a day off,” Julien said about Friday’s break in the had caught the flu that has been making the rounds of the Canadiens’ schedule before practice Saturday, which helped Price get healthy again. locker room during this road trip. “Hopefully, that’s the end of it for him.” Mitchell spent most of the first period in the locker room, but returned to The Canadiens will be happy to head home after Sunday’s game, hoping the game and ended up logging 10:06 of ice time while being used by they can leave the flu behind in Western Canada. Julien in spot duty. The fact Mitchell had finally ended a brutal goal- scoring slump obviously made him feel a little better. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017 “It was bad … big time,” Mitchell said about the slump, adding he had never gone so long in his hockey life without scoring. “Overthinking things and squeezing the stick. It’s weighing on you, so it was good to score.” Mitchell managed to fight off what turned out to be a 24-hour bug and practised with the team Wednesday in Calgary. But he wasn’t feeling so good when he spoke with goalie Carey Price the next morning at the team’s hotel before a game against the Flames that night. “I saw him in the hotel in Calgary and he was like: ‘I’m not feeling good,'” Mitchell recalled Price saying. “I was like: ‘Oh, no! I didn’t even want to go to breakfast and see everyone. “The fourth-liner giving it to the star goalie,” Mitchell added, shaking his head. Price ended up being too sick to play against the Flames and the Canadiens lost 5-0 with Al Montoya in goal. But Price was back on the ice for practice Saturday at the beautiful new Rogers Place arena and will be in goal Sunday night against the Oilers (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690). Price has won his last five games while posting a .964 save percentage. “A couple of guys picked it up,” Price said about the flu after practice. “I rode the struggle bus for a little bit, but got through it.” The Canadiens didn’t lose because of Montoya in Calgary, who kept them in the game during the first period when they were outshot 16-5 by the Flames, who were only leading 1-0 at the intermission. And since the Canadiens didn’t score any goals during the game, it didn’t really matter who was in nets for them. “He gave us an opportunity,” Price said about Montoya, who only found out he was starting the afternoon of the game. “It’s not easy when you’re not scheduled to be in there. It kind of changes your routine a little bit, but he did a great job.” Montoya stopped 33 of the 38 shots he faced against the Flames, who extended their winning streak to eight games. Price spent the Calgary game in the Canadiens’ locker room wearing his full goalie gear and hoping nothing bad happened to Montoya on the ice — and that the backup hadn’t also picked up the flu. “We’re kind of a herd, so we’re constantly together and in tight places,” Price said. “It’s pretty inevitable that we’re going to rub elbows a little bit and probably pass it around a little bit.” 1052363 Nashville Predators

Predators snap skid with 3-1 win over Sharks

JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer 7:26 p.m. CT March 11, 2017

SAN JOSE, Calif. – After starting their California swing with losses after regulation in Anaheim and Los Angeles, the Nashville Predators head home on a high note. Ryan Johansen and James Neal scored goals to help the Predators snap a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. “It was huge for us to finish this trip the right way,” Johansen said. “We feel like we could have some better results and played a little better the first two games in Anaheim and L.A. But we came in here today and we executed our game plan for the most part and found a way to get two points.” Backup goalie Juuse Saros made 25 saves for the win as the Predators killed all four power-play chances, including three after taking the lead midway through the second period. That was a key reversal for Nashville after allowing three goals on three chances Thursday in Los Angeles and six in 11 tries during the skid. The final chance on the power play for San Jose came late in the third, but the Sharks couldn’t generate any good chances and Nashville iced the game with an empty-net goal by Viktor Arvidsson. The Predators lead the NHL with 10 short-handed goals. “It was a great penalty kill,” said Neal, whose slashing penalty with 2:30 to play created the chance. “We got those big blocks at the end there. They have a great power play. To hold them off the scoresheet gives us a chance to win and that’s what happened.” Paul Martin scored the lone goal for the first-place Sharks, who lost for just the second time in seven games. San Jose still has a seven-point lead over Anaheim in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. Martin Jones made 22 saves. “We came out in the second and tried and turn it into a track meet,” coach Peter DeBoer said. “It came back to bite us. These are desperate teams we are playing. We have to get our desperation level to an equivalent spot.” The NHL’s best second-period team took the lead in the middle period thanks to a strong forecheck from Colin Wilson. Wilson took the puck away from Dylan DeMelo on a dump-in and quickly fed a wide-open Neal in front of the net for the goal that gave Nashville a 2-1 lead. There were no other goals in the period that featured little action outside of a tame fight between San Jose’s Brenden Dillon and Austin Watson. The Predators have now outscored the opposition by an NHL-best 29 goals in the second period. “We had a few breakdowns in the second where we got caught trading chances,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “It was one of those games where you wonder why you don’t get a couple more goals. It felt like we were in their end the whole time.” The teams traded goals in the first period with the Sharks striking first after a faceoff win by Joe Thornton against Mike Fisher. Martin then took a shot from the point that went through a screen by Jannik Hansen to make it 1-0. The Predators got the equalizer when Roman Josi’s soft point shot hit defenseman Justin Braun and went right to Johansen in the slot, who beat Jones for his 11th goal. NOTES: Johansen won 14 of 15 faceoffs. … After snapping an 0-for-10 drought on the man advantage with two power-play goals Thursday against Washington, the Sharks were blanked once again. … Forward P.A. Parenteau made his debut for Nashville after being acquired from New Jersey before the trade deadline. Parenteau had been out with a finger injury.

Tennessean LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052364 New Jersey Devils Over the years, craftiness has increasingly become a key component of Kane’s strategy, which effectively mixes personal skill with the ability to involve any of the scoring options around him. Place Kane into an odd- Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane, an M.V.P., Is Still Looking to Improve man rush, and opposing defensemen and goalies find themselves at his mercy, given the uncertainty of what move Kane will pull from his bag of tricks. By JEFF ARNOLDMARCH 11, 2017 “It’s a big thing, especially now — if you’re going to score a goal, you have to be deceptive,” Kane said. “You have to be a threat to maybe pass or shoot.” CHICAGO — For all of his natural talent and the seemingly endless Kane, who leads the Blackhawks with 42 assists, is a master of both. His collection of moves in his arsenal, Patrick Kane remains, in many ways, uncanny ability to involve his teammates when opponents expect him to unsatisfied. make a play himself not only has helped to spread the point production throughout Chicago’s lineup, but has become a staple of his game. The reigning Hart Trophy winner as the N.H.L.’s most valuable player, Kane continues to search for strategic secrets that will transport his game During a recent three-game stretch when Kane registered seven goals to yet another level. and two hat tricks, much of his success came out of the unexpected. Kane routinely skated one way before he unleashed a shot on goal in the A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks at 28, opposite direction or fired a puck at an unsuspecting goalie without Kane is unrelenting in his belief that his performance still requires allowing his eyes to give away his motives. tweaking. But it is within that work space where Kane is at his best.

A year removed from a career-best 106-point season, Kane trailed only Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers among the N.H.L.’s points New York Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 leaders through Friday. As the regular season approaches its stretch run and Chicago’s postseason rite of spring awaits, Kane has discovered his stride as the Blackhawks nip at the heels of the Minnesota Wild, leaders of the Western Conference. Entering Sunday’s showdown between the teams at United Center, Chicago has won 12 of 15 games since Feb. 1. In typical Kane fashion, he glides around any measure of personal spotlight that accompanies his current stretch of nine goals over his last seven games. Instead, Kane credits his good fortune on a combination of fortunate bounces and his linemates’ generosity. Kane’s teammates realize that his sometimes self-deprecating humility is part of his pursuit for perfection. “He just makes everything look so easy,” the rookie center Nick Schmaltz said. “He finds guys, he’s got a sneaky good release, and he always knows where he’s putting the puck.” Even while piling up a team-leading 71 points, Kane has remained unshackled from the burden that he must score to ensure the Blackhawks’ success. Kane skates alongside Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov on what Coach Joel Quenneville has designated the second line, though it is often the first to take the ice. In a dressing room fueled by a friendly one- upmanship, the Kane-Panarin-Anisimov combination has, at times, been overshadowed by a top line of Schmaltz, Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik. Kane points to the Schmaltz line as being equally responsible for the Blackhawks’ recent surge up the standings as any of his contributions. Kane routinely draws as much inspiration from others as they do from him. “When you see other guys score, there’s definitely some internal competition,” Kane said. “If you see someone else have a big night, have a big game or score early on in a game, you want to do something yourself.” As has been the case in each of their three Stanley Cup titles since 2010, balance and depth factor heavily in the Blackhawks’ success. But perhaps more than in the past, when Kane’s production has correlated to deep playoff runs, Chicago’s offense from night to night has extended beyond the usual suspects. Seven scorers have at least 15 goals, paced by Kane’s 29. “That’s always been one of our strengths is having two lines where your opponents are not quite sure which line they want to check or which is the most dangerous,” Quenneville said. “That depth is very important. There’s always going to be something concerning for your opponents when you have a one-two tandem.” But in the Blackhawks’ recipe for success this season, the one-two punch is more of the 1A and 1B variety. While Kane remains a key contributor as Chicago’s top offensive point producer in his 10th N.H.L. season, the way he goes about his business continues to evolve. Once considered a player who opted to pass first and shoot second, Kane pores over video clips seeking out ways to put shots on goal and from angles his competitive contemporaries would find difficult, if not impossible. 1052365 New Jersey Devils

Devils comeback falls short in 5-4 loss to Coyotes for 10th straight defeat | Rapid reaction

Chris Ryan March 11, 2017 at 10:55 PM, updated March 12, 2017 at 1:54 AM

The Devils scored four goals for the first time since Feb. 19, but even that wasn't enough to end the losing streak. The Devils fell behind by four goals and couldn't fully complete a comeback attempt in a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Taylor Hall had the chance to tie the game with 2:38 left in regulation after earning a penalty shot off a hook while rushing the net. But Coyotes goalie Mike Smith denied Hall's five-hole shot to preserve the lead. The near comeback happened another disastrous start for the Devils where they allowed the first four goals. After Devils coach John Hynes ripped his team's first-period effort during the Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Avalanche, Saturday's did not go much better. The Coyotes struck for two goals in the first 2:53, with Radim Vrbata and Tobias Rieder scoring. Jakob Chychrun added a third goal of the period at 18:25, giving the team three goals on eight shots in the first period. Devils goalie Cory Schneider was pulled when the Coyotes made it 4-0 at 3:59 of the second period off a Brendan Perlini goal. Schneider allowed four goals on 10 shots. Kyle Palmieri got the Devils board when he scored at the left post after cutting to goal and finishing a Taylor Hall pass. Palmieri's power-play goal 5:47 of the second was his team-leading 21st of the season. Beau Bennett pulled the Devils within 4-2 when he gathered a loose puck off a turnover in the Coyotes' defensive zone before finishing an open back hander at 12:09. Damon Severson cut the deficit to 4-3 when a wrist shot through traffic 17 seconds into the third period. The Coyotes pulled ahead, 5-3, when Anthony DeAngelo potted a shot from the blue line with 6:29 left in regulation, but the Devils quickly answered with a backhander at 17:22 to make it 5-4. Injuries: Keith Kinkaid returned to the lineup after sitting Thursday's game due to a knee injury. He served as backup before entering for Schneider in the second period. Forward Devante Smith-Pelly did not play due to a lower body injury. Center missed Saturday's game after returning home for the birth of his third child, Anya Zia.

Chris Ryan Star Ledger LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052366 New Jersey Devils The Devils, of course, are playing with a makeshift lineup that, tonight, included seven rookies as the end of this season has turned into an audition and evaluation period for next season. Coyotes 5, Devils 4: Reaction from this latest loss So, looking past the final score and the losing streak, as tough as that may be for fans of this team to do, there were some positives out of this one. Andrew Gross , Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 12:43 a.m. ET March 12, 2017 | Updated 4 hours ago Miles Wood was tenacious all night with an assist and three shots in 13:20.

Beau Bennett scored his first goal in 13 games and his fourth of the For all that had not gone right for the Devils, mainly defensive lapses that season. put them behind four goals and chased Cory Schneider to the bench early in the second period, the game was still there. John Moore, who roofed a backhanded shot to bring the Devils within 5-4 at 15:02 of the third period, and Damon Severson, whose shot from the In fact, it was on Taylor Hall’s stick as he skated in on Coyotes goalie right point was deflected in by Palmieri to cut the lead to 4-3 just 17 Mike Smith for a penalty shot at 17:22 of the third period looking for the seconds into the third period, were both plus-3. Severson also had two tying goal. assists. Palmieri had six shots. Joseph Blandisi, part of the Devils’ kiddie corps, had an assist and was hard on the puck all game. Hall tried to slip the puck through Smith’s pads but the goalie turned away the shot and the Devils went on to lose, 5-4, on Saturday night at “I thought our team came and hit some adversity early in the game,” Gila River Arena as their losing streak grew to 10 games (0-8-2) with Hynes said. “We had a lot of guys respond. I think the Colorado game their seventh one-goal loss in the stretch. (Thursday’s 3-2 loss with one of the ugliest first periods of the season) was a different situation. We didn’t have guys going. We weren’t able to “I scored on Smith, I don’t know how many times, probably three or four play certain guys. In tonight’s game, even though we hit adversity early I times, five hole in my career,” said Hall, the ex-Oiler. “I tried to go five thought, as a group, we responded. Guys played well and we could play hole and it just got up the ice a little too high and he made a good save.” lots of guys. I think when you’re coming back and making a push like that, you need to have most of your guys going and that was good. The Devils pulled Keith Kinkaid, strong in stopping 20 of 21 shots he Those young guys were contributors in that.” faced after entering at 4:13 of the second period, made could not tie it with an extra skater. “We’ve got a good group of guys in here,” Hall added. “I think we stick together pretty well. That has to continue no matter what the situation is. “I thought we could’ve won it in regulation,” said Kyle Palmieri, who Our pushback, our togetherness after they went up was great. It’s such a scored two goals. “We were playing well. We had a ton of pressure. It big hole that no matter how well you play, the odds are against you. might not have shown up on the shot clock (the Coyotes had a 31-30 We’ve got to find a way to start games better to not put ourselves behind shot advantage). We were putting a lot of pressure on their goalie. Their the eight-ball like that.” goalie came up with a big save. That’s it.” Defenseman Ben Lovejoy logged a team-high 21:56 and had four So the Devils now travel home (overnight from Phoenix to Newark) and blocked shots. will try to snap the streak against the Jets on Tuesday at . Captain Andy Greene, in his return to the lineup after missing the last four games following the passing of his father, logged 19:44 and was a “We’re trying,” Schneider said. “It’s evidenced tonight, 4-0 in the last minus-1 with one shot. game of a trip. We could’ve easily rolled over and packed it in. We felt we were going to win that game. We cut it to two. Once we get it to 4-3, Pavel Zacha, getting a chance to center what was essentially a second, there was a feeling we were going to come back and do it. It doesn’t or third, line, went 2 for 14 on faceoffs. make the loss OK or extending the streak OK by any means. But I think we showed some resolve that we want to end this thing. We want to get Hynes said left wing Michael Cammalleri (shoulder), who missed his fifth out of this slump and we’re working hard to do that so hopefully it will game and was not on the trip, did skate some this week back in New come in the next one.” Jersey. No update on center Jacob Josefson (upper body). The Coyotes scored three goals on eight shots in the first period. Radim The Devils will be off on Sunday after flying home cross country Vrbata was left open just above the blue paint at 1:27. Tobias Rieder got overnight. I will be off as well and in the air for most of the day, it will free for a backdoor goal off Jordan Martinook’s feed at 2:53. Jakob seem. Because of time-zone difference and daylight savings time, which Chychrun scored on the power play as he was allowed to get near the is not a thing out here in Arizona, I will take off at 9:45 in Phoenix crease at 18:25. (presuming the flight is on time) and not land at Newark until 5:30 p.m. So much for that day. Schneider said coach John Hynes spoke to him during the first intermission. “Which I appreciated,” Schneider said. “Maybe it was a sign he didn’t Bergen Record LOADED: 03.12.2017 necessarily think it was on me. I have to respond after that and shut the door and give my team a chance to climb back in. They get another early one in the second and any time it’s four in 10 (actually nine shots), it’s pretty unsightly and coach has every right to make a goalie change. I hold myself accountable, especially to a high standard that you think you can make a big save or two early in the game. Even if we’re coming out 2-0 or 1-0 instead of three. However you want to describe the goals, it’s my job to make some tough saves. I feel in games this year I’ve generally been pretty good. I just obviously wasn’t up to my standards tonight.” But, hey, Cory, point-blank shots? “Again, that’s part of the gig,” Schneider said. “You can’t sort of pick and choose when you want to face tough scoring chances or when they get open. Whether it’s the first period or the third period, you have to be ready to make those saves and give your guys a chance. I wasn’t quite good enough early on.” Hynes said pulling Schneider wasn’t necessarily a reflection of Schneider’s play. At the same time, Hynes said he wasn’t inserting Kinkaid to necessarily send a message to the rest of the team. “They had four at that point,” Hynes said. “There’s no sense keeping him in there. Keith was anxious to play.” “I’m sure he’ll tell you he wanted to make a couple extra (saves) but it’s up to us to not make those mistakes,” Palmieri added. “We tried our best to crawl back into it. It just wasn’t enough tonight.” 1052367 New Jersey Devils their timeout for the rest of the game after Hynes unsuccessfully challenges that Vrbata's goa’ was offside. Looked like Domi came in just ahead of the puck on the left wing before Murphy’s shot from the right Fire and Ice Live Blog: 'Yotes top Devils, 5-4 point went off Schneider’s chest but the puck stayed down low and Domi was able to feed Vrbata for a shot at essentially a wide-open net from right in front. And that’s sort of what happened to make it 2-0 at 2:53 as Martinook feeds Rieder in front for a shot Schenider had no shot to stop. Andrew Gross , Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 7:53 p.m. ET Well, at least the shots are even, 5-5, at 6:43. Pietila goes hard after a March 11, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago puck that Smith is covering at 7:45 and a scrum ensues. Pietila goes to the box for slashing Jooris and Jooris heads off for roughing as the

teams will skate four on four. At 10:57, Coyotes hold a 9-5 shot As in, the lineups you see toward the end of the season might resemble advantage. Domi crunches Rooney into the bench at 16:24 and the something you might see in preseason. Devils get their first power play. One shot (Hall) on the power play and as Domi exits, Blandisi will enter (sort of like the Land of the Lost principle). Take, for instance, tonight’s Devils-Coyotes game at Gila River Arena. Blandisi is called for holding Ekman-Larsson at 15:24. But at 16:24, The Devils, with Blake Pietila being called up from Albany (AHL) on an Vrbata and Palmieri are battling in the left corner and Vrbata gives a two- emergency basis with Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body) out, will have handed cross check to Palmieri. Hall follows to the box shortly as he seven rookies in the lineup. The Coyotes will have five. slashes Murphy in the offensive zone at 16:40. And at 18:25, Martinook feeds Chychrun in the slot for a power-play goal and a 3-0 Coyotes lead. The Devils, with the Red Wings beating the visiting Blackhawks, 4-2, last Shots are 11-8 through 20 minutes for the Devils. Devils are actually night, are now in last place in the Eastern Conference and bring a skating hard. Just nothing going on. season-long, nine-game losing streak (0-7-2) into tonight’s game as they conclude a three-game road trip. That includes Thursday’s 3-2 loss at Second period: Schneider remains in net. Can’t be faulted on the three Colorado to the NHL- and Western Conference-worst Avalanche. goals, but they did come on just eight shots. The Coyotes, 1 for 2 on the power play so far, get a third opportunity as they beat the Devils down ice The Coyotes, with 54 points, are the second worst team in the West. on a rush and Greene holds Vrbata coming over the Devils line at 2:11. So this game could be considered jockeying for ping pong balls in the Chychrun nearly gets a second but his blue-line shot deflects up and off NHL Draft lottery, though it’s unlike the Coyotes can finish with more the crossbar. However, the puck comes around and Perlini snipes one points than the Devils. past Schneider from the left circle. The Coyotes’ second power play goal makes it 4-0 at 3:59 and comes on their first shot of the period. So that’s Of course, the Devils desperately want to win, too. four goals on nine shots. Kinkaid doesn’t come in immediately but does start gathering his equipment on the bench. At the next stoppage, at “Yeah, it’d be nice,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “It’s something we 4:13, Kinkaid comes on to relieve Schneider and Schneider takes his talked about. We’ve played some pretty good hockey. Not good enough spot on the bench and angrily throws his mask to the ground. At 4:36, to win. Tonight we’ve got to put together a win. We’ve got to go out and Smith is called for delay of game for playing the puck illegally outside of earn a victory. We can’t hope one is going to come around the corner. the trapezoid. The Devils convert on the power play as Hall, in the right We’ve got to buckle in and play a good game. We have to play hard circle, feeds Palmieri to the far post with Blandisi getting the secondary enough and smart enough and see if we can get ourselves moving in the assist. At 11:58, Devils now have an 18-12 shot advantage and have right direction a lot faster than we have in the last couple of weeks.” been pressing the attack since their first goal. And just as I’m tying that, Tonight’s game will be televised on MSG and the radio broadcast can be Schenn fumbles the puck between the circles in his zone and Bennett heard over the air on WFAN and digitally on The One Jersey Network. takes the puck and beats Smith at close range at 12:09 to cut the Coyotes lead to 4-2. That’s Bennett’s fourth goal of the season and his The Devils topped the Coyotes, 5-3, at New Jersey on Oct. 25 as LW first since Jan. 17 – a stretch of 11 games without a goal. Severson, Taylor Hall (15 goals, 28 assists) scored twice. The Devils have five much later, is credited with an assist. At 17:43, Jooris goes hard to the straight regulation losses on the road as they complete a three-game trip. Devils’ crease and pushes with Greene. Noesen takes over and both he and Jooris go off for roughing at 17:43. Shots even at 22. The Coyotes are in a 1-3-1 slide and have dropped the first two games of their four-game homestand, including Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Third period: Severson sends one on net from the right point and it Senators. trickles through Smith’s pads to cut the Coyotes lead to 4-3 just 17 seconds in. The Coyotes are 14-0-4 when leading through two periods. In addition to Smith-Pelly, Travis Zajac is back home in New Jersey after Henrique gets the assist. The Devils are getting rewarded for being the his wife, Nikki, gave birth to the couple’s third child and second daughter better team for most of this game. Also, Kinkaid for Schneider, which was earlier today. Michael Cammalleri (shoulder) and Jacob Josefson (upper more a message to the rest of the team than an indication of how body) remain out. Schneider was playing, seems to have woken up their teammates. At So the Devils are definitely getting a chance to evaluate some of the 8:24, Devils up on shots 28-26. DeAngelo, from New Jersey, waits younger players in the organization. patiently just inside the blue line and gets his shot through traffic to give the Coyotes a 5-3 lead at 13:31. But Moore, with Wood, who’s been For instance, the plan is to get Pietila some penalty kill time because, as active and really good all game, starting the sequence, roofs a Hynes said, the organization needs to know by this summer what these backhander from below the left circle to bring the Devils back within one players can and cannot do. Pietila is used on the penalty kill at Albany. at 15:02. Hall gets a breakaway but is hooked by Schenn at 17:22. However, Smith turns aside Hall’s penalty shot as the Devils can’t tie it Pietila is in his second stint with the Devils this season after compiling a up. Severson’s goal has been switched to Palmieri, so Palmieri nets two goal and an assist in seven games last season. Pietila, the Devils’ fifth- goals and has 22 on the season. Coyotes outshoot the Devils, 31-30, round pick in 2011, was scoreless at Los Angeles and San Jose on Nov. and Kinkaid stops 20 of 21 shots. Winless streak now at 10, 0-8-2. Both 19-21, respectively. So he apparently only makes cross-country trips. Severson and Moore with plus-3. Pietila has 15 goals and 14 assists in 42 games for Albany and said improving his offensive production is a point of emphasis this season. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.12.2017 “I’m having a pretty decent year in Albany,” Pietila said. “I get a chance to come up here and show what I can do. It’s just another opportunity. Any time you get called up and contribute, it’s a positive. “I think I’ve been playing well,” Pietila added. “The last month or so I had some problems with some injuries but the last five or six games, I’ve been playing real well. I was out 10 days (with an upper-body injury) then my first game back I hurt my shoulder a little bit and I was out another week and a half with that. But it’s not an issue now. “I think coming out of training camp, a big part of my game I had to work on was my offense,” Pietila said. “They wanted me to develop more of a scoring touch and I think down there, for the most part, I’ve had pretty good success with that. Hopefully I can come up here and contribute offensively.” First period: The Devils, who got off to a horribly horrendous slow start in Thursday’s 3-2 loss at Colorado, trail 1-0 at 1:27 and now do not have 1052368 New Jersey Devils

Pietila gets his chance to impress Devils' brass

Andrew Gross , Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 8:44 p.m. ET March 11, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It was a roundabout trip for rookie right wing Blake Pietila to join the Devils for Saturday night’s game against the Coyotes at Gila River Arena, his second stint with the team this season. The 24-year-old was recalled from Albany (AHL) on an emergency basis and inserted for Devante Smith-Pelly. Devils coach John Hynes, who took Smith-Pelly to task for “lackadaisical” play on Francois Beauchemin’s late third-period winner in the Devils’ 3-2 loss at Colorado on Thursday night, said Smith-Pelly was out with a nagging lower-body injury that flared following Friday’s practice at the Coyotes’ arena. Pietila, the Devils’ fifth-round pick in 2011 who was scoreless in two previous games this season on Nov. 19-21, had an assist in Albany’s 3-2 shootout win at Binghamton on Friday night before the rest of the team headed to Bridgeport. “I drove back to Albany with Scott Clemmensen and got back around 1:30 and then got to the airport about 5:30 and showed up about a half hour before the guys got here,” said Pietila, who had a goal and an assist in seven games with the Devils last season. “It was a long trip but it wasn’t bad.” Pietila has 15 goals and 14 assists in 42 games with Albany. Captain Andy Greene was back in the lineup after missing four games following the passing of his father, David. Greene rejoined his teammates for Friday’s practice. “We get our captain back, we get a leader in the room and on and off the ice,” Hynes said. “What he does on the ice is very difficult to replicate or replace.” The team’s No. 1 defenseman was paired with rookie Steven Santini. G Keith Kinkaid dressed as Cory Schneider’s backup after sitting out Thursday’s loss with a right knee issue. Rookie Ken Appleby, 21, was returned to Albany (AHL). …C Travis Zajac, who flew back to New Jersey from Denver after Thursday’s game, and his wife, Nikki, welcomed their third child and second daughter on Saturday, Anya Zia. …D Dalton Prout was a healthy scratch after Hynes considered, but ultimately opted against, using 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the second time this season.

Bergen Record LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052369 New Jersey Devils

Devils rally but lose 10th straight, 5-4, to Coyotes

Andrew Gross , Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 3:54 p.m. ET March 11, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The losses, however close, however heartbreaking, keep coming for the Devils, a season-high 10 straight now. But at least there’s the AHL playoffs ahead for a significant portion of this roster. The Devils had seven rookies dressed for Saturday night’s 5-4 loss to the Coyotes at Gila River Arena to conclude a three-game road trip. The Devils rallied from a four-goal deficit as they suffered their seventh, one-goal defeat in their slump. The Devils (25-31-12), in last place in the Eastern Conference, are in an 0-8-2 slide. “It’s tough to be in this environment right now,” said 22-year-old center Joseph Blandisi, in his second professional season. “Everybody is really desperate and wants to win and we’re just not finding ways to do that right now.” Devs still have individual reasons to play well as teAM The Coyotes (24-35-8), with the second fewest points in the Western Conference – the Devils lost, 3-2 to the NHL-worst Avalanche on Thursday night at Colorado – scored three in the first period and chased Cory Schneider, who received minimal defensive help, after he allowed four goals on nine shots. Keith Kinkaid came on to make 20 saves and Mike Smith stopped 26 shots for the Coyotes as well as turning aside Taylor Hall’s penalty shot at 17:22 of the third period. The AHL postseason will be part of the evaluation process in terms of determining who can help the rebuilding organization next season at the NHL level. Still, it’s these last 15 regular-season games that management will weigh most heavily when making its offseason decisions. The plan is to return Blandisi and up to seven of his current Devils’ teammates to Albany for this season’s AHL playoffs. Fellow forwards Nick Lappin, Blake Coleman, Miles Wood, Kevin Rooney, Blake Pietila and possibly Pavel Zacha and defenseman Steven Santini – all rookies –may all be key playoff contributors for Albany. “We’ll get most of the guys back from here and I think we’ll have a good team,” said Pietila, 24, recalled on Saturday with Devante Smith-Pelly out with a lower-body injury. “The more hockey the better,” added Blandisi, who received the secondary assist as Hall, from the right circle, set up Kyle Palmieri’s power-play goal at the far post to cut the Coyotes’ lead to 4-1 at 5:47 of the second period. “I was happy to do that last year. That was my favorite playoff run of my career to date. So I think we’re all pretty excited to go back down there and have a long playoff run.” It’s not an insignificant point that being in a winning environment does help younger players. It’s also significant to note that if the Devils were in the midst of a playoff race right now, there wouldn’t be nearly this many players in their lineup who have spent significant time with Albany. “Playoff hockey is a different breed,” Blandisi said. “Just the fact that that team down there is growing together and is going to be the future up here, it’s good for us to play in the playoffs together.” Radim Vrbata, at 1:27 of the first period, Tobias Rieder, at 2:53, and Jakob Chychrun, at 18:25 on the power play, all scored from close range off defensive lapses and then Brendan Perlini, with a second power play goal, made it 4-0 from the left circle at 3:59 of the second period. Kinkaid came on for Schneider at 4:13. Beau Bennett, with his first goal in 13 games, made it 4-2 at 12:09 of the second period after defenseman Luke Schenn fumbled the puck deep in his zone. Palmieri brought the Devils within 4-3 just 17 seconds into the third period with his second tally of the night, and defenseman John Moore cut it to 5-4 at 15:02, roofing a backhand, after defenseman Anthony DeAngelo’s blue-line shot snuck through traffic at 13:31 for the winner.

Bergen Record LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052370 New Jersey Devils it. Smitty had to make a big save at the end of it. A win is a win, we move on.”

Devils center Travis Zajac was with his wife for the birth Saturday of the Devils’ crazy comeback only translates into 10th straight loss couple’s daughter Anya Zia. … Devils defenseman Andy Greene was back after missing three games for personal reasons. … The Devisl have been outscored 28-15 in its losing streak. Staff Report

By Associated Press March 11, 2017 | 11:23pm | Updated March 12, 2017 | 1:09AM New York Post LOADED: 03.12.2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona goalie Mike Smith had a short summation for the Coyotes’ 5-4 victory over the Devils. “We didn’t blow it totally,” he said. The Coyotes blew open an early four-goal lead but needed a late goal from rookie Anthony DeAngelo and a big save by Smith on Taylor Hall’s penalty shot Saturday night to preserve the win. Two other Arizona rookies — Jakob Chychrun and Brendan Perlini — scored to help send New Jersey to its 10th consecutive defeat. The Devils took some solace in their near-miss comeback. “I think guys are continually motivated,” coach John Hynes said. “We’ve gone through a real tough stretch here just in the sense where we haven’t been able to get a win. … We have to find a way to continue that perseverance and mental toughness to play hard and play the right way but also find a way to win.” DeAngelo’s goal, a patient shot through traffic from the slot, put Arizona up 5-3 before John Moore’s backhanded upper-shelf shot past Smith cut it to 5-4 with 4:58 remaining. Smith preserved the victory by blocking Hall’s penalty shot with 2:38 to play. Hall took aim at the five-hole — right between the goalie’s legs — as he has often in the pair’s many run-ins. “I don’t know how many times I’ve scored, four or five times, five-hole on Smith,” Hall said. Not this time. “I don’t know what his move was,” Smith said, “but I’ve played against him for quite a few years now. You try and be patient and make him make the first move. I was fortunate to make a save there.” Devils goalie Cory Schneider was lifted after allowing four goals on 10 shots in the first 24:13 of the game. Smith had 26 saves. Schneider’s replacement, Keith Kinkaid, had 20 saves on 21 shots. Schneider left after Perlini’s sizzling one-timer from the top of the left circle on a power play 3:59 into the second period. The Coyotes were up 2-0 before the game was three minutes old. The first came 1:27 into the game when Radim Vrbata took a pass from Max Domi in front of the net and tapped it past Schneider. Hynes challenged that Arizona was offside on the play but the goal was upheld. A nearly identical score followed 1:26 later, this time the pass was from Jordan Martinook found Rieder open in front of the net. Rieder knocked it into the open left side of the net for his career-best 15th goal of the season and it was 2-0. Arizona made it a three-goal first period, again from in front of the net. The power-play goal by Chychrun, with an assist by Rieder, made it three scores in eight first-period shots for the Coyotes. It was only the fourth power-play goal in the past 41 tries. Shortly after Schneider’s exit, the Devils got a power-play goal from Kyle Palmieri with a pretty assist from Hall to make it 4-1. The Devils got their second goal when the puck skipped over the stick of Arizona’s Luke Schenn and right to Beau Bennett, who shot the puck high into the left corner of the net, over the goalie, to make it 4-2 with 7:51 still to play in the second period. Just 17 seconds into the third period, Palmieri scored his second of the game to cut the lead to 4-3. “We got up and we made some good plays to get up,” Arizona coach Dave Tippett said. “Then we made some mistakes to let them back into 1052371 New York Islanders

Vladimir Tarasenko too much for Islanders to handle in loss to Blues

Staff Report THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sunday, March 12, 2017, 1:23 AM

ST. LOUIS — Vladimir Tarasenko knew he needed to step up with two of St. Louis’ top centers, Paul Stastny and Jori Lehtera, out of the lineup. With Alexander Steen centering his line, Tarasenko scored twice to lead the Blues to a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday night. “We used to play before a lot of times in the last five years so it’s not a new line for us,” Tarasenko said. “It sounds simple, but we just try to fight for each other, put each other in a good spot, that’s why we’re winning games.” Steen and Patrik Berglund also scored, and the Blues won their fourth straight game. Carter Hutton stopped 21 of 24 shots. “In my eyes, that was a character win,” St. Louis coach Mike Yeo said. “We said that before the game, that it was going to be a character game. I was confident with the character in our locker room that guys would recognize that and we would respond.” New York’s Thomas Greiss stopped 14 of 18 shots in the first two periods before being pulled in favor of Jean-Francois Berube to start the third with the Islanders trailing 4-1.Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and Nick Leddy scored for the Islanders, who finished their nine-game trip 5-3-1. “I think all we can do is keep chucking forward,” Islanders captain John Tavares said. “We’re still in a good spot. We know we’re right there battling for that last wild card.” Berglund’s 19th goal gave St. Louis a 4-1 lead late in the second period. Ryan Strome of the Islanders passes the puck around Blues goaltender Carter Hutton. Beauvillier pulled New York within two when he scored his eighth of the season 2:11 into the third. Islanders interim coach Doug Weight pulled Berube for an extra attacker with 2:39 remaining as his team went on the power play, and Leddy scored his 11th of the season to get New York within one. Tarasenko’s second goal of the game and team-leading 32nd of the season gave him his sixth multigoal game of the season. Tarasenko scored his first goal on the power play with Thomas Hickey in the penalty box for tripping. “He’s one of the best shooters in the league,” Islanders left wing Anders Lee said. “He doesn’t need much space to get a shot off, and obviously it was apparent tonight he didn’t need it at all. He snapped a couple home. We play against great players like him all the time, but we obviously have got to play him a little tighter.” New York appeared to tie it on Andrew Ladd’s power-play goal 11:31 into the first period, but the goal was overturned after Yeo challenged for Jason Chimera being offside. “The way the game plays out, that could be a big momentum swing,” Hutton said. “That’s huge, especially with if that goal goes in, there’s two minutes left on that second power play.”

New York Daily News LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052372 New York Islanders

Islanders fall out of playoff spot after road trip ends with thud

Staff report By Associated Press March 11, 2017 | 11:07pm | Updated March 12, 2017 | 4:02AM

ST. LOUIS — Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice to lead the Blues to a 4-3 win over the Islanders on Saturday night. Alexander Steen and Patrik Berglund also scored, and the Blues won their fourth straight game. Carter Hutton stopped 21 of 24 shots. The Islanders’ Thomas Greiss stopped 14 of 18 shots in the first two periods before being pulled in favor of Jean-Francois Berube to start the third with the Islanders trailing 4-1. With the loss, the Islanders fell one point behind the Maple Leafs in the race for the last wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. “I think all we can do is keep chucking forward,” Islanders captain John Tavares said. “We’re still in a good spot. We know we’re right there battling for that last wild card.” Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and Nick Leddy scored for the Islanders, who finished their nine-game trip 5-3-1. Berglund’s 19th goal gave St. Louis a 4-1 lead late in the second period. Beauvillier pulled the Islanders within two when he scored his eighth of the season 2:11 into the third. Islanders interim coach Doug Weight pulled Berube for an extra attacker with 2:39 remaining as his team went on the power play, and Leddy scored his 11th of the season to get the Islanders within one. Tarasenko’s second goal of the game and team-leading 32nd of the season gave him his sixth multigoal game of the season. Tarasenko scored his first goal on the power play with Thomas Hickey in the penalty box for tripping. “He’s one of the best shooters in the league,” Islanders left wing Anders Lee said. “He doesn’t need much space to get a shot off, and obviously it was apparent tonight he didn’t need it at all. He snapped a couple home. We play against great players like him all the time, but we obviously have got to play him a little tighter.” The Islanders appeared to tie it on Andrew Ladd’s power-play goal 11:31 into the first period, but the goal was overturned after St. Louis coach Mike Yeo challenged for Jason Chimera being offside. The Islanders are 14-7-3 since Weight took over as interim coach on Jan. 17. … The Islanders return home Monday night to face Carolina.

New York Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052373 New York Islanders

Islanders coach Doug Weight puts Scott Mayfield in lineup for a hometown game vs. St. Louis

March 11, 2017 4:53 PM By Neil Best [email protected]

ST. LOUIS — Scott Mayfield texted his parents before Saturday night’s game to tell them he would not be playing for the Islanders against the Blues, his hometown team, disappointing 25 to 30 friends and relatives who planned to attend. Then, during a conversation at the morning skate, Blues announcers and Kelly Chase asked Islanders coach Doug Weight about the St. Louis kid whom they assumed would dress. “I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Weight recalled, saying that Mayfield’s bio had gotten lost in the shuffle of his hectic seven weeks on the job. The interim coach promptly approached Mayfield on the ice and told him he was in, replacing Adam Pelech. “Right thing to do,” Weight said. “He’s been playing great. It’s not a choice of the heart. You want to make those at times to support your team, but (I have) total trust in Scottie.” Mayfield, 24, appreciated the gesture. “It’s pretty special to get out there and look around,” he said. “I’ve been to plenty of games here. Now I’m playing; it’s pretty nice.” After the skate, he texted his parents, Andy and Jane, again with an update. “I don’t know what they’re thinking now,” he said. Weight went out to dinner at a St. Louis casino Friday night with Wayne Gretzky, whose wife, Janet, grew up in the area, another example of Weight’s extensive web of NHL connections. Speaking of which, the Blues were the second opponent on this trip with which he spent many seasons as a player, following a visit to Edmonton earlier in the week. Weight at one time planned to settle for good in St. Louis; he brought the Stanley Cup for a visit after he won it with the Hurricanes in 2006. “I have zero ill will towards this city or this organization,” he said of the Blues. “I have nothing but thanks.” The Islanders’ bus to the morning skate got caught up in detours caused by a St. Patrick’s Day parade, delaying their arrival by a half hour. John Tavares shrugged it off as team bonding on a long road trip. “That’s what makes it memorable,” he said, “some of the things you go through from going bus to bus, city to city, flying all the time, just all the things you have to deal with.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052374 New York Islanders The trick now is to keep playing well and finding standings points, lest time run out on the season itself.

Islanders lose to Blues to close their nine-game road trip Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.12.2017

Updated March 11, 2017 11:49 PM By Neil Best [email protected]

ST. LOUIS — The Islanders’ long, winding road around North America came to an abrupt and deflating end smack in the middle of the continent. Their 4-3 loss to the Blues on Saturday night at Scottrade Center, combined with the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Hurricanes, left them one point out in the race for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. That was the bad news. The better, wide-angle view was that they endured a franchise-record nine straight road games with a 5-3-1 record and remain squarely in the postseason picture. “Tonight would have been a huge two points, and it’s obviously disappointing with that,” Anders Lee said. “But if you look at the big picture and look at our record through this stretch and what we’ve done, I think you’d be pretty inclined to take it if we knew what it was going to be at the beginning of all this.” The Islanders (32-24-11) were on the last leg of an odyssey that totaled nearly 11,000 miles necessitated by Barclays Center hosting the circus and ACC men’s basketball tournament. The game against the Hurricanes at Barclays on Monday night will be the Islanders’ first there since Feb. 19 — and their fourth time zone in their past four games. Islanders Unlike some recent lopsided losses, the Islanders emerged from this one generally happy with the way they played but frustrated by a few lapses that cost them. “Good game; we played well,” said coach Doug Weight, who lamented “a couple of bonehead decisions in the neutral zone” as well as missed offensive chances. “I felt like we were the better team,” he said. “That’s a good team over there that we did some good things against.” The Blues led 1-0 after one period on a power-play goal by Vladimir Tarasenko, who beat Thomas Greiss with one of his trademark whistling wrist shots. It appeared the Islanders had tied it during the first of a double-minor against Dmitrij Jaskin. Andrew Ladd blasted a one-timer from the circle that bounced in off goalie Carter Hutton. But the Blues wisely challenged on the grounds that the play was offside. It was, and the score was erased. “You try not to let it get to you, but sometimes it does,” Lee said of the momentum-killer, “especially when we’re on the road here and we need everything we can get.” The Islanders continued to pressure the Blues with no payoff, and at 4:58 of the second, Alex Steen flipped the puck past Greiss to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead. The Islanders broke through when Joshua Ho-Sang got his first NHL assist on a feed to Brock Nelson, who ripped a snap shot past Hutton from the left circle at 11:37. The second assist went to Scott Mayfield, who was playing in his hometown for the first time. But Tarasenko made it 3-1 with another world-class wrist shot and Patrik Berglund slipped a backhand past Greiss to make it 4-1 at 18:06 of the second period. J-F Berube replaced Greiss in goal to start the third period — the third time in the nine road games that Greiss had been pulled in favor of Berube — and the Islanders made a game of it. Hutton got his glove on a shot by Anthony Beauvillier but was unable to secure it, making it 4-2 at 2:11. With the Islanders on a power play, Weight pulled Berube for a six-on- four skating edge and Nick Leddy took advantage, scoring on a long slap shot with 1:29 left to make it 4-3. “I thought we had some good chances and just ran out of time,” John Tavares said. 1052375 New York Rangers New York Daily News LOADED: 03.12.2017

Henrik Lundqvist to miss at least two weeks with hip injury, Rangers announce

BY DANIEL POPPER NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Updated: Sunday, March 12, 2017, 1:07 AM

What was originally believed to be a minor injury for Henrik Lundqvist is actually more serious. And now the Rangers will be without their best player and starting netminder for perhaps the most important stretch of the regular season. Lundqvist will miss two to three weeks with a muscle strain in his hip, the team announced Saturday morning. He suffered the injury while making a save in the first period of Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Panthers. Lundqvist played through the pain and finished with 43 saves, but he experienced additional soreness the following morning. He then sat out Thursday’s loss at the Hurricanes in favor of Antti Raanta, who will take over the starting duties while Lundqvist mends. “My body was going one way, leg the other way and I had an impact on my hip,” said Lundqvist, who was adamant he didn't worsen the injury by continuing to play Tuesday night. “So we’ll take some time here to get some treatment and heal.” Lundqvist was hesitant to target a specific return date or timetable. He wants to wait to see how his hip responds to the rehab schedule implemented by the Rangers’ training staff. “Right now, I’m just focusing on the first week, 10 days. We have a good plan here (for) what I need to do. And then from there, you take it step by step and see how it feels,” Lundqvist said. “We just have to see how I react to the treatments and the exercise I’m going to do here moving forward. So that’s where my focus is, and then we’ll just see where we’re at in the schedule and timing-wise there.” Lundqvist, however, did mention the Blueshirts’ March 25 contest at the Kings as a possible game to reclaim his spot in net. That would be exactly two weeks removed from Saturday’s announcement and two-plus weeks from the injury. “We’ll see if that’s a good time,” Lundqvist said of the trip to L.A. “But we’ll just have to wait and see.” The priority, obviously, is making sure Lundqvist is healthy for the playoffs. Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist could miss as many as 10 of the last 15 games for Blueshirts. said Saturday he’s confident Lundqvist will be ready in time, largely because of the nature of the injury. The Rangers play their final regular-season game April 9 at home against the Penguins. Postseason play starts April 12. “This is a muscle strain. And muscle strains are usually two to three weeks,” Vigneault said. “That’s what we expect in this case.” The Rangers recalled 25-year-old Magnus Hellberg from AHL Hartford on an emergency basis Saturday. He’s never started an NHL game. That could change in the coming days, as the Rangers play four back-to- backs in a two-week span, starting Sunday at the Red Wings. The Blueshirts return home to host the Lightning Monday night. Vigneault, though, isn’t looking too far ahead. Raanta has been itching for more ice time, and Vigneault will provide the 27-year-old Finn with that as long as he remains physically capable of performing. “I don’t try to be Hank. I just try to be myself,” Raanta said. “I know that every time when I play, it’s always a big thing for me to show what I can do. That’s what I’m trying to do right now. Just come every game. It’s a new challenge. And just try to be my best and do the things I’ve been doing all season.” RETURNING RANGERS: Vigneault expects both Rick Nash (upper body) and (hip) to play Sunday in Detroit. Nash sat out Thursday’s loss, while Grabner has missed the past five games.

1052376 New York Rangers New York Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 Rangers suddenly will go where Antti Raanta takes them

By Brett Cyrgalis March 11, 2017 | 11:38am | Updated March 11, 2017 | 3:13PM

If the Rangers’ postseason fate lies largely with the play of starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist, it turns out that the fate of where they start that postseason now lies in the hands of his understudy, Antti Raanta. It was announced on Saturday that Lundqvist would miss 2-3 weeks with a muscle strain in his hip, suffered in the first period of the team’s 5-2 win at Florida on Tuesday, when he stayed in the game and made 43 saves. So now the net belongs to Raanta, starting with Sunday night’s game against the Red Wings in Detroit. “I think it could be the difference — it will be the difference,” Lundqvist said after his team practiced without him in Westchester on Saturday. “When you have a guy behind you that can win a lot of games, not only to work with and compete against in practice, but to be able to help the team win a lot of games, in the end, you look at the standings, it makes a huge difference. Antti will get a lot of ice time now, obviously, and he deserves it.” Backing up Raanta will be Magnus Hellberg, the 6-foot-6 Swede who was called up from AHL Hartford and has played in three NHL games with zero starts. With all of the next eight games over the next two weeks being part of back-to-back sets — including when the Blueshirts play host to the Lightning at the Garden on Monday night — coach Alain Vigneault was asked where he stands in terms of playing Hellberg. Though he wasn’t definitive, he gave an indication of a heavy workload going Raanta’s way. “I’m going on a game-to-game basis, but I would say to you that Antti has wanted an opportunity here to play more than the amount of games he’s playing,” Vigneault said. “Our games, other than back-to-backs, are pretty spread out. So we’ll take it a game at a time, see how he feels, and go from there.” Lundqvist knew the exact moment that he was hurt in the first period against the Panthers, saying it was “a save there where my body was going one way, my leg the other way, and I had an impact on my hip.” He said he didn’t think he made the injury any worse by staying in — and coming out was hardly an option. “If you were to tell me to get off the ice, you would not be able to because I wanted to continue to play,” he said. “Now it’s about how you deal with it and make the most of this next two weeks, training and rest and try to come back and be on top of things.” There was no indication the Rangers were trying to be overly cautious with the injury, in hopes of making sure Lundqvist is ready for the playoffs. But unprompted, the 35-year-old Lundqvist did mention a three- game California road trip that starts in Los Angeles on March 25 as a possible landing spot. “I know we’re going to L.A. at the end of the month. We’ll see if that’s good timing,” he said. “But we just have to wait and see.” After they return from California following a game in San Jose on March 28, there are just five games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the finale being on April 9 at home against the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. It just so happens that going into play on Saturday night, the Rangers were in the first wild-card position just four points shy of virtual second-place tie in the Metropolitan Division between the Penguins and Blue Jackets. Of course, there is the ever-present storyline of the advantages with finishing in the first wild-card spot and crossing over into the weaker Atlantic Division side of the postseason bracket. (Though the Rangers’ two recent losses to that division’s top team, the Canadiens, doesn’t exactly bode well for an easy go in the first round.) The Rangers also have an almost insurmountable 14-point cushion inside the playoff bubble. So by the time Lundqvist returns, the postseason picture will likely be a little clearer. And where the Rangers are will be due in large part to how Raanta plays. “I don’t try to be Hank, I just try to be myself,” Raanta said. “I know that every time when I play, it’s always a big thing for me to show what I can do. That’s what I try to do right now.” 1052377 New York Rangers

Rangers getting back two key offensive pieces

By Brett Cyrgalis March 11, 2017 | 8:17PM

After a bit of a wait, it seems the Rangers skaters are getting closer to full health. Forwards Rick Nash and Michael Grabner participated fully in Saturday’s practice, and coach Alain Vigneault said he expects both to be ready for Sunday night’s game at Detroit. Nash missed Thursday’s 4-3 loss at Carolina with a lingering upper-body injury. Grabner has been out since he was cross-checked by teammate Adam Clendening in a practice on March 1, missing the previous five games. “Nasher looked fine on the ice,” Vigneault said. “Grabs, this is the best I’ve seen him look since the injury. So I would say at this time I would expect them both to be in unless something happens from now until then.” Vigneault also was able to reunite some old forward lines, with the Grabner-Kevin Hayes-J.T. Miller unit working together at practice, as well as the Pavel Buchnevich--Nash line. That kept together the Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello line, and had a fourth line of Tanner Glass-Oscar Lindberg-Jimmy Vesey. Vigneault said that is the way he expects to line up Sunday, with Matt Puempel and Brandon Pirri being scratches up front. TAMPA — Adam Clendening’s station with the Rangers could not... Clendening was set to be a scratch on the backend, and Sunday would be his fourth straight game out of the lineup. Recent call-up Steven Kampfer practiced Saturday still is paired with rookie Brady Skjei, where he has been for the previous two games. The Marc Staal-Ryan McDonagh duo also stayed together, as did the Brendan Smith- pair. Smith recently was obtained in a trade with the Red Wings, where he played the first five-plus years of his career, calling Joe Louis Arena home. With the franchise set to move to a new arena next season, and with their 25-year playoff streak about to come to an end, Sunday is set to be the last game Smith plays there. “The emotions are going to be different for me, as they will be for some of the other players,” he said. “I’m going to try to take every moment in. I love that rink.It’s going to be sad to play there for the last time. ” Forward Jesper Fast skated at the beginning of practice with a non- contact jersey. He hurt his shoulder on Feb. 28 and has missed the previous five games, expected out 2-3 weeks.

New York Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052378 New York Rangers

Brendan Smith’s final game at Joe Louis Arena will be emotional

Updated March 11, 2017 6:30 PM By Brian Heyman Special to Newsday

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The Rangers likely will never skate again at Joe Louis Arena after Sunday night’s game in Detroit. The Joe is set to be knocked down, the Red Wings are all but set to miss the playoffs and their home slice of ice will be served at the new Little Caesars Arena starting next season. This finale at the building that opened in 1979 means more to one of the Rangers in particular. Defenseman Brendan Smith was in his sixth season with the Wings before they traded him on Feb. 28. “I guess it’ll be my last game at The Joe, so emotions are going to be different for me as they will be for some of the other players,” Smith said after practice Saturday at the MSG Training Center. “I’m going to try to take every moment in. I mean, I love that rink. It’s going to be sad to play there for the last time. But it’ll be exciting to be on the ice. “I liked competing against a bunch of those guys in practice. So it’ll be fun to play against them.” The Red Wings had seven teams ahead of them for the East’s second wild card entering the weekend and were 12 points back with 16 to play. Failing to make the playoffs would take on special significance. Detroit has reached the postseason for 25 straight years, the longest active streak among the four major professional sports in North America and tied for third in NHL history. “A lot of pride,” Smith said. “ . . . Just being there for so long, it was such a testament to the organization. It’s a tough break that it looks like they’re not going to be able to swing it again.” Blue notes Michael Grabner (hip) missed the last five games and Rick Nash (upper body) missed the last one, but both forwards practiced. “I would say at this time I expect them to both be in unless something happens,” coach Alain Vigneault said . . . Right wing Jesper Fast (shoulder), out the last five games, skated in a non-contact jersey.

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Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist out 2-3 weeks with lower-body injury, team says

Updated March 11, 2017 6:40 PM By Brian Heyman Special to Newsday

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Antti Raanta stood guard in front of the net at one end of the Rangers’ practice rink Saturday inside the MSG Training Center, and Magnus Hellberg stood guard in front of the other net. Henrik Lundqvist stood conspicuous by his absence. The King said he hurt his hip Tuesday. Coach Alain Vigneault said his No. 1 goalie has a muscle strain. The team said Lundqvist will be out two to three weeks. So he’s expected back before the playoffs. The weight will now fall mainly on Raanta’s pads to keep pucks out. Hellberg was recalled from Hartford Saturday to back him up after Brandon Halverson served in that role at Carolina Thursday when Lundqvist was deemed day-to-day. There are just 14 games left, and the Rangers currently hold a large lead for the East’s top wild card. “I don’t try to be Hank,” Raanta said. “I just try to be myself . . . I know that every time when I play, it’s always been a big thing for me to show what I can do.” Lundqvist showed what he can do with 43 saves at Florida Tuesday in a 5-2 victory, his 404th, making him 10th on the all-time list. But he got injured in the first period. “There was a save there where my body was going one way, the leg the other way, and it impacted my hip,” Lundqvist said. “ . . . I think right now I’m just focusing on the first week, 10 days. We have a good plan here of what I need to do, and from there you just take it step by step and see how it feels. We expect it to be two to three weeks, but we just have to see how I react to treatments and the exercise I’m going to do moving forward.” The Rangers have eight games over these next 15 days — four back-to- back sets, starting Sunday night at Detroit and Monday night at the Garden against Tampa Bay. But there are either two or three days off before all the back-to-backs. Then there are two more games before the end of the month. Vigneault said Raanta will start against the Red Wings. “Antti has wanted the opportunity to play for more than the amount of games he’s played,” Vigneault said. “Our games, other than the back-to- backs, are pretty spread out. So we’ll take it a game at a time, see how he feels and go from there.” Raanta’s 13-4 with a 2.14 goals-against average, a .929 save percentage and three shutouts in his 19 starts. “He’s a very calm presence in the net there . . . ” captain Ryan McDonagh said. Raanta is 27 and hasn’t given up on his No. 1 dream. “When you have somebody like Hank in front of you, it’s not that easy to take the No. 1 spot,” Raanta said. “But I try to work every day so I can be someday the No. 1 guy.” Hellberg is a 25-year-old guy, a 6-6 Swede with only three games of NHL experience and no starts playing for Nashville and the Rangers. “This is the last year of my contract,” Hellberg said. “I know that I have to show my best hockey to get a new contract . . . I like to have pressure on me.”

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1052380 Ottawa Senators It ended up being an easy night for Anderson, barely tested after facing 10 first-period shots.

The Avalanche haven’t had much to be excited about all season — Senators take over first place in division after beating Avalanche judging by the scores of empty seats at the Pepsi Center, Colorado fans aren’t very excited, either — but they did enter the game on a two-game winning streak after beating the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Ken Warren Devils. Ottawa Citizen There were so many ugly numbers, but among the worst coming into Saturday’s game was that the Avalanche had scored the fewest goals Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 10:38 PM (129) and allowed the most goals (217) in the 30-team NHL. EDT The Senators have found ways to win a string of tight-checking games, including a come-from-behind 3-2 overtime win in Arizona. DENVER — The Ottawa Senators flew home late Saturday night on a “It was one of the better games we’ve played. Overall, we just kept them Rocky Mountain high after taking over top spot in the National Hockey to the outside,” Anderson said. “We didn’t panic. We stuck with it. It’s a League’s Atlantic Division. long game and there are going to be times in the game where you don’t have your best stretch, but it’s about how you respond and I thought we Despite being starved of top offensive threats Mark Stone, Kyle Turris responded great.” and Bobby Ryan because of injuries, the Senators rallied to defeat the dysfunctional Colorado Avalanche 4-2. After a hard opening push by the Senators, including a Karlsson shot off the post and Pickard’s save off Claesson on a two-on-one break, the The victory allowed the Senators to sweep their three-game road trip to Avalanche opened the scoring. Nieto, alone in front of the net, deflected Dallas, Arizona and Colorado, and it extended their season-high winning Cody Goloubef’s hard pass behind Anderson. streak to six games. The Senators face the Tampa Bay Lightning at Canadian Tire Centre on Goaltender Craig Anderson, now 9-2 since returning from his leave of Tuesday night. absence, registered his 147th career victory with the Senators, taking over the franchise record from Patrick Lalime. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.12.2017 The tide turned in the second half of the second period, when Fredrik Claesson, Alex Burrows (on a power play) and Mike Hoffman beat Avalanche goaltender Calvin Pickard to erase Colorado’s 1-0 lead. Ryan Dzingel put the game out of reach in the third period, scoring his first goal since Feb. 18. Erik Karlsson had a pair of assists, giving him three goals and eight assists in his past eight games. The Avalanche opened the scoring on Matt Nieto’s first-period goal and completed the scoring when Sven Andrighetto scored on a power play with 11 seconds remaining. The victory, the Senators 39th of the season, gave them 84 points for the season, tied with the Montreal Canadiens. However, the Senators have played only 67 games, one less than the Canadiens, so they rank higher in the division standings. “I thought it was pretty impressive, what the boys were able to do here when you look at all the guys that are missing and you keep the opponent to 16 shots,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. “We wanted to tighten up defensively. We were loose against Arizona and Dallas, the structure wasn’t as good defensively. We kept paying the price in front of the opponents’ goaltender (against Colorado) and the mix of those two gave us another win.” Saturday’s game was a tale of two teams going in opposition directions. The Senators found another way to win, their confidence continuing to grow by the game. The Avalanche found yet another way to lose, falling apart when the Senators picked up the pace in the second period. With Turris, Stone and Ryan on the sidelines, the Senators were missing a combined 56 goals and 106 points. That put a strain on the rest of the lineup. Phil Varone was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League to take Stone’s spot on the roster. While Pickard held Avalanche fort for a while, Claesson solved him with 9:19 remaining in the second period. It was the second career goal for Claesson, who also scored in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Five minutes later, Burrows finished off a pretty passing play from Hoffman on a power play. Burrows has four goals in six games since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks before the March 1 trade deadline. “We neutralized their speed and skill and once we took over in the second, I thought we did a good job,” Burrows said. “(The confidence) is pretty high. It’s fun to come into a group that has a total buy in to what the coaching staff is trying to sell. Everybody knows where they’ve got to go. “ Hoffman padded the lead to 3-1 with 1:06 left in the period, beating Pickard with a shot from a sharp angle. “We made it tough on them to enter our zone, tough on them to get shots,” Hoffman said. “We got one on the power play, which was nice and kind of a lucky one by myself at the end of the period. It was one of those games that we knew, if we stayed patient and stuck with our system through 60 minutes, it was going to come out in our favour.” 1052381 Ottawa Senators They were ahead 11-10 at the intermission … Ottawa’s best two chances in the first period belonged to noted snipers Hoffman and Claesson … Erik Karlsson was on pace to tie Jason York’s franchise record for shots Couch Potato: Boucher sitting pretty as coach of first-place Senators on goal in a game when he recorded four in the first period. Through two periods, Karlsson had six, but three more blocked. In case you haven’t noticed, the Ottawa media loves to point out Yorkie still holds that mark … The Senators outshot Colorado 14-4 in the second … You would Don Brennan probably guess it was a higher number, but Burrows has 14 goals in 56 career games against the Avalanche, including three in two games as a Postmedia Network Senator … The Senators only won 36 per cent of the draws through two Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 10:32 PM periods … Karlsson finished with six shots. EDT ON SECOND THOUGHT: Another subtle, great defensive play by Karlsson came in the second period, when he was chasing down a puck in his own end and passed by Sven Andrightetto. Karlsson let him get the He’ll never admit it, but Guy Boucher would have to feel a great amount puck, then smoothly bumped him off it before flipping it out of the zone … of personal satisfaction if the Ottawa Senators remained in first place in Both goalies made great right skate saves seconds apart near the the Atlantic Division. midway mark. Smith and Blake Comeau were the victims … It looked like Dzingel really wasn’t that interested in fighting Landeskog, but he was Especially when they came out of nowhere to overtake the Montreal being challenged and everybody saw it, so he dropped the gloves while Canadiens. wearing a slight smile on his face. Landeskog cut Dzingel good on the The Habs gave Boucher his first chance as a coach in the pros in 2009, forehead, but give Dzingel credit for not only hanging in there, but also and, while he has remained grateful, they didn’t exactly take a leap of getting in a few good shots of his own. He took the loss, but things might faith. Boucher was considered a strong coaching prospect, but the Habs have been different if he had been able to pull odd Landeskog’s helmet. decided to put him in charge of the farm team in Hamilton while they Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.12.2017 hired Jacques Martin to work the bench in Montreal. After only one year in the minors, Boucher was given an opportunity with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he experienced immediate success by taking the Bolts to the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference final. He was fired just a season and a half later, and, all of a sudden, the strong coaching prospect was not deemed worthy of another chance by any team in the NHL. Three years later, the Senators finally gave him that opportunity and Boucher has repaid them by lifting the floundering franchise to the top spot in their division. There’s still a month to go, but right now the Senators have to be considered conference contenders with a legitimate shot at getting back to the Stanley Cup final for the first time in a decade. Right now, the list of contenders for the as coach of the year has been whittled down to a four-man race between Columbus’ John Tortorella, Boucher, Calgary’s Glen Gulutzan and Minnesota’s Bruce Boudreau. FARAWAY EYES: Mike Hoffman appeared to be looking at somebody in the stands on the other side of the rink when he whipped a shot through Avalanche netminder Calvin Pickard in the second period. Apparently, natural goal scorers can do that … The worst thing about Chris DiDomenico’s three first-period minor penalties in the past two games is they were all taken in the offensive zone. The best thing is the Senators gave up a total of three shots on goal while emphatically killing them all … If DiDomenico had more than one shift in the second period, he didn’t have more than two … The Senators might have taken control of the game earlier had they driven to the net with the puck rather than going for little skates behind it. Zack Smith and Ryan Dzingel were guilty of that in the first period. C’EST WHAT? Great line by play-by-play man Dave Randorf on Mark Borowiecki missing his second straight game: “As we all know, he treats his body like a rental car and he needed another night off.” … Before the game, Randorf also noted the Senators were “rolling at the right time.” It’s a good time, but the right time would be later in the spring … Don Cherry pointed out how smartly dressed the Senators were when they arrived at Pepsi Center as cameras showed a few of them, including a final group of Karlsson, Claesson and Gabriel Landeskog, the Avalanche captain who would have looked good in Ottawa threads … Nice bailout by Ron MacLean, who told Nick Kypreos “sorry to make you rush your words” when the latter was talking about Mark Stone’s lower body injury and had a hard time spitting out “prohibiting.” … Of course, Cherry is right when he says Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin should have been included on the list of top 100 NHL players of all time. “These guys that vote,” Cherry said, “what are they smoking?” … Alex Burrows told Cassie Campbell “it’s crazy how much fun it is to come to the rink when you win every game.” Now with four goals and two assists as a Senator, Burrows is a big reason they are 6-0 since acquiring him just before the deadline. Of course, Burrows would probably also say it’s simple to score on the power play from the front of the net when nobody objects to you standing there, as was the case Saturday. It would have been the winner had the Avalanche not scored with 11 seconds left. TAKING NUMBERS: The Senators had an 8-1 edge in the shots through the first seven minutes, but, somewhere along the line, the tide turned. 1052382 Ottawa Senators

Mark Stone joins long Senators injury list

Ken Warren Ottawa Citizen Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 7:28 PM EDT

DENVER — The Ottawa Senators are being forced to do a lot more forward thinking. As in, how do they continue to survive the ever-growing number of forwards on the injury list. Right-winger Mark Stone officially joined the cast of casualties Saturday, missing a game against the Colorado Avalanche, the final stop on the Senators’ three-game road trip. In Thursday’s 3-2 overtime against over the Arizona Coyotes, Stone left early because of a leg injury. Centre Kyle Turris also stayed out with a bruised finger, meaning he didn’t play at all the road trip. On top of that, wingers Bobby Ryan (broken finger) and Chris Neil (hand) had stayed at home. “We’re big-time hurting,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said before the puck dropped against the Avalanche. “We’re back to where we were in that New Jersey game (Feb. 21). We’re missing three of our top-six guys, top-end guys who control the play for us. We have to a way through this and hopefully get one guy, maybe two guys, back on Tuesday (against the Tampa Bay Lightning).” Phil Varone was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League to fill one void, while Chris DiDomenico played his second NHL game on Saturday night. Of all the injured forwards, it appeared Turris was closest to making a return. If he’s not back Tuesday, he should play Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. It’s possible Ryan could return as soon as next Saturday against Montreal, but Boucher was vague on Stone’s ailment and prognosis. “We’re hoping (it’s not long-term),” Boucher said. “But we have to wait until we come back (to Ottawa) to assess it.” The situation on defence is better, but still not perfect. Mark Borowiecki, nursing an upper body injury, sat out his second consecutive game Saturday. Fredrik Claesson, who scored his first career goal in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars and picked up an assist against Arizona, remained in the lineup against Colorado. It’s a tough situation, but the Senators have seen it before. “That’s the story of our season,” Boucher said. “People have come in and made a difference at every position. You have days when you look at your lineup and you dream of your real lineup, but you end up winning the game because guys have bought in to being on the same page. “Defensively, guys are blocking shots and being in the right positions so that they don’t give up too many shots.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052383 Ottawa Senators Calvin Pickard Jeremy Smith Gameday: Ottawa Senators versus Colorado Avalanche COLORADO INJURIES: Semyon Varlamov, Nikita Zadorov. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.12.2017 Ken Warren Ottawa Citizen Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 10:01 AM EDT

Ottawa Senators (38-22-6) at Colorado Avalanche (19-44-3), 7 p.m., Pepsi Center, HNIC, TVAS2, TSN 1200-AM 94.5 FM SPECIAL TEAMS OTT: PP 17.6 (21st), PK 82.0 (11th) COL: PP 13.3 (29th), PK 78.1 (25th) THE BIG MATCH-UP Nathan Mackinnon versus Jean-Gabriel Pageau: Mackinnon leads the Avalanche in scoring and netted his 14th goal in Thursday’s 3-2 win over New Jersey – a rarity in Colorado’s horrible season. Pageau is on a roll, extending his goal scoring streak to three in Thursday’s 3-2 win over Arizona and doing an outstanding job matching up against the opponent’s top lines. THREE KEYS TO THE GAME: 1-ANDERSON’S RETURN: Craig Anderson can pass Patrick Lalime to take sole possession of the Senators all-time wins record (147) against his old team. 2-HEALTH ISSUES: With Kyle Turris, Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan out, the Senators will boast a make-shift forward crew, trying to squeeze offence from wherever they can find it. 3-EYES ON THE PRIZE: With a win, the Senators would pass Montreal to take over top spot in the Atlantic Division, a situation which seemed unthinkable only a few weeks ago. SENATORS LINES Alex Burrows-Derick Brassard-Phil Varone Ryan Dzingel-Zack Smith-Chris DiDomenico Mike Hoffman-J-G Pageau-Tom Pyatt Viktor Stalberg-Chris Kelly-Tommy Wingels SENATORS DEFENCE Marc Methot-Erik Karlsson Dion Phaneuf-Cody Ceci Mark Borowiecki-Chris Wideman SENATORS GOALTENDERS Craig Anderson Mike Condon INJURIES: Clarke MacArthur, Chris Neil, Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris, Mark Stone COLORADO LINES Gabriel Landeskog-Nathan Mackinnon- Rene Bourque Sven Andrighetto-Matt Duchene-Mikko Rantanen JT Compher-John Mitchell-Blake Comeau Matthew Nieto-Carl Soderberg-Mikhail Grigorenko COLORADO DEFENCE -Mark Barberio Fedor Tyutin-Tyson Barrie Francois Beauchemin-Patrick Wiercioch COLORADO GOALTENDERS 1052384 Philadelphia Flyers On the ice, the referees said the puck didn't cross the goal line, then went to the video replay. After a lengthy look at the replay, it was announced the play had been ruled dead before Schenn's rebound Late blunder costs Flyers in devastating loss in Boston attempt because of the ref's "intent to blow the whistle." It was also ruled Voracek's shot did not cross the goal line. by Sam Carchidi No matter. The Flyers went back to work, got a five-on-three, and then failed to capitalize. STAFF WRITER It would prove to be fatal.

Breakaways. Coach Dave Hakstol made a handful of line changes. BOSTON - The Flyers' season is on life support. Travis Konecny replaced Schenn as the second-line left winger. Schenn dropped to the third line, and winger Nick Cousins went from the third to Drew Stafford scored on a long shot with 5.6 seconds left to give Boston the fourth line. a stunning 2-1 win at TD Garden on Saturday afternoon. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.12.2017 Stafford's lob to the net deflected off defenseman Brandon Manning's stick and past startled goalie Steve Mason. "Unfortunately, no one else is in front and I had a good read on it, and unfortunately Mandog got his stick on it and deflected it back the opposite direction," Mason said after a defeat that, just like one in Boston two years ago, could pave the way for the Flyers to miss the playoffs. "It's an unfortunate mistake at a tough time." "It's the bounce of the puck, and that's the way it goes," Manning said. "We still have 15 games left. There's lots of time here. We'll take a day [off] and move on." Added Manning: "Unfortunately, it was a big moment, a big time in our season right now. It's tough right now, but you move on from it and try to get away from it, I guess." Manning was asked if he would have done something differently, such as blocking the shot with his body, if he had a chance to relive the moment. "What do you think?" he bristled. The Flyers, who went 1-2-1 on the road trip, have one win in Boston in the last five years. Going into Saturday night's action, they were five points behind the Islanders, who hold the Eastern Conference's last wild-card spot, and trailed three teams battling for the last playoff spot. The Flyers were coming off a 3-2 loss Thursday in Toronto against a Maple Leafs team that had seven rookies in the lineup. "We have no choice," right winger Jake Voracek said when asked how difficult it would be to regroup Monday against visiting Columbus. "We can sit in the locker room and feel sorry for ourselves, or we can get back to work." The Flyers needed the win much more than Boston, but it was the Bruins who showed more desperation during the third period, outshooting the visitors, 12-4. At one point, the Flyers had one shot over a 20-minute span in the second and third periods. Earlier, the Flyers tied it at 1-1 on Jordan Weal's third goal in the last six games, a rebound off a Wayne Simmonds shot with 18:33 left in the second period. Boston challenged the goal, claiming Simmonds was offside at the start of the play. The video review was inconclusive, so the goal stood. Boston took a 1-0 lead on David Pastrnak's power-play goal with 1:22 remaining in the first period. It was the sixth power-play tally the Flyers had allowed in 12 chances over their last three-plus games. Defenseman Andrew MacDonald got outmuscled for the puck behind the net. The puck kicked free to Patrice Bergeron, who fed Pastrnak in front. Pastrnak got position on center Sean Couturier and knocked in his 28th goal, scoring from point-blank range. A couple of minutes before Pastrnak's goal, the Flyers squandered a five-on-three opportunity. Again. They had a five-on-three for 1:43, but Rask had all the answers. The Flyers had five shots on the five-on-three and two on the five-on-four, which included Rask's glove save on a close shot by Simmonds, who looked to the rafters in disbelief. It marked the third time in the last 11 games the Flyers had failed to connect on a five-on-three. They failed to score against Calgary for a full two minutes with a two-man advantage, and against Florida for 1:05. They lost the first game and won the latter one. With 10:59 left in the first period, the Flyers thought they had taken a 1-0 lead. Brayden Schenn raised his stick to signify a goal as he followed a shot taken by Jake Voracek. 1052385 Philadelphia Flyers

Five things to know today about the Flyers as they meet Bruins by Sam Carchidi STAFF WRITER

Five things to know today about the Flyers (31-27-8), who are 1-1-1 on a road trip that ends Saturday afternoon in Boston (35-26-6). Steve Mason will start Saturday for the Flyers, who desperately need a win to stay afloat in the crowded Eastern Conference wild-card race. In 12 career appearances against the Bruins, he has a 2.26 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. He made 45 saves in a 3-2 shootout win over the visiting Bruins on Nov. 29. After Thursday’s 4-2 loss in Toronto, Michal Neuvirth is now 1-5 in his last six starts. It wouldn’t be surprising if he was only used when the Flyers have back-to-back games (three times) in their last 16 contests. In the loss to the Maple Leafs, Claude Giroux was relentless, especially in the third period, and played one of his stronger games of the season. He finished with six shots and an assist. Valtteri Filppula played another very good game Thursday. He had an assist, won 11 of 16 (69 percent) faceoffs, was strong on the puck all night, and just missed scoring when his deflection hit the post. Boston, which is 9-3 under new coach Bruce Cassidy, has been led by left winger Brad Marchand (32 goals, 70 points), who has a staggering 22 goals in his last 26 games. Under Cassidy, the Bruins are 6-1 at home and have outscored opponents, 30-12. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052386 Philadelphia Flyers they have a rule like that. At the end of the day, it's no goal and there's nothing you can really do about that."

The Bruins felt fortunate to escape with two points. Third-period passiveness dooms the Flyers "We didn't have a great game, but we got a little lucky," Marchand said. ". . . They definitely pushed a little harder than we did." by Sam Carchidi Except in the third period. STAFF WRITER Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.12.2017

BOSTON - Despite having to climb past three teams to get into the Eastern Conference's final wild-card spot, the Flyers keep saying they control their own destiny. If that was the case, if they really believed that, they would have gone out and played the third period Saturday with bravado, with the intent of taking two points in their own personal house of horrors, TD Garden. Instead, they sat back for much of the final 20 minutes and played not to lose. So even though the way the game ended was downright shocking, it wasn't surprising that the Flyers were on the short end of the final score. Boston 2, Flyers 1. Drew Stafford's long lob shot to the net deflected off defenseman Brandon Manning's stick and past stunned goalie Steve Mason with 5.6 seconds to go, giving the Bruins their sixth home win in seven games against the Flyers since 2012. "We were pretty sloppy throughout," Stafford said, ". . . but we'll take it." Manning has played with grit this season - witness how he stood up for teammate Shayne Gostisbehere after the defenseman was checked by Matt Beleskey, and fought the Boston winger early in Saturday's game - but his late mistake was a brutal one. It was a goal that conjured memories of Gerry Meehan's tally that jolted the Flyers 45 years ago. Meehan's long shot with four seconds left eluded Doug Favell and gave Buffalo a 3-2 win, knocking the Flyers out of a playoff spot on the final day of the 1971-72 regular season. This goal didn't cost the Flyers a playoff spot, but it pushed them to the edge of the ledge and left little margin for error in their last 15 games. It was reminiscent of the Flyers' 3-2 overtime loss in Boston two years ago. Brad Marchand tied that March 7 game with 14.1 seconds left in regulation and he scored the game-winner in overtime. That pushed the Flyers five points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot. They would have drawn within two points with a regulation win. Fast-forward to Saturday. The Flyers outplayed the Bruins in the first two periods, but, inexplicably, they sat back in the final period while the game was tied at 1-1. "There are going to be ebbs and flows," winger Jordan Weal said. "There's going to be changes in momentum . . . and I think we held the fort well. We didn't give them too many Grade A" chances in the last period. Then again, the Flyers never severely tested Boston goalie Tuukka Rask - who was brilliant in the first two periods - in the third. "It's a 1-1 hockey game and their defense doesn't give you much room," winger Brayden Schenn said, "so there was no sense playing a run-and- gun style game against the Boston Bruins." A run-and-gun offense wasn't necessary. An attacking style - one that creates opportunities and keeps the Bruins on their heels - is what the final period was missing from the Flyers' standpoint. Coach Dave Hakstol said the Flyers didn't sit back in the game's latter stages, but his team didn't get a third-period shot until 7 minutes, 33 seconds remained, and they were outshot over the last 20 minutes, 12-4. "Obviously it stings right now, but this group won't quit," Schenn said. The outcome probably would have been different if Schenn's first-period goal had not been erased because of an odd referee's call. Schenn jammed in a rebound, but it was ruled that the referee intended to blow his whistle before he scored. Yeah, this is a rule the NHL needs to fine-tune. "He was planning on blowing the whistle, and if he tells the league that, they can't call it a goal," Schenn said. "It is what it is. I guess it's a funny rule. They're trying to put more goals into the league so I don't know why 1052387 Philadelphia Flyers Voracek thought one of them had scored and raised his arms. Upon review, it was ruled the puck didn’t cross the line and the referee said he blew the play dead once Rask froze the puck at the post. AN 'UNFORTUNATE MISTAKE' COSTS FLYERS IN DEVASTATING Apparently, the puck was across the goal after Schenn touched it, but the LOSS TO BRUINS official, Marc Joannette, told Schenn his intent was blow the whistle sooner. By Tim Panaccio "It was intent to blow the whistle," Schenn said. "The puck was loose between the post and pad and I jammed it in. CSNPhilly.com "The rules tell you no goal. There was an inch from it fully going over. He March 11, 2017 6:05 PM had his pad tucked against the post. Puck was sandwiched between there."

Voracek said he doesn’t understand "intent" to blow a whistle and how BOSTON -- It has become the "Nightmare on Causeway Street" for the that can deny a goal. Flyers. That's the Flyers' bad luck these days. For the second time since 2015, the Flyers got burned by the Bruins late in a game with enormous playoff overtones. "You have to work for it to get lucky bounces," Voracek said. "We didn't get it. We had a 5-on-3 in the first period … could have been a different This time, it was Drew Stafford's lob shot on Steve Mason that was game if we scored." indirectly tipped by Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning into his own net with 5.6 seconds left in regulation that sealed a 2-1 Bruins' victory on True, the power play again figured in the defeat. Saturday afternoon at TD Garden (see Instant Replay). The Flyers had a two-man advantage for 1:43 late in the first period when Six seconds from gaining a point the Flyers desperately needed in their they peppered Rask with seven shots -- five at 5-on-3. The Flyers have wild-card chase, they were stunned with a crushing defeat that scored just one 5-on-3 goal all season. temporarily left them still five points out of the wild card that could grow even larger later Saturday night. "I thought we executed well and [Rask] made three, real good saves," Hakstol said. "We didn't score on it, but it didn't hurt us momentum-wise." Two years ago, Boston tied a game in the final 15 seconds of regulation on a Brad Marchand goal before winning in overtime during a "Lost Actually, it did. Weekend" that all but ended the Flyers' playoff hopes under Craig The Bruins came off that kill two minutes later with their own power play Berube. to break the scoreless tie. Patrice Bergeron found David Pastrnak in the This loss, under Dave Hakstol, felt a lot like that one. crease for a one-timer. Bergeron has 31 points in 42 career games against the Flyers. He's a Flyer killer in his own right. "A bad break, a bad way to give up at least one point," Mason said. "No one else was in front, I had a good read on it. So, the 5-on-3 lost chance earlier was critical. "Unfortunately, Man Dog got his stick on it and it deflected back the "That was a way better 5-on-3 than we did against Florida and Calgary," opposite direction. An unfortunate mistake at a tough time." Voracek said. "We try to put the puck in front of the net and Simmer [Wayne Simmonds] had a couple good rebounds there. It didn’t go in. It was the Flyers' sixth loss at TD Garden in the last seven years. Rask was good." No one felt worse than Manning. The Flyers did tie early in the second on Jordan Weal's third goal. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy challenged that Simmonds was offside and lost. "Bounce of the puck, that's the way it goes," Manning, who was visibly upset, said. "Fifteen games left, there's lots of time here." With the game tied going into the third, the Bruins rattled off seven straight shots before Matt Read even got the Flyers' first of the period. Instinctively, defensemen often use their sticks to block shots. The puck was off the ice, where it becomes more dangerous to touch it with a stick "We played a pretty good road game and tough to go away without any than their body. points," Hakstol said. "They had a pretty good push in the first part of the third. "Unfortunately, it was a big moment, a big time of our season, it's tough right now," Manning said. "I thought we had the better play in the second … I didn't think either period was dominant one way or another, regardless of the shot Asked if he would have done something different if given the chance attempts." again, Manning said, "What do you think? It's a game-winning goal at the biggest time of year." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 That aside, the Flyers, as a group, played cautiously the entire third period, trying to get the game to overtime and earn a point instead of going for the win with a determined sense of urgency. Boston held them to one shot through a 20-minute stretch from the second period into the third. Tuukka Rask faced just four shots in the third. That's not playing with desperation. It won't earn you points in the wild card race, either. "Their defense don't give you much room," Brayden Schenn said. "You can't play a run 'n gun style against the Boston Bruins. They check well. They don’t give up much. There's no sense in opening up a 1-1 hockey game we desperately needed to win." Schenn was here two years ago when the Flyers' playoff hopes were dashed. "We're not gonna quit," he said. "Fifteen games left, there's 30 points out there up from grabs. We're gonna do our best to make a push here." As usual, it wouldn't be a Flyers loss without some bad luck and odd calls. Jakub Voracek had a first-period breakaway. Rask made the initial stop, but Voracek spun and put a rebound shot toward the inside of the left post with Schenn taking a whack at it, too. 1052388 Philadelphia Flyers

INSTANT REPLAY: BRUINS 2, FLYERS 1

By Tim Panaccio CSNPhilly.com March 11, 2017 3:55 PM

BOSTON -- A four-game road trip that began last Sunday in Washington ended Saturday afternoon at TD Garden for the Flyers in unbelievable fashion. The Bruins scored with 5.6 seconds left in regulation on a goal from Drew Stafford that deflected off Brandon Manning to win it for Boston, 2-1. Dave Hakstol's club finished a disappointing 1-2-1 and instead of gaining ground in the wild card, they lost it. The crushing loss prevented the Flyers from earning a point and getting into overtime. They began the trip three points out of the wild card and will finish at least five points behind, depending upon what the Islanders do later Saturday in St. Louis. With the game tied 1-1 in the third, Boston showed more desperation than the Flyers. The Flyers had just one shot in 20-plus minutes. Line change The biggest change was moving Travis Konecny up from fourth line right wing to left wing on Valtteri Filppula's unit with Jakub Voracek. As a skill player, that's where Konecny belongs. Review Voracek thought he scored off his own rebound on Tuukka Rask inside the post early in the game or that Brayden Schenn had poked it in. The no goal was upheld on review. Challenge Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy challenged Jordan Weal's goal that tied the game 1-1 in the second period for Wayne Simmonds being offside earlier in the play and lost. That's the second time a Weal goal was challenged for Simmonds being offside and both times the goal stood. Misses Brayden Schenn twice had open shots in the second and third periods and fired way wide of the net. Goalie report Steve Mason played a strong game and had some difficult saves, including two ping pong pucks from David Pastrnak late in the second period from short distance. Power play The Flyers had a 5-on-3 for 1:43 and had some chances but Rask stood tall, denying all seven shots he faced, five of them during the two-man advantage. Penalty kill After a terrible performance in Toronto, the PK units started off with five clears on Boston's first power play of the game. After the Flyers failed on their two-man advantage, the Bruins scored on their second chance on a goal from Pastrnak. He has 20 points in his last 15 games. Fights Matt Beleskey KO'd Manning 2:02 into the game. Scratches Forwards Michael Raffl (knee), Dale Weise (healthy) and Roman Lyubimov (healthy); defenseman Nick Schultz (healthy). Up next The Flyers are off Sunday. They host the Columbus Blue Jackets Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052389 Philadelphia Flyers Flyers: We'll go with Gostisbehere. He has just looked so much more confident on the ice over the last several weeks. And he's hitting the net more, too, so that obviously helps. But a confident Gostisbehere is a FLYERS-BRUINS 5 THINGS: LATEST IN LONG LINE OF MUST-WIN dangerous Gostisbehere. He's got some of that swagger that we saw last GAMES season back. And he was great against the Leafs with a goal and an assist. He's now up to six goals and 23 assists on the year.

Bruins: Have to go with the guy everyone loathes but wishes was on their By Greg Paone team, Brad Marchand. "The Little Ball of Hate," as he is lovingly known, is in the midst of a spectacular season with 32 goals and 38 assists for CSNPhilly.com 70 points. You always have to know where Marchand is on the ice, and it's usually not hard to find him as he'll be causing a ruckus or getting March 11, 2017 1:30 AM under someone's skin when he's not putting the puck in the net. He's got nine goals and 10 assists in 24 regular-season games vs. the Flyers. Flyers (31-27-8, 70 points) at Bruins (35-26-6, 76 points) 5. This and that 1 p.m. on CSN, CSNPhilly.com and streaming live on the NBC Sports • Saturday's game will be the rubber match between the Flyers and App Bruins this season. The Flyers took a 3-2 shootout decision in Philadelphia on Nov. 29. The Bruins ran over the Flyers en route to a 6-3 Time is running short on this season for the Flyers, who are in Boston on win on Jan. 14 in Beantown. Saturday afternoon to meet the Bruins in yet another critical game in the wild-card chase. • Steve Mason is expected to start in net for the Flyers after Michal Neuvirth started Thursday in Toronto. Mason was excellent in the It's a big one for both clubs as both are fighting for their playoff lives. shootout win over Boston in November with 45 saves. Let's take a closer look at Saturday's matinee matchup. • Simmonds' goal in Toronto was his 14th power-play goal of the season, which tied him with teammate Brayden Schenn for the league lead. 1. Gotta have it • If you haven’t read it yet, check out CSNPhilly.com Flyers Insider Tim The Flyers will enter Saturday afternoon's contest five points behind the Panaccio’s story on what Jake Voracek had to say about the NHL’s New York Islanders for the final wild-card spot in the East with 15 games indecision on playing in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. It’s an to play. Needless to say, destiny is not in the Flyers' hands. interesting look from the players’ perspective and Voracek had some And that's why the Flyers need these two points on Saturday. Think of very passionate quotes about the situation and wanting to play for his the consequences if the Flyers fall to the B's. If the Flyers fall in native Czech Republic. regulation and the Isles beat the Blues in St. Louis on Saturday evening, Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 the Flyers would be seven points back of New York with 14 games to play. And they would need plenty of help along the way as they'd still likely have to jump Tampa, Florida and Toronto. Now, it's really desperation time. "Going into Boston, it's going to be huge for us," Shayne Gostisbehere said after Thursday’s loss in Toronto. "It's going to be a playoff-like atmosphere for us. We're going to need two points." The term "must-win" has been thrown around a lot recently with the Flyers, and rightfully so with time winding down in the season. But if they drop this one, the consequences could be devastating. If things weren’t tough enough, the Flyers will see a Bruins team hungry to hang on to the third spot in the Atlantic Division and not fall into the wild-card cluster. 2. Momentum kill The Flyers' power play snapped out of an 0-for-14 funk Thursday with Wayne Simmonds' deflection in the first period against the Leafs. But as one special-teams unit showed a pulse, the other continued to flat-line. After giving up two power-play tallies to the Sabres on Tuesday, the Flyers allowed two more to the Leafs on Thursday, including an absolute backbreaker by Mitch Marner late in the third period that made the score 3-1 in favor of Toronto. The power-play goals against the Flyers the last two games have been momentum killers in important moments. But the Sabres and Leafs also have the top two power plays in the league. The Bruins check in at 13th with the man advantage. So still another formidable test for the Flyers' PK. 3. New bench boss, new Bruins An era ended last month when Boston axed Claude Julien after 10 years on the job and the 2011 Stanley Cup. Enter interim head coach Bruce Cassidy and the Bruins have taken off under his watch. Under Julien, the Bruins were averaging 2.56 goals per game. However, in the 12 games since Cassidy took over, the B's have scored 3.75 goals per game. It's been an offensive renaissance that has helped the Bruins earn 18 points in the standings since Cassidy took over and has propelled them from the outskirts of the playoffs into the top three in the Atlantic. Combine the offensive outburst with all-world goalie Tuukka Rask and you have the Bruins' recipe for success. 4. Keep an eye on … 1052390 Philadelphia Flyers 2. Penalty kill In the last three games, the Flyers have given up 10 power-play opportunities and opponents have scored in half of them. Hakstol thinks 3 things to watch in Game 67: Flyers at Bruins that the mistakes that have led to those goals are minor and overall there isn't a problem contrary to what the numbers say. Dave Isaac , @davegisaac “I’m not gonna get too much into it,” the coach said. “PK, you need everyone doing their job on a PK. Everybody. And we’ve had one piece Published 8:06 a.m. ET March 11, 2017 | Updated 7 hours ago miss an assignment on probably our last five or six goals against. When I look at it throughout an entire two-minute PK, we’re doing so many good things getting the pressure and the clears that we want, but we haven’t finished. We’ve got to finish the PKs.” Today: Flyers at Boston Bruins 3. Goalie matchup Site: TD Garden / Boston Steve Mason will be back between the pipes against the Bruins. He has Time: 1 p.m. a 6-2-3 record in 12 career games against Boston with a 2.26 goals- TV/Radio: CSN/93.3 FM against average and .933 save percentage. He will likely face Tuukka Rask for Boston, who is 11-2-3 in 17 games against the Flyers with a Records: Flyers 31-27-8; Bruins 35-26-6 2.17 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. FLYERS PROJECTED LINEUP Courier-Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 Forwards 40-Jordan Weal, 28-Claude Giroux, 17-Wayne Simmonds 11-Travis Konecny, 51-Valtteri Filppula, 93-Jake Voracek 24-Matt Read, 14-Sean Couturier, 10-Brayden Schenn 76-Chris VandeVelde, 78-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, 25-Nick Cousins Defensemen 9-Ivan Provorov & 47-Andrew MacDonald 23-Brandon Manning & 53-Shayne Gostisbehere 15-Michael Del Zotto & 3-Radko Gudas Goalie 35-Steve Mason Injuries/Suspensions LW Michael Raffl — out five to seven weeks, "lower-body injury" BRUINS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 63-Brad Marchand, 37-Patrice Bergeron, 42-David Backes 19-Drew Stafford, 46-David Krejci, 88-David Pastrnak 72-Frank Vatrano, 27-Austin Czarnik, 11-Jimmy Hayes 39-Matt Beleskey, 28-Dominic Moore, 20-Riley Nash Defensemen 33-Zdeno Chara & 25-Brandon Carlo 47-Torey Krug & 54-Adam McQuaid 6-Colin Miller & 86-Kevan Miller Goalie 40-Tuukka Rask Injuries/Suspensions C Tim Schaller — out, lower-body injury C Ryan Spooner — out indefinitely, concussion THREE THINGS TO WATCH 1. Body language Two years ago the Flyers lost to Bruins in Boston and it set the table for the rest of their playoff run. They didn't respond after that and the Flyers are hoping it's not the same case with Thursday's loss to the Maple Leafs. They want to forget about it, which is much easier said than done. “It sticks with you. It eats at you,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “I’m sure a lot of guys probably didn’t have a great night of sleep (Thursday) night but you’ve got to wake up (Friday)…that’s what the workday was all about — clearing your mind, clearing your plate, getting ready for the next one (Saturday). Is it cliché? Absolutely, but before the game (against Toronto) we had gotten seven out of eight points.” 1052391 Philadelphia Flyers are going to be, but hopefully the teams are going to lose and we are going to be exactly in the same spot.”

The Flyers need help if they’re going to get into the playoffs for the right Bad bounce, tough call has Flyers needing help to a rematch with the Washington Capitals. With a day off Sunday they’ll have more time to let another bad loss in Boston stew. Dave Isaac , @davegisaac Two years ago the wheels to a playoff run came off when the Flyers lost to the Bruins in overtime, allowing the game-tying goal with eight Published 6:21 p.m. ET March 11, 2017 | Updated 10 hours ago seconds left in regulation. They lost to New Jersey by three the next night and never recovered.

They say they’ve forgotten about that by now and this is a new challenge BOSTON — On the back of the Flyers’ workout t-shirts, new for their run even though it also seems an unlikely one to conquer. at the playoffs, reads a saying. “Of course you’re frustrated. We were five seconds from the overtime,” You’re either all in, or you’re just in the way. Voracek said. “Of course you’re mad. You can’t change the past. There’s nothing you can do. It’s frustrating, but it’s the same thing all the time. Brandon Manning got in the way. And the run at the playoffs has slowed You can’t focus on the past. We’ve got to focus on Monday.” to a screeching halt. Courier-Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 With 5.6 seconds left, Manning deflected Drew Stafford’s shot behind Steve Mason. The Boston Bruins won 2-1 in regulation. Until the blocked shot attempt gone horribly wrong, the Flyers were headed for at least one point for getting to an extra session. “Unfortunately no one else was in front, I had a good read on it and unfortunately Mandog got a stick on it and it deflected in the opposite direction,” said Mason, who made 25 saves on the day. “It’s an unfortunate mistake at a tough time.” If the Flyers had won, the hope for the postseason wouldn’t have been quite as fleeting. For those who believe in such things, the prediction- creating algorithm that is sportsclubstats.com gives the Flyers a 0.8 percent chance of making the playoffs after going 1-2-1 on a four-game road trip. For as devastating as the result was, the Flyers didn’t play awfully. Their only goal that counted had to go through a coach’s challenge and another one that crossed the line was called back. Brayden Schenn thought he had scored the first goal of the game after Michael Del Zotto sprung Jake Voracek on a breakaway. He was stopped by Boston goalie Tuukka Rask, barely. “It was probably an inch from being fully over (the line),” Schenn said. “He had his pad tucked against the post and the puck was sandwiched in between there and the first initial shot didn’t go in.” Schenn stuffed it in. Referee Marc Joannette was standing on the back of the net and called no-goal. He wanted to blow the whistle to stop play, even though he hadn’t. The NHL’s “situation room” in Toronto phoned in to initiate a review. That was deemed irrelevant because Joannette “deemed the play dead,” after Rask stopped the initial shot. “Puck was loose, snuck between the post and the pad and I jammed it in,” Schenn said. “Rule tells you it’s otherwise and no goal, I guess.” “There’s an intent to blow the play down, not when the whistle blows,” coach Dave Hakstol added. “That’s the National Hockey League rule and it’s probably a bit confusing at times to everybody. That’s not one I second guess. That’s the explanation that was given.” It would have probably given the Flyers a shot in the arm. They could have used it because a 5-on-3 power play a few minutes later yielded five shots, but no goals. Boston scored instead five minutes later on a power play of their own. David Pastrnak one-timed a feed from Patrice Bergeron in for his 28th goal of the season. The puck moved quick on the Boston power play, erasing any mistakes that had left them vulnerable. The Flyers got it back in the second period 87 seconds into the frame. Wayne Simmonds drove to the net to get the rebound of Claude Giroux’s shot. He couldn’t pot it, but got it in front where Jordan Weal could. The Flyers outshot the Bruins 9-4 in the second period and the third period was even more dominant, but in the other direction. Boston had a 12-4 shot advantage in the final frame with the Flyers not putting a puck on net until the 12:27 mark. “I think it was a tight game overall. We were (trying) to win the game there,” Mason said. “Unfortunately it comes down to a bad break there with five seconds to go. That’s a bad way to give up at least one point for sure.” “We can sit in the locker room and feel sorry for ourselves or we can get back to work,” Voracek added. “One of those two things. I think we are experienced enough to know that Boston is now … I wouldn’t say uncatchable, but the second wild card, I don’t know what the other scores 1052392 Philadelphia Flyers General manager Ron Hextall was not on the trip. Instead of heading for Toronto at the end of the general managers’ meetings early in the week, he went on an amateur scouting mission. … For the third time in his Brandon Manning’s gaffe will sting for a while career, Simmonds had eight shots on goal. His career high is 10, in a two-goal effort in 2012 against Nashville. … Jordan Weal’s goal overcame a coach’s challenge. Two of his three career goals have overcome challenges where Simmonds was alleged to have been Dave Isaac , @davegisaac offside. 5:39 p.m. ET March 11, 2017 Courier-Post LOADED: 03.12.2017

BOSTON — Brandon Manning probably would have preferred another right hook from Matt Beleskey. A continuation of the fight from the first period would have hurt less than the way the third period ended. Drew Stafford, the Boston Bruins forward, lobbed a puck at the net in a tie game with the clock quickly approaching zero. Manning tried to block the shot and instead tipped it behind Steve Mason with 5.6 seconds left. Bruins win 2-1. In regulation. It was instinct over logic. Mason had a clear sight of the shot with no one else there. Manning’s reflex was to get a piece of it. “That’s the way hockey is,” he said about his instinct to block it. “That’s the sport or whatever. Unfortunately it was a big moment, a big time in our season right now. It’s tough right now, but moving on from that and trying to get away from it.” A day off Sunday won’t help. The fact that the Flyers were less than six seconds away from getting a point in the standings won’t either. “If you’re skating across the blue line and you throw it on net or behind, you don’t really have anyone going,” Stafford said. “So just kind of waiting for the drivers to pull up and I knew I had a few seconds left at least. Other than that, an extremely lucky break I guess, but we’ll take it.” It was a game the Flyers had to have and Manning’s play was the final one. That stings. He’s never had a play quite like that in his career at any level. “It’s a bounce of the puck,” he said. “That’s the way it goes. Still got 15 games left, there’s lots of time here. I think we take a day (Sunday) and move on.” From the start of the game Manning had an effect. Shayne Gostisbehere was on the painful end of a hit by Beleskey early in the first period. It was a clean hit, no doubt, but Manning wanted to show he didn’t like it and dropped the gloves with the Bruins forward, who has two goals and seven points in 36 games this season. It didn’t go well. Beleskey clocked Manning with a right and took him down with a punch that hit Manning in the armpit. “He and everybody in our room knows what a warrior he is for us, right from the start of this hockey game,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “That’s not going to change in everybody’s mind. He’s a huge part of our hockey team. He’s a character man and he’s going to be just fine Monday night.” That’s when the Flyers next play and Manning may be thinking about the play until then. He said teammates after the game took pity on him, offering a pat on the back. “I don’t need that, but definitely (got it),” Manning said. “We’ve got good guys in this locker room. I don’t think anyone is pointing fingers. It’s no different if your goalie has a tough night or your power play has a tough night. I think we’re a tight-knit group in here as a team. We’ll win together and lose together.” Two-man advantage not so advantageous For 1:43 of the first period, the Flyers had a 5-on-3 power play after Gostisbehere was high-sticked by Brad Marchand. Five shots on net were a lot, but none went behind Boston goalie Tuukka Rask, who made 26 saves on the day. “I think it was a better 5-on-3 than we did against Florida or Calgary,” Jake Voracek said. “We tried to put the puck in front of the net. (Wayne Simmonds) had a couple good rebounds there. It didn’t go in.” “I thought today we executed well,” Hakstol added. “I thought he made three real good saves. We didn’t score on it, but it didn’t hurt us momentum wise. At the end of the day we couldn’t get one by him.” Boston’s first goal came on a power play, 4 minutes and 29 seconds after Marchand’s penalty expired. Loose Pucks 1052393 Pittsburgh Penguins Overtime KARMA POLICE Three periods: NHL scoring race crowded at the top If he finds opportunities to do good deeds in the next few weeks, Conor Sheary intends to seize them. He figures that might help his effort to avoid injury for the rest of the season and sustain his stellar second year JONATHAN BOMBULIE AND BILL WEST in the NHL. Saturday, March 11, 2017, 7:06 p.m. “Yeah, get a lot of karma, pick up a lot of trash around the rink,” Sheary said. “I think other than that, I don't think there's much I can do.”

After missing a month with an upper-body injury, Sheary tallied four First points in his first four games back. His production alleviated anxiety about whether the winger, who had 35 points in 42 games before his CROWDED AT THE TOP month-long absence, could pick up where he left off. There were six players within five points of the NHL scoring lead going Sheary made a similarly strong return from an injury in November when, into Saturday night's games. Edmonton's Connor McDavid led, and a after missing almost three weeks because of a high stick to the face, he pack consisting of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Brent Burns, Patrick scored five points in his first four games back. Kane and Brad Marchand was close behind. —Bill West That's an almost unprecedented logjam. Tribune Review LOADED: 03.12.2017 If the scoring race were to end this way, it would be the first time since 1928-29 that six players finished within six points of the NHL lead. That year, Toronto's Ace Bailey led the league with 32 points in 44 games. Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers finished sixth with 26 points. Crosby, in search of his third scoring title, said he hasn't been following the race closely. “The odd time, you take a glance,” Crosby said. “There's a lot of guys that are bunched in there, but at this point, (wins) are so important. You're just trying to worry about that. You hope the points will come.” —Jonathan Bombulie Second CLAMPING DOWN Look for the Penguins to continue to pull out close wins during the final month of the regular season. Coach Mike Sullivan recently expressed a cautious confidence about his team's ability to win against desperate opponents, and signs suggest the Penguins are less susceptible to late-game collapses than almost any other group in the league. No team scores five-on-five goals at a higher rate when leading by one than the Penguins, according to naturalhattrick.com. Whereas most squads go into a bit of a shell when they build a one-goal margin, the Penguins continue to push for offense at an unrivaled pace, but metrics indicate they also clamp down in the high-danger areas of the ice in their own zone. “This team has shown an ability to have success in those circumstances,” Sullivan said. “I think the one area where we're just going to continue to challenge this group is just in making sure that we pay attention to the details as far as our play away from the puck and defending the right way.” —Bill West Third CLOSER TO HOME If some of Matt Murray's friends and family wanted to take a trip to see him play in person, last Wednesday's game in Winnipeg was one of their best chances of the season. Murray is from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and geographically challenged Americans often think any town in that province is somewhere in the vicinity of Toronto. Thunder Bay is nowhere near there. Taking a long and winding drive around Lake Superior and Lake Huron, it's about 15 hours away by car. Murray said the two places he considered the most near-by large cities when he was growing up were Winnipeg and Minneapolis. Winnipeg is about seven and a half hours away by car. Minneapolis is a little less than six hours away. Thunder Bay is so far north and west that the sun doesn't set until after 10 p.m. in the summer. Murray said by the end of the academic year, he and his friends had time to play 27 holes of golf after the school day ended. —Jonathan Bombulie 1052394 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins notebook: Murray gets start in Vancouver

Gord Mcintyre Saturday, March 11, 2017, 9:39 p.m.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Matt Murray had his work cut out for him to match Marc-Andre Fleury's brilliant, 40-save win Friday night at Edmonton, which included a breakaway stop on NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid in overtime. Murray (25-8-3) started his 37th game of the season Saturday night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Murray, still a rookie though his 15 playoff wins last season helped him become just the fourth first-year goaltender to lead his team to a Stanley Cup win, leads NHL rookie goalies in wins this season with 25. Fleury's win, on the other hand, was the 374th of his NHL career, tying him with for 15th all-time, and it was Fleury's 53rd career shootout win. He trails only Canucks goalie Ryan Miller (57) and Henrik Lundqvist (56). On a roll Phil Kessel's shootout winner in Edmonton gave the Penguins four wins in a row and a 2-0 start to the current five-game road trip. Chipped ice The Penguins were 4-2-1 in their previous seven visits to Rogers Arena. … Saturday's game was the 14th and final back-to-back for the Penguins this season. They were 6-5-2 on opening nights and 5-3-4 on second nights prior to Saturday. … The Penguins enjoyed their recent trips to Western Canada, going 14-3-2 in their last 19 visits to Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. A win against the Canucks would would guarantee a seventh consecutive winning trek to the three cities. Tribune Review LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052395 Pittsburgh Penguins

Murray sharp as Penguins down Canucks, 3-0, for fifth consecutive victory

Gord Mcintyre Sunday, March 12, 2017, 12:48 a.m.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Matt Murray made 27 saves for his fourth shutout of the season as the Penguins beat the Vancouver Canucks, 3-0, on Saturday night at Rogers Arena. Ian Cole's long wrist shot at 16 minutes, 24 seconds of the second period held up as the winner. Connor Sheary won a battle along the boards and set up Jake Guentzel at 16:57 of the third period to make it 2-0. Sheary's empty-netter at 18:45 made it 3-0. It was the Penguins' fifth consecutive win as they wrapped up their 12th and final back-to-back games of the season. The team is 3-0 to begin its current five-game road trip. Murray, making his 37th start, improved to 26-8-3. The score could have been more lopsided in favor of the Penguins, but for the play of Vancouver goalie Ryan Miller. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Sheary were just three of the repeat victims of Miller's robberies. Cole's goal, his fifth of the season, was on the Penguins' 21st shot of the second period and 33rd of the game. The Pens finished the night with 48 shots. Vancouver thought it tied the score 1-1 on a power play at :58 of the third period, but the goal was waved off because Sven Baertschi put it in with a high stick. The Penguins' third-ranked power play got its first opportunity at 9:03 of the second period after Baertschi hooked Crosby, but it was Vancouver captain Henrik Sedin who had the best scoring chance after he danced in and tried to get a wrist shot past Murray from 20 feet. Another power-play opportunity came 4:21 later with Luca Sbisa in the box for hooking Crosby. The first period was Murray's busiest. Vancouver thought it had opened scoring at 7:35 when Daniel Sedin's shot from the corner deflected off the leg of Michael Chaput in front of Murray, but a challenge by Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was successful. It was ruled Chaput interfered with Murray, and the goal didn't count. Thirty seconds later, Malkin missed an open net while redirecting a cross-ice slap pass from defenseman Ron Hainsey at the right point. Turnabout being fair play, Bo Horvat was free behind the Pittsburgh defense three minutes later but couldn't handle the breakaway pass. Then, Nick Bonino was unable to convert a Philip Larsen giveaway in front of the Canucks net a couple of minutes after that. Murray was sharp from his first save 1:31 into the game, a glove save on Baertschi, who was on a two-on-one. Later in the period, Baertschi toe- dragged the puck around Mark Streit and tried to put a backhand past the Pens goalie, but Murray got his glove on it. At the other end, Ryan Miller kept it 0-0 with Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Sheary getting a half-dozen good chances during a mad scramble in the final minute. It ended with the puck slipping behind Miller but failing to cross the line before being cleared by Canucks defenseman Luca Sbisa. Center Matt Cullen, a late scratch on Friday night in Edmonton, did not dress Saturday. In his place, center Oskar Sundqvist dressed for his second straight game. The Canucks, fresh off the mumps sweeping through the dressing room, were without defenseman Chris Tanev and center Markus Granlund, both out with food poisoning. Tribune Review LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052396 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins beat Canucks 3-0 for fifth consecutive win

By Sam Werner Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Undeterred by yet another untimely injury and facing a red-hot goalie, the Penguins kept up their winning ways in Western Canada, beating the Canucks, 3-0, Saturday night. With winger Carl Hagelin a late scratch due to injury, the Penguins were forced to dress just 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Those who did play had to face Canucks goalie Ryan Miller, who turned what could’ve been a rout into a nail-biter with 45 saves. Ian Cole scored the only goal the Penguins needed late in the second period with his fifth of the season. Miller had stymied the Penguins until that point, but Cole’s wrist shot from the point at 16:24 of the second found its way through traffic and past Miller. Jake Guentzel ended any potential for late drama with his 10th of the season at 16:54 of the third period. Conor Sheary tacked on an empty- netter to round out the scoring. The Canucks put the puck in the net twice, but had both goals waved off by the officials. One was overturned due to goalie interference in the first period, another nullified by a high stick in the third period. Penguins goalie Matt Murray got in front of every other shot the Canucks threw at him, stopping 27 shots for his fourth shutout of the season. The Penguins return to action Monday night in Calgary to wrap up their four-game Western Canada swing. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052397 Pittsburgh Penguins Monday – at Calgary. Sidney Crosby has 10 goals in 11 career games against Calgary.

Wednesday – at Philadelphia. Penguins need one point to clinch season The art of blocking shots in the NHL takes guts and brains series for third time in five years. Friday – New Jersey. Devils are doomed to miss playoffs for fifth time in By Dave Molinari a row. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Post Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017

It takes guts to give up your body to block shots. Having a good plan for how to do it isn’t a bad idea, either. Defenseman Ian Cole, one of the NHL’s top shot-blockers, is among those who have developed an style with which he is comfortable. As comfortable as he can be when putting himself in front of a puck traveling 90 or so miles per hour, anyway. “I like to go down on one knee and make sure I’m really tight, so I don’t have a bunch of holes [through which a puck could pass],” he said. Of course, even the most well thought-out strategy isn’t going to matter much if the shooter manages to deke his way around the defender. That’s part of the reason Cole prefers to not leave his feet when he’s compelled to block a shot. “It’s just a matter of having the right timing for when he’s going to shoot,” he said. “You don’t want to be sliding through or the guy’s going to pump and walk right past you.” Not being faked out of position is critical, for all the obvious reasons, but the process doesn’t end there. “Almost every guy shoots with his head up, so you have to have good timing, first of all, and you need to know your position on the ice,” Cole said. “Make sure you’re in the shot lane, make sure you’re taking away half the net, for the goaltender.” And, he might have added, make sure you’re OK with the possibility of losing some blood. Or teeth. Or both. SUBHEAD As detailed in this space a week ago, Penguins center Matt Cullen has a lot of fond memories of the Minnesota high-school hockey tournament, the 2017 version of which was scheduled to conclude in St. Paul Saturday night. Although Cullen had one third-place finish and two seconds while playing for Moorhead High School, one of his most enduring memories was of a quarterfinals game when he was a sophomore. “Our first game was a 6-5 win over Cloquet, a small town, but they were in Tier 1 [for bigger schools],” he said. “ was a junior on that team and they had a Russian kid named [Sergei] Petrov. Somehow, he ended up in Cloquet.” Petrov went on to play at Minnesota-Duluth and in the minor leagues, while Langenbrunner had a long and successful career in the NHL. Which didn’t surprise Cullen at all. “I think they factored in on all five of [Cloquet’s] goals,” Cullen said. “Langenbrunner was a total stud in high school. Man, he was good.” SUBHEAD Defenseman Olli Maatta was having an up-and-down season before sustaining the broken hand that has sidelined him since Feb. 16, but no matter how he was performing, there was at least one constant: An impeccable work ethic. Maatta routinely stays on the ice for extra work after practice, a habit he picked up by watching veteran teammates during his early days in the league. “I remember my first year, when I got here, the habits guys had,” he said. “After practice, I remember [Brooks Orpik] and [Matt Niskanen] and [Paul Martin] … “If you can do those reps [after practice] every day, they kind of add up. At the end of the season, you’ve done a lot.” THE WEEK AHEAD 1052398 Pittsburgh Penguins Jose in the Cup final? His winning goal in the Game 6 clincher against the Sharks?

Fleury remembers all of it. Ron Cook: Penguins can't win a Stanley Cup title without Kris Letang “Other than his battle level, which is there every night, he skates so well. Joins the rush. Plays good defense. He can catch up with guys. Gets the By Ron Cook puck out of our zone, by himself sometimes with his skating.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Veteran defenseman Mark Streit, acquired in a trade March 1, has yet to play with Letang but is eager for the opportunity.

“He’s just a tremendous player, an unbelievable defenseman in this I am convinced of this with absolute certainty: The Penguins wouldn’t league for a long time. I played so many times against him. I always was have won the Stanley Cup last season without Kris Letang. I also believe so impressed with his game. His skating ability, how he moves the puck. this without a doubt: The Penguins won’t win the Cup this season without He’s got a lot of poise and a lot of skill. He’s got a physical edge to his a healthy Letang. game. He’s got a lot of tools in his repertoire. That’s why he’s that great.” Mike Sullivan delivered good news in Winnipeg Wednesday night when The Penguins need Letang to be great if they’re going to become the first he said Letang doesn’t have a concussion or a problem associated with repeat Cup winner in nearly 20 years. Actually, they just need him to be his stroke in 2014. Until then, we were left to speculate about the worst healthy. The greatness will follow automatically. because the Penguins had been so vague about Letang’s injury. He hasn’t played since Feb. 21 at Carolina when he played 28:49 and Post Gazette LOADED: 03.12.2017 finished the 3-1 win. He hasn’t practiced since Feb. 24 and isn’t on the team’s Western swing through Canada. Sullivan said Letang’s injury is “upper-body” and “hockey-related.” Unfortunately, he couldn’t or wouldn’t put a timetable on Letang’s return. Is that at least a little distressing or what? I know, it’s March 12. The playoffs don’t begin for another month. Letang has plenty of time to get healthy. I’m just wondering if this is going to turn out to be one of those years for him. He missed five games in October, seven games in December, six games in January and eight games now. If this were just a one-season thing, it might be different. But Letang missed 11 games last season, 13 games in 2014-15 and the Penguins’ five-game playoff elimination by the New York Rangers because of a concussion, 45 games in 2013-14, 13 games in 2012-13 and 31 games in 2010-11. Do the math. In the past six seasons, including this one, Letang has missed 139 of 443 regular-season games because of injury or illness. That’s 31.4 percent — nearly one of every three games. And we think Sidney Crosby’s career has been short-changed by injuries. “Ah, geez, it’s tough,” Marc-Andre Fleury was saying the other day. He is as close to Letang as anyone and knows how much it pains Letang to be out of the lineup. The two are the only on the Penguins’ roster. “You want to see your teammates have fun and be out on the ice with you,” Fleury said. “He’s missing it. He’s out of it right now … “He loves the game. Every time he plays, he’s going 100 miles per hour. Going into the corners. Giving checks. Taking checks. Always trying to make plays. He’s such an intense player. He loves the challenge.” All of the Penguins coaches – from Sullivan to Rick Tocchet to Jacques Martin to Sergei Gonchar – have talked to Letang about picking his spots better. It’s one thing to hold on to the puck and risk getting blown up in a playoff game to make a play. It’s something much more unnecessary when the team is ahead, 5-1. Letang, who will hit 30 April 24, has promised to do better, but he knows only one way to play. That has left him vulnerable to injuries, but it’s also made him a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman. What’s remarkable about Letang is, other than that five-game series against the Rangers in 2015, he has managed to stay durable during the playoffs when the games are most intense. “I always marveled how he could come back from injury and be at full bore,” former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said last week. Letang has played in 100 of 107 postseason games going back to the Penguins’ Cup season of 2009. He missed one game last season during the long journey to the Cup because of a suspension for his hit on Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in Game 3 of that series. It’s still hard to believe the Penguins won Game 4, 3-2 in overtime on Patric Hornqvist’s goal, without Letang and injured Olli Maatta and getting more than 17 minutes from Derrick Pouliot. Letang averaged nearly 29 minutes of ice time in the 2016 playoffs, easily the most on the Penguins. Only St. Louis’ was close to him in minutes among NHL defensemen who played in at least seven games. Letang made the most of his on-ice time. Remember how his goal gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead when they were facing elimination in Game 6 against Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference final, prompting the Pirates crowd to start chanting “Let’s Go Pens!” at PNC Park? His assist on Conor Sheary’s overtime goal in Game 2 against San 1052399 San Jose Sharks

Sharks vs. Predators pregame: Three keys for San Jose

By CURTIS PASHELKA March 11, 2017 at 12:03 PM

Sharks (40-19-7, 21-7-4 home) vs. Nashville (32-24-11, 13-16-4 away), 1 p.m., SAP Center, CSNCA, 98.5 KFOX The Sharks are 33-23-2-6 all-time vs. Nashville and have a 1-0 record against the Predators this season. In their last meeting in San Jose on Oct. 29, Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton each had a goal and an assist and Martin Jones made 27 saves as the Sharks picked up a 4-1 win over the Predators. Today’s stories: Sharks hope inconsistent power play is turning the corner Jones to start vs. Predators, but Sharks’ priority is keeping him fresh for the postseason Sharks notes: David Schlemko remains day-to-day with a lower body injury and will not play. It remains to be seen when he’ll begin to skate again. Schlemko was hurt March 2 against Vancouver. The Sharks are not making any lineup changes from their 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals. Coach Pete DeBoer said he’ll wait to see how Saturday’s game goes before he decides on a starting goalie for Sunday’s game against Dallas. Here are three keys for the Sharks on Saturday as they look to build upon their lead in the Pacific Division, and close the gap on Western Conference-leading Minnesota. 1) Keep the big guys rolling: The Sharks’ top forwards have led the way the last two games with Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture combining for 10 points in wins over Winnipeg and Washington. They’ll probably need to do their share of the heavy lifting again against a desperate Predators team that’s still looking to solidify their spot in the Western Conference playoffs picture. The Sharks, naturally, would love for their third and fourth lines to make an impact on the scoresheet, but a win becomes more likely if the top two lines are producing and creating chances. 2) Avoid an emotional letdown: SAP Center was rocking and rolling during Thursday’s game against the Capitals. Perhaps its human nature for there to be an emotional dip of some sort, especially for an afternoon game. Will it take a period for the Sharks, and the fans, to really get into it? It shouldn’t. This is a game the Sharks should win and they need to set the tempo right away. Be physical from the start. 3) Defensive approach: The Sharks did a decent job of shutting down the Capitals’ top line of T.J. Oshie, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, which had a combined six shots on net. The challenge is to do the same against the Predators’ line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson. Expect that trio to see a lot of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun. In six games since the end of the bye week, the Sharks have allowed just five goals 5-on-5.

Curtis Pashelka

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052400 San Jose Sharks Martin scored his fourth of the season 6:18 into the first period. Joe Thornton won a draw back to Martin, whose shot from just inside the blue line got past a screened Juuse Saros for a 1-0 Sharks lead. Second period dooms Sharks in 3-1 loss to Predators The Predators tied the game with 7:50 left in the first. Roman Josi kept a puck in at the Sharks’ blue line and put a shot toward the net that hit Justin Braun. Ryan Johansen picked up the loose and beat Jones with a By Curtis Pashelka wrist shot for his 11th goal of the season. PUBLISHED: March 11, 2017 at 6:12 pm Johansen’s goal was just the Predators’ third shot on net. UPDATED: March 11, 2017 at 6:44 PM “We want to play to our strengths and that’s not turning pucks over, that’s not feeding teams’ rush coming the other way,” said Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon, who got into a second period scrap with Austin Watson after Watson leveled Martin. “And I think we got away from that today for SAN JOSE — The Sharks became all too familiar with what works and whatever reason.” what doesn’t against the Nashville Predators from their back-and-forth second round playoff series last season. The Sharks experienced a refresher course anyway Saturday, as they San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.12.2017 got away from their strengths in the second period and played right into Nashville’s hands in a 3-1 loss to the Predators at SAP Center. “I liked our first period, and then we stopped playing, stopped following that formula,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. “We had some things working for us, our forecheck, good pressure in the offensive zone. Keeping it simple. “Came out for the second period and decided we were going to turn it into a track meet, turn pucks over, and it came back to bite us.” James Neal’s second period goal after a Dylan DeMelo giveaway below the Sharks’ goal line proved to be the game-winner as the Sharks lost in regulation for just the third time in 17 games since the all-star break ended Jan. 31. Paul Martin scored his fourth goal of the season and Martin Jones made 22 saves for the Sharks, who missed an opportunity to gain ground on Minnesota and Chicago in the Western Conference standings. Two days after scoring twice with the man advantage against the Washington Capitals, the Sharks went 0-for-4 on the power play where they managed just three shots on goal and lost five of six faceoffs. The Sharks were listed as having 16 giveaways to the Predators’ six. Even if those totals were off a bit, they told enough of the story. “Obviously, we want the points, but we want to make sure we’re playing the right way down the homestretch,” Martin said. “No matter what the outcome, we want to be playing good hockey and smart hockey, giving ourselves at least a chance to win and making it a little easier on (Jones).” The Sharks are going to be playing a host of teams over the next week that are going to be playing at the same desperation level as the Predators, who, coming into Saturday, had lost four straight and were clinging to third place in the Central Division. The Sharks host the Dallas Stars on Sunday and the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, two teams that are realistically out of the postseason picture. But the homestand concludes with games against the St. Louis Blues, who are right behind the Predators, on Thursday and the rival Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. The Sharks and Predators’ playoff series last spring went seven games, with the home team winning each game. In the four games the Sharks won, they outscored Nashville 18-5. Prior to Saturday, puck management had largely been one of the Sharks’ strengths, with just nine non-empty net goals allowed their last six games. Games like Saturday’s where some bad habits creep in have been the exception. “This is more about us,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got to play 60 minutes the right way this time of year in order to win games. Otherwise, you’re leaving it to chance and I think that’s what we did. We left it chance and that’s not good enough.” On Neal’s goal, a forechecking Colin Wilson got enough of DeMelo’s stick so that the intended pass around the net only slid a few feet. That allowed Wilson to backhand a pass to an open Neal, who beat Jones for his 19th goal of the season. “Just got a piece of my stick,” DeMelo said of Wilson’s play. “Either just whacked it or got a little tug or something. Tried to make a play and he just got enough of my stick that it took some speed off the pass.” 1052401 San Jose Sharks

Sharks cooled off by Predators

Associated Press Updated 6:53 pm, Saturday, March 11, 2017

The Sharks used two power-play goals and a strong penalty kill to beat the Washington Capitals on Thursday. But San Jose’s special teams were a bit less special Saturday afternoon at SAP Center. Nashville stymied the Sharks on four power plays and scored a shorthanded empty-net goal as the Predators cooled off their hosts, winning 3-1. San Jose’s loss was its second in the past seven games; Nashville had lost four in a row. Despite the loss, the Sharks hold a seven-point lead over second-place Anaheim in the Pacific Division. Paul Martin scored the Sharks’ goal in the first period, firing a shot from the point that went through a screen by Jannik Hansen. Nashville’s winner came at 10:08 of the second period. A strong forecheck from Colin Wilson allowed him to take the puck away from Sharks defenseman Dylan DeMelo, and Wilson fed a wide-open James Neal in front of the net. Neal beat Sharks goalie Martin Jones for the goal that gave Nashville a 2-1 lead. “We had a few breakdowns in the second where we got caught trading chances,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “It was one of those games where you wonder why you don’t get a couple more goals. It felt like we were in their end the whole time.” “We came out in the second and tried to turn it into a track meet,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer added. “It came back to bite us. These are desperate teams we are playing. We have to get our desperation level to an equivalent spot.” The Sharks had their chances to tie it — three of their power plays came after Nashville’s second goal — but backup goalie Juuse Saros kept San Jose at bay, finishing with 25 saves. The Sharks’ final chance on the power play came late in the third, but they couldn’t generate any good chances and Nashville iced the game with an empty-net goal by Viktor Arvidsson. The Predators lead the NHL with 10 shorthanded goals. “It was a great penalty kill,” said Neal, whose slashing penalty with 2:30 to play created the chance. “We got those big blocks at the end there. They have a great power play. To hold them off the score sheet gives us a chance to win and that’s what happened.” Sharks on Sunday Who: Dallas (27-30-10) at Sharks (40-20-7) When: 7 p.m. TV/Radio: CSNCA/98.5

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052402 San Jose Sharks Kevin Fiala – Mike Fisher – Craig Smith Colin Wilson – Calle Jarnkrok – James Neal NHL GAMEDAY: COUTURE HEATING UP AS SHARKS HOST PREDS Cody McLeod – Colton Sissons – Austin Watson Mattias Ekholm – P.K. Subban By Kevin Kurz Matt Irwin – Roman Josi March 11, 2017 8:47 AM Anthony Bitetto – Yannick Weber Pekka Rinne SHARKS STANDINGS Jusse Saros Programming note – Sharks-Predators coverage starts today at 12:30 INJURIES p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California Sharks: David Schlemko (lower body) is out. WHERE THEY STAND Predators: P.A. Parenteau (finger) and Ryan Ellis (lower body) are day- Sharks: 40-19-7, 87 points, 1st Pacific Division to-day. Miikka Salomaki (lower body) is out. Predators: 32-24-11, 75 points, 3rd Central Division QUOTEABLE PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES “I’d lie if I said it wasn’t nice. It felt good. Not just that we scored, it felt like we were going to score before the power play even started. … We ***Fresh off of their 40th win of the season, the Sharks will host Nashville kind of felt that intensity throughout the group, and it showed tonight.” – in the second of a six-game homestand. They have won five of the last Joe Pavelski, on the Sharks’ two power play goals on Thursday against six overall (5-1-0). the Capitals On Thursday against Washington, it was a pair of power play goals that keyed a 4-2 win over league-leading Washington. Previously, that unit had been just 2-for-23 over the last nine games. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 “I think we pinpointed some of the things in a pretty small package what we needed to fix that we thought could start to help us,” Pete DeBoer said. “The guys went out and did that.” ***Nashville remains in playoff position in third place in the Central Division, but has dropped its last four (0-2-2). It fell in a shootout decision to Anaheim on Tuesday, 4-3, and suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the Kings on Thursday. All three of Los Angeles’ goals were scored on the power play. Nashville has allowed six power play goals-against in 11 opportunities during its four-game skid. "Needs to be better," Predators coach Peter Laviolette told reporters regarding the penalty kill. ***This is the second of two meetings between the teams, which faced each other last season in an entertaining second round Stanley Cup playoff matchup. The Sharks beat Nashville at home on Oct. 29, 4-1. They face off again at Bridgestone Arena in exactly two weeks. KEEP AN EYE ON... Sharks: Logan Couture. The second line center has arguably been the Sharks’ best player since the bye week, with four goals and three assists for seven points in his last six games. He scored both of the Sharks’ power play goals on Thursday, and 10 of his 23 on the season have come with a man advantage, tying him for 12th in the NHL. Predators: Filip Forsberg. The Preds’ forward has been among the league’s hottest scorers of late, with 11 goals in his last nine games. The NHL’s second star of the month of February has 24 goals in his last 37 games, and is tied for second in the NHL with three shorthanded tallies. He’s tied with Ryan Johansen for the team lead in points (51). PROBABLE LINES Sharks Jannik Hansen – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Mikkel Boedker Joonas Donskoi – Tomas Hertl – Melker Karlsson Micheal Haley – Chris Tierney – Joel Ward Paul Martin – Brent Burns Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun Brenden Dillon – Dylan DeMelo Martin Jones (starter) Aaron Dell Predators Filip Forsberg – Ryan Johansen – Viktor Arvidsson 1052403 San Jose Sharks

Sharks fail to match Nashville's desperation in 3-1 home loss

By Kevin Kurz March 11, 2017 4:54 PM

SAN JOSE – The NHL season ends in exactly four weeks, so get used to hearing the D-word quite often between now and then. The scuffling Predators, badly needing two points, had it in a 3-1 win on Saturday at SAP Center. The Sharks didn’t play poorly, but didn’t have enough of it from start to finish. Desperation. “These are desperate teams we’re playing,” coach Pete DeBoer said. The Predators had lost four in a row, “and they’re fighting for their life and a playoff position. We have to make sure that we get our desperation level to an equivalent spot.” Brenden Dillon said: “We knew they were going to come flying, they’re a desperate team this time of year. They need every point. I think for us, we just kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit at certain times of the game, and they were able to capitalize.” The Sharks, unlike the Predators, don’t have to worry about falling out of playoff position. They still enjoy a seven-point lead in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on second place Anaheim, even after Saturday’s defeat. Still, they’d like to make a push for the first overall spot in the conference, assuring home ice advantage for a potential Western Conference Final. They remain five points behind Minnesota and two behind Chicago. For that to happen, they’ll have to match the intensity of their opponent more than they did against the Predators. Their start was strong, and so were the first few shifts of the second period of a 1-1 game, but Nashville outskated them after that. The game-winner came when an aggressive Colin Wilson tracked down Dylan DeMelo on the forecheck, and lifted the Sharks defenseman's stick up before seizing the puck below the goal line. Wilson quickly found James Neal in front of the net to put the Predators ahead for good midway through regulation. “Just got a piece of my stick, either just whacked it or a little tug or something,” DeMelo said. “Just tried to make a play, and he just got enough of my stick that it took some speed off the pass.” DeBoer said: “[Wilson] made a good play on him and stripped him. Those things happen. [DeMelo] has played some real good hockey for us. That’s not why we lost the game.” The lack of desperation continued to show in the third period on a pair of power plays that’s weren’t very effective. When Neal went off for slashing with two-and-a-half minutes left in regulation, the Sharks never came close to tying it, even after Martin Jones was pulled for an extra attacker. Viktor Arvidsson's shorthanded, emtpy-net goal capped the scoring. San Jose was also smoked in the faceoff circle, losing 64 percent of the draws. That’s typically a reflection of how hard the two teams are competing. “Definitely it can play a factor in the game,” Joe Pavelski said. “We got our first goal off a faceoff.” Still, the Sharks won’t leave SAP Center hanging their heads too low. The loss was just their second in regulation defeat in the last 11 games, and they’ll get a chance to respond right away on Sunday against a Dallas team that is already out of playoff contention. Saturday’s result was even a little predictable, after Thursday’s thrilling triumph over league-leading Washington. There are more games coming, though, against teams that will surely bring that playoff-type intensity. DeBoer said: “You’re got to play 60 minutes the right way this time of year in order to win games, otherwise you’re leaving it to chance. I think that’s what we did tonight, we left it to chance, and it’s not good enough.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052404 San Jose Sharks Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 Instant Replay: Sharks fall victim to Predators, lose at home

By Kevin Kurz March 11, 2017 3:28 PM

SAN JOSE – James Neal’s second period goal gave the Predators their first lead of the afternoon, and they held on in a tight-checking game at SAP Center on Saturday against the Sharks, 3-1. The Sharks had some good chances early in the second to take the lead with the score tied 1-1, but Melker Karlsson missed the net on a wrister from the slot in the first minute, and Jannik Hansen couldn’t corral a Joe Pavelski feed on a rush shortly after that. Nashville outskated the Sharks the rest of the frame, taking its first lead at 10:08 on Neal’s goal. Colin Wilson stripped Dylan DeMelo deep in the Sharks’ defensive zone before setting up Neal for his 19th score. San Jose’s power play had an opportunity to tie it after Neal went off on a slashing minor at 17:30 of the third period, but instead it was Viktor Arvidsson tapping in a P.K. Subban clear after Martin Jones was pulled to make it a six-on-four. The Sharks lost in regulation for just the second time in the last 11 games (7-2-3). They are 1-1 on their season-long six-game homestand. Capping off a three-game California swing, Nashville snapped a four- game losing streak (1-2-2) and remains in third place in the Central Division. The Sharks got on the board first on Paul Martin’s fourth goal. Joe Thornton pulled an offensive zone draw back to the point, and Martin’s shot skidded inside the far post with Hansen setting a screen on Juuse Saros at 6:18. Nashville tied it about six minutes later, when a floater from Roman Josi deflected off of Justin Braun’s shin to Ryan Johansen, who whizzed in a wrist shot from close range through Jones at 12:10. The Sharks and Predators entered the game as the two highest-scoring teams in the league by their defensemen. Martin’s goal was the Sharks’ 44th from the blue line, while Nashville has a combined 38. The Sharks are 6-8-3 in their last 17 regular season meetings with Nashville, although they won the previous meeting on Oct. 29 at home, 4-1. The teams face off for the third and final time in exactly two weeks at Bridgestone Arena. Special teams The Predators had given up six power play goals in just 11 chances during their four-game skid, but shut down San Jose’s four tries, after the Sharks had scored twice with a man advantage on Thursday against Washington. San Jose is 7-for-7 on the PK in its last two games, after allowing one power play goal-against in its previous four before that. In goal Jones started for the third time in the last five games, and figures to get Sunday off against Dallas in the second of a back-to-back. He made 22 saves. Saros, a 21-year-old fourth round draft pick in 2013, was making his first career start against the Sharks. It was his third start in the last eight games, and he improved to 8-6-3 on the season with 25 saves. Lineup Nashville trade deadline acquisition P.A. Parenteau made his debut after he was acquired on March 1 from New Jersey. He had been dealing with a finger injury. Defenseman Ryan Ellis, who had missed two of the last three with a lower body injury, also played. Defenseman David Schlemko missed his fourth straight game with a lower body injury. Up next Three of the Sharks’ final 15 games of the regular season will be against the Stars, including Sunday night in the second half of a rare back-to- back at home. The Sharks visit Dallas twice on the same road trip later this month, on March 20 and 24. 1052405 St Louis Blues Thomas Greiss *** Blues make lineup changes for showdown with Islanders WEBSTER GROVES PRODUCT MAYFIELD PLAYS On the New York side, Scott Mayfield, from Webster Groves, will be in the starting lineup. Earlier in the day, he had texted his parents that he By Tom Timmermann wouldn't be playing tonight, but then on ice during the Islanders morning skate, he got the word that he was in and had to send a correction to his parents. Carter Hutton will be in goal, Ivan Barbashev will be in for Jori Lehtera and Colton Parayko remains up in the air for Saturday night's game “I don't know what they're thinking right now,” Mayfield said. “We've had against the New York Islanders. two really strong games so they were maybe going to keep the same lineup and then he let me know on the ice that I was in so it's pretty The Blues didn't skate on Saturday morning after their 4-3 win over special. I've aways have this one marked down, so I'm excited.” Anaheim on Friday night, but coach Mike Yeo announced the changes. Lehtera took a puck to the head from teammate Joel Edmundson in the Mayfield has played just 16 games with the Islanders this season after third period of the Anaheim game and dropped to the ice, staying there being called up from the minors on Nov. 14. He played only once in the and not moving. He eventually got up and went to the dressing room for past four games but had played in seven straight games prior to that. treatment, but he was back on the bench when the game ended, though “It's the right thing to do,” said Islanders interim coach Doug Weight, the he never returned to the ice. ex-Blue. “It's not a choice of the heart. You want to make those at times Yeo said Parayko was questionable on Friday night with an unspecified and support your team but we have total trust in Scottie. He's taken a injury and didn't play the third period. “It's something we don't expect to step this year as a pro.” be long term, it was more of a precautionary measure on our part to take Mayfield grew up in Webster Groves and played youth hockey there and him out,” Yeo said after the game. “It's something we wanted to get two years at Webster Groves High. He played in the USHL and at the ahead of, something that we were a little concerned about that if we University of Denver and being drafted No. 34 in the 2011 draft by the continued to have him push, and he could have pushed, it might have led Islanders. At the time, that was the highest pick ever for a St. Louis to something long term.” product. He turned pro after his 2012-13 college season. If Parayko doesn't play – and considering this game is 24 hours after a Team-wise, is the final stop of a marathon three-week road trip for the game he was held out of as a precaution, it seems unlikely he would play Islanders. – that would mean Jordan Schmaltz is in for his second game and his first in St. Louis. It could also mean a scrambling of the defensive "It's crucial," said Weight. "You look at the fact that we're 5-2-1 and say pairings. In his one game, Schmaltz played along side Carl Gunnarsson. that would be a good trip no matter what, and I guess it would be most times, but people are winning. It's that time of year where teams are The Blues start the day two points behind Nashville for third in the going to get points and we're one point up (for the last wild-card spot) Central Division and would move into a tie -- and have the tiebreaker -- and we've got to win the game. We've gained some confidence on the with a win tonight and a Predators loss at San Jose. And the Blues have road, the style we have to play, we've played a lot of different teams with a three-point edge on Los Angeles, which is the team behind them for the different elements, but the record now means nothing. We have 75 points final wild-card spot. right now and teams have 74 and 76, 71. We've got to win a game. It "You don't have to look to far back to remember that they can turn the would be a great trip if we could win. That's what our goal is tonight." other way in a hurry," Yeo said. "That should serve as some motivation *** for us but I don't want us getting caught up in that. Let's use that as motivation and let's concentrate on the things we need to do to play our BACK TO BACK BLISS best game against a team that's been real hot." The Blues are 7-2 in the second game of back-to-back games. LINES "An understanding of how you have to play the game and how you have Blues to approach it," Yeo said. "It's also a matter of conditioning. On the back end (Friday), we had to use some guys a little more with Colton not being Forwards available for the second half of the game, but up front you look at the Jaden Schwartz-Paul Stastny-Vladimir Tarasenko minutes and they were spread out, so guys should be rested. Guys should be ready to go tonight." Alexander Steen-Patrik Berglund-David Perron

Dmitrij Jaskin-Ivan Barbashev-Magnus Paajarvi St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 Scottie Upshall-Kyle Brodziak-Ryan Reaves Defensemen Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo Joel Edmundson-Colton Parayko/Jordan Schmaltz Carl Gunnarsson-Robert Bortuzzo Goalie Carter Hutton ISLANDERS Anders Lee-John Tavares-Josh Bailey Nikolay Kulemin-Brock Nelson-Joshua Ho-Sang Andrew Ladd-Ryan Strome-Jason Chimera Stephen Gionta-Anthony Beauvillier-Cal Clutterbuck Defensemen Nick Leddy-Scott Mayfield Calvin de Haan-Travis Hamonic Thomas Hickey-Dennis Seidenberg Goalie 1052406 St Louis Blues St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 Blue Notes: Weight helps get Islanders into playoff hunt

By Tom Timmermann

Doug Weight has the distinction of being traded by the Blues twice. First in a trade deadline deal in 2006 that sent him to Carolina, and then after re-signing with the Blues as a free agent, he was traded to Anaheim in 2007. That first trade worked about great for Weight, as the Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup. By the time he got his day with the Cup, he was back in St. Louis, so he brought it around town. “It was a great day,” said Weight, who was back in town on Saturday in his new job as interim coach of the New York Islanders. “Our plan at the time was to retire here. Certainly jobs and trades change your tune, but we shared it with a lot of people from St. Louis who we’re still in contact with. “I actually take credit for one of the St. Louis Cardinals championships as well because I brought it to the new field and said this is going to be good vibes, you’re going to win this year because I brought the Cup there and they ended up winning. I take a little credit for that one.” The Islanders have done well since Weight took over on Jan. 17 after the Islanders fired Jack Capuano. They were far removed from a playoff berth at the time, but now they’re in the thick of a battle for the last wild- card spot. “It’s been great,” Weight said prior to Saturday’s game. “It’s been crazy. ... We wanted to get back to some meaningful hockey games and put ourselves in a position to make the payoffs. I believe we’re a playoff team. I think we had a lot of changes in the offseason, we see how that is: it’s tough.” Missing three regulars The Blues played Saturday night without defenseman Colton Parayko and forwards Jori Lehtera and Paul Stastny. Parayko played until late in the second period Friday against Anaheim, his evening ending with him being checked into the boards on a play that didn’t look serious. He was on the bench for a while in the third period and never got on the ice before returning to the dressing room. “It’s something we don’t expect to be long term,” Yeo said. “It was more of a precautionary measure on our part to take him out (on Friday). It’s something we wanted to get ahead of, something that we were a little concerned about that if we continued to have him push, and he could have pushed, it might have led to something long term.” The injury led to a big change on the blue line Saturday, with Carl Gunnarsson playing with Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester playing with Robert Botuzzo, while Jordan Schmaltz checked into the lineup and played with Joel Edmundson. Lehtera, who took a puck to the head in the third period Friday, was also out of the lineup, replaced by Ivan Barbashev. Stastny missed Saturday’s game with an illness. Webster product plays Defenseman Scott Mayfield, from Webster Groves, was in the lineup for the Islanders. On Saturday morning, with the Islanders having won two games in a row without him in the lineup, he figured the team was stand pat and use the same lineup, so he texted his parents, Andy and Jane, telling them he wouldn’t play. Then Weight went up to him during the morning skate to tell him he was in. When he got off the ice, he sent an amended text to his parents. “I don’t know what they’re thinking right now,” Mayfield said. “It’s pretty special. I’ve always had this one marked down, so I’m excited.” Mayfield has played just 16 games with the Islanders after being called up from the minors on Nov. 14. He’s played in just one of the past four games, but he played in seven in a row prior to that. “It’s the right thing to do,” Weight said. “It’s not a choice of the heart. You want to make those at times and support your team, but we have total trust in Scottie. He’s taken a step this year as a pro.” Mayfield grew up in Webster Groves and played his youth hockey there and then two years at Webster Groves High before going on to the USHL and then the University of Denver for two seasons before turning pro. 1052407 St Louis Blues Secondly, changing the NHL points systems wouldn’t bring a drastically different look to the league standings.

If you took the position of clubs at the time of the GM meetings last week Blues Insider: NHL points system is a topic for debate and applied the 3-2-1 system or the elimination of the loser point, there would be minimal change. By Jeremy Rutherford In the Western Conference, the top three teams in the Central Division would still be Minnesota, Chicago and Nashville, and the head of the class in the Pacific Division would be San Jose, Edmonton and Anaheim. Last Tuesday, Mike Yeo walked into the visiting locker room at Xcel The Blues, who were the second wild card before Saturday’s game, Energy Center and implored his Blues to go for Minnesota’s jugular. would still be in that spot in either of the two systems. Leading 1-0 on a redirected goal by David Perron, they were 20 minutes “When you extrapolate it out, it doesn’t make a big difference really,” from trimming their deficit on Nashville to two points for third place in the Armstrong said. “We’re in eighth now, we’d be in eighth if it was three- Central Division. point system. So you can do the math and there’s not a big change.” “I’ll tell you what I said,” Yeo recalled. “I went in and talked about the But what the math doesn’t show, Armstrong admits, is how clubs would things that we need to do to defend. And then I went back into the room play the third period if the point system were different. and my point to the group was that we’ve earned the right to go for the throat here. We’ve earned the right to keep on pushing and go get the As it stands now, NHL teams generally don’t appear to have the same next goal.” approach that Yeo took in Minnesota last week when he pushed the Blues to stay on the scoring attack. With eight minutes 57 seconds left in regulation, Vladimir Tarasenko netted the next goal, building the Blues a two-goal lead in a game they “I don’t think there’s a coach out there that wouldn’t rather have a two- eventually won 2-1 in regulation. goal lead than a one-goal lead, but you have to understand that you have to be smart in how you do it,” Yeo said. “Generally, if you manage the Yeo’s club grabbed its 71st point of the season, but later that night on the puck better, you make them come 200 feet, that creates turnovers, that West Coast, Nashville fell 3-2 at Anaheim in a shootout, earning a point gives you more counter-attack opportunities. I think the focus as the to extend the margin back to three. game goes on does change a little bit, but from my perspective, I like to go for the throat, but you still have to do that from a very defensive The Blues followed up their victory in Minnesota with a 4-3 regulation win posture.” over Anaheim Friday for their 73rd point, but because Nashville picked up another point in a 3-2 overtime loss to LA, they remained two back But it seems, particularly at this time of the season , that clubs have a going into Saturday night. more defensive mentality, desiring to get the game to overtime and guarantee at least one point. The NHL point system can be frustrating when two triumphs over the No. 1 and No. 4 teams in the Western Conference can’t help overcome a “I think when you see a certain amount of time on the clock, as a club that has lost back-to-back overtime games. manager, you want to make sure you secure the point,” Armstrong said. “I don’t know if you play it differently, but ... you get to a point in the game There has been speculation for years about the league altering its where from a manager’s perspective you say, ‘Let’s get two, but let’s system again, and it was broached at last week’s NHL general make sure we’re getting one.’ You don’t want to give a point up because manager’s meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. Some support exists for a “3-2- points are precious in the standings.” 1” system, in which clubs would receive three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win and one point for an OT loss. Others such So would increasing the prize to three points for a regulation win or as Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello are suggesting to continue awarding two taking away a point for losing in overtime be enough of a incentive that points for a win, but abolish the “loser point” for teams that fall in teams would be more aggressive in the third period? overtime. “The only way you’re going to know that is to change it,” Armstrong said. “I’m also not in favor of getting a point if you don’t win,” Lamoriello told “You’re not going to be able to tell how it changes the mindset until you reporters. “I’d rather see the game be two (points) and zero (points) or change it. I’d imagine it would have to start in the American Hockey end up in a tie, one and one.” League to see the pros and cons of it before we see it in the NHL.” The general managers left the Sunshine State without recommending Others around the league echoed that sentiment. any changes to the NHL’s Board of Governors. “You have to model it out and see, how much does it change?” Calgary “It’s been the same dialogue for a number of years, but it wasn’t a long GM Brad Treliving told reporters. “We were a little mixed on that. The discussion about it because there’s not an appetite from the league’s whole idea behind it is, with five minutes to go or 10 minutes to go in a 2- perspective,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. “It’s something that some 2 game, is the game better because we’re chasing another point or is it people bring up, but it’s not something that we discuss a lot.” going to make that much difference?” For two significant reasons, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the NHL Everyone has an opinion, including going back to finishing games in a tie, has not seriously considered overhauling the way the league weighs its but with each there remain reservations. points in the standings. “The easiest thing is to go back to two points for a win, nothing if you lose Parity: Going into Saturday’s games, 22 of the 30 teams were either in a in overtime,” Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. “There’s more playoff spot or within six points of one with at least 16 games left to play incentive to go and get the extra point, (but) on the other hand if nobody’s in the regular season. getting the point if you lose, then there’s more incentive to play for the tie. How much interest would there be in Saturday’s Tampa Bay-Florida tilt if “From a fan’s perspective, or if you’re looking to sell the game, you they weren’t just four and six points out of a playoff spot, respectively, in probably don’t want teams playing for the tie, you want teams to try and the Eastern Conference? The Lightning has accumulated nine points win and make it exciting. But if you’re going to keep the shootout, you from overtime losses and the Panthers 11, while the New York Rangers, can’t lose games in shootouts, in my opinion. I don’t think that’s fair the top wild card in the East, have two. because losing games in a shootout, it’s not hockey.” “You look at this year, there’s a lot of teams that are still in it,” Blues As Armstrong added, however, “I would hate to have to play 65 minutes captain Alex Pietrangelo said. “It’s kind of fun when everybody has a and then lose it in a shootout and get no points — that would be painful. I chance to get a point or two points and there’s a lot of teams that still don’t think anybody wants to see the game end in a shootout and you get have an opportunity to make the playoffs. That’s great for the league that nothing for it. Now, the counter to that is, you might play harder for 60 there’s that much parity. It makes every game exciting, even if you’re minutes. But until it’s implemented, it’s hard to tell what the ramifications playing a team from a different conference because you know the will be.” chances of that team having to compete for a playoff spot are high as well. My biggest thing is if you move to three points (for a win), you might NHL fans may never find out the ramifications. be having teams out of it a lot sooner and not have an opportunity for the “The system that we’re in right now, you can fuss all you want about it,” playoffs. Whereas now, every game seems to be important regardless of Treliving said. “But we’ve got parity and I don’t think we’re changing that who we’re playing because there’s so many teams have an opportunity anytime soon.” to get in.”

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052408 St Louis Blues Prior to Tarasenko scoring, Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo had blocked a hefty shot by Travis Hamonic earlier in the shift and stayed on the ice.

“Normally you hear it nick off a guy, that made a loud thump,” Hutton Tarasenko, Blues extend winning streak to four said. “I knew it hit him good.” Pietrangelo’s shift lasted 2:08, including 1:35 after the blocked shot. He By Jeremy Rutherford was skating to the bench when Tarasenko potted the goal and finally was able to rest, taking a knee on the ice.

“His effort is unbelievable,” Tarasenko said. As shorthanded as they’ve been this season, the Blues extended their winning streak to four games with a 4-3 victory over Doug Weight and the The Blues, though, didn’t rest. They tacked on another goal, Berglund’s New York Islanders Saturday night at Scottrade Center. 19th of the season, for a 4-1 lead with just 1:54 remaining before intermission. The Blues figured to be without defenseman Colton Parayko and Jori Lehtera and then learned they’d be without Paul Stastny as well. But who But New York, which was at the end of a nine-game road trip, didn’t give needs Parayko and Stastny when you have Vladimir Tarasenko and the up. good-luck Winter Classic uniforms? The Isles got one goal back early in the third period from Anthony Well, to be honest, the Blues do, and they hope to have them back for Beauvillier, and then with Jay Bouwmeester in the penalty box and their Monday’s game against Los Angeles. But for one night without the goalie pulled for a six-on-four advantage, they added another from Nick regulars, they got two goals from Tarasenko and help throughout the Leddy with 1:29 remaining for a 4-3 score. roster, improving to 4-0 in their popular unis. The second goal against Hutton was one more than he had allowed in “I think this is how successful team is supposed to be,” Tarasenko said. his last three starts combined. He, however, closed out his 10th victory of “Of course we miss those guys, they’re great players, (but) the team the season with 21 saves. effort was what we got here and support for each other.” “Our big gun (Tarasenko) got it done,” Hutton said. “Our big players, In addition to two from Tarasenko, giving him goals in three straight Vlady stepped up, got two, Bergie and Steener, it’s a huge win for us games and 32 in all, the Blues picked up tallies from Alexander Steen against a tough hockey team.” and Patrik Berglund, and Carter Hutton made 21 saves for his 10th win this season. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.12.2017 “In my eyes, that was a character win,’ Blues coach Mike Yeo said. “We said that before the game that it was going to be a character game. I was confident with the character in our locker room that guys would recognize that and we would respond.” The Blues swept their brief two-game home stand, giving them consecutive wins at Scottrade Center for the first time since December. They’ll now embark on a five-game road trip that begins in LA, where they could be up as many as five points on the Kings, who were in action late Saturday night. In Parayko and Stastny, the Blues were playing Saturday without two of their top ice time leaders at 21:06 and 19:24, respectively. They covered for Parayko by having four defensemen log more than 19:27. They moved Steen into Stastny’s spot, between Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, and the line combined for six points. “We missed Pauly, that’s a tough one to lose during the day like that, but we tightened it up,” Steen said. Without Stastny, one of the NHL’s best in the faceoff circle at 55.6 percent, the Blues won a season-high 65 percent of the draws Saturday. Kyle Brodziak was 10-3 (77 percent), Berglund was 14-5 (74 percent), Schwartz was 4-1 (80 percent) and Ivan Barbashev was 7-5 (58 percent). “It was not just a matter of the faceoff wins, but the importance of a lot of those wins,” Yeo said. After one of the Blues’ rare faceoff losses Saturday, Tarasenko picked up the first of his two goals for a 1-0 lead just 7:23 into the game, a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot. The Blues went in front, but then Dmitrij Jaskin went to the penalty box for four minutes on a double-minor high-sticking penalty. New York appeared to tie the game on the ensuing man-advantage, but a rare offside challenge by the Blues kept the score 1-0. The Islanders’ Andrew Ladd thought he had goal No. 20, but it turned out that teammate Jason Chimera was in the zone before the puck, negating the goal. “I said when I came to the bench, ‘What’s the point in saving it if it’s offside, right?’” Hutton said. “That’s nice, that spins it a lot there.” The Blues had the one-goal lead at the first intermission, but scored three more in the second period for a 4-1 advantage. Tarasenko’s second of the game, another wrister from the circle, was the goal that gave the Blues a 3-1 lead with 4:32 left in the period. “They had momentum and I couldn’t help but smile on the bench because that’s what you need at that time,” Yeo said. Schwartz didn’t have an assist, but he was on the ice for an eighth straight Blues goal. 1052409 Tampa Bay Lightning

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy quickly shows he deserves to be Lightning's No. 1

Joe Smith Saturday, March 11, 2017 5:41PM

When Vasilevskiy took over as the Lightning No. 1 goalie for his mentor and "older brother," Ben Bishop, the 22-year-old told me he was determined to show he deserved the leading role. It is his dream job. And so far Vasilevskiy has delivered, going 4-0-1 in his first five starts since Bishop was traded to the Kings on Feb. 28. All five were dazzling 30-plus-saves performances. "He's been sensational every night," associate coach Rick Bowness said. "Oh my gosh, he's been fantastic." Vasilevskiy said he has felt the same for the past 15 games, entering Saturday's game with the Panthers, crediting his better numbers recently to teammates playing better in front of him (and scoring more). But the Lightning isn't surprised Vasilevskiy has so smoothly handled the transition to starter. Teammates have always raved about his impeccable work ethic and poise, among the reasons Tampa Bay signed Vasilevskiy to a three-year contract extension in July, deciding he was the future in net. But it has helped that there's finally closure in that area. Vasilevskiy no longer has to look over his shoulder. A two-time Vezina Trophy finalist such as Bishop can cast a large shadow. You wonder what might have happened had Vasilevskiy started the season as the No. 1 That was the plan, with Bishop, entering the final year of his contract, almost traded to the Flames at the June draft. In reality, that might have been the best thing that could have happened to both. Sharing starts, each struggled in the season's first half. They weren't even in the top 30 in the league in save percentage at one point, and Tampa Bay fell dangerously out of playoff position. It wasn't an easy situation for Bishop, who felt like he could get traded at any moment. When roles aren't defined, it's easy to get lost. Bishop revealed last week how much it bothered him. "I was a little frustrated at the beginning of the season, coming off probably the best season of my career and not getting to play as much as I wanted to in Tampa," Bishop told .com. "I wanted to kind of keep it the same as the last three years because it had been working. We started switching goalies back and forth in Tampa, and it wasn't working. We were falling in the standings, and it was making me a little bit upset. Why fix what's not broken?" You can understand Bishop's frustration. He arguably is the best goalie in franchise history and was the backbone of back-to-back lengthy playoff runs. But when the season started, not only was he on borrowed time in Tampa, Bishop had to share the net with his replacement-in-waiting. In fairness, the Lightning didn't have much of a choice. Once it decided Vasilevskiy was the guy, it had to play him more to get him ready. But it couldn't completely go away from Bishop, who started two of every three games until he got hurt in December. The only way to eliminate any gray area was to trade Bishop, and general manager said the Kings were his "only option" at the March 1 deadline. Give Bishop credit. No matter how difficult the uncertainty was on him, he was great with Vasilevskiy. Vasilevskiy fondly calls Bishop his mentor, his old teacher and brother. Now Vasilevskiy is Bishop's successor. And he's proving he's worthy. Joe Smith

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052410 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning up next: Panthers fall to Wild for seventh loss in past eight games

Associated Press Saturday, March 11, 2017 7:00AM

SUNRISE — Zach Parise and the Wild got back to their winning ways, and the Panthers kept up their losing ways. Parise scored the go-ahead goal with 5:07 left and the Western Conference-leading Wild pulled away to beat the reeling Panthers 7-4 on Friday night to snap a two-game losing streak. "I think we've set the standard pretty high when panic sets in when we lose two games in a row," Parise said. "That mean we're doing some good things this year. We got to the net really well and were able to put some in." Mikael Granlund scored an empty-net goal with 1:10 left, his team- leading 22nd goal of the season, and Charlie Coyle added another empty-netter with 2.5 seconds left. Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves before he was replaced by Devan Dubnyk to start the third period. Dubnyk stopped 11 shots and matched his career high with 36 wins. Kuemper was also given an early hook in his last start, Feb. 28 in a 6-5 win at Winnipeg in favor of Dubnyk. "I just thought that this was such an important game," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We did it last time, and it worked. I wanted to get this win as bad as any of them. I thought it was important for our team to get this win because the next two games we're in Chicago, Washington and (later) the Rangers. If it's the World Series and you have your best pitcher in the bullpen, you use him." Jaromir Jagr scored his 762nd NHL goal for Florida, which has lost seven of its past eight and faces the Lightning on Saturday at Amalie Arena. Mark Pysyk had a goal and an assist, and Aleksander Barkov and former Lightning forward Jonathan Marchessault also scored. James Reimer stopped 38 shots. "Obviously, it could have gone both ways, but we always manage to find a way to not win hockey games," Marchessault said. "It's a bad game defensively. Everybody needs to help each other and try to pick each other up. We need to turn that boat around." The Panthers were riding high after a five-game winning streak on the road. "We just have to worry about Tampa Bay, go in there and have a real good game and forget about this one as quick as we can," Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe said. NOTES: Panthers goalie , who has missed three games, might be out another one to two weeks with a lower-body injury. … Marchessault has 20 goals for the first time in his NHL career.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052411 Tampa Bay Lightning First Period—1, Florida, Jagr 14 (Barkov, Marchessault), 16:32. 2, Florida, Pysyk 4 (Smith, Barkov), 19:13. Penalties—Brown, TB, Major (fighting), 1:59; Petrovic, FLA, Major (fighting), 1:59; Demers, FLA, Lightning tops Panthers (holding), 7:27; Palat, TB, (hooking), 14:22. Second Period—3, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 31 (Hedman, Drouin), 3:43 (pp). 4, Tampa Bay, Gourde 1, 10:11 (sh). Penalties—Yandle, FLA, Joe Smith served by Marchessault, (roughing), 2:58; Dumont, TB, Major (fighting), 2:58; Yandle, FLA, Major (fighting), 2:58; Petrovic, FLA, served by Saturday, March 11, 2017 10:05PM Marchessault, (roughing), 6:17; Petrovic, FLA, Misconduct (misconduct), 6:17; Petrovic, FLA, Misconduct (misconduct), 6:17; Palat, TB,

(roughing), 6:35; Sceviour, FLA, (roughing), 6:35; Witkowski, TB, (cross TAMPA — Ondrej Palat is not the kind of player you should judge solely checking), 9:24; Sustr, TB, (high sticking), 10:28; Trocheck, FLA, on the score sheet. (roughing), 19:06; Dotchin, TB, (roughing), 19:06. The Lightning wing is known for his versatility and a relentless work ethic Third Period—5, Tampa Bay, Palat 14 (Sustr), 17:37. Penalties— his teammates admire. There's a reason Palat is considered the engine Mackenzie, FLA, (tripping), 5:51. Shots on Goal—Florida 13-6-15—34. of the Triplets line. Tampa Bay 12-10-12—34. Power-play opportunities—Florida 0 of 3; Tampa Bay 1 of 4. Goalies—Florida, Reimer 12-12-5 (34 shots-31 But still, he hasn't had many signature moments this season. saves). Tampa Bay, Vasilevskiy 16-13-6 (34-32). That changed in a big way Saturday. Palat capped off a monster performance with the go-ahead goal with about two minutes to go in a 3- 2 victory over the Panthers at Amalie Arena. Palat had a game-high Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 seven shots, helping lift the Lightning, on a 10-2-3 run, within three points of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. "Arguably the best player on the ice," coach Jon Cooper said. "He was a stud." Palat wasn't alone. There also was rookie Yanni Gourde, who made his first NHL goal unforgettable, tying the score at 2 in the second period on a shorthanded partial breakaway. "It's something you dream about," Gourde said. "A surreal moment." There also was goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who delivered a sixth straight 30-plus-saves performance, moving to 5-0-1 since taking over as No. 1 from traded Ben Bishop. And there were the kids. The Lightning was playing without injured centers Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette, all hurt in Thursday's game against the Wild. So a young lineup filled with six rookies provided a spark and some edge. This game was nasty. It was an intense matchup befitting Atlantic Division rivals fighting for their playoff lives. Two Panthers players left the game with concussions, defenseman Aaron Ekblad after a hit by center Gabriel Dumont, and center Denis Malgin following a beauty of a hip check by Anton Stralman. "It's desperation mode," Cooper said. "And guys are playing with it." The Lightning (32-26-9) was desperate after falling behind 2-0 in the first. It took some odd goals to beat Vasilevskiy. The first was a bad-angled shot by ageless Jaromir Jagr on a power play. The second was a deflection off Nikita Kucherov's stick. But there was no panic in the Lightning dressing room. "We were thinking there was no way we should be down 2-0 in that game," Cooper said. It wasn't down for long. Kucherov's power-play goal four minutes into the second set a career season high for goals (31). Then came Gourde's milestone goal. He stripped Vincent Trocheck at the blue line and finished off a breakaway, with the Panthers wing slashing and grabbing him. Then Tampa Bay killed off a 5-on-3 power play. "That (goal) was uplifting to all of us," Cooper said. So was Palat. With less than three minutes to go, Palat lifted his stick in the slot and redirected an Andrej Sustr shot from the point. It snapped a seven-game goal drought. "Just playing hard, playing my game and just waiting, 'It's going to go in,' " Palat said. "And (Saturday) I got the lucky bounce." But make no mistake, Palat made his own breaks. "I loved his attack, his will," Cooper said. "He just saved every play. It was fitting he ended up getting the winner." Joe Smith can be reached at [email protected]. Follow @TBTimes-JSmith Lightning 0 2 1 3 Panthers 2 0 0 2 Lightning 0 2 1 3 Panthers 2 0 0 2 1052412 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning journal: Rookies face bigger roles in key week

Joe Smith Saturday, March 11, 2017 8:09PM

TAMPA — The Lightning is in a potentially make-or-break week when it comes to its playoff hopes, facing a tough slate that includes back-to- back road games and a matchup with the Maple Leafs. And Tampa Bay may have to go through it with six rookies in its lineup. Centers Tyler Johnson, Cedric Paquette and Vladislav Namestnikov missed Saturday's 3-2 win against the Panthers due to lower-body injuries. And though each was considered day-to-day, coach Jon Cooper said he wasn't sure when they would return. That means recent callups from AHL Syracuse Yanni Gourde, Adam Erne and Matt Peca will get more playing time. Rookies Brayden Point and Jake Dotchin have been regulars for a while. C Gabriel Dumont, 26, is considered a rookie. But the Lightning isn't worried. "The guys' spirits are high in there," Cooper said before the game. "They're going into every single game thinking they can win, regardless of who is in the lineup." The callups have been impressive this season, proving capable of stepping in. That's a credit to first-year Crunch coach Benoit Groulx and to the hungry players, who have brought much-needed edge and, as Cooper calls it, "youthful exuberance." "Guys are trying to prove themselves, and that can be a good thing," Erne said. "Obviously, you want some (veteran) guys to lead the way, but having young guys isn't necessarily a bad thing." Erne, who made his NHL debut in January, is a fixture in front of the net and on the second power-play unit. Gourde started Saturday on the second line with Jonathan Drouin and got his first NHL goal short-handed to tie the score at 2 in the second period. You can pinpoint the Lightning's resurgence with the return of center Point from injury in late January and the callup of defenseman Dotchin, who has balanced out the blue line and held his own in the top pair with All-Star Victor Hedman. Gourde said it helps that the Crunch and Lightning play with a similar "fast mentality." Erne said Groulx runs intense practices and is very demanding and "brings the best out of (us)." And that's translating to Tampa. "That's why every guy that comes from Syracuse, they want to bring their 'A' game," Gourde said. "They want to show the organization they're ready to be at this level. That's what we're trying to achieve here." And they are. Slap shots C Steven Stamkos (knee surgery) joined Saturday's optional morning skate but has yet to fully participate in a team practice. Friday marks the four-month mark in Stamkos' expected four- to six-month recovery (right after the Lightning hosts Stamkos' hometown Leafs on Thursday). … C Brayden Point took Tyler Johnson's spot on the top line. … RW Jonathan Drouin centered the second line and looked good, having played that position some in the AHL and in juniors. … C Greg McKegg, claimed off waivers from the Panthers a few weeks ago, said it was weird to play against them Saturday. "It's definitely still a fresh move," he said. … F J.T. Brown returned to the lineup. D Luke Witkowski played forward again.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052413 Tampa Bay Lightning

Yanni Gourde's first NHL goal 'surreal moment'

Joe Smith Saturday, March 11, 2017 11:14PM

A player's first NHL goal is always special. But Lightning rookie wing Yanni Gourde made his unforgettable Saturday night. Gourde scored the game-tying goal in the Lightning's huge 3-2 win over the Panthers. It came shorthanded during the second period. Gourde stripped Vincent Trocheck at the Tampa Bay blueline, then fought off the Panthers forward the rest of the way. Trocheck slashed, and grabbed Gourde, who finished it off in style. "It's something you dream about," Gourde said. "A surreal moment." Said coach Jon Cooper: "It was uplifting for all of us." Gourde, called up earlier in the week, has been thrust into a top-six role, playing both special teams units after injuries to Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette. Gourde said playing this playoff style hockey fits his style, and he's thrilled to be part of it. Four of his 22 goals in AHL Syracuse came shorthanded, but this came on the biggest stage. "He's really seizing his moment up here," Cooper said.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052414 Toronto Maple Leafs overtime wins). The Leafs have 30. The Islanders, who trail by a point, have 31.

The Leafs have come from behind to register wins in their last two Leafs start trip with OT win over Hurricanes games. Marner was simply happy to start a road trip with a win after going 0-2-1 last time on the road. By Kevin “Obviously we weren’t happy with how we played on that California trip,” said Marner. “We started playing the way want to, and things are going Sat., March 11, 2017 our way.”

RALEIGH, N.C.—Morgan Rielly has had better games. But the Maple LOADED: 03.12.2017 Leafs defenceman had quite the finish Saturday night. With the game on the line, Rielly controlled the puck through the Carolina zone and scored the overtime winner in Toronto’s 3-2 decision over the Hurricanes. It was the Leafs’ third win in a row and opened a three-game road trip that has make-or-break implications in the Eastern Conference playoff race. “It’s a big win for us,” said Rielly. “We knew how important this road trip is. To start with a win is definitely a good feeling.” Rielly had a hand in two other goals, though — both Carolina’s. Victor Rask used Rielly as a screen to open the scoring. And Rielly wore the goat horns later, deflecting a point shot past Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen for Carolina’s second goal, credited to Jordan Staal. Rielly wore a look of disgust after that marker and went to apologize to Andersen. “I went over to Freddie and said sorry,” said Rielly, relieved after scoring the winner. “(It was) a big point we really needed.” Andersen said Rielly had nothing to apologize for. “That’s one, I should have had,” said the goalie. “He shouldn’t feel too bad, but I’m glad he scored the (OT) goal.” The win — paired with a 4-3 loss by the New York Islanders loss in St. Louis — moved the Leafs back into a playoff spot, holding down the second wild card with road games on tap Tuesday against the Panthers and Thursday against the Lightning. Both of those teams are also in hot pursuit. It was a win the Leafs perhaps didn’t deserve. They were outshot and outplayed. Andersen had to be spectacular again, facing 38 shots. “As long as we win, I don’t care how many shots (I face),” said Andersen. “It’s always fun to play. It gets more fun the more you win. “We need the points, so it’s nice to get away with a win,” added Andersen. “When they scored twice, it was good for us to show we can come back.” Whenever the Leafs trailed, before Rielly’s magic, it seemed to be Mitch Marner and Co. to the rescue on offence. “Mitch hasn’t been quite as good, but tonight was maybe his best game since he’s been back (from injury),” said coach Mike Babcock. “He really had jump and pushed the pace of the game, and had the puck a lot. He had some excitement about him.” Marner and James van Riemsdyk each had a goal and an assist. Tyler Bozak picked up a helper. “That was our best line,” said Babcock. “Mitch was skating, James was skating. They were real effective. Bozak went through a bit of time where he wasn’t feeling any good. He’s feeling better now and that’s important, that those guys are going for us.” Since Marner returned from an upper-body injury, his line has been on fire. Marner has points in five straight games (two goals, five assists) as does Bozak, while van Riemsdyk has two goals and two assists in that span. “All three of us were touching the puck. We were moving it around pretty good,” said van Riemsdyk, referring to the hot streak. “It’s a combination of a lot of things. You’re working hard. You’re getting bounces. You’re reading off each other pretty well. “With our line, we’re so adaptable and able to make smart plays with and without the puck. That’s what gives us success. We can play in different styles of game.” It was the Leafs’ sixth win in overtime — they are 6-6 in three-on-three, 1-8 in the shootout. Overtime wins are as important as regulation wins in the standings as the first tiebreaker (designated ROWs for regulation- 1052415 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.12.2017 Despite modest scoring slump, stopping Matthews a priority for 'Canes

BY MIKE ZEISBERGER, FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 02:00 PM EST UPDATED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 02:23 PM EST

RALEIGH, N.C. - When Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Noah Hanifin suggests a brief four-game pointless streak by rookie Auston Matthews is nothing for Maple Leafs to be concerned about, they should heed his words. After all, if anyone has learned how special Matthews can be on the ice over the years, it’s Hanifin. In yet another example of how small the hockey world actually is, Hanifin recalls being just seven years old when he first played with Matthews. As members of the Boston Junior Bruins, the boys were teammates during a tournament in Toronto, an event the 'Canes blueliner says they won. “He was unbelievable then and he’s unbelievable now,” Hanifin said Saturday, referring to Matthews. “He went back to Arizona after that but we hooked up again with the U.S. development program. It was a pleasure playing alongside him. “He’s a very confident player. He’s very confident in his abilities. He really believes in his game. He has a quiet swagger about him.” That Junior Bruins roster was indeed impressive, sporting the likes of Matthews, Hanifin and 2017 U.S. World Junior gold medalists Colin White, Charlie McAvoy and Leafs prospect Jeremy Bracco. More than a decade later, friends once again become foes as Matthews Maple Leafs face off against Hanifin’s Hurricanes at the PNC Arena Saturday on . And for their part, the Canes aren’t thinking about the games Matthews hasn’t scored in; rather, they’re focusing on one in which he did. Back on Feb. 19, Matthews scored a highlight reel goal while he was being tripped by a Hurricanes defender in a game the Leafs won 4-0. It is an image that remains embedded in the mind of Hurricanes coach Bill Peters. “A bad line change by us. That’s what I remember,” Peters said. “We had a lot going on on that play, didn’t we? We had a bad line change, we took a penalty on the play and he still scored. “He’s impressive. He reminds me a bit of Nathan MacKinnon, the way he mixes speed and strength, the way he takes it too the net, the way he’s fearless. He’s very strong on his skates. He’s a good player.” So, for that matter, is another rookie, this one a kid who plays for the Hurricanes - Sebastian Aho. While not getting the publicity of Matthews or Patrik Laine, he’s had a fine freshman season, reaching the 20 goal mark Thursday night by scoring twice late in the game to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. “Part of that comes from the fact that he doesn’t play in a big market or a Canadian market like those other guys,” Canes veteran Jay McClement said. “But all of us in this room understand how good his future will be.” Added Peters: “We knew he was good. We saw what he did at the world championships and at the World Cup. Like Matthews, he played in the World Cup before he played in the NHL. It shows just how good these players are.” In this run of five games against teams below them in the standings, the Leafs have gone 2-0 with home wins against the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers, respectively. Now they hit the road for three contests in the south, facing the Hurricanes Saturday followed by contests in Sunrise against the Panthers Tuesday and in Tampa versus the Lightning Thursday. With teams shoehorned tightly together in the race for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, it’s imperative that Toronto accrues as many points as possible on this run before returning home to face the Chicago Blackhawks next Saturday, a point coach Mike Babcock has been consistently reminding his young team of. The Leafs opted to skip the morning skate, choosing to rest up instead. On the other hand, the 'Canes did work out Saturday and expect to start Cam Ward in goal. 1052416 Toronto Maple Leafs will see the visitors pay extra attention to Aho, who now has 20 goals on the season.

Being Ward weary Maple Leafs vs. Hurricanes: Everything you need to know Beating Cam Ward last month was the exception to the rule for the Maple Leafs, who have had difficulty doing exactly that over the years. In his BY MIKE ZEISBERGER career, Ward holds a 17-11-3 regular season record versus the Leafs, although the Feb. 19 decision certainly gave the young Toronto roster the FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 08:00 AM EST belief that they can get the better of him.

The essentials for Game 67 of the Leafs schedule... Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.12.2017 MAPLE LEAFS at HURRICANES When: 7:05 p.m. Where: PNC Arena How: TV-CBC, Radio-TSN 1050 THE READING MATERIAL Lance Hornby: Maple Leafs' off-ice focus shifts with playoffs in sight Lance Hornby: Slump? What slump? Matthews has earned free pass THE RECORDS Toronto — 30-22-14 (74 points; fourth place in the Atlantic Division) Carolina — 27-27-10 (64 points; seventh place in the Metropolitan Division) THE BIG MATCHUP Auston Matthews vs. 'Canes defence First off, enough of all the fretting about how Matthews is in an alleged slump. Give us a break. He’s gone four games without a point, people — not four weeks. Get a grip. And the fact the Leafs have won their past two is the key point here. Meanwhile, remember the highlight-reel goal Matthews scored the last time he was in Raleigh almost three weeks ago, one in which he somehow managed to beat Carolina goalie Cam Ward despite being off-balance? You can bet the 'Canes haven’t forgotten. The interesting dilemma here for Carolina coach Bill Peters: Which defence pairing will he use to match up against the No. 1 overall pick in 2016? KEYS TO THE GAME Recent history Back on Feb. 19, Leafs backup goalie Curtis McElhinney made 37 saves for his fifth career shutout as the visitors blanked the 'Canes 4-0. Of note: the 'Canes arguably had as many quality scoring chances as Toronto did, if not more, especially in the first period. Coach Mike Babcock will demand a much better start from his young team. Then again, he’s been calling for that all year — and it hasn’t always come to fruition. Holding serve So far, so good. In this run of five games against teams below them in the standings, the Leafs have gone 2-0 with home wins against the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers, respectively. Now they hit the road for three contests in the south, starting with Carolina Saturday and followed by contests in Sunrise against the Panthers Tuesday and in Tampa versus the Lightning Thursday. With so many teams snuggled tightly together in the Eastern Conference standings, Toronto can not afford to belch away points to those behind them if it wishes to stay relevant in this playoff hunt. Brown buster Since scoring twice in the Leafs' four-goal victory over the host 'Canes three weeks ago, rookie Connor Brown has accrued just two points in the subsequent eight games. While Brown brings plenty of other positives to the table that aren’t reflected on the score sheet, the former Erie Otter has shown he likes playing at the PNC Arena. Let’s see if his second visit is as productive as the first. Flying Finn While Matthews and Patrik Laine have been gobbling up most of the publicity for the Calder race, Finnish freshman Sebastian Aho has been cobbling together a nice rookie season of his own for the 'Canes. Like his former world junior linemate Laine, Aho is dangerous around the net, a penchant that was on display on Tobacco Road on Thursday when he scored two late goals to give the hosts a 4-3 victory over the visiting New York Rangers. Count on the Leafs coaching staff devising a blueprint that 1052417 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.12.2017

Appreciation for Carolina rookie Sebastian Aho

By Mike Zeisberger, First posted: Sunday, March 12, 2017 12:20 AM EST Updated: Sunday, March 12, 2017 12:27 AM EST

RALEIGH, N.C. - Count Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock among those who are not surprised by the success Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho is having. While not getting the publicity of the likes of the Leafs’ Auston Matthews or the Winnipeg Jets’ Patrik Laine, Aho has enjoyed a fine freshman season, reaching the 20-goal mark Thursday by scoring twice to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. “I can remember in the draft he was a real good player and someone we really considered taking,” Babcock said Saturday prior to his team’s game against Aho’s Hurricanes at PNC Arena. During the 2015 entry draft, the Maple Leafs used the fourth pick of the second round (34th overall) to select defenceman Travis Dermott of the ’s Erie Otters. Dermott, who has battled injuries this season, has 21 points in 45 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. The Hurricanes used the following pick to snap up Aho and are glad they did, even though he doesn’t get near the publicity that players such as Matthews and Laine have received. “Part of that comes from the fact that he doesn’t play in a big market or a Canadian market like those other guys,” Canes veteran Jay McClement said. “But all of us in this room understand how good his future will be.” Added Hurricanes coach Bill Peters: “We knew he was good. We saw what he did at the world championships and at the World Cup. Like Matthews, he played in the World Cup before he played in the NHL. It shows just how good these players are.” For Aho, he is part of a youth movement around the league which has now seem 30-year-old players labelled as old. “It’s fun to see how all the young guys are doing,” Aho said. “We’re all still learning out there.” “It’s a reflection of the speed of the game,” Hurricanes defenceman Noah Hanifin said. “It’s crazy.” BABS WINS BET Babcock was all smiles on Saturday when it came to his beloved McGill Redmen. Babcock and assistant coach D.J. Smith had a wager on the OUA Queen’s Cup bronze-medal game Friday night, Babcock’s alma mater against the University of Windsor. Smith is from Windsor and once coached the Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. McGill ended up winning the game by a score of 6-3. “It was a big win for McGill,” Babcock said Saturday. “They have a chance to play again (at the U Sports championship next weekend at the University of New Brunswick).” He then paused to chuckle before quickly adding: “I’m sure they’re going to call for a cheque shortly.” CHOWING DOWN Peters hosted Babcock for a barbeque on Friday. The two men are long- time friends, with Peters having once served as an assistant to Babcock with the Detroit Red Wings. Peters also was an assistant under Babcock for Team Canada during the World Cup of Hockey last September. “I barbecued,” Peters said. “I hope we play better than I barbecued. “We had chicken, salmon & lobster tails. The chicken was burnt, the lobster tails raw and the salmon was alright.” Babcock disagreed with his pal’s scouting report of the meal. “Not true,” Babcock said of Peters’ self-criticism of his culinary skills.” He put on a cooking clinic. Salmon. Lobster tails. A little chicken. Pretty good.”

1052418 Toronto Maple Leafs Just minutes after his goal, van Riemsdyk bumped the Hurricanes goalie while battling with Klas Dahlbeck in the Carolina crease. Ward was peeved and seconds later took a Josh Donaldson-like hack at the Leafs Leafs' Rielly scores OT winner in Carolina forward, who was fortunate that no contact was made. Ward’s night got worse from there, thanks to Rielly. By Mike Zeisberger MARNER MAKING A CASE First posted: Saturday, March 11, 2017 10:08 PM EST We interrupt this ongoing Auston Matthews-Patrik Laine Calder Trophy debate to wonder: What about Mitch Marner? Updated: Sunday, March 12, 2017 12:30 AM EST We’re not trying to pimp the Marner camp for a bid as the NHL’s rookie of the year here. In terms of the Maple Leafs, the arguments that Marner has primarily played with more experienced linemates — James van RALEIGH, N.C. - Early in the second period, Morgan Rielly apologized to Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak — is a legitimate one. goalie Frederik Andersen for accidentally deflecting Carolina’s go-ahead goal into his own net, one that gave the host Hurricanes a 2-1 lead at the Still, with a goal in the Leafs 3-2 overtime victory over the Hurricanes on time. Saturday night, Marner pulled to within one point of Matthews’ team- leading total of 55 despite playing five fewer games than the first overall “I told him not to worry about it,” Andersen said. draft pick of 2016. But the young defenceman did. So, he made up for it the best way he “It’s not something we talk about,” Marner said when asked about how he could — by going from zero to hero. and Matthews approach the Calder topic. “We’re both just young players trying to do our best and feed off each other. This is about the team, not At 2:13 of overtime, Rielly put the finishing touches on a precious two us.” points for the visitors with a low seeing-eye shot that beat Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, giving the Maple Leafs a third consecutive victory with For his part, Matthews was held off the scoreboard yet again. But when a grinding 3-2 win at the PNC Arena. you hear Hurricanes defenceman Noah Hanifin suggesting a brief five- game pointless streak by Matthews is nothing for Leafs fans to be “I felt bad about what happened, but those things happen,” Rielly said. concerned about, they should heed his words. “The most important thing is that we got the win.” In yet another example of how small the hockey world actually is, Hanifin On a chilly Carolina night when very few Leafs aside from Andersen and recalls being just seven years old when he first played with Matthews. As forwards Mitch Marner, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak brought members of the Boston Junior Bruins, the boys were teammates during a their ‘A’ games to the rink, the fact that Mike Babcock’s team escaped to tournament in Toronto that the Canes blueliner says they won. sunny Florida with a vital win is the type of result that might just be the difference between playing playoff hockey and hitting the golf course “He was unbelievable then and he’s unbelievable now,” Hanifin said come April. Saturday afternoon. “He’s a very confident player. He’s very confident in his abilities. He really believes in his game. He has a quiet swagger In this run of five games against teams below them in the standings, the about him.” Leafs have reeled off victories in their first three contests, a span that previously included home wins against the Detroit Red Wings and “He’s impressive,” added Canes coach Bill Peters said. “He reminds me Philadelphia Flyers. Now it’s off to the Sunshine State, where contests in a bit of Nathan MacKinnon, the way he mixes speed and strength, the Sunrise against the Panthers on Tuesday and in Tampa versus the way he takes it too the net, the way he’s fearless. He’s very strong on his Lightning Thursday. skates. He’s a good player.” With teams shoe-horned tightly together in the race for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, it’s imperative that Toronto accrues as many points as possible on this run before returning home to face the Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.12.2017 Blackhawks next Saturday, a point coach Mike Babcock has been reminding his young team of. Thanks to Rielly’s goal, the Leafs leap-frogged the New York Islanders into the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference with 76 points. The Islanders remain at 75 after dropping a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Asked prior to the game what style he expected the game against the Canes to morph into, Leafs forward Matt Martin replied: “It’s going to be a slogfest. They like to clog up the middle, kind of like us.” In the early going, this one was more like a snoozefest than a slogfest from a Leafs perspective. For a team that will spend much of the coming week in sunny Florida, the Leafs came out of the gates appearing as if they were skating in beach sand. Through the first nine minutes of play, the Canes dominated to the extent of recording all but one of the game’s first 10 shots, their ninth resulting in a sharp-angle goal by Victor Rask that put the hosts up 1-0. Truth be told, one of the only Leafs to exhibit some giddyup in the first 10 minutes was Marner, who knotted the game 1-1 just 53 seconds after the Rask curtain-raiser. What the Marner one-timer lacked in muscle was made up for in quickness, his release catching Ward off guard. After Rielly’s ‘own goal’ helped restore Carolina’s one-goal lead, the always pesky Nazem Kadri was involved in a controversial play that seemed to rattle Ward. With the Hurricanes goalie behind the net, the puck slid along the boards past him into the far corner. With Kadri chugging in pursuit, the Leafs forward smacked into Ward, sending him tumbling to the ice. Imagine the goalie’s shock when he was slapped with an interference penalty, not Kadri, the officials obviously feeling Ward had set a pick. Ward was noticeably perturbed by the call and seemed to be preoccupied, even after van Riemsdyk tied the game at 2-2 midway through the second with a snapshot from the high slot. 1052419 Toronto Maple Leafs rescue, only to kick the puck over the line in a desperate attempt to save the day.

“It was a mistake on my part that cost our team.” said McDavid. “I was Connor McDavid outshines Sidney Crosby but Edmonton Oilers end up just trying to get my stick in there and I kinda caught the edge of the net on the short end in shootout loss to Pittsburgh Penguins and on a play like that, you’re kind of just panicking. Kind of a funny play, we’ll be seeing that for a while on the bloopers for sure.” Robert Tychkowski, After David Desharnais cut it to 2-1 and McDavid tied it, it was tense, wild and furious action all the way to Kessel’s final shot. March 11, 2017 1:17 AM ET If the rest of the stretch drive is like this, hang on.

“You’re on coach mode, but you appreciate what’s going on out there,” Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers tries to dispy-doodle around said McLellan. “It’s going fast, there’s a lot of skill, great plays, the energy Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury during NHL action in the building was phenomenal. You could feel it on the bench and the Friday night in Edmonton. McDavid had a goal but the Penguins guys got going. It was a tremendous game.” prevailed 3-2 in a shootout.

You know it’s an important time in the season when a head-to-head showdown between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby is a side note. National Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 But with the Edmonton Oilers having lost three of their previous five games and the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames making things too close for comfort in the Pacific Division stretch drive, which superstar had more points took a distant back seat to which team got the win. In the end, McDavid stole the show with another one of his next-level performances, but Pittsburgh stole the only result that mattered – a 3-2 shootout victory in a thrilling and wildly entertaining battle between two of the league’s most exciting teams Friday night at Rogers Place. “We’re disappointed we didn’t get the two points but I thought the game drew a little bit of desperation out of our group, we took it up a notch, there was more intensity to our game,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. “We didn’t have that against Detroit and New York. It’s in us and the Penguins brought it out of us, now it’s up to us to keep it. “In my opinion, there were some real positives on our game. A point short but a really good night.” McDavid had an amazing game, even for McDavid. He played 26:53, put nine shots on net, scored the tying goal with 7:15 left in regulation and added another goal in the third round of the shootout. It wasn’t enough, though, as Crosby and Phil Kessel scored shootout goals for Pittsburgh to seal the win. “(McDavid) was all over the rink,” said McLellan. “He played well offensively, defensively, he was a threat every time he was out there. He was good in the circle and in overtime. I don’t know what else you want me to say.” McDavid admitted he was geared up for this one with Crosby staring at him from across the faceoff dot. “To say it’s a normal game would be lying,” he said. “Obviously, he’s someone I’ve looked up to my whole life. To play against him is fun. It was probably to my advantage. It’s easier for me to get up to play against him than it his for him to get up to play against me.” While they needed two points instead of one, the Oilers looked better in this loss than they’ve looked in some of their wins. After a slow start in the first period, they outshot Pittsburgh 32-14 over the final 40 minutes and 42-30 overall. They were the stronger team physically, too, outhitting Pittsburgh 30-17. Faceoffs? Edmonton won 76 per cent. They did everything but win the game. And while this is the time of year where the only thing that matters are wins, the Oilers and their fans left the rink feeling better than when they arrived. “We wanted the extra point, but we’ll take one after having to battle back (from a 2-0 deficit),” said Talbot. “That second period was probably some of the best hockey we’ve played. Down the stretch after the first period, we really turned out game around.” Even Crosby noticed. “They’re a playoff team and they’ve had success this year for a reason,” said the Pens captain. “It’s not fun when they’re coming at you. (McDavid) is dangerous. Plays that seem like nothing plays, he’s able to create a chance. You try to contain him the best you can but with speed like that, he’s going to create things out there.” Unfortunately for the Oilers, McDavid did a little creating at the wrong end of the ice to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. Nick Bonino had already made it 1-0 when Talbot let a long shot from Evengi Malkin dribble through his legs to the goal-line, but not over, late in the first. McDavid came to 1052420 Toronto Maple Leafs With the Hurricanes goalie behind the net, the puck slid along the boards past him into the far corner. With Kadri chugging in pursuit, the Leafs forward smacked into Ward, sending him tumbling to the ice. Morgan Rielly’s overtime goal lifts Toronto Maple Leafs past Carolina Imagine the goalie’s shock when he was slapped with an interference Hurricanes 3-2 for third straight win penalty, not Kadri, the officials obviously feeling Ward had set a pick. Ward was noticeably perturbed by the call and seemed to be preoccupied, even after van Riemsdyk tied the game at 2-2 midway Mike Zeisberger, through the second with a snapshot from the high slot. March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: Mar 11 10:57 PM ET Just minutes after his goal, van Riemsdyk bumped the Hurricanes goalie while battling with Klas Dahlbeck in the Carolina crease. Ward was peeved and seconds later took a Josh Donaldson-like hack at the Leafs forward, who was fortunate that no contact was made. RALEIGH, N.C. — Early in the second period, Morgan Rielly apologized to goalie Freddie Andersen for accidentally deflecting Carolina’s go- Ward’s night would get worse from there, thanks to Rielly. ahead goal into his own net, one that gave the host Hurricanes a 2-1 lead at the time. “I told him not to worry about it,” Andersen said. National Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 But the young defenceman did. So he made up for it the best way he could – by going from zero to hero. At 2:13 of overtime, Rielly put the finishing touches on a precious two points for the visitors with a seeing-eye shot that beat Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, giving the Maple Leafs a third consecutive victory with a grinding 3-2 win at the PNC Arena. “I felt bad about what happened but those things happen,” Rielly said. “The most important thing is that we got the win.” On a chilly Carolina night when very few Leafs aside from Andersen and forwards Mitch Marner, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak brought their “A” games to the rink, the fact that Mike Babcock’s team escaped to sunny Florida with a vital win is the type of result that might just be the difference between playing playoff hockey and hitting the golf course come April. In this run of five games against teams below them in the standings, the Leafs have reeled off victories in their first three contests, a span that previously included home wins against the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers respectively. Now it’s off to the Sunshine State, where contests in Sunrise against the Panthers on Tuesday and in Tampa versus the Lightning on Thursday. With teams shoehorned tightly together in the race for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, it’s imperative that Toronto accrues as many points as possible on this run before returning home to face the Chicago Blackhawks next Saturday, a point Babcock has been consistently reminding his young team about. Thanks to Rielly’s goal, the Leafs leapfrogged the New York Islanders into the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 76 points. The Islanders remain at 75 after dropping a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Asked prior to the game what style he expected the game against the Canes to morph into, Leafs forward Matt Martin replied: “It’s going to be a Slogfest.” Slogfest? Please explain. “They like to clog up the middle, kind of like us,” Martin replied. In the early going, this one was more like a snoozefest than a slogfest from a Leafs perspective. Indeed, for a team that will spend much of the coming week in sunny Florida, the Leafs came out of the gates appearing as if they were skating in beach sand. Through the first nine minutes of play, the Canes dominated to the extent of recording all but one of the game’s first 10 shots, their ninth resulting in a sharp-angle goal by Victor Rask that put the hosts up 1-0. Babcock has consistently drive home the point to his young team that getting off to good starts is imperative only to have on more than one occasion his players come out flat Truth be told, one of the only Leafs to exhibit some giddyup in the first 10 minutes was Marner, who knotted the game 1-1 just 53 seconds after the Rask curtain raiser. What the Marner one-timer lacked in muscle was made up for in quickness, his release catching Ward off guard. After Rielly’s “own goal” helped restore Carolina’s one-goal lead, the always pesky Nazem Kadri was involved in a controversial play that seemed to rattle Ward. 1052421 Vegas Golden Knights “There’s obviously playoff implications all around,” defenseman Mark Giordano said. “The points are big for us. Anytime you have these streaks, you don’t want them to end. NHL’s Gary Bettman comes to Coyotes’ defense on new arena bid “It’s a good feeling, so you want to keep it going.” The winning streak is the Flames’ longest since relocating from Atlanta in By STEVE CARP 1980. LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL EXPANSION UPDATE The NHL confirmed the league’s lottery for the June 23-24 entry draft in Chicago will be April 29 in Toronto and will be televised. With time running out and desperation apparently in the air, the Arizona Coyotes called on a power play specialist in their attempt to score a big The Golden Knights will have the same chances at grabbing the No. 1 deal on a new Phoenix-area arena. pick as the team with the third-worst record. The Knights also will pick no lower than sixth in Chicago. Hopping over the boards was NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who knows something about exerting power. As of now, the unprotected lists of players of the 30 teams for the June 21 expansion draft will remain confidential. It was one of the byproducts On Tuesday, Bettman sent a strongly worded letter to the Arizona of the general manager meetings last week in Florida. legislature urging it to pass Senate Bill 1149, which would provide $225 million in public funding on a new $395 million arena for the Coyotes. So much for transparency. Killing the power play were former Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs and LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.12.2017 current city manager Kevin Phelps. Both cited the Coyotes for having underperformed on the ice and that Glendale has kept its word per the agreement. “The Coyotes’ current location in Glendale at Gila River Arena is not economically capable of supporting a successful NHL franchise,” Bettman wrote in his letter, which was addressed to state Sen. Steve Yarborough and Rep. J.D. Mesnard. “For the past 15 years, a succession of ownership groups and the league have tried everything imaginable to make the Glendale location financially sustainable. Our combined efforts all have yielded the same result —a consistent economic loss. “The simple truth? The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.” That last sentence was in bold type. Coyotes majority owner Andrew Barroway put things into sharper focus, saying, “While we cannot and will not stay in Glendale, we will continue to push our proposed public-private partnership until we either achieve a long-term arena solution in a more economically viable location in the valley, or we reach the point where there is simply no longer a path forward in Arizona. “At that point, as the commissioner indicated, we will work with our partners in the league office and across the NHL to determine our next steps.” SB 1149 calls for a special tax district to be created to fund the new arena’s construction and would be repaid by tax dollars that the arena generated. The bill has received lukewarm response from the senate and house. Which was why Bettman took a shift on the power play. Meanwhile, Glendale taxpayers still are paying off a $230 million debt on the arena in their community. In killing off the Bettman-Coyotes power play, Scruggs sent a letter to Yarborough and Mesnard basically refuting everything Bettman stated. Phelps told the Arizona Republic the Coyotes pay $500,000 a year in rent in exchange for retaining all ticket, parking, merchandising and concession revenue from hockey games, as well as 80 percent of the arena naming rights, or $1.9 million a year. Phelps added the Coyotes also get to house their corporate headquarters in the arena. “And we are paying $13 million in arena debt payments, plus annual capital maintenance where we can spend $1 million to $2 million a year,” Phelps said. “Our frustration is starting to build a little bit.” FANNING HOT FLAMES Glen Gulutzan never minced words when he coached the Las Vegas Wranglers. And nothing’s changed during his tenure in Calgary. The first-year Flames coach periodically has called out his team for lackluster play, notably on Jan. 24, when it stunk up the Bell Centre in losing 5-1 to Montreal. Gulutzan called the effort “pathetic.” Since then, the Flames have reversed direction, winning 14 of their past 17, including nine straight, and putting themselves in prime position to land a playoff spot. 1052422 Washington Capitals

Tom Wilson is ‘playing hockey,’ and is getting rewarded by a move up the lineup

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 11 at 3:54 PM

LOS ANGELES — San Jose Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon kept his eyes on the puck as it sailed toward him. He reached his hand up to bat it down, but before he could get control of it, a 6-foot-4, 217-pound frame knocked him out of the play. This was the kind of big open-ice hit for which Washington forward Tom Wilson has became known, but there was a purpose behind it, removing Dillon from the action so the Capitals could regain possession. Wilson’s point production this season (six goals and 10 assists in 66 games) is on pace to roughly match last year’s, but he’s made strides in other ways. Wilson has found a way to balance an intimidating physicality with situational awareness. Liking what he’s seen lately, Capitals Coach Barry Trotz promoted him to the top-six forward corps for Saturday’s game in Los Angeles, putting him on a line alongside center Evgeny Kuznetsov and left wing Alex Ovechkin. “He’s playing hockey, and I say that with all due respect,” Trotz said. “He’s not looking for the big hit. If it’s there, he’ll do that. I think earlier in his career, to stay in the lineup, he was looking for the big hit. He was looking for that forecheck and that physicality. I think he’s just playing, and if it’s there, then he responds to it and those situations. It’s just him maturing as a young pro.” Wilson still leads Washington in hits with 194 entering Saturday night’s games, but he’s tried to be more selective this season. That’s helped him stay out of the penalty box — he’s on pace for the fewest penalty minutes of his career by a considerable margin — and in turn, he’s been an effective penalty-killer all season. Trotz has occasionally moved Wilson up the lineup this year because his physicality can often create space for his linemates. Hitting can be a tricky balance because a player records one when he doesn’t have possession. Wilson has adjusted this season, using a hit to force a turnover. “I haven’t changed my game a ton,” Wilson said. “I think most of it has been puck possession. When I have the puck on my stick I’m making the right plays. I’m having more time with the puck and having more confidence. When I’m forechecking, I’m trying to go more stick-on-puck a little bit, but I’m still trying to finish my check.” On Thursday night, the Capitals’ fourth line of Wilson, Daniel Winnik and center Jay Beagle was arguably the team’s best. Winnik scored the first goal of the game. Opposite Wilson was former teammate Joel Ward, whose style of play Washington General Manager Brian MacLellan has urged Wilson to emulate. The two were close as teammates and still stay in touch, and while Wilson hasn’t reached the 20-goal offensive production Ward has had at points in his career, other aspects of his game model Ward’s. “I think the parts of his game that they kind of want me to emulate are doable things,” Wilson said. “Winning battles along the wall, I think my board battles in the offensive end have improved a lot this year. That leads to puck possession and that leads to more offense.” [Are the Capitals headed to another late-season slide?] When Ward was with Washington, he often moved around in the lineup, occasionally a right wing to complement for Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Trotz is starting to use Wilson in a similar fashion. With the Capitals coming off back-to-back regulation losses for the first time since Dec. 1 and Trotz feeling like his forward groups have gone “stale,” Wilson was part of Trotz’s shake-up. His bruising presence can open up more ice for Ovechkin and Kuznetsov, and he can serve as a net-front presence on that line. He’s also earned the increase in ice time. “I think Tom’s played really well,” Trotz said. ” … You’ve got a shooter, you’ve got some big bodies and you’ve got some pretty good skaters on that line.”

Isabelle Khurshudyan Washington Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052423 Washington Capitals

Capitals’ losing streak reaches three after 4-2 loss to Kings

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 12 at 1:22 AM

LOS ANGELES — Adrian Kempe moved the puck into the right faceoff circle, maneuvering it around as though it were glued to his stick. With Washington Capitals players hopelessly lunging after him and traffic gathering in front of Capitals goaltender Philipp Grubauer, Kempe unfurled his shot and then watched it sail into the goal. The first NHL goal of Kempe’s career was the difference in the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-2 win over Washington on Saturday night. In an evenly played game, that goal handed Washington its third consecutive regulation loss, the first time that’s happened in two years. Though the Capitals arguably played well in a losing effort against the Kings, they are 5-5-1 in the 11 games since their mid-February five-day bye week. Moreover, Pittsburgh’s 3-0 win over Vancouver earlier in the night moved the Penguins to within one point of Washington for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Kings entered the game five points out of the Western Conference wild card position. Washington took six minor penalties, three from newly acquired defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, and Saturday marked the 17th straight game in which Alex Ovechkin failed to score an even-strength goal. It is a career-long drought for him. He has one point in the past eight games. After the Capitals’ power play couldn’t break through on five opportunities against San Jose on Thursday, it took advantage of its first opportunity on Saturday night. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was whistled for slashing less than three minutes into the game, and some good puck movement by the second unit culminated in a slap pass from Shattenkirk to Jakub Vrana, who re-directed the puck in front for a goal. That marked Vrana’s third goal of the season and his second in the past five games. He’s done all of his scoring on the power play, where he’s a net-front presence on the second unit. The rookie has split time between the NHL and the American Hockey League this season, and an injury to Andre Burakovsky coupled with the trade of forward prospect Zach Sanford has provided Vrana with lineup stability during his current big- league stint. With the team sending Sanford to St. Louis in the recent trade for Shattenkirk, Vrana is the Capitals’ top depth option for the postseason with Washington choosing not to acquire another veteran forward before the trade deadline earlier this month. Saturday was another example of the 21-year-old feeling more comfortable at this level, continuing to establish himself as a power-play threat. The goal also showcased Shattenkirk’s increasing confidence in man- advantage situations, manning the point for the entire power play. He has four assists in his past four games. The Kings tied the game 15:30 into the first period, when Marian Gaborik punched in a loose puck from the slot with a scramble in front of Grubauer. Washington regained the lead early in the second period when T.J. Oshie swatted in the rebound from a Marcus Johansson backhand, and Oshie’s 26th goal matched the career-high he set last season. Los Angeles again responded. Shattenkirk went to the penalty box for his second infraction of the game after sailing a puck over the glass, and Anze Kopitar deflected a Jeff Carter shot on the power play to tie the game, 2-2, 7:20 into the second period. Washington’s penalty-kill unit, ranked fifth entering the game, has been leaky as of late. After not allowing a power-play goal in four games, the Capitals have allowed three in the past two games. The two goals exceeded the number the Kings had scored on Grubauer in his past two starts against them. He entered the game with a .987 save percentage and a .50 goals-against average in two games played against Los Angeles. He’d later allow a third goal. Washington Post LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052424 Washington Capitals

Capitals’ West Coast slump continues

By Greg Beacham - Associated Press - Sunday, March 12, 2017

LOS ANGELES — Adrian Kempe knew he probably wasted a few too many opportunities while he played his first 10 NHL games without scoring a goal. The Swedish rookie’s persistence was rewarded at a dramatic moment for his Los Angeles Kings. Kempe scored his first NHL goal with 11:14 to play and captain Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist in the Kings‘ 4-2 win over the NHL- leading Washington Capitals on Saturday night. Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie scored for the Capitals, who have lost three straight regulation games for the first time in their outstanding season. Grubauer stopped 18 shots, but Washington’s lead over Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division has dwindled to one point with 15 games to go. “There’s always frustration,” said Justin Williams, the former longtime Kings forward. “You can’t whine and cry about it. We lost three in a row. Big deal. Now we have to pick it up and get the next one. Good news is there is usually a game the next day.” Despite the result, Washington coach Barry Trotz praised his team’s overall performance and lamented a series of shots off Quick’s posts. “There were a couple of things where we were a little bit unlucky,” Trotz said. “Goals aren’t coming. We’re going to have to score more than two goals. We’ve got to fight through it. We’ve got to get to the net. We’ve got to shoot.” Vrana put the Capitals ahead on their first shot, converting a pass from Kevin Shattenkirk on a power play. The Kings evened it later in the first period on the second goal in two games by Gaborik, who has excelled lately on a line with Kopitar and newcomer Jarome Iginla. Oshie put the Caps back ahead early in the second while following up a chance by Marcus Johansson. The American’s 26th goal matched his career high set last year in his debut season with Washington. Kempe put the Kings ahead when he skated off the boards and spun his way into a clear shot that beat Phillip Grubauer through a screen. Kempe, the 20-year-old former first-round pick, was the closest thing to a blue-chip offensive prospect in the Kings‘ system, but he had only four assists to his credit since his call-up. “I’ve had a lot of chances, and I should have probably scored before this game,” Kempe said. “But it was a good feeling when it finally went in.” Marian Gaborik also scored and Jonathan Quick made 17 saves in a major victory for the Kings, who have won three of four while they fight to stay in the playoff race. Jeff Carter added an empty-net goal, and Los Angeles won back-to-back games for the first time since early February. The Kings are in ninth place in the Western Conference, trailing St. Louis by three points. Kempe’s goal provided the reward for a tenacious effort by the Kings, whose defensive game plan was barely enough to beat high-flying Washington. “(Kempe) has been really good for us,” said defenseman Alec Martinez, who had two assists. “He’s brought a lot of energy, a lot of speed. He’s a pretty even-keeled guy. Doesn’t get too high or too low, and that makes for a pretty good pro.” NOTES: Alex Ovechkin played his 17th consecutive game without an even-strength goal. He has one point in eight games. … Williams had an assist, giving him points in the last three games he has played against the Kings. The goal-scorer known in LA as “Mr. Game 7” won the 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Kings‘ second Stanley Cup championship run. … Grubauer got the start over Braden Holtby after the German backup goalie earned a 38-save shutout in Washington’s home game against the Kings earlier this season. … Los Angeles scratched regular D Brayden McNabb and inserted Kevin Gravel. Washington Times LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052425 Washington Capitals

GAME 66: CAPITALS AT KINGS DATE, TIME, HOW TO WATCH, GAME THREAD

By J.J. Regan March 11, 2017 1:24 AM

The Capitals are 5-4-1 since returning from the bye week and, after Thursday's loss in San Jose, have lost two consecutive games in regulation for just the third time this season. It's a swoon reminiscent of last season in which a Washington team that dominated the regular season slowed down in the last quarter of the season en route to a second round exit to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Caps will try to buck that trend and return to the win column on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. What: Washington Capitals vs. Los Angeles Kings Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, Calif. When: 10:30 p.m. ET. (Capitals GameTime gets things started at 10:00 p.m. ET) How to WATCH: Capitals at Kings will be broadcast on CSN Plus. (Channel Finder) Live Stream: You can watch the Capitals at Kings game on CSN's live stream page. WHEN IS THE CAPITALS-KINGS GAME? The Capitals (44-15-7) take on the Kings (32-28-6) Saturday, March 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET at Staples Center. WHAT CHANNEL IS THE CAPITALS-KINGS GAME ON? The Capitals-Kings game will be broadcast on CSN Plus. Capitals GameTime gets things started at 10:00 p.m. ET with Capitals Extra recapping the all the action following the game. (CSN channel Finder) WHERE CAN I STREAM THE CAPITALS-KINGS GAME? The Capitals-Kings game, as well as the pre and postgame shows, is available to stream live here through CSN's live stream page and is available to authenticated CSN Mid-Atlantic subscribers on desktops, tablets, mobile devices and connected TVs anywhere in the United States. WHAT ARE THE LINES FOR THE CAPITALS-KINGS GAME? Here are the projected lines based on Friday's practice: Forwards Marcus Johansson - Nicklas Backstrom - T.J. Oshie Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Tom Wilson Brett Connolly - Lars Eller - Justin Williams Daniel Winnik - Jay Beagle - Jakub Vrana Defense Karl Alzner - John Carlson Dmitry Orlov - Matt Niskanen Brooks Orpik - Kevin Shattenkirk Goalies Philipp Grubauer starts with Braden Holtby as backup Scratches Nate Schmidt, Taylor Chorney Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052426 Washington Capitals

CAPS LOSE THIRD STRAIGHT IN REGULATION FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2015

By J.J. Regan March 12, 2017 1:10 AM

How it happened: The Caps took a 1-0 and 2-1 lead, but saw the Kings come back each time to tie the game at two after the first two periods. Kings rookie Adrian Kempe, however, scored his first career goal midway through the third period to hand the Caps their third straight regulation loss. What it means: The Caps have lost three straight games in regulation for the first time since February…of 2015. They now sit just one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division and in the NHL. Goals Caps goal: Jakub Vrana (power play) from Kevin Shattenkirk and Justin Williams at 4:35 in the first period. Shattenkirk found Vrana on the long- range slap pass and Vrana redirected it into the net for the early power play tally. Caps 1, Kings 0 Kings goal: Marian Gaborik from Alex Martinez and Anze Kopitar at 15:30 in the first period. Brooks Orpik tried to start the breakout, but turned the puck over on the wall. Kopitar gave Matt Niskanen the curl and drag, and Gaborik buried the rebound. Caps 1, Kings 1 Caps goal: T.J. Oshie from Marcus Johansson at 0:47 in the second period. Johansson skated the puck almost the entire length of the ice through the Kings’ defense and chipped a puck into Quick. A trailing Oshie knocked the puck into the net. Caps 2, Kings 1 Kings goal: Anze Kopitar (power play) from Jeff Carter and Jake Muzzin at 7:20 in the second period. After a debated delay of game penalty to the Caps, Carter fired a wrister right from Alex Ovechkin’s favorite office that was deflected by Kopitar to beat Grubauer. Caps 2, Kings 2 Kings goal: Adrian Kempe from Alec Martinez and Kevin Gravel at 8:46 in the third period. Kempe made his first career NHL goal a memorable one. With the puck along the boards, Martinez spun around to separate himself from Johansson, skated to the circle, then beat a screened Grubauer short-side. Caps 2, Kings 3 Kings goal: Jeff Carter (empty netter), unassisted at 19:58 in the third period. Caps 2, Kings 4 3 stars 1. Anze Kopitar: Kopitar did all the leg work on the Kings' first goal, pulling of the nice move to deke Niskanen. He then got his stick on a shot from Carter to earn the Kings' second goal. 2. Adrian Kempe: Not only did he get his first career NHL goal, it was a beautiful pla and it ended up being the game-winner. 3. Alex Ovechkin: The Caps' captain has come under scrutiny of late for his sudden lack of production, but he looked dangerous in this game. He registered a game-high five shots on goal with an additional six shots missed and three more blocked. It was his best game in awhile, but it did not translate into a goal. Look ahead: Hopefully the Caps have already turned their clocks back since they are back in action Sunday night. They wrap up the California trip against the Anaheim Ducks then return home just in time for snow and a Tuesday game against Bruce Boudreau and the Minnesota Wild. Tell us what you think: With three straightr regulation losses and the playoffs just a month away, where is your panic meter? Are you still confident in the Caps or are you getting worried? Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052427 Washington Capitals

3 BOLD PREDICTIONS: CAPS FACE KINGS IN THE CITY OF ANGELS

By J.J. Regan March 11, 2017 7:23 PM

The Caps are in Los Angeles for game two of the California trip to play the Kings (10:30 p.m., CSN). Here are three bold predictions for the game. 1. The Capitals will not score on the power play The Kings boast the third best penalty kill in the NHL and have allowed only one power play goal in their last 10 games. That’s bad news for a Caps’ power play that could not muster a single goal on five opportunities Thursday in San Jose. 2. This game will go into overtime What’s my reasoning for this? Because it’s starting at 10:30 and the clocks go back an hour, that’s why. At least one game on this road trip is going into overtime and I’m picking this one. 3. Dmitry Orlov will score Orlov has become the forgotten man on this defense after the trade for Kevin Shattenkirk. When it comes to offensive contribution, everyone talks about Shattenkirk or John Carlson, but we all seem to forget about Orlov. He’s due for a big night and he will put one into the back of the net. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052428 Winnipeg Jets

Chiarot game-time decision against hot Flames

By: Mike McIntyre

The Winnipeg Jets will be looking for a much-needed return to the win column tonight -- but standing in their way is the NHL's hottest team. Calgary rolls into the MTS Centre for the 6 p.m. start having gone 9-0-1 in their past 10 games, a run that has put them comfortably in a playoff position. Winnipeg has dropped their past two games -- both on home ice -- and find themselves seven points out of the final wildcard spot with just 14 games remaining in the season. "For us, right now it's a do-or-die time of the year. We can't afford to lose too many games right now. Obviously, we know they're coming in hot so we have to be ready off the start and limit our mistakes," defenceman Josh Morrissey said following Saturday's morning skate. The Jets will be without defenceman Toby Enstrom, who is out indefinitely with a concussion suffered in their last game against Pittsburgh. Mark Stuart will take his place in the lineup. Defenceman Ben Chiarot is also a game-time decision because of illness. Julian Melchiori would take his spot after being recalled from the Moose earlier in the day. Nic Petan will also dress for the Jets after being a healthy scratch for the past four games. He replaces Chris Thorburn, who was also injured in the Pittsburgh game. Petan will skate on a line with Marko Dano and Shawn Matthias. Coach Paul Maurice has also switched up his other three lines -- Mark Scheifele will centre Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers, Bryan Little will centre Patrik Laine and Mathieu Perreault, and Adam Lowry will centre Andrew Copp and Joel Armia. Connor Hellebuyck will make his 14th consecutive start in net for the Jets, despite being pulled last game after allowing five goals on 15 shots. "There's a real hard focus on the day at hand so you don't too 'big picture' yourself," Maurice said Saturday of the team's mindset these days despite their dwindling post-season chances. He said his team can perhaps look to Calgary for motivation, given they're on the kind of streak the Jets need to get on. "They've got into a real consistent style of play," said Maurice. "They've had all, at different times, pieces of their game contribute." Tonight's game concludes a six-game homestand in which the Jets have gone 2-3-0. They head out on the road for three games next week beginning Monday in Nashville. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.12.2017 1052429 Winnipeg Jets 9 Andrew Copp C 16 Shawn Matthias LW Tonight: Jets vs Flames 17 Adam Lowry C 18 Bryan Little C By: Mike Sawatzky 19 Nic Petan C 22 Chris Thorburn RW ABOUT THE FLAMES 26 Blake Wheeler (C) RW -- Calgary, coming off a 5-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens Thursday 27 Nikolaj Ehlers LW night, is 9-0-1 in its last 10 games and winners of eight straight to tie a franchise record. 29 Patrik Laine RW -- Injury report: D Doug Hamilton (lower body), D Michael Stone (upper 33 Dustin Byfuglien (A) D body), C Curtis Lazar (upper body) are questionable. D Ladislav Smith 40 Joel Armia RW (neck) is out. 44 Josh Morrissey D -- LW Johnny Gaudreau has 13 points, including three goals, during Calgary’s eight-game winning streak. 55 Mark Schiefele (A) C -- G Brian Elliott has started five straight games, giving up only six goals 56 Marko Dano LW over that span. After a rough start to the season, Elliott has a 2.58 goals- against average, .907 save percentage and a 19-13-3 record. 85 Mathieu Perreault LW CALGARY FLAMES Head coach: Paul Maurice 1 Brian Elliott G Assistant coaches: Charlie Huddy, Jamie Kompon, Todd Woodcroft 31 Chad Johnson G Goaltending coach: Wade Flaherty 5 Mark Giordano (C) D Video assistant coach: Matt Prefontaine 6 Dennis Wideman D (Lineups subject to change) 7 TJ Brodie D — Mike Sawatzky 10 Kris Versteeg RW Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.12.2017 11 Mikael Backlund C 13 Johnny Gaudreau LW 17 Lance Bouma C 18 Matt Stajan C 19 Matthew Tkachuk LW 20 Curtis Lazar C 23 Sean Monahan (A) C 25 Freddie Hamilton C 26 Michael Stone D 27 Dougie Hamilton D 29 Deryk Engelland D 36 Troy Brouwer (A) RW 39 Alex Chiasson RW 44 Matt Bartkowski D 67 Michael Frolik RW 79 Michael Ferland LW 93 Sam Bennett C Head coach: Glen Gulutzan Assistant coaches: Dave Cameron, Martin Gelinas Goaltending coach: Jordan Sigalet Video assistant coach: Jamie Pringle Winnipeg Jets 34 Michael Hutchinson G 37 Connor Hellebuyck G 4 Paul Postma D 5 Mark Stuart D 7 Ben Chiarot D 8 Jacob Trouba D 1052430 Winnipeg Jets

Jets paying penalty since Frolik left

By: Mike McIntyre

When the obituary is written on the Winnipeg Jets’ 2016-17 season, one might want to look at the penalty kill as the kiss of death. Because things have been absolutely grim of late with the Jets down a man — and opponents have been reaping the benefits. Saturday night at the MTS Centre, Winnipeg surrendered a pair of power-play goals as they made a steady march to the sin bin en route to their 3-0 loss. Same goes for last Wednesday against Pittsburgh, when an early lead quickly vanished as the mighty Penguins struck three times with the extra man while cruising to a 7-4 victory. Winnipeg sits 28th-overall in the league while short-handed (only Buffalo and Dallas are worse) after finishing 25th last season. So what’s happened, especially after two previous seasons in which they were a respectable 10th and 13th overall? The most logical answer, it appears, was staring them right in the face Saturday. Michael Frolik was a major part of Winnipeg’s short-handed success in those two strong seasons before leaving as a free agent and signing with Calgary. It appears he left a hole in the lineup the Jets have yet to fill. His former coach, Paul Maurice, admits it’s a work in progress. "It’s a role we’re building," Maurice said Saturday prior to the game. "Everyone knows how I feel about Mike. I really liked him as a player. We’ve got a young guy in Joel Armia who’s learning that craft. He gets that hole now where Fro was." Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp have also figured prominently in the penalty kill this season, which Maurice said has brought about some of the struggles. "Three fairly young guys out there not experienced killing penalties and they will absolutely get better at it," he said Saturday. Frolik, for what it’s worth, spoke glowingly of his two seasons in Winnipeg when the subject was broached prior to the game. "It’s always kind of nice to come here," Frolik said Saturday, noting his best friend is injured Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec. "When we made the playoffs, it was something that I always remember. The crowd here was unbelievable. Obviously I was thankful to them and thankful to Paul, he was a good coach for me. I liked him. There’s always going to be good memories here." The problem for Jets fans, of course, is the playoffs are but a distant memory. And until they can get their special teams sorted out, they will likely remain a mirage. Frolik said it’s possible to build a strong penalty killer over time, pointing to his own career path. "When I got to Chicago it was kind of the thing I really learned there. It was kind of my job over there to play PK. I think over the years it kind of helped me to grow as a player. I just try to work with the coaches and work with the guys I’m on with to make sure we’re on the same page... always getting better and trying to know the other team and what they try to do," he said. Calgary sits in the middle of the pack on the penalty kill this season as they look poised to make the playoffs. Frolik has also shown his offensive side with 15 goals and 26 assists, which puts him within range of the career-best 45 points he put up with Florida a few seasons ago. Frolik had a goal and an assist Saturday against the Jets while helping his team go a perfect three for three while short-handed. The exact type of night which likely has many Jets fans — and perhaps coaches and management — lamenting the one that got away. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.12.2017 1052431 Winnipeg Jets

Albertans lay a hurtin' on struggling Jets, Flames win 3-0

By: Mike McIntyre

The struggling Winnipeg Jets proved to be no match Saturday for the red-hot Calgary Flames. Calgary scored a pair of power play goals en route to a convincing 3-0 victory at the MTS Centre. The Flames are now 10-0-1 in their past 11 games. Mikael Backlund, Michael Frolik and Alex Chiasson scored for the Flames. Brian Elliott stopped all 31 shots he faced in recording his second shutout of the year – and his second straight following a 5-0 blanking of Montreal on Thursday. Winnipeg is trending in the opposite direction, as the Jets dropped their third straight game and finished off a six-game homestand by going 2-4- 0. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 of 29 shots he faced. Winnipeg now heads out for three straight road games beginning Monday night in Nashville. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.12.2017 1052432 Winnipeg Jets which time Treliving added some depth on defence in Michael Stone and Matt Bartkowski.

Cheveldayoff, in ninth place at Christmas, 10th by the end of February, Jets and Flames headed in opposite directions shipped out veteran forward Drew Stafford at the deadline and has done nothing to improve his defence or goaltending. BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN The Flames are spending more than the Jets this season, right up to the cap, while Winnipeg has some $7 million to spare. FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 07:05 PM CST There is one striking similarity, financially: both have heavy investments in their blue lines – Calgary is paying eight defencemen a total of $28.7 million, while the Jets pay their eight-man blue line $27.4 million. A question to ponder as the playoff-challenged Winnipeg Jets get ready to play the playoff-bound Calgary Flames, Saturday night. Which brings us to the present, the Flames having apparently found their identity, and then some, winning eight straight games and posting a 13-2- How in the name of Jim Peplinski have the Flames turned things around 1 mark since a season-high four-game skid threatened to bring them to become the hottest team in the NHL? down to the Jets level again. These two clubs have spent most of the last six years slumming it That's when head coach Glen Gulutzan called his team's effort “pathetic” together in the league's low-rent district, both making the post-season in a loss to Montreal, a few days after calling it “embarrassing” in a loss just once, two years ago. to Edmonton. They've both undergone roster rebuilds, pushing out long-time team That seems to have worked. captains (Andrew Ladd, Jarome Iginla) and veteran goalies (Ondrej Pavelec, Miikka Kiprusoff), while injecting some of the game's bright, That brings to mind another thing the Flames did last summer. young talent into their lineups. They changed head coaches. Yet, it's the Flames who've found a way to get into the Stanley Cup chase, while the Jets continue to flounder. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.12.2017 “Both teams have some nice pieces in place, some good things to build off of, some good young talent,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said, Friday. “They're obviously a little bit ahead of where we're at right now. But there's a lot to look forward to for both teams.” At the end of last season these two had nearly identical records: Winnipeg 11th in the Western Conference with 78 points (35-39-8), Calgary 12th with 77 points (35-40-7). Their issues were similar, too. Most notably, they both played poor defensively: the Jets ranked 22nd in goals against, the Flames 30th. They had poor special teams, too: Winnipeg ranked 30th and 25th on the power play and penalty kill, Calgary 22nd and 30th, respectively. Fast-forward to this season, and the Flames have gone from dead-last in goals against to 13th. The Jets? From 22nd to 27th. “They play a real good, solid game defensively,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “A good mix. The goaltending is back on track. But they defend pretty well. “We will work hard to get to that. They've got some guys that are pretty effective defensive players. Experience... learning when to push and when not to push is a critical piece to it.” It's a tale of two cities on special teams, too. Calgary's are both around the middle of the pack this season, Winnipeg's still in the bottom quarter of the NHL. What gives? Comparing the team's off-season transactions provides part of the answer. Flames GM Brad Treliving cleaned house in the crease, giving up on his young goalies and trading for Brian Elliott (St. Louis) at the NHL draft, then signing Chad Johnson on Day 1 of free agency. Elliott, acquired for a second-round pick last year and a third-rounder in 2018, has won eight of his last nine starts, combining with Johnson to give the Flames far better performance between the pipes. Treliving also added forward depth in Alex Chiasson, from Ottawa, and free agent Troy Brouwer, who've combined for 18 goals and 37 points. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was, presumably, paying attention. Cheveldayoff's summer moves, apart from the draft, involved the addition of three players: forwards Shawn Matthias and Quinton Howden and defenceman Brian Strait. Matthias has eight goals, 12 points, Howden and Strait have spent the season in the minors. After a slow start, the improved Flames were in seventh place in the West by Christmas, and they stayed there through the trade deadline, by 1052433 Winnipeg Jets

Jets Patrik Laine: 'I need to get my game to my best level. I need to be a better player.'

BY TED WYMAN, WINNIPEG SUN FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 01:10 PM CST | UPDATED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 01:21 PM CST

He had five points in five games, so it would be hard to suggest Patrik Laine was in a slump heading into Saturday’s matchup with the Calgary Flames. Of course, the Winnipeg Jets winger had 10 points in the five games before that, so it’s easy to see why his production looks low. Truth is, Laine has not been at his best. The 18-year-old super rookie did not score in losses to San Jose and Pittsburgh, had a bad giveaway that led to a key goal for the Sharks and wasn’t much of a factor in either contest. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. “It hasn’t been that good in the past couple of games,” Laine said before Saturday’s game against the Flames. “I need to get my game to my best level. I need to be a better player.” Laine has 32 goals and 59 points in his first 60 NHL games and is still a month away from his 19th birthday. His unwillingness to be satisfied with his overall game is another one of his strong points. Laine admitted one of the most difficult adjustments for him has been just trying to keep the game simple, even when it looks like there might be a more productive — yet risky — play available. “Maybe a little bit more simple, get a lot of pucks to the net and just try to do one job on the ice and not worry about anything else and count on everybody else doing the same,” Laine said. “That’s the thing. There’s times that we need to be smart and get the pucks deep and there’s time when there’s a play and we need to make that. It’s just recognizing the time to make the plays.” Laine found himself playing with a different centre on Saturday. After weeks playing right wing with Mark Scheifele — and finding considerable success — Laine was playing with Bryan Little against the Flames. “It doesn’t matter,” Laine said. “They are both very good centres. My linemates are very good and I’ve had some chemistry with both of those guys.” Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.12.2017 1052434 Winnipeg Jets “Real hard focus on the day at hand so that you don’t big-picture yourself out of a potential opportunity,” Maurice said. “The San Jose game hurts especially because we were very good in that game and didn’t come Playoff hopes dying, Jets hope to learn from meaningful games away with it. Pittsburgh was a better hockey team than we were the other night. Maurice shuffles lines for game against red-hot Flames “We need to get back to giving ourselves the chance to be as good as we can and then only focus on that and the next day and stay out of the big picture.” BY TED WYMAN, WINNIPEG SUN The Jets will have a different looking lineup for this one.

Maurice has shuffled his lines, moving centre Scheifele onto a line with They’ve taken a massive blow to their playoff aspirations by losing to two Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers and moving Bryan Little into the middle of the NHL’s better teams and now they have to face the hottest lineup in with Patrik Laine and Mathieu Perreault. the entire NHL. He also moved Andrew Copp from the fourth line to left wing on the third, As difficult as it will be for the Winnipeg Jets to beat the Calgary Flames with Adam Lowry and Joel Armia. and then keep it rolling to give their slim playoff hopes even a breath of life, there was optimism in the tones of players Saturday. The fourth line will be centred by Nic Petan, who was a healthy scratch for four games, and will have Shawn Matthias and Marko Dano on the Maybe not so much about making the post-season — it’s hard to be wings. Chris Thorburn comes out of the lineup. positive when you are seven points out with 14 games left and the team you are chasing has two games in hand — but about simply playing in “I don’t think it has anything to do with offence,” Wheeler said. “We create meaningful games in the last month of the season. enough offence but sometimes you’ve just got to shuffle the deck a little bit and re-invigorate the lineup.” “At this time of year you are learning so much, one goal games, big games,” rookie defenceman Josh Morrissey said. “Those are the types of On defence, Mark Stuart comes in to replace the concussed Toby games where, as young players, you can learn so much. You have to Enstrom and Ben Chiarot is a game-time decision as he his “under the take your game to another level and you learn those little details that weather.” affect those games. If Chiarot can’t play, Julian Melchiori, called up from the “The end goal is to make the playoffs this year, but regardless, being in Saturday, will take his place. the hunt and being in those important games, you can definitely learn a lot.” Connor Hellebuyck, who was pulled after giving up five goals on 15 shots against Pittsburgh, will make his 13th straight start in goal. The Jets are the second-youngest team in the NHL and few people would argue their future is bright, with star rookie Patrik Laine, Morrissey, “We want to bounce back,” Ehlers said. “We didn’t feel like we played the second-year winger Nikolaj Ehlers, leading scorer Mark Scheifele and best game against Pittsburgh. We know we could have done more. We blue-liner Jacob Trouba making up the core. want to play our game and play with a lot of speed. Obviously they are a great team and on a good stretch right now so it’s going to be a hard There are many who think they should have been good enough to make game.” the playoffs already. Outside Winnipeg, members of the media, team executives and even players are often astounded that the Jets aren’t Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.12.2017 better than they are. The truth is, they have a talented lineup and they are fun to watch, but they simply don’t know how to win. At very least, they have a chance to improve in that area when playing nothing but must-win games as long as they have even the slimmest playoff hopes. “To build that memory of the gear change,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “For young players, even the gear change after the all-star break. It’s a different game that is played. They need to get that in their memory bank.” “Prior to that you’ve got to learn how to do the 82. You’ve got to learn how to do it on a nightly basis, that level of consistency, so when you get there it means something. You feel like you’ve built enough that you get into the playoffs and it’s a battle.” Clearly the Jets are not there yet. They’ve been behind the playoff line all season thanks to far too many stretches of inconsistent hockey which has left them with a 30-32-6 record overall. The team they will host Saturday night at MTS Centre, has managed to establish a far more consistent game. Like the Jets, the Flames missed the playoffs last season, but they have improved immensely under new coach Glen Gulutzan and now have a 37-26-4 record. They come riding an eight-game winning streak, which is something the Jets could only dream of — their longest winning streak of the season was three games and they managed that only once. “You hear about the streak they are on and the way they are playing so it’s going to be a great challenge for us,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “They’re coming in with a lot of confidence, they’ve established their identity with the way they are playing right now and it’s going to be a tough game.” The Jets lost critical games at home this week to San Jose and Pittsburgh and are looking very much like a lottery team. That doesn’t mean anyone is giving up. 1052435 Winnipeg Jets Nic Petan returned to the Jets lineup Saturday night after sitting out four games as a healthy scratch.

Petan has just one goal and 12 points in 43 games this season and he Jets trying to learn was not surprised when Maurice put him in the press box last week. “Everything happens for a reason,” Petan said. “It’s tough when you don’t BY TED WYMAN, WINNIPEG SUN bury your chances. I’ve had lots of chances this year so I’ve got to bear down.” FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 10:59 PM CST | UPDATED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 11:03 PM CST Petan hopes he learned something from watching the last four games. “For sure, when you take a step back and watch a little bit, you see a little bit more,” he said. “Maybe it gives me a step back and a step forward in While the odds of the Winnipeg Jets making the playoffs are extremely the right direction. Hopefully it helps me going forward.” low — down to 1.4% according to Sports Club Stats — there was still some optimism in the room before Saturday’s game against the Flames. Petan was expected to see time on the power play, as he did before he was scratched. There was not nearly as much after the 3-0 loss. It’s hard to be positive when you are nine points out with 13 games left and the team you are “Watching up there you definitely have ideas on what to do,” he said. chasing has two games in hand. “Just make flat passes and don’t try to force anything.” But before the Jets suffered their third straight loss, the Jets players and Maurice had Petan centring the fourth line Saturday night, playing with coach Paul Maurice were both talking about the importance of simply Shawn Matthias and Marko Dano. playing in meaningful games in the last month of the season. “You’re always looking for that bounce,” Maurice said. “I haven’t been “At this time of year you are learning so much, one goal games, big down on Nic’s game. We’d like to see more five-on-five production. We games,” rookie defenceman Josh Morrissey said. “Those are the types of understand the minutes that he plays, and we understand that he’s not games where, as young players, you can learn so much. You have to always with offensive players when he’s out there. He does some good take your game to another level and you learn those little details that things on the power play as well. affect those games. “We’re just looking for continued growth of a young player. Every time he “The end goal is to make the playoffs this year, but regardless, being in comes back in lineup he’s a little quicker, a little faster and having the hunt and being in those important games, you can definitely learn a watched the game, he has a better idea of when he has time, when he lot.” doesn’t have time.” The Jets are the second-youngest team in the NHL and few people Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.12.2017 would argue their future is bright, with Patrik Laine, Morrissey, Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele and blue-liner Jacob Trouba making up the core. There are many who think they should have been good enough to make the playoffs already. Outside Winnipeg, members of the media, team executives and even players are often astounded that the Jets aren’t better than they are. The truth is, they have a talented lineup and they are fun to watch, but they simply don’t know how to win. At very least, they have a chance to improve in that area when playing nothing but must-win games as long as they have even the slimmest playoff hopes. “To build that memory of the gear change,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “For young players, even the gear change after the all-star break. It’s a different game that is played. They need to get that in their memory bank. “Prior to that you’ve got to learn how to do the 82. You’ve got to learn how to do it on a nightly basis, that level of consistency, so when you get there it means something. You feel like you’ve built enough that you get into the playoffs and it’s a battle.” Clearly the Jets are not there yet. BREAKING UP Jets coach Maurice broke up the line of Mathieu Perreault, Scheifele and Laine on Saturday even though they have been one of the highest scoring units in the NHL for the last month. The reasoning? Just to change the speed of the team’s game. “With Mark and Patty the game slows down for them a little bit and then we need to get them back up to speed,” Maurice said. “Bryan (Little) does a real good job of changing his game right away with different players. Nik Ehlers, his skating the last few games, has been going very, very well. “We want to put some speed back in Mark’s game and it’s a different game that he plays with different wingers. Just change the speed of our game.” Hard to say the move worked as the Jets were shut out for just the second time all season. PETAN BACK IN 1052436 Winnipeg Jets There was more rough stuff in the third period, but very little offensive push from the Jets, who now have a decidedly uninspiring 16-18-1 record at home and are 30-33-6 overall. Flames hammer lackluster Jets Perhaps that’s why the crowd was louder in cheering for the Timbits hockey game between periods than it was for much of the game. FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 10:47 PM CST | “There were some good things going on and then the penalties took UPDATED: SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 10:52 PM CST away from some momentum in the second period,” Wheeler said. “We’ve got to do a better job of staying out of the box and when we’re in the box we’ve got to do a better job of killing penalties and the power WINNIPEG - The morgue-like atmosphere at the start of the game play’s got to do a better job of getting some momentum for our team.” Saturday seemed fitting for the near-death playoff hopes of the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Flames went 2-for-5. It was obvious from the quiet crowd at the MTS Centre and the It was only the second time this season the Jets were shut out. The other uninspired performance of the Jets against the Calgary Flames that the was in the Heritage Classic on Oct. 23 when they lost 3-0 to the playoff dream has flatlined. Edmonton Oilers. Just a week ago the Jets were brimming with hope, talking about building The Jets finished their six-game home stand with a 2-4 record and now momentum after a strong road trip and pressing for the final playoff spot head out on the road for games in Nashville Monday, New Jersey in the Western Conference. Tuesday and Brooklyn on Thursday. Given how many more games they had played than their competitors, It’s not going to be easy for them to flush the disappointment of the last they may have been clinging to false hope at the time but that was better three games, especially when the playoffs are no longer realistic. than what they have now — almost no hope. “You ask any guy in here, it’s a challenge,” Morrissey said. “But at the After three home losses to playoff-bound teams this week, they are nine same time, that’s where you have to be a professional, that’s where you points out of the final wild card spot in the West with only 13 games to have to be a man and step up and understand that we lose a game, you play. can’t sulk or go into the next one feeling sorry for yourself, but come out and show that you care and show your pride and come out and have that The latest was a 3-0 loss to the red-hot Flames (who won their ninth work ethic that makes us successful. straight game) and, combined with the St. Louis Blues 4-3 win over the New York Islanders, it was a recipe for discouragement. “I mean, it’s not easy to do, but that’s what being a pro is.” “Certainly there’s disappointment,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “It Just how well the Jets are able to embrace that mindset will surely show looks like we’re carrying it around on the ice. It looked like that in the in the results of the next three games. third.” LAINE LOOKS TO END SKID The Jets didn’t give themselves much of a chance against the hottest Ted Wyman team in the league. Their five-on-five play was OK but Calgary was better on special teams and in goal. Winnipeg Sun Isn’t that the story of the Jets’ season? He has five points in the last six games, so it would be hard to suggest Patrik Laine is in a slump. “We just kinda shot ourselves in the foot,” captain Blake Wheeler said. Of course, the Winnipeg Jets winger had 10 points in the five games “You just don’t really feel like you’re in these games. It’s just playing from before that, so it’s easy to see why his production looks low. behind all the time now. It makes it really difficult, especially when things aren’t going well and guys aren’t feeling good about themselves, to really Truth is, Laine has not been at his best. get anything going. You’re always behind by a goal or two and sometimes three.” The 18-year-old super rookie did not score in losses to San Jose, Pittsburgh and Calgary, had a bad giveaway that led to a key goal for the The Jets fell behind 1-0 as Mikael Backlund scored on Calgary’s first Sharks and wasn’t much of a factor in any of the contests. power play of the night in the first period. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. “It hasn’t been that good in the past In the second period, the Jets got into even more penalty trouble — in couple of games,” Laine said before Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Flames. fact they took eight minutes worth of high-sticking infractions — and the Flames made them pay with ex-Jet Michael Frolik making it 2-0. “I need to get my game to my best level. I need to be a better player.” Alex Chiasson scored in the third to finish it off for Calgary and Brian Laine has 32 goals and 59 points in his first 61 NHL games and is still a Elliott made 31 saves for his second straight shutout. month away from his 19th birthday. His unwillingness to be satisfied with his overall game is another one of his strong points. “Even if your penalty kill is outstanding, it’s eight minutes of high sticking penalties in the second period,” Maurice said. “Our penalty killing is Laine admitted one of the most difficult adjustments for him has been just clearly a problem for us. But we go 10 minutes of that second period and trying to keep the game simple, even when it looks like there might be a we’re right on the game and really got the ice tilted and spent the rest of more productive — yet risky — play available. the period in the penalty box.” “Maybe a little bit more simple, get a lot of pucks to the net and just try to Connor Hellebuyck was decent in the Jets goal, making 29 saves, but he do one job on the ice and not worry about anything else and count on wasn’t as good as Elliott and the Jets weren’t as good as the Flames. everybody else doing the same,” Laine said. It was the same story when they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins on “That’s the thing. There’s times that we need to be smart and get the Wednesday and the San Jose Sharks on Monday. pucks deep and there’s time when there’s a play and we need to make that. It’s just recognizing the time to make the plays.” “I don’t know, it obviously wasn’t good enough,” left-winger Shawn Matthias said. “Tonight or the last few games. I mean, it’s frustrating Laine found himself playing with a different centre on Saturday. After tonight playing against a team that’s won eight in a row. It wasn’t our best weeks playing right wing with Mark Scheifele — and finding considerable effort.” success — Laine was playing with Bryan Little against the Flames. The Jets are the second-youngest team in the NHL and few people “It doesn’t matter,” Laine said. “They are both very good centres. My would argue their future is bright, with star rookie Patrik Laine, linemates are very good and I’ve had some chemistry with both of those defenceman Josh Morrissey, second-year winger Nikolaj Ehlers, leading guys.” scorer Mark Scheifele and blue-liner Jacob Trouba making up the core. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.12.2017 They finally showed some fight late in the second period when Trouba, who was Winnipeg’s best player, engaged Sam Bennett of the Flames in a spirited scrap that left both skaters bloodied. 1052437 Vancouver Canucks CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said Canucks defenceman Luca Sbisa is 29 years old. He is 27.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.12.2017 Jeff Paterson: Sbisa’s Canuck days could soon turn to Knights

JEFF PATERSON

With the National Hockey League rolling into Las Vegas in the fall, Luca Sbisa realizes his hockey future isn’t so much in the hands of Lady Luck as it is with a couple of gentlemen — Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning and counterpart George McPhee, who’s running the show with the new kids on the expansion block. Each existing team will be permitted to protect one goalie and either three defencemen and seven forwards, or eight skaters at any position. First- and second-year professionals are automatically exempt, so the Canucks don’t have to worry about losing Troy Stecher, Ben Hutton or Nikita Tryamkin. The team will almost surely go with the three-and-seven option and protect blue-liners Alex Edler, Chris Tanev and Erik Gudbranson, leaving Sbisa among those exposed and available for selection. With 14 games left on the Canucks schedule, Sbisa knows it’s possible his time in Vancouver is winding down. “I’ve thought about it,” he admits. “I thought about it at the deadline, obviously. But now I’m here for the rest of the year and we’re trying to make the playoffs. And after the season, it’s something I’ll probably take a look at. “I’m pretty self-aware and know that might be an option. But there is nothing, personally, that I can do. It’s up to the guys upstairs and if they have something to tell me, that’s probably after the season. Right now, I’m not thinking about it and I’m not going to waste too much time thinking about it.” The 27-year-old has twice been traded in his career, so moving is nothing new. But the idea of joining a startup organization and in a market like Sin City certainly would be. No stranger to Vegas, Sbisa isn’t sure what’s in store for those who get plucked by the first-year Knights. “Oh, I’ve been,” he says with a laugh that suggests the ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ rule may apply. “I haven’t been in five-plus years. I don’t know how it is there as far as hockey goes. They make it seem like it’s going to be a great place. “Obviously, if that market hits, then it’s good for the league and revenue and there are 23 more jobs. The way it’s going now there are so many good young guys coming into the league, it’ll definitely be good for hockey. “It’s obviously a market that no professional sports team has ever used or played in, so lots of question marks. But I’m sure the NHL has done its research and they think it’s going to be a successful thing.” With expansion in the back of his mind, Sbisa will soldier on with the Canucks — one of just three players to appear in all 68 games this season. His hope is to remain here. And there’s no guarantee he’ll be selected by Vegas even if he’s available. There’s no knowing how the Knights plan to meet the league-mandated minimums of three goalies, nine defencemen and 14 forwards in the draft. The fact of the matter is the Canucks — like every other existing team — will lose one player to expansion. That’s the reality. So Sbisa, now in his ninth NHL season, realizes it’s likely to be an eventful few days in June with his future hanging in the balance. “When the season’s done, maybe I get traded to a different team,” he says. “Maybe I’ll get picked up by Vegas or maybe I’ll stay here. I’m not an agent, I’m not a general manager, I’m just a player. Wherever I end up, that’s where I’ll be. “Vancouver is a great city to play in and to play for. I think the team is only going to get better, so it would be nice to stay here. As of right now, I still have a year left and that’s what I’m working with and that’s where I expect to be.” The expansion draft results will be revealed to the hockey world on June 21. That’s when Sbisa will know what’s in the cards and how the addition of a team in Las Vegas will affect his future. Jeff Paterson writes Sundays on the Canucks in the Vancouver Province. Follow him on social media @patersonjeff 1052438 Vancouver Canucks But what is the only resource available to most? Numbers. Statistics. They have at their finger tips a vast ocean of data, unprecedented and endless and compelling when used in proper measure. MacIntyre’s Thoughts: Cannibal media, the analytics altar and a game of And when you make an argument that conflicts with what must surely be poetry unassailable data, it is viewed not as contradictory view but an attack on the ideology of analytics. And this religion will be defended at all costs. Because if the numbers fail, what else is there? IAIN MACINTYRE The beauty of the game

With regard to hockey and stories and arguments about it based largely A perspective. BEN NELMS / THE CANADIAN PRESS on analytics, I leave you with this verse from the great American poet Walt Whitman. The poem is When I heard the Learn’d Astronomer. If you My name in vain do not understand the reference, I’m sorry, I can’t help you. But I do appreciate you reading this, and reading me. You won’t find either on I read Friday on Twitter the headline: “Don’t believe what Iain MacIntyre CanucksArmy. tells you about the #Canucks and rebuilding.” When I heard the learn’d astronomer. Seemed a little over the top, but it’s hard to say because I’d never heard of the writer. When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me, It was not the first time I was vilified in print by another media outlet. When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them, During the Vancouver Canucks’ 2000 training camp in , I noticed these words prominently in the pink stock of the Swedish- When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much language national newspaper Aftonbladet: “Iain MacIntyre.” Curious, I applause in the lecture-room, took the tabloid to a bellman at my hotel and asked what the story was about. How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick, He read for a minute and informed me, aghast: “Some Canadian reporter Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself, ripped the Sedins. He said they can’t skate.” In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, Really? Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars. “It says he’s a Canadian hockey expert.” Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.12.2017 I, too, was aghast. Canadian hockey expert. The Sedins were 20-year-old rookies Daniel and Henrik, who had snowshoed around the Globen Arena in their first National Hockey League practice. I devoted all of a couple of paragraphs to their skating in a notebook for the Vancouver Sun that said, essentially, they didn’t “yet” skate like NHLers. Not knowing who was empowered to tip him, a cab driver mentioned the story to me. It was referenced during a reception at the Canadian ambassador’s residence, to which I was mistakenly invited. To this day, former Canuck assistant coach Jack McIlhargey greets me with “Here’s the Canadian hockey expert.” Then he laughs. I never shook that story. But the Sedins proved me right. Today, a friend and colleague is fighting cancer for the second time. Our owners just announced that 29 dedicated journalists, perfect fools who still believed in this profession, will be laid off. I have children who are going to inherit this dying planet. A blogger’s attack on my character? Pretty sure I can survive that. At the analytics altar One thing I have learned during the rapid rise of advanced statistics, which have impacted the game and how many people judge it, is that the analytics community, generally, attacks and defends with ruthless fervour. It is easy to understand why. What has an analytics blogger at his disposal? Some are trained journalists or, at least, writers. Many are not. Many – and this is not their fault – have no access to players, coaches and managers to ask questions and seek input from people whose lives and livelihoods are devoted to the game. To be brutally honest, however, for some bloggers the idea of seeking input from their subjects is not just unfathomable but inconvenient. Questions? Accountability? A hobbyist-blogger may or may not be able to craft a shopping list, but he can probably churn out a 2,000-word dissertation loaded with impregnable figures arguing how a young fourth-liner who doesn’t know shit from Shinola at the NHL level isn’t being properly optimized and a coach the blogger will never face is an idiot for using a veteran who makes $6 million US this season and scored 30 goals last season ahead of the prospect on the second-unit power play. To be clear, there are good hockey-stats bloggers, too – often a journalist who has embraced the movement and attempts to make it digestible for readers. 1052439 Vancouver Canucks leading into Saturday’s game, after it was revealed Brendan Gaunce wouldn’t be able to play, the Canucks re-called two forwards, Alex Grenier and Joseph LaBate. It remains a mystery why they didn’t bring Penguins 3 Canucks 0: Miller’s best not enough to bail out hapless home up one of them before Thursday’s game. It also remains a mistake. Of squad course, Biega played forward anyway when Markus Granlund came down with food poisoning.

In a word JASON BOTCHFORD WARNING: Henrik Sedin seemed to fire a shot or two when he issued a warning to the young players who are getting more playing time late in the year. He said: “You don’t want to get satisfied playing well down the If the Canucks have iced worse teams in the past decade, there haven’t stretch. That’s the scary part and you come in next year and think it’s been many. going to be easy. It’s a whole new ball game.” Michael Chaput may have been the best forward and Alex Grenier was SUPPORT: Mark down Luca Sbisa as being on Team Desjardins. Sbisa on the top line. It was so bad, Alex Biega started looking really good. And said: “The players really like playing for him. It’s nice when you have a he was playing forward. personal relationship. We don’t go out, but you come to the rink and he can tell something is wrong with you. He cares about his players. He’s On paper, juxtaposed to the Stanley Cup champions the Canucks looked not just a hockey coach.” like The Island of Misfit Toys. CLEARED: Despite hanging out with the mumps-infected Nikita It didn’t play out that way, until it did. Tryamkin, the Canucks most recent star, Nikolay Goldobin, has not Ryan Miller had to make a string of jaw-dropping, sign-this-guy-now contracted the virus. This is wonderful news for fans who want to see saves to keep the score respectable. With the second period winding more of the electric Russian. He was out Saturday, but could be back down, the Canucks were in a scoreless tie, but in a stretch where they Monday. The coach just needs to play him, and do that lots. were being outshot 21-4. ADVANCED STATS Ryan Miller's acting all kinds of crazy out there. #PITvsVAN 0.38 This is the number of points-per-hour of even strength ice time Ben pic.twitter.com/Ic4dMatX3G — NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2017 Hutton averaged through the Canucks first 67 games. Of 325 NHL You see a difference like that, you’d assume the Canucks must have regulars, Hutton ranked 321st. This does not seem good and, uh, it’s not. been getting one of Miller’s best games of his Vancouver career. You’d 1.95 This is the number of points-per-hour of even strength ice time Bo be right. Horvat averaged through the Canucks first 67 games. Of 325 NHL During the second intermission, Luca Sbisa told the crowd this: “It looks regulars, Horvat ranked 50th. This does seem good and, uh, it is. worse than it is.” 42.9 This is the percentage of unblocked shots the Canucks take when Miller was the only reason he could form those words with a straight face. Jayson Megna is on the ice at even strength. It’s last on the entire team. This suggests the Canucks have been buried most times he’s on the ice, With 45 saves, Miller played a game so stunning he made it seem like it and that doesn’t back up the coach’s declaration he’s good defensively. was 2010 again and he was about to carry Team USA into the gold medal game at the Olympics. 55.56 This was Reid Boucher’s shot-attempt differential in the 12 games he played with the Canucks heading into Saturday’s game. This was first He was beat once in the second period, by a Ian Cole shot he never saw, on the team, suggesting Boucher not only has a good shot, he’s good and once more in the third in a 3-0 loss. defensively. No dice. JONATHAN HAYWARD / THE CANADIAN PRESS Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.12.2017 He deserved a far better result. Early, he made a sprawling, desperation save on Phil Kessel and a post-to-post stop on Sidney Crosby. It got better from there. There were breakaways, and point-blank shots from Crosby. He nearly stopped them all. Without Miller, Crosby and his crew would have cleared out Rogers Arena with a period still to go. And that brings us to next season. What will this team do if Miller doesn’t come back? The veteran is on an expiring contract. He’s open to returning but also has eyes for others, including the California teams. The Canucks buried Jacob Markstrom this season and let Miller run as their No. 1 goalie. Many nights he kept them in games. Enough so, you shudder to think what would happen to the Canucks if they had sub-par, below average netminding. We may find out, as soon as October. What this means Jacob Markstrom is screwed. His knee injury couldn’t have come at a worst time. At the end of last season, he was in a job share with Ryan Miller. They posted identical numbers. Many assumed because Markstrom was 10 years younger, his role would grow. It hasn’t this year. He’s gone from 30 starts to 23 and may only get 4 or five more this year, depending on when he gets back. Who knows what Willie Desjardins would have done, but you’d assume the post-trade deadline Canucks would have been looking for more opportunities to start Markstrom. And now the Canucks have been open about wanting to re-sign Miller this off- season. It’s fair to assume that may require a two-year deal. What would that mean for Markstrom? By the time Miller moves on, Thatcher Demko would be in position to start a good number of NHL games. That would not be good news for the Canucks 27-year-old backup. What we learned It seems the Canucks may not be so sure about playing Alex Biega at forward. Caught in the roster dilemma they created Thursday, when they had only 11 healthy forwards, Desjardins blew it off suggesting he was very confident in playing defenceman Biega up front as a forward. But 1052440 Vancouver Canucks championship last year. True, it helps when you have Crosby and Malkin as the centrepiece of your team.

But Sullivan also reinvented the Pens last year when he took over just Ed Willes: Canucks’ youth being served up before Christmas, installing a speed-and-pressure game which carried them to the title, committing to young goalie Matt Murray in the playoffs and getting relevant play out of Kessel. ED WILLES This year, the Pens are right there again despite losing Crosby early on, Malkin for seven games in February and Kris Letang for 25 games and counting. Against the defending Stanley Cup champs from Pittsburgh, the Canucks’ forward group included Reid Boucher, Joseph Cramarossa, “We’ve been through a fair amount of ups and downs where we’ve had Michael Chaput, Jayson Megna, Alex Biega, Joe LaBate and Alex some inconsistencies in our game,” Sullivan said. “But what I really like Grenier. If you’re scoring at home, those seven players represented 150 about our group is we’re competitive, we’ve got guys who really care collective games for the Canucks and 10 goals. about the Penguins and we find ways to win.” And it’s not like that was a complete aberration this season. The Canucks We should all be so inconsistent. have four forwards — Jack Skille, Brendan Gaunce, Chaput and Megna — who’ve played at least 48 games and who’ve combined for 12 goals. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.12.2017 Think about that for a minute as Willie Desjardins’ work is scrutinized. Think about what it says about Desjardins’ lineup on any given night. Fully one-third of his forwards are incapable of providing offence and there have been a number of games — like Saturday night — when the ratio was even higher. OK, injuries are a factor but you couldn’t say the Canucks have been ravaged in that department this year. Against the Pens, Markus Granlund was knocked out of the lineup with food poisoning and Gaunce and Loui Eriksson were already down. There are also long-term injuries to Derek Dorsett and Anton Rodin to consider, but other teams have been hit harder in 2016-17. Jim Benning is now concluding his third year on the job. You can come at this point from several different directions but the bottom line is that’s enough time to build up the organization’s depth and the Canucks still have too many players who belong in the AHL or are fringe NHLers. That will change but the next wave is still a couple of years away from making an impact. Benning has done some nice work at the draft table and the cavalry is coming. But the Canucks could use some help now. Horvat’s heavy load Ryan Miller did a commendable job of keeping the Canucks in Saturday night’s tilt — the shots were 33-15 when Ian Cole opened the scoring for Pittsburgh late in the second — but it was instructive to watch Bo Horvat facing Crosby, Malkin et al. Horvat’s line was matched against the Malkin trio with Phil Kessel and Chris Kunitz for most of the night and, while they ceded too much territory on too many shifts, they minimized the damage. This is noteworthy because, according to the prevailing theory, the development of the Canucks’ youngsters will be accelerated by playing in meaningful games. That usually means the post-season but, barring divine intervention, that isn’t going to happen which leaves games like Saturday night’s. “At this stage you have to treat it like it’s a playoff game,” Horvat said. “Every game from now on is a playoff game for us.” The last time Mike Sullivan was in Rogers Arena as a coach in the NHL, the Canucks were finishing off a dismal 83-point season which led to the firing of head coach John Tortorella and Sullivan, then a Canucks’ assistant. This time? Sullivan is the head coach of the defending Stanley Cup- champion Pittsburgh Penguins who also owned the fourth-best record in the NHL before Saturday’s games. “I enjoyed my time here but we also had some challenging times,” Sullivan said before Saturday night’s game. “All of those memories come back.” Even if the memories are misty and water-coloured. “I’m no different than anybody else,” Sullivan continued. “When you go through experiences both good and not so good, there are always opportunities to reflect and learn and try to get better. That’s part of what we do. “Reflection is part of the process when you’re trying to become the best coach you can be.” Still, that must have been some serious reflecting on Sullivan’s part. Looking back, it’s hard to reconcile the journeyman coach who left Vancouver after the 2013-14 season with the architect of the Penguins’ 1052441 Websites With just under four minutes remaining in the second, an Ian Cole shot from the Canucks’ blue line beat Miller blocker-side thanks in large part to a screen from Oskar Sundqvist. Sportsnet.ca / Miller’s heroics not enough to bail out Canucks vs. Pittsburgh very nearly doubled their lead late in the second, with another Penguins dazzling save by Miller being the difference—his 34th save through 40 minutes. Naoko Asano “I thought we were quicker in the first period than we were in the second,” Sedin said. “We just weren’t able to get pucks up the ice, and we turned @naokoasano a lot of pucks over, so that was the difference.” March 12, 2017, 3:03 AM Entering the third period on a power play, the Canucks momentarily appeared to tie the game—at least until it became clear Sven Baertschi had knocked the puck out of the air with a high stick. VANCOUVER — After parting ways with Alex Burrows and Jannik With the help of a power play following a Nikita Tryamkin penalty, Hansen just before the March 1 trade deadline, the Vancouver Canucks’ Pittsburgh broke the 40-shot threshold midway through the third period. direction going forward finally seemed clear. Whatever you call it— rebuilding, retooling—the focus this season was no longer squarely on “It doesn’t surprise me if we get outshot, like 35 or 25 or that,” said somehow squeaking into the playoffs. Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins. “But over 40—we gotta keep it under that.” And yet, to the frustration of at least a sizeable portion of the fan base, the Canucks were still picking up points. They’d lost three of five games With only three minutes remaining, Jake Guentzel doubled Pittsburgh’s since the March 1 deadline, but they’d managed to snap up loser points lead. Miller soon left his net to give the Canucks an extra attacker, and in two of them. the Penguins increased their margin to three with just over a minute remaining. On Saturday, facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canucks briefly looked as if they might be set to grab, at the very least, a point for a fifth “It’s been the case for some games this year where I think it feels like consecutive game. The Penguins looked sluggish at the start, though you we’re always waiting for something to happen,” Sedin said of his team’s could hardly blame them: the team was playing its third game in four third-period performance. “When you do that, you’re skating the wrong days, having most recently beaten the Edmonton Oilers in a shootout the way. And when you turn the puck over then it’s—they’re gonna come night before. back and hurt you. They had a lot of three-on-twos, two-on-ones in the third where we were hoping for something to happen, and they PITTSBURGH capitalized.” PENGUINS3 With the shutout, Murray completed 120 minutes of scoreless hockey against the Canucks this season. VANCOUVER Miller, despite the loss, made 45 saves—nine coming during Vancouver CANUCKS0 penalty kills—good for a goals-against average of .957 on the night. FINAL Sedin said he’d put on a clinic, while Chaput felt the whole team would need to perform better to live up to the standard the Canucks’ goaltender But the defending Stanley Cup champions eventually picked up the pace, has been setting. and the Canucks came away with nothing, falling to the visitors 3–0. “He’s been amazing these past few games, even all year. He’s seeing Canucks captain Henrik Sedin attributed the loss to a difference in the puck, he’s making some huge saves for us,” Chaput said. “We’ve just speed: the Canucks simply couldn’t keep up with the Penguins. got to score some goals. He’s doing the job for us. We’ve got to do it for him.” “I still believe it’s a team that, if we can play a little bit quicker, we can get a lot more chances against this team,” he said. “But I don’t think we’re It would be easy to argue that Vancouver has been remarkably unlucky quick enough right now with the passes.” of late: the team was missing both Markus Granlund and Chris Tanev to food poisoning on Saturday, while newcomer Nikolay Goldobin missed Before the midpoint of the first period, the Canucks had a goal taken his second game to an illness, and Loui Eriksson remains out with a back after Michael Chaput tipped a goal-line pass from Daniel Sedin past lower body injury—and that’s not to mention the mumps saga. Matt Murray. A Pittsburgh challenge led to the reversal of the call on the ice, which spurred a round of hearty boos from the home crowd. “I get these calls late at night, and I always know when I get that call that it’s not a good sign,” said Desjardins, who explained that Tanev had “From my point of view, it should’ve been a goal, I think, but the refs made a trip to the ER, while Granlund showed up to Rogers Arena but thought otherwise,” Chaput said, adding that he felt the disallowed goal could barely walk. might have been the turning point in the game. “The momentum would have been on our side, and I think they kind of got some energy from But with several Canucks playing through injuries, and youngsters like that.” Goldobin looking to prove themselves, definitive losses like the one on Saturday night might just allow for more freedom going forward. Which Pittsburgh had consecutive strong chances in the Canucks’ end as the means, at least for fans hoping to see their team slide further down the first period wound down. Their best chance was saved by former standings, the Canucks failing to steal a loser point versus is good news, Penguin Jayson Megna, who extricated the puck from behind Ryan Miller if not good luck. inches from the goal line. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.12.2017 EMILY SADLER The Penguins entered the second period with more energy than the first, taking over the shots-on-goal contest after ending the first period with only a one-shot edge over the Canucks. After an extended stretch without whistles, Sidney Crosby earned the game’s first power play, intercepting a clearing attempt and then drawing a hooking penalty from Sven Baertschi. Four minutes later, Crosby drew a second penalty—this time a slashing call on Luca Sbisa. The Penguins were able to maintain possession for what seemed like a comically long period of time before Miller snatched a Conor Sheary shot out of the air to draw a whistle. On the subsequent power play, Phil Kessel was left shaking his head wondering how the puck stayed out after his shot ended up beneath a sprawled-out Ryan Miller, whose strong play was largely responsible for the Canucks escaping two penalty kills unscathed. 1052442 Websites “I needed to find my role, and during the [2012-13] lockout, I kind of found it," Backlund told Odland. "Bob [Hartley] did a good job of helping me become a two-way player and now … in the past few years, I’ve Sportsnet.ca / Flames’ Mikael Backlund picking up steam in Selke worked on my offensive game to bring some creativity back in it.” conversation Mood. pic.twitter.com/ilIixLa7lC — Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 12, 2017 Emily Sadler He has clearly found his role, and has earned the full trust of his March 12, 2017, 12:21 AM teammates and coach Glen Gulutzan in the meantime. “I’ve put him in almost every tough situation that I could put him in— against other teams’ top players, burying him in the defensive zone," Every year around this time, as we separate the contenders from the Gulutzan told reporters when asked about the Selke talk. rest, NHL awards talk begins to picks up. "If you look at all of his numbers," said Gulutzan, "I think there might be When it comes to the Selke Trophy, awarded to the best defensive- an argument there.” minded forward, we tend to see the same names rise to surface. So while the post-season push is front-of-mind for all involved, the award The usual suspects include Patrice Bergeron, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan rumblings are worth keeping an eye on in Calgary. Toews, and, in the not-so-distant past, Pavel Datsyuk. But this year, we’ve been hearing the argument that it might be time to welcome a new Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.12.2017 name into the mix: Mikael Backlund. Sportsnet’s has liked what he’s seen from the 27-year-old NHL forward this season, and suggests he deserves a shot at the Selke. "I'm going to put Mikael Backlund in that category now," Hrudey said on Hockey Night in Canada. "When you think of the giant strides he had taken last year, and looking at the first goal of the game [Saturday night vs. Jets], you just get a sense of how smart he is, hockey-wise." Backlund turned heads last year with a career-best 21 goals and 47 points, but his strong play was perhaps overshadowed by the Flames' disappointing showing, missing the playoffs after an exciting run one year prior. Now, 68 games into 2016-17, Backlund has already matched that 21- goal mark with his first-period tally against the Winnipeg Jets, and has one-upped his points total. A career-high 48 points only starts to sum up the impact of #Flames C Mikael Backlund this season. He's been superb, consistently. — Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) March 12, 2017 The shutdown centreman has been a consistently responsible presence on a team that has struggled through parts of the season. "It’s his overall play," said Hrudey. "He’s really taken it to the next level." "He's known as Mikael Selke around here right now." - Matthew Tkachuk on linemate Mikael Backlund pic.twitter.com/vyCdEIkNeI — Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 4, 2017 Calgary has now won nine games in a row—a franchise record since moving from Atlanta. And while credit can be handed out around the entire dressing room—with a little extra going to goalie Brian Elliott after back-to-back shutouts—Backlund has stood out, thanks to his smart play and versatility. A career-high 48 points only starts to sum up the impact of #Flames C Mikael Backlund this season. He's been superb, consistently. — Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) March 12, 2017 He's quickly become a favourite among the analytically-inclined, too. As Andrew Berkshire pointed out last week, Backlund's low-risk play, defensive prowess, and strong scoring touch has made him one of the Flames' most impactful players this year. Mikael Backlund is one of the NHL's best defensive forwards, and now he's bringing it offensively too https://t.co/RDMRSanveC pic.twitter.com/lfdY04mwXq — Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) March 7, 2017 From Berkshire: Backlund is the prototypical player that proves that making the so-called ‘safe play’ isn’t the best play, it’s just the easiest thing you can do. Using his high skill level and willingness to take a small risk for big gain, he drives play better than any other Flames forward, forming one of the NHL’s most dominant possession lines with Michael Frolik and rookie Matthew Tkachuk. Andrew Berkshire, sportsnet.ca Backlund told Postmedia's Kristen Odland earlier this week that former Flames coach Bob Hartley helped him find his two-way game. 1052443 Websites “I needed to find my role, and during the [2012-13] lockout, I kind of found it," Backlund told Odland. "Bob [Hartley] did a good job of helping me become a two-way player and now … in the past few years, I’ve Sportsnet.ca / Flames’ Mikael Backlund picking up steam in Selke worked on my offensive game to bring some creativity back in it.” conversation Mood. pic.twitter.com/ilIixLa7lC — Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 12, 2017 Emily Sadler He has clearly found his role, and has earned the full trust of his March 12, 2017, 12:21 AM teammates and coach Glen Gulutzan in the meantime. “I’ve put him in almost every tough situation that I could put him in— against other teams’ top players, burying him in the defensive zone," Every year around this time, as we separate the contenders from the Gulutzan told reporters when asked about the Selke talk. rest, NHL awards talk begins to picks up. "If you look at all of his numbers," said Gulutzan, "I think there might be When it comes to the Selke Trophy, awarded to the best defensive- an argument there.” minded forward, we tend to see the same names rise to surface. So while the post-season push is front-of-mind for all involved, the award The usual suspects include Patrice Bergeron, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan rumblings are worth keeping an eye on in Calgary. Toews, and, in the not-so-distant past, Pavel Datsyuk. But this year, we’ve been hearing the argument that it might be time to welcome a new Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.12.2017 name into the mix: Mikael Backlund. Sportsnet’s Kelly Hrudey has liked what he’s seen from the 27-year-old NHL forward this season, and suggests he deserves a shot at the Selke. "I'm going to put Mikael Backlund in that category now," Hrudey said on Hockey Night in Canada. "When you think of the giant strides he had taken last year, and looking at the first goal of the game [Saturday night vs. Jets], you just get a sense of how smart he is, hockey-wise." Backlund turned heads last year with a career-best 21 goals and 47 points, but his strong play was perhaps overshadowed by the Flames' disappointing showing, missing the playoffs after an exciting run one year prior. Now, 68 games into 2016-17, Backlund has already matched that 21- goal mark with his first-period tally against the Winnipeg Jets, and has one-upped his points total. A career-high 48 points only starts to sum up the impact of #Flames C Mikael Backlund this season. He's been superb, consistently. — Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) March 12, 2017 The shutdown centreman has been a consistently responsible presence on a team that has struggled through parts of the season. "It’s his overall play," said Hrudey. "He’s really taken it to the next level." "He's known as Mikael Selke around here right now." - Matthew Tkachuk on linemate Mikael Backlund pic.twitter.com/vyCdEIkNeI — Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 4, 2017 Calgary has now won nine games in a row—a franchise record since moving from Atlanta. And while credit can be handed out around the entire dressing room—with a little extra going to goalie Brian Elliott after back-to-back shutouts—Backlund has stood out, thanks to his smart play and versatility. A career-high 48 points only starts to sum up the impact of #Flames C Mikael Backlund this season. He's been superb, consistently. — Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) March 12, 2017 He's quickly become a favourite among the analytically-inclined, too. As Andrew Berkshire pointed out last week, Backlund's low-risk play, defensive prowess, and strong scoring touch has made him one of the Flames' most impactful players this year. Mikael Backlund is one of the NHL's best defensive forwards, and now he's bringing it offensively too https://t.co/RDMRSanveC pic.twitter.com/lfdY04mwXq — Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) March 7, 2017 From Berkshire: Backlund is the prototypical player that proves that making the so-called ‘safe play’ isn’t the best play, it’s just the easiest thing you can do. Using his high skill level and willingness to take a small risk for big gain, he drives play better than any other Flames forward, forming one of the NHL’s most dominant possession lines with Michael Frolik and rookie Matthew Tkachuk. Andrew Berkshire, sportsnet.ca Backlund told Postmedia's Kristen Odland earlier this week that former Flames coach Bob Hartley helped him find his two-way game. 1052444 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Ron & Don: Malkin was right to answer call against Wheeler

Sportsnet Staff March 11, 2017, 8:57 PM

Don Cherry doesn’t love Evgeni Malkin, but he definitely likes him. And he respects him even more after seeing the forward’s performance on Wednesday night. Hockey fans knew it would be a heated affair between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets, considering the how rough their previous matchup was back on Feb. 16. One of the incidents, a high hit from Malkin on Blake Wheeler, went unpunished by the department of player safety but not unnoticed by many in the hockey community – and especially Jets players themselves. Naturally, Malkin and Wheeler dropped the gloves early in the first period of Wednesday's rematch to settle the score between the two, and Cherry believes that was the right thing to do. "He knows he's gotta answer," Cherry said during Saturday's edition of Coach's Corner on Hockey Night in Canada. "He can't fight worth a lick and Wheeler does a number on him, but at least he showed up. He knew it was going to happen. Cherry also liked what Malkin had to say after the game during his post- game interview with Sportsnet's Sean Reynolds, during which he admitted that his hit on Wheeler back in February was "not great"— something Cherry agrees with—and explained that he fought Wheeler out of respect. “It’s not great, my fight, but it’s fine,” Malkin said. Cherry also made a strong case for Malkin being included in the NHL's Top 100 Players, and questioned why he wasn't named to the list during the unveiling on All-Star Weekend. "Rookie of the year, first All-Star team three times, Art Ross Trophy, Conn Smythe MVP, Hart Trophy MVP, and the best one of all: Trophy, the players vote on that," Cherry said. "And they vote don't put him in the top 100! Stupid." "It does sound like love," quipped Ron MacLean. Cherry also spoke highly of goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Brian Elliott, chimed in on Friday's McDavid vs Crosby matchup and more. Watch the full segment at the top of this post. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052445 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Friedman on NHL Olympic negotiations: ‘It’s a stalemate’

Emily Sadler March 11, 2017, 10:29 PM

The great Olympic hockey question is still without an answer. And according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it could still be a while before we know if we’ll be seeing NHL players hit the ice at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Friedman provided an update during Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, calling the situation “a stalemate.” “There was a rumour going around that the Players’ Association was going to agree to a 19-year-old draft in exchange for going. I checked that, and I was told that’s not true,” Friedman explained. “And as a matter of fact, the Players’ Association reiterated that they don’t feel they have to give up anything to go to the Olympics. "All I can tell you is that it's a stalemate," he said. "There was supposed to be some sort of Olympic meeting in the near future, a conversation about it, and that was cancelled toward the end of last week. There's nothing scheduled." Friedman noted that prior to the Sochi Games in 2014, the NHL's participation wasn't officially announced until July 2013, meaning there is still time. "But from what I understand," he explained, "the handshake was done in February and then they negotiated the parameters." The Olympics have been on many peoples' minds lately, especially as we're just coming off the GM meetings this past week. Players have been vocal about it, too. On Friday, Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek said he found the whole ordeal "stupid" and "absolutely ridiculous." "It's the Olympics," Voracek said, via CSN Philly. "It's not just about business. You want to be part of the Olympics. And trust me, players want to go. And the players who don't go get a week off to recharge their batteries. If you have bumps and bruises, you can heal and recover. "The players want to go, I guarantee you that. I want to see how you are going to hold [Alex] Ovechkin back. The Russian players. Tell them they can't go." According to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, Voracek's boss was not impressed. "There's no question Ron Hextall was not very happy with those comments," Kypreos said. "He found it to be a bit of a distraction for a team that's trying to make the playoffs." But as Kypreos pointed out, Voracek's opinion "speaks volumes to where the Olympics is with this current generation." "There's the Stanley Cup and then there's the Olympics, and then there's everything else," said Kypreos. "For our generation when it was introduced in 1998, it was something that we grew to love as a country. Now, these players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, they grew up with the Olympics. So it is very important that they get their crack at participating as well. "I think maybe that's just the start of it," he added. "I think we'll hear from a few more players." One other piece worth noting in the Olympic conversation is the proposed exhibition games in China. "That's going to be L.A. and Vancouver in the exhibition games in China, and I believe those are going to happen regardless of whether or not they go to the Oympics," said Friedman. "I believe it's the start of a bigger footprint there." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052446 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / How shot blocking has taken Erik Karlsson’s game to a whole new level

Rory Boylen March 11, 2017, 7:27 PM

With less than a month until the end of the regular season, Erik Karlsson is still your league leader in blocked shots. Don’t call him a one-dimensional blueliner. With 178 blocked shots, Karlsson is 19 up on second place Calvin De Haan and Ian Cole. Kris Russell, your more traditional leader in this stat, has Karlsson beat in average blocked shots per game at 3.0, since he’s played 13 fewer games than has the Senators’ Norris Trophy candidate (Karlsson is at 2.7 per game). “Erik knows this team had to improve on the defensive side, and that’s where he’s leading,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said back in November. "It's been a total treat having him be this way because that's what the team needs. "Erik is at a point in his career where he's done it all individually. He's the best offensive defenceman. He's got the awards that come with it and the recognition. Now as a captain — he's 26 — he wants to win." Under Boucher this season, Karlsson's ice time has dropped to an average of 26:40 per game, which isn't much of a drop considering he still ranks fifth in the league. As Brent Burns gets all the attention and Norris Trophy buzz with 27 goals (more than twice as many as the next highest-scoring defenceman) and is in the running for the Art Ross with 70 points, Karlsson is fine-tuning the parts of his game that were criticized by people who didn't think he was a good choice for the best- defenceman trophy in 2012 or 2015. Oh ya, and with 61 points he's still second in blueliner scoring, just nine points behind Burns. On Hockey Night in Canada, Kelly Hrudey talked about Karlsson's shot- blocking prowess and how he gets more out of it than does someone like Russell. LUKE FOX "He does it a little bit differently if you ask me," Hrudey said. "He’s really good because of his skating ability to get right out to the guy who’s shooting the puck and it's maybe a little bit different than some of the other guys and it also leads to great offence. "Maybe a Kris Russell might come back to the net a little bit more. He’s figured out how to generate some scoring from it." Karlsson's improvement in the shot-blocking department didn't happen over night -- he's been working on it and improving for a few seasons. In 2014-15, when he won his second Norris, Karlsson ranked 125th in blocked shots (1.09 per game). In 2015-16, he nearly doubled his rate to 2.13 blocks per game and ranked 11th overall in the category. And that's not all, as Nick Kypreos pointed out when Karlsson won his two Norris' his shorthanded time on ice was around 45 minutes for the whole season -- this year he's at 145 minutes. It's probably the most well-rounded season he's had in his career, but it seems like a long shot he'll win his third Norris. Ironically, it's Burns' superior offensive season that is drowning out any gains Karlsson has made on defence. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.12.2017 1052447 Websites

TSN.CA / Andersen helps Leafs earn desperately needed two points By Kristen Shilton

In the thick of a heated playoff race, the Toronto Maple Leafs won their third game in a row Saturday night, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. Morgan Rielly potted the game-winner halfway through the extra frame, capping off a back-and-forth affair out of which Toronto desperately needed two points. They now move ahead of the New York Islanders into the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot. Takeaways Too close for comfort: Toronto didn’t skate before Saturday’s game so they had no excuse to be tired, but still the Maple Leafs looked hesitant early on for the second consecutive night. It took 6:22 of the first period for them to register a shot on goal, while the Hurricanes put seven on Frederik Andersen. Toronto blanked the Hurricanes 4-0 three weeks ago and are 10 points ahead of them in the playoff race, so this matchup didn't suggest Toronto would be out-matched for long. But playing sloppy for long stretches and relying on Andersen, again, for timely saves allowed Carolina to run wild. The Maple Leafs were outshot 38-26 and lost too many important faceoffs, winning just 25 percent of draws in their own zone in regulation. There’s no question Andersen is Toronto’s most important player and he’s proving it more than ever in this postseason push; he was the main reason the Maple Leafs even made it to overtime in Carolina. Men on fire: Tyler Bozak may be suffering from a lower-body ailment that held him out of skates this week, but he’s been keeping up fine with linemates James van Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner. That trio was the Maple Leafs’ most productive in Carolina, accounting for two goals and three assists. Marner tied the game 53 seconds after Viktor Rask opened scoring in the first, sending a quick wrister over top of Hurricanes’ goalie Cam Ward. On Toronto’s second goal, Bozak won the neutral zone draw, allowing van Riemsdyk to go top shelf in short order for his 21st of the season. Marner and van Riemsdyk also had several close calls between them, with each missing the net on potential scoring chances. The trio finished with nine shots on goal. That line now has 53 goals on the season, compared to 53 for Nazem Kadri’s line and 68 for Auston Matthews’, showing how balanced the Maple Leafs’ scoring has become. Marner is also two assists away from Gus Bodnar’s franchise record for rookie record helpers. He also has points in five straights games - Toronto’s rookie record is points in nine straight. Bad blueliners: With his team boasting the best power play in the league and the second-best road penalty kill, Mike Babcock said before Saturday’s game he didn’t imagine there would be many penalties that night. A couple of his defencemen didn’t stick to that plan. Nikita Zaitsev took a cross-checking penalty to end the first and Teuvo Teravainen capitalized early in the second to give Carolina the lead back. Toronto has now allowed power play goals in consecutive games for the first time since mid-February. With the game tied, Martin Marincin took a holding penalty 42 seconds into the third period, taking away momentum for Toronto and keeping them on their heels even after the infraction was killed off. The Maple Leafs failed to score on either of their two power play opportunities, after going three straight games with a score on the man advantage. (Non) Possession players: The Maple Leafs posted one of their lowest possession totals of the season as a team Saturday at 39.62 percent. While none of the Hurricanes’ forwards who played more than seven minutes were at less than 50 percent, Toronto only had three players total above that mark. Kadri’s line with Connor Brown and Leo Komarov tangled with Jordan Staal’s line throughout the night and were chasing the game for much of it, with each player clocking in below 28 percent. In addition to the Bozak line, it was Brian Boyle’s line, with Matt Martin and Nikita Soshnikov, that had the most sustained success in the offensive zone. Babcock has continued to show more confidence in his fourth line, utilizing them more consistently since adding Boyle last month. Next game: Toronto continues its three-game southern swing against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. TSN.CA LOADED: 03.12.2017